I was very happy to hear from my Elven opponent recently when he got in contact to arrange another game. We decided on 2000 points. I told him I would be taking a themed list but also warned him it was not a soft list. Here is the text I sent him,
"Be warned themed skaven is still brutal, All my clan moulder stuff, HPA stormfiends, Rat ogres, giant rats, plus the usual infantry."
so he was well warned before the game.
Skaven Army
Grey seer - Skalm, earthing rod, 4++
Chieftain - bsb, 5++
41 Stormvermin - FC, Razor Standards
24 Clanrats - Sheilds, FC
2 units of 49 Slaves, Mus, Champ.
2 giant rat darts
1 rat swarm
5 rat ogres, 1 master breed, 3 packmasters
3 Stormfiends all with Doomflayer gauntlets
Hell pit abomination.
All of my Clan Moulder beasts! A themed list but by no means a easy list to beat. With no shooting. I will push forward hard and fast.
Elven host
Alith'Anar
LoreMaster - Book of Hoeth, Armour of silveredsteel.
Noble - Way Shard
30 spearmen - FC
15 White lions -FC flaming banner
10 Gladegaurd - hagbane.
5 Darkriders
2 Whitelion Chariots
Bolt Thrower
10 Shadow warriors.
A different list to what my opponent would normally take. Scouting units would prove troublesome if allowed to get behind me early on, but I have enough units to block of all my back field from them. The big unit of spears that will be turning up turn 2 could prove disastrous. But as I had no war machines to protect I decide to push everything forward early and turn back with what ever is available, when they show.
Magic
Skaven - Warp lightning, Scorch, Death frenzy, Howling Warpgale.
Elven - All signature spells.
Grey Seer Kye, led his beast host from the tunnels directing them in to an ordered battle line where his supreme being would be safe in the back of the formation. After his warlords last defeat at Elven hands he was determined to show the lackeys how a true Skaven directed his forces to victory!
"Move fool-cowards, flee and I will have you hides flayed from your backs."
Deployment
Skaven left to right - Ratdart, HPA, stormfiends, Slaves,Stormvermin, clanrats behind with Seer and BSB, Slaves, ROrges, Swarm and a Rat dart.
Elves Deployment, left to right - Bolt Thrower (in building) Shadow watchers, Lion chariot, Whitelions with Loremaster, Glade guard, Dark riders, Alith Anar. The spearmen in the back will be Ambushing.
Vangaurd
Dark rider re-deploy away from the HPA.
Elven host turn 1
Moving fairly aggressively, the elves get into position for their bow shots. The winds blow moderately this day, (8-6 magic dice) the loremaster summons a big fireball, he casts with irresistible force. It slams into the Abomination dealing 2 wounds.
The dimensional cascade that follows tears 11 White lions to shreds, but the lore master is lucky and resists the pull of the warp.
Alith'Anar, ledgendary archer of the shadow lands, misses his shot at the Abomination!
Gladegaurd fair little better, hitting a couple of times, wounding once, only to see it regenerated. Bolt Thrower is also unable to bypass the regeneration.
Combined shots of the Dark riders and shadow warriors, only manages to wound a Rat Ogres and kill a single pack master.
Skaven turn 1
Slaves charge at the Dark riders, who flee. Swarm charges the Shadow warriors, who flee.
Other slaves charge at Alith'Anar, who stands and shoots. Killing 5 Slaves. Stormfiends then charge him and he flee's.
(7-4) The Grey seer casts Scorch at the glade guard it kills 6 of their number. Warp lightning is dispelled. Howling warpgale is cast (and I completely forget about it next turn)
Elven host turn 2
Both lion chariots charge, one slams into the stormvermin, the other into the Abomination. Dark riders, Shadow warriors and Alith'Anar all rally. Lore master exits the White lions, prefering his chances alone better. The Way shard Noble, leads his 30 spears onto the battlefield in the rear of the skaven lines.
The Loremaster attempts to give the chariot wildform, but is dispelled. But Iceshard blizzard is cast successfully on to the stormvermin. Elven shooting kills a packmaster and a Rat Ogre, and wounds another.
The impact of the lion chariot, and the crew and lion attacks are only able to do 2 wounds, in return the Abomination deals 3 wounds. Combat is a draw.
The other chariot does better. Nine dead stormvermin and as they are effected by icesharded blizzard, they are only able to deal one wound in return. But the steadfast unit holds fast.
Skaven turn 2
Giant Rats start to charge the Dark riders flank, they flee to the other side ofthe building. Rat Orges charge the Shadow warriors, to late the run or shoot, they draw swords and prepare for combat. Left flank slaves reform and swiftly move to intercept the Ambusing Spear elves.
Stormfiends charge into the chariot abomination combat.
(5-4) Another Scorch kills 3 more Glade Guard, Warp lighting is dispelled. Grey seer eat his 2 tokens and casts Death frenzy on the Stormvermin, one of the tokens is bad and he takes a wound.
In combat the Shadow warriors hack down 2 Rat Ogres, but in return the frenzied beasts kill 7 warriors and stomp 2 more, that last one breaks and runs. But is caught by the pursuing beasts.
With death frenzy now aiding them, the Stormvermin hack down the chariot. And reform for the next combat.
One Stormfiends impact hits with the doomflayer gauntlets is enough to destroy the right chariot.
Elven host turn 3
With no other option available the spear elves charge the slaves.
Dark riders rally and reposition behind skaven lines
(4-3) The Lore master attempts a big fireball, but is dispelled by the Skaven wizard. Shems burning gaze is successful and kills 6 stormvermin.
Alith'Anar shoots his moonbow at the Abomination, hits wounds bypasses regeneration and kills the Abomination!
Slaves lose many of the number but not enough to break steadfast, the elves lose one of their own.
Skaven turn 3
Stormvermin charge at the Lore master, who is either very stupid or very brave and holds his ground.
Giant rats and the swarms charge into the building the bolt thrower is hunkered in.
Clanrats and the skaven leaders reform to face the spears behind them. As do the Stormfiends who make haste to a flanking position.
Magic (7-6) see the Grey Seer successfully cast Scorch and Warp lighting at the spearmen in combat with the slaves killing 11 of the Elves.
The lore master hacks down 2 Stormvermin, but is brought down by many attacks from the death frenzied Rats, who continue to drop dead from the spell effects, the enraged rats over run straight into Alith'Anar.
The bolt thrower crew are assaulted by many rats, they slay 2 of the bigger specimens, but one unfortunate Elf is dragged down by shear weight of small furry bodies and is slain. Combat is a tie and the rats retreat back, and prepare to surge the building again.
The slaves and spearmen, exchange casualties, the slave champion being one of them. But seeing the skaven leaders close behind coming to their aid, boostlers their
moral and they continue to hold.
Elven turn 4
White lions rally having fled a charge earlier. Dark riders move to shoot the rats attacking the building. With no magic phase, the bolt thrower shoots multiple bolts at the Stormfiends, causing 2 wounds.
Dark riders shoot the giant rats, killing 4 and the packmaster driving them forward.
Alith'Anar falls in combat against the rabid stormvermin.
Stormvermin cannot over run a second time (much to my disappointment) so choose to reform to face the White lions.
Two dead Elves, and half a dozen slaves corpse's later, the rats are still steadfast and hold.
Skaven turn 4
Stormfiends charge the flank of the spear elves. Slaves and Stormvermin charge the White lions. Rat swarms assault the building. Bunker turns to face the fast cavalry.
Magic (5-4) Scorch is cast with irresistible force. 2 dark riders suffer, firey deaths. In the backlask, the Grey Seer has two spells blasted from his mind and feels his ability weaken.
The swarms of rats attack the lone crew member, he does one wound to the rats and takes none in return.
Four stormvermin die to great axes, but all the White lions dies to the rabid remaining vermin.
A devastating Stormfiends flank charge impacts many deads elves, desperate to finish one of their assailants, they focus on the slaves and kill 6 more. But the fiends follow with melee attacks and stomps. The few remaining elves lose their nerve break and run.
Thoughts
I have a lot of respect for my opponent, even on the back foot from his turn one mis cast he managed to stay positive and give a good game, that he never gave up on, even in the face of a crushing defeat towards the end he stayed upbeat, much respect to him.
Could well be my last game of 8th edition warhammer, I had a lot of fun.
Bolt thower operative Tyr, surveyed the field from his position atop the building, twice he has had to draw blade to defend the home he had garrisoned from rodent attack, and twice he drove them back so he could keep shooting his warmachine. But the day was truly lost now, the noble and his spears had been forced to retreat.
He removed the precious firing mechanism from the bolt thrower, and leaves the easily replaced bow and tripod. A glance over the edge of the building shows the fast cavalry waiting for him with a riderless horse, with rats lurking in the lower floor he takes the emergency exit over the side of the building and into the empty saddle.
Riding with the haste of elven steeds they quickly catch up with a band of survivors, amongst them a wounded but very much alive Alith'Anar.
"Make haste to Tor Calae, warn them that their numbers are too many, they will be on the city 2 days from now."
