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.

NorthStar - The List

Normally I would have posted my full list before a tournament.  But since this is a closed event, I thought I would mix it up and have the list post as the event was ending.  Surprise?

Anyways,  with my toys all packed up still from the remodel (at least when I built the list), I went with a simple Dark Elf list that I could leave out.  I had originally wanted to run with the Chaos Dwarves, but due to baby and remodel that project didn't go as well as I would have liked, and then I set it aside for some 40k.  No biggie.  By the time I wanted to reconsider what I would play, the army types were locked in.  North Star does prizes for best army if at least five people play it.  While cool, that means there are no 12th hour changes.

Despite my attempt to make Beast magic work at SAWS, I decided to go back to my other list style.  This event only being 2200, I had to trim some fat, and did so by losing a unit of dark riders and two bolt throwers.  I think this still leaves me with a solid list, even if I lose the ability to threaten some of the tougher armor save monsters like Daemon Princes.  I still think I will do ok.

Here is my list:

Dreadlord, GENERAL, dark steed, heavy armor, repeater crossbow, sea dragon cloak, dragon helm, dawnstone, potion of foolhardiness, ogre blade

Dreadlord, dark steed, heavy armor, repeater crossbow, sea dragon cloak, shield, cloak of twilight, sword of strife, luckstone

Master, BSB, dark steed, heavy armor, repeater crossbow, sea dragon cloak, shield, sword of might, the other trickster's shard, dragon bane gem

Master, dark steed, heavy armor, repeater crossbow, sea dragon cloak, shield, potion of strength, sword of striking, obsidian trinket

Sorceress, dark steed, Level 2 wizard, Lore of Death, dispel scroll

Sorceress, dark steed, Level 1 wizard, Lore of Metal

6 Dark Riders, banner, musician, shields, repeater crossbows

6 Dark Riders, banner, musician, shields, repeater crossbows

6 Dark Riders, banner, musician, shields, repeater crossbows

6 Dark Riders, banner, musician, shields, repeater crossbows

Repeater Bolt Thrower

11 Doomfire Warlocks, champion

8 Doomfire warlocks

NorthStar - The Missions

So this event is a closed list, so I'm only going to provide my closed list before the event.

Here is my list:

Dreadlord, GENERAL, dark steed, heavy armor, repeater crossbow, sea dragon cloak

Dreadlord, dark steed, heavy armor, repeater crossbow, sea dragon cloak, shield

Master, BSB, dark steed, heavy armor, repeater crossbow, sea dragon cloak, shield

Master, dark steed, heavy armor, repeater crossbow, sea dragon cloak, shield

Sorceress, dark steed, Level 2 wizard, Lore of Death

Sorceress, dark steed, Level 1 wizard, Lore of Metal

6 Dark Riders, banner, musician, shields, repeater crossbows

6 Dark Riders, banner, musician, shields, repeater crossbows

6 Dark Riders, banner, musician, shields, repeater crossbows

6 Dark Riders, banner, musician, shields, repeater crossbows

Repeater Bolt Thrower

11 Doomfire Warlocks, champion

8 Doomfire warlocks


The missions for this year's NorthStar gave me some pause upon first reading them.  I had to send a few emails to the TO before I could finish the design of my list.  After my initial first reading, I almost asked if I could change army types - a no-no at North Star as they make you lock in early so they can do prizes for best of race.


Mission 1: Set Up Base Camp

Deployment – Battleline

Major – No enemy scoring unit EVER (turns 2-6) got in your base camp

Minor – You entered your opponent's base camp with a scoring unit (turns 2-6)

Scoring Units: Units that have at least 1 full rank with at least 1 command model or a character are a scoring unit. For skirmishers to be scoring units, they must have 5 skirmishers including 1 command or character model. Units that Vanguard or Scout can not be scoring units in this scenario. 

My first read of "Units that Vanguard can not be scoring units" had me a little worried.  But after contacting the TO it was determined that they have actually have to vanguard.  This means that any of my units at 5 models (except for the smaller DFW) will count on their own, and if I build them up to 5 with a character that any can count - assuming I choose not to vanguard.  I expect I will take a look at my opponent's deployment and make the decision.  If they heavily bunker their base camp then I will likely ignore vanguard.  If they have lots of shooting then I might press anyways and just trust a unit or two to survive past turn 2.  The deployment zones do stick out fairly far and I could probably breach after 1 move.  That means I don't have to worry about making minor, but do have to worry about making major.  But as these only effect the end of the game, not the event itself i'm less worried.  My main concern still needs to be getting that 20-0, which means not losing and killing lots.

Mission 1: Set Up Base Camp

Deployment – Battleline

Major – No enemy scoring unit EVER (turns 2-6) got in your base camp

Minor – You entered your opponent's base camp with a scoring unit (turns 2-6)


Mission 2: Reconnoiter the Field

Deployment – Dawn Attack; HOWEVER: Units with fortitude or fly, vanguard or scout don't roll.

Major – Control the Objective Marker (center of table) with most models

Minor – Kill lowest point character model

LOLZ, I only roll with my bolt thrower.  This mission will be fun, especially if I get to deploy second, even if that means I go second.  I will be able to have control of the field, I hope, and be able to just crush one side and move onto the center.


Mission 3: The Vanguards Meet

Deployment – Meeting Engagement; HOWEVER: Alternating deployment with no rolling to see which units don't deploy.

Major – Control both objectives

Minor – Control more table quarters

Objectives: Before deployment, roll a D6, high roll places their objective marker anywhere on the board. The other player places their objective marker anywhere outside of 18” from the first marker. Objective markers are not terrain and therefore do not block line of sight or hinder movement. 
Scoring Units: Units that have at least 1 full rank with at least 1 command model or a character are a scoring unit. For skirmishers to be scoring units, they must have 5 skirmishers including 1 command or character model. 

Ambushers: Players must hold 2 units in ambush. 1 unit must be a Core choice, the other a Special or Rare choice (both can be Core if no Specials or Rares). Ambushers follow the rules on BRB pg. 79 with the exception that each turn after turn 2 that a unit misses the roll to enter the game, an additional die is rolled. IE, turn 4 a unit rolls 3 dice looking for one to roll the 3+ needed. 

I'm really thinking that I will hold the bolt thrower as the second unit.  I really don't want to have to push my characters out of their bunkers and that is the only other special/rare unit that I have.  I'm not worried about his ambushers as they can't charge the turn they come on.  Same rule on the scoring units, except with this mission I don't need to worry about vanguarding or not, which will let me push the deployment, and then either vanguard into holes or back, creating an 18" gap.


Mission 4: The Main Forces Class

Deployment – Blood and Glory

Major – Break Your Opponent

Minor – Kill 3 Heroes or them all if less.

Tap Winds of Magic: In the Magic Phase after Winds of Magic are rolled, the player who’s turn it is can nominate a wizard to tap the Winds of Magic. That wizard will add D3 power dice to the pool, up to the limit of 12 dice. The wizard then takes the same number of D3 Strength 6 hits with saves allowed. 

I will probably not ever use this ability to boost my power dice.  Don't want to zap my own wizards.  I suppose if I'm in a clutch position, their dispel scroll is gone, and i really want a few spells I may sacrifice some DFW... but I don't think that is likely.

Mission 5: Get a Message Back Home


Deployment – Above; using watchtower end of game rules

Major – Move your Messenger off the back board edge.

Minor – Kill Opponent's Messanger.

Messenger: Select one model from a unit to be a Messenger. Models Stats are M6 WS4 S4 T4 W2 I3 A2 L8 with The Armor of Fortune and The Other Tricksters Shard. Messengers have a reputation for bad things happening to them, so no one can use their leadership but the Messenger himself if on his own. The messenger no longer is affected by any army wide rules (ie undead or daemonic). He may join units and if they are destroyed, he then must take an unmodified leadership test to not also be destroyed. He would be placed as close to the position the unit was destroyed, outside 1” of enemy/friendly units. 

Clarification: Selecting a dark rider does change the models stats but he stays mounted.  He must still use M6 though.  But as he keeps the horse, he is still mounted and still has both fast cav and vanguard.  Looks like he loses hatred: high elves though.

Plan: start close, vanguard, move 12" and put myself off the table turn 2.  Escorted by bunker DFW and just moving out when able (of if minimum shooting/magic).

Well, thats NorthStar.  Wish me luck.