=== Models [2000 pts] Warhammer: The Old World, Lizardmen === ++ Characters [754 pts] ++ Slann Mage-Priest [390 pts] - Hand weapon - Battle Standard Bearer - Lore Familiar - Becalming Cogitation - Necromancy Saurus Oldblood [364 pts] - Great weapon - Scaly Skin (counts as heavy armor) - on Carnosaur - Talisman of Protection - Armour of Meteoric Iron ++ Core Units [843 pts] ++ 21 Temple Guard [387 pts] - Hand weapons - halberds - and shields - scaly skin (counts as heavy armour) - Revered Guardian (champion) [Totem Of Prophecy] - Standard bearer - Musician 18 Saurus Warrior [291 pts] - Thrusting spears and shields - scaly skin (counts as heavy armour) - Spawn Leader (champion) - Standard bearer - Musician 10 Skink Skirmishers [50 pts] - Javelins and shields - calloused hides (counts as light armour) 10 Skink Skirmishers [55 pts] - Javelins and shields - calloused hides (counts as light armour) - The Vanguard 10 Skink Skirmishers [60 pts] - Hand weapons - Blowpipes - Light armour (Calloused hides) ++ Special Units [203 pts] ++ 4 Kroxigors [203 pts] - Great weapons - scaly skin (counts as heavy armour) - Ancient (champion) ++ Rare Units [200 pts] ++ 1 Troglodon (0-1 Stegadon or Troglodon per 1,000 points) [200 pts] - Venomous talons and venom spray - scaly skin (counts as heavy armour) - Skink Oracle with hand weapon (required) --- He ran - 30ish beastmen unit with level 3 shaman and BSB - 20ish beastmen unit with general - 6 minotaurs - giant - razorgor - heavy chariot - gorgon Terrain - obelisk was dangerous, hills difficult, rocks impassable Deployment - I was pretty happy with things. I was confident my skinks could hary the giant on the flank. My block infantry would stand up to what it needed to, my carnosaur and troglodon would flank, my blowpipes would run at the Gorgon to temp a charge (do some wounds then depleted it would take the Kroxigors) and my other skinks could run around and flank or rear what was needed. I forgot to take picture of it His turn 1 - just moves down My turn 1 - successful charge from carnosaur my skinks get out of charge arc of the giant Carnosaur issues a challenge and his lord accepts. The carnosaur eats him for breakfast. Stubborn means they FBIGO. The Slann casts his vortex which does little 2 wounds off the giant and 2 off the Gorgon as poison hits Turn 2 - he makes all his charges. He smashes his fury ability and can cast at will while the Slann can't dispel anything and can barely cast. It looks good for him, however the Gorgon charges the skinks and the skinks roll 7 6,'s off 20 dice to wipe it out. The chariot and razorgor hit the skinks. The minotaurs smash the temple guard, as do the beastmen on the spearman. The blowpipe skinks are wiped out now the chariot and razorgor are fighting the Krox. My turn 2 My Slann can't cast anything and when he does it's dispelled. The skinks take 3 more wounds off the giant. The other skinks charge as does the Troglodon. The orcale miraculously gets hammerhands off making him a better spellcaster than the Slann. Doing 6 wounds is not enough as the spearmen are useless against a decent opponent with a higher init and they lose combat by 1. Give ground means the trog isn't in combat anymore. The razorgor and chariot kill two krox and leave 1 on a single wound. Some lucky rolling sees the chariot die (has a wound from a skinks shot earlier) and the razorgor on a single wound but the Krox still lose combat by 1. The 5 attack minotaurs continue to rip through temple guard with impunity His turn 3 The beastmen heard nearly wipe out the spearmen and they are done. The razorgor smashes the skinks and they flee. The carnosaur wipes out the other unit and reforms, thankfully. The giant threatens to flank but is on one wound. He has failed a lot of his fury rolls up to this point. My turn 3 The skinks pursue the giant and poison him to death. The Slann can't cast anything and is ruining my -leadership plan, especially with the beastmen special fury rule. The carnosaur moves into range, the Troglodon and the krox make a last ditch effort to do take down the unit, a successful terror check and a good combat sees a dead draw. His turn 4 His minotaurs reform His beastmen kill the trog and break the Krox and they won't come back. My turn 4 The Slann decides to actually do something and although getting dispelled for his first two magics does a great magic missile.and a vortex. The carnosaur hits the charge and accepts a challenge and overkills by 4. The vortex means they break instead of FBIGO and the carnosaur is off the table. His turn 5 He can't charge the Slann so he backs away My turn 5 the carnosaur comes back The Slann is not casting well. He only.succeeds on a magic missile and his 3d6 hits results in 3 hits. I have forgotten about my skinks The Slann does get his vortex off His turn 6 he backs away to make a difficult charge for the carnosaur My turn 6 The carnosaur actually managed the charge and because of the vortex the unit flees from terror. Then the game ends. I have won a victory! About 1800 to 1400 We both agree it felt like I was on top early, he then slow and surely pulled ahead midgame, for me to thunder back right at the end. Lessons - necromancy fun is hard to pull off. Though I made a massive mistake with that second hex, I thought with no shooting monsoon would be worse but that -1 WS,tough is absolutely unless. The skinks were superstars, the block infantry was absolutely useless, my carnosaur was unstoppable. The luck probably favoured me slightly taking down the Gorgon was huge but also I never once managed my -2ld hex which could have mattered. In fact my whole magic was a joke, except that right at the end the vortex really affected the game with two rolls. He failed about half of his fury checks and didn't do well on armour. I really do think blowpipes are viable, maybe even with a champion. Put them in front of something big, let them get charged, likely 3 wounds go through, also to combat res, champion dies, probably they FBIGO or something through the Kroxigor and they live to blowpipe again. I think my list selection was slightly better/more competitive with one big awesome monster. Also I think my placement was better, amazing to see the skinks take down a giant with ease, but it's not surprising as they just move out of his arc and keep throwing poison. From his perspective those minotaurs were the real surprise for me. If I was going to play BB I'd certainly take a minotaur lord so I could get some in core. I have never had an interest in BB but the thought of a minotaur version is definitely of interest. Overall it really confirms my suspicions about our army books, the unit selection is so black and white it's a shame
Really nice battle report. List looks solid and it's good to see how some of the less popular units like Troglodon performs. Still sitting on the fence on whether to get one or not. I need to try blowpipes more it seems. I think they'd really benefit from scout/vanguard to get in position fast. I haven't gotten much out of saurus blocks either. They're ok with Bastiladon giving them extra initiative but still not great. Too bad you were a bit unlucky with necromancy, would've loved to see what kind of effect it has on the game. Have you played any other games with the necromancy slann?
I did forget arcane Vassel, which at least would have been useful in my first turn, however I think I basically used the Troglodon perfectly. A furious flanking charge and a successful hammerhands. Getting the spell off makes it worthwhile, without it they aren't good in combat. The fact the unit was disrupted was great, a bastiladon of course would not. Buts it's extremely clear from a power perspective and extra 15-30 points for a stegadon is easily worth it. I think the key to blowpipes is remembering that you don't have to use multiple shot. The first volley on the Gorgon was 13 shots as only 3 were within 6. First time using a Slann at all actually! The 90 degree arc was really annoying.
Nice battle report! My reflections: if you had ogre blade maybe you could easily menace the block of minotaurs and all his monsters generally. Necromancy vortex and leadership? Well i don+t like it, too many have warband rules as beastman. You cause terror only if you charge. Infantry with fear banner is good but he has lot of things causing fear too. Next trime try elementalism Troglodon...just why? I cannot see any use here sorry if i say, i would have preferred a stegadon (for only 15 points you could effort it). I agree with you that blowpipes MAY be annoying especially resisting a charge, usually i play one unit in the middle and 2 javelins units on the flanks. Sometimes i play chameleon with the same purpose. Congratulations for your victory, consider however that he couldnt take your slann and your carnosaur survived against his leader (and no Gorgon shot that was even a menace) =)