Goldfinger: Legions of Chaos vs Elven Horde

It's Just Not Polite!
It's All-Skype Fight Night!

Bringing in the New Year, you'll find me (Kraken) in normal font...

Happy New Year all; bold Kas here.

We bring you a fresh new start for the fresh new year! Not only is Kas trying something 'orrible from the Legions of Chaos, but I'm playing a list that includes no less than no Chaos units at all. If that's not a new leaf, I don't know what is.

Armies

2400 points a side, and both of us rocking not only Boasts but End Times armies with End Times elven magic rules.

Elven Horde

Although is it? Really? Well, yes, but in the interests of WYSIWYG I'm only using Dark Elves. By dint of them all being the chaps from the Eternity King's lists, this means the spearmen have both High and Dark elf special rules, with Martial and Murderous Prowess combined. So they can re-do wound rolls and get to fight with an extra rank. Whoop whoop, even if it feels like a cheap trick to give a Dark Elf list a sneaky boost!

Haykk'p, a Dreadlord on a Black Dragon - Heavy armour, Sea Dragon Cloak, Shield, Potion of Strength, Helm of Discord, Chillblade
Inepthlis, a Supreme Sorceress on a Dark Steed - Dispel Scroll, Seed of Rebirth
Illox, a Sorceress 
Sirroger, a Battle Standard Bearer - Banner of Nagarythe
Stabitha, a Khainite Assassin 

40 Dreadspears - Full Command, Lichebone Pennant
6 Dark Riders - Full Command, Repeater Crossbows, Shields
6 Dark Riders - Full Command, Repeater Crossbows, Shields
A War Hydra - Fiery Breath
A Bloodwrack Shrine 
2 Reaper Bolt Throwers 

So I'm no expert with Dark Elves, being fresh off the Black Ark. But I decided a good solid block of infantry with a banner of not being breakable ought to make a good anvil, and everything else could play at being hammers.

Creepy Purple Hammers.

Dark Riders are good harrassers, a War Hydra seems pretty vicious, the Bloodwrack Shrine seems entertaining and who can fault the lethal bolt throwers? Top this off with the mobility of a Black Dragon with attached Lord, and I should be able to run angry circles round the slower Chaos list, picking off the easy prey. Proper Dark Elven, that.

Not that this list isn't full of newbie flaws, of course. The Dreadlord can't really benefit from a potion of strength and the auto-wounding Chillblade at the same time, although I suppose it's handy to beat a good armour save. And putting all your infantry eggs in one basket and then discovering the hideous nature of your opponent's similar choice is pretty harrowing...


Legions of Chaos

Hwrah, Doombull - Blackened Plate, Crown of Command
Gak,  Gorebull - BSB with Beast Banner
Ymesh, Sorceror Lord - Lvl 4 Metal Mage, Sword of striking, Enchanted Shield, Dispel Scroll,m Talisman of Protection, Third Eye of Tzeentch, Disc of Tzeentch
Throgg

15 Trolls
5 Ungor raiders - musician5 Ungor raiders - musician
5 Warhounds - vanguard
A Chimera - Flaming breath, Regenerating flesh
A Skullcannon
A Beast of Nurgle

A Beast of Nurgle
A Beast of Nurgle

Legions of chaos offered some interesting combos, and having tried the festus/epidemus combo (which was not actually as valid as I thought - see further analsis), I wanted to try another fun one involving Throgg.  I had tried a Throgg warriors list once before, and it did not work well; they lost a combat and were run down despite being at almost full strength, so this time I thought I would boost with some extra protection; and with the legion I had a sneaky combo. 

First add in the doombull with Blackened Plate (which would provide a 4+ ward against flaming for the entire unit, at least reducing the risk of regen being taken away) and a Crown of Command (to keep them at ld8 for break tests due to stubbornness). Then add in a BSB (for the inevitably required reroll) and give him the Beast Banner (+1 strength for the entire unit)... Str 6 trolls. 61 attacks at minimum str 6 (before stomps). Ok if I get them into combat, that is going to dish out some pain; and if against pesky high WS then use the 15 auto hitting str5 no AS vomits. 

I like the single beast better than a single spawn that would be normal choice if just warrior list, so use them for redirector, distraction. Ungor raiders were suicide squads that would ambush and hopefully have a few shots. Not a huge chance of coming in on the back lines, and attacking the inevitable war machines, but it gave me an option.

With EndTimes magic, I am less concerned about having a second wizard, and so one level4 wizard was my best choice. I like metal (I voted for it in the wizard's cup) and even though I was up against dark elves who are not notable for their armour, I had built the list and chosen the lore as a list to take on anyone, not for the DE. 

Throgg and Company. Burglars considered on grounds of edibility.

Terrain

A mysterious river runs over this table, splitting the field. On the West side, a central fenced area contains a Magic Circle (a statue, really) that grants anyone in the centre of the pitch a bit of magic resistance. Swamps, woods, hills and impassable rocks ring this feature, with a now-traditional Dreadstone Blight over to the East, affording excellent views of the nearby terrain. Some plumbing work required, £4000 o.n.o.

NB - as ever, a bit of mapping innaccuracy. The statue in the middle was several inches to the right, nearer the river. 

Deployment

Going into this blind, I knew I was going to have a tough time in the fight. Those trolls would murder my spears in close combat, additional prowesses or no. I decided I'd try and get them in the building as quickly as I could, where the numbers game would be a more even. Good luck getting me out of there once I was in, I reckoned!

The bolt throwers sat on the hill, relatively unsupported. They'd have to fend for themselves, although they probably could. And they weren't that pricey if they couldn't, frankly.

Everything else would try and avoid the trolls or slow them up. The Bloodwrack could feasibly cause them problems with stupidity or snipe a sluggish unit here or there.

I decided to set up either side of the river, beasts protecting both flanks and the horde in the middle screened by warhoungs, and flyers hiding behind beasts and the skullcannon on the hill.

Hmm, not really sure what to do here. Dark riders, and dragon can easily maneuver out of any charge, and the hydra and shrine and darkspears are all the other side of the river. Also 40, all fighting, all rerolling, all unbreakable spears I knew if I got into combat I was staying there for a few rounds. But I would have to get there first.

Dark Elf Turn 1

Kas eschewed the option to vanguard, so both my Dark Riders whipped forward. At least, one of them did. The other one shuffled forward gently, nodding deferentially to the cannon on the hill ahead.

Yep, for another game, I purchase vanguard and then don't use. Perhaps I should stop buying.

Sticking to plan, the Dreadspears made for the tower while the rest of my left flank advanced cautiously. The Dark Riders on the far right circled the woods and drew beads on the nearest Beast.

Magic was rather tame. I was hoping to spam Doombolts from the Supreme Sorceress, but she couldn't muster the power to cast with only one dice to hand. Damn these slippery uberpowered magic winds! Several attempts to throw Melkoth's Miasma on the Trolls netted me precisely nothing, Kas cannily dispelling every try until I was out of power. The only thing I got out was a rather pointless Arnizapal's Black Horror, that made it half way over the board and sat there wiggling. Well, it might discourage a charge, I thought.

Shooting was gentle but kinder, with the bolt throwers knocking a couple of wounds off the cannon and the Dark Riders chipping a wound off one of the Beasts. Maybe not the devastation I was hoping to wreak, but not a bad start either.

Legions of Chaos Turn 1

Chimera needed a tough 11 for the charge, but why not risk it: inevitably failing. Throgg gives the trolls a kick and leads them forward towards the spears and river, ignoring the fast cav threat. The warhounds stay ahead, screening. A beast on either flank goes to harrass dark riders. The skullcannon has to shift on the hill top to let the third beast squeeze through to get near the swamp. One unit of raiders come in but Kraken chooses where they ambush from, 

so I plonked them on Kas's line like a typical douche.

They come in on the flank of the dark riders hoping to take something out. The sorceror lord flies into mid field, she places herself out of charge range, but in magical range of the dreadlord and close enough to the dreadspears to target with one spell.

Magic again yields comparable power and dispell dice; first spell is an irresistible final transformation on the dreadspears. A lucky roll means 21 of the spearman fall (no character casualties). The backlash causes a wound which is saved thanks to Tzeentchian wards. I wanted to wound the dark riders to remove the look out sir so threw dice at searing doom and managed to kill 3 of the dark riders. Kraken successfully prevents anything else casting, but it is enough.

Ow. Also: ow. No panic, mind, the Delves are far too cynical to care. 

Shooting, the ungors ineffectually pepper the dark riders. It does not show it below, but the straight line between cannon and hydra goes through the sorceress who thanks to above would no longer be able to be pushed out of the way. My target is the hydra though, and whilst I think mathematically I could have chosen a different position to more likely get the sorceror, I elected not to. As it happens a 6 on the first dice meant I missed the mage by millimetres, but convincingly hit the hydra.  3 heads are burnt and wounds cauterized.

Dark Elf Turn 2

How dare those Ungor shoot at me! The Dark Riders whipped past them and obliterated all but one with crossbow fire.

Everyone on the left flank ignored the temptation of gold, leaving half the Dreadspears for later collection. I was probably quite pleased in secret. Dark Elves would probably rather have some valuable statues instead of backstabbing colleagues.

What was left of the Hydra made a gentle retreat, hoping to regrow a few heads whilst keeping the potential for incoming chargers low. The Bloodwrack rolled backwards with it as the Spears made it into their bunker tower and the Sorceress and Rider bodyguard zoomed forward out of charge arcs.

In the centre, the Lord and Dragon moved into the Trolls' flank, ready to harass targets of opportunity.

Magic was another series of whiffs. Again, my Supreme Sorceress wanted to spam Doombolts at the cannon, and once again failed to muster the power. Everything else either went the same way or got dispelled, although Kas did use his scroll up in the process, stopping a decent stab at the Pendulum sweeping over his Beast and Cannon from the tower.

Yep, the cannon was my best chance of taking out the hydra, and did not fancy my chances on an I test or die, and as always with a dispel scroll: use it or lose it. 

And shooting wasn't particularly good either, despite the Ungor death toll - both Reapers missed the cannon, and a volley of crossbow fire bounced off it.

At least the Hydra regrew a pair of heads. Nice.

Differently right choice with the cannon, if I can net only 1 wound per turn (3 down, 2 back) I need there not be 50/50 regen as well.

Legions of Chaos Turn 2

The other ungor unit fail to turn up and Throgg keeps the trolls in line.

The warhounds stop screening and head to hunt war machines. Two of the beasts head towards the shrine, and the third holds position. The chimera goes to flame the dark riders. The sorceror lord flanks the dragon, but keeping the dreadspears in range for golden spell. The trolls make their way to the edge of the river preparing to cross it next round.

Metal proves quite good against the dreadlord, with his 1 or 2 up armour saves (rider or mount) and the metalshifting rule of the lore of metal I thought I could do some damage. Searing doom takes 3 wounds off of the dragon, and another 7 spearmen are turned to gold, and this time the shadow sorceress also succumbs.

Shooting from the chimera is ineffectual; but the skull cannon hits the hydra and takes 4 wounds from it, it crisps up, shrivels and does not return.

Yeah, a lucky set of armour and wound rolls save the Dark Riders from being toast. Pity about the Hydra, though.

Dark Elf Turn 3

Angered by the scuffing on his dragon, the Dreadlord charged the nearest beast. The Dark Riders kept well out on the flanks, while the Bloodwrack shuffled back to get the nearby Beast in the line of fire.

The magic phase, according to a now well-established tradition, was another washout. Doombolt was once again short of power, but it was my fault this time - I tried the empowered version without remembering just how much more juice it needed. After that, I managed some rather tame Chillwinds, eventually scratching another wound off the cannon, but it wasn't much to go on.

One Reaper causally annhililated four out of five Warhounds, the other missed the Cannon. Bah.

The Beast got nicked by the Chillblade and helpfully failed the resultant toughness test, losing three of its attacks. It still took another wound off the dragon in revenge, but was blipped out of existence by combat res. The Lord reformed towards the Trolls, not that I was seriously considering that fight. But facing the damned Tzeentchian would just be an exercise in light cavalry chasing, a game not worth the candle.

Legions of Chaos Turn 3

Again, the other ungor unit fail to turn up and Throgg keeps the trolls in line.

The closest beast charges the shrine, too close to be caught by the medusa's gaze, the second tries for a lucky roll (he does not get it) and the chimera flies round to support. 

The warhound charges the bolt thrower, not really thinking it through, and is quickly dispatched.

Go ASF Reaper crew!

The trolls try to cross the river, leaving one in the river and a couple in the swamp. One troll is carried away by the current and dies.

Turns out this was a River of Light, and Kas is unlucky enough to roll Banishment as the spell that hits them!

The sorceror lord keeps himself out of charge arcs, and eyes up the wounded dragon.

Magic is in my favour and combined searing dooms and golden hounds take first the dragon down and then finish off the rider. General dead (and assassinate boast claimed).

The skull cannon having backed up manages to hit the sorceress but fails to wound.

This is a lucky reprieve and no mistake.

In combat the single beast gets a lucky wound, and receives nothing in return meaning with the charge the shrine is breaking, the chariot is slow to turn and the swiftstriding beast pounces and the shrine is no more.

Dark Elf Turn 4

Hmm - I was running out of units! Not good. With my Hydra/Bloodwrack/Dragon combo all MIA, there wasn't much left to do but continue to harrass with the Dark Riders and hope I could scrape together enough points to get a draw. The Trolls clearly weren't going anywhere, I was at least safe from them.

After throwing away the chance to cast any Doombolts (again!), the Sorceress flung a Chillwind into the cannon and finally glanced it to death. I knew she'd survived that cannonball to the face for a good reason.

 The next plan was to hit the Trolls with a boosted Word of Pain, robbing them of strength before attempting to throw Arnizipal's Black Horror down the line. The first part failed, thanks to more Sorcerous dispelling. The second part succeeded unstoppably!

Then it went off in the Sorceress's face, killing her. And panicking the Dark Riders off the board. Well, for every silver lining comes a cloud. The silver lining on the other side of it is that at least I don't have to bother rolling for the Miscast.

Crossbows cannot hurt a Tzeentchian Disk, it seems. Not for want of trying, at least. The Reapers chucked a bunch of bolts around to no effect, and that was my lot.

Legions of Chaos Turn 4

Yet again, the other ungor unit fail to turn up and Throgg keeps the trolls in line. (same roll for the ungor unit on 4 successive turns!)

The sorceror lord flies behind the dark riders and the beasts and chimera make their way to the edge of the river. The trolls edge round the swamp and out of the river in hope of charging the spears in the tower.

Whilst I should have a bonus in magic phase now, I fail to do anything too devastating and I think only one rider falls. I am pretty sure there was another miscast in there too, but the hit is warded against. I am sure I deserve to be sucked into chaos at some point.

I quite agree.

Dark Elf Turn 5

Seeing the Trolls finally creep into charge range, the Dreadspears remembered all that gold lying around and nipped out of the back of the tower. No point getting killed for no returns, I figured, even if it was massive cowardice.

The Dark Rider unit took centre field and threw some scattered fire at the Beast on the other side of the river. No result. Reaper A took out the wounded Beast that ate my Bloodwrack, Reaper B shot the air.

Legions of Chaos Turn 5

We forgot to roll, but the ungors would have finally turned up (we rolled after finishing); and I don't think we rolled for stupidity on the trolls, but they did nothing anyway thinking this was the last turn and realising there was nothing they could do.

The chimera charges one of the bolt throwers who flee, but the chimera just misses crashing in to the second one. The remaining beast tries for a lucky charge. The sorceror lord charges the back of the dark riders who flee and are caught by the flying mage.

We almost did not bother with magic, but Kraken reminded me I might as well try and turn some more spearmen to gold. The spell went off and took a few more out (no characters and they were already below half strength so no change); Kraken reminds me I can cast it again, and what I feared another miscast! I don't manage to take out any additional points, and manage to lose a wound from the miscast, but still alive. Phew. That could have been costly!

That was what I was hoping for, of course, sneak that I am. Goading my opponents into Final Round Miscasts has provided something like 90% of all the points I've ever scored, eh, Stylus?

Result

In all the excitement, we'd lost track of the turns somewhere! Thinking this was turn six, we stopped here. I can't imagine how another turn would have helped me, frankly. I mean, obviously the remaining Reaper would have shot everything down, but the heroic Ungor ambushers would only have turned up at the eleventh hour to kill the crew.

The ungors would have been on the wrong side of the river (based on the roll) and so actually had more of a change of hitting the spearmen and harrassing them a bit further. The chimera was not hurt, and so could survive a bolt to face. The trolls would not still had difficulty making it, even if they had moved in turn 5, without a lot of casualties to the swamp I fear. I suppose the sorceror lord could have tried to turn more people to gold.

2040 vs 328

Which is, of course, 20:0 in new money.

Analysis

Well, at least I stuck to my plan! The Trolls never saw an ounce of fight, and plopped round the middle of the field uselessly.

Nicely done; although it still means I have not seen what trolls can do... will keep this list on the pile to try again.

Sadly, I got outclassed and outgunned by the remains of the Chaos troops. My boast had been Surgical Strike, and although I'd taken out three of his specials and elites, Kas had done the same to me, so no points there.

My Dragon Rider would probably have done better down the tower flank, instead of being sprayed to death by Goldfinger. Taking the cannon out early would have spared the Hydra, or killing some more Beasts or Chimeras or something.

Yes the cannon was my answer to the hydra (apart from one shot flaming breath from chimera), and it would not have stood up to the dragon.

The other option would have been to be much more aggressive. Being so much faster than the Chaos troops, I could probably have surrounded the Trolls and tried a great big pile on, instead of being a dastardly coward. A lot more risky, true, but probably more entertaining for us both!

Ooh that would have been fun!

The Tzeentchian Sorcerer gets MVP from me, the swine. LVP was definitely my idiot Sorceress, who managed to blow herself up before I could get really cross with her.

I'm with you on the MVP, but disagree on the sorceress, that was an unlucky misfire. I would put the dragon as LVP - I had to ignore due to maneuverability but apart from one beast it did not really threaten me.

Yeah, the Dragon didn't really earn its points, that's true. I had vague plans about using its Breath to slow the trolls up, maybe even combining that with the Bloodwrack Shrine's Ld drain, but I never wanted to get that close.

I also quite wish that I'd remembered the Lichebone Pennant on the collossal mass of gold that used to be my Dreadspears. Might have helped a bit, that.

Nope, no saves of any kind against turning to gold; no MR against it I am afraid; and I did not bother casting any other spells against that unit (6s to wound, and you'd get a 6 to save... no thanks)

Ah well, that's okay then!

Overall, I enjoyed using the Delves, although I don't think I did them much justice here. They may well see a bit more action before they return home to Blighty, but I'm equally keen to keep improving my WoC scores. I'd be a lot less chary of getting stuck into a fight then, rather than this hopeless display of treacherous cowardice.

There is, however, one saving grace to this defeat. Which is that in a mighty display of awful sportsmanship, I can chalk this particular loss up to the Dark Elf Army, which of course belongs to Kas. If that's not in spirit for the entire Naggarothi Enterprise, I don't know what is.