Dread Sorceress of the North / Lady of Terror - two variants

[Ajattaro]

I've been tinkering around this ETC Draft 3 lately, but haven't had any time to play recently, maybe tomorrow or on Monday when there is still an easter break from university I can set up a game with my regular opponents (WoC, empire, HE).

There has been so many awesome ideas floating around in Dnet so I have to try them out - mainly Shroud bombing and manticore BSB. Manticore SS is an old favorite of mine, so that can be left out or maybe combined with Shroud bombing. However, since the Death magic is again seriously available to DE in ETC I want to take it out for a run again. Also I got a lot of DR minis under conversion so I want to get them out there too.

Here is Draft 3 comp for DE
May select up to 5
●Each 5(or part of 5) Doomfire Warlock models – 1 choice 
●Each pegasus or dark steed mounted character  1 choice 
●Each two or part thereof other characters on mounts ​
●One or more repeater bolt throwers– 1 choice 
●Each unit of dark riders after the second – 1 choice after the first​ 1 choice
●More than 80 shots from repeater crossbows per turn (Repeater bolt throwers count as 6 shots)  2 choices 
●Morathi  4 choices ( Lore of death, LD 10 and Spirit Leech  and Pegasus choices are included)●Malekith 2 Choices 
May take any Dark Elf special characters
Using Lore of Death is one choice

Quite harsh comp, but that is what is dominating around here.. Here are two lists, which are about the same, and both have about the same concerns. I guess the first one really is better to tournament environment, since it has more punch compared to Shroud bombing.

- First list: Dread Sorceress of the North - ETC 2015 Draft 3 -

Characters - 834pts

Supreme Sorceress 315pts
4 lvl - Death, Ring of Hotek, Dispel scroll, Dark steed

Master BSB 331pts
Lance, HA & SDC & Charmed shield, Talisman of Preservation, Manticore & Iron Hard Skin

Master 188pts
Lance, HA & SDC & S, Cloack of Twilight, Dark pegasus

Core - 622pts

12 Witch Elves 162pts
Musician, Standard & Banner of Eternal Flame

10 Dark Riders 230pts
Full command, Shields, RCBs

10 Dark Riders 230pts
Full command, Shields, RCBs

Special and Rare - 944pts

4 Reaper Bolt Throwers 280pts

6 Cold One Knights 215pts
Full Command & Warrior Bane

8 Shades w/ GWs 144pts

War Hydra & Flaming Breath 180pts

5 Doomfire Warlocks 125pts

Total: 2400pts
Fortitude: 7 (BP ≥ 3)
5 Choices: Lore of Death - 1
DS & Peg. - 2
4 RBT - 1
5 DFW - 1



- Second list: Lady of Terror - ETC 2015 Draft 3 -

Characters - 823pts

Supreme Sorceress 315pts
4 lvl - Death, Ring of Hotek, Dispel scroll, Dark steed

Master BSB 333pts
Lance, HA & SDC & S, Cloack of Twilight, Manticore & Iron Hard Skin

Sorceress 175pts
2 lvl - Dark, Tome of Furion, Terrifying Mask of EEE!, Dark steed

Core - 622pts

12 Witch Elves 162pts
Musician, Standard & Banner of Eternal Flame

10 Dark Riders 230pts
Full command, Shields, RCBs

10 Dark Riders 230pts
Full command, Shields, RCBs

Special and Rare - 949pts

4 Reaper Bolt Throwers 280pts

6 Cold One Knights 210pts
Full Command

8 Shades w/ GWs 154pts
Standard

War Hydra & Flaming Breath 180pts

5 Doomfire Warlocks 125pts

Total: 2399pts
Fortitude: 8 (BP ≥ 3)
5 Choices: Lore of Death - 1
2 DS - 2
4 RBT - 1
5 DFW - 1


I tied to go as light on characters as I could, but those ones are essential to the list. Manticore BSB is there to get it tried out. It is free on comp points but it is certainly not free in points however. In the first list he could be kicked entirely, and in the second one he is much more useful, but cannot be downgraded to pegasus master if I wanted to..
I thought about alternative build with 5++, OTS and C.Shield, but I don't know if he is too vulnerable with only 5++?OTS would make manticore way more deadlier. Master would have CS anyway to help with the first cannon shot, but that is not guaranteed, and otherwise he is wasted.

Other point about cannons is that I would really like to squeeze in some harpies. I dont have pretty much any chaff units, but that is not concern since my whole army is super fast and has units that can handle combat.. Anyway, one unit that can used as a screen and maybe sacrificed in the late game would be really good, since my fast cavalry units just can run from everything through the whole time. I have to be able to safely engage into close combats too.

One way to get harpies is to kick CoK unit, and then take 5 harpies. Then I would have about 140/135 points left, and I could get really small unit of executioners, 10 man unit with musician and maybe with standard. That units would be cheap and able to flee, but would be so durable. They would be hanging back with witches the whole first half of the game. My shooting is at max right now, so I can't fit chariot even if I wanted to. I want to try strong evasive units so iwould like to keep shades at 8 models too.. They could be trimmed though to fit a chariot,, but I would like to keep my fortitude at 7. Another option would be to drop one RBT and maybe WB and then I could get exatly 75pts for harpies and I would keep the CoKs.

My main concern is that is 10 strong unit of execs strong enough? I dont have a lot of bulk and stayinng power i nthis list, so I would have one unit that can deal heavy hits after first round too. My CoKs usually end up dying anyway because they can't ever flee.

Oh yes, another gimmick. I would like to squeeze in a Potion of toughness for my SS, because quess that her DR bunker will eventually charge the enemy. That would be something nice to have then and I should hope that I remember to drink it and combat is over in one phase.

[Silic]

What is the role of the 10 strong units of DR? Is the full command and numbers meant to protect fortitude, and if so, are you planning to charge with them at any point?

[Ajattaro]

I used to be fan of playing 12 full kitted DR with FC, because that is really good unit. It shoots really good and can fight well. It is hard to catch and easy to charge into flank with some other support.

I got 21 DR models, so I wanted to try this out. 10 is a bit too much to use as a redirector unit. Maybe they can use their feighned flight still, but I am keeping my SS safe. They shoot hard and at weak units right from beginning, and can fight some weak units without support or flank charge to support larger combats. I dont know if they are useful at WM hunting (hence the CoTmaster and harpies, warlocks and shades), but they are hard to shoot off, and generally to get points from.

Also I only got 15 witch elf models . I dont want to buy those new ones either. Because DR are so much better than anything else in core, I wanted to try this setup. My only concern is what happens when I need lots of double flee redirecting or something for multiple turns, but I dont know if that will ever be the case. I hope my important units are fast enough to circle the enemy themselves.

[anglais]

i see 6+6 DR and 25 witches as an ideal core under ETC.
12+12 (or 10-10) DR are good, but then you have a point sink as you have just not enough core points for something decent. Another drawback of 10+ strong unit is the number of breath weapons your are playing against. also, massed BS shooting starts to be an issue, but I understand that you are aware of this :p
I do not like how COC and Hydra fit this list, but it is probably meta. 8 shades is a really strange unit size for me. especially with GW.

[Ajattaro]

i see 6+6 DR and 25 witches as an ideal core under ETC.
12+12 (or 10-10) DR are good, but then you have a point sink as you have just not enough core points for something decent. Another drawback of 10+ strong unit is the number of breath weapons your are playing against. also, massed BS shooting starts to be an issue, but I understand that you are aware of this :p
I do not like how COC and Hydra fit this list, but it is probably meta. 8 shades is a really strange unit size for me. especially with GW.

Thank you for your insight. I've been liking those six DR units too, but I've been liking to use 6 + 12 with Beasts magic. 12 has been really solid when you can buff it up with multiple different spells... I'd like to keep my large units of DR since I really like them and like to give a shot with two units. With witches my collection of 15 usually limits the amount I can use in tournaments. I'd like to get some more but not those new models. Anyway I've been liked to use small units, because all WE units usually get rolled over at some point if they don't have CoB or lots of characters with them...

Anyway back to my list. I have felt that my both lists are a bit odd as you pointed out.
I got soudly trashed (19-1 loss) by usualy filthy WoC list with ass of an disclord, Lvl4 SL DP, 10 trolls & 3++ DM BSB, skull crushers, chariots and tons of chaff.. I did some mistakes with shooting, but my luck was really under the weather the whole game and not getting all chaff killed got me really in tight spot... Big DR units were good when they held his characters for long time and gave my SS time to escape. Manti BSB was really awesome with 18" bubble and he killed his BSB (against the odds though, I went with the 5++ OTS guy), but hen he got steamrolled by remaining trolls and Scrushers...

I really could have used another unit of shades, because having them would have change a lot on my flank where things started to unravel in the first turn. Also Death was really not useful, because of those two fliers and chariots I never got close enough to cast Sun on trolls. Also I failed two 5+ rolls with Soulblight and other turns winds were crap. Also I thought about using Shadow, since its better with shooting and other hexes really help units in combat.
Hydra is for flaming breath weapon to give a turn of shooting against regehordes, which happened last game. I'd like to give a Kbeast a go too, but I don't own one, and I'm not planning of bying it..

I made a new list from previous game even though I'd like to give some more test runs.

Shadow Sorceress 2400pts

Characters - 719pts

Supreme Sorceress 320pts
4 lvl - Shadow, RoH, Scroll, IC Icon, Dsteed

Master BSB 211pts
Lance, HA & SDC & Charmed Shield, 4++, Pegasus

CoT master on Pegasus 188pts

Core - 603pts

9 Dark Riders 210pts
Full Command, Shields, RCbs

9 Dark Riders 210pts
FC, SHs, RCBs

14 WE 194pts
FC & BoEFlame

Special and Rare - 1065pts

4 RBT 280pts

15 Executioners 225pts
FC & SoSwiftness

War Hydra & Flaming Breath 180pts

5 Shades w/ AHWs 90pts
5 Shades w/ AHWs 90pts

5 Harpies 75pts

5 Doomfire Warlock 125pts

TOTAL: 2398pts

I like how this looks now, lots of more chaff and flexibility. Shooting is still at max and I got more S6 hits in the list. I could drop points from WE to make them more expendable, but I don't know if it's smart choice since I can't invest it into anything good.

[Coop]

I think the new list looks really competitive. Shadow seems like a smart lore choice with the smaller units your running. Sad the manticore is gone, but let us know how it does!

[Ajattaro]

I think the new list looks really competitive. Shadow seems like a smart lore choice with the smaller units your running. Sad the manticore is gone, but let us know how it does!

Thanks. I actually think that going back to Shadow made this list remind me of your list I said I would rip off ... Well this is different list, but it's pretty much similar list what I've been running a lot back in the day. Bigger units of DR though.

But this list has a lot more solid feel to it, since I'm mire in comtrol of battlefield and I have more sacrificable units. There is one tournament coming up, and I hope that I can get my force painted until that date. Maybe I should start a painting log when vacation from university starts