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Stormcast V Stormcast Battle Report


Turragor

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Jag tar rapport i engelska som jag bruka göra.

I've been drawing up some lists in preparation for Gothcon.

It had got to the point where I had umpteen variations and it was time to check my favourite candidate out. So I setup a match with Fabian the other (some say better, I say 'different') resident Stormcast player at Dragonslair.

So right away in my head I'm thinking of the training arena in Azyr gifted by Malerion (iirc) where the Stormcast beat each other to death in hard as nails training then come back to life. Yeahhh.

I'd like a themed board for that but I guess it's magic so can look like the lovely battlefield we setup for ourselves.

I think given Stormcast lists are probably going to be popular it was a nice training exercise for the tournament to come.

The lists

I made a few changes to my own list. In part after reflecting over the BCR loss (although this game was against a very different opponent), in part to ease the painting rush and in part because I believe Vanguard units need to be at least 50% of a list to really start shining. So it's a more pure old school list:

Quote

Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals

Leaders
Lord Celestant On Dracoth (220)
- Lightning Hammer & Thundershield
- Artefact: Gift of the Six Smiths
- Dracoth Trait: Pack Hunter
Lord Relictor (80)
- Artefact: Armour of Destiny
- Prayer: Lightning Chariot
Lord Castellant (100)
- General
- Trait: Staunch Defender - Stormcast Eternals
- Mystic Light: Lantern of the Tempest

Battleline
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows
- 1x Shockbolt Bow
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows
- 1x Shockbolt Bow
5 x Liberators (100)
- Warhammer & Shield
- 1x Grandhammers
5 x Liberators (100)
- Warhammer & Shield
- 1x Grandhammers
5 x Liberators (100)
- Warhammer & Shield
- 1x Grandblades

Units
2 x Tempestors (240)
3 x Prosecutors with Stormcall Javelins (80)
- 1x Stormsurge Trident
5 x Paladin Retributors (220)
- 2x Starsoul Mace
5 x Paladin Protectors (200)
- 2x Starsoul Mace
1 x Gryph-Hound (40)

Battalions
Thunderhead Brotherhood (80)
Hammerstrike Force (120)

Total: 2000/2000


Fabian and I must have similar list building philosophies as more than a few elements in his list were similar. The biggest differences being no hammerstrike,  extra fulminators and an Azyros:

 

Quote

Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals

Leaders
Lord Celestant On Dracoth (220)
- General
- Tempestos Hammer & Thundershield
- Trait: Staunch Defender - Stormcast Eternals
- Artefact: Mirrorshield
- Dracoth Trait: Keen-clawed
Knight Azyros (80)
Lord Relictor (80)
Lord Castellant (100)
- Artefact: Mirrorshield

Battleline
5 x Liberators (100)
- Warblade & Shield
- 1x Grandblades
5 x Liberators (100)
- Warblade & Shield
- 1x Grandblades
5 x Liberators (100)
- Warblade & Shield
- 1x Grandblades
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows
- 1x Shockbolt Bow
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows
- 1x Shockbolt Bow

Units
2 x Fulminators (240)
2 x Fulminators (240)
3 x Prosecutors with Stormcall Javelins (80)
- 1x Stormsurge Trident
5 x Paladin Protectors (200)
- 2x Starsoul Mace

Battalions
Thunderhead Brotherhood (80)

Total: 1940/2000

When we were unpacking my opponent explained some of his choices. I was doing the same in return, we were really trying to maximise the pre-tourney learning experience. When he told me had 4 fulminators (2 of which were on the painting table at home so that explains the empty bases you see in some pics even though he did try to hide them haha!) I had a good idea of the main threat I was facing and a plan started to form. I would hammerstrike 1 unit and I'd try stacking -2 to hit as long as possible on the other (until I hopefully killed them).

But first, the scenario.

 

The Scenario

We rolled for it and, as luck would have it (in terms of practising) we got 3 Places of Power. This is the one where the kind of lists I take (usually 3 heroes) are always stretched the most. It also means careful thought about scions as this is that rare scenario where you want the first turn and you want heroes on the objectives right away.

Deployment

I had fewer drops (even though I have a lot, I think I want to try getting the number down for the tourney as first turn choice gives me many more scions setup options) so would finish first even after losing the roll for table edge choice/deployment. We both deployed with the idea to start contesting objectives with our heroes asap. This meant supporting units needed to come down too.

As such we each left only a few choice units in the celestial realm:

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When complete, deployment looked like this:

58cf8b9a0a3d3_2017-03-1912_49_56.jpg.cdcfe67f2acc39b24150901a838a502a.jpg

I think deploying my libs was maybe a mistake - even if I hadn't forgotten the Thunderhead Brotherhood wound reroll bonus (the only reason I deployed them to begin with).

My other miscalculation was the gryph hound. I was a little unsure how to best try to catch the 3 units my opponent might setup from scions (or even lightning chariot redeployment).

My judicators were ready to move forward and shoot the two heroes without mirrorshields (azyros and relictor).

His relictor was beside one unit of Fulminators so I reckoned they'd be a good choice for hammerstriking.

The Battle

Special mention goes to the terrain this match, almost the entire left hand side of the board was mystical which meant that objective would be interesting. There was an inspiring forest on my opponents left flank and I had another mystical forest and a damned broken obelisk in the centre of mine.

I chose to take the first turn. I passed all 5(ish) mystical tests and would enjoy some wound rerolls. I wanted my castellant to hold the middle with staunch defenders. He used his lantern ability on himself giving him an impressive 1+ save and healing wounds on a 5 or 6 (when facing no rend).

My Relictor and LCoD were both potentially able to reach the righmost objective. I figured I'd want the relictor there first as the LCoD would love to have the ability to relocate with Lightning Chariot after. So they'd both move their initially and the LCoD would be catapulted off after. They'd also both be able to reach the wood filled with azyros and fulminator with their lightning storm abilities.

With this in mind I successfully setup my relictor on the objective with lightning chariot. I also cast lightning storm doing some mortal wounds on the fulminators giving them -1 to hit.

In the movement phase my castellant and LCoD ran towards the middle and right objective. My judicators moved into 24" range of their targets. My libs repositioned with poorish run rolls. I ran the gryph hound toward the center, a bit unsure of how to use him during battle to be honest.

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I rolled for my prosecutors and tempestors and got both down right away. I setup the prosecutors 9" from his relictor and fulminators on my left. My Tempestors landed 9" from his liberators (within 12" missile range of the fulminators) on the right.

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I was also then able to deploy both units of paladins in such a way that they should get 4 maces against the fulminators and relictor with a smattering of other normal attacks (note how my opponent shields his empty bases! A noble and worthy effort):

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In the shooting phase I put 2 wounds on the relictor and 4 on the Azyros with the judicators. I focused fire on the fulminators on the right with my tempestors and did perhaps a wound or two (tops), most importantly they were now on -2 to hit. My prosecutor prime managed to put 2 wounds on a fulminator.

Charges! I felt much better about the hammerstrike force used properly (with living prosecutors). The 2 paladin units connected, the Protectors managing to wrap around quite well. The Tempestors attempted to charge the liberators (to try to perhaps draw the Fulminators and Azyros in too) but failed the 9" requirement.

In the short combat phase my retributors starsoul mace'd the relictor and 1 fulminator. Their normal hammers put 3 wounds on the other fulminator.

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My opponent's counter was a clever liberator pile in to block my protectors from finishing off the other Fulminator...

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My first turn had ended and I got 2 scenario points for control of the 2 objectives. I felt pretty confident but there was a chance for my opponent to do some real damage to my heroes (only 3) and get the double turn.

He passed his mystical terrain checks and used the expected command abilities and hero phase abilities. He gave the protectors +1 save.

He rolled for scions (passing all). He deployed everything (his judicators in a wood) to focus on my LCoD and Relictor (smartest move).

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He ran the Azyros towards the objective to fully benefit from the rerolling 1s ability (this would be a real pain! It's a great bonus). His Fulminators (with -2) moved to charge my LCoD. He moved to threaten my center with liberators and LCoD. He formed a shield to stop the tempestors coming for the Azyros (also smart) with the liberators on the right. On my left he retreated the fulminator towards my battellines and moved his protectors towards mine. His Castellant in the same board section moved towards the objective on my left but rolled poorly for his run roll.

Would I weather the shooting phase? Somehow I did! The fulminators could not hit with a -2 and the 10 Judicators, though they rolled exceptionally well for their special bows, only managed to chip 5 wounds from the LCoD.

In his charge phase he reached the Relictor with the Azyros, and the LCoD with 2 wounds left faced the fulminators. His protectors charged in to my protectors in a neat little wedge. So well done was it that he got all attacks in versus only 2 of my protectors being in range even after their pile in later in the combat phase. In the middle his liberators made a long charge but his LCoD fluffed his.

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The Fulminators opened the proceedings. The -2 really helped me out here and my LCoD survived (I think I had to make just 1 save against the spears and 1 against the Dracoths).  I activated my Relictor first in the hope of killing the Azyros before he could try his luck. Unfortunately the Relictor wasn't able to take the last wound off.

In return his Azyros managed to knock off a couple of wounds on the Relictor.

The 2 Protector units exchanged blows - I lost 2 and killed none in return -  and my opponent's liberators, in what I can only describe as a masochistic act against an animal of the mortal realms, focused entirely on the Gryph hound. I think 8 wounds went through in total.

58cf8c0cc085a_2017-03-1913_51_49.jpg.168372e29ea005ecc093ecab16f744ea.jpg

My LCoD had no urgency so was left to the end. I couldn't reach the Azyros and if I could I think at that stage I would have chosen the Fulminators as a greater threat. However in hindsight with the reroll, the ability to challenge the objective and the lantern bomb due next turn, I should have done more (although, as I said, I didn't have the option).

In any case he didn't disappoint with his Lightning Hammer and gift of the six smiths. The Dracoth connected with 1 intolerable damage too. He took out the Fulminator unit. I feel the -2 was definitely very important here. The Tempestors (relictor is already an autoinclude) feel nice in this list.

58cf8c0345c20_2017-03-1913_51_09.jpg.74eb01ef3a2c9096342de236b9887de8.jpg

At the end of his turn I had control of 2 objectives still and he had 0. So points wise I was sitting pretty on 2 with the potential for 4 more in my next turn.

Now he had the chance for the double turn. Which he needed really as I was positioned to end things rather quickly. Gladly (as the game was very good and I wouldn't have wanted it over too soon) he won 6 to 4.

58cf8c1a8477c_2017-03-1913_57_16.jpg.5b41ab6d00344d875f61ed644df511bc.jpg

He rolled for mystical and failed with his surviving fulminator and passed everything else. The usual command abilities came out but then the lantern bomb from the Azyros hit me damaging the relictor and killing my LCoD.

He moved his liberators in the middle to charge my judicators on the right and screened the tempestors further with his Javelin Prosecutors (the tempestors were now rather cleverly boxed in with not so many juicy -1 hit targets). He rolled horribly again for his Castellant and didn't come within 6" of the left objective.

He focused his Judicators on my Relictor and his Prosecutors on the Tempestors. The Tempestors were wholly untroubled but my Relictor was killed! Fortunately for me concluded (we had a bit of a rules read here) this meant he didnt have control of the objective with the Azyros as he didn't kill the controlling hero or move to an uncontested objective.

58cf8c24f2b61_2017-03-1914_02_48.jpg.8548a069ea402d4f32df34b28a8e6989.jpg

His LCoD used the breath attack on my last surviving hero, my Lord Castellant in the middle, but missed like in the first turn. In the charge phase he quickly followed up with the LCoD making his charge into the Castellant. He got 3 extra Tempestos Hammer attacks but could only break the 1+ save with only 1 rend once doing 2 damage.

58cf8c2ed73e1_2017-03-1914_02_56.jpg.0495facc45139658408daa1a1463bc9a.jpg

There were a few other tit for tat exchanges including my loss of more Protectors (leaving 1) and then my Retributors in turn killing all but 1 in my opponents protector unit. He killed all but two of my judicators on the right.

The score remained 2-0.

I hadn't done too badly facing a double turn but I had 1 hero left, in the middle of everything and my opponent had 3 with 2 potentially able to take and hold the flank objectives.

How would I prevent that? I had to shoot the Azyros as my opponent had blocked off all other combat avenues very neatly and charge the Castellant (because mirroshield would mean I'd be wasting a lot of shots).

I rolled for mystical terrain and passed them all.

The Castellant shielded himself again and I chose to sacrifice to the deadly terrain for the Lib squad. They would then target the LCoD with the Castellant. They'd have +1 to save from the Castellant's Staunch Defenders, +1 to hit from Lay Low the Tyrants, +1 to hit from Deadly and reroll failed wounds from Mystical.

I moved my prosecutors over the Fulminator to charge the Castellant. My Tempestors ran back behind the rock towards the enemy Prosecutors. I moved my liberators on the left towards his castellant and the liberators on the right towards the direction of the Azyros. If I rolled a long charge I might get a handful of attacks in!

In my shooting phase I managed to do nothing to the Castellant with the Prosecutors, my judicators on the left shot at his LCoD (a mistake! Should have been the Azyros but I had lost focus a bit) and did nothing. My Tempestors focused on the Prosecutors, killing 1 and putting a -1 to hit on them. Their mounts were out of range or they'd have died.

Time for some charges. My Tempestors somehow failed which would later prove costly pinning them as it did for another turn. My liberators on the left did not reach anyone. On the right (where they squeezed between the enemy liberators and a rocky outcrop to reach the Azyros)...

58cf8c50dd6f3_2017-03-1914_30_10.jpg.8487da66431873e5ef7f408442928b52.jpg

...and in the middle they rolled well.

58cf8c3a7d77f_2017-03-1914_30_03.jpg.eb10b9cefa1b649dc6a281d5e1d568c4.jpg

My Prosecutors reached his Castellant.

58cf8c4514955_2017-03-1914_30_06.jpg.62d992f7af00416542285631f1cf133e.jpg

In the combat phase I managed to do almost nothing save blast the last enemy protector to ashes. My liberator that could reach his Azyros fluffed all rolls. I did however roll a bunch of 5s and 6s when the enemy LCoD tried attacking my Castellant putting him back on full wounds...

58cf8c5ba39c3_2017-03-1914_40_50.jpg.fb3c7c1ae88a8cc98d50f5b42e143f37.jpg

I also added 2 points to my core and was sitting on 4-0 at the end of round 2.

The losses so far>

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Time for the fickle initiative roll!

Which I lost :( ...

Still if my castellant survived the next turn (putting me on 7 points) and I could kill either the Azyros or Castellant in my R3 turn it would make it impossible for Fabian to win with his last 2 turns. He would only be able to manage 6 points total.  I was in for a wild ride! But the Castellant was as tanky as could be.

Knowing this my opponent had to protect his Azyros (the weakest hero remaining) and kill my Castellant and take the left objective with his Castellant and shield him from the Paladins ready to chase him through the mystical terrain.

With that in mind he set to work. The usual command abilities with the Castellant warding himself with his lantern. He passed all mystical tests gaining some rerolls but most importantly keeping the Castellant and Fulminator mobile. The Fulminator blocked (as best he could) the Paladin path whilst readying to charge the prosecutors. His Castellant fled and rolled well reaching the objective. He moved the Azyros a little closer to the objective. He now had control of 2 this turn.

His judicators edged out of the woods and his other units held firm or were in combat.

He focused his shots on my liberator unit threatening (potentially) the Azyros, finishing them off totally.

58cf8c6f85948_2017-03-1914_45_55.jpg.49727089e91850e88391f2f49301d936.jpg

His Fulminator blasted a prosecutor away with lightning discharge.

In the combat phase he killed all but the Judicator Prime on the right and turned his LCoDs attention on my Liberators. Thankfully they benefitted from Staunch Defenders and rerolling 1s. Still 2 fell.

58cf8c791b0c8_2017-03-1914_50_23.jpg.660a88431f9e7267effa8d7b3482b93f.jpg

I was able to manage 2 wounds on his LCoD in my retalations. His Fulminator couldn't kill the remaining 2 prosecutors (I rolled 3 x 6s to save against the rider and dracoth).

My opponent racked up his first 2 points. All he had to do was survive with this Azyros and Castellant and he would be in with a good chance of winning. I needed to kill either of those two and I would be all but safe.

I had a full unit of judicators in range of his Azyros so was confident he would die that is until I rolled for mystical and all but those judicators passed!

******.

The fine light of the lantern bathed my Castellant again. My paladins moved to prepare to charge his Fulminator - a good charge could mean squeezing past to the enemy Castellant with 1 star soul mace, which would be enough if I could just put some damage from another source on him. With nothing bar 1 judicator prime able to reach his Azyros the Castellant was maybe priority number 1.

I moved the Tempestors closer to the Prosecutors - if the battle went longer and I had the castellant left I could reach and kill the Azyros and would maybe be okay. The last liberator unit on the left moved close to the castellant ready to charge. There was little other movement.

In the shooting phase I wiped out the prosecutors with the Tempestors. My judicator prime tried to down the Azyros but I rolled abysmally and he saved. Things were looking hairy.

In the charge phase I connected with my liberators into the castellant and rolled well for my retributors putting the single Starsoul mace in contact with the Castellant!

I started with them and the star soul mace did okay leaving the Castellant with 2 wounds, the other blasted the Fulminator down to 2 wounds remaining and then the lightning hammers rolled a 6 killing the fulminator.

The enemy LCoD finished off my liberators.

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Now my liberators piled in around the Castellant. It was a tall order. He was on a 2+ save with 6s healing him (3+ against the big hammer no heals) and I had 3 liberators in combat range...

All 3 went through from the big hammer and 3 from the small (thanks in part to mystical rerolls) and my opponent managed to roll 2x2s taking him to -1. However there were also 3 dice with which to roll 2 6s and recover some of the wounds he had already taken.

Luckily it was not to be so. They did it!

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The score was now 7-2 in my favour. I had basically won.

Before we got to doing maths to see if there was a point in playing we rolled for initiative (I lost again). My opponent took a quick turn with the focus on killing the Castellant (his only hope) ignoring anything that couldn't impact combat or shooting against the castellant in my opponent's 4th turn.

The result?

58cf8c81e0fc0_2017-03-1915_05_14.jpg.a888ad3a94dbed5ec5d5341afd928ce8.jpg

We called it there. A major victory to me.

My final casualties were:

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I am quite happy with how I played this match. Fabian is a great Stormcast player. I think I did well against him because I understand stormcast so my main weakness (plain old ignorance!) is not such a problem.

Thoughts

Had I lost this game I would still have had a great time. Stormcast v Stormcast with movement shenanigans seems really fun. I also learned a lot too. However questions remain including:

  • Do I want a gryph hound? Is it not better to aim for undercutting other lists and getting the glory bonus? What do I want want to protect with my gryph hound (and remember you need ranged near the hound to be of any use against alphastrikers - which  you may not even dent)?
  • Staunch Defender and a Lord Castellant Lantern is very good especially on a general Lord Castellant. But can I afford to have no battleshock resistance? I lost maybe 4 or 5 models to battleshock this game.
  • One relictor is probably not enough for the antics they can get up to (but what could I drop?)
  • I want an Azyros! How do I fit one in?
  • In this match we are both not super hard hitting (bar a few units) and quite resilient - contrast to the beating from Stonehorns last match - am I going to be as durable against other armies (like more mws or higher rend)? Probably not.
  • Is 2 x 5 paladins enough? If not what could I drop to take 10 retributors?
  • Do I want to keep the Tempestors (I really feel like I do)?
  • Can I squeeze in 3 Longstrikes just to take some roadbump Aetherwings against those quick charge lists? Again there's not much room in the list.
  • Do I want mirrorshields on all heroes? (The answer is YES bar the Castellant here lantern of the tempest might still be great as it gives other units the benefit too)

But for me the biggest question remaining is - are my formations worth it?

I could fill the battleline with 3 x 5 liberators for 300 points saving 400 points. Enough to do some interesting stuff. BUT I lose out on an artefact on EACH hero, I lose out on 10 judicators who get rerolls to wounds with another 2 units from the formation nearby. And I am taking 3 libs anyway. More realistically I'd be taking 2 x 5 judicators and 1 x 5 liberators as a min battleline so I'm only saving 280 points and tbh I think 5 liberators is much too few.

No I think the brotherhood stays.

Hammerstrike then? Especially with 2 x 5.

I actually like the smaller footprint and more surgical feel to 2x5. It means I can have some other mini-hammer to go along with them. I think I'll keep it for sure but will ponder 220 more for more retributors. The more pressing question is do I take decimators? Do I feel I don't have a horde counter? IF I do do I replace the protectors (and do what against monster heavy lists?)

Anyway. Good match! Hope people enjoyed reading.

 

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