Tactics vs Empire Swordman Bunker

[Voltan]

The empire player stocks up on a 40 model unit. General in front rank with 4++, Sword of Anti heroes, Dawnstone, Full plate Armour and shield.
Alongside him stands the Warrior priest - Enchanted shield, Von Horstmans (switcharoo magic item), Heavy armour, Warrior bane.
Full command unit.

Somewhere in there will be 2 lvl 2 Light casters.

How would YOU proceed?

 

[Blutsauger]

The question is, will it blend? And the answer is yes.

 

[Voltan]

But but ... Van Horstmanns speculum. Wait, i can accept the challenge with my unit champ. He'll switch the stats with him then as the rules for the item states he HAS to do the switch on challenge and can only switch his S, T, I and A with the challenger/challenged. So if i charge him with a unit of BK, I won't challenge him, I'll run the combat as normal. If he challenges me (which he'll prob do cos he'll be thinking he got me with Van Horstmanns) I'll accept with my champ/Hell knight.

That can turn out quite good. Seeing as the Hell knight and the priest got identical stats. My VL can then proceed to build up some wounds for Combat resolution.

But i am still worried about the casters. They won't be able to target my unit in contact with them at that moment unless a spell specifies so. How can i neutralize them to protect my Hexies?

 

[Blutsauger]

But but ... Van Horstmanns speculum. Wait, i can accept the challenge with my unit champ. He'll switch the stats with him then as the rules for the item states he HAS to do the switch on challenge and can only switch his S, T, I and A with the challenger/challenged. So if i charge him with a unit of BK, I won't challenge him, I'll run the combat as normal. If he challenges me (which he'll prob do cos he'll be thinking he got me with Van Horstmanns) I'll accept with my champ/Hell knight.

That can turn out quite good. Seeing as the Hell knight and the priest got identical stats. My VL can then proceed to build up some wounds for Combat resolution.

But i am still worried about the casters. They won't be able to target my unit in contact with them at that moment unless a spell specifies so. How can i neutralize them to protect my Hexies?

Don't forget, you want your blender to take out his general before he gets to attack. With only 3+ and 4++ saves you should be able to drop him without too much trouble, but any decent blender unit will have at least two characters in it so that sword of anti-heroes could start to hurt your black knights.

For the wizards, that's a trickier problem. You have a few options though. Firstly is taking a level four caster. That +4 to dispel is a HUGE benefit. Secondly, a dispel scroll is almost always useful. Thirdly, you can game the magic phase. Cast spells in your turn that he wants to dispel in his, like Curse of Years and Wind of Death. Finally, you have a neat tool in the Black Periapt which can really tip the balance if he's running a magic heavy army.

 

[Adam_Barrow]

Three Vargs with a Champ will rend just about any caster out there by Turn 2.

 

[Hanblack Nagash]

Use the sword of anti heroes on you VL if hes running that many charas in his unit.

Even if the wizards are not in unit you will be getting the equivilant of ogre blade with +2 attacks. And if he does put wizards in same unit even better.

To protect your hexies the scroll of shielding is a must and its cheap.

 

[Demian]

A massive unit such as that one beckons to be the victim of Curse of Years!

More so, his unit is Infantry... which is going to be slow compared to your Black Knight Cav. Even better, swordsmen are weak, and only have the advantage of Hatred from the W. Priest, but they don't hit to hard, and Skeletons will have a nice matchup against them.

He's gonna use an Empire General, if i'm not mistaken, so he'll have 3 attacks + Sword on you. A single Vampire Lord can munch any character within that Unit, even if the W. Priest drops your Hell knight and challenges your Lord (2 attacks with higher WS, str 6 will get through his armour). Sword of Anti-heroes is much much better here, as geordieclubba suggests.

Humans are easily frightened! Go for the Screaming banner here!

Scroll of Shielding + Dispel Scroll + Lvl 4 Caster + RiP Spells like Curse of years, Wind of Death will eat through him! As Adam says, go get a 3-4 man vargheist unit and hunt them down. Kill them all! (and Warmachines)

 

[Voltan]

hmmmm I'll need to change my list and make sure i get in a flank charge to negate his rank bonus.

Thanks

 

[DominicJ]

tarpit.

I get that unit to be 800pts or there abouts.
Thats a lot of points to bunker two lv2 wizards.
Tarpit it, get a big zombie blob in their and its wasted.
Or if you really want it dead.
18 Vargs is the sort of firepower you can throw at it for that.
40 black knights

 

[Mr. West]

... General in front rank with 4++, Sword of Anti heroes, Dawnstone, Full plate Armour and shield.

Lets see .... first off, that build is illegal.
In case he gets the 4++ bestowed on him by Taliman of Preservation he is not able to choose the Dawnstone again.
Should he get the 4++ via the Armour of Destiny his normal armour save will be down one point, since he cannot combine that magical armour with the Full Plate Armour you listed.
So ... illegal build on the general.

Also, I wouldn't be afraid of the Sword of Anti-Heroes, it's highly situational in the current meta and, given the fact you seem to know his list and are trying to tailor against it (which is no fun IMHO anyways) easily countered as well.

How would YOU proceed?

1. What's so scary about Empire Swordmen ?

2. He's seriously putting all his characters in one unit, lurking there like a big birthday cake ?
Well, weaken it with magic, screams etc. before you charge it.
If you believe you're unable to do so, try to avoid it. That's one expensive unit and should be easily tarpitted or redirected, as others have mentioned. Feed it something that's only a fraction of its own value to keep it busy.

3. Death Snipes :grave:

 

[Voltan]

Open lists Mr. West. He'll be doing the same and just before the war we submit our new lists (updated Items but mostly same units) So it ends up quite fun and funny to boot.

Thanks for your opinion

 

[RarerMonsters]

I'm not sure what the problem is. Swordsmen hit at S3. His lord will hit at S5 as the strongest fighter in the unit.

Engage with knights and lord. Kill the heroes first.

And West is correct, he cannot combine the Dawnstone, 4++ and Full Plate.

 

[Hendrik Morvant]

An alternative would be charge in with charge in with Cairn Wraiths and a Tomb Banshee.

If they challenge, accept with the Banshee which is rubbish, and he can't really hurt to badly, and if he doesn't challenge you will destroy lots of his unit. Terrorgeists could work as well. Or the -1Ld forced reroll on fear test with the 3D6 picking highest 2. And a champion.

 

[RarerMonsters]

An alternative would be charge in with charge in with Cairn Wraiths and a Tomb Banshee.

If they challenge, accept with the Banshee which is rubbish, and he can't really hurt to badly, and if he doesn't challenge you will destroy lots of his unit. Terrorgeists could work as well. Or the -1Ld forced reroll on fear test with the 3D6 picking highest 2. And a champion.

The lord with magic weapon will shred ethereals. Terrorgheists aren't good against massed infantry because they can afford to lose wounds and have solid LD with the lord in the unit, and fear is useless, no matter how many modifiers you stack on it.

 

[Aedin]

How would I proceed...

Death Council :devil2: