Karak Norn Book of Grudges entry, Athel Loren must pay!

Last Thursday I had a game against 3000 points of Dwarves.  Hoo boy what a game!

I'll make a quick listing of both lists (from what I can remember and my horrible scribbled notes) then go fully into the battle report!.
3000 Pts - Wood Elves Roster - The Great Hunt, War Host of Athel Loren


Waywatcher Lord Sylvos Greystorm the Huntsman, Ranger General of Athel Loren (1#, 247 pts)
1 ×Wood Elf Highborn, 247 pts (General; Scout Kindred; Hand Weapon; Longbow; Extra Hand Weapon; Light Armour; Shield; Extra Attack)
1 The Bow of Loren
1 Dragonbane Gem
1 Arcane Bodkins
The Stalkers of the Silent Path (10#, 240 pts)
10 Waywatchers, 240 pts (Hand Weapon; Extra Hand Weapon; Longbow; Extra Attack; Scouts; Skirmishers)
The Farstriders of Lady Dreamsinger (20#, 268 pts)
20 Glade Guard, 268 pts (Musician Mus; Standard Bearer Std; Hand Weapon; Longbow)
1 Banner of Eternal Flame
The Twilight Host (14#, 186 pts)
14 Glade Guard, 186 pts (Musician Mus; Standard Bearer Std; Hand Weapon; Longbow)
The Handmaidens of Dornatha, the Verdant Rage (9#, 120 pts)
8 Dryads, 120 pts (Causes Fear; Skirmishers)
1 Branch Nymph
Archdruidess Nysa Greystorm the Storm Maiden, Hierophant of Athel Loren (1#, 325 pts)
1 Spellweaver, 325 pts (Level 4 Upgrade; Hand Weapon; Longbow)
1 The Rhymer's Harp
Lady Nepenthia Dreamsinger, Stormsinger of Athel Loren (1#, 112 pts)
1 Wood Elf Noble (Battle Standard Bearer), 112 pts (Hand Weapon; Light Armour; Battle Standard Bearer)
1 Rageth's Wildfire Blades
1 Dragonhelm
The Spears of Loren, Storm Wardens of Coeth-Mara (18#, 291 pts)
17 Eternal Guard, 291 pts (Musician Mus; Standard Bearer Std)
1 Guardian
1 Razor Standard
The Wolfkin, Feral Knights of Durthu (6#, 390 pts)
6 Tree Kin, 390 pts (Causes Fear; Flammable; Scaly Skin)
The Outriders of Twilight, Huntsmen of Kurnous (10#, 296 pts)
9 Wild Riders of Kurnous, 296 pts (Musician Mus; Standard Bearer Std; Spear; Light Armour; Fast Cavalry; Magic Resistance (1))
1 Wild Hunter (Spear; Light Armour)
10 Elven Steed
Scryah, the Last Shadow (1#, 50 pts)
1 Great Eagle, 50 pts (Flyer)
Gwynador, the Scion of the Sethayla (1#, 50 pts)
1 Great Eagle, 50 pts (Flyer)
Dornatha, the Verdant Rage (1#, 285 pts)
1 Treeman, 285 pts (Causes Terror; Flammable; Large Target; Scaly Skin; Stubborn; Thunder Stomp)
Ce'Nedra the Thorn Maiden (1#, 140 pts)
1 Branchwraith, 140 pts (Level 1 Wizard; Causes Fear)
1 A Cluster of Radiants


The Karak Norn Clan - 3000 points

Dwarf Lord w/ ASF rune, +1 armor save and 4+ ward save on shieldbearers.
Dwarf Runesmith on Anvil of Doom w/ the 2+ ward save vs. missiles
BSB Thane w/ Rune of Valaya
Dwarven Dragonslayer w/ Flaming Rune weapon
20 Warriors w/ shield and full command
20 Rangers w/ greatweapons and full command
20 Longbeards w/ full command, shields, 5+ ward save rune standard
28 Slayers w/ full command
27 Slayers w/ full command
20 Dward Quarellers w/ full command
Organ Gun
Bolt Thrower w/ some rune that made it stronger
Cannon that was flaming 
Grudge Thrower with some Accuracy rune




Those were the two 3000 point lists.  That was a lot of dwarves to chew through but man.. it was a blast here is the actual report however.


Deployment:
The deployment was using the diagonal Meeting Engagement zones and fortunately for both of us neither army had any models placed in reserves in the beginning of the game.

As you can see the Dwarven Rangers and Wood Elven Waywatchers both had the same idea, deploy from behind and attempt to bushwhack.



Wood Elves Turn 1

The Wood Elves start out by throwing down the gauntlet and charging with the Dryads.  Remarkably enough I roll box cars on the charge and make the distance as well as suffer 0 casualties from his stand and shoot from the Quarellers.  The Dryads wipe out the Quarellers and reform while the Glade Guard pelt the S2 unit of Slayers inflicting some pretty impressive casualties for being S3 at long range.  The Spellweaver casts thorn of vines and gets off the Toughness spell and casts Dwellers on the unit with the BSB and General inflicting some casualties.  The Waywatchers and their Lord manage to slaughter the Organ gun and cause my opponent to look at me with a look of thinly veiled contempt hehe.


Dwarves Turn 1

The Slayers in group S1 charge the Eternal Guard while the Bolt Thrower and Cannon inflict 2 casualties on the Treekin.  The Grudge Thrower manages to veer off course and misses the Glade Guard unit 1 while the Rangers turn to face the Wild Riders that were previously in their flank.  The General and his unit of Longbeards move forward while Slayer unit 2 bumbles forth to slay some archers.

The river btw was rolled as a River of Light - the Slayers suffered 3 S4 hits from the fire spell.  The Wild Riders forest the previous turn was an ordinary forest while the forest that the Longbeards entered was a Wildwood.

The Slayers and Eternal Guard combat results in the Slayers losing and hanging out.



Wood Elves Turn 2

The Wild Riders start the turn out by charging the Rangers.  The Treeman charges the Unit of Dwarven Warriors and hitting their flank.  The Waywatchers inflict a wound on the Bolt Thrower crew while the Treekin move into position and the Glade Guard continue to whittle down the Slayer 2 Unit.  The Great Eagles fly into flanking position while the Treeman causes the Warriors to lose combat and fail 2 LD10 tests.

The Treeman runs down the Dwarven Warriors and overruns into the Bolt Thrower.
The Wood Elves recast Throne of Vines, Regrowth and Toughness spell.
The River of Light gives the Slayers Init 10 and WS10.


Dwarves Turn 2

The Dwarves start the turn out by charging the Eternal Guard with the Longbeards, the Slayers 2 charge the unit of 20 Glade Guard suffering many casualties by making contact.
The Runelord casts some fury rune spell that causes one of the Great Eagles to pop in an explosion of fire and feathers and giving 2 wounds to the other one.  The Cannon inflicts another casualty on the Treekin while the Grudge Thrower reduces the unit of 14 Glade Guard down to below 25%.  The Wild Riders are defeated and run off the board by the Rangers while the Bolt Thrower is chewed up by the Treeman.  The Slayers fail to actually inflict any casualties relying on the general and his longbeards to do all the heavy lifting.  Meanwhile the other slayers manage to butcher the Glade Guard to a man.

The result was the Eternal Guard lost but where stubborn 9 and held.


Wood Elves Turn 3

The Dryads attempt to come to the aid of their Spellweaver and charge the Longbeards in the rear while the Great Eagle slams into the flank of the Grudge Thrower.  The Treekin reform to get into better position and the Waywatchers slaughter the Runelord.  The Glade Guard fail to slay the lone Slayer (the Dragonslayer I later found out) and the Treeman reduces the Bolt Thrower to splinters after doing a few wounds last turn.  Regrowth/Throne of Vines and Toughness spell all go off.  2 Miscasts avoided due to Throne of Vines - phew!

Slayers took 1 wound from the Lore of Light spell from the river.


Dwarves Turn 3

The Dragonslayer turns around to get into position to charge the Glade Guard next turn while the Rangers march to come to their general's aid.  The Grudge Thrower crew battles with the Great Eagle and the Treekin suffer yet another casualty from that damn fire runed cannon.  More casulaties are inflicted on both sides.

Slayers took 3 Str4 hits on 2d6 from whatever spell it is in Lore of Light but took 0 wounds. Figures.


Wood Elves Turn 4

Treekin rear charge the Slayers fighting the Eternal Guard and the Treeman charges the Cannon.  The Magic phase goes off pretty well with Throne of Vines and Regrowth.  The Glade Guard inflict 1 wound on the Dragonslayer.  The Slayers are wiped out by the Eternal Guard and the Treekin but the Dryads fall in battle to the Longbeards.  The Treeman crushes the Cannon and overruns into the Grudge Thrower helping the eagle pulp it.  Longbeards lose combat but manage to stay due to getting snake eyes on their break test.  Figures...

Treekin recieved WS10 and I10 from the River.  Wildwood has yet to actually do anything to either of us.


Dwarves Turn 4

Dragonslayer charges and slays the remaining Glade Guard. The Rangers make a full advance while the Eternal Guard, BSB and Spellweaver all fall to the Longbeards.  The Treekin and General are touching corner to corner so they both hang in there.

Treekin took 2 S4 hits but no wounds from river.


Wood Elves Turn 5

Treekin and unit maximize after last combat with the Treekin making the LD test.  Still not sure if we did that legally but oh well.  The Great Eagle, Treeman and Waywatchers move forward.  Waywatchers land some substantial casualties on the Rangers and the General falls to the Treekin.

The Treekin recieved ASF and +1 attack from river.


Dwarves Turn 5

The Dragonslayer charges into the flank of the Treekin and the Rangers make a full advance.  The Longbeards take 3 Str 4 hits from WildWood the Treekin take 3 but 0 wounds.  The Dragonslayer gets pulped by the augmented Treekin as do the rest of the Longbeards. Treekin reform to face the incoming Rangers.


Wood Elves Turn 6 - Final Turn!

The Waywatchers move into position to provide LD10 bubble to the Treekinand Treeman.  The Treeman moves forward and the Treekin charge the Rangers.  The Ranger reduce the remaining Treekin into kindling after taking some pretty substantial damage and run him down.  Hrm...not good.


Dwarves Turn 6 - The Final Round!

The Waywatchers flee from the Ranger charge (cowardly I know but whatever) and the Rangers redirect into the flank of the Treeman.  The Treeman for some reasons channels the power of whoop ass and does maximum carnage to the Rangers by his Strangleroot stand and shoot, 5 wounds in close combat and 5 wounds Thunderstomping.  He wins combat and chases down the Rangers.



Wood Elves win!


Seriously one of the closest games I've played.  I find is mind boggling that at 3k points we were both reduced to literally less than 25% of our army.  I had 2 rare selections totally a little of 500 points and my General left while he had a unit of rangers in the last turn.  That is a ton of carnage.  I had a blast.  The river really served as a bane and a boon to both of us during the game but at the same time it was actually kind of fun.  I will post a follow up to this report tomorrow or the next day where I'll examine the strengths and weaknesses of the Wood Elves vs. Dwarves.