Dark Elves, First Impressions

First impressions mean everything!

Notes from my first game vs. High Elves with DE.

• I made a couple of mistakes this game, mainly from rules and some from just being dumb.
• 3 turns into the game and I remember to channel with my warlocks
• First 3 rounds of combat I forgot about murderous prowess, although not too much combat happened
• First round of the game I took 2 wounds on my SS because of miscast and power from darkness rolling a 3 on d3. Also, it effects only the sorcs unit hmm... that limits its use quite a bit I think
• I think a big unit of witches isn't good, too many points that can be redirected and forced to overrun is not ideal
• Executioners rock, keep them, but I need to remove the banner of eternal flame from them
• 4x RBT rocks, keep it, maybe even drop it to 3 to free up points to take more units
• Warlocks are fine, I just need to remember how to play them correctly, lost a unit early due to turn1 charge from Frostheart. It was a misplay on my behalf.
• Monsters having to be within so close of the general because of leadership is a bit of a letdown, really limits their mobility since they're just monsters with no Swiftstride
• Didn't get to experience Dark Magic as much as I wanted. Tome of Furion is decent, but I think it's unneeded. Will be replacing with a scroll.
• As predicted, Frosthearts just kill everything I have. They out-range and out-fight everything that I have except for Executioners, and even so they do massive damage to them.
• My Hydra died instantly to a Giant Blade Prince with Star Lance Noble. He made a long charge I wasn't prepared for and before you know it, he overruns into my back lines.
• Leadership 6 on monsters is just pretty terrible. Even with good play via hammer and anvil, I can't risk losing combat at all with them.
• Need more playtime for Dark Magic, but I was surprised that Black Horror didn't do more damage on his Silver Helms. First round I threw it at the bus and I hit the entire unit, with Prince and Archmage failing their LoS. Unfortunately, they passed both of their saves and it was a good time while only losing 4 SH. Grrrr.
• Monsters do NOT hate High Elves. Speaking of which, do Hatred: High Elves affect the Frostheart? I'm sure it does because I'm assuming High Elves means Army Book: High Elves.
• Frankly, I just played poorly this game in addition to it being my first game with the new book.

I ran with the following list:

2499
11 drops

LORDS:
Lv.4 Supreme Sorc, Tome = 245
Dark Magic

HEROES:
Master BSB, 1+ RR, SoMight = 155

CORE:
34x Witch Elves, FC, Razor Standard = 449
5x Black Riders, Shield, RXB, Mus = 110
5x Black Riders, Shield, RXB, Mus = 110

SPECIAL:
30x Executioners, FC, Eternal Flame = 400
4x RBT = 280
Hydra, Breath = 180

RARE:
5x Warlocks = 125
5x Warlocks = 125
K-Beast = 160
K-Beast = 160

Some tweaks after the game:

I decided to drop the Hydra, the I2, the price and attacks just aren't worth it imo. I added Shades with GW as a super scout, distraction, damage unit and upped the Executioners a little while dropping the Flaming Banner. My core is now normalized with 3x Dark Riders with a 6x4 unit of Witches. If they die, I know their points went to good use. Kept everything else the same while dropping the Tome on the Supreme Sorc for a Scroll. I'm going to mess around with Dark Magic a little bit more, but on first glance it, it seems that I rather have Shadow (same as High Magic).


Won game 2 vs. HE, but he didn't take a Frostheart.

Game #2 just ended up with me shooting his knight bus to death and killing his Prince with no AS bolt thrower to the stomach.

What I did take away from is...

• He 6-diced Fiery Convocation and killed literally 22 of my 32 Executioners ROFL. It's like a thousand mouths cried out in pain.
• K-Beasts was ready to charge next round, Witches lost combat, broke, got caught and died, then K-Beasts panics off the board. God damn out of leadership bubble and the dude goes running away like a little girl. Jeez man, are these guys even worth it?!?!
• Gotta bring Repeater Bolt Throwers and at least 4 fast cav drops. My unit of 10-12x Shades have been dominating in the games I've been playing. They put out an epic ton of shots and they're very accurate. Those charging them are going to eat S5 GWs in the face at I5 too. Not sure if 200+ points worthy, but I think they're better than Sisters of Slaughter in terms of army placement.
• Still running with just a Lv.4 with a Scroll. Not sure if worth it right now, but she's been doing fine in the Executioner unit.

New list in tow:

2496
11 drops

LORDS:
Lv.4 Supreme Sorc, Scroll = 245
Shadow

HEROES:
Master BSB, 1+ RR, SoMight = 155

CORE:
30x Witch Elves, FC, Razor Standard = 405
5x Black Riders, Shield, RXB, Mus = 110
5x Black Riders, Shield, RXB, Mus = 110

SPECIAL:
30x Executioners, FC, SoDisc = 405
12x Shades, GW = 216
4x RBT = 280

RARE:
5x Warlocks = 125
5x Warlocks = 125
K-Beast = 160
K-Beast = 160

Just played game #3 with the list right here.  Once again, against High Elves and with the newest revised list (above).

• Anyways, my buddy charged a unit of Witches from the front with a Star Dragon and Frostheart. Frostheart takes 7 wounds from poison and dies and Star Dragon gets challenged out and loses combat by 5. General breaks and gets ran down by Witches, lol.
• K-Beasts kind of just sat back again because I'm not sure how to use them yet. They're really slow if you think about it, only averaging 13" on the charge due to monsters and not having Swiftstride.
• I've basically been moving them on the sides of my Executioner unit, and a little bit behind so the Executioners can take the charge first. They're basically two guard dogs from under the sea. Not the best units from what I've seen so far, but with 5 attacks at S7 WS5 I4, they're not too bad.
• Shades are pretty fantastic even though they didn't do much this game. Just having them in the game makes me less worried about Warmachines shooting me in the back, or armored knights coming down the ally. Those are a lot of BS5 S3 AP shots raining down..
• I will probably stay with Shadow for now. Having poison I6 ASF Witches with Mindrazor is just godlike. I can't see any reason to take anything else... unit size will go back up to 30 with Razor Standard.

I leave the day with 2-1 vs. HE, mainly because I played like a tard the first game.

However, this is something I want to try really, really soon.

2496
10 drops

LORDS:
Crone Hellebron = 310

Lv.4 Supreme Sorc, Scroll = 245
Life

HEROES:
Master BSB, 1+ RR, SoMight = 155

CORE:
30x Witch Elves, FC, Razor Standard = 405
5x Black Riders, Shield, RXB, Mus = 110
5x Black Riders, Shield, RXB, Mus = 110

SPECIAL:
28x Executioners, FC, SoDisc = 381
3x RBT = 210

RARE:
5x Warlocks = 125
5x Warlocks = 125
K-Beast = 160
K-Beast = 160

Life spam with Beasts in tow and +Toughness on Witch Elves. Hellebron kills everything because she's a god damn murder stick. WS7 I9 ASF, S10, 7 +D3 attacks base because she has Super Frenzy, re-roll 1s to wound and Poison. All units taking Fear checks with her are -3 Ld. on check. Armored targets beware, you have nowhere to charge. Just keep Hellebron safe on the corner of a unit where the least amount of attacks can get to her, smart use of make way and challenges.