Dead Reckoning

Had Nick over for a game on Friday night and he generously allowed me to field a heinous Dwarf/Brettonian/bare bases alliance to substitute the Vampire Counts list I posted on the WAU forums to see how it worked. The list is:


Lord - Lord of the Dead, Nightshroud, Sword of Battle, Master of the Black Arts, Dark Acolyte, Crown of the Damned, Dispel Scroll

Wight King - Sword of Kings, BSB

Necromancer - Van Hel's Danse, Corpse Cart, Book of Arkhan

15 Skeleton Warriors - full command (-muso)

15 Skeleton Warriors - full command (-muso)

10 Skeleton Warriors - full command (-muso)

20 Zombies

6 Dire Wolves (I only fielded 5 - forgot the extra one for both units)

6 Dire Wolves

20 Graveguard - full command (-muso)

5 Black Knights - barding

5 Black Knights - barding

Varghulf

4 Cairn Wraiths and a Banshee



8PD - 2 bounds
5DD - 1 scroll


Having been informed that practically all of Nick's not inconsiderable ranged attacks counted as magical the Wraiths promptly hid in a big forest in the middle of the board. They didn't do much for a couple of turns but eventually frightened off some Slaves, screamed the Warpfire Thrower to death and charged the Skaven General's unit in the flank in a mighty combined charge late in the game.

The Wolves and Knights were killed off pretty quickly, managing to take out some Globadiers and 5 Jezzails before copping Ratling Gun fire and static res death. Wolves suck major in combat but could be useful for screening. I didn't have the magic resources to keep them or the Knights alive unfortunately (with only one Vampire the magic phase is extremely localised - an interesting learning point in and of itself).

The Skeletons were TERRIBLE at inflicting casualties (bearing in mind this is against Clanrats and Slaves) but were awesome as static res providers. They took the charge well, lost a lot from combat res but were resurrected back with ease.

Nick's impatience won me the game eventually - his General's/BSB's unit charging a Skellie block, failing to break it, and getting flank-charged by the afore-mentioned Wraiths and, with the help of Danse, the Necromancer and hit Skellie mates. Causing fear is awesome although I suspect against Skaven this is somewhat exacerbated.

The Varghulf was MEAN. He beat-off some silly Tunnellers who charged him, Terrored off some Jezzails he tried to charge, then minced up Clanrats in a combat that, combined with the Graveguard saw off a Clanrat block and two accompanying Warlocks.

The Zombies never saw combat but contested a quarter with some Gutter Runners. I'm thinking I will pursue the idea at Fields '09 of making it that only units with a banner (their own) can capture/contest a quarter.

The Graveguard were nuts - I'll just have to take them, they're so good!



So in the end a comfortable win for the Vampire Counts (Count... there's only one). Looking forward to collecting the army starting most likely in the Christmas holidays.