Battle Report - 2500 Point Game. Ogres vs. Dark Elves

Since I had a previous engagement last week, I didn't get to play with everyone on our normal game day. Luckily, Ken (Fixeddice) decided to hook me up with a game. Since Cris's game with Spacemonkey fell through, he could only watch in awe as we took to the field.

Ogre Army List
Tyrant with Tenderiser & Mastodon (heavy) Armor (if killed not in CC comes back with 1 wound on a 2+) - 300
Butcher with Bangstick & Dispel Scroll -180
Butcher with Halfling Cookbook & Dispel Scroll - 180
Hunter & 2 Sabretusks - 185
Gnoblar Trappers x9 - 54
Ogre Bulls x5 with Bellower - 185
Ogre Bulls x3 with Bellower - 115
Ogre Bulls x3 with Bellower - 115
Ogre Bulls x4 with Bellower - 150
Ironguts x6 Full command and magical war banner (+1 combat res) - 343
Gnoblar Fighters x25 with Groinbiter - 52
Gnoblar Fighters x25 with Groinbiter - 52
Leadbelchers x2 - 110
Leadbelchers x2 - 110
Yhetees x3 -195
Gorger- 75
Maneater with Brace of Handguns and Heavy Armor – 86
Total 2487

Dark Elf Army List
Dreadlord on Manticore w/Deathpiercer (Lance w/killing blow on turn he Charges), Pendant of Khaeleth (Ward Save), Armour of Eternal Servitude (Regen +Hvy Armour), Shield, Sea Dragon Cloak, and Repeater Crossbow - 454 (254 for Dreadlord, 200 for Manticore)

Malus Darkblade on Spite w/Hvy Armour, Warpsword of Khaine - 275

Master on Cold One w/Battle Standard, Banner of Naggarythe (+1 Combat Result to all units within 12", and the unit containing it is Unbreakable), Repeater Crossbow, Lance, Heavy Armour, Sea Dragon Cloak, Shield - 274

Shadowblade, Master of Assassins - 300

2 x 10 Dark Elf Crossbowmen w/Musicians - 105 x 2

15 Black Ark Corsairs w/Full Command and Sea Serpent Standard (Frenzy) - 200

War Hydra - 175

2 x Reaper Bolt Throwers - 2 x 100

12 Cold One Knights w/Full Command, Banner of Murder (Armour Piercing), and the Dreadknight is wearing the Cloak of Hag Graef (Sea Dragon Cloak + Any ranged attacks including magic with a Strength value have their Strength halved [rounding up] before rolling to wound) – 414
Total 2502

The Setup
After putting about 6-7 pieces of terrain on the field we roll for table sides. Ken gets the win and picks the side that has 2 hills on it, one of them surrounded a shallow stream and with difficult ground between the hill and my deployment zone. The normal to the other side of his zone has a village in front of it on almost the edge of the table.

He puts both of his bolt throwers on the steep hill, a unit of x-bowmen partially on the same, and his other unit of x-bowmen on the normal hill along with his corsairs. His cold ones+BSB+Malus in the middle along with his general and Manticore, and his Hydra close to his left table edge, near the corsairs.

I put one of my Gnoblar units on my left side, one as far forward as possible, the other held back in reserves for a bit. My smaller units of Bulls are basically screening my larger unit of Bulls x5 and Ironguts in the middle, & my Hunter near the village. I place my Yhettees to able to go through the village, and put my hunter to protect the gap between the village and table edge basically across from the Hydra. My Maneater goes between my unit of Bulls x5 and the village. I don't have many options for my scout trappers, so they go behind the village, out of sight of his army. My 2 units of Leadbelchers go on each flank. I join my Tyrant with the unit of Ironguts and my “aggressive” Butcher with my large unit of Bulls. The remaining Butcher stays on his own to support everyone else.

Ken finishes deploying way before I do and so gets the +1 to his roll to see who goes first. Making his nickname of Fixeddice completely ironic, He rolls a 1. I take his combined roll, triple it, and choose to go first.

Ogres Turn 1
None of my Gnoblars bicker, so I march everyone forward as far as possible except my hunter (who only moves up slightly), my trappers, my Yhetees (who move to just behind the village), and my Reserve Gnoblars Magic is pretty uneventful, although I do get Toothcracker off on the Bulls x4 unit.

Dark Elves Turn 1
Declares charge with the cold one knights on one of my screening units of Bulls. I flee about 2 inches out of charge range, and his charge fails so they only move 7” forward. He moves his Hydra to the flank of my Bulls who are screening my hunter and breath attacks for 2 wounds. Dispels Trollguts. His RBT's fire at a unit of screening Bulls and do about 2 wounds each. The x-bowmen concentrate their fire at the same unit and kill it off.

Ogres Turn 2
I try to roll my Gorger in, but I get a 3 when I need a 4+. No bickering for the Gnoblars who will march forward. I rally my fleeing Bulls. I declare a charge against the Hydra with my Yhetees, but they fail their fear test and can't do anything. I charge his Cold Ones with my Butcher-led unit of Bulls. He stands and shoots (with his Master) and does a wound. My 3 S5 impact hits do nothing. With my 2 Butchers I cast Trollguts on the unit who charged, and the Ironguts (hoping to be able to work around for a flank charge on the Cold Ones), both successful. I move my Leadbelchers towards the Hydra and attempt to shoot him up. I misfire on one, but take no wounds, the other gets 6 shots, hits 5, but only one goes through to be ward saved. My hunter shoots the Hydra who again ward saves the wound.
In CC I let him offer challenges (probably a mistake on my part) and he challenges my Butcher. Since I have regeneration (Trollguts) I accept. I totally miss and he gets a wound through. Regular combat lets me get 2 wounds, while he gets 3. Thanks to the cold ones banners + BSB+outnumber and so on, he wins combat by 6. I break and run 7”, but thanks to having to friendly units in the way, I have actually move about 20”. He runs into the unit that fled earlier.

Dark Elves Turn 2
His Assassin takes out a Gnoblar in my reserve unit who then form up for an epic battle. The Hydra charges the Bulls who he previously breath attacked who stand, rather than fleeing 3” off the table. It doesn't matter because later in CC he kills a bull, but takes 1 wound. Since they lose the combat they flee and he pursues off the table.

One of his RBT's shoots at my Ironguts but does nothing, while the other fires at my advancing Gnoblars along with both units of x-bowmen. I take about 7-8 wounds total but my Gnoblars refuse to panic. His Cold Ones do massive damage (8 wounds) to my unit of Bulls x3, leaving me with one bull remaining with a single wound. I do 2 back, but he still beats me by 11. I resign myself to losing him as well, but instead I roll Insane Courage! Woo hoo!

He moves his corsairs up to help support his Hydra.

CC with his Assassin does 3 wounds to me, meaning I can't attack back. Luckily, I started out with 25 ranked up Gnoblars, so I still have enough for rank bonus and outnumber to win combat by 1. However he easily passes his break test with Ld 10.

Ogres Turn 3
My Gorger arrives this turn. I place him just to the side of where his Hydra will reappear. Again no bickering for my Gnoblars who will move up and should shoot this turn, but I forget to do so. I charge his corsairs with my unit of Leadbelchers who shot earlier. I do 2 wounds to his 5 and flee 5”, but get over run. This puts the corsairs just in front of my Yhetees who failed to charge the Hydra earlier.

My Maneater decides to help his (insanely) courageous comrade and gets a flank charge on the Cold Ones, doing 1 impact wound and 2 wounds in CC. The cold ones attack the bull, but can't get the remaining wound on the bull who can't manage to hit anything either. I still lose combat by 2, but the stubborn Maneater and the bull close enough to the general both pass. Since he one, he gets to reform to be able to fight my Maneater and bull a little better in the next round.

My Gnoblars fight with Shadowblade and take 1 more wound, I still win combat by 3. Shadowblade then fails his break test on double 6s! He flees 6”and I think I have him, unfortunately I only pursue 5”

My Tyrant/Irongut unit heads toward his x-bowmen, while still staying position enough to respond to his General on the Manticore The trappers move to hopefully march block the Hydra when he comes back on the table.

Dark Elves Turn 3
Unfortunately, Shadowblade fails to rally ending the most hilarious (did I say Epic earlier? 'cause I meant hilarious) battle in the game, where a 50point unit of Gnoblars takes out a 300point Dark Elf Assassin. Go Me!

His Hydra comes back on the table and breath attacks the trappers, killing 2, while the x-bowmen on the normal hill kill off enough to force a panic test. I fail and run right into the Hydra to die. After Shadowblade dying, I'm too happy to care though.

His x-bowmen on the hill shoot at my advancing unit of Gnoblars, causing a panic test which is passed thanks to my advancing General, just barely within range to offer his Ld.

His general on the Manticore charges my Gorger and does 3 wounds. The Gorger does 1 back, but unfortunately it's ward-saved.
His corsairs attack my Yhetees and in 15 attacks only get 2 wounds to go through, where as my 9 attacks back do 6 wounds. He flees and I overrun to put my Yhetees to the left of his general, who thankfully is occupied with the Gorger.

Thanks to the reform earlier, Malus kills the Maneater before I can attack back, but can do nothing to my heroic bull who was holding them up. Alas, that is not to last as he breaks this time and is over run. Where they threaten my “reserve” Gnoblars.

Ogres Turn 4
My Yhetees charge into his x-bowmen on the normal hill. Stand and shoot finishes off one of them, but I pass my panic test to make it into CC. I kill off 2 and take no wounds back, thanks to the -1 to hit modifier Aura of Frost on all the Yhetees. I still lose combat by 1, but easily pass my break test.

My hunter charges the Hydra, finally getting a wound through on him. The Sabretusks do nothing. He attacks back and does 2 wounds. I lose combat by 1, but pass my break test.

My other unit of Leadbelchers who have sat back in the corner most of this time move forward towards his cold ones and unleash a massive wave of destruction on them. Getting a combined 18 shots off, I end up kill all the remaining rank-and-file units, but unfortunately I don't touch Malus or his BSB.

My Gorger has to wait to attack back, thanks to his low initiative. Ken's general doesn't hit anything, but unfortunately, his Manticore does the final wound and kills the Gorger.

Magic this turn was pretty uneventful. Magic missile spell and the Bangstick do absolutely nothing, so I regain a wound on the Butcher who battled the cold ones earlier and also cast Trollguts on the unit.

Dark Elves Turn 4
His newly victorious general flank charges my Yhetees and wipes them both out.

The x-bowmen on the hill kill another 3 Gnoblars with shooting, but not enough for a test..
The 2 RBT's fire at my Irongut unit, but don't do anything to them.

His BSB charges my “reserve” Gnoblars who fail their fear test, but outnumber, so they stand firm, but can only hit on 6s. In CC he does a wound to the Gnoblars, but I roll a 6 to hit and my strength 2 Gnoblars do a wound back. Unfortunately he's unbreakable, so he won't be fleeing any time soon.

Malus charges my unit of Bulls led by the Butcher. Unfortunately, regeneration didn't do me any good and he dies in the challenge. He's still within range of the BSB so he wins combat. I break, flee, and am caught by Malus.

Ogres Turn 5
My Leadbelchers charge his BSB in the flank, kill him & overrun. I reform the Ironguts unit with my General in it to threaten either unit of his x-bowmen and/or his general. My remaining Butcher tries to cast Bonecruncher on his x-bowmen on the steep hill, but I miscast. Thankfully, I get the best possible result from that and become Frenzied. I cast Braingobbler on the x-bowmen instead, forcing them to take a panic test. They fail it on double 6s and run 8”. The Gnoblars that should have thrown sharp stuff last turn, but didn't remember to attack the RBT on the hill and kill a crewman.

In CC his Hydra handlers have the initiative on my Hunter and his Sabretusks but don't do anything, my Sabretusks do nothing back, but the Hunter gets 2 wounds on the Hydra, unfortunately they are both regenerated. Finally the Hydra does in the Hunter and my 'tusks are counted as lost as they feed on their dead former master.

Dark Elves Turn 5
Malus charges the Leadbelchers that decimated his unit earlier, but I choose to flee, causing the charge to fail. His Hydra moves closer to my Tyrant/Irongut unit and breath attacks it, but fails to wound. His shooting phase concentrates fire from his RBT's, his x-bowmen, & his General to kill an Irongut and put 2 wounds on another.

Ogres Turn 6
I rally my Leadbelchers and turn them to face Malus, rather than take a rear attack later, which also allows them to reload. Unfortunately, my Frenzied Butcher has to charge either his Hydra or his General on the Manticore. I try for the slightly less of a long-shot and go after the Hydra. CC allows him to get another wound on the Hydra before he is killed off. My Gnoblars fail to even get a single hit on the remaining RBT crewmen.

Dark Elves Turn 6
Malus charges the Leadbelchers who get about 12 shots, but only get 1 wound through, while his General charges their flank. Malus gets off 4 wounds, killing one of them, and his General kills the other one. He overruns into my “reserve” Gnoblars, or at least he would have, but his Terror causes them to flee off the board, and he pursues off the table. Unfortunately for him that means that he only gets the 50 points for the unit, but not the 100 points for the table quarter since he's off the board at the end of turn 6.

His previous success at shooting which had before been mediocre to terrible took an amazing turn for the better in the last round. He concentrates all his fire from the 2 RBT's & 2x units of x-bowmen onto my unit of Tyrant/Ironguts and gets my General down to 1 wound, and is 1 wound shy of killing off all the Ironguts In one round Ken got both my General and my most expensive unit (which never did get into close combat) down to ½ strength.

Victory Points
After 7 ½ hours of gaming that only felt like about 2 ½, we decided to quickly add up our points and call it a day. Thanks to me trying to record what happened, and just having fun hanging out and talking with each other and Cris who stuck around to watch the whole thing, this battle took much longer than what we had expected, thankfully we had fun the entire time.

Ken's victory points came from
General (½ strength) – 150
Ironguts (½ strength) – 172
Gnoblars (½ strength) – 26
Butcher – 180
Butcher – 180
Hunter & 'tusks -185
Gnoblar Trappers - 54
Bulls x5 -185
Bulls x4 – 150
Bulls x3 – 115
Bulls x3 - 115
Gnoblars – 52
Leadbelchers x2 – 110
Leadbelchers x2 – 110
Yhetees x3 – 195
Gorger -75
Maneater – 86
Controlled 1 table quarter at the end. - 100
Total 2240


My points were
Malus at ½ - 138
Hydra at ½ - 88
BSB - 274
Shadowblade -300
Corsairs - 210
Cold Ones - 414
Total 1424

That gave him a Solid Victory (note: we originally thought he just had a marginal victory, but I believe I miscounted some point values that night, trying to quickly add things up before leaving). Unfortunately, I my units that captured 2 of his standards weren't on the table at the end of the game, otherwise I would have had a few more points. Much better from our last battle where I was massacred. :)

All in all, a great day of gaming that only felt like an afternoon and lots of fun. I was happy to take out the Cold Ones and put quite a few wounds on his Hydra. I think the best part is that with their great movement, I can usually get most of my Ogres into CC by turn 2, if I really try.

I don't have the pictures, but hopefully we can get those added in later.

-kev