[Auere]

Hey!

I am adjusting my army setup currently. I seem to always have trouble finding the right place to put my sorceresses...

With spearmen (sacrificial dagger): It is a strong combination, but the spearmen are rather reduced to just keeping distance and getting sacrificed. You are effectively putting a 150+ point unit out of the game.

With crossbowmen (lifetaker/darkstar cloak): This is usually my preference for level 2 sorceresses. At least the crossbowmen remain somewhat useful with their shooting. There are two problems however: The unit is DAMN hard to turn, being a long line, and you really need to turn alot to get the right targets for the sorceress. Turning makes the unit hit on 6s rather than 5s - not a good thing! The second problem is that the unit can easely be forced to take alot of panic tests with enemy shooting.

Lurking behind terrain / units (focus familiar): This is a good way to keep your supreme sorceress safe from all but magic that requires no line of sight. The huge problem is the reduced magical ability. You cant take any of the other arcane artifacts, which makes her - well just a regular level 4 sorceress...


After reading a bit of information on the shade deathstar, I wondered if you could make a 15-20 strong shade unit, and have several sorceresses joining that unit.

Something like:

Supreme Sorceress (level 4) 360
Black Staff, Lifetaker, Null Talisman


Sorceress (level 2) 185
Darkstar Cloak, Dispel Scroll

19 x Shades 341
Two hand weapons, bloodshade


As you can see this is no deathstar, but rather an effective bunker for the sorceresses. Its like a moving firebase with both heavy magic and shooting. What do you think? Will it work better? The plan is obviously to keep this unit safe and sound from any enemies at all times. Just an idea - what do you think?

 

[notabot187]

It is a viable option, a bit too deathstar like as in some hot shot rebel might blow it up and your strategy might go out the door.

Personally I run a Sorceress on a dark steed often attached to a dark rider unit. Or more often she is off on her own. Since I usually bring 6 dispel, and a scroll, it isn't too hard to protect the lvl 2 that is doing this. The level 4 with that is either a FF or pendant/blackstaff pegasus wizard. Or occasionally a dagger SS.

 

[Auere]

What do you mean? Is the unit going to get shot to pieces? Isnt that kinda hard when they are skirmishers and 20 of them? Ofcourse I will have to shoot any autohit warmachines as quickly as possible, but isnt that kinda easy with this kind of shooting and chillwind/bladewind with 10+ powerdice?

Do you think I need the pendant of khaeleth for the sup sorceress even though she is in the shade unit, or will she be safe enough without?

I was planning for a 2000p army like:

The unit just mentioned +

10 rxb
20 spearmen (fc)
5 DR
2x5 harpies
5 shades
2x5 coks
hydra
rbt

Just shoot/magic the bastards to pieces and clean up with coks and hydra. Spearmen are there if things get dirty.

 

[Xzazzarai]

I've had the same trouble for some time now.
I'm usually running a level 2 with the focus familiar behind my BGs. This way, she gets close to the battle and is hard to get to.

The trouble is all the others...

Good idea with the shades! For some reason, I haven't thought of it...
I will try with a 7-10 man unit of shades containing my Supreme sorceress.
A bigger unit will draw too much attention I belive.

 

[Auere]

I am more concerned about extremely fast units than shooting actually. A big flying nasty would obviously really go for this 800 vp unit, and would get there pretty fast. Ofcourse even a dragon can be shot to pieces with the right amount of repeater crossbows.