So, this has taken a week to get up here, but my brother and I have had another gaming night on another drill weekend. Had the others in my military gaming group gotten ahold of me, this would have been another 40K double date. But since it wasn't, and this particular match up has NEVER happened with us, we decided to give it a go.
Lizardmen army
So I knew right away I wanted as many bodies on the board as I could get, and as many ranked guys as I could get. This led me to bypass a Slann completely. Controversial, I know, but still worth a shot. Also, our house rule is that the Southlands Skink Shortbow rule is for the standard list as well. Here's the list:
Hero: Skink Shaman (Lvl 2) Diadem of Power - 135 pts
Core: Saurus Warriors (20) full command, shields, hand weapons - 270 pts
Core: Saurus Warriors (20) full command, shields, spears - 310 pts
Core: Jungle Swarms (6) - 360 pts
Core: Skinks (12) champion, short bows - 89 pts
Core: Skinks (13) champion, short bows - 96 pts
Special: Chameleon Skinks (10) champion - 156 pts
Special: Saurus Cavalry (10) full command, Jaguar Standard - 425 pts
Rare: Salamander Hunting Packs (3) - 195 pts
2036 total
Dogs of War army
My brother's army ran a touch on the atypical side for him, and I found myself in the unenviable position of being a Lizardmen player that was outclassed in the Magic phase. His list was as follows:
Hero + Rare: Truthsayer (Can't remember exact slot requirement, edit later) - 265 pts
Hero: Paymaster - heavy armor, Sword of Might, Enchanted Shield - 104 pts
Core: Pikemen (20) heavy armor, musician, standard - 240 pts
Core: Heavy Cavalry (10) standard, musician, barding - 240 pts
Core: Heavy Cavalry (10) standard, musician, barding - 240 pts
Special: Paymaster's Bodyguard (18) full command, heavy armor - 210 pts
Special: Marauders (20) flails, shields, full command - 210 pts
Special: Dwarfs (20) heavy armor, shield, standard, musician - 200 pts
Special: Halflings (10) champion - 70 pts
Rare: Fenbeasts (3) - 255 pts
We set up the board and decided on the Breakthrough scenario. We selected sides and the board looked like this:
- Deployment Dogs of War.jpg (274.74 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
- Deployment Lizardmen.jpg (269.24 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
- Deployment Tabletop.jpg (241.61 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
TURN 1 LIZARDMEN
I spent the movement phase of this turn surging the line forward, while trying to keep units out of cavalry charge range. Well, all except my very expensive stupid Cold One riders, who ambled forward 3.5" in a stupor.
- Turn 1 Lizardmen.jpg (237.33 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
The shooting phase saw 2 Pikemen laid low by Chameleon Skink blowpipes.
TURN 1 DOGS OF WAR
Ashley adjusted his battle line to better meet my forces, and to offer stiff resistance of his deployment zone.
- Turn 1 Dogs Of War A.jpg (270.26 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
- Turn 1 Dogs of War B.jpg (277.75 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
The Halflings were distracted by the smell of something baking in the distance and missed entirely.
TURN 2 LIZARDMEN
The Lizardmen continue to surge forward, baiting a few charges to clear a better path for advance, and the Cold Ones fail stupidity again, plodding forward.
In the Magic phase 1 Knight and 1 Bodyguard fall from Storm of Cronos, the Comet fails again.
In the Shooting phase the Chameleon Skinks drop 6 Pikemen who remain steadfast, and the Salamanders incinerate 3 Knights who promptly flee.
- Turn 2 Lizardmen.jpg (263.29 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
The Paymaster's Bodyguard charges the Saurus Spearmen who were on the hill in the middle of the field.
The Fenbeasts and Knights on the right side of the board charge the other Saurus Shieldmen, who fail their Fear test and flee 4", easily being overrun as the Knights redirect into the Cold Ones.
The Chameleon Skinks flee 11" from the Pikemen's charge, while the Skinks on the left side of the board stand and shoot the Halflings charging them.
The rest of the army moves into better positions.
- Turn 2 Dogs Of War.jpg (238.8 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
4 Skinks die at the hands of the Halflings, with 3 falling in return. The combat is drawn.
The Paymaster's Bodyguard, along with the Truthsayer and Paymaster within, hack down 4 Saurus Spearmen with no wounds done in return. The steely resolve of the Saurus unit breaks, and they flee 6", with the Bodyguard pursuing 8", wiping them out.
The Knight unit could not wound the Cold One Riders, while they did 1 wound back in return. Combat resolution lands firmly on the side of the Saurus, and the Knights fail their Insane Courage roll. They flee 6" while the Cold Ones utilize the Jaguar Standard to pursue 4D6, rolling 11". A paltry roll, but it is enough: the Knights are destroyed.
TURN 3 LIZARDMEN
My Cold Ones pass their Stupidity test!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And with that as my motivator, I declare a charge into the Marauders' flank. Galvanized by this action, the Swarms charge forward at the Knights who flee from the charge and redirect into the Dwarfs.
The Chameleon Skinks rally, and everyone else is either locked or moves into a better position.
The Skink Shaman starts the Magic phase by failing Storm of Cronos, and and ends it by storing a die in the Diadem.
In the Shooting phase the Shaman's Skinks kill two Bodyguard while the Salamanders kill 6.
In Close Combat Skinks kill 2 Halflings losing 1 in the process, Halflings pass their Break test.
The Swarms kill 3 Dwarfs with the Dwarfs doing 2 wounds in return. Unbreakable Swarms stay firm.
The Cold Ones charge in and attack viciously, managing 2 wounds on the lightly armored Marauders. The Marauders answer in kind, killing 2 Cold Ones, then pass their Break test.
- Turn 3 Lizardmen.jpg (233.01 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
Knights rally, and the unengaged units reposition in the Movement phase.
In the Magic phase Boon of Courage is dispelled, and Gift of Life brings a model back to the Dwarf, Marauder, Bodyguard, Pikemen, and Knight units.
Combat sees 1 Skink die while 2 Halflings fall. The Halflings fail their Break check and fall back 5", and the Skinks pursue 5" wiping them out.
2 wounds are done to the Swarms, and 3 Dwarfs fall. Swarms lose but are still Unbreakable.
1 Cold One falls to the Marauders, and the Cold Ones do 6 wounds in return, Insane Courage is failed, and the Marauders flee 10" with the Cold Ones pursuing 14".
- Turn 3 Dogs Of War A.jpg (290.21 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
- Turn 3 Dogs Of War B.jpg (223.6 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
- Turn 3 Dogs Of War C.jpg (220.31 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
The Cold Ones charge the rear of the Knight unit, the Shaman leaves his unit as they position to maximize damage output to the Fenbeasts still meandering around the edge of the deployment zone, and the Salamanders adjust to get better line of sight on the Paymaster's Bodyguard. The Skinks that ran down the Halflings cross a hedge to bring shots to bear as well.
- Turn 4 Lizardmen.jpg (305.39 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
In the Shooting phase the Skink units team their shots into a single Fenbeast, and in the end takes every shot they have to kill 1.
The Salamanders kill 4 Bodyguards.
The Chameleon Skinks follow this up by killing 2 Pikemen.
In the Combat phase The Dwarfs had more attacks as they had expanded their frontage. This works for them, as they do 6 wounds which removes 2 bases compared to 1 dead Dwarf. Unbreakable blah blah blah...
My brother failed to write down the actual hits/wounds and all that, he summed up what mattered to him: Cold Ones chase and kill Knights.
TURN 4 DOGS OF WAR
A Fenbeast declares a charge on the Skinks who flee, the Bodyguard declare a charge on the Shaman who flees but cannot outrun the unit, getting wiped out, and the Chameleon Skinks Stand and Shoot the Pikemen.
The second Fenbeast sort of ambled around.
- Turn 4 Dogs Of War A.jpg (240.52 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
The Dwarfs manage 2 wounds on the Swarms while 1 Dwarf dies, Unbreakable, almost bored with the fight at this point...
The Pikemen do 10 wounds on the Chameleon Skinks, killing them outright.
- Turn 4 Dogs of War B.jpg (218.59 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
I'm doing quick and dirty math on my odds, and I don't see that I can manage to actually win this scenario, which limits me to tabling Ashley, which is also not possible, or to simply try for moral victory with as many kills as I can manage. I had been counting banners captured and gibberish like that, so maybe that will be counted at the end for my own well-being.
The Skinks fail their regroup and flee a touch more. The second Skink unit stands still to get better hitting odds in this turn. Cold Ones do an about face and make best speed towards the enemy, the Salamanders reposition for more shooting.
- Turn 5 Lizardmen A.jpg (245.37 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
Now this next one is probably my moment of the game, as far as I'm concerned. You know that moment, where Lady Luck goes schizophrenic on you? Right, so I roll for my Salamander shots against the Paymaster's Bodyguard, getting a 10, a 10, and a 6. 26 hits. Not shots, hits. Let me put that into perspective for you with this picture...
- Turn 5 Lizardmen Epic Dice Pile.jpg (368.96 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
In Combat the Dwarfs do 2 more wounds to the Swarms and lose a Dwarf in return.
TURN 5 DOGS OF WAR
The wounded Fenbeast charges the Cold Ones, the Bodyguard charges the Skink unit which can't Stand and Shoot.
- Turn 5 Dogs Of War.jpg (261.53 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
In Close Combat 6 wounds are done to the Swarms, and 1 to the Dwarfs in return. Not going anywhere...
No wounds are done to the Fenbeast, and 1 Cold One dies. Fenbeast is Unbreakable.
Absolutely NO wounds manage to happen in the Skinks/Bodyguard combat. Draw.
TURN 6 LIZARDMEN
The Salamanders charge the unwounded Fenbeast, and the fleeing Skink unit fails to rally and flees right out of the deployment zone.
- Turn 6 Lizardmen.jpg (355.43 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
Paymaster's Bodyguard kill 2 Skinks and the unit flees, outpacing the Bodyguard.
The Fenbeast kills 1 Salamander, losing 1 wound.
Cold Ones take down the Fenbeast, reform.
TURN 6 DOGS OF WAR
The Bodyguard stands firm, lining up a spell on the fleeing Skinks. Pikes simply hang out on the flank.
- Turn 6 Dogs Of War.jpg (307.78 KiB) Viewed 2147 times
Salamanders take 1 wound off of the Fenbeast. I honestly can't remember if it killed the last Fenbeast or not, I forgot to take a picture or write that part down.
Dwarfs take 2 wounds off of the Swarm with none in return.
So ends the battle. I lost sight of the goal early on and should have focused more on getting the more rigid units into the deployment zone and using the Skinks to bait charges. Main lesson learned is to keep your eye on the prize.
And apparently to always take Slann...