2500pts vs. High Elves
I haven't gotten to play
against the new High Elves that much yet, so I was really excited for this game. I had just finished using the army in "Empire proxy" form, but my opponent had been flipping through my printed copy of the Nippon book and was interested in perhaps playing a game against my fan-book. It's definitely cool to see strangers give the okay for a book like this, rather than having to keep my games among friends.
His list wasn't quite "my style", but it was definitely mean. To the table, he brought:
L4 Archmage w/ Book of Hoeth, Talisman of Preservation, Lore of Shadow
BSB w/ Armor of Destiny, GW
L2 Mage w/ Dispell Scroll, Lore of High Magic
25 Spears w/ musician, standard
25 Spears w/ musician, standard
5 Reavers
5 Reavers
18 Swordmasters w/ Banner, Muso
18 Swordmasters w/ Banner, Muso
18 Phoenix Guard w/ FC
6 Dragon Princes w/ FC
15 Sisters of Averlorn
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On my side of the table, I brought:
Daimyo w/ Murasama, Bashiri no Seiryu, Minamoyo Clan Mon, Komainu
@ 340
typical Fighter-Lord, Murasama is magic sword granting Frenzy. For each successful wound, can make an additional attack - these can generate additional attacks, but if there are no other targets, he will attack himself or allies. Bashiri is magical Heavy Armor granting a 4+ Regen save. Komainu is essentially a Demigryph
Heroes 510/625
Taisho BSB w/ Armor of Destiny, Additional Sashimono, Minamoyo Clan Mon
@ 235
Standard fighter-hero, Sashimono breaks Steadfast on D6=5+
Lvl2 Onmyoji (Beasts) w/ Talisman of Preservation, Aspect of Kitsune, Baku
@ 275
A shape-shifter, with a Familiar who gives all wizards within 12" -1Cast/Dispel and the Onmyoji +1Cast/Dispel.
Core: 625/625
40 Ashigaru w/ Yari, Banner, Musician
@ 340
Empire State Troops with Pikes (fight in 4 ranks, I10 when charged, +1S vs. Charging Cavalry
5 Samurai Horsemen w/ Light Armor
@ 95
5 Samurai Horsemen w/ Light Armor
@ 95
5 Samurai Horsemen w/ Light Armor
@ 95
Ellyrian Reavers with Longbows. Can Multishot(2x) if they remain stationary, have S4, 2A
Special:
23 Kensai w/ Musician, Standard Bearer, Minamoyo Clan Mon
@ 459
WoC Chosen, can have +1A or Parry, Armor Piercing, Break enemy Steadfast on D6=5+
Rare: 564/625
19 Sotei w/ Full Command
@ 334
Similar to Phoenix Guard - 5+ Ward, Halberds, Heavy Armor, enemy wizards within 12" at -1 to Cast
3 Hatamoto w/ Naginata, Musician, Standard Bearer
@ 230
Think Demigryph Knights
Total: 2498
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Deployment
The
plan was to send my Samurai Horsemen forward to deny the small village on the left flank, hopefully killing off his Sisters before they can get into a building. The right-flank is my strongest side, I plan to advance the Hatamoto (with the Daimyo) through the trees and break through his lines. The Onmyoji is standing with the Sotei, to give me a very effective "de-magic" bubble, and the BSB is standing with the Kensai, who's Bodyguard rule makes them Stubborn while joined by a member of the same clan.
For his part, he put all of the characters into the Phoenix Guard, giving him not-quite-a-deathstar, but still a solid VP-denial regiment.
After Vanguard
Not much to show here - just the Samurai Horsemen moving forward to block out the village, and the other regiment advancing to meet his Reavers on the right. He said that his plan was to use the Reavers on my right based on what I did with my own troops - if I went around the trees, he would meet me and attempt to cut me off, otherwise he would move towards the center and block/redirect my main host.
Turn One
I take the first turn and advance - the Reavers turn out to be blocking my Ashigaru, which was bad planning on my part. I manage to get the Hatamoto into the trees, as planned.
Magic is a bust, I don't generate enough dice or have anything worth the potential Miscast.
For shooting, both left-flank Reavers open up on the Sisters with Rapid-Fire, killing 6 but not panicking them. On the other flank, I open on the Reavers, and kill off two of them - they panic, only to rally on his turn and move back up.
He charges my SamCav with his Reavers on the left flank. I Stand&Shoot to kill 2. I'll kill 2 more during the combat, but he'll pass his Break.
For magic, he starts by throwing boosted Miasma on my Cav in combat - I let it go for -3 to my stats. He throws Withering at my Hatamoto, as it's a RiP, I also let it go, for another -3. Then he throws Okkam's at his Spears, which I dispel with all of my dice.
Turn Two
Busy turn!
The Hatamoto charge out of the trees and hit the Spears. Sotei and Kensai advance, and I move up the SamCav to redirect the Dragon Princes away from a flanking charge. The Ashigaru move to accept the almost inevitable Dragon Prince overrun (Pikes vs. Cav should be good).
Magic Phase gives me 4D6, which is enough to end Withering on my Hatamoto.
In combat, the Hatamoto and Daimyo rip the guts out of his Spearmen, the Daimyo kills 4, the rest of the regiment kills 7, and I only suffer 4W in return (1 dead Hatamoto, and a wound on another). He Flees, no longer being Steadfast with just 1 complete rank against 1 complete rank. The Hatamoto pursue, cut him down, and flank the PGs.
In the combat with the Reavers, the Reaver does 1 more wound to my SamCav before I score 1W to finish him off.
The Dragon Princes take the bait and charge the Reavers I sent to redirect them. He also attempts a charge with the Swordmasters, but due to the steep angle and a bad roll,
fails the charge - possibly the most critical moment of the game.
Magic-wise, he throws Withering on the Hatamoto again, which I let go, and he rolls -3T,
again. Then he throws Okkams, which I can't let through, and stop with all of my dice,
again. At least the Sotei and Onmyoji are in range to drop his casting scores!
In the shooting phase, he uses the Sisters to soften up the Ashigaru and kills 3.
In combat with the PGs, my Daimyo challenges and he answers with his BSB. We each deal 1 wound in the challenge, and 1 wound again in the wider combat. I lose by 1pt, but Hold fast.
His Dragon Princes smash apart the Reavers, and overrun right onto my Pikes - just as planned.
Turn 3
The Kensai charge the front of his Phoenix Guard, and the Sotei charge his Spears. My horsemen move to block his Swordmasters from getting involved.
Magic finally pulls through and I get 11D6. I stop Withering, then throw a boosted Wyssan's which he dispels, and finally a boosted Savage Beast, which he fails to dispel.
I shoot at the Swordmasters with my cav, and only kill 1.
In combat, the Daimyo chops the BSB to pieces, but because of his sword effect, is forced to attack himself twice as well, and scores 1 wound. The rest of the PG kill one more Hatamoto, and then 7 Kensai. The Kensai and Beasted BSB score 10W, while the Hatamoto roll up another 3W. The PGs flee and the Hatamoto run them down (the Kensai are Stubborn and can't pursue).
The Sotei break the back of the Spears, 7W to 4W. Without the BSB, it's a bad roll that sees the Spears flee, and I run them down.
The Dragon Princes
slaughter the Ashigaru - even without ASF rerolls (I10 when charged), and my +1S against cavalry, the DPs take it 10/3 and my Ashigaru don't care enough about Steadfast to hang around.
He charges the Swordmasters at my horsemen. The left regiment flees, but my other regiment S&Ss and kills nothing. The Dragon Princes turn around to get back in the fight.
His Wizards are all dead, there is no magic from him.
The Sisters shoot at the Hatamoto and fail to cause any damage.
In combat, his Swordmasters butcher my Samurai Horsemen before I can even strike.
Turn 4
My Horsemen fail to rally, and keep running towards my board edge. Everyone else turns to face new threats.
Magic sees another solid roll, and I throw 3D6 at Wyssan's on my Kensai, 3D6 at Savage Beast on my BSB which he fails to dispel, and then I attempt to use my BSB's bound spell (part of his Minamoyo Crest) to activate the regiment's Kei Power (an ability triggered when they are the target of a successful spell) and fail to cast it.
His Swordmasters charge to face my Kensai, while his Reavers move so that my Hatamoto can't intervene. His Dragon Princes hold back in a moment of confusion, trying to decide if he should move towards the fighting or stick around to mop up the fleeing SamCav.
In combat, the Swordmasters and Kensai+BSB is nearly a draw, with both sides hacking each other to pieces. He targets several attacks at my BSB, and kills him.
Turn 5
My Horsemen rally and move back towards the fighting, while the Hatamoto take the bait and charge his last regiment of Reavers.
For magic, I throw everything at Wild Form, which he dispels.
In combat, the Hatamoto rip through his Reavers as planned, but thanks to the Frenzied Daimyo they have to pursue. The Kensai kill the last of the Swordmasters and survive with just the Musician and Standard Bearer.
He charges his Swordmasters at my Sotei, and nearly wipes them out, then routes them but fails to catch them. His Sisters take shots at the SamCav to try and finish them off, but fail to cause any damage.
Turn 6
My Sotei manage to rally (barely). I move the SamCav to provide cover to my Kensai and BSB - if he's going to get VP for a unit, I'd rather he take the Horses than the BSB and/or Kensai. The Hatamoto ride hard to get out of range, for the same reason (there is just 1 left, and 1W on my Daimyo).
He charges the Swordmasters at my Sotei, kills most of them, including the Onmyoji, but I hold.
His shooting kills off 3 SamHorsemen, and that's the end of the game.
The final scores were estimated at 1092 vs. 1929 (Banners and General), with the army of Nippon taking the win!
Final Thoughts
I have to say, the game was
very close, despite what the final tally of the victory points might have said. I was only 2W away from giving up points for my Kensai, and my Daimyo and Hatamoto were in equally bad shape. If the game had gone on for another turn of heavy combat, I would have likely been tabled. That's not even considering that if he had rolled anything
other than a 1,2 for his charge with the Swordmasters against the back of my Hatamoto, it probably could have been game-over in Turn3.
Truth be told however, that is almost
exactly how I want the army to work. Against enemy chaff and regular-quality soldiers, my elites can tear through them in round or two of bloody combat. Against the elites-of-elites though, such as the Dragon Princes and Swordmasters, or against Chaos Knights or Chosen, they still have an uphill battle. They're powerful, yes, but not
that powerful. It took focused magic and 569pts worth of my own elites and characters just to bring down 250pts of Swordmasters.
The best part though is that we both left the table happy. He wasn't a friend of mine who was giving my book a "sympathy game" - he actually enjoyed looking through my armybook and wanted to play against it, and he wasn't disappointed. The army didn't pull punches or try to be an inoffensive pushover, but it also wasn't a total "Fanboy Powertrip" like so many people fear Fan-Lists will be. There were lots of enjoyable "fluffy" moments during the fight, with lots of bad 'Japarese-Rip-Synching', the challenge between his best warrior and mine, and that even though he wasn't a serious 'Japanophile' he was able to understand the real or legendary basis for a lot of the items and special rules in my army.