So following the NZTC I've had some time to think about the list I took, and where I could improve it. Overall I enjoyed the army alot more than I ever enjoyed the Level 4 lists I ran. The Dragon gave me something to reach out and hit the enemy, and with that some modicum of game control which I never felt I had with the Level 4 list, which I always found was constantly on the back foot clawing for points where it could. While I know that the Dragon makes the game very much win big/lose big depending on the draw, I think with some decent terrain (which was the only failing of the NZTC imo), and actually getting my opponents to play the Cannon rules properly, it shouldn't be too bad. The big boy is here to stay!
Lord on Star Dragon - Dragon Armour, Warrior Bane, Charmed Shield, OTS, Talisman of Preservation.
Pretty much as good as you can run at 2400pts. The Star Dragon is such an improvement over the Moon Dragon, that I couldn't ever drop it down to get better equipment on the Lord. Lord seemed to survive alright over the weekend anyway despite the Dragon getting shot/pitted out from under him. Wish I could trade the Warrior bane for a decent weapon...WTB 2500pts for Elves?
BSB on Eagle - Dragon Armour, Great Weapon, Helm of Fortune, Guardian Phoenix
Again as good as you can get. Had no problems keeping him alive, unless I made silly mistakes, and with the Dragon around, he never got any Warmachine agro.
Mage - Level 2, Metal, Ring of Fury, Silver Wand
Had no issues with no scroll, even after this guy gapped it off the table on T1/2 a couple times vs Lvl 4s. Starting to wonder if I even need a Wizard! As for Metal, I know I played daemons 3 times, so its not the best feedback but I think I'll change over to High magic. generally lower casting values, and some very good utility spells. Also it wont be redundant in certain matchups. The Ring was amazing (when it didn't blow up...) and I'm never leaving home without it!
Archer core - 20 Archers w/Flaming, 3 X10 Archers
Perfect 600, always got me points back with the shooting, and provide 3 more chaff units to throw under the bus. Other than fiddling with unit sizes, I can't see a reason to take anything else in a HE army. You will definitely never see me with Spears on the table ever...
26 White Lions w/ Banner of Swiftness, Amulet of Light
Always good, cleaned up several units of Letters, but really not strong enough to take anything by themselves without being taken out of the game entirely afterwards. Note to self, avoid Kdaii and Sphinx in future! Never used the Amulet but I know in a general game it'll be useful. Banner of Swiftness caught out a couple of opponents and helped them somewhat keep up with the Dragon, but I can see the use of the Standard of Balance and might try that at some point soon.
6 Dragon Princes
I never really got that much out of them.. Partly my fault, partly my opponents armies fault, but I'm not sure they were really worth it. tended to leave them sweeping a flank, which they did well but not for that many points. Gonna replace them with 2 units of Chaffmasters for a bit and see how that goes
3 Eagles
They're Eagles, Theyre good. Nuff said. I'll keep running 3 for now, but 1 is pretty much the first thing to drop if I wanna squeeze some points for something else.
And so the new list I'll run whenever I can play some 2400 games (sadly VIC seems to be going through a phase of 2000pt tournies, which I don't like as it forces me back down the Lvl 4 route but what can ya do) will be:
Lord on StarDragon - as above
BSB - as above
Level 2 - same equipment but High Magic
15 Archers w/flaming banner
15 Archers w/ Banner (for Blood and Glory, and just because I fucked up and left some archers at home, so Maiden guard ftw...)
10 Archers w Muso
10 Archers w Muso
23 White Lions w/ Banner of Swiftness, Potion of Foolhardiness (extra attack can't hurt?)
7 Swordmasters w Champ w/ Talisman of Loec
7 Swordmasters
3 Eagles - considering dropping an Eagle for couple more Lions and the Amulet of Light back but will see if I need it.
Anyway, for once its not a drastic of army or playstyle which is new for me after tournaments, and probably my biggest failing in terms of results, so we'll run this for a bit and see how it rolls!
Peace out
James
its kind of funny, that I for one would never take archers for anything more than a mage bunker. In nearly every army...
ReplyDeleteI just don't find shooting does anything to me, and when I run shooting it does squat to them.
I think a lot of it is play style and the rest of the army but Ive found that the stuff Spearmen can kill, Archers can kill from further away. The stuff they can't, neither can my archers but I get three extra units of chaff to throw under the bus vs 1, and Spears don't hold much longer than ten archers very much these days...
Deletehear hear!
DeleteSpears just die, at least archers can clear out chaff (freeing up RBT's for more exciting targets). + the provide extra chaff.
A unit of 20 archers can rank up just as well if you need a bit of steadfast/something to cast 5+ ward/stubborn on.
Nice to see the return of the Star Dragon-I might have to give it a go myself.