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High Elves (Pete
 ) vrs Chaos (Jim
 )
written by Pete
Overview.
I was really looking forward to playing this game. I had played Jim a few times in the
past, usually resulting a draw with my Lizardmen against his Orcs and Goblins. I had
beaten his Greenskins with my tournament High Elf army, but that was mainly due to my
dragon rather than any great tactical strides on my part. My High Elf list was written
with a view to being fair and fun to play against. Jim was testing his army for the
upcoming WPS GT.
As always his army was beautifully painted, and my High Elves are the best work I have
done. I thought the battle would be a great visual spectacle as well as a good
demonstration of tactics. Jim and I often wondered around the club and discussed next
moves for various games (out of ear shot of the players) and I knew we both played a few
turns in advance in our heads and weighed up the consequences of our moves. |
High Elf deployment.
With my deployment I intended to outflank Jim on my left side, using the white lions to
go swiftly through the wood. My archers and bolt thrower should clear any resistance to
them swinging round. I used my Sea guard and First Silver Helms to hold the center and
keep Jim ‘honest’ (facing forward instead of being able to turn to fight the
Lion Guard.) The right flank I deployed my fast moving units so I could abandon the flank
or run around it as circumstances dictated.
The Army:
Hero leading White Lions
Level 1 Mage
2 Units of Silver Helms. (1 with war banner)
Lothern Sea Guard
Reavers with bows
Shadow warriors
Archers
Bolt thrower |
Chaos Deployment.
Jim was making a big push down the center, with strong support on his left side. He
used the beastmen to shield his key units, and threatened my archers with flesh hounds and
warhounds. The furies would support his push down the left, my weakest side.
The Army.
Mounted Exhalted Champion
Hero on chariot
Chariot
Knights
Chosen warriors
Furies
Flesh hounds
2 units of war hounds
Dragon Ogres
Beast herd
Deployment done we rolled for first turn. We both got a 4, but my +1 for finishing
first gave the choice to me. Unsurprisingly, I opted for first go. |
Turn 1.
High Elves.
 With the impetus being on chaos to get to me, I held
back, moved the reavers just into bow range and the White Lions to start their flanking
move. My archers didn’t do much, a few war hounds and flesh hounds slain.
Chaos.
Jim advanced across the line; the furies took refuge in the graveyard, which caused me
a headache. The chariots held back to counter any flanking moves my reavers had in mind. |
Turn 2.
High Elves.
 My Reavers found themselves stuck, a move forward and
be charged by a chariot, anything else leaving them at a charge from the furies. I moved
the Reavers right out onto the flank, so the furies would have to come right out of the
game to take them on, and the chariots couldn’t reach them. The mage realised he was
in bother if the furies went his way, so he joined the sea guard. Shooting was more
successful. I killed off the flesh hounds and 1 of the war hound units, leaving the white
lions free to threaten the chaos flank.
Chaos.
The furies charged into the Reavers as the rest of Jim’s army trundled forward.
The Chaos warriors turned to face the white lions, and the beast herd covered their flank
from the Silver Helms. This left some of his other key units uncovered. Most notably the
knights had their flank exposed to my bolt thrower! In the first close combat of the game,
the furies were beaten by the Reavers! But Jim’s low dice rolling continued and they
passed their Ld test.
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Turn 3.
High Elves.
 With the Warriors approaching a quick average combat in
my head told me the lions would win, but not by much. If the warriors held, the lions
would be in trouble. So they backed off and hoped the archers could do something about the
warriors’ rank bonus. Magic was ineffective; in fact my mage didn’t get a single
spell off all game. My shooting did kill a couple of warriors, but not quite enough for me
to be comfortable. Then the bolt thrower draws its bead down the knights’ flank. Jim
holds his breath. Single Shot: Missed! The furies see off the Reaver Knights.
Chaos.
 The warriors move forward into the Lion’s
charge range, as he does so, Jim moves his general so the bolt thrower can’t hit him,
but can charge the lions if the warriors hold. Seeing the thin line of archer types in
front of them the beast herd advance towards the sea guard, very unafraid. He reinforces
his center with a chariot and his dragon ogres, leaving his hero and war hounds to deal
with my Silver Helms on the flank.
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Turn 4.
High Elves.
 Seeing the oncoming beastherd, the sea guard forms up to a
5x4 block of spears. That made the beastherd think twice! The shooting was all directed
onto the warriors. Disappointingly killing only 2. But it was enough to reduce the rank
bonus by 1. The lion guard back away from the warriors, tempting them away from the
general. On my right the Silver Helms charge the war hounds, which flee, leaving them
clear to charge the hero’s chariot. In the ensuing combat Jim’s hero is force to
step down from his chariot to fight a challenge. My champion caused a wound with his
lance, but kudos to the horse for killing off the chaos hero with a well-placed hoof. The
chariot breaks, but the pursuit is not quick enough.
Chaos.
 Jim has no other option now but to present me with
charges for my next turn. He moves his general into the dragon ogres and faces down the
silver helms. The warriors move to within 4" of the Lions. The beast herd charges
into the block of sea guard and the knights maneuver round towards the archers. Still the
chariot waits behind the lines for that critical counter charge, the other chariot fails
to rally and flees off the table. The sea guard beats the beastherd in combat, but they
hold.
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Turn 5.
High Elves
 The Silver Helms refuse to charge the fear causing
dragon ogres! Disaster! However the lions have no such compunction towards the battered
warriors and move in to try and finish what the archers had started. To try and help out
the Silver Helms the archers begin shooting at the dragon ogres, but not enough can draw a
line of sight to do more than a coupe of wounds. The others fire into the knights. On the
right flank the Silver Helms move to claim that vital table quarter. In combat the sea
guard and beast herd continues to exchange blows. The sea guard winning and the beast herd
holding, again. The Lions do better than expected against the Warriors. My general kills
their champion in a challenge, and the others kill two other warriors. The return attacks
kill one lion. The warriors break, are caught and destroyed.
Chaos.
 The Dragon Ogres and general charge! The Silver Helms hold
and say their prayers. The remaining chariot moves to try and charge the lions. The sea
guard finally overcomes the beastherd, and the massive pursuit takes them into the
chariot’s flank. Bad luck Jim! The general has a bad day at the office, only just
killing the Silver Helm’s champion in a challenge. The Dragon Ogres make up for it,
but only bring it back to a drawn combat. My musician blows his trumpet and the chaos
general loses frenzy! (Though they hold)
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Turn 6.
High Elves.
 All the archers turn their attention to the small
number of furies flitting around behind the lines. The furies are wiped out. The dwindling
Silver Helms somehow manage to win combat against the dragon ogres causing 3 wounds before
the dragon ogres bring down their double handed weapons, leaving only 3 Silver Helms left.
My other troops get into table quarters.
Chaos.
 The knights finally get a charge in on the archers,
who to add insult kill one standing and firing. But are soon dispatched, causing the bolt
thrower crew to panic. A good combat for Jim. In the center the Dragon Ogres and general
kill only 2 Silver Helms and I inflict a wound, taking the dragon ogres to below ½
strength! Jim scores 3 (2 wounds and outnumber) and is about to suggest that my out
numbered Silver Helm flees automatically when I point out he is still holding the war
banner, which makes my score 3 as well. A drawn combat and keeping the Silver Helm unit
alive.
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Final VP total:
High Elves: 1616
Chaos: 514
High Elf solid victory.
 Conclusion.
I enjoyed the game immensely and it was visually stunning as expected. I think Jim
would have been better off going for the woods with his beast herd. Or holding a unit back
to prevent my Lions from marching round his flank. My battle plan worked fairly well, kill
off the weaker units with bow fire, then out maneuver the harder stuff. I was pleased with
the performance of both units of Silver Helms, they excelled. The versatile sea guard
proved that they do have a role to play. I originally included them as they are a nice
paint and conversion job, but they are getting better and better at having a good battle
field role. I was so impressed at having a shooting unit that can fight, I think a large
archer unit with full command is next on the buy list for me.
I’m sure Jim will want to add to this report. And correct any details I got wrong.
(I couldn’t remember if I charged with the sea guard or got charged.) But it was a
great game Jim. I hope we meet in the campaign.
Cheers,
Pete
Pete - you charged with the Sea Guard. I refused the offer of the charge when you
ranked them 4 deep!!.
My General was an Exalted Champion
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Overview –
 Usually I struggle against the better players of WFB at
the club due principally to lack of experience and not having that much of a clue of what
I am doing. But over the last few weeks Pete has been giving me a few tactical pointers so
it would be interesting to see how I did. I was fairly happy with my set up and I had
identified that Pete’s weakest flank was his right (something that I probably would
not have done a couple of weeks ago). I needed to to crush the units on this side and
swing around to support the center. So what went wrong.
1) I underestimated how devastating elven bowfire was – Turn 1 I lost very few
models and it lulled me into a false sense of security. Turn 2 I lost a complete warhound unit and the remaining flesh hounds + warriors.
2) Pete held back, dictated the pace and reduced my numbers before charging in on his
terms. His greater movement both of his cavalry and infantry meant I was always outside of
my charge range but inside his.
3) I let go of my original plan and brought the Dragon Ogres back to the center. I was
unsure as to what the big block of silver helms would do on the charge.
 So what did I learn -
With a close combat army do not allow your opponent to dictate the pace, easier said than
done. When playing against faster armies in order to dictate the pace you must get within
charge range (obviously) but this will then lead yourself open, you must then cover all
the bases to cover overruns and counter charges etc
If you identify a weakness then go for it do not be distracted.
DO NOT expose your flank to a bolt thrower.
Chariots do not work well on the flanks their initial lack of speed is a problem and once
they are defeated in combat they move like lightening of the table edge!
In order to play this game to a any standard you need to concentrate for the entire game,
something that I do not often do.
Jim
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