2000pt Corsair Raiding party

[Time of madness]

The idea here was to create a themed corsair raiding party list using limited models (corsairs/bolt throwers/shades/harpies).

CHARACTERS

Dreadlord (general)
- Heavy armour/sea dragon cloak/shield
- Hydra Blade
- Pendant of Khaeleth
- Potion of Strenght
= 255pts

Master (BSB)
- Great Weapon
- Armour of Darkness
- Ring of Hotek
= 159pts

CORE

23 Corsairs
***Dreadlord here***
- Full Command
- Extra Hand Weapons
- Banner of Murder
*Assassin with extra hand weapon and rune of khaine
= 401pts

23 Corsairs
***BSB here***
- Full Command
- Extra Hand Weapons
- Warbanner
*Assassin with extra hand weapon and rune of khaine
= 401pts

10 Corsairs
- Handbows
= 100pts

10 Corsairs
- Handbows
= 100pts

6 Harpies
= 66pts

SPECIAL

6 Shades
- Great Weapons
= 108pts

RARE

4 Bolt Throwers
= 400pts

TOTAL POINTS = 1990pts

Overall I'm fairly happy with how the list turned out. I've thought about dropping my main units from 23 to 17. This would give me some extra points to play around with.

The assassins are fairly essential in keeping my main units alive and giving them the ability to actually strike back if charged by my opponent.

I'm not sure on my character set up (specifically the dreadlord). He's alright for combat, but there are some other options that might have been better for this type of list....such as deathmask, peral of bleakness, ring of darkness etc.

Another thought was dropping 2 of the bolt throwers and picking up a hydra...I guess it could be possible to theme one as some sort of sea monster....

Any thoughts on the list?
Time of Madness

[Calisson]

Wow! A list heavily concentrated on the corsair fluff indeed.

- Instead of your dreadlord with the deathmask, did you consider Lokhir?
Not exactly the same abilities, but for 250pts (roughly the same price), you'll have a terror-causing general.
He will benefit a lot from the AP banner.
Just give a thought.
I have no information about Lokhir effectiveness in combat, it seems that here most people don't use often special characters.
I tried him once, but facing a gunline he had no chance to get in combat.

- BSB, don't forget to keep an assassin with him, you don't want him to die in a challenge.

- The two assassin's duty being to challenge (especially the one with BSB), you might consider the Dark Venom & KB combo.
So, they will leave the Character cause havoc on the rank & file.
That makes them more expansive however. I am not sure the one with the general is necessary.

- Two big units of corsairs are good.
I wonder why you don't take the Sea Serpent Standard.
The character and the assassin would benefit from it as well.
This unit rocks!

- The RHB corsairs are funny. Unfortunately, many people don't understand their use.
Be aware that their range is very short: they cannot double-march and shoot.
I like to use one of such unit. They taunt the enemy.
They stand & shoot, you don't care much if they loose combat. Or they flee and you countercharge.
However, it may be interesting to consider instead a unit of MXB with shields. Much greater range, AP, barely more expansive, more useful in melee.

- Harpies and Shades, OK. One more harpy unit wouldn't hurt.

- 4 RBT will be very nice: you cover pretty much the whole battlefield and there is no way to silence all of them quiclkly.
However, how do you intend to protect them from fast cavalry/flyers?

- 2RBT and a hydra could be interesting as well. It is up to you.
You'd loose some ability to cover the whole battlefield, but it would add a great killing machine.

With such list:
You could be outmaneuvered by cavalry /flyers lists, but that's what RHB-Corsairs are for.
You will suffer a lot in the magic phase: RoH is nice indeed but not a perfect protection.
You'll realize that corsairs are not that tough against missiles stronger than arrows.
In melee, as long as the assassins survive, your two main units should be very nice.
But what do you intend to do against heavy cavalry charging them? Winning by static combat resolution? This is why I suggested KB assassins.

[Time of madness]

Thanks for your comments.

I debated taking the sea serpent standard as it would be fluffy! However for this army to work I really need my two large blocks of corsairs to be able to move without having to worry about frenzy.

The handbow armed corsairs are an essential part of this list. They keep light units off my flanks and provide me with a unit that can do many things (baiters/re-directors/flankers).

I would love to squeeze at least one more unit of harpies into the army, but I couldn't find the points. The harpies provide my army with the ability to take out enemy war machines and to march block. They can also be used to protect my bolt throwers if necessary.

The killing blow assassins may prove to be a good idea. As it stands right now they have been developed to kill rank and file to allow my corsairs to come in with as many attacks as possible. I will have to play test both types of assassin set up and decide what I like better.

Time of Madness

[Sidorio]

I really like the list, i really, really like the list. I agree with your comment on the Sea Serpeant Standard and that's the same reason i don't use it on my corsairs, frenzy has undone my armies too many times. I also plan too run a dreadlord and a bsb, with litle magic defence in my army, when i finish revising it on what i've seen and been told (thanks again Calisson). In my experience, killing blow can help and maybe you want to try it on one of your assassin's.

Your Reaper's should provide decent ranged support thanks to their shooting options, though maybe finding a way for a unit of Repeater crossbows would help aswell.

also my last thing is that you will need to be very careful against elite armies as your corsairs will find elite infantry difficult too beat.