Fluffy Daemons Vs Dark Elves 2400

I played Herman's Dark Elves last night and boy was it fun. Due to my wargaming hiatus I hadn't faced Dark Elves in the last 2 Editions. I took the list from my previous post. Here they are lined up in all their chaos glory/

Herman's Dark Elves consisted of Dreadlord, Lvl 4 Dark sorceress, lvl 2 death sorceress, master BSB, 33 Crossbows, 8 Dark Riders, 9 Executioners + character, 2 Reaper BT, cauldron of blood, hags, witch elves. Hmmm. 80+ shots and 2 bolt throwers, I'll take light magic on my MOS Tzeetnch Herald tyvm.

We rolled off for meeting engagement, which I was suprememly happy about because I wouldn't get absolutely shot to shit getting across the board. Here is how we deployed.

Herman had his character and executioners in reserves and I had my Daemon prince, Herald of Khorne, Herald of Nurgle and Plaguebearers in reserve. I downloaded Battle Chronicler for the diagrams. It took me a little while to figure out the program but it's pretty darn cool.

Dark Elves Turn 1

Dark Riders move up to bait Daemonettes, Witch Elves Fail to charge the Horrors, Repeater Crossbows shoot the crap out of the Screamers. Pretty much no Magic.

Daemons Turn 1

Fiend Chargers RBT and kills 1 crew, Beast wipes out other RBT, Flesh hounds move to within 1" of Crossbows. Bloodletters march forward. Daemonettes charge Dark riders and roll 11 for charge as Dark riders flee and get chopped down. I get off the Net of Amyntok on his big unit of Crossbow and 2 mages embedded. This pretty much nullifies his next magic phase and shooting.

Dark Elves Turn 2

Witch Elves fail their charge again. Executioners come on. Fiend finishes off the remaining RBT crewman. He fails to pass any strength tests for shooting and magic so my units are left unmolested. the Xbow unit takes a few hits from the Net spell.

Daemons Turn 2

Flesh hounds charge in unmolested. Fiend turns to face the Executioners, all my reserves come on and I wheel my Daemonettes and Beast of Nurgle around. I fickle fire the witch elves killing a couple. I roll 1 less on casting on my first light spell, magic over and like 7 die left. damn.

Dark Elves Turn3

He finally charges my Horrors with the witch elves, surprisingly I make almost all of my 4+ ward save and cop very few wounds. He destroys fiend and overruns executioners into bloodletters flank. My flesh hounds are wiped out by Xbow Elves due to combat results (I rolled high) and he reforms to face my daemonettes.

Daemons Turn 3

Daemonettes charge crossbow unit and take half a dozen wounds. In Combat I take out 10 xbow elves and he takes out similar amount of daemonettes, I win but he is stubborn. Witch elves whittle Horror unit down to 5, no more spells from them. Executioners are wiped by Daemon Prince. Herald of Khorne is killed by Executioner character. Herald of Slaanesh kills DE Master BSB.

Dark Elves Turn 4

Witch Elves wipe out Horrors and Xbow elves deal to the daemonettes but they are down to 15 models or so.

Daemons Turn 4

Daemon Prince charges rear of Xbow unit, Bloodletters (now at 12) charge flank. Lots of pointy eared casualties ensue but he is still stubborn.

Dark Elves Turn 5

Wipe out entire XBow unit bar level 4 Sorceress with 2 W left and she flees, neither unit catches her. The witch elves move around.

Daemons Turn 5

Daemon prince cuts down the sorceress and I lay a trap for the Frenzied witch elves.

Dark Elves Turn 6

Witch Elves charge the beast blocker and wipe him out, then overrun and expose flank and rear.

Daemons Turn 6

Plaguebearers finally get into combat and Bloodletters hit rear. I end up taking out 7 with elves and he scores 2 plaguebearers and 5 Bloodletters and combat gets drawn because of witch's brew. Very enjoyable game and a win for daemons. We played for 4 hours.


Things I learned.
Eternal hated is nasty. Lots of Xbows is nasty. Daemon prince is actually pretty good with rerolls to hit and rerolls to wound is very viable. Meeting engagement hurt my herald buffs. Light Magic is pretty good for daemons against shooty armies. I have to remember the spells he got off and take my camera next time.





In other news it looks like daemon stuff is looking interesting.

from StickMonkey on Warseer...

My last bit:

I forgot about Furies. They have been redone, they are coming for Daemons, they look so much better than the current models. The question will be if their rules make them worth it. They are about Nid Gargoyle sized, maybe a bit larger. Bat wings. Much more daemonic heads with toothy maws in 2 parts like the horrors and bloodletters. Not the bat men of old. Dual kit with a new ground based daemon, much like the vargheist/crypt horrors (which I've mentioned before).

There are a lot of questions winging my way about the GD. So to try to address those:
1. I don't know for sure all 4 will be released at once or if they will be in waves.
2. I have conflicting rumors they are moved to the oval base and are roughly the size of the beastmen gorghon, vs staying on the 60mm round bases. Based on my personal eyes on on WIP before, they are bigger. The GUO was not as big as the FW model, but its bigger than a dreadnought. My source says the GUO is the best looking of the new models, that it is "absolutely rot, in a good way".
3. The BT should be slightly shorter than the dreadknight. stylewise it hasnt changed much.
4. The KoS is the most changed style wise. Does not go towards the FW model or retain the style of the current GW model. Still very slaaneshi
5. The LoC AFAIK is the tallest of the models, not just due to the wings. Did not appear as hunched as before. Head options include a more fishy looking option. 




I love it when companies give you free rules, it makes you want to buy from them Dystopian Wars.