8th Ed. Advice Please....Due To Fight High Elves on 20th October

[Gary_M]

Looking for some advice for the Scarvets and Oldbloods on here please....
I've got my first game for many months next week, against High Elves at 2400 pts.
Was thinking of including a WD Slann, 3 sallies (Elves don't like fire?), probably 2 units of 20/24 Saurus, 20-30 TG.
Not taking a Basti given the fire spells in WD.

But then I like High Magic on the Slann, and could swap out to get sig spells....

Help please!!!

Any and all comments welcome.

Thanks in advance.

 

[lordkingcrow]

I play High Elves pretty regularly. For scar vets and old bloods, I recommend you build them for survival. It is really tempting to make a totally aggressive Hero/Lord, but survival is key. Let's face it, you're not going to strike first. Give them 1+ armor and some ward saves. Don't waste points on magic weapons, give a great weapon and he's more deadly than most Lords out there anyhow. Carno is always nice to run (if you can find the points) and if your opponent runs one of those nasty frost phoenix.

As a side note, I don't usually run temple guard with a slann. I find that when things go bad (which they inevitably will), those poor loyal saurus get the short end of the stick. Go cold ones and crush those dainty little elves. Great armor save and they really pack a punch. It has worked for me, but everyone has preferences.

 

[Kblock]

I can't offer a lot of advice for playing against a High Elf army. I played one last Friday and was tabled after 4 turns. That being said, I do agree with lordkingcrow about the Scar Vets and Oldbloods. Make them survivable. Because I had my scar vet BSB in my Saurus block, they stayed in the battle the entire game. The Scar Vet was evening out the combat resolution every round and was dishing out some serious damage because he was 2+ AS with a 4+ WS. If your heroes can survive the ASF of the high elf army, they can definitely do some damage.

I did use Life magic with a Slann in a TG bunker. They also survived until the end of the game. Having the extra magic buffs really helped both the TG and Saurus unit stay in the battles much longer than anticipated.

 

[Ixt]

First, ask your opponent about the 'High Elf High Magic Lore Attribute'... his 'HEHMLA.'

HEHMLAAAAA!!!!!!

(sulks)
HEHMLA...

Anyway, I know that a lot of High Elves players love to stick their caster in a block of White Lions, and then march up the field totally unharmed as they cast piddly spells in order to take on an absurd Ward Save for their block. Let's not even talk about the Everqueen, either. -_-

I don't know whether the issue has been resolved, but whether Drain Magic affects their Lore Attribute is debatable. Best to ask your opponent. I, personally, think that it does.

Regardless, I like Focus of Mystery & Becalming Cogitation against HE High Magic, since outright dispelling equates to dispelling their ward saves. If you want to go crazy, bring two caddies (dispel scroll & cube of darkness).

Apotheosis to negate Terror/reduce their WS... HoG for obvious reasons... Aracne Unforging for BotWD...

If you're taking High Magic, then don't forget about Razordons! They are one of our few units that ably benefit from every aspect of Hand of Glory.

Take a block of 5 or 6, since you shouldn't need but one Salamander to soften up those blocks.

The Bastiladon is great against HE... just don't use its Solar Engine against PG and such. Rolling a 4+ on its table and even average 2d6 hits will put a big hurt on pretty much anything HE. This thing could pluck a few wounds off a Frostheart before it gets into combat - S5 wounds deny its armor outright, if I remember right.

Here's a mini-tactica for dealing with those: http://www.lustria-online.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=15131&start=10

I like Skrox w/ poisoned Skinks against them as a main force, backed up by Skirmishers. They won't care so much about -1 S since their attacks are poisoned, and they're immune to Terror thanks to the Krox.

More stuff, but I'm off to work now! Take care.

 

[Gary_M]

Thanks for the responses everyone, and hope for more to come!

I'm sold on Loremaster High Magic. Liked it from the beginning. Gives me a nuke spell and also the ability to swap out for specific signatures if required.

Personally I prefer Razordons to Sallies, probably because, for me, the former have rarely eaten their handlers, whereas the latter were obviously neglected in their pens and munched away while on the battle field.

So far I'm looking at the following

Loremaster Slann
Survivable scar vets with GW
Razordons not sallies
Basti (?) as going with High Magic

I could bring a scarnosaur - Only used it once or twice so its due another run out.

I've never put the Slann outside the TG before. yes its hurt me when the miscast happens but I guess I need to move away from my comfort zone. To the skiirmishers he goes, probably.

While have a crack at al list and post separately.

Cheers.

 

[Ixt]

Just to be clear - taking at least one Sally is nice.

Remember that the template is nice for woynds, but the Salamander really shines when it triggers its auto-panic ability (using the fire thrower rules), especially as a compound effect when used in conjunction with spells like Iceshard Blizzard (and/or Net of Amyntok/Fulm. Flame Cage/Wind Blast vs. fleeing units proximal to the board edge).

Dropping a 20" WBW on a Sally, sticking it behind the enemy lines, and vomiting tasteful incendiaries is clutch.

 

[Pinktaco]

By taking razordons you have to have a goal with them - what is their purpose? With Sallies it's quite clear, they burn lots of units, especially 20mm T3 models such as the elfs and humans.

Overall I agree with the notion to have scar vets. Go with the classic +1 armour, ward and great weapon. Take a healthy amount of skink skirmishers to take down frost phoenix and avoid direct combat with white lions. Should you be forced then make sure to hex/buff to swing the combat. Despite our units being more expensive our guards will still have their butts handed to them, unfortunately.

 

[n810]

or maybe dualing blades (WS 10) and Other Tricksters Shard (rerolls sucessfull ward saves)
and 1+ armor and stuff.

 

[Ixt]

By taking razordons you have to have a goal with them - what is their purpose?

Reliably kill chaff (only thing that stops you is a misfire, whereas Sallies worry about scatter), reliably plunk off models in blocks (Sallies may be better at this, but Razors aren't bad), bait multi-charges in the late game (Stand & Shoot one, flee w/ Swiftstride from the next), drop Frostheart Phoenixes/lone models like they're nothing via shot volume (especially if it charges..!).

36 shots, assuming HoG within half (why not, too? they wreck face when charged), 3+... That's, what, 66% hits (24)? 6's wound - that's 4 wounds on an average shot roll (6 each) at BS4... before the charge/rerolls. Even 4+ gets you 3 wounds w/o the charge. 6+ save on the Phoenix?

If it doesn't charge? That's another round of shooting.

*shrug* Or 24 Skink Skirmishers, I guess. I'd rather have the Razors in that fight, and the Skirmishers holding the screen for Saurus/double-fleeing elsewhere.

Put Razors elsewhere, and they still wreck face... 24 hits on a block, wounding on threes - yowch.

I'm biased towards Razors - I love 'em.

 

[lordkingcrow]

If you want a pretty great way to keep your slann mobile and safe, one of my new favorite builds is making him ethereal and putting him on the Arabian Carpet. Look out for the flying ghost toad! Bolt thowers will be unable to touch him and he can place himself out of harms way with ease.

 

[n810]

Sorry Dude, you can't put him on a carpet since he isn't "on foot".

 

[lordkingcrow]

Really? Oh man, I didn't even realize it said that! I feel that I owe my last opponent both an apology and a rematch. No more flying ghost frog... And here I thought I'd stumbled onto something great.

 

[Saurian]

One of high elves strongest points are their magic, so making your wizard ethereal won't really help against them.

 

[LawGnome]

One of high elves strongest points are their magic, so making your wizard ethereal won't really help against them.

If you take the obsidian amulet and give him MR 2, it is suddenly a moot point. The main weakness of ethereal is magic shooting, which HE doesn't have. Just don't get charged by a frost phoenix and the ethereal solo slann works great.

 

[SilverFaith]

Ethereal Slann Battle Standard with War banner for +2 to combat res, and slap on the healing discipline and High/Life magic. Either make sure he has 2+ ward against magic, or a 2+ ward against flaming (both if possible) to make him a massive problem against anyone.

Get him into a rear charge, and laugh as they are unable to win combat becausee they can't hit him.

Risky, but pretty laughable when it works

 

[Ixt]

Ethereal Slann Battle Standard with War banner for +2 to combat res, and slap on the healing discipline and High/Life magic. Either make sure he has 2+ ward against magic, or a 2+ ward against flaming (both if possible) to make him a massive problem against anyone.

Get him into a rear charge, and laugh as they are unable to win combat becausee they can't hit him.

Risky, but pretty laughable when it works

Oh man the thought of that makes me soooo happy