My tournament winning list

Malekith's psychologist · Sun Jul 26, 2009 9:22 pm

Hi,
After many romantic and themed lists and grew tired of getting the end of my backside handed back to me on a silver plate by hardcore tourney players, so i decided to go a bit hardcore myself and try a list that might actually win.

I haven't checked the GT rules in the UK but the ones over here (Tenerife, Spain) are now played with special rules:

3 or 4 games, first annihilation, 1 point for basics, 2 for specials, 3 for rare, if under 100pts then 1 point, 2 points for characters 3 for special characters. Second control objectives. Third is to control quarters, and third to cross over to the other side, leaving the table on your opponents side. Any more details about the objectives I'll be happy to explain.

Anyway, I have managed to win 2 out of 2 tourneys facing many armies (been lucky not to face daemons yet, but played a test game against a friend with a hardcore daemon army and managed to scratch a win, if only barely) and beating all.

Considering the objectives and what i may find out there i did a mobile yet resilient list, hard on combat and quite manouverable. Anyway, enough talk and here comes the list:

General Lord Kraeron Darkbrood:
+ Black Dragon + 2 null talismans + armour of eternal servitude
+ Potion of strengh + Biting sword + shield + SDC
+ 2 repeater handbows ----------------------------------------------> 585 pts

Noble Aeslenn Darkbrood:
Battle Standard Bearer + Dark steed + Heavy Armour + SDC + shield
+ Sword of Might + Pendant of Khaeleth ----------------------------> 177 pts

Sorceress Arldenna Miscastless:
Level 1 + 2 dispel scrolls ---------------------------------------------> 150 pts

Basic Units:

21 warriors + shields + full command + war banner ----------------> 187 pts

5 harpies ---------------------------------------------------------------> 55 pts

5 dark riders + Rxbows + musician -----------------------------------> 117 pts

5 dark riders + Rxbows + musician -----------------------------------> 117 pts

Special Units:

5 CoKs + musician + DreadKnight ------------------------------------> 159 pts

14 Black Guard + full command + ring of hotek
+ Banner of Hag Graef (surprise surprise) ---------------------------> 277 pts

Rare:

War Hydra --------------------------------------------------------------> 175 pts

TOTAL -----------------------------------------------------------------> 1999 pts

Power dice: 3
Dispel Dice: 3 + 2 dispel + nulls + ring of hotek (mwahaha, i looove this item)
--------------------------------------

Right, thats it, comments and criticism are welcome.

You may have noticed that i have indeed taken inspiration from several army lists out here, specially with the BsB combo which has proven itself extremely reliable in several games. I may add comments on the units in later posts.

Thanks 2 all

Post by **Calisson** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 7:26 am

Nice cheese platter!

Compliments for your winnings, as I know that a strong list does not win by itself, it requires a clever general to make best use of it.

I'm wondering why you took the COK champion rather than one more BG, and how effective did you find him?

Also, how do you play the two slow infantry units?

Lordmonkey · Post by **Lordmonkey** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:24 pm

Have you played vs a gunline with this list yet? Seems to be very low model count and fragile - how do you protect your Black Guard from getting shot? 5 Harpies doesn't seem like it would last long...

Grandmaster ej · Post by **Grandmaster ej** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 1:59 pm

Gunlines have always been easy to take appart as a dark elf, i wouldnt think its an issue for many druchii lists at all, esspecially one with a dragon.

Malekith's psychologist · Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:43 pm

Hi! Thanks for the compliments/criticism.

@Calisson: I decided to take the champion just for the extra attack, no particular reason, and also for possible challenges that might stop some character from totally wiping the unit out, so, yes, it is effective in a way. Wasn't bothered about the extra BG as i like round numbers

Concerning the infantry i use warriors as SCR unit, no real combat strenght, also as bodyguard for the sorceress and usually to guard one flank of the black guard (having her on the other side of the unit away from RoH). Black guard tend to advance right in the center as fast as possible, with flanks protected by warriors/Coks/hydra. Anyway elven infantry is not that slow, and as we play with objectives you don't get many players waiting for you to come.

For some reason opponents tend to underestimate them and end up charging them with their toughest units...Obviously the odds are that BG will hold 90% of the time so then i can flank charge with other faster units at my disposal.

Another reason they try to get rid of BG asap is RoH which hampers most magic-based armies. If they ignore BG then i play cat and mouse with my Dark riders and prepare counter charges with warriors/hydra/dragon.

And btw, lol, it is cheesy by MY standards, but considering the special character, ultra cheese riddled tournaments out there mine is pretty balanced

@LordMonkey: The answer is: Speed and denial. That is, deny range and/or LoS of your infantry units to heavy gunlines, then rush with all the tough units possible and get rid of warmachines/gunlines asap. Also with so many small units the dwarf opponent i played (Thorek gunline) couldn't just shoot at everything, the price was payed by CoKs who were wiped out on turn 2 by Organ gun, and half unit of warriors by thunderers. I kept BG well out of range to hold a strategic point in my deployment zone, and managed to annihilate a miner unit.

Also the pendant of Khaeleth BsB is a juicy target for most shooting so i rode him solo next to hydra harpies and DRs. He survived the organ gun unscathed and charged next turn.

As i said, offer him many targets, he won't be able to hit all, and what gets through will destroy his firepower, after that is pick and choose.

5 harpies tend to be underestimated, against gunlines they don't last long indeed, but they are very expendable so I don't care as long as the shooting/magic used against them saves more important/expensive units from being targeted. Also they are the perfect cheap skirmisher hunter. Skinks and bretonian skirmishers die easiliy with their low WS and T. Also S&S is almost useless as they´ll usually be hit with 6's or 7's (7s denying poison!)

@Grandmaster: Yeh, the dragon is the ultimate gunline destroyer, but only if used properly, no matter how many targets you offer your opponent, if the dragon is exposed for more than 1 turn then everything, from boltthrowers to spits, are gonna be shot at him. Hug terrain and prepare your charges carefully, and the dragon can be nigh unstoppable.

Cheers!

Marauder mitch2 · Post by **Marauder mitch2** » Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:15 pm

I have been using a Ring Dragon for a while. After speaking with Cyber.

I played a tournament and the ring was invaluable. But your army is vulnerable due to a low body count and not enough shots so combat is the only way. I find a strong basis of shooting avoidance and then a dragon coup de grace works really well.