9th Age Team Tournament in Klagenfurt

I participated in a Team Tournament in Klagenfurt, 6 Teams à 3 players. Since I am a bit frustrated with Vampires (being the same list all the time and feeling not up to par with other army books), I tried Sylvan Elves:

– Treefather Ancient (General), Oaken Crown, Tree Singing, Level 1 (Wilderness), Dispel Scroll
– Dryad Matriarch, Entwined Roots, Tree Singing, Level 1 (Wilderness)
– Chieftain, BSB, Pathfinder, Innate Defense (6+), Longbow, Great Weapon, Obsidian Nullstone
– Dryads, CMS, +1S
– 14Sylvan Sentinels, CMS, Flaming Standard, Scout, Hawthorn Points
– 11 Wild Huntsmen CMS,Gleaming Icon, Shields
– 1 Forest Eagle
– 2×10 Pathfinders, C

Round 1: Matthias „DrGonZo“ Lederhilger (Highborn Elves)
He played a Star Dragon (reroll sixes to wound on ranged), a second Lord (holy attacks on Lions), a mage with all signatures, stealing magic dice, Seaguard, White Lions, 5 Models light and heavy Cavalry each, 2 Eagles, skirmishing Bowmen. Scenario: Hold the Center.

I go all in first, set up my army in the center and wait, where my opponent deploys before setting up scouts. In round 1 and 2 I kill the skirmishers, light cav, an eagle and a few Sea Guard. I bait the sea guard with my Wild Riders.

Round 2 of my opponent: He places the Dragon in my Dryads (for a loooong while). He charges with the Sea guard. I have the higher initiative, more Attacks at better stats. Should be ok. He casts Initiative miasma with one die: 3. I take two dice: 1-1, crap! Sea guard deals 5 Lethal hits, killing all but 2 of my wild riders and hence break through.

In the next two rounds, I kill the Sea Guard (my opponent evacuates the characters). I shoot a bit at the Whit Lions, but don’t get points. The Dragon kills off the Drayds over time. He survives with 2 hitpoints. I have one more round of poison shooting, but don’t do a single wound. In his last round the heavy cavalry moves in scoring position, resulting in a 1:9.

Round 2: Thomas „Knochentrocken“ Haueisen (Undying Dynasties)
Large unit of chariots with a character, large unit of Necropoliton Guard with 2 characters, a few bowmen with a mage, a scorpion, two cascades and a catapult. We play the break through scenario.

The only thing I am a little afraid of are the cascades. So my Tree and my eagle stay well out of range. I have the shooting advantage, he litterally can’t reach my archers. So I kill of the large unit of undead bowmen quite fast and continue shooting on the chariots afterwards. Dryads advance.

Chariots and Scorpion charge them (Guards fail the 8) and I vaporate both. Then I get the reform in my round and charge with Drayds (then with wildform) into the front and Wild riders into the flank of the guard, killing 27 models before they attack. No bodyguard in the world can save the unit.

The rest is killing off the remaining units, where the mage survices, as well as my wild riders (with one wound). 10:0.

Round 3: Fabian „Kathal“ Gollmann (Warriors of the Dark Gods)
A large unit of pestilence Barbarians with BSB and Jarl, 3 units of brute wizards, 2 chariots a Shrine and „crap“. Hold the center scenario.

My first round is the same as always: Dryads into the forest in the center, Archers shoot around. In round 2 I get my wild riders in the far right flank.

The brute unit flees from the wild riders to the other flank, causing panik in a chariot there. I charge the other brute unit and kill it. Unfortunately the chariot behind didn’t die in my shooting phase and I didn’t roll the 11 to overrun into it. But since it only did one impact would and also the shrine didn’t do a lot of damage, I manage to come out as the winner after a few rounds of close combat (very luckily!!!).

The dryads get redirected a lot. I used the situation after the chariot fled to kill dogs and overrun into the barbarians. I kill off 20 and lose 13 dryads in return. I really didn’t think this through … (should have stayed in the forest to take their steadfast). But I got lucky again and kill off 17 more barabians in the round after the next (out of 19 attacks on 4+ without hatred …). The barbarians were dead and the characters fled (but fled far enough).

I made one wound too few shooting on a unit of brutes, so they too could claim scenario points, resulting in a 8:2.

Round 4: Paul „Paulizei“ Kohl (Saurean Ancients)
Slaann with +1 to cast, high magic, dice save, skink/kroxi unit with bsb, a few skinks, a few chars and 3 monsters. Center scenario again.

In round one I kill off a unit of skinks and in the second round I almost kill off the second one, leaving the slann quite „naked“. Unfortunately he had his hill and can cast through other models. My dryads fight better than all his units so I decide to rush.

I create a trap with my wild riders and pathfinders. The stegadons can charge the pathfinders and if I flee, they are open for a charge from the wild riders. Unfortunately I did a sloppy job and the skink chars were able to redirect me (although I measured them earlier …). Walls and a large field on this flank didn’t help in moving the wild riders either …

Still I had a solid position and would be able to charge with a full unit of drayds the turn after the next. Then came the magic phase. The slaann casted the boosted version of cataclysm and I wasn’t able to dispel. 9 dryads died. Still enough for me to charge. I just needed to dispel the cataclysm in my turn. Magic: 2-1, no channel, crap!

From this point on, I tried to run back. I didn’t do any significant damage in the shooting phase (high toughness, high armor and 5+ ward …). I tried to pin the skink/kroxis with my tree. He failed his 7 and got a stegadon (2D6+1 impact) on an 8 in return. That was my doom, 0:10.

Round 5: Kevin „Vladimir“ Waldkircher (Warriors of the Dark Gods)
Deamon Prince (fly, 1+), 2×2 Crushers, Warriors, Barbarians, upgraded Chariots, Dogs and an ancient chimera and 2 level 2 Fire. Break Through scenario.

There are two elements which are really tough for me: The Prince and the fire mages. Everything else, I can handle. In round 2 the chimera was dead and 40 shots on the prince (-3 armor) didn’t show any effect. On the other side, wild riders took a hard beating on fire lore (mostly the attribute …).

My opponent rushed with his prince and the crusers on the left. His BSB on deamonic mount charged the dryads. I charged the crushers on the left with my remaining 4 wild riders. I should be able to deal 3 wounds. Then I would at least stay, probably even break through. I just dealt 2 wounds. My riders died. The crusers decided to go for my bsb carrier, losing another 3 wounds on the stand and shoot and the last on the terrain.

My tree charged the deamon prince. It should take him 3-4 rounds to kill my tree. That means I get 3 crush attacks on 5+, that would kill him on 3+. In round 2 I get my crush hit, but he saves. I run away (stubborn 9) and there is nothing more to stop him. I lose the pathfinders to fire and also the scenario. I needed 2 more kills on the barbarians for half points and securing at least one tournament point. No.

Conclusio: I get disappointing 19 (out of 50) points. At least my teammates scored decently so we placed third. I need a lot more experience with the elves as well as a good overview about what the others can field. I’m looking forward to that!

The Dryad unit is a very hard hitting unit (core section!), I definitely consider overpowered. The rest of the army is fine I guess. And since also most other armies have overpowered elements, its ok (for those having the powerful tools). What I saw is, that Sylvan elves have a hard time dealing with High Toughness / high armour units. Strength 3 bows (even AP(3)) just aren’t up to the task.