There and back again- A gamers tale

So, I'm back, and I'll be posting more frequently now that the World Cup is dying down and BoLSCON approaches.  Lots of things to talk about, I'm not sure I want to tackle it all with this one article tho.  Among the things I want to talk about are my Wolves, and the new Warhammer: Fantasy rules (and how they'll affect my Dark Elves).



I guess I'm mostly excited about Fantasy, to be honest.  The Wolves are fun and all (and I'll be playing them a ton more than Fantasy in the coming weeks, for sure) but there's something about a somewhat dead game getting life re-breathed into it that has me all excited.

Every other blog has a list of changes and stuff, so I won't really talk about those, since I won't do nearly as good a job as everyone else, I'm sure (also I'm lazy).  I want to talk about my thoughts for the Dark Elves, and the direction I think (or rather, hope) they're going.

I've always really really liked the idea of ranked combat, where two blocks of infantry butt heads and slaughter eachother, with other blocks manouvering for position.  That's what first attracted me to Fantasy in the first place, and I immediately chose Dark Elves because the models rocked.  Being the kind of guy I am though (the kind that likes to win, rather than take fluffbunny shite armies), my army ended up being nearly infantry-less, besides a small resiliant Black Guard unit that was there more to take out other elite blocks of infantry quickly than to actually play 'blockhammer'.  I made the army because I liked the models and playstyle, but with Dark Elves, the way to win in 7th Ed. was also to take creatures, so I never really achieved my dream of block-on-block combat.

Now my dream is being realized.  In 8th, blocks of infantry are back in power, and it's actually plausible to take units like Corsairs in huge blocks (maybe, you decide).  Taking my Dragon is no longer that feasible (since he's lost the ability to break a unit in a single turn of combat, and has had his charge range much reduced.  So here are some units I've been thinking I might take now:

20 Corsairs w/ Full Command, Hand Crossbows (7 men to a rank? is that alright? would 6 be better?)

I'm really really not sure how awesome this is.  But I have high hopes.  For 225 points, I can take a unit that can march up close to someone, unload 28 shots into them, and wait to be charged, where I get another 28 shots before my I5 strikes.  Add the banner that makes them Frenzy, and you get 21 (rerollable due to hatred) attacks at I5 before the enemy gets to strike (usually).  This is all of course theory hammer, but it seems like it might end up being really good.  Add in that the unit gets a 4+ save vs. shooting (granted, it's not perfect, but a pretty reasonable deterrant).  These guys can shoot well, do combat alright, and add in a Dread Lord, they might have some reasonable success in combat as well.  Seems like they could reasonably expect to at least put a dent in any unit.

20 Executioners w/ Full Command, Hag w/ BSB and Hag Graef (always strikes first banner)

These guys got a whole lot better, it seems to me, which is why I'm taking them.  Since they'll have ASF and I5, that means they'll get re-rolls to hit even after the first round of combat.  14 S6 (WS5) re-rollable attacks in the first round of combat (added to the Hag's 6-8 S4 attacks for Rune of Khaine) will mess up pretty much any big block of infantry.  I'm sure they'll take a beating in return for the first round of combat, but combat shouldn't go on much longer than 2 rounds, regardless of what they're fighting.  I just don't see a unit eating 28 S6 hits and 12-16 S4 hits 2 combats in a row and surviving (even more if my Cauldron is giving them +1A)

20 Black Guard w/ Full Command, Banner of Murder (makes them Armor Piercing)

These guys are there to kill whatever is thrown their way.  They're kinda my take-all-comers, since they throw out a high volume of attacks, with good initiative and weapon skill.  With AP, they give out a -2 modifier to armor saves, which makes even most cavalry or heavy infantry take it on a 4+.  Their I6 will help them in striking first, most of the time, to get the drop on whoever comes their way.

So, those are the blocks I want to use.  Everyone is raving about spearmen and how much they rock, but I guess I always just wonder- what can 40 spearmen (for 300 or so points) take on and get their points back?  They might end up doing something, since unless I'm mistaken, all 4 rows get their attacks, but they might just flounder and die a horrible, quick death.  Plus, painting 40 spearmen doesn't really seem like my idea of a good time.  I'll have to give it more thought though.

So, here's a random list I've been thinking of, it's 2250:

Dreadlord w/ Crimson Death, Armor of Eternal Servitude, Ring of Hotek, Sea Serpent Cloak- 231
 
(231)
 
Death Hag w/ BSB, Hag Graef, Witch's Brew, Rune of Khaine- 200
Death Hag w/ Cauldron of Blood, Rune of Khaine- 225
 
(425)



20 Corsairs w/ Full Command, Hand Crossbows, Sea Serpent Standard- 250
20 Corsairs w/ Full Command, Hand Crossbows- 225
10 Crossbowmen w/ Shields- 110

(585)

20 Executioners w/ Full Command- 270
20 Black Guard w/ Full Command, Banner of Murder- 320

(590... wow, I need to drop one from each squad to make it down to 25%)

Hydra- 175
Hydra- 175
Repeater Bolt Thrower- 100

(450)
(2281 total, before I take out the executioner/black guard, as well as squad leaders in Corsairs)

So... what do you think?  I'm guessing I'll end up having some trouble against magic-heavy armies since they'll have more dice than me, but I figure with the Ring of Hotek making their spells auto-cast (and hurting me) it might end up really devastating them in the long run.  I also don't have anything that can reliably take out warmachines, which is likely a bad thing.  I might have to play with the numbers a little bit, but I guess I should find a way to include either dark riders or harpies into the list.

Otherwise, how does it look?  Any thoughts on how Dark Elves will look in the new edition?  I can't wait to try out my first game!