SAWS - Wrap-Up

 In the end I played 5 solid people, taking my part in most of them getting awards.  My first game took 3^rd general, my final game took overall and 2^nd general.  My second game took 2^nd lowest battle points and my forth game took favorite opponent.  Just my third round game would take nothing… and myself of course.  In the end I came in tied for 18^th place with sadly my comp (no surprise) and sports (disappointing) holding me down the ranks.  But I had a good time and learned that while Beast magic can be nasty it just doesn’t have the overall consistency that my death/metal combination does – even with only a level 2/1.

Dark Elves – 14W/2L/1D

Empire – 2W/1L/0D

High Elves– 4W/1L/1D

Singles – 17W/4L/2D

Doubles – 3W/0L/0D

Overall – 30W/4L/2D

SAWS – Round 5 – Jeff Suess – High Elves

Bonus Objective:

Deployment: Battleline

Special Rules

Half Points!

The List

Prince, heavy armor, shield, steed, barding, giant blade, dragon helm, dawnstone

Archmage, level 4, lore of life, book of hoeth, talisman of preservation

Noble, light armor, steed, barding, sword of might, enchanted shield, golden crown of atrazar, other trickster’s shard

Handmaiden of the Everqueen, spear, light armor, flaming attacks

13 Silverhelms, full command

15 Archers, musician

5 Reavers, spears

5 Reavers, spears

27 White Lions, full command, banner of the world dragon

9 Sisters of Averlorn

Bolt Thrower

Bolt Thrower

Frostheart Phoenix

MMM… what’s the worst thing my list can play against?  Banner of the world dragon you say?  What could be worst, dwellers?  Hmm… wow.  Sad thing is, I had just been telling someone how this was the thing I didn’t want to play for the final round… right as pairings were put up.  Oh, well, for my list I’m sure I deserved this match up.  Here is a hint, Jeff took overall, as he did at both QCR and SAWS the year before (and many other events – Jeff is no slouch).

Magic

I rolled up wild form, amber spear, curse and savage beasts.

Jeff rolled up dwellers (of course), throne, flesh to stone and earth blood.

With my army bunkered I knew I was just asking to be dwellered, but with bolt throwers I couldn’t just go wild in other units.  I figured I had 3 turns of safety.  He would fail to cast once, I would scroll one and another phase wouldn’t have enough dice to cast it at long range before he would be able to push a dwellers first.  That should give me time to kill the silver helms before I scattered to the winds.

Deployment

Jeff deployed his white lions as the core of his army, with shooting on each side and split the phoenix on one side and the cavalry on the other.  I deployed with my bunker across from his knights with a shooting screen of dark riders (which could easily charge out of the way).  I then put my hydras in a position to put pressure on the rest of his army, maybe giving him pause (but why, they are only I2 with no saves?)

I vanguard strong, not really worried about a knight charge.

He gets the first turn… arg, really could have used this one.

Turn 1 – High Elves

Jeff starts his game by starting to swing his lions towards the right.

A 7/6 magic phase sees a 6D dwellers scrolled.  He then throws the last at earth blood and I dispel it.

Shooting kills 3 dark riders on right and 8 witches.

Turn 1 – Dark Elves

I charge the bolt thrower with dark riders and dark riders into white lions.  I then fail 3 charges, doom fire warlocks at reevers (which flee off the table), dark riders into white lions (flank) and witches at reevers.

A 7/5 magic phase sees a 2D amber spears killing 3 silver helms, a 2D wildform on the doom fire warlocks dispelled, a 2D soul blight on the white lions and 1D savage beasts on my general.

My shooting kills 2 sisters, 2 reavers, 3 archers and 2 silverhelms.

I kill the bolt thrower in combat.  I also manage to put 2 wounds on the wizard and kill a white lion before losing the dark riders… really could have used that 3^rd wound, would have made my game to stop his magic.

Turn 2 – High Elves

Jeff uses his potion of strength to buff his shooting.  Instead the phoenix charges the right hydra and the silver helms charge the bolt thrower killing dark riders (over run would put silver helms off the table… I flee off the table instead).  The phoenix fails.

A 10/5 magic phase starts with a 2D earth blood on white lions and a 3D throne which I allow.  I then dispel the 5D dwellers.

I lose a hydra to shooting.

Turn 2 – Dark Elves

The doom fire warlocks charge the silver helms which flee of the table.  That’s great, points scored, time to scatter unit, just have to survive another magic phase.  The witches fail frenzy and charge reavers which flee.

A 5/4 magic phase has me putting a 2D soul blight on archers and then a 3D wild form that is only dispelled due to the book reroll.

Shooting leaves just 4 archers.  The phoenix makes its ward saves against my bolt throwers.

Turn 3 – High Elves

The phoenix charges the hydra, and I flee.  He recharges with archers.  They both fail.

This is the turn of the poor magic phase! Or not.  A 6/4 magic phase has a 6D dwellers, with my failed dispel taking off 5 doom fire warlocks, my general and my level 4. Ouch.

Shooting kills 3 dark riders and 3 witches.

Turn 3 – Dark Elves

My master (with dragon helm) charges out of unit at some archers which flee.

A 6/5 magic phase puts a 3D soul blight on the phoenix and a 3D doom bold being dispelled.

Shooting kills 1 archer and again the phoenix makes all its ward saves.  I also put a wound on a bolt thrower. 

Turn 4 – High Elves

I use my potion of strength to discourage the phoenix charge, which means no charges.  The archers rally.

A 4/2 magic phase (now he gets the poor phase!) has a 4D dwellers fail to cast.

Witches die to shooting, along with another dark rider.

Turn 4 – Dark Elves

Dark riders charge bolt thrower, doom fire warlocks charge phoenix.

A 5/4 magic phase has a 5D soul blight dispelled.

Shooting kills off archers and the Handmaiden that had popped out of the unit.

In combat I kill the bolt thrower.  The BSB does 2 wounds to the phoenix, I lose 2 doom fire warlocks and he makes his leadership test.

Time is then called, ending the game.  I was in a position to clear up a few more points having finally killed his shooting, but losing my 2 lords really put me back.  I’m not really sure why this game only got 4 turns while my other games went through.  Oh well, not sure it would have been enough given my inability to kill the white lions or the characters inside it.

SAWS – Round 4 – Jason Walsh – Daemons of Chaos

Bonus Objective: Most Expensive Character (GUO)

Deployment: Battleline

Special Rules

Player with most models on hill got 200 points.

The List

Great Unclean One, level 3, lore of nurgle

10 Pink Horrors

10 Pink Horrors

10 Pink Horrors

10 Pink Horrors

26 Plaguebearers, full command, banner of swiftness

5 Beasts of Nurgle

5 Beasts of Nurgle

5 Chaos Furies, Mark of Khorn

5 Chaos Furies

5 Chaos Furies

Seeker Chariot

Seeker Chariot

Skillcannon

Just wow… nasty list.  And yet Jason would get my favorite game and take Best Sports.  Just shows there really can be a difference between Comp and Sports… I commend his other opponents for seeing the difference.

Magic

My spells were wildform, flock of doom, amber spear and savage beasts – dakka and combat.

For the casts he 4 units would pick up Gleam, Gateway, Pink Fire and Bolt of Change.  His greater daemon would get rancid visitation, fleshy abandon and plague wind.

Deployment

Jason’s list impressively stretches from one table edge to the other.  The wings are controlled by furies and the center gets the plague bearers.  The left side gets beasts and both chariots with the right getting the other unit of beasts and most of the horrors (though on the back edge).

I deploy heavy left, seeing through the chariots as my best path into his back lines.

Turn 1 – Dark Elves

Moving conservatively thanks to not wanting to be anywhere near the beasts, I have no charges.  I do move up to challenge the furies.

A 5/3 magic phase starts off with a 2D amber spear on a chariot that makes its ward save.  My 3D doom bolt kills the chariot on the left.

My shooting kills a harpy and puts 2 wounds on the other chariot.

Turn 1 – Daemons

The chariot tries for the long charge against the witches but fails.

A 10/5 magic phase (8 on table) kills a bolt thrower, ouch.  A 6D gateway kills a hydra while the other spell does 4 wounds on witches and gives them regeneration.

The cannon does 1 wound to a bolt thrower.

Turn 2 – Dark Elves

I start the turn off by attempting a flank charge on cannon by dark riders (fail), flank charge by dark riders on left horrors, witches charge the daemon prince hoping to do a few wounds and lock him down for a turn or two and my beefy block charges the chariot.

I roll an 8/7 magic phase.  I start with a 2D wild form on my doom fire warlocks, which he fails to dispel.  I then 3D soulblight on the right beats, which he allows and a 3D Horros on my general is dispelled.

My shooting is completely ineffective.

The dark riders kill daemons, losing 3 thanks to pink horrors and pops the unit.  My witches wide up and put 4 wounds on the greater daemon.  They will take 5 losses themselves, but the greater daemon will pop on his leadership test.  My doom fire warlocks kill the chariot, but then fail to adequately over run, leaving their flanks exposed.

Turn 2 – Daemons

Knowing I’m about to get charged, I use my potion of strength.

The beasts charge the hydra.  The second unit charges a unit of dark riders; they fail and I fail to do anything with the stand and shoot.  The plague bearers and a unit of horrors charge my doom fire warlocks.  I kill a horror on the stand and shoot.  People watching the game asked why he charged with the horrors, after all they seemed like free combat resolution.  I think understood… they were to tie up my characters and give the plague bearers a chance to get at my gooey center.

A 7/6 magic phase sees a 6D irresistible gateway at the witches, killing 4.  He loses 3.  The now solo witch champion gains regeneration.

In combat, the Hydra does 6 wounds and takes 2… he holds.  In combat, I blow off the horrors and only kill 3 plague bearers.  I lose 4 warlocks.  3 more plague bearers die thanks to resolution and I reform.

Turn 3 – Dark Elves

A unit of dark riders taking advantage of his collapsing flanks, charges the rear of a unit of furies.  The witches fail their frenzy check so instead of running away charge a unit of horrors… which they fail.

A 9/4 magic phase has him allowing a 5D bubbled soulblight.  He then dispels a 2D wildform.  I 2D savage beasts on the master with sword of striking – I figure that strength doesn’t matter much thanks to the wardsave and I’d rather go with the 3+ to hit instead of the 4+.

Shooting finally kicks in, killing 4 horrors on the right and another from another unit.

In combat, the dark riders kill 4 furies and overrun into a unit of horrors, losing 1 to the forest.  They hydra takes another 2 wounds but does 3 more.  The beasts again pass their leadership test.  The plague bearers get taken off before they have a chance to attack.  My characters managed to put 26 wounds on the unit, with only the 1 guy upgraded… crazy.

Turn 3 – Daemons

Trying to recoup some points, and likely after seeing the success of the pink horrors in killing dark riders, a unit of horrors charges dark riders.  He loses 2 on the stand and shoot and then fails his charge.  The furies on the left charge a bolt thrower.

A 10/7 magic phase gives him +1 ward save.  I dispel the 6D gateway.

The Cannon kills 4 off a dark rider unit with their flank exposed, and the unit panics off the table.

The furies kill the bolt thrower.  The hydra does another wound and then dies.  The dark riders kill 1 horror and another horror dies during resolution.

Turn 4 – Dark Elves

I use my potion of foolhardiness and charge my doom fire warlocks into a unit of beasts.  I charge a solo furie with some dark riders.

A 10/7 magic phase as Jason allowing a 2D wildform on the doom fire warlocks.  Jason then dispels a 3D soul blight on the beasts and fails to dispel a 5D bubbled horros.

The dark rider fails its fear and can’t kill the furry.  The furry than dies to static combat.  The dark riders chip off 2 more horrors and the unit fails its leadership and dies.  My characters make quick work of the beasts… finally found a solution to a unit of beasts – 1200 points of dark elf bunker with savage beasts of horros.

Turn 4 – Daemons

A 6/5 magic phase doesn’t do anything.  In shooting, my wizard fails a look out sir and dies.

Turn 5 – Dark Elves

I kill a horror.

Turn 5 – Daemons

The witches die off

Turn 6 – Dark Elves

Nada

Turn 6 – Daemons

A 2/1 magic phase kills a unit of furies.

Solid win for me.

SAWS – Round 3 – Justin Rusk – Dark Elves

Bonus Objective: Don’t remember and didn’t write it down – I got it though.

Deployment: Battleline

Special Rules

Some magic dice thing – doesn’t matter we forgot to do it until turn 3 and then decided that it wasn’t fair to institute half way through.

The List

Dreadlord, heavy armor, sea dragon cloak, shield, sword of anti-heroes, dragon helm, black amulet

Supreme Sorceress, level 4, lore of shadow, dispel scroll, talisman of preservation, other trickster’s shard

Master, BSB, great weapon, heavy armor, sea dragon cloak, ring of hotek

22 Darkshards, full command, banner of eternal flame

25 Corsairs, full command, lichebone pennant

14 Witch Elves, full command, razor standard

5 Dark Riders, musician, shield

30 Executioners, full command, banner of swiftness

Bolt Thrower

Bolt Thrower

Bolt Thrower

6 Doomfire Warlocks

Justin is a friend I often see at tournaments.  We’ve played a few times.  Justin once played a fast cavalry wood elf list, back before this new book.  He was the guy that I stole the idea and made the dark elf list from, looking to improve it and make it evil.  After Wood Elves, Justin bopped around a few armies, settling on Dark Elves with the new book.  He occasionally writes his own blog at rhuell.blogspot.com so I might get to see a battle report from the other perspective.  It wasn’t up when I wrote mine, 2 months late so it might not see a lot of detail either.  

Here is his write up: CLICK ME

As we walked up to the game Justin informed me had no way to deal with 2 hydras or doom fire warlocks.  I looked at his list and laughed.  Justin is a top rate player, and while he has been playing with more aspects of the dark elves he in no way plays softy lists – at least not at tournaments.  I admit his list isn’t nearly as stupid as mine though.

Magic

Justin rolled up miasma, withering, pit and mindrazor

I rolled up savage beasts, wildform, pelt and horros.

Deployment

Justin deploys center, splitting his fighting units on his flanks.  I counter by deploying hard right with the hydras in the center to act as distraction.

Justin nabs the first turn, key in a game with this many guns.

Turn 1 – Dark Elves (Justin)

With vanguards there are no charges.  Justin advances and swings right, keeping his line straight.

An 8/5 magic phase starts us off.  A 5D pit at a hydra is dispelled.  A 3D doom bolt kills a bolt thrower.  They hydras thankfully don’t panic.

Shooting kills 3 dark riders on center, 3 on left and 1 on right.  The center unit breaks.

Turn 1 – Dark Elves (Me)

I push his doom fire warlocks back by charging with a hydra.  The dark riders rally.

I advance.

A 7/3 magic phase starts with a 3D doom bolt on crossbows, dispelled.  A 2D wild form goes off for defense.

In shooting I kill 3 off the doom fire warlocks, 4 dark riders (panic) and 1 witch.

Turn 2 – Dark Elves (Justin)

No charges to start the turn.  The doom fire warlocks rally but the dark riders don’t.

A 6/5 magic phase sees all spells fail to cast.

Shooting kills 3 dark riders on right and 4 in the center, panicking the unit.  The cross bows kill 4 doom fire warlocks.

Turn 2 – Dark Elves (Me)

Dark riders charge the bolt thrower on the hill; the doom fires charge the crossbows.

My dark riders also don’t rally.

An 8/5 magic phase has me fail a 2D soulblight on the corsairs as I try to set up for next turn.  A 6D big savage beasts pulls his scroll.

Shooting kills 15 corsairs, 1 executioner.

In combat, I only somehow kill 13 xbows with my guys, though he still breaks.  I choose not to chase as to roll low would make me be charged by the corsairs and I’d rather face them.  I did take 1 wound on a master and use my luckstone.

Turn 3 – Dark Elves (Justin)

Justin goes in for counter charging.  His doom fire warlocks charge the solo dark rider, which flees.  They redirect to another unit.  My stand and shoot kills another doom fire warlock.  My doom fire warlocks get double charged by corsairs and witches.  I kill 6 corsairs on the stand and shoot.

His dark riders don’t rally again and go off the table.  The xbows do rally.

A 6/3 magic phase has him mindrazoring the witches, which I scroll.

His shooting puts 2 wounds on a hydra.

In the combat I lose the dark riders and a hydra.  In the big combat I lose 3 masters but kill 12 witches and 3 corsairs.  He breaks with both units and I run down his general, the corsairs and into the xbows.

Huge turn for me.

Turn 3 – Dark Elves (Me)

All but sealing the game, I use a hydra to escort the witches off the table.  My dark riders rally.

A 4/3 magic phase has me start with a 2D wildform on my doom fire warlocks which he fails to dispel.  A 2D beasts then goes on my general.

Shooting kills 6 Executioners.

In combat I kill the xbows.

Turn 4 – Dark Elves (Justin)

Justin charges my hydra with his Executioners.

A 5/4 magic phase sees a 3D doom bolt I dispel and a 2D soulblight that fails.

Shooting kills 1 doom fire warlock.

The hydra gets smashed.

Turn 4 – Dark Elves (Me)

No charges for me.  A 10/5 magic phases puts up a 2D wildform and a failed doom bolt.

Shooting kills 5 Executioners

Turn 5 – Dark Elves (Justin)

The Executioners go after a bolt thrower but fail their charge.

A 9/6 magic phase has a 6D small doom bolt go onto a solo dark rider but it doesn’t do anything.

His shooting kills 3 doom fire warlocks and puts a wound on wizard as I start to run low on models.

Turn 5 – Dark Elves (Me)

I charge the bolt thrower with a character, knowing I’m going to get stuck out and not wanting the doom fire warlocks to get shot anymore.  The warlocks run away, leaving the character to his fate.

A 6/3 magic phase doesn’t have me doing anything.

Shooting kills 4 more Executioners.

In combat I kill the bolt thrower but am not lucky enough to overrun into the other one.

Turn 6 – Dark Elves (Justin)

Executioners finally get in with the bolt thrower

A 7/7 magic phase sees me dispelling his 1 attempt at a soulblight.  My wizard takes another wound and the doom fire warlocks get shot off.

I kill 1 Executioner and the bolt thrower dies.

Turn 6 – Dark Elves (Me)

My general runs out and kills another bolt thrower.

Another win for me, and we both got our objectives.