2250 RTT report for 2-23-2008

My army:

Vampire Lord – lvl 3 wizard, Master of the Dark Arts, Forbidden Lore, Lord of the Dead, Skull Staff, Helm of Commandment = 450

Vampire – lvl 1 wizard, Talisman of Lycni, Flayed Hauberk, Sword of Might, Red Fury = 200

Vampire – lvl 1 wizard, BSB, Dread Knight, Balefire Spike, Book of Arkhan = 200

Necromancer – lvl 1, Extra Spell (Danse), Power Stone, Dispel Scroll = 115

20 Skeletons – Light Armor, Shield, Full Command, Banner of Hellfire = 190
20 Skeletons – Light Armor, Shield, Full Command, Banner of the Dead Legion = 205
10 Ghouls = 80
5 Dire Wolves = 40
5 Dire Wolves = 40

25 Grave Guard – Heavy Armor, Shield, Full Command, Warbanner = 355

3 Cairn Wraiths – Great Weapon, Tomb Banshee = 175
Black Coach = 200

Total = 965 + 555 + 355 + 375 = 2250


Game #1 - Ron - Skaven

Grey Seer - stuff, Screaming Bell
Warlock Engineer - Storm Deamon, stuff
Warlock Engineer - Dispel Scroll, stuff
Plague Priest - Plague Censor, stuff

25 Storm Vermin - HA, Sh, Halberd, S + M, Warbanner, Warpfire Thrower
25 Clanrats - LA, Sh, S + M, Ratling Gun
25 Clanrats - LA, Sh, S + M, Ratling Gun
25 Slaves - M
25 Slaves - M

20 Plague Monks - 2 HWs, FC, Banner of Burning Hatred
5 Jezzails
5 Jezzails

WLC
WLC

This was a very close and very tough game for my army. I wn the roll-off to go first and decided that if I could clse in fast I had a better chance than sitting back and raising. Everything advanced forward. I tried to cast Wind of Undeath but it was scrolled, failed, or dispelled with dice. Ron started his first turn by not moving much. I weathered the spell storm losing just a unit fo wolves. Shooting saw for the second unit of wolves ... bummer ... and a few skellies ... and one of the WLCs exploded. I did let him cast death frenzy on a unit of slaves.

Turn 2 and my grave guard moved up to pull the frenzied slaves in while everything else moved for better positions. In magic I was able to danse a unit of skellies into a jezzail unit which decided to flee to safety. In Ron's turn the slaves charged my grave guard. Magic saw warplightning fry a few more skellies and I let death frenzy go on the plague monks. Shooting saw the other WLC blow up my coach ... double bummer ... there went that flank attack I had planned. I lost more guys to ratling gun fire. The slaves lost combat and were run down while my GG pursued into the front of the plague monks.

Turn 3 and I again moved more crap around but had no charges. In magic I finally got Wind of Undeath off and despite having a hoard of units I only got 3 wounds total ... sheesh. In combat the plague priests censor kills the 3 grave guard in contact with it ... naturally ... and I actually lose combat. Ron's 3 and I get shot and magiced even more ... one skelly unit is down to the "bare bones" ... sorry ... I had to say it. My other units were also taking a pounding from the magical and shooting barrage as well. My grave guard lose again to the plague monks.

Turn 4 and I am forced to run my characters out of the ghoul unit since it was down to just a few models. They retreat to the only sizeable skelly unit I have left. I raise a ton of grave guard back into my unit and danse them. Combat is short and brutal as my grave guard win and break the plague monks ... but they get away. My grave guard pursues into the front of the bell unit of clanrats. In Ron's turn a slave unit charges my small unit of skellies while the remainder of the army turns to face the flanks/fronts of my units. Ron fails to rally the plague monks and flee off the field. Magic is stopped by a miscast that ends the magic phase. Shooting deals out the usual pain. The grave guard beat and run down the grey seer and his clanrats.

Turn 5 and my grave guard are now out of the game. The rest of my guys move to engage Ron's units. I danse the wraiths into the flank of the slaves pummeling my 3 remaining skellies in that one block. I also danse my other skellies with all characters into a clanrat block with a warlock engineer. In combat my wraiths and skellies beat the slaves and run them down. My skellies with characters beat and run down the clanrats with engineer. Ron's turn sees everything left on the board fry my skellies. He rolls a 13 for warp lightning (IRF) and kills many, jezzails kill some, and ratling gun fire kills more including my necromancer and lycan vampire leaving just my general and BSB standing there next to each other. Fortunately, Ron misfires with his WLC and misses his chance to drop my general.

Turn 6 and somehow the storm vermin are destroyed and my characters live. I'm not sure what happened here.

Win for the vampire counts and full scenario points.

Wow, what a tough game. I was getting magicked and shot to death but I stuck with my game plan, knocked out the big cheese, and proceeded to wipe out whatever else I could my hands on. Ron played it pretty well and almost had me in the end ... if only his WLC had not misfired.


Game #2 - Boldo - Dwarves

Lord - GW, GA, stuff
Thane - BSB, GA, stuff
Runesmith - GA, GW, stuff

25 Warriors - HA, Sh, S + M
25 Warriors - HA, Sh, S + M
24 Warriors - HA, Sh, GW, FC
12 Crossbowmen - LA, Sh
15 Thunderers - LA, Sh, S

Cannon - Burning
Cannon - Forging
15 Hammerers - HA, Sh, GW, FC

Organ Gun

This proved to be another tough game right from word go. Early on I again lost all wolves and the coach to enemy shooting before they got a chance to blink. I used a wall of undead to march and danse forward and stop the bad guys. My wraiths and a raised unit of zombies accounted for the organ gun. The zombes then held up the thunderers until my skellies with lycan vampire along with wraiths charged in and pummeled them. My pursuit chased of a unit of crossbowmen while my zombies went 2" and failed to charge the warriors (whome had fled from a charge earlier) 3" behind. This resulted in these warriors charging the zombies and drawing in the wraiths ... the wraiths didn't last long after that but the zombies held the unit up for the entire game. Also, earlier, my skellies with lycan vampire had charged a unit of dwarves with runesmith who chose to flee ... but not far enough. After aiding in the death of the thunderers this same unit was blasted by cannon fire and eventually saw off the crossbowmen.

Elsewhere on the field I was forced to charge a unit of skellies into the flank of the hammerers to stick them in place. I navigated my GG around the hammerers and eventually into the warriors with dwarf BSB. They needed the help of the skellies with the lycan vampire (that unit was very busy) and eventually destroyed that dwarf unit. My stalling skellies died when the GW warriors eventually charged their flank ... although I believe my guys had broken the hammerers the turn before. Boldo rolled a 10 followed by a 10 but said his general became stubborn when he entered the unit ... not sure on that one but maybe he had the crown thingy. Toward the end of the game I summoned to claim the objective and a table quarter and sent the GG into the warriors with GWs. Naturally, I wiffed badly and lost combat. the hammerers later went into my flank and the 2 almost destroyed my GG.

Draw for the Vampire Counts and full scenario bonus points for both of us.

What a blood bath. His shooting took a heavy toll early on but with the help of some magic I was able to claw back some points and eventually come out ahead ... but not by much.


Game #3 - Ryan - High Elves

Arch-Mage - lvl 4, Silver Wand, Ethereal Cloak
Mage - lvl 2, Dispel Scroll, stuff
Noble - GW, HA, Sh, stuff
Noble - BSB, DA, Sh, Lance, Battle Banner, Tiranoc Chariot

25 Spearmen - LA, Sh, Spear, FC
10 Archers - Long Bow

20 Phoenix Guard - HA, Halberd, FC, Warbanner
12 White Lions - HA, GW, FC, Lion Standard
12 Swordmasters - HA, GW

RBT
Great Eagle
Great Eagle


Last game and yet another tough bloodbath it was. I moved up and Ryan moved up doing a tiny bit of damage with magic and shooting. Early on I was able to destroy the white lions by pinning them with a skelly block containing the lycan vampire (who almost died to directed attacks ... the flayed hauberk saved him) and later smashing the unit to nothing with the black coach.

Elsewhere, I lst a skelly unit to combined BSB with battle banner and spearelf attacks. Naturally, the battle banner gave Ryan +6 CR and he rolled 6 impact hits for the chariot. My skellies barely survived the round and I was able to danse my ghouls with general and BSB into the flank of the spearmen. It tooks 2 rounds with me lose the first thanks to the battle banner adding +6 CR again . My pursuit took me to the perfect spot to receive the battle banner BSBs charge right into my ghouls flank. I lived because Ryan rolled a 1 for impact hits and 2 or 3 for battle banner. he did just enough CR damage to exactly kill all of the ghouls leaving my 3 character standing there. Since characters can't form a unit we decided that the closest one would still be engaged with the chariot ... and thus my necromancer sacrafuced himself for the greater evil .

Meanwhile, my black coach had overrun the white lions right into the face of the archers with mage. The archers failed terror and ran from the field .

So what where the GG doing? They engaged the Swordmasters and due to pitiful rolling on my part (they killed maybe one over 2 rounds of combat) I didn't break them. My black coach had to come to the rescue and it was my turn to roll high. My 2 units broke and ran down his one.

The phoneix guard had moved and flanked my skellies with lycan vampire. It took about 4 rounds of combat and the help of an eagle but they eventually CRed my unit.

The last climatic battle of the game was my general vs the HE general. Ryan took the charge knowing I couldn't harm his guy. This allowed me to danse my GG into his general and break him. I pursued with both units and needed less than a 10" pursuit to keep my general out of the phoenix guard combat. So, without firther surprise, my general rolled a 10", got into the combat, and died the next round to CR.

Draw for the Vampire Counts. Another bloody hard fought game. I knew that if he had the battle banner I was going to have a tough time and guess what? He had the battle banner and I had a very tough time. Of course, it didn't help that I self-destructed my general either. Oh well, it was a very good game anyway.


So, what worked well and what didn't?

Grave Guard did a spectacular job. They literally ran over everything in their path ... but with magical help.

I was playing that the Helm of Commandment only worked in my turn ... it works in the enemy's turn as well ... idiot.

I was also playing that Red Fury gave me an attack per wounding hit. It gives an extra attack per wound inflicted after saves. This didn't make a difference on any of my games though.

Skeletons were very good. They really do need vampire support in either magic, helm, characters or all 3 to handle most opponents though.

The ghoul bunker was fine. It made for nice cheap ablative wounds to enemy shooting and could function as backup if need be.

The coach was crap in my first 2 games and helped me greatly against the HEs. I'm undecided on this.

Wraiths were bad due to my poor deployment of them and the inclusion of the banshee. IMHO, wraiths really only function well if you have 4+. Small units are nice but just to small. The banshee was a waste and just made the unit weaker.

Wolves were useful for drawing enemy missile fire and with their cheap cost I didn't care. I'll still take them just for this purpose.

As for the characters my general was pretty good at magic but I really do wish he had some fighting potential. I'll be dropping the skull staff for combat gear in the future. He's just way to expensive to just cast spells. The necro was OK but I feel a vampire would be more versatile ... if much more expensive. The BSB is fine ... I just need to be more aggressive with him. The lycan vampire was OK. He's really expensive for what he provides ... but when he works he works great.


For spells I only used 4 ... Invoc 40% of the time, Danse 55% of the time, Wind of Undeath 1%, and Raise Dead 4%. It really comes down to how many times you can cast danse reliably. Having the skull staff helps a great deal in getting more danses off but it leaves your vampire a combat wimp.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Your opponents seems to have been lucky, since it will take a few more games for you to get to know your list. ;)
I'm really surprised that you ever let your skeleton units die since lord can boost both units each round easily.
Still, nice report. You seem to have enjoyed your games, and the score is quite good to back them up.

The unit is stubborn on LD 9. They can decide if they will use the Leadership of the General (which is 10 buth then they are no longer stubborn) or to use their own leadership which is 9. Theoretically you should have broken them.

Otherwise I really like your army list, apart from your Lord being too weak and maybee Í'd drop the Necromancer too.

Greetz

It actually depends on whether or not the lord was in the hammerers, if he was in the hammerers then they were stubborn on a 10, if he was in another unit but within 12" of the hammerers, then the hammerers have to decide if they want to use stubborn on their own leadership 9 or a regular break test without stubborn on the generals 10 leadership.