High Elves vs Warriors of Chaos, 1500-2000 points

Discuss your tactics for the 8th Ed army book here.

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CaledorRises
Posts: 250
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2014 1:55 am

High Elves vs Warriors of Chaos, 1500-2000 points

#1 Post by CaledorRises »

Hello,

I recently switched gaming locales, and in this new place, people play Warriors of Chaos, which is an army that I have never faced before, my primary old opponents being O&G, and VC, and some TK. So my question is, what is the best way, or some suggested tactics to use against the Warriors of Chaos?

I will warn you now, shooting is not really an option. Due to current financial and painting circumstances, I cannot purchase any new models for my High Elves, but Warriors of Chaos are going to be a relatively common occurrence for me to face, so any tactics that use what I have would be greatly appreciated. If you cannot think of anything that has a good chance of success, could you at least give me recommendations so I don't get steamrolled every game?

Thanks!

My current supply: (I am not above proxying champions as characters or similar situations)
48x Spearman
17x Lothern Sea Guard
5x Ellyrian Reavers
10x Swordmasters of Hoeth
30x Phoenix Guard
10x Dragon Princes of Caledor
1x Frostheart Phoenix
1x Anointed of Asuryan
1x Mage/Archmage
1x Dragon (with wizard or prince)
1x Griffon (with noble or prince)
SpellArcher
Green Istari
Posts: 13834
Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:26 am
Location: Otherworld

Re: High Elves vs Warriors of Chaos, 1500-2000 points

#2 Post by SpellArcher »

Hi CR

Your list of models suggests to me that you're probably best off with a big block of Spears and the Reavers in Core. The Frostheart is a good buy. Then you are probably looking at two out of three elements. Firstly a block of PG with Razor Standard. Secondly a Dragon Prince bus with World Dragon (this probably needs at least a Prince for grinding power). Thirdly a Prince on Star Dragon. Lack of RBT is an issue here so I would go to spells that can deal with the powerful WoC characters. Arcane Unforging, Banishment, Amber Spear, Searing Doom, Mindrazor etc..

Actual tactics depend on what the WoC player is bringing. If the old Chariots\Skullcrushers\Chimerae\Daemon Prince affair then you need to be careful of your spear block. Star Dragon is bad news for this. The PG will hold it up for your other units to counterpunch. Crushers and the DP really struggle vs World Dragon, so you can be quite aggressive with the DP bus.

Alternatively, he may bring the fashionable Blasted Standard Warriors and character spam, usually on Discs or Daemonic Mounts. Your Spears can hold these up quite nicely and even kill them with Mindrazor. The Disc Lords tend to be very hard to kill and possibly Stubborn so watch out for getting your Prince's unit pinned down by them. This sort of game is more cat and mouse, magic could be key here.
CaledorRises
Posts: 250
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2014 1:55 am

Re: High Elves vs Warriors of Chaos, 1500-2000 points

#3 Post by CaledorRises »

I have played once already, and got pretty much overrun, that's why I started this thread. My opponent ran 24x Chaos Warriors with Shields and Mark of Nurgle, 2 Gorebeast Chariots with Mark of Nurgle, 10 Putrid Blightkings, Festus the Leechlord, and an Exalted Hero BSB with the Ogre Blade.

My 1500 point list was a Level 4 Archmage with Lore of Metal, Talisman of Endurance and Book of Hoeth (some really horrible Searing Doom rolls didn't help), 17x Lothern Sea Guard w/ Shields, 24x Spearman w/ Gleaming Pennant, 20x Phoenix Guard w/ Razor Standard, 10x Dragon Princes of Caledor w/ Standard of Discipline.

I made some tactical mistakes, but he still destroyed me completely with ease.

For 1500, would this list work better?

5x Ellyrian Reavers with Bows and Musician
27x Spearman FC
9x Dragon Princes of Caledor Musician and Standard Bearer
18x Phoenix Guard FC
Prince on Barded Elven Steed with Heavy Armor, Shield, Talisman of Preservation, Star Lance, Other Trickster's Shard
Archmage Level 4 w/ Book of Hoeth and Lore of Shadow


To increase to 2000, would you recommend increasing the Spear block, adding Razor and World Dragon to Phoenix Guard and Dragon Princes respectively, and then adding a Frostheart and 2 more Phoenix Guard?

To get the Star Dragon I would have to drop a significant amount of stuff, so what would you recommend be dropped if I went that route?

Thanks again!
SpellArcher
Green Istari
Posts: 13834
Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2008 11:26 am
Location: Otherworld

Re: High Elves vs Warriors of Chaos, 1500-2000 points

#4 Post by SpellArcher »

Against that Chaos force CR, your model selection limits you. As said, RBT are a big miss and Core infantry are not that useful here. S3 shooting, even magically buffed, just pings off. The only way to make the Spears a threat is Mindrazor but the rest of Shadow is not great here. Pit no good vs I5 and Withering toothless without decent shooting. It's a challenge but I'd consider the following list:

Prince, Barded Steed, Heavy Armour, Giant Blade, Dragonhelm, Dawnstone, Shield
Archmage, Lvl 4 Beasts, 4+ Ward, Dispel Scroll, Ring of Fury
BSB, Barded Steed, Heavy Armour, Ogre Blade, Enchanted Shield, Luckstone.

8 Silver Helms, FC.
5 Reavers
10 Spears

20 Phoenix Guard, Champion, Razor Standard

I feel you need to use the Dragon Prince models as Silver Helms. The Prince and BSB go here and with their high S attacks and 1+ saves, can grind well. The Archmage goes on the corner of the PG who deploy 7-wide. Beasts gives you boosted Amber Spear as a counter to the chariots and Wildform for the grind. Fury is there purely for a shot at a 3+ Ward immediately before being charged. The Reavers and Spears are there purely to redirect one of his blocks while you tackle the rest.

At 2000 I would swap the Spears for a larger unit of LSG, he might bring something they can shoot. I'd be very tempted to switch the Prince's horse for a Star Dragon and re-equip him thusly:

Heavy Armour, Star Lance, Dragonhelm, Dawnstone, Crown of Command.

Remember he can Thunderstomp the Blight Kings.
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