500-2000 by Block

Get critiqued on your latest army here...

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Shockwave
Highborn
Posts: 725
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 2:31 am
Location: Northamptonshire

500-2000 by Block

Post by Shockwave »

My small gaming group is doing a little Tale of 4 gamers, for the most part every one is either building armies they have had the models for ages or starting an army that they have always wanted to build. But not me, due to an 8k pay cut, and not wanting a second WFB army (I have too many armies full stop) i'm staying with Dark Elfs. But it is kind of a new army as it is for me a new(ish) book.

The other players armies are
Woodelfs
Dwarf Slayers (From Storm of Chaos)
Empire

I have seen a game between the Wood Elfs and Slayers, it was VERY one sided. I'm not wanting to be on the receiving end of that. So i was thinking that early on missile heavy would be a good idea. Point 2, My upgrade from 1500 to 2000 will be Morathi.

I have no idea what the Empire player will bring as he missed the first set of games due to a new job/ promotion

Anyway, this was what i was thinking.

Block One
Master
Beastmasters Scourge, Heavy Armour, Sea Dragon Cloak, Shield
Lifetaker, Null Stone

Darkelf Crossbowmen (12)
Shield

Dark Riders (5)
Repeater Crossbow
Musician

Shades (6)
Great Weapon

Block Total 498

Block Two
Master
Pair of Handbows, Beastmasters Scourge, Heavy Armour, Sea Dragon Cloak
Ring of Hotek, Enchanted Shield, *Biting Blade
*Cold One

Dark Elf Warriors (19)
Shields
*War Banner
Full Command

Harpies (9)

Reaper Bolt Thrower

Block Total495
Running Total993


Block Three
Dark Riders (5)
Repeater Crossbows
Musician

Cold One Knights (5)
Standard of Slaughter
Full Command

Reaper Bolt Thrower

Cold One for Master in Block Two
Change Beastmaster Scourge to Biting Blade for Master in Block Two
Add Warbanner to Dark Elf Warriors in Block Two
Block Total 471
Running Total1464

Block Four
Morathi
Dark Sword, Focus Familiar, Potion of Strength
Block Total 535
Grand Total 1999

So, What have i missed or what advice can you give?
I'd rather lose a closely fought game then have it all sown up in a couple of turns.

Strangely, been here longer than most of the Admin staff.......
Umpac
Warrior
Posts: 69
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:46 pm
Location: Sweden

Re: 500-2000 by Block

Post by Umpac »

Shockwave wrote:Block One
Master
Beastmasters Scourge, Heavy Armour, Sea Dragon Cloak, Shield
Lifetaker, Null Stone


Not sure about his set up, Only 3 S4 and AP will mean he is weak in CC, barely stronger than a Black guard champion, and while the Lifetaker is neat, it hardly justifies the points he costs. You could stick him on a mount or pegasus to grant much better positioning for your Lifetaker since moving and shooting isnt a problem, and he can run 18" inches if he is in a unit. With a lance and mount he hits much harder and can really surprise people when he runs 18" out of the unit and charges a war machine or fast cav.

Block Two
Master
Pair of Handbows, Beastmasters Scourge, Heavy Armour, Sea Dragon Cloak
Ring of Hotek, Enchanted Shield, *Biting Blade
*Cold One


Pair of handbows is fairly weak for 16 pts and rarely comes into play with only range 8", but if you have a few pts to spare you can go for it. Cold one offers immunity to fear and gives the unit fear (with US 2 tho) but they gain stupidity. Tough choice, and imo not worth vs armys like Dwarfs, empire and WE, with either high LD or not a lot of fear causers (or both in the dwarves case). This guy also have 0+ save, so even without a Cold One he good armor. Why use Biting blade? Scourge can be combined with a mundade hand weapon when you need that extra punch and still gives AP, biting blade contributes nothing to this char, except magical attacks. If you really want magic attacks (which you kinda need since Lifetaker doesnt shoot magical attacks) I would rather switch the scourge + handbows for a Sword of Might, or better yet a Whip of Agony / Crimson death.

Harpies (9)


Not sure how this block thing works, but if possible I would dump the handbows to make this 2x5 harpies. Their function is march blocking, mage hunting and harasssing. They fill those rolls just as good with units of 5, if not better as a unit of 9 becomes clumsy and several harpies have to sit on the bench if you go into CC.

I would also like to see a BSB in the list. You have 2 masters without any clear purpose, why not make one a BSB for 25 pts? The reroll on break tests can often decide the result of a game. Also gives +1 CR, pretty great for 25 pts. Your list does however only have 2 realy combat units, Warriors and Cold one Knights, might not be worth the risk of getting your BSB captured. 5 CoK + Noble BSB with Hydra banner are packed full of win (15 S6 and 12 S4 attacks with hate - yes plz), but that would require pretty sagnificant changes, and with only T3 and 2+ save for a unit worth 600 VPs (400 + 2 flags) is risky, especially with M 7" and stupidity. With the quoted units as the only exceptions the list looks solid up to the 1500 mark. Cant say how Morathi would work in the list, never played with special chars.
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Shockwave
Highborn
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Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2002 2:31 am
Location: Northamptonshire

Post by Shockwave »

The purpose of the blocks is to play my block 1 versus the other players block 1, then add in the second block and play that and so own. So the lack of C&C ability may be true, however, the other players would also be in the same boat. The Life taker is useful as in this format/ at this level as a "Solo" can cause so much damage and the Lifetaker allows me to deal with this.

In regards to the second Hero, the Biting Blade and the Cold One he gains once the it gets to 1500 list, at 100 he doesn't have them and is on foot, thus the Beastmasters Scourge as being a hand weapon with Shield he gains extra armour, but once mounted he loses that so hence the change to Biting blade.

Harpies, I originally i wanted 6, but at the end of the block i had the odd points and nothing to spend them on. Yes 10 would be better, but i only own 9.
I'd rather lose a closely fought game then have it all sown up in a couple of turns.

Strangely, been here longer than most of the Admin staff.......
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