2400pts HE vs Skaven

[Prince of Spires]

As hinted at here, I've recently had a 2400 pts game vs skaven. I didn't have a lot of time to prepare, and I hadn't played in ages, so I brought a list I'd made a long time ago, and one I've already used in the past. I decided to go for fun and whacky rather than the strongest list out there, which is why you'll find the Dragon Mage in there. Every now and then we'll play with special characters. We bring them for flavor, not powerlevel, which is why you'll find Eltharion in my list. Which is actually one of the more balanced special characters out there I feel. Anyway, I brought:

Lords
Eltharion on Stormwing

Hero's
BSB, barded steed, HA, enchanted shield, sword of might, dawnstone
Dragon mage, lvl2, dragon armour, charmed shield, starlance, luckstone

Core
archers, 24, musician
SH, 10, fc, shields
reavers, 5, musician

Special
PG, 17, fc, armour piercing banner

Rare
frostheart
Sisters, 10

Only 1 redirector in there. I felt I could get away with it given how mobile a lot of my units were. Also a unit of Sisters. Last battle they didn't do much except die, so I wanted to give them another chance and see how they did combined with the regular archers. Eltharion took Death, while the dragon mage obviously had fire.

Now, this battle was 3 weeks ago, so I'm a bit sketchy on the details, but my opponent roughly brought:
Lords
Lord Skrolk (the pestillence lord)
Plague monk on furnace (could have been a priest)

Heros
BSB with stuff

Core
20 slaves
25 clan rats
25 Stormvermin
40 plague monks

Special
5 poisoned wind gobladiers
10 plague censer bearers

Rare
Abomination
2 plague claw catapults
5 Jezzails
5 Jezzails

[Prince of Spires]

Deployment
Nothing too spectacular happened in deployment. We both had a hill central in our deployment zone. 2 forests, on stood on the left of the board (from my point of view), the other in the center. A building stood on the right side of the board. A few other bits and pieces scattered around, but nothing that really played a role in the battle.

I deployed fairly central. I had a lot fewer (important) drops, so I just opted for as standard a battleline as I could. I figured I'd adapt. Dragon Mage on the left flank, then the SH, Archers on the hill, next the Reavers, with Eltharion behind them. PG next to that, then the Sisters, and finally the Phoenix.

I anchored my right flank on the building there. He'd either have to go around it, which would take long enough for the battle to be decided by the time any unit did so. Or he'd have to squeeze everything to the left of the building, where his units would block each other. I could swing the cavalry right to support the PG, or the PG left to support the SH. I expected the Stormbanner in my opponents list (it was), so I gave my monsters enough room to walk, except for Eltharion, who prefered some cover in the back.

My oppponent deployed in 2 lines. In the back the 2 catapults on either flank, with the Jezzails between them, more to the center. The front line had the gobladiers, Abomb, slaves, Storm vermin, clanrats, Furnace unit, and censer bearers.

In my opinion the punch of this list was on the flanks, with the Abomb on one, and the furnace on the other. The slaves and clan rats weren't that scary, while the stormvermin can throw a surprise every now and then. But the forest and building offered a natural funnel, which meant not everything could reach me at the same time.

Which gave:

[Axiem]

Nice! Following.

Kind regards,

Axiem

[SpellArcher]

I decided to go for fun and whacky rather than the strongest list out there, which is why you'll find the Dragon Mage in there.

Boo! Bring out the filth! Seriously, I get that your characters might not stand up at the highest level Rod. They're very interesting though and I think entirely strong enough for regular play. You've only got four spells but the two from Fire in particular are very dangerous here.

I really like the Archers because you automatically have Flaming Sword. Silver Helms and PG are solid. Obviously a lot depends on those three Monsters. I agree that the Abomination is dangerous but the Skaven list is really all about that Plague Monk block. Plague Lore is short-ranged, helpful given your lack of Scroll. Up close though it's very dangerous and I'm not sure even your Frostheart wants to engage that unit.

I feel your opponent should activate the Storm Banner immediately and push the Plague Furnace towards your centre. Vanguarding the Reavers up into it's face looks a very good idea. Similarly, I'd rush the Abomination forward before High Elf ranged attacks (such as a 3D6 Fireball) render it harmless. Once it's dealt with you can swing round and take that flank off.

[Prince of Spires]

Boo! Bring out the filth! Seriously, I get that your characters might not stand up at the highest level Rod. They're very interesting though and I think entirely strong enough for regular play. You've only got four spells but the two from Fire in particular are very dangerous here.

I agree. It's a decent enough list. It sure is interesting, competing in all phases of the game. It's very mobile (and the PG can take care of themselves). It is a list that will struggle against certain types of lists. Anything that can deal with the monsters (cannons), lists with strong magic. And also lists with a lot of combat power. I can imagine something like ogres being hard to deal.

And indeed, the biggest danger of the Skaven list is the monks + furnace. The Abomb can be a nightmare, but it's a bit random and it has less staying power if it's on its own.

Magic wise: I got Fireball and Flaming Sword on the dragon mage. Eltharion got Spirit Leech and Fate of Bjuna.

Anyway, on to turn 1
I won the roll for first turn. (I rolled a 6, and had fewer drops). I didn't vanguard the Reavers, seeing no need to do so. My opponent didn't activate the stormbanner this turn. I decided to focus on the left flank first. If I could clear that, then I could gang up on the furnace unit. The other way round was way more dangerous.
There were no charges. I moved my reavers to the side of the building, keeping them out of charge range. Sisters also move forward so they can actually hit stuff with their shooting. Eltharion moved to the foot of the forest, from where he could threaten the left flank, but be out of vision for a lot of the shooting. Dragon and frostheart move to the center in front of the hill. PG move up on their right, while the SH move up on their left. Slow progress, since I feel I have ranged superiority.
Magic gives me a big phase: 11 to 6 dice (rolled a 10 and got a channel). I cast a Big fireball with 6-dice on the Abomb. My opponent fails his disspell. I take a whole bunch of wounds off it. My opponent scrolls spirit leech. Flaming sword on 1 dice fails.
Shooting:
My archers go to town and take the final wound off the Abomb. They actually hit somehting for a change! Sisters kill 2 rats from the furnace unit.

Skaven turn 1
My opponent moves everything forward, but slowly. He's afraid of the monsters and SH charging. He also runs into the issue I expected, where there isn't enough room to the left of the building to fit his whole army easily.
Magic is a dud. He only has 1 spell worth casting, one which does a lot of wounds to all flying creatures, and I dispell it.
Shooting is about as terrible. The one catapult misfires (no harm to the machine unfortunately), while the other scatters 10'' off the table. One unit of Jezzails fills a SH, the other kills a PG.

Which gives:


All in all, a good turn for HE. I'll trade an Abomb for 1 SH and 1 PG any day of the week. And Everything is still far enough away that I can maneuvre around it and avoid any charges I need to.

[SpellArcher]

I didn't vanguard the Reavers, seeing no need to do so. My opponent didn't activate the stormbanner this turn.

Touché!

Dragon and frostheart move to the center in front of the hill.

Did you consider a more aggressive move with the Dragon Rod?

I cast a Big fireball with 6-dice on the Abomb. My opponent fails his disspell. I take a whole bunch of wounds off it. My opponent scrolls spirit leech.

What was the target for Spirit Leech? I'd have been tempted to scroll the Fireball.

My archers go to town and take the final wound off the Abomb. They actually hit somehting for a change!

There are few things in the game more beautiful than buffed shooting, even if Flaming Sword didn't work this time.

My opponent moves everything forward, but slowly.

He has to motor that Furnace block forward, surely? Lord Skrolk is too expensive and too dangerous not to seek combat.

All in all, a good turn for HE.

Copy that.

[MasterOfNone]

Hi Rod, any chance you can tell us how this went?
SA alerted me of this thread and it looks like an exciting battle.

[SpellArcher]

Yes Rod, more please!