Hinge's Helfs v. VC -Complete

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Hinge
Posts: 259
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2012 2:23 am
Location: Oakland, CA

Hinge's Helfs v. VC -Complete

#1 Post by Hinge »

So with all the talk about Dark elves and the painting I have been getting done on the high elfs, I have decided to shelve the Orcs and bring the HE out on a table. I found a pickup game with a non-regular.

My List:

Loremaster, Book of Hoeth, ToP
Noble, BSB, Reaver Bow, PoT of Strength, Dragon Armor, shield, Halberd

15 Archers, Banner, Mus
10 Archers, Banner, Mus
6 SilverHelms, Mus, Std, shields
5 Reavers, Mus
5 Reavers, Mus
15 Phoenix Guard, Mus, Std, Razor Std.
16 White Lions, Std, BotWD
6 Dragon Princes, Std, Mus, Banner of Eternal Flame
Tiranoc Chariot
5 Sisters
Flamespyre Phoenix
2x Eagle Claws
2x1 Eagles


Vampire Counts
Vamp Lord, L1, Hvy Armor, Shield, Barded Nightmare, Ogre Blade, DragonHelm, ToP, Quickblood, Red Fury
Master Necro, L3, Scroll
Vamp, L1, Death, Barded Nightmare, BSB, Lance, Shield, Armor of Destiny, Aura of Dark Majesty
Vamp, L1 (Death), Barded Nightmare, hvy armor, shield, Sword of Might, Dawnstone, IC Icon, QuickBlood
Banshee
38 Ghouls, Mus, Champ
20 Zombies, Std, Mus
20 Zombies, std, Mus
5x3 dire wolves
12 Black Knights, FC, Banner of the Barrows, Lance, Barding
Terrorgeist
2x1 Spirit Hosts
2 Fell Bats

Please note we would realize my opponent was 30 points over after the game.

The scenario was Battle for the Pass.

I am worried about three things in his list. Ethereal units (I lack magic attacks), the Terrorgeist, and the Blender Lord. The first I would deal with magic when possible with my magic shooting (Sisters/Reaver bow) assigned to assist. I would bring as much shooting to bear on the Terrorgeist as I could in the hopes of burning it down. Finally the BK Bus would be diverted as long as possible. I would use the superior speed and deep deployment to keep the knight units back and buy time to deal with the TG/spirit hosts.

VC Spells-Lord (IoN), Necro (IoN, Dance, Hellish Vigor), Dual Spirit Leach –He had rolled the fear spell on each!

Image
Last edited by Hinge on Sun Oct 06, 2013 2:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Stormie
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Re: Hinge's Helfs v. VC - Deployment

#2 Post by Stormie »

Nice intro... if this were any scenario other than BftP I'd be very worried for you, but this basically protects you from dumb LD10 Spirit Leeches for a turn or two while you should be able to make a significant amount of ranged damage to him. I think he'll then struggle to punch through.

He's a brave Vampire player to retain magic attacks on his Lord, although your BotWD unit isn't game-breaking...
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Swordmaster of Hoeth
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Re: Hinge's Helfs v. VC - Deployment

#3 Post by Swordmaster of Hoeth »

Very interested in the way the game is going to develop. Just one comment at this stage, Phoenix has magical attacks :)
Image

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Hinge
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Re: Hinge's Helfs v. VC - Deployment

#4 Post by Hinge »

@ Stormie-

While this was not at my regular store, my opponent took the same approach we do at EndGame, which is to bring an all comers list rather tailor for an opponent. With the option to put both characters in the BotWD, I do not think Spirit Leach was the best choice. Fortunatly my opponent rolled crappy on his spells and had no choice.

@SM-

lol. I know that now. Actually early in the game I had an opportunity to fly over a spirit host. I looked up the Wake of Fire rule and that is not magical and I just extrapolated that to its attacks. :oops:
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Hinge
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Re: Hinge's Helfs v. VC - Deployment

#5 Post by Hinge »

VC Turn 1 –

Image

General advance by the VC. The Rough terrain claims several Ghouls and a zombie. I dispel Dance and manage to survive a Spirit Leach on the Eagle.

Helf Turn 1


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Both Reaver units charge hounds opposite them and destroy them for the loss of a single elf. High elf units maneuver in an arcane and complex plan. The first Eagle is ordered out to hold off the Vampire Lord.

While the winds are weak, the Loremaster is able to summon up a moderate fireball that destroys a spirit host.
Elven Shooting takes over. In a frightening display, the Bolt throwers and both Archer units shoot down the Terror Geist, leaving the Sisters and BSB no better target then some ghouls.

VC Turn 2

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The Reavers flee from some counter charges panicking the upper RBT and two of the southern Reavers knock themselves out on the barn. The BK squashes the eagle. Magic sees the Ghouls returned to health and the Zombie units growing, but Dance is stopped.

HE turn 2

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The chariot makes a long charge at the last direwolf unit and runs them over. The Flame Phoenix flys over the ghouls and roasts a bunch of them and finds a nice soft spot in the enemy lines to land. Finally the second eagle positions itself to delay the BK bus. I made a bit of a mistake with the positioning of the eagle. The Phoenix obstructs how much a wheel the BK bus can do and forcing the eagle to conform and allowing the bus to overrun straight at my lines.

Magic sees another fireball burn down more Ghouls while Searing Doom is stopped.

In shooting, the BSB and Sisters shoot down the remaining Spirit Host. The Southern RBT shoots at the Bats and wounds one. The remaining archers unload on the ghoul unit, killing more.

All told, 18 Ghouls were killed this turn by the elves.

VC Turn 3

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Once again the BK bus charges the eagle, but this time has a clear path to overrun. The Fell Bats charge the RBT, kill one of the crew in exchange for the second wound on of the Fell Bats. The Master Necro decides that staring at a phoenix is unhealthy and jumps into the other Zombie unit. The Banshee steps out to scream at the phoenix to no avail.

During magic, 5 ghouls and another army of Zombies is raised.

Helf turn 3

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I decide to make the best of the situation and prepare to engage the bus. First the PG charge the Ghouls in the hope of tying them up for some time. The Sisters side step for a shot at the Banshee. The Flame Phoenix fly’s over the big zombie unit, frying many and plans on protecting the chariot.

The small archer unit moves forward to bait the trap. The White Lions prepare to receive the overrun while the cavalry and chariots all plan on the counter charge. The Loremaster and BSB, hearing about the deadly Wight blades, decide to strategically relocate to the barn.

My big Searing doom is scrolled. Shooting peels off a single wound on the Banshee and kills some zombies.

The RBT and Fell bat play patty cake

VC Turn 4

Image

The inability to kill the exposed Banshee comes home to roost. It is not apparent on the photo but the Banshee has a legal charge at the small archer unit and declares it. I roll a 9 on my Leadership test and I quickly determine I am just barely in range of the house and General. However, my opponent points out that I am also in range of the aura of majesty and am at -1 Leadership. Well, I still have the re-roll but hit another 9 and the archers are forced to flee right in the way of the two knight units. The Banshee redirects at the chariot, needing an 11 and rolls boxcars on the charge. The BK bus decides to leave the archers there and goes after the White Lions. The Vamp Hero takes a wound moving through the forest.

I accept a Spirit leach on the BSB and shrug it off so I can stop all his vampire spells. The Banshee screams off the Chariot.

The Phoenix guard go into buzz saw mode and a single ghoul remains when the dust clears. However, that single ghoul is preventing me from counter charging the BK bus!

The Phoenix proves to be helpless in combat and breaks, but gets away. The RBT and bat are now playing pinochle.

In the main event, the BotWD proves its worth as I shrug off the two of the vampire’s attacks. The third remains cowardly in the back. 6 Lions would go down in exchange for 5 black knights (who should not have their shields). I lose but hold. My opponent moves his vamp lord to the other corner.

Helf Turn 4

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Well my plan is in tatters as all my counter charge units find themselves out of position. The Silver helms cannot wheel around the fleeing archers and contact the knights. The Dragon Princes can only come in contact with the Vamp Lord and his Dragon Helm. The Phoenix Guard have one more stubborn ghoul to get through and the chariot is dead. The White Lions are on their own.

Both the archers and Phoenix rally. The archers reform to make space for the cavalry. I am really hoping the White lions can hold for another round! The Reavers move to protect the flank of the silver helms from the Banshee. The cav units show off their dressage skills, prancing their horses sideways.

This phase my magic turns out to be useless. However, the Banshee proves to be barely in range of the Reaver bow. The BSB climbs to the roof, takes aim and slays the fowl creature that ruined my cunning plans.

In battle, my 2+ ward turns out to be more like a 6+ and the White Lions go down. However, I remember this time to target the injured vamp hero and tear him down along with 2 more knights. The bus turns towards the small archer unit.

VC turn 5

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The zombies charge the phoenix, break it and it flees the field. The BK bus, charges the archers. Frustrated that he had managed to kill so few White Lions, the Vampire Lord kills all ten archers single handily. The Necro orders his zombie unit to turn and run for the buildings. He is so busy running he is ineffective in raising more troops.

Curiously, the BK bus reforms towards the PG.

HELF turn 5

Image

Well I have a choice. The BK bus has only 4 knights left (plus two vamps), so I can back off and try and shoot/magic the unit off. I would have two turns v. 1 turn of raising. Instinctually I felt I was up already and I think in a tournament this is what I would have done. The other option was to charge and hope to crumble the vamps. This had some risks as the PG needed an 8 to complete the charge. What the Hell, all in. I make all the charges.

I am able to Wysans the PG, cut down all the knights and crumble the vamps. My opponent concedes.

Hope you enjoyed and I will work on some conclusions later.
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Vindicare
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Re: Hinge's Helfs v. VC - Deployment

#6 Post by Vindicare »

Great report. There is a slight problem with the images though
solith
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Re: Hinge's Helfs v. VC - Deployment

#7 Post by solith »

I was curious how this list would perform because it looked to me to be a 'little bit of everything' kind of list which you rarely ever see. It was great seeing just how you were able to use all the elements of your army to support each other really well. Then a single failed terror test throws your trap awry and you still manage a strong win, bravo! :D

I have a question though: in hindsight, knowing how important killing the banshee could turn out to be (although the combination of you not killing her and then failing the terror test is very unlikely, the potential for her to cause havoc was clearly possible) do you think it would have been worth trying to blast her in your turn 3 magic phase? You could make a strong argument that drawing out your opponents scroll with Searing Doom was more important, but I'm curious about your thoughts.
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Hinge
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Re: Hinge's Helfs v. VC - Deployment

#8 Post by Hinge »

@solith-

I like playing these style lists (oh does the new DE book look great for it!). They tend to put a little more premium on generalship and are a bit unforgiving. In today's loss against a Lizardman army, I had two plans in mind when I deployed, could not decide and really did not implement either. I really did not bring the units together so they could support each other and ended up fighting a slew of one on one battles. This is a recipe for disaster and it cost me.

It also feels like you are fighting up hill. However, when you get it to work it feels great. You know it was just not the list that beat your opponent.

I think you are right about the targeting decision. I had alot of problems early with MSU WoC and ethereal units when I was playing that list early in 8th. You just do not have the static rez to deal with these units quickly. The terror test is another problem, as I often get spread out and many units will be outside the BSB bubble (though not in this case). They should always be at the top of targeting lists and I should have taken better advantage of my opponent exposing his.
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