Fighting High Elves

[bendor]

A friend and me are playing a 3000pt battle. I've got the orcs and goblins. He's got the high elves. Now my question is what is the best tactic against high elves? I know that he relies on magic as well as his 2 bolt throwers. He tries to weaken me with his magic and bolt throwers as i plunge forward while the rest of his army waits for me to come.

So first of all what i did is take Grom as my general, this way my goblins won't fear the high elves anymore because of the 'eats elves for breakfast'-rule. I've put him in the middle of my army with 2 units of night goblins on each side. He expects that these units contain a certain amount of fanatics, but i haven't included them. So i think he's going to try to avoid closing in with his cavalry.

Then one unit of big 'uns to the left and two units of orc boys to the right. I expect them to do the heavy bashing against those wussie elves. As elves don't have a high toughness i put in 5 wolf chariots: 2 on the right side almost on the flank, 2 to the left side almost on the flank and 1 in the middle next to Grom. So i'm going to try to plunge forward with my chariots and get them into close combat, so that in the meantime my goblins and orcs get time to join the battle.

Then both flanks have 10 wolf riders. With these i'll try to outflank them.

I've taken 4 more shaman's. These are just focussed on defending my troops. I've given one of them the staff of sneaky stealing so i can steal one power dice and add them to my dispel pool. The others i gave dispell scrolls. So i've got 8 dispell scrolls. So i'll have a bunch of dispell dice and scrolls to defend my troops while they try to get in close combat. There are 2 night goblin shaman's 1 goblin shaman and 1 orc great shaman. I'll put them into units so that they can't be a target for his shooting and maging. So i think i got his magic phase covered here.

And then i've put 3 doomdivers on a hill behind my line-up to try to take out his bolt throwers and archers.

Then the last problem is that he has got 2 great eagles. I think that he's going to try to lure out my fanatics - who i didn't include. And then he's going to go after my doomdivers. So what are your suggestions about this issue?

Thanx (sorry if there's some bad english in there)

(btw first post) wooot

[Shiodome]

nets are hilarious against the weedy elves... strength 2 elves, even goblins have a chance against that! for the eagles, you might consider splitting the wolfrider units into 4 units of 5 models? use 2 of those units for your flanky stuff... and keep the other 2 right at the back with good line of sight. the eagles shouldn't be able to get behind your main line without at least one of the units of wolf riders being within their 18" charge distance... and then at the end of the game those two units can claim the back two table quarters. (or are fast enough to rejoin the main line)

or arrer boys if you have them... 12+ arrer boys should be able to deal with a pesky eagle or two.

[bendor]

i'll try splitting my goblin wolf riders. and make sure the eagles don't get near my doomdivers. Nets are included in my night goblin unit.

This post has been edited by bendor on May 17 2009, 05:07 PM

[bendor]

Are there any other remarks about my tactic? Some changes that i should do? Or what you guys would change.
thanx

[frogczar]

I recently massacred a high-elf army at 1000 points.

I brought all the goblin magic I could and both bound items and shot the crap out of his army. Doom Diver, spear chukkas and goblin magic. HE are only toughness 3 so much of what O&G brings in that department wounds on 3s or 2s. Make him have to come to you. Stay away from the sword masters and if you must, hit him with chariots, the impact hits go before Always Strikes First.

Hope that helps.

-Frog

This post has been edited by frogczar on May 18 2009, 02:23 PM

[bendor]

hmmm maybe that isnt such a bad idea. It's the thing he least expects.
So i've got 1 orc great shaman, 2 night goblin shamans and 1 goblin shaman. These give me 12 power dice. While in the mean time i've got 7 dispell dice from my mages, 1 dispell dice extra from his power dice and 3 dispell dice with 'mork's spirit totem' (which gives me the rank bonus of big 'uns unit to my dispell dice). So that gives a total of 11 dispell dice + i've got 8 dispell scrolls.

So he won't be able to cast many spells. And because he we'll focus his magic on his power dice, he won't have alot dispell dice or dispell scrolls.

In the meantime i keep firing my doom divers. Should i focus shooting at his bolt throwers and archers first? Or go for his heavy units? And then when they are enageged in close combat fire at his bolt throwers and archers?

Then another issue is... now that i will let him come to me. Do i still need my fast cavalry? Don't forget his eagles.

I like it, i like it alot. He'll never expect for my army to let him come to me and that i'll be using my magic and doom divers.

Some feedback?
thx

[SeloneOrc]

You're already thinking correctly The key to facing high elves is impacts and death from afar. High elves are very good in combat, okay at shooting and okay at magic.
As said they drop like flies to ranged attacks, whether it be shooting or magic. They're T3 across the army and their armour saves aren't very good either.

Use your doom divers to kill his expensive close combat troops, swordmasters and dragon princes are good options. If not them shoot at spearmen or white lions that sort of thing, only after his close combat troops are dead consider shooting at archers
Their archers don't really trouble me as they lack the Strength to hurt orcs badly and the number of shots to murder goblins. They're accurate but alas bows dont hit hard.

Stick with your fast cavalry, you'll need these to slow down their fighty units, marchblock them wherever possible, remember you're trying to thin out their already thin numbers.
When you have thinned them down enough smash dem pansies with da chariots and boyz!

[bendor]

okay thanks.
What should i do with his bolt throwers? I don't fear his archers but his bolt throwers are able to hit pretty hard? Should i try to take them out with my magic?

[Shiodome]

they (bolt throwes) can't stand and shoot, just charge wolfriders at them... your shooting is all great vs elites with high armour saves (dragon princes), it'd be a shame to waste it on bolt throwers, not very effective either as after randomising between crew/war machine the odds of taking them out with shooting aren't that great.

This post has been edited by Shiodome on May 18 2009, 12:48 AM

[SeloneOrc]

The repeater bolt throwers will kill a few of your boyz yes, as said by Shio fast cav are a good option to use against them. Whilst shooting/magicing warmachines you have a good chance of hitting the T7 war machine sadly.

This post has been edited by SeloneOrc on May 18 2009, 01:03 AM

[bendor]

ok thank you guys
i'll let u know when i massacred them silly elves

[Guthrag Da Devious]

Chariots I find to be ideal against High Elves, the impact hits happen before the ASF. Perfect for dealing with annoying Sword Masters. Down side with Gobbo chariots is fear tests, but can't have everything. Grom should sort that issue out.

[Groznit Goregut]

What you should do for some of your shaman is make them regular goblin shaman. Stick them on a chariot. That should save you your special slots. Get a couple of bolt throwers. They should help against the eagle and against any cavalry.

If you feel you have enough dispel dice, give one night goblin shaman the bagpipes that will cause all cavalry within range to flee. Use that if his cavalry gets close.

If you plan on advancing at all against him, you might want to think about using a large unit of arrer boyz (or proxy them). 25 arrer boyz with full command act just like regular boyz. March them within range of his war machines on a hill and you can fire all 25 shots at the unit. That should kill one war machine a turn. They are hard to deal with and he will have to spend a lot to make a unit like that panic. The only weakness is if you don't get aggressive, he will easily hit any unit that advances in the flanks.

If you have snotlings, you can use them. Send a few of them out at his war machines. They are cheap and if he spends anything trying to fight or shoot them, then you are in luck! If he ignores them, then send them after his war machines. Just make sure he doesn't get to charge them, break them, and get extra movement on your lines. This might work best on the flank.

Trolls might not be a bad idea, if you have any (or Rare slots left). If you are playing defensive, their stupidity won't matter much.

Snotling pump wagons are also great against HE, and especially eagles. They charge 360.

Good luck in the game! I'd love to hear the results.

This post has been edited by Groznit Goregut on May 18 2009, 03:18 PM

[bendor]

Massacred the high elves

You should have seen the look on his face when i told him how many dispell dice and scrolls i had. His magic phase didn't hit me at all. He was very surprised when i didn't move my army. I just held my ground. Then i started shooting the hell out of his army with me 2 bolt throwers and 3 doom divers. It took him 4 turns to get into close combat with me.
1st turn he didn't move at all expecting me to come to him. Big mistake
His shooting didn't do much because of the high toughness of my units. The only pain in the ass was his mage 'teclis' who got some irresistable force spells. But again they didn't do much damage.

Then when he got into charge range of my chariots and wolf riders. I charged with my whole army. Causing alot of casualties. And by then the battle was fought. I had his weakened units surrounded and were able to flank them.

I enjoyed seeing his face when his army got pwned. He told me this was the most lame battle ever. I beg to differ.

thanks for the tips guys

[GRIMZAG BLOODTHUG]

bendor congrats on the win.