UB Tournament Battle Reports

Here`s the first report from the tournament – I hope everyone will enjoy or better give me some tips how to improve my game.

My List:
Dreadlord: Cloak of Twilight; Dragonhelm; Dawnstone; lance; shield; Sea Dragon cloak; Black Dragon 543
Supreme Sorceress: Dispel Scroll; The Black Amulet; Level 4 Wizard; Lore of Life; Black Dragon 605
12 Witch Elves: Hag; musician; standard bearer 162
12 Witch Elves: Hag; musician; standard bearer 162
7 Dark Riders: shields; repeater crossbows 140
7 Dark Riders: shields; repeater crossbows 140
8 Shades 128
10 Doomfire Warlocks: Master of Warlocks 260
10 Doomfire Warlocks: Master of Warlocks 260

My opponent:
Prince, Barded Elven Steed, Dragon Armour, Giant Blade, Enchanted Shield, Dawnstone
Level 4 Shadow Archmage, Book of Hoeth
Noble, Battle Standard Bearer, Barded Elven Steed, Heavy Armour, Great Weapon, Star Lance, Dragonhelm, Golden Crown of Atrazar
15 Archers, Hawkeye, Musician
8 Silver Helms, Shields, Full Command
6 Ellyrian Reavers, Bows, Harbinger
6 Ellyrian Reavers, Spears, Harbinger
25 Phoenix Guards, Standard Bearer, Musician
17 Swordmasters of Hoeth, Standard Bearer, Musician
9 Sisters of Avelorn
9 Sisters of Avelorn
Eagle Claw Bolt Thrower
Eagle Claw Bolt Thrower
Great Eagle

We rolled for spells and I ended with Flesh, Throne, Shield and Regroth. I could`ve taken Dwellers but decided that Throne can be more important. My opponent had Miasma, Withering, Pendulum and Pit of Shades. The last two both are good against Dragons...

We rolled for scenario and I had the honour to choose... I took Meeting Engagement – just for the fun and to have some combats.

So let`s start with deployment:

He won the roll off and chose the top - so I had to deploy my units first. Being very optimistic
to get the first turn I elected to play very offensive and that`s how I
deployed. Two strong flanks with my Locks and Dragons, Sorceress behind the
right top stones. Elithmar placed his shooters behind the hill in the middle.
His right flank seemed to be very week with only his reavers and they`ve been
way too close to my units as you will see. After his deployment I placed my
shades to threaten his Swordmasters and Bolt Thrower. He didn`t get the “6” to
steal the initiative and I started with my first turn.

Turn 1:

I charged the Locks at the bottom in his first Reaver unit – he had to hold as
they would`ve fled off the board. I also charged the Riders in his Reavers
where he chose to take the charge (note: at first he chose to S+S and we both
didn`t recognize that these reavers had only spears – he killed three with his
bows until we saw it and put the models back...). The rest of my army moved forward
just the Sorceress on the Dragon held back. In magic I got a Soulblight off on
the Reavers. Then we moved to combat and the Locks did what they can do best.
Unfortunately my Riders couldn`t break the Reavers as a single High Elf stood
his ground (he managed to do the LD4 reroll test).

Elithmar then started his turn also with a charge. I love these games with bloody first
rounds. His Silver Helms got into the front of my Dark Riders but he lost 2 in
the fence. The rest of his army moved cautiously forward to shoot my poor Dark
Elves and his Eagle moved to block my Locks. In the magic phase he lowered the
BS of my Shades by two or three (I don`t care) and I stopped the Withering on
my Dragonlord. Then he aimed at my Riders with most of his shooting and killed
all but one – luckily I know how to roll ones and twos for panic. The Bolt Thrower
then wounded my Dragon twice and my Rider with a single bolt – Dragon couldn`t
make a 5+ save though. In Combat my Riders managed to kill the remaining Reaver
and another Silver Helm before they fled with only two guys left (which is
still above 25%).

Turn 2:

In my turn two the charges continue with the Dragonlord going into his Bolt Thrower
and the Locks going in the Eagle. My witches failed their frenzy test and
decided to charge the Archers – fortunately the Archers missed everything in
the S+S but my Witched failed the charge. Lucky Luke (the lonesome Rider) tried
to charge the Bolt Thrower and failed too. Then I charged the Shades and the
Locks into his Swordmasters having the advantage to strike before them. The
Dark Riders rallied and were right in the way of my lower witches who had to
reform then. In magic all was stopped without Throne of Vines. Having nothing
to shoot we went straight into combat. Dragon and lower Locks did their thing
but the shades and also the Locks failed miserably. Having five Swordmasters
left he killed all 8 shades and made his break check.

In his turn he charged again with his Helms this time he chose the Locks. Statistics
said I had no chance to escape so I took the charge. The rest shuffled a little
around. In magic I stopped his spells but I think I burnt my scroll for the Pendulum.
In the shooting phase he killed: (Un-) Lucky Luke, some Witches and the two
Riders. Then we went to combat and the Locks showed their skills. In the upper
combat they killed unsurprisingly the Swordmasters and in the lower one they
killed four Helms but lost three and the champ in return – they held on an 8.

Turn 3:

In my turn three I charged the upper Locks in his Sisters who fled. I redirected in
the Archers who held. My Dragonlord went into his other Sisters who also fled
but got caught. Now was the time to go forward with my Dragonsorceress – the witches
also moved max forward to threaten the Phoenix Guard. In Magic I created some
T7 Elves and healed my Witches up to full strength. No shooting but nice combat
phase: Locks wiped out most of the Archers and pursued into the fleeing Sisters
– well done guys. The other Locks lost some but managed to kill the last Silver
Helm. They fled and were ignored by the two Leaders of the High Elves.

His characters charged the Witches who had to hold and the Phoenix Guard turned around to
magic the Dragons. I had to let the Pendulum through to stop Pit of Shades – my
Dragon, the Lord and two witches all made their Initiative tests. Unfortunately
the Bolt thrower wounded the Dragon again. In combat my Hag challenged and he
killed her and four more witches – being steadfast they held but didn`t manage
to reform.

Turn 4:

This turn was going to be a disaster... My Dragonlord and the witches both charge
the Phoenix Guard – making way to find some space to get the Locks into his characterbus.
Witches failed their 10 or 11 Inch charge and the Locks failed herewith too. In
magic I healed the witches back to full strength removing a wound from the
Dragon. The Witches held another round but my Dragonlord failed. The Lord
killed the Mage outright, but the Dragon missed a lot of his attacks and rolled
a “1” for thunderstomps. Here I forgot to use my breath weapon what could`ve
made the difference. His Phoenix Guard made two wounds on the Dragon and I lost
combat by musician!!! Then my Lord failed his test and fled behind the witches.
Knowing that his turn would bring the Guard into combat with the witches and in
a perfect overrun position I could only hope that ladies hold for one round.

What happened? Right – what everyone expects. Phoenix Guard charged the witches,
wiped them out and caught the Lord in the overrun. His characters killed some
witches who fled and got also caught.

Having only my Sorceress and one unit of Locks left I decided to try the save way. Now
Dwellers could`ve made a difference. Nothing happens in my turn.

He then made a mistake in my opinion. He took the characters behind the hill and turned
the Phoenix Guard to show their front to my Locks. Nothing else happened.

I decided to go all in - Dragon and Locks into his Guard. In magic I had again T7
Elves (what is really fantastic) and in the following combat I killed most of
them by loosing nothing in return. They got ran down by the Locks.

In his last turn he tried to kill my Locks but failed to wound and they made their
break check.

That was the end of the game. It was a close 11-9 win for me with 300 points
in my favour (just a single victory point more and it would`ve been a
12-8 ). I will not post my summary now but will do it after some meanings
of you. Thanks for reading so far.

Hey opponent, thanks a lot for that entertaining report. If I read correct... you forgot to deploy a complete unit of Sisters??? Well, that could've made a difference. I'm really sorry for beating you with a weaker list. Nevertheless let me explain the reason for charging the Swordmasters with Locks and Shades. I was afraid that Locks alone were not enough to wipe out the whole unit - therefore 8A, ASF, reroll hits and 1s to wound could help a lot. I was not expecting flopping the Locks so bad... That was the reason why I lost the Shades and your SM didn't break. In my opinion I didn't make a mistake here as I might overrun with the Shades close to your Bolt Thrower.

So, thanks again for being such a fair opponent.

Cheers