Warhammer 40k Forum and Wargaming Forums banner

Escalation - 500 Points - Friendly

4K views 18 replies 5 participants last post by  Dave T Hobbit 
#1 · (Edited)
I have been invited to join an escalation league. With the release of the new book it seemed a good time to dust off (literally) the Dark Elves lurking under my bed.

Based on 10 Corsairs with Handbows and the battalion &c. that I never assembled I threw together a couple of possible lists.

Aesthetically I want to use my infantry as spearmen and add in RXB later using the new kit; I could be persuaded if it is a huge issue.

I am looking for an idea of whether either (or both) lists are suicidal. Or very powerful.

I am open to suggestions for tweaks but would prefer to use the un-built models I have rather than buying piles of new things.


Master
, 104 pts
~ Cold One
~ Shield
~ Sword of Might

Dreadspears (18), 182 pts
~ Standard Bearer
~ Musician

Black Ark Corsairs
(10), 142 pts
~ Reaver
~~ Brace of Handbows
~ Musician
~ Standard Bearer
~ Handbows

Reaper Bolt Thrower, 70 pts

TOTAL 498



Master, 108 pts
~ Cold One
~ Heavy Armour
~ Shield
~ Sword of Might

Dreadspears (18), 182 pts
~ Standard Bearer
~ Musician

Black Ark Corsairs
(10), 130 pts
~ Musician
~ Standard Bearer
~ Additional Hand Weapons

Reaper Bolt Thrower, 70 pts

TOTAL 490
 
See less See more
#4 ·
Good point. I have not really taken the kill the unit before they strike potential on board yet.

I might leave the 10 Corsairs with RHB that I built straight after the last DE revamp in the box then, or even do some arm surgery.

Also, w/ elven M5 you should have the upper hand w/ maneuvering against a lot of armies.
Another valid point.

On another note ... did you mix up some numbers? Your second list actually comes to 502.
Yes... and yet, no.

I managed to overprice the Corsairs then get too low a total. So I actually have 10 points spare.

Not sure what to do with it; any thoughts, anyone, on something more interesting than another spearman?
 
#3 ·
I have to agree w/ Deathypoo. The range on the handbows isn't anything to write home about. So you may get a quick stand-and-shoot reaction and then ... Let the reaper do the heavy lifting for the shooting phase.

Also, w/ elven M5 you should have the upper hand w/ maneuvering against a lot of armies.

On another note ... did you mix up some numbers? Your second list actually comes to 502.

Good luck and I look forward to seeing how you develop your army! :good:
 
#5 ·
What's your plan with the master? Is he a semi-mobile warmachine killer? A character hunter? Is he going in one of your squads? How are you planning on protecting your bolt thrower? If you do have the battalion, you may want to consider taking some crosbowmen - they're pretty powerful, especially in lower point games.
 
#6 ·
What's your plan with the master? Is he a semi-mobile warmachine killer? A character hunter? Is he going in one of your squads?
My thought was to keep him seperate as a mobile higher-strength attack. As most warmachines are quite expensive, I do not anticipate facing many, so probably mostly character-killing.

How are you planning on protecting your bolt thrower?
From previous 500 point battles with other armies, I am fairly sure I will not be sure what I might be facing until the army goes down; but do not expect strong range, magic, and agility all at once, so I was planning to play my defence slightly by ear. If they are likely to come to me then hold the Dreadspears back.

If you do have the battalion, you may want to consider taking some crosbowmen - they're pretty powerful, especially in lower point games.
Aesthetically, I prefer the old spears to the new ones whereas my preference for the older RXB is very mild, so are RXB useful enough that it is worth building them, then stripping and arm-swapping them when I expand to larger points? I am aiming for friendly not brutal anyway, so is the list dangerously weak without them? If I were taking them, what would you recommend dropping?
 
#8 ·
Alright no prob. I just very much enjoy shooting at low point values, and crossbowman are fun to play with (not so much fun to play against though, so maybe not with the reaper for friendly games). Your list is definitely strong enough for friendly though, so I wouldn't worry too much.
 
#10 ·
Have you thought about trying to squeeze a unit of cold one knights in at this points value they would be awesome possibly something like this at 500 PTSD


Master cold one lance ha
Shield sea dragon cloak

15x dread spears fc

5x cold one knights

Reaper bolt thrower

This leaves 15pts to play with maybe a magic banner or something on the dread spears
 
#11 ·
Have you thought about trying to squeeze a unit of cold one knights in at this points value they would be awesome possibly something like this at 500 PTSD
Interesting. That would give me a real punch, and save me having to rush army swaps on any Corsairs.

Master cold one lance ha
Shield sea dragon cloak
Not sure about that much armour; unless my maths is wonky I make it effectively a 0+. If I dropped the heavy armour he would still have a 1+.

15x dread spears fc
As there would not be a character to protect from bad challenges a Lordling seems expensive for an extra attack. Were you thinking of challenge blocking enemy characters?

This leaves 15pts to play with maybe a magic banner or something on the dread spears
Or trimming heavy armour and the lordling I could run 18 Dreadspears, letting me have 6x3 for maximum attacks or 5x3+ for retaining rank bonus.
 
#12 ·
On the armor save: Is sea dragon cloak always a +2 save now? I know it used to be +2 vs shooting and +1 in HtH. If it still works like it did before, you'd get a 1+ at all times since in this edition you can never have better than a 1+ AS.

For the extra 15pts: Maybe a standard for the COK and the Gleaming Pennant to help avoid any early failed Stupidity tests.

If you go w/ the COK would you put the Master in there? That would make a killer unit but then you'd be leaving the spears and Reaper to their own devices and w/o support.
 
#14 ·
On the armor save: Is sea dragon cloak always a +2 save now?
It is. Simpler, but now slightly more expensive.

If you go w/ the COK would you put the Master in there? That would make a killer unit but then you'd be leaving the spears and Reaper to their own devices and w/o support.
A tricky question. To an extent it would depend on what I am facing and the table size: a 4'x4' table would leave less room for someone to get around the end of my assault.

Good catch on the armour maybe drop sea dragon cloak and take an enchanted shield leaving 23pts to use instead of 15
Beefing up the Master so he can bimble around on his own might be sensible whichever build I go for. I was wondering about a ward save though just in case.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top