HELP: How can I keep my Sorc alive?

How to beat those cowardly High Elves?

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Azrael_blackheart
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HELP: How can I keep my Sorc alive?

Post by Azrael_blackheart »

hi everyone!
in my gaming group we use to play games at 1000-1500 points and therefore i only use one sroceress. i use it "offensively": lvl 2 sacrificial dagger--->great item (and sometimes pearl of infinitive bleakness) like this she can get loads of power dice and her magic works out well...

but here's the problem: i ddeploy her wwith a 20 man sized unit of spearelves with shields...
i walk forward slowly so the sorc gets in range for her spells...
but at some time of the game i find this unit in close combat...
then the opponent tries to hit the sorc and gets ~160 points!
i was thinking about a dark steed to get out of the critical zone before the opponent would charge the warriors, but then she is a potential target for the enemies shooters...

has anybody got a tip for me or a solution to my problem?

thanks and greetins
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Evilelf
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Post by Evilelf »

I haven't tried this, (army packed up as I'm moving/deploying soon) but I've thought about this very thing and wondered about a cheap-(ish) assassin--maybe only with additional HW and Rune of Khain. If it looks like I'm going to get charged at least somepoint, then I keep assassin with the unit. Otherwise, he'll leave the unit at first safe opportunity and lend his considerable skills to any assaults he can reach.

If the enemy tries to take out your spears with infantry--any but the most heavily armored will have to deal with the assassin striking first, and then with the static combat res of the spear elves (two ranks, re-rolling misses--even strength 3 is bound to cause some pain.) Heavy cav. and combined charges could still ruin your day though, so be careful.

Additionally, I thought about just keeping a unit of harpies around to re-direct charges when it looks like my sorceress and unit is about to be charged. This is a lot cheaper and if you're careful, the 55-66 pts unit can be used to march block as long as it doesn't get shot to pieces or charged. (so always remember it's primary role is to baby-sit your sorceress).
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Scipio
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Post by Scipio »

Stick her in a largish xbow unit
Anyone else find it kinda interesting that DE will not use gun powder because its unreliable but seem to have no problem using cold ones?
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Bounce
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Post by Bounce »

Best way to keep her alive, Prevent her wounds from reaching 0 ;)

To do this don't let her get involved in combat or get shot at by the enemy.
If you really want to put her on foot in a unit than RXB is a lot better than spears. As they generally avoid combat.

If you must put her with spears than take an Assasin and jump out and kill anything threatning her. However that is a lot of points to protect a model that could just jump on a Horse and spend the whole game running rings around your opponent
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Dggrj
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Post by Dggrj »

When using the dagger you want cheap sacrifices, so naked spears are fine, but I take Lore of Metal so all spells are 24" range to avoid the problem you describe. Great lore, IMO. Otherwise I put my sorcs on DS'es and use ToF + powerstone in DR's, dark/death magic. So far they haven't been big targets (due to their constant dancing out of the way being a bigger hassle than its worth sometimes) and the DR's can handle light units charging if they strayed too close.
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Azrael_blackheart
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Post by Azrael_blackheart »

first of all: thanks for all of you trying to help me!!!
second: i like the idea of an assassin a lot: they are really cool and will solve the problem in most of the cases... i am also going to try out EVILELFs idea with the harpies!
@scipio and bounce: i tried that several times but she doesn't really reach what i want to reach then...
@dggrj: yeah i like the combo and you are right: lore of metal is underestimated often!
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Darkwand
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Post by Darkwand »

Keep her in the corner of the unit so only two models can aim blows at her or when you see that the unit is about to get charged you can always take her off the unit. Maybe in between to units of spears so that she cannot be charged.
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Dggrj
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Post by Dggrj »

The assassin is more costly than you need here and practically doubles the cost of your sorc, and depending on what charges that unit may not help. Then again, it will against small mage-hunting units.

Oh yeah, Darkwand's got a good point about placement.
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Dggrj
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Post by Dggrj »

The assassin is more costly than you need here and practically doubles the cost of your sorc, and depending on what charges that unit may not help. Then again, it will against small mage-hunting units.

Oh yeah, Darkwand's got a good point about placement.
Linda Lobsta Defenda wrote:dggrj is correct
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Dyvim tvar
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Re: HELP: How can I keep my Sorc alive?

Post by Dyvim tvar »

Azrael_Blackheart wrote:i was thinking about a dark steed to get out of the critical zone before the opponent would charge the warriors, but then she is a potential target for the enemies shooters...


If you are worried about her being shot while in the unit, don't -- she can't be targeted even if mounted on a horse.

If you are worried about her being shot when she leaves the unit, try to make sure that there is another unit or terrain nearby for her to run to for cover.

Also, think about dropping the Sacrificial Dagger and taking the Darkstar Cloak instead. That way, you aren't tied to a unit in order to generate extra power dice. Sure, it's fewer power dice over the course of the game, but you'll still have a reasonable number and you don't have to kill your own troops to get them.
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Drek
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Post by Drek »

I am no expert on keeping foot sorc's alive, but I know what doesn't work, and that is putting them in an infantry block. Try some RXB dudes. Or even an RBT crew. Failing that, get her into some trees.

The sacrificial dagger does no good if she's not alive to use it!
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Post by Gastronauticon »

20 spearmen sounds too little if you are going to use the dagger. You may need the +3ish SCR to keep the girl from getting run down should the unit break. Try 25 or so.

An assassin is an investment but kitted right, you can always fling him about once revealed.


Personally, I´d go for the Peekaboosus, i.e pegasus and focus familiar. Yes, the familiar is an arcane item so no other goodies for her (xept scrolls) but still. Very hard to kill stuff outside of LOS/range. You can even use the pegasus normal move to walk 2" into a forrest making her near untouchable. Peekaboosus with a side order of dispel scroll costs about 235pts. Not cheap but it also frees up a CC-unit you previously wanted outside CC...
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