I had never played Dwarves with my list before, but knew it would be a hard match up. The comp had been changed so that this year 4 warmachines were allowed for Dwarves before a comp hit, so I knew they would be packing a closer to normal tournament punch. Garret’s list did not disappoint.
Runelord, Gromril Armour, Rune of Stone, Rune of Resistance, Master Rune of Balance, Rune of Spellbreaking, general
Thane, BSB, Master Run of Gromril, Rune of Resistance, Rune of Cleaving
25 Longbeards, shields, full command
31 Warriors, Great weapons, full command
30 Hammerers, full command
Cannon, Rune of Forging, Rune of Burning
Grudge Thrower, Engineer, 2x Runes of Penetrating, Rune of Accuracy
Organ Gun
Organ Gun
This list did not look like it was something I would be able to beat. Cannon followed by Thrower should mean a hydra a turn, then my characters (cannon) and units (thrower). Each Organ Gun should be a unit a turn. Enough magic defense that I would probably never cast a spell without two 6s, and units so big that with T4 I couldn’t shoot them down and they hydras couldn’t plow through them all. My hope was to kill the warmachines and then run away for a small win, but if he defended them I would have to shoot over his units.
The mission was the tower, but with a few changes. The building was only worth 200 points, could only be held for points by core and wouldn’t admit a unit larger than 20. If unoccupied, the closest core unit controlled it.
Garret rolled to choose sides and choose the side with the forested hill (great, good shooting for him and -1 for me to shoot back). With no units under 20 models the building remained unoccupied. He deployed center-right flank leaving the left flank open. He put his longbeards with both characters in the center, then going right, the hammers, grudge thrower, both organ guns, cannon and the warriors horded against the right board edge. That’s right, he didn’t put a unit in front of the warmachines, yay!
I deployed one unit of riders on the left flank, and everything else on the right. The shades went on the left in his deployment zone. My vanguard moves on the right were tentative, enough to get into charge range of warmachines but not within good charge on his units. The rider on the left moved up fully. We rolled to see who went first and the dwarves got it, drat.
For Dwarves first turn the longbeards reformed to face the shades and block off any route along the board edge. The hammerers moved up, but not enough to open space between them and the longbeards. The hoard on the right moved up as well. For shooting, the organ guns went first. The first hitting the rider unit in the center 6 times, but giving me a break with 3 1s to wound. This forced the second organ gun to follow up on the same unit and kill it off. The cannon then shot at the right most hydra and gave me a 1 to wound. The grudge thrower scattered. Phew to that.
On my turn 1, I charged the right most organ gun with a unit of riders. The hydras advanced, one towards center and one towards the hoard (but staying out of charge range). The metal mage hid behind a building and the death wizard moved up into the center in the safe zone made by the two units. Thoughts were to get within 12 of his characters and the unengaged organ gun. Wasn’t yet thinking about how the winds of magic would work out. The shades on the left backed off and the other two rider units stayed still to maximize shooting. BSB stayed floating to cover both Hydras. After the dust had cleared on my winds of magic I found myself outclassed at 4 power dice to 6 dispel dice and a scroll. So I said F’ it, called the big purple sun and double 6s… and that’s what I got. The template then proceeded to roll a 2 for a 6 inch move, but that was enough to drop the hammerers to 10 models and kill the unengaged organ gun. My wizard then took a vacation into the warp. Worth it? In my shooting I dropped the hammerers to 9 models and plinked a few longbeards. In combat I killed the organ gun, panicing the cannon and over running into the grudge thrower.
Seeing his only method of killing me evaporate, the dwarves turn 2 was one of refocusing. The longbeards turned around to face the grudge thrower combat, the warriors also swung around to face away from the board edge. The hammers started to swing around as well. With no shooting it was a fast turn. The grudge thrower died in combat and the rider unit turned to face the cannon.
My turn 2 and the rider unit charged its third warmachine. The hydra on the right walked up to the hoarded unit and flamed them down to 11 models. A few more hammerers and longbeards died. The cannon died in combat.
Dwarves turn 3 and the warriors reformed to face the hydra. The longbeards reformed to face the building in the center of the board, with the hammerers moving to screen them.
My turn 3 and the hydra charged and finished off the warriors. The hammerers died out to shooting along with a few more longbeards.
Dwarves’ turn 4 saw him running towards the building. My turn 4 and I double charged with the hydras, causing the unit to flee on a failed terror test. After that it was just a series of other charges to control the final location of the dwarves to allow for them to be caught. Boarded opponent with 250 bonus points (2 banners, general and bsb) plus 200 for the building versus just losing my general and a unit to shooting gave me a solid 20/0 win.
You’ll notice that after that first turn I never mentioned magic again. Every phase I was at a minimum of two dice below my opponent, with him still having a dispel scroll and equal to my +2 to cast. With nothing solid on metal magic I just ignored the phase. Good to know I don’t need it to win all the time.
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