Empire vs Vampire Counts tournament battle report 2000 pts (pictures)

"the knights rallied, the steam tank took 3 steam points and the knights on my right moved past the zombies while the swordsmen moved up to take the zombies on with their detachment (could I actually get to use the detachment rules for the first time ever I wondered?)" [Ed. I agree, the detachment rules can be quite difficult to take advantage of]

(a frenetic sounding pitched Warhammer tournament battle report)

source : warhammer.org.uk

credit : Snail

27-May-2009

2000 point Empire Army List

Arch Lector of Sigmar - 324 Pts
Heavy Armour, Shield , The Mace of Helstrum, Van Horstman's Speculum, War Altar

Captain - 155 Pts
Lance; Pistol; Full Plate Armour, Shield, Pegasus, Aldred's Casket of Sorcery, Pegasus

Battle Wizard - 150 Pts
Magic Level 2, Rod of Power, Ring of Volans

Battle Wizard - 150 Pts
Magic Level 2, 2 Dispel Scrolls

9 Crossbowmen - 115 Pts
Musician, Marksman
5 Free Company

11 Swordsmen - 112 Pts
Musician, Duellist
5 Free Company

5 Knightly Orders - 123 Pts
Musician

5 Knightly Orders - 123 Pts
Musician

Great Cannon - 100 Pts

Great Cannon - 100 Pts

4 Outriders - 134 Pts
Musician, Champion, Hochland Long Rifle

4 Pistoliers - 114 Pts
Musician, Outrider, Repeater Pistol

1 Steam Tank - 300 Pts

Casting Pool: 6

Dispel Pool: 6

Models in Army: 67

Total Army Cost: 2000

2000 pt Vampire Counts Army list ("Rabbit’s Vampires").

Rabbits army consisted on a Vampire Lord L3, Vamp BSB, Thrall with great weapon, Thrall L2, 2x15 Ghouls, 2x20 Skeletons, 20 Zombies, 10 Skeletons, 2x3 Fell Bats, 2x6 Dire Wolves.

Spells

Book – Burning Gaze and Dazzling Brightness
Sword - Burning Gaze and Cleansing Flare
Vampire Lord – Raise the dead, Wind of Undeath, Summon Undead Horde
BSB – Gaze of Nagash
Great Weapon Vamp – Raise Dead
L2 Vamp – Vanhel’s, Gaze of Nagash

Deployment

With Rabbit putting his objectives in-between the 2 deployment zones and mine inside and just outside mine I guessed he’d be coming to get me. With that in mind I deployed my army either side of the wood in my deployment zone so that the Knights could go forward and get in the way and the other units protect the flanks with the steam tank and war alter together to try and double team units. The pistoliers I put on the left flank to sweep round to deal with his dogs on that side then cause as mush of a nuisance as possible.



Turn 1

Rabbit went first and moved up everything forwards with both units of bats flying right in front of my army the unit on my right was ready to charge the cannon next turn. His dogs pushed up on the flanks and apart from that not much happened. In his magic phase he raised a silly about of fell bats into the unit in front of the cannon and did some raises here and there.

So in my first turn I had a major threat of the big unit of fell bats so in went one of my units of knights hoping to at the very least tie them up for long enough and hopefully win in the end. My stank and war alter made a beeline for the centre of his army the lector looking at the units with characters in and stroking his shiny mace. The steam tank on the other hand was planning on slowing up a unit of ghouls while the other unit of knights diverted the other unit on the flank. The pistoliers fancied their chances against the dire wolves so popped out to shoot them and the peg captain flew over to start steeling spells, the mage in the swordsmen didn’t like the idea of being assassinated by some dire wolves so joined the now safeish cannon. In the magic and shooting phase I concentrated on my right hand unit of skeletons and started to whittle them down, the peg captains stole the BSB’s raise spell and the out riders killed a fell bat and the pistoliers shot a couple of wolves. In combat the bats got stood on by horses, the knights once again getting shown how to kill something by their horses but when the dust settled one bat still stood.



Turn 2

Rabbit had a few charges to make this turn with the wolves on my right going into the flank of my knights and fell bats on the left going in to hold up the stank. The wolves on the left decided to be annoying and not charge to hold the pistoliers up for another turn. In the movement phase the rest of his army pushed forwards again. Magic raises some fell bats back which I let off so more knights are in combat, nothing else of importance got off. In combat the knights won leaving a few dogs and bats left and the other bats did nothing to the stank.

In my turn the war alter ploughed into the Skeletons holding the L2 vamp, the stank decided it would use 4 points to crush the annoying bats and the free company flanked the wolves overcoming their fear to help the knights out. The pistoliers danced around the annoying wolves and the peg captain flew over to try and nick the lords spells. My other knights got in front of the ghouls on my left to direct them away from my lines. Magic and shooting concentrated on the skeletons with the BSB again and the war alter fried some skeletons. The pistoliers shot the wolves to leave one standing and Mr Sniper picked out the great weapon vamp in the ghouls on the right and did a wound. I think my captain decided he liked the Invocation of Nehek spell and stole the lords copy of it adding it to the BSB’s he already had, just 2 more and he’d have the full set. Combat saw the war alter run over some skeletons and the champion get a mace to the face (nowhere for the L2 to hide next turn) the stank did a little bit of over kill on the bats and the knights and free company finished off the wolves leaving a lonely bat.

Turn 3

So with only a couple of Invocation of Nehek left and units which really needed some help Rabbit was starting to worry about his units. He charged the ghouls in front of the stank in to hold it up and the Knights with the Vampire in the other unit, the Knights fled and he enemy in the wayed the out riders who were just out of stand and shoot distance, they held. His zombies moved on towards the fell bat combat and he turn the BSB’s skeletons to face the knights fighting the bats. The lords unit just hung around at the back not knowing what to do really. In the magic phase he got off a summon undead horde and helped out some of the units, the Vamp with great weapon also healed his wound. In combat the L2 vamp got a mace to the face and the steam tank took a wound, those cheeky ghouls. The outrider champion died valiantly in a challenge and they won by 1 to see the vamp back down to 1 wound. The Knights finally finished off the bats.

In my turn the knights rallied the stank took 3 steam points and the knights on my right moved past the zombies while the swordsmen moved up to take the zombies on with their detachment (could I actually get to use the detachment rules for the first time ever I wondered?) The Peg captain flew in front of the skeletons with lord in so if the war alter could finish up the skeletons he could have a flank charge if he chased the captain. In the magic phase I killed enough of the BSB’s unit to put a cannon ball through his head and the pistoliers killed the last wolf. In combat the stank killed many ghouls but they were still there at the end and the war alter continued to kill skeletons. The Vamp with great weapon finished off the out riders and ran into the knights.



Turn 4

At this point things were in the balance. Rabbit charged the lords unit into the peg captain and moved the zombies forward turning the last 2 skeletons from the BSB’s unit to face the knights. Not much happened in the magic phase and combats apart from the vampire with great weapon not managing to get through the knights tough armour and popping and the peg captain killing the skeleton champ but breaking and not getting caught.

In my turn my right hand unit of knights charged the 2 remaining skeletons and the swordsmen with detachment charged the zombies, so new was this to me I had to read the rules on what happened but in the end it was not to be as the detachment failed their fear test. My other unit of knights moved up to block the ghouls. In the magic phase the wizards targeted the ghouls in front of the knights to get the numbers down the war alter let rip with cleansing flare and soul fire. Shouting saw some of the Lords skeletons die and a few more ghouls. In combat the steam tank ran over the ghouls and the knights killed the 2 skeletons while the swordsmen won their combat the war alter finished off the skeletons it was in combat with.



Some close ups of the action







Turn 5

Rabbits charged my knights who died either to fleeing or breaking from combat (I can’t recall) and his lords unit pottered around wondering where everyone had gone. Again not much happened in the magic phase and the swordsmen won their combat again.

In my turn my army surrounded his lords unit and basically through magic, crossbow fire and cannon ball to the lord’s head finished off the unit. The ghouls crumbled a bit. The free company had gone into help out the swordsmen and won combat with a few left.



Turn 6

The ghouls and zombies crumbled and my army took all the table quarters and objectives.



Battle Result - Empire Victory !

4-0 Win on objectives 2800 VP’s to me 257 VP’s to Rabbit

Battle Round up

After my peg captain had stolen the raise spells it was very hard work for Rabbit as he couldn’t bring models back and my army was able to whittle everything down with him not being able to do anything. I don’t think I made any mistakes which I was happy about and was also very happy about how well my army performed against vampire counts. Another great game.

Wood Elf Army vs Empire Army 2000 points battle report (pictures)

"The wardancers and dryads on his left moved up into the wood with the mages leaving the unit. The wildriders on the other flank moved up past the steam tanks line of site into part of the wood." [Ed. sneaky Wood Elf tactics!]

(a short, factual tournament battle report, nice to see some desert terrain for a change.)

source : warhammer.org.uk

credit : Snail

26-May-2009

Empire Army 2000 point list

Arch Lector of Sigmar - 324 Pts
Heavy Armour, Shield , The Mace of Helstrum, Van Horstman's Speculum, War Altar

Captain - 155 Pts
Lance; Pistol; Full Plate Armour, Shield, Pegasus, Aldred's Casket of Sorcery, Pegasus

Battle Wizard - 150 Pts
Magic Level 2, Rod of Power, Ring of Volans

Battle Wizard - 150 Pts
Magic Level 2, 2 Dispel Scrolls

9 Crossbowmen - 115 Pts
Musician, Marksman
5 Free Company

11 Swordsmen - 112 Pts
Musician, Duellist
5 Free Company

5 Knightly Orders - 123 Pts
Musician

5 Knightly Orders - 123 Pts
Musician

Great Cannon - 100 Pts

Great Cannon - 100 Pts

4 Outriders - 134 Pts
Musician, Champion, Hochland Long Rifle

4 Pistoliers - 114 Pts
Musician, Outrider, Repeater Pistol

1 Steam Tank - 300 Pts

Casting Pool: 6
Dispel Pool: 6
Models in Army: 67

Total Army Cost: 2000

Wood Elf Army list 2000 points

Usman’s list was Treeman Ancient, BSB with magic bow and a funny arrow that split into 3D6, 2 L1’s with I think 4 scrolls, 2x10 archers, 2x8 dryads, 2x7 wardancers, 5 glad riders and 5 wildriders, 5 waywatchers and 5 scouts. So a pretty standard Wood Elf list.

For spells I took fire on both mages and got Fire ball and Wall of fire on my mage with the book and fire ball and conflagration of doom on my wizard with the sword, he also has steed of shadows in the ring of Volans. Usman’s mages both had tree sing.


Deployment



These days I have a standard deployment with my army which in knights down first, outsiders behind the one on the side I think I need them and the rest of the army around that with the lector give his Leadership to as many people and the steam tank holding the weak flank. As you can see that is just what I’ve done in the picture (almost text book to my plan).


Turn 1



So after getting the first turn my army pushes forwards, outriders hiding from his shooting behind their portable 1+ armour save screen. The rest of the army did a little movement but it was all about putting pressure on his key units ASAP. Not much magic as I’d not wanted to move my wizards to close to his shooting. In my shooting phase my crossbows killed a few archers and a lucky cannon shoot bounced miles and sniped one of this 5 scouts hiding in a wood on this right hand side.

Usman moved this army up a little bit and did what wood elves do best, the waywatchers stayed in their wood to keep the table quarter safe and his big tree and his BSB friend stayed in reserve behind the hill. The wardancers and dryads on his left moved up into the wood with the mages leaving the unit. The wildriders on the other flank moved up past the steam tanks line of site into part of the wood. In the shooting phase my right hand knights forgot what armour was and rolled 3 1’s for their saves but pasted the panic test. His BSB used that magic bow of his and hail of doomed the pistoliers to death which the peg captain was a little shocked about but not enough to run away.


Turn 2



My knights charged the archers in front of them and the War Alter and other knights pushed forwards to be annoying and hopefully pin down the big tree and the stream tank moved up on the flank, firing its steam gun and pistol as it went killing 4 of the 5 wildriders. The Peg Captain failed to steal a spell and the cannon put a round hole in one of the mages who had left the safety of the wardancers. In combat the knights didn’t do much.

Usman moved the big tree over the hill and into charge ark of the War Alter and moved everything else up a bit with the lonely mage deciding it wasn’t safe on her own after seeing her fellow splattered on a tree and re joining the wardancers poking their head out to see the peg captain. The Wild rider moved through the wood to charge my crossbows next turn but didn’t survive my next shooting phase. The Treeman strangled some knights and they decided they need to do a tactical withdrawal and duly failed their panic and headed back to my board edge to rally next turn.







Turn 3(forgot to take a picture for turn 3)

The steam tank charged up its engine and charged the archers in front of it who fled and went into the flank of the other archers who the knights were having problems with and the War Alter went into the Treeman. The rest of the army shot and magiced some more of the wood elves. The steam tank ran over the archers and the knights chased off the remaining ones, the Pope stole the Treeman’s stats and did a wound I think but the big tree stuck around.

In Usman’s turn he moved around a bit bringing the wardancers with mage and the dryads as quickly as they could towards my cannons. Not much else happened and combat with the Treeman was a draw or something similar.


Turn 4-6



Over the next few turns my army rounded up what was left of the woodies and the Treeman died to a cleansing flare. The wardancers and mage charged the peg captain but lost combat and were run down. My knights dealt with the dryads frightening the cannon. The BSB and his friends pop their head out and died to shooting and magic (I think). The steam tank ran over the other unit of dryads.

With no way of getting the waywatchers out the wood and his glade riders in the other wood I claimed the other 2 table quarters and contested the 2 I couldn’t get.

Result - Victory to The Empire

2-0 Win to The Empire on objectives
(2048 VP’s to me 178 VP’s to The Wood Elf Army)

Battle Round up

I think Usman was a little too cautious and should have been more in my face putting pressure on me but as he didn’t it let me do that to him and slowly take his army apart.

Daemons of Chaos vs The Empire 2000 pts

warhammer fantasy battle report :-

"Both my outriders and pistoliers started the game facing backwards to avoid being siren songed" [Ed. hmmm...I'm not sure Sigmar would approve]

(how small mistakes can cost you a lot !)

source : warhammer.org.uk

credit : snail

30-Jan-2009

Scenario : Annihilation

Empire Army List

Arch Lector of Sigmar - 324 Pts
Heavy Armour, Shield , The Mace of Helstrum, Van Horstman's Speculum, War Altar

Captain - 155 Pts
Lance; Pistol; Full Plate Armour, Shield, Pegasus, Aldred's Casket of Sorcery, Pegasus

Battle Wizard - 150 Pts
Magic Level 2, Rod of Power, Ring of Volans
Battle Wizard - 150 Pts
Magic Level 2, 2 Dispel Scrolls

9 Crossbowmen - 115 Pts
Musician, Marksman
5 Free Company

11 Swordsmen - 112 Pts
Musician, Duellist
5 Free Company

5 Knightly Orders - 123 Pts
Musician
5 Knightly Orders - 123 Pts
Musician

Great Cannon - 100 Pts
Great Cannon - 100 Pts

4 Outriders - 134 Pts
Musician, Champion, Hochland Long Rifle

4 Pistoliers - 114 Pts
Musician, Outrider, Repeater Pistol

1 Steam Tank - 300 Pts

Casting Pool: 6
Dispel Pool: 6

Models in Army: 67
Total Army Cost: 2000 points

Daemons of Chaos Army List

Keeper of Secrets L1
Herald of Slaanesh BSB with -2 Ld banner
Masque of Slaanesh
13 Daemonettes Full Command (FC)
2 units of horrors
6 flesh hounds
5 furies and
3 fiends of Slaanesh


Magic

Empire
Book – Burning Gaze and Dazzling Brightness
Sword - Burning Gaze and Dazzling Brightness
Steed of shadows was in the ring.

Chaos Daemons
Keeper – Acquiescence
Herald – Acquiescence

Deployment




Having played Shanes list which is a lot like this I knew how hard it could be, with 2 siren songs and up to -5 Ld from the banner and Masque I thought I’d have some problems. But I was grateful he only had 1 unit of flesh hounds. I used the wood in my deployment zone to bunker around with the plan being get the war altar into keeper, the stank [Ed. Steam Tank] into the daemonettes and use the knights to screen the flamers. Both my outriders and pistoliers started the game facing backwards to avoid being siren songed (a trick I’d picked up practicing against Shane).

Turn 1



Mark got the first turn then spent a long time deciding if he should ran as fast as he could at me or to take his time, in the end he decided to some straight at me and use the keepers siren song in my turn 1. Apart from his aggressive movement phase not much else happened.



In my turn 1 he used the keepers siren song on my red knights so I sent them in and charged the war altar in as well. I moved my other knights up in the flamers face and the steam tank headed for the daemonettes. The peg captain tried and failed to nick a spell from the horrors and the 2 units of free company ran off to re direct the fiends and flesh hounds while the pistoliers lay in wait for the hounds. In the magic phase I killed the Masque with a burning gaze and the cannons did the odd thing. Combat saw the lector challenge and not pass his Ld to hit the keeper, I won combat but not much happened to the keeper.



Turn 2



Well this turn Mark turned his first turn mistake into a massive brain fart (I’ll explain shortly). He charged his daemonettes into the flank of the war altar and the furies into the steam tank to pin if for a turn, this flesh hounds also charged the free company who fled. He moved the fiends around the hill and the flamers past the knights. Nothing happened in the magic phase and the flamers failed to kill a knight. In combat the lector failed his Ld test again and Mark won combat now was the time for him to reveal his mistake, the knights fled due to combat res but because the war altar is unbreakable it didn’t go anywhere. Mark had completely forgotten this and had put the unit in to give more combat res to break the war altar totally forgetting it was unbreakable and now he had his daemonettes pinned with no real chance of them going anywhere. At least the knights panicked the cannon and crossbows.

In my turn everything rallied and I moved the pistoliers to the flank of the flesh hounds the free company on the right blocked off the fiends and the knights turned around to face the flamers. In the magic phase a cleansing flare from the war altar killed a fiend, some furies, a flamer, some daemonettes and the keeper of secrets. In the shooting phase the cannon that could fire misfired but was ok and shooting took out the last fiend and another flesh hound. Combat saw the lector fail his Ld test to attack the herald in the challenge and the steam tank ran over the furies.

Turn 3



Marks flamers charged the Knights who were stalking them, the flesh hounds pushed on and the horrors jumped out the building to see if they could help. In combat not a lot the knights showed how good a 1+ save is and won combat killing a flamer in the process. The lector didn’t want to attack the herald again so nothing much happened there.





In my turn the steam tank made for the rear of the daemonettes and my red knights moved to block off the flesh hounds. My free company headed for one of marks table quarter and the pistoliers continued to stalk the hounds. Magic cleansing flared some more stuff and by the time the tank finished the poor herald was on his/her own. I think it was at this point Mark shook my hand and we started to add up points (I can’t be sure though as memory is going a bit so if I’ve got it wrong I apologise Mark).



17-0 Win on kill points 2699 VP’s to me 0 VP’s to Mark [Ed. Empire beat Daemons]

Round up...

I think Marks big mistake with the war altar cost him the game in the end but I was very happy with my Empires performance and everything seemed to go very well, I really do think Empire can give daemons a run for their money if used right. Once again Mark was another pleasure to play against and always is.