Vampire Counts vs Dwarfs 2250 pts battle report (pictures)

"The Spirit Hosts and Dire Wolves charged the Slayers, dropping them down to a single model at the end of the game." [Ed. Slayers can be very difficult to shift in combat, their unbreakable quality makes them priceless if you can avoid missile fire in the shooting phase, easy to do against Vampires ! Spirit Hosts can be a BIG problem for a unit without magic weapons.]

(Another good battle report from Atchman)

source : z4.invisionfree.com/Khemri

credit : Atchman

31-May-2009

Game Night Game-Vampire Counts versus Dwarfs 2250 points
(Count Von Atchstein versus Chaos Dave)

Well it has been a long time since I wrote a Game Night report. Some of it is because I’ve been playing Ardboyz games, some because I’m too lazy, and some because I’ve just not been inspired.

I played a couple of games against an Ardboyz Thorek list, only winning one and that was with VC. The others I believe were draws. Racticas and I have played a couple games. I lost horribly trying to use a High Elf army against the Tomb Kings; I mean horribly! I got my revenge playing the hated Skaven, but only because I had an incredible last turn that swung the game in my direction.

Anyway Chaos Dave wanted to play against the Vampire Counts for some experience. Having seen them run a Khorne Mortals list clear off the table, he wanted to see what he could do against them. He decided to use his Borderwars Dwarf army and I used my newly modified VC army.

Count Von Atchstein’s Horde of Death (Vampire Counts Army)

Count Von Atchstein, Extra Level, Summon Ghouls, Avatar of Death, Lord of the Dead, Flying Horror, Book of Arkhan, Flayed Hauberk
Bloodgrin, BSB, Ghoulkin, Talisman of Lycni, Enchanted Shield, Dispel Scroll
Count Hideinthuback, Crown of Commandment, Forbidden Lore, Lord of the Dead
Raticas, Necromancer, Dispel Scroll
15 Skeletons, command
20 Skeletons, command
10 Ghoulgirls, Ghast
3 x 5 Dire Wolves
5 Fell Bats
5 Black Knights
3 Spirit Hosts
20 Grave Guard, Full Command, Banner of the Barrows (which I forgot the entire game!)
3 Wraiths

Chaos Dave’s Dwarf Army

2250 Pts - Dwarfs Roster - Warriors of Khaz Grong
Dwarf Lord Gromril Armor; Shield
Runic Weapon @ [95] Pts, Master Rune of Alaric the Mad; Rune of Cleaving (x1); Rune of Fury (x1)
Runic Armor @ [30] Pts, Rune of Resistance; Rune of Stone
Leading: 19 Hammerers, with full command

Thane (Battle Standard Bearer) Gromril Armor; Battle Standard Bearer
Runic Standard @ [55] Pts Strollaz's Rune
Leading: 19 Longbeards , Full Command

Runesmith @ 142 Pts, Hand Weapon; Gromril Armor; Shield
1 Runic Weapon @ [20] Pts Rune of Cleaving (x1)
1 Runic Talisman @ [50] Pts Rune of Spellbreaking (x2)
Leading: 19 Dwarf Warriors @ 196 Pts Full Command

Thane @ 137 Pts Hand Weapon; Gromril Armor; Shield
1 Runic Weapon @ [70] Pts, Rune of Cleaving (x1); Rune of Fury (x2)
Leading: 19 Dwarf Warriors, Full Command

Bolt Thrower @ 85 Pts Rune of Penetrating (x1); Bolt Thrower
1 Engineer @ [15] Pts
Bolt Thrower @ 120 Pts, Master Rune of Immolation; Rune of Penetrating (x1);
1 Engineer @ [20] Pts
Gyrocopter
15 Slayers

Total Dwarf Army Points Value: 2249



The Dwarfs strolled AND got to move first. They used the movement and the terrain to form a solid Shieldwall. My Ghoulgirlz had moved forward using the Ghoulkin bloodline. I lost a few models to shooting, but the Organ Gun misfired and wouldn’t be back in action until turn three (Yeah!)


Count Von Atchstein ordered his army forward. My Dire Wolves marched to threaten a bolter. I chose not to flying charge his artillery this turn to pump up my units. The Ghoulgirlz grew to over 20 and the Necromancer’s Skeletons grew to over 20 with the help of the Vampire.


Not much movement from the Dwarfs so it was on to the VC turn. The Count and Bloodgrin charged the Bolt Thrower on the hill. The Dire Wolves destroyed the other bolter. I was hoping for a good overrun, but I rolled low stranding me right in front of a pissed off Organ gun!


The Dwarfs saw off a unit of Dire Wolves that moved too close. I laughed in glee and got a dice in the back of the head when Chaos Dave rolled yet another MISFIRE on his Organ Gun to kill my Vampire Lord! My ineptitude was rewarded by his horrible luck!


The Bats and Bloodgrin, charged the Organ Gun taking it out. Count Von Atchstein realized he was being silly and joined a unit of skeletons. Chaos Dave blew all of his magic defense that turn to keep me from moving stuff. This stranded my Ghouls against his BSB’s unit and they were eventually destroyed.


Their flank wide open due to Dave’s magic defense the Ghoulgurlz catch the Thane’s unit in the flank. They overran 1” in front of Count Von Atchstein’s Skeleton unit.

Bellowing a charge the Dwarf King and his Hammerers charged the Grave Guard. I revealed the Helm of Commandment and then promptly forgot my Banner of the Barrows! No matter it was a battle that went on until the end of the game.



The Ghoulgurlz demise


Count Von Atchstein couldn’t have asked for a better setup. He ordered his unit into the front of the Thanes’ unit and the Black Knights into their flank. The Spirit Hosts and Dire Wolves charged the Slayers, dropping them down to a single model at the end of the game. My characters had bailed the previous turn, so the pumped up Skeleton unit charged the Runesmith’s unit.


With overwhelming force the Thane’s unit was ran down by the Black Knights. Count Von Atchstein held his unit back to avoid getting flank charged by the BSB’s unit.

The rest of the melees were a scrum with my losing all of them or tying them. Really nothing happened as I kept bringing the dead models back. However the Wraiths and the Grave Guard were whittling down the Hammerers. They would finish the game with a handful of models.


Seeing no choice, the Dwarf BSB charged the Count’s unit. The rest of the fights were a war of attrition.


On my turn five I reformed the Black Knights destroyed the BSB’s unit. On turn six, I again reformed them and destroyed the Runesmith’s unit. This shouldn’t have happened since he was planning on using the gyro to divert my guys, they failed a fear test from the Fell Bats and it was ran down! It opened up the flank of the Runesmith’s unit and they paid for the Gyro’s cowardice.



As the door closes on this grim scene, a handful of Hammerers and their beloved King fight until the end against the Grave Guard and the surviving Wraith. Only eight models remained of this once proud army.

Victory to Count Von Atchstein! (Vampire Army beats Dwarf Army)

Summary:
I really got lucky when Dave’s Organ Gun misfired. He would have easily won the game if the Count had been blown to bits. I’m not sure what else Dave could have done, he played his army pretty well considering not having played against VC before.

As a tactical note, it is never a good idea in a game to allow an infantry line to bend. Having a coherent line facing the Vampire line would have been far better. I’ve played historical games for years and when any infantry line bends, even around terrain; that is the best place to attack.

I made a mistake with the Helm Vampire. I meant to just take an extra level instead of Forbidden Lore, but it was too late to change it. Also forgetting the Banner of the Barrows was just silly.