WHFB: Dark Elves vs Bretonnians & Lizardmen

A short notice battle yesterday with Byakhee Jim. So short notice he had to buy the pizzas, and we didn’t know what armies we’d be playing. He brought Bretonnians and Lizardmen, and not a stone thrower in sight, however there were several salamanders and a lot of cavalry…

I deployed first, refusing one flank. My army was sort of an attack army, with the two chariots (COC) and some Cold One Knights (COK) backed up with repeat Bolt Throwers (RBTs).

And a scout order of Mengil Manhide’s (only 10).

Jim’s forces consisted of two wedges of Bretonnian Knights, some Yeomanry, backed with some Pegasus borne knights. Then there was the Toad in the Hole (Slann) with 30 Saurus guard, a Skink shamen with 30 skink guard, two Stegadons and the aforementioned Salamanders.

And a Hero on Terradon, which I took captive, put on a proper base and then did the usual basing regime ! 🙂

Here’s a load of photos (20+) ! Roughly in order for the narrative below…

The Bretonnians got down and prayed, having reacted inline with DE fluff (It’s just a pity they’re awake)and taken the option to go first last time, I decided to let them get on with it this time. I suspect there’s a ward save involved and he didn’t get it this time.

Mengil’s got two Salamanders firing at them and the Terradon and hero sniping at them. So they were cut down to 3. The sneaky Toad in the Hole got off some special Skill “Aligning the heavens”, which gave him the ability that when rolling magic any double was a Irreversible spell. He then proceeded to deploy the Comet of Cassandora right in the middle of my forces. At the same time his cavalry surged across the board towards me.

My response was pretty much the same, throw some Hydras, COK and chariots at him. However, I also had to get my Black Guard and a few other items out of the way of the incoming Comet, which snarled up my charging lines (as I tried to keep lines of sight open for the RBTs). Sure enough the comet landed at the beginning of my magic phase but I escaped with only 9 infantry casualties. The RBTs did precious little against the knights, but I did kill 4 of his knights at least.

The armies clashed, his skinks charging my COC, and the Toad in the Hole’s Saurus unit charged the 5 hapless COK who turned tail and ran as did one of the COC. Hmm, this was the second time the COC have made it into combat, and the result was a surprise for Jim. A nasty one, Byakhee Rich has mutterd that DE chariots are nasty pieces of work, and so it proved, as even though they charged, the chariot won combat (just). I think I’ll be regularly deploying these babies from now on. 🙂

The next couple of turns saw the centre of my army become disorganised due to either fleeing units, units locked in combat, or the hapless infantry being ground down. One Hydra was destroyed by flaming attacks, and we managed to work out (we thought) how Hydras and their Beastmaster handlers work in combat properly for the first time. Disappointingly Felhir Lockhurt failed to do any real damage to the knights, because of the 2+ armour save.

So the cavalry squadrons started rolling up one flank of my army, but by then I’d managed to reverse the COC chariot, and got my second Hydra into combat with the large skink unit that had been held by by the first COC.

And this combination defeated that unit and wiped it out.

By then it was 6pm, end of turn 5 and I knew I’d lost, but I’d severely mauled his forces, so called it a day.

Upsides and Downsides:

Upside:

• Dark Elf Cold One Chariots are good, armed with RXBs, T5, Save 3+ they’re mean !
• My army list was full of mobile and dangerous troops which really kept Jim on his toes.
• I didn’t play to type – my opponents know my army too well, but the recent additions of units has started to pay off I think.

Downside:

• Five Cold One Knights is too small a unit, I need to pull my finger out and paint another five of them !
• The army list was not right, and the better part of 300 points of Black Guard did diddly squat, next time they’ll be replaced by either chariots or COKs.
• I need some more tin can openers. My luck was against me when all 4 bolt throwers missed, but I need something to make up for this in the close combat area, and not just Hydras.