Empire vs Dark Elves 2200

[Noght]

Meeting Engagement Vs Dark Elves 2200 points.

My List:
Empire:
122 General of the Empire w/FPA, Enchanted Shield, Sword of Might
161 Arch Lector w/Meteoric Armor and Ironcurse Icon, GW
220 Halberdiers x40 w/FC

133 BSB Captain w/FPA, Holy Relic, Biting Blade
265 Light Wizard Lord w/Talisman of Endurance, Dispel Scroll
145 Swordsmen x20 w/FC

300 Flagellants x30
254 Knightly Orders x10 w/Standard, Musician
185 Crossbow x20 w/Eternal Flame Standard, Musician

65 Master Engineer
150 Mortar x2
200 Cannon x2

Dark Elf List: (Ray)
High Sorceress, Sorceress & 30 Warrior Block
Corsairs x32
Repeater Xbows x10
Cold One Knights x6
Shades x8
Noble on Manticore
War Hydra
Assassin

Perfect. I designed the Army to handle Hydra/HPA with the Flaming Xbows and Dual Cannons. The perfect scenerio as it had a hill in the bottom corner of my deployment zone and a 5/6 chance to go first.

My wishful deployment plan prior to rolling for reinforcement


Here is what happened: Rolled 1's for my Knights, Wizard Lord, Arch Lector and BOTH Cannons.....Hmm...Ok so I'll adjust and roll the cannons on Turn 1 and blow away the Hydra. I'll leave the General alone with Halberdiers and move the WL and AL into the Swordsmen block. Knights will start out next to Cannons on West Flank. Deployment looks like this now.


So Ray, my Dark Elf opponent rolls a 6 to go first..what? So now the earliest my cannons can shoot will be the end of turn 2? Oh Dear, Hydra will be in combat by then...Dammit! 5/6 chance to go first and I lose the roll with 2 Lords, 2 Cannon, and Knights off the table! Shoot!

Dark Elf 1: Army surges forward, Corsairs and Manticore enter up north. My AL off table denies my 2 DD so he has a huge advantage with Magic this turn. He tries a Fireball on Flags, dispelled. Final Transmutation on Halberdiers, can't Scroll or Dispel with WL off table: 13 Golden Halberdiers (ouch).


Empire 1: Reinforcements arrive. Halberdiers and Flagellants reposition toward Center. Crossbowman fail stupidity test and stumble forward, no flaming bolts at Hydra I guess. Upgraded Pha (3 dice), IF, 1 wound to AL and WL. Mortar on Shades kill 2, 1 more for Break Test. Mortar direct hit on Hydra, need 3 to wound, roll 2 .

[Noght]

Battle Continues:

Dark Elf 2:
Hydra fails Charge, Cold Ones make it into Halberdiers. Shades/Assassin Charge Mortar. 11 Winds of Magic, Dispel Flame Cage on Flagellants. Final Transmutation kills 10 Flagellants. Halberdiers kill 3 Knights, lose 5 and are steadfast. Assassin kills Mortar, overruns into Cannon. Master Engineer flees.


Empire 2: Flagellants fail the charge. 4 Winds of Magic. Dispelled the Timewarp. Finally a chance to kill the Hydra, 3 wounds on Hydra, he saved on Armor, took 2 which Randomized both to the Handlers! (So no flaming wounds on the Hydra after all ) Cannon shoots...MISFIRE..sigh. Halberdiers kill the Cold One Knights. Assassin and Shades kill Cannon.


Dark Elf 3: He brings the Pain. Hydra charges Halberdiers. Manticore/Noble and Shades/Assassin charge Xbows. Corsairs charge Flagellant Flank. Warriors with Mages back up. Dispel Fireball, Juiced up Searing Doom with Sacrificial Dagger (2 time in 3 phases) Knights killing 4. Hydra/Halberdier push. Manticore/Shades win and cause Xbow to flee. Corsairs eliminate Flagellants.


Empire 3: Swordsmen charge Shades/Assassin. No meaningful Magic. Hydra defeats Halberdiers, surviving battle with 1 wound left. Swordsmen kill Shades/Assassin.


Postscript: We danced around a bit and the Dark Elves claimed a Major Victory. Bad dice early with Deployment and going first dug a huge hole vs and elite army. My opponent was gracious in victory and I had a blast. So 1 and 1 and I haven't run into any of the WoC armies.

Next: Blood and Glory vs Brets

[giant stegadon]

Nice battle report to read. You do have to kinda laugh at how your deployment played out though.