Just wanted to pop up a quick OG battle rep for my 3rd game of ToW. I have a Mac now so I didn’t really want to set up BC, therefore I have just jazzed up the photos of the game a little instead. It is just a friendly learning game, so the game was pretty slow while re-reading rules. My opponent and I also got plenty of rules wrong some of which we figured out during the game and some we didn’t realise until afterwards.
Probably not Ideal for me to use the Star Dragon straight up, however my list is based primarily on what I have available and painted. The goal is to test a lot more of what is available in the book but this will take me a little time as I slowly paint.
My List
++ Characters [751 pts] ++
Prince [491 pts]
- Full Plate Armor
- Star Dragon
- Dragon Helm
- Seed of Rebirth
- Giant Blade
- Charmed Shield
- Pure of Heart
Archmage [260 pts]
- Upgrade to Level 4
- Armour of Caledor
- Annulian Crystal
- Warden of Saphery
++ Core Units [501 pts] ++
18 Lothern Sea Guard [291 pts]
- Shields
- Veteran
- Sea Master (champion)
- Standard Bearer
- Razor Standard
- Musician
5 Ellyrian Reavers [105 pts]
- Cavalry Spears
- Shortbows
- Scouts
- Skirmishes
5 Ellyrian Reavers [105 pts]
- Cavalry Spears
- Shortbows
- Skirmishes
++ Special Units [384 pts] ++
7 Swordmasters [148 pts]
- Drilled
- Bladelord
- Standard bearer
- Lion Standard
- Musician
5 Dragon Princes [236 pts]
- Drakemaster
- Standard bearer
- Rampaging Banner
- Musician
++ Rare Units [362 pts] ++
1 Frostheart Phoenix [205 pts]
8 Sisters of Avelorn [157 pts]
- High Sister
- Ruby Ring of Ruin
Opponent’s List
++ Characters [992 pts] ++
Supreme Sorceress [560 pts]
- Level 4 Wizard
- Black Dragon
- Pendant Of Khaeleth
- Lore Familiar
- Ruby Ring of Ruin
- Elementalism
Khainite Assassin [95 pts]
- Hand weapon and throwing weapons
- Manbane
Khainite Assassin [95 pts]
- Hand weapon and throwing weapons
- Manbane
Khainite Assassin [95 pts]
- Hand weapon and throwing weapons
- Manbane
Dark Elf Master [147 pts]
- Full plate armour
- Shield
- Sea Dragon Cloak
- Battle Standard Bearer
- Razor Standard
++ Core Units [485 pts] ++
10 Repeater Crossbowmen [160 pts]
- Light armour
- Shields
- Lordling (champion)
- Standard bearer
- The Blazing Banner
- Musician
10 Repeater Crossbowmen [135 pts]
- Light armour
- Shields
- Lordling (champion)
- Standard bearer
- Musician
5 Dark Riders [95 pts]
- cavalry spears
- and repeater crossbows
- Light armour
- Shields
5 Dark Riders [95 pts]
- cavalry spears
- and repeater crossbows
- Light armour
- Shields
++ Special Units [520 pts] ++
18 Dark Elf Shades [355 pts]
- repeater crossbows
- and additional hand weapons
- Light armour
- Veteran
- Bloodshade (champion)
- The Guiding Eye
5 Harpies [55 pts]
5 Harpies [55 pts]
5 Harpies [55 pts]
Spells
HE Archmage HighLore - Sig. Drain Magic 2. Fiery Convocation 5. Fury of Khaine 6. Shield of Saphery
DE Sorceress Elementalism - 2. Plague of Rust 4. Earthen Ramparts 5. Wind Blast 6. Travel Mystical Pathway
Deployment
My opponent had a lot of scouts available, but chose to mostly drop normally to out drop me (plus to get the BSB into the Shades). He started with the three harpies to force my positioning first. I utilised the central hill to hide behind, but otherwise took up a fair bit of board coverage. I had the Sisters further out of range incase I lost the first turn and then used the Scouting Reavers to Screen the DPs.
DE Turn One
The first mistake with both made, was to ensure we had units in our casters front Arc - therefore we both made slight adjustments to our deployment to allow for this
Strategy Phase - the Sorceress successfully casts Earthen Ramparts on the Shades.
Movement Phase - Travel Mystical is then cast on the Shades, and everything else advances forward to be within shooting range.
Shooting Phase - I manage to dispel the Ruby Ring cast on the SMs. The Shade unit uses the Guiding Eye and I luckily only lose 5 SGs. I lose 4 Reavers on the right hand flank and luckily the lone rangers passes the panic.
HE Turn One
Strategy Phase - I Cast the Shield of Saphery on the Dragon. Realising the limitation of both Shield and fury of Khaine (only lasting until the end of my turn much to my surprise) I decided to utilise the Annulian Crystal and rolled up 3. Tempest.
Movement Phase - I knew I needed to immediately apply pressure to the large amount of shooting that was coming at me, however I never really intended to split the bill. The right flank readjusts with the DPs using drilled to redress then the 90 degree turn (seems weird). I move the SMs so the Archmage can just get LoS on the Shades.
Shooting Phase - Ruby Ring targeting Dark Riders fails to cast, then both Tempest and Convocation are dispelled successfully. Shooting only sees two Dark Riders downed by the Sisters.
DE Turn Two
Strategy Phase - I manage to dispel Earthen Ramparts.
Movement Phase - The Sorceress successfully casts Mystical Pathway again on the Shades. Following the Shades most of the Army starts to swing towards my left flank. The Harpies are used as a double block on my Star Dragon.
Shooting Phase - Fortunately I manage to dispel Ruby Ring which was targeting the Frost Phoenix. The First Phoenix then takes 4 wounds from shooting. I lose 2 SMs to some shooting and the Dragon manages to shrug off some shooting from the far Dark Riders.
HE Turn Two
Strategy Phase - The Assassins decide to pop out of the Shade unit. I successfully cast Drain Mage and swap it out using Annulian Crystal gaining back Shield of Saphery.
Movement Phase - The Star Dragon charges into the Xbow unit. The Frost Phoenix charges the Harpies which elect to flee. Subsequently the Phoenix fails to redirect and continues ahead at the Harpies (the plan was to redirect into the Xbows). The Reavers charge into the Xbows hoping to have support from the Phoenix. 2 Reavers are killed from SnS and ultimately fail the charge.
All my other units push forward to continue adding pressure. The DPs come forward aggressively.
Shooting Phase - I fail to cast Ruby Ring again. Tempest is placed infront of the Shades and I fail to cast Convocation. The Sisters only manage to kill 1 Dark Rider while the SG manage to kill 2 Shades.
Combat Phase - The Dragon kills 9 Xbows causing them to break and Flee.
DE Turn Three
Strategy Phase - Earthen Ramparts is cast on the Shades which I was unsuccessful at stopping. The Harpies Rally (however we didn’t read the rule for rallying, as we later learnt that they could’ve moved). The single Xbow continues to flee.
Movement Phase - A Continued slide to the left flank while the Dark Riders push in attempt to hold up the right flank.
Shooting Phase - Fortunately I stopped both Ruby Ring and Wind Blast on the Phoenix, and to follow that the Xbows fail to wound as well. The Shades and Assassins then manage the final wound. 2 more SMs fall and the DPs manage to save a couple of wounds.
We also discussed the placement of my Archmage in this turn and how I needed to be further behind the SG unit because of the “closest unit” part of the rule I missed.
HE Turn Three
Strategy Phase - I try Shield of Saphery on the DPs which is dispelled.
Movement Phase - DPs utilising Drilled Charge the Dark Riders, that elect to SnS. The Dragon charges the closest unit of Harpies. The Archmage finds cover in with the SG, while both Reaver units begin to retreat.
Shooting Phase - the Ruby Ring is dispelled this time so still no luck. Convocation manages to Kill 4 Shades. The Sisters kill 1 Dark Rider.
Combat Phase - The DPs manage to kill the Dark Riders and reform. The Dragon Kills the Harpies causing a panic in the second unit which then allows for an overrun into the Black Dragon.
DE Turn Four
Strategy Phase - The Xbow flees off the table and the Harpies fail to rally.
Movement Phase - I didn’t depict a lot of this well in the photo for this turn. The last remaining Harpies charge the rear of the Dragon. 2 of the Assassins jump out of the Shade unit towards the DPs. While the Dark Rider also push towards the DPs.
Shooting Phase - the Xbows manage to kill 3 SG. All the remaining shooting goes into the DPs and thankfully they only suffer 1 wound (not a lot of Amour Bane rolls).
Combat Phase - a challenge is issued from the sorceress. The Prince does 1 wound on the Black Dragon (multi wound 2), however my dragon completely whiffs his attacks. 1 wound is done back to the Star Dragon in return. Combat is then Drawn.
HE Turn Four
Strategy Phase - Shield of Saphery is successful on the DPs, and Fury is dispelled.
Movement Phase - DPs charge into one of the lone Assassins.
Shooting Phase - Convocation and shooting from the SG manage to kill 5 Shades this round. I Fluff Ruby Ring this turn again (failing to cast it for 4 turns) Sisters kill 2 Dark Riders causing them to panic.
Combat Phase - the Prince again lands 1 wound on the Black Dragon and no wounds suffered in return. The Harpies fall back in good order and the Black Dragon gives ground. The UPs and the Assassin both have a pillow fight and the DPs win on static combat res, the Assassin gives ground.
We then decide the call the game there as time was a bit of a factor having been very much a stop start while reading different rules.
I won’t do too much of a write up in terms of my post game thoughts since it is still very early days for me. All in all I am really enjoying ToW so far. There are a lot of little aspects that a very different from previous editions so some assumptions about rules are causing errors.
The Star Dragon felt OP to be using in the early learning stages but it is what it is.
Magic will take sometime to get me head around with positioning of the caster being really important this edition. I certainly want to try a more mobile caster perhaps on horse to get in range for the important spells. I think the Silvery Wand will be a better investment than the Annulian Crystal. On that note High Lore seemed underwhelming. Particularly the 2 big enchantment spells only lasting until the end of the casters turn.
The Dragon Princes are really good, just need to figure out how to best manage impetuous which is a really unfortunate rule they have. Screening them with the Reavers was the obvious option, but then it does hamstring them a little.
I enjoyed and was grateful for the tankyness of the Frost Phoenix really soaking up the damage. The usefulness for combat support is yet to be tested by me but could certainly clear out smaller threats easily enough.
I didn’t have a lot of luck with the Ruby Ring so ill still trial it for a few more games. The points could probably be better spent on a couple more Sisters.
Well I hope you enjoyed the read as much as I enjoyed the game.
H
