Kings of War 3rd Edition: #078 Herd vs Elves in Salt the Earth

Intro and Lists

My opponent for the second game was Michael, who is the absolute picture of joviality and sportsmanship. I don’t think I have ever seen him not grinning and chuckling. I have seen him around the shop frequently, but we have never had the chance to play. 

Michael brought some splendidly painted Mantic Elves, and my photos do not do them justice. He is a fervent hobbiest, and picked up his army a few years back, but only recently got to gaming with it. Like my pervious opponent, he too is mainly running what he already has, using the league to exploring it and learn, rather than chasing a meta, which is an approach I commend. As I understand it, a typical Elf list usually runs Gladestalkers and Drakon Riders, neither of which appear here! In the league, your opponent in your first game of the month designates an MVP to one of your units, and you roll on a table to get a benefit or stat boost. I didn’t quick catch everything, but the gist of his list was as follows:

While I played some against Elves back in Second Edition, this is their first proper blog debut for 3rd, and was a treat to see on the table. He too has a little bit of everything, for infantry he has a strong horde and as well as a regiment of Def5 Palace Guard, as well as two troops and a regiment of Tallspears, all to hold ground. There are Battlecats as chaff, and Silverbreeze Cavalry to harass and upgraded Stormwind Cavalry to smash. Leading the force was an ASB with the Lute, a smaller Lord on Drakon, and lastly a legendary centerpiece known as Tydarion Dragonlord. Rounding things out for the list was a single Bolt Thrower, as he wanted to see what it did. 

The Tallspear troops in particular were intriguing to me, as Phalanx really shuts the Herd down, and I had been idly considering “picket" troops like these myself. There was a lot of speed on the table, but the speediest things were against me. He also has more chaff than me, so positioning was going to be important.

I brought the above. After pooh-poohing the Longhorn centric emergency backup list from the Interstate Doubles Tournament a bit, I wanted to use August try and embrace them and see if I could find a use for them that was better suited for my tastes. The second list for the day explored troops as well, and up to test was much of the same:

• Spear Hordes. Chalice and stock. Points were a little tight since I went with the Wiltfather this time. The Tribal Spears have continued to impress in many forms though. They should do fine, but we’ll see how they do.
• Longhorn Troops. I was testing the troops again, again looking to make use of Rally if I could. The first game they were more part of my line, so I wanted to try them as a dedicated second-line unit here, hanging back to Rally and react.
• Harpies. The Herd have just one chaff unit for this game, but mine does have Flying, so we shouldn’t get bogged down in a chaff fight. We’ll see what they can block up.
• Guardian Brutes. They are a good hammer unit, and I am starting to remember Fury and Brutal, making them a little more effective.
• Centaur Striders. Dropping the second Herder freed up a lot of points, and I was able to fit these in. As discussed in previous games, they are not shock cavalry, and they are my only cavalry-like unit, so we’ll hold them back and try to support our line and see how they do as a one-of and in a supporting role. 
• Druid. They have been my go-to for Inspiring since they are pretty cheap, and can also help out with some repeatable Bane Chants. I want to explore some other options, but am still leaning on the Druids for right now.
• Forest Warden. I liked the discovery of the Greater Earth Elementals in part because they paired nicely with the Forest Wardens, which would in turn help me with my sources of Inspiring issues. While he has nothing to Surge here, we’ll see how he does, and if he is worth running solo. I think a more offensive item might be better generally, but something like the Trickster’s Wand can be a dud against some of the local lists, and something the Boomstick wants more shooting alongside it. So, I opted for the Lute this time to try and help out the other units to see what that felt like as a baseline. 
• Wiltfather. He definitely seems like a popular pick with any army that can field him. I didn’t bring much Verdant stuff to Scout and fight along with him, nor much speedy stuff to run up and join in either. We’ll see how the Wiltfather, largely unsupported, performs for the Herd.

Table and Terrain

We made our way back to Oddwillows after lunch, and I found myself on the same table, but on the opposite side. The terrain seemed fair before, so we kept it as-is, using the same rules as before, with the buildings as Height 9 blocking terrain, the forests as Height 6 Difficult Terrain, the fences as Height 2 Obstacles, the Hills as normal Height 3 hills, and the flat rock mat as a Height 0 difficult terrain.

Neither of us had Bluff tokens, so after 3 results of Smoke and Mirrors, we finally rolled up Salt the Earth. Objective tokens would be placed throughout the field. If we controlled them, we could burn them, and remove them from play, thus shaping what we were fighting over, though the central one could not be removed. Any objective tokens that survived to the end of the game could be scored for VP.

Positions of the tokens.

I got out deployed again, with the Fliers coming down late for the Elves. Left to right, we the Silverbreeze regiment with Battlecats preparing behind the building and near a token, the Dragonlord, and the Lord on Drakon. Behind the woods was a troop of Tallspears, and a regiment of Palace Guard. The horde with the Hammer waited nearby, inspecting the new Bolt Thrower and the Null Bolts. The line continued with more Battlecats, the Tallspear Regiment, the Quicksilver Lancers, and the final troop of Tallspears. The Elven line stretched the length of the table!

View from the left.

I deployed more compactly. We have Centaurs in Reserve out on the left. Then a front-line of Tribal Spears with the Chalice, Guardian Brutes, Wiltfather, more Brutes, and more Tribal Spears, and the Druid, safe near the building. The Forest Warden, and the three troops of Longhorns formed a second line. The Harpies ended up behind the building, safe from shooting, and waiting for a moment to fly out and die.

Everything for the Herd goes in the center.

We rolled for turn decision, but then had to rewind it for my scout moves. The Forest Warden hopped the line, and the WIltfather moved up a ways, but not ultra-aggressively, and is out of range of the fliers. The Elves are Speed 6, I am not going to get the drop on anything, but I figured a little pressure here might help.

Scout moves for the Herd.

On the reroll for deciding turn order, I won. My opponent had a wider line. I didn’t have much for speedy elements, and didn't want to push the Scout move further. The Wiltfather is safe from charges, so ultimately, I stuck my opponent with first turn, opting to hunker down and see how things would start to unfold.

Top of Round 1: Elves

The magnificent Elves push up, but tentatively. They had deployed wide, looking to corral the Herd, and seem to be trying to bide their time for that plan to play out. 

Out on the left, the Battle Cats and the Silverbreeze Cavalry move up speedily. I have no shooting, so the cats outpace the cavalry to get ready to screen for them against the Centaur Striders. 

The duo of fliers move up, keeping well away from the rather uniform 12" charge range of the Herd line. 

The Elves push out, especially on the flank.

Centrally, the Palace Guard regiment and Tallspear troops are slowed by the forest, so they just move their speed. The horde opts to keep pace with them, and the Spear Troop lags behind slightly. Both the smaller units have parts of the forest protruding along their front-facings, which is a good tactic against most armies, though won't stop the Herd!

Out on the right, the Battlecats have Pathfinder, so run over the low terrain to keep pace with the Phalanx and Quicksilver Lancer Regiments. The Troop of Spears also moves swiftly up the far flank.

The Ballista fires out into the Tribal Spears, landing 2 damage. Apparently the Elves got a bit of an overhaul since I last looked at them. The Ballista hits grant the unit Spellward now, which is a very unique interaction. 

Bottom of Round 1: Herd

Most of the Herd Moves up, cautiously as well. Since almost all of my units rely on Thunderous Charge, Phalanx can really shut down my army, and since I just have the Harpies as chaff, I am trying to pick my match-ups carefully.

The entire line moves up, and I should be threatening charges into the fliers next turn.

I don't want to fight the Palace Guard horde with the Wiltfather, since it has the Hammer of Measured force. With a spare base, we determine that the Wiltfather can pretty safely charge the Palace Guard Regiment though, and so he does. Cloak of Death hits the Spear troop, the ASB, and both Palace Guard units. He then thumps the regiment for 7 more damage, and a lucky 8 on the Nerve check secures a waver!

I opt to burn the\ two tokens in my lines, and seek to take the fight to the elves. 

Top of Round 2: Elves

The  Elves move to envelope my line. On the left, the Battlecats move up to screen for the Silverbreeze unit, who move and shoot into the Tribal Spears in the woods. Despite the cover penalty, 4 damage lands. 

They don't like the charges I gave them, but have the fly up. The elven fliers land and introduce themselves to the Centaur Striders. They didn't quite have the inches to charge, but this is bold and applies a lot of pressure here. The Centaurs aren't going to be able to do much here besides pick something to ground.

The Elves are very quick!

The Palace Guard horde elects to hold, and ready themselves for the coming Herd units. The Palace Guard regiment is wavered though, and while the Spears do get a flank charge against the Wiltfather, it is hindered though, and just 2 damage makes it through the tough bark.

More speedy Elves! Thankfully, the obstacle slows the Quicksilver Lancers down a bit.

On the right, the Tallspear troop moves at the double again, reaching my deployment zone. The Stormwind Cavalry is slowed by the Obstacle.

I was using the building to anchor my line, and my opponent sets a trap. The Tallspear regiment is able to position themselves perpendicular to my spears, but his Battlecats move up to prevent a spear-on-spear charge and set a bit of trap for me. I can only charge the cats, and if I do charge them and don't break them, I will be flanked by the Tallspears. Even if I do beat them, the unit will be facing off against the Palace Guard and the Tallspears. 

Bottom of Round 2: Herd

The Elves are being very aggressive! I was not expecting this pressure. Thankfully, it is just pressure and not actual combats yet, so I can react and reposition. 

Out on the left, the Tribal Spears with the Chalice of Wrath turn to face the rear of the fliers, the flank of the onvoming Battlecats and the front of the Silverbreeze unit. The Longhorn regiment pivots around as well, looking to aid the Striders.

The Centaurs delicately decline the chance to charge. 

I ultimately decide not to charge anything with the Centaur Striders. I back up with them instead. If my opponent wants them, he will need to commit something to picking them up, with the threat of an immediate retaliatory charge. In retrospect, I think committing to the living legend and grounding him could have been the better call, but 

Centrally, with the Tallspear troop flanking the Wiltfather, their flank is now exposed, and the Guardian Brutes hit them and obliterate them. The Wiltfather is out for elven blood and goes 10/10 on attacks into hits and damage, and the regiment is obliterated too. Since the Palace Guard horde didn't reposition at all, he is still safe from them and their measured Hammers, and so just changes facing to look angrily at them.

Charges and movement for the Herd.

The Harpies are able to fly up, keep and inch way, and still largely gum up the Palace Guard's movements. 

Protected by the Harpies, I spring the trap.

I am confident I can fight through the Battlecats, and so I spring the trap. The Tribal Spears deal 14 damage to the cats, who are devastated and routed, as it proper. With the Harpies protecting the rears of the Spears from the Palace Guard, the Tribal Spears just change facing to stare down the Tallspear regiment.

The Guardian Brutes take the hill, looking to charge off it next turn against anything, but ideally against the Palace Guard horde, since they do not have Phalanx.

Victorious positioning for the Herd.

The Second troop of Longhorns moves up to prevent the Palace Guard from fitting in against the Guardian Brutes and preventing a charge there. The third troop changes facing to try and zone out the Quicksilver Lancers and prevent them from flanking me.

Top of Round 3: Elves

The Silverbreeze unit moves at the double to avoid the arc of the braced Tribal Spears. They are safe for now, and staring at the rear of the Guardian Brutes.

Blurry picture. Sorry! 

The Palace Guard horde backs up, trying to create some space. I believe this prevents the Guardian Brutes on the hill from reaching them.

The Ballista fires into the Harpies, and manages 3 damage and a waver against them.

The Battlecats on the left charge the Centaurs, landing a solitary point of damage, but the Centaurs are still disordered and tied up.

Both Fliers decline to fight the Centaurs, avoiding the Tribal Spears and Longhorns that were waiting for them. Instead they use their speed to nimbly pivot and fly 20" down through my deployment zone. They are safe from my charges, in the middle of my circular defense, and threatening everything on my right!

At the same time, out on the right flank, the Quicksilver Lancers are still stumbling over the obstacle, but do get around the building, with the Tallspear Troop nearby for support.

Bottom of Round 3: Herd

The Quicksilver Lancers didn't make use of their full speed, which proved to be wise, as the Longhorn troop tasked with zoning them out didn't have a charge as they came around the building. The troop now has the Lancers in the front and two fliers behind them, so they move up to die. I don't move them up far, as I hope I can quickly avenge them.

Charges for the Herd. The circle charges out, trying to break the corral.

Keeping with the right, the Druid Bane Chants the Tribal Spears in the fight against the Tallspear Regiment. The Guardian Brutes charge off the hill... but the thundering charge is stopped decisively by the elven phalanx. Still, this is 60 decent attacks, and the unit is picked up. 

Victorious repositioning for (some of) the Herd.

The Spears turn to zone out the center, and the Brutes pivot to witness the Longhorns face up against some impossible odds.

The Harpies are wavered and do nothing. 

The Tribal Spears with the Chalice in the woods simply turn about. The Longhorns near them change facing to continue to threaten rears into the fliers and force reactions out of them.

The Striders land 5 into the Battlecats, and secure a lucky waver against them.

View from the left.

Centrally, the Herd makes a triple charge into the Palace Guard horde. The dice are not great though. The Brutes contribute 7 (10 expected), the Wiltfather contributes 6 (eh, 6.5 expected) and the Longhorns contribute 3 (eh, 4.4 expected). They've taken 3 rounds of Cloak of death, so are at 19 damage. They have, however, gotten some veteran benefits from the league, and even with Brutal, a 4 on the dice means this is just a Waver.

Top of Round 4: Elves

The Elves are all over the board, but have most of their infantry units.

The Quicksilver Lancers makes quick work of the Longhorn troops. My opponent wisely didn't commit more to fighting them, and the fliers are both sent into the front of the nearby Guardian Brutes. The hits are great, but there are a fair number of 1's to damage. While the Brutes take 8, they do hold against the flying duo.

The fliers commit.

The Silverbreeze unit makes a desperate and hindered flank charge into the Wiltfather, catching a Bane Chant from the ASB. It does a surprising 4 damage, but that just brings the Wiltfather to 6 damage total, and his sticks around. 

The Ballistae makes an enfilading shot into the flank of the Tribal Spears, bringing them up to 7 damage. 

Bottom of Round 4: Herd

The Spears decide to ignore the Ballistae, more worried about the massive fliers than anything else. Unfortunately, hordes are wide, and angles-wise, I can't find a way to get them past the Brutes to actually fight any of the fliers there. 

The Fliers were spun to get more accurate measurements, but the Spears can't find a way to join in.

The Brutes opt to countercharge the weaker Lord on Drakon, get a Bane chant, and land 10 damage on him, and do get the rout against him, thanks to Brutal. 

The Wiltfather counter-charges the Silverbreeze unit. I send the Forest Warden into the flank as well, looking to contribute a few damage to more reliable break them. The Warden contributes a strong 3, while the Wiltfather lands 9 combat damage on his own, and we do break the cavalry unit. 

The Harpies are no longer wavered, and fly 20, looking to claim a token in the back left of my opponent's deployment zone, near that building.

In the center, since the Palace Guard didn't withdraw, I can't get the Longhorns out of this combat easily. Additionally, their leader point is in the flank facing for the horde. With Longhorns in the flank and Guardian Brutes in the front, the Palace Guard is picked up this turn. 

Victorious, the Longhorns opt to ignore the Ballista as well and risk a shot in the back. They chance facing to help zone out the center should the Dragonlord try to get fancy. The Brutes spy a token, and I try to overrun them, but just get one inch.

Top of Round 5: Elves

Michael wakes up for work early. He is running out of steam and was considering conceding. It is dire, but with the failed overrun, the Dragonlord has a rear charge into the Guardian Brutes. It would be a shame to not roll that combat before calling it quits. 

Charges for the Elves.

The Tallspear troop moves up to secure a token, but they are staring down a horde of Tribal Spears.

The Quicksilver Lancers charge and obliterate a Longhorn troop, but they are also staring down a horde of Tribal Spears. 

Tydarion the Dragon Lord rear-charges the Guardian Brutes. The dice are most unkind.

Among the damage dice are 7 stinking ones. Only 14 damage is done (oof, about 19 is expected), and the Nerve check comes up with Insane Courage.

The Dragonlord is in a bit of a bind...

With that result... now my opponent concedes...

Game Conclusions

I thought a rear charge from Tydarion Dragonlord would let the game conclude on a bit of highlight, but the dice said absolutely not. Michael, I am sorry!

Catastrophic combat conclusion aside, it was a neat debut for the Elves here! Not having seem them in 3rd Edition yet, I had not kept up with some of their recent changes, such as the Null-Bolt on the Bolt Thrower. That is a neat design space, and a one-off could certainly give Undead or Shambling armies a headache, but as war machines, multiples still are needed to really lock down an area.

I also need to give some props to my opponent for his fliers. Fliers, especially titanic ones are hard to use. My mantra for fliers is to end your move threatening something, so you force a reaction out of your opponent. He used these very well each turn to hop around and force decisions from me. The duo is also a neat tactical pick, since the little flier is Height 4 and the lord is Height 6, so they can conga-line a bit and do some interesting moves while not blocking each other up. 

Testing Conclusion

• Tribal Spear Hordes. Even with just the Chalice, the Spears did good work here holding the line. They are still a great unit to start with if you want to start playing the Herd.
• Longhorn Troops. They felt better as a second-line unit, and like in the previous game, were really nice as a reactionary piece to hang back and zone things out. Centaur Strider Troops (105) or even Tribal Warriors (80) could fulfil that role for cheaper, but wouldn’t be as threatening, especially to non-fliers. Additionally, with the points spent on these troops, I could conceivably just be going slightly wider and avoid being outflanked or enveloped altogether. Overall, I don’t think these are a super-efficient take, but it was neat to seem them in action.
• Harpies. They gummed things up, and then didn’t even die! They had a great showing this game.
• Guardian Brutes. They made it into some combats, bested some units, held when they were charged, and I remembered Fury. They had a good showing. 
• Centaur Striders. I wasn’t sure what to do with them, but bouncing the onus back to my opponent ended up being a good call. From the Hobby Update post, we know they are ok in a grind, and were then indeed able to best the disruptive Battlecats. It wasn’t showy, but they did fine here.
• Druid with BC. Things were Inspired, and Bane Chant worked well enough, so she did fine too, though again it wasn’t showy.
• Forest Warden. I was hesitant to run him without any Elementals, but I like him. There are probably better items to take, but the Lute worked fine, and he even contributed some damage in the fight against the Silverbreeze. 
• Wiltfather. He was a powerhouse, but was admittedly rolling quite well. I think I lucked out with my opponent underestimating him and not repositioning the Palace Guard Horde at all, banking on them contributing to the trap he set on my right. Unsupported was a little too risky for my taste, so if I take him in the future, I think I need to build and plan around him more.

A big thank you to Michael for sticking around for a second game. The Elves are stunning and crisply painted and were a treat to see across the table. I hope to see you across the table again soon buddy!