Well, heres the battle report i played against my friends red host. This his second time against angelic beings, and the only request he made was that if play him his priest was allowed to take lore of heavens. I accepted.
Angelic Beings
Heroes
Princedom
Star fall
Extra Hand Weapon
=139pts
Virtue
Level 2
2x Dispel scroll thing
Lore of Light
Burning Gaze, Healing Hand
=190pts
Virtue
Level 2
Spell weaver
Lore of the Ancients
Angelic Blast, Azraels Protection, Serraphals Last Wish
=180pts
Core
12 Angels
Full Command
(Princedom)
=162pts
12 Angels
Full Command
=162pts
12 Angels
Full Command
=162pts
8 Vengeances
=192pts
Special
3 Powers
=186pts
5 Sons of fire
=155pts
Rare
Senat
=480pts
The Red Host of Tehenhauin
Lord
Tehenhauin- The prophet of Sotek
SPC, so lots of gribbly special rules
Level 3 wizard
Second Sign of Amul, Portent of far, Comet of Cassandora
=350pts
Heroes
Skink Chief
Shield
Scimitar of the Sun Resplendent
Sacred Spawning of Sotek
Red Crest
Light armour
=122pts
Skink Chief
Sacred Stegadon Helm
Bane Head
Scout
Blowpipe
Sacred Spawning of sotek
Red Crest
=143pts
(Both chiefs count as one hero choice and may take up to 75pts of magic items. Red host special rules)
Skink Priest
Level 2
Rod of the storm
Forked Lighting, Uranons Thunderbolt
Blessed Spawning of Sotek
Red Crest
=150pts
Core
50 Red Crested Skinks
Sign of Sotek
Full Command
=397pts
50 Red Crested Skinks
War Banner
Full Command
=397pts
2 Jungle Swarms
=120pts
(Tehenhauin)
12 Skink Skirmishers
Blowpipes
Sacred Spawning of Sotek
=72pts
12 Skink Skirmishers
Sacred Spawning of Sotek
Blowpipes
=72pts
12 Skink Skirmishers
Sacred Spawning of Sotek
Blowpipes
=72pts
Rare
Engine of the Gods
=215pts
Total= 1989pts
Scenario: Pitched Battle
6x4 board
Scenery from angelic point of view, left to right.
Hill, bottom left, forest, centre left, Ruins, lizard men end, chicken coop (don’t ask) close right, Hill, close right, hill far right lizard men end, clock tower far right centre.
Angelic Deployment Left to right
Vengeances, Sons of fire, angels, Virtue, angels, Virtue, Powers, angels, Seant.
Lizard men deployment (from my perspective)
Jungle swarms, Skirmishers, Red Crests, Skirmishers, Red Crests, Priest, Skirmishers, Engine of the gods. Scouting chief deploys just behind Clock tower. Other chief joins Red crest unit in the centre.
The Red host won the roll off for first turn.
Turn 1- Red Host
The entire army advanced, With the Skink chief behind the clock tower running straight towards the seant and his guardians, hoping to take them out with poison before they could release the creature.
The magic phase was very short, with the skink priest attempting to cast Forked Lighting and failing, he then attempted Uraons thunderbolt, which also failed. Tehenahauen Attempted to cast Comet of Cassandora but miscast. Rolling on the table it came up a 9, ending the magic phase.
Shooting saw the engine of the gods Hurtle a comet at my central angel unit, however it scattered wide. The scouting chief attempted to blowpipe the angels carrying the Senat, however he missed with every shot.
The skink skirmishers were far out of range to target anything and so the Red Host ended there turn with 0 kill count.
Turn 1- Angelic Beings
Probably my most pressing concern was the skink chief attacking the Senat. It would take at least another two turns before I could engage it with another unit and so I decided I would need to release it. I marched them directly forward so hopefully after the Senat was released he would have a view of the rest of the battle.
The rest of the army could see quite clearly with there huge movement rate the red host would engage next turn, and so, to hopefully prolong the inevitable the Angels turned and flew backwards, away from the red host making sure (using mathematics) that they were just out of charge range, for now.
The sons of fire and the Vengeances headed for Tenhenahuin and his retinue to hopefully use there combined power to topple the mighty prophet of sotek.
The magic phase came and it began with a mighty angelic blast being shot into the skink skirmishers closest to the Senat. The blast took out four of the skinks but they passed their panic check.
Azraels protection was dispelled convincingly.
Burning gaze was also cast and thrown against one of the red crest units. Even through all of the red hosts dispel dice it was still able to get through and took down six of the red crests. Due to their number no panic check was needed.
Star fall was dispelled by the last of the Red Hosts dispel dice.
Now came the part I was looking forward to. I just had to pass an Ld test for the angels in order to release him. Luckily I just made the test unleashing the horror that is the senat unto the world.
Immediately devouring its four guardians destroying and preventing their souls from returning to the void.
Thehenhauin himself felt the pain as the creature’s tentacles devoured the Skink chief in dark light (after 2 power points spent). It then turned its attention to others around it. Its tentacles flicked up into the air and tore down 3 of the skink skirmishers approaching him leaving four remaining they fled in terror from the senat.
With all its power points spent it had generated enough energy for a further four points of power next turn.
The shooting phase saw the sons of fire hurl balls of flame at Tehenhauin. (We used the rules saying they suffer no negative modifiers for movement or long range etc).
The Jungle Swarms around him took 3 wounds to protect their master.
With no other shooting my turn ended.
Turn 2- Red Host
After a bit of ooing and ahhing as to weather his red crests were in charge range or not he decided that even if they weren’t sheer numbers and skirmishers will carry the day. Both red Crest units declared charges on angel units, and both times, as I had earlier calculated it was a failed charge. Unfortunately, to his horror, this left him in good line of sight for the Senat to do some damage.
The skinks that were fleeing failed to rally and continued to run.
The rest of the red host advanced, mostly in order to protect the flanks of the red crests. Tehenhauin advanced to try and tempt the Vengeances and Sons of fire into charging. The Engine of the Gods popped out in order to try and take on the Senat alone.
The magic phase saw the Skink priest releasing the rod of the storm on my powers unit. I decided it would be a better idea to dispel it, using 2 dice, it was stopped. The priest now attempted to cast forked lighting and got it off with Irresistible force. This hit my powers and knocked two wounds of one of the beasts. The skink priest decided to hand over the rest of the power dice to Tehenhauin who put four dice into casting Comet of cassandora on the senat. Rolling a massive 20, I decided that a dispel scroll was best used to put it out of action. Finally, with his last dice the prophet of sotek attempted Second sign of Amul, but he failed to cast it.
The engine of the gods sent a comet hurtling towards the senat, and it struck right on target, slap bang on the senats head. The comet hurtled down; he only needed a 2+ to wound, which was easy enough. I then failed to pass the crucial 4+ wards save and he rolled for wounds. A 3. The Senat was still alive, albeit barely. I realised this may be a problem with him, and I didn’t have any powers that could take out the engine next turn.
The skink skirmishers opened fire on my angel units, one unit taking 2 casualties the other taking 3. It was not looking to good for the angels.
With no combat it was the Angelic Beings turn.
Turn 2- Angelic Beings
The drums of war beat as the angels charged the red crests. The powers and one of my angel units slammed into one unit of red crests and the other two angel units slammed into the other red crests.
The Sons of fire and Vengeances continued to fight in a staring competition and held they’re ground, un willing to charge.
The Virtues got into position to support the Angels.
To start with I attempted Angelic Blast on a single dice, it was cast and my opponent decided to use up 2 dispel dice to stop it. Next I tried Azraels protection, which was also dispelled.
My second wizard got off Healing hand with irresistible force and healed the Senat up to full wounds. Finally burning gaze was attempted, but dispelled by my opponent.
The Senat had four power points to spend. We rolled and he was staying under my control for now Darkness comes was used and could affect the closest red crest unit. I wouldn’t be able to wound the Engine of the Gods with Dark Light, so had to get something over there fast… or hope for a miracle. It looked like it may charge next turn. After checking LOS I realised I could (Barley!) see the skink priest. It was a stretch to be in range, but it was just in. 2 Dark Lights later and “poof” no more skink priest.
That saved me a lot of trouble. This left the Senat with a mere 1 power point next turn, with an Engine of the gods closing in. Not good.
With magic over I went to shooting. Again the sons of fire attacked Tehenhauin’s unit the jungle swarms taking another 2 wounds meaning one base fell. I realised I was going to need to do more then this as im sure that the SPC was getting impatient.
Combat came. In total, with both angel units I caused mighty eight wounds with another two being caused by the princedom. None of these were saved. In return the skinks took down three angels. After combat resolution I had amazingly won Thanks to my banner by 1pt! The Skinks rolled for their Ld and even more amazingly rolled double 6 and a 5, which meant they were fleeing. They fled a reasonable eight, but the angels pursued ten and destroyed the gargantuan unit in one fell swoop. This panicked one of the skink skirmisher units and they fled as well.
The second unit of angel’s restrained pursuit in order to aid their brothers the following turn hopefully.
In the other combat blood was spilled with the powers dealing out six wounds between them with the angels causing a further three. The skinks failed to hurt the powers or angels and lost combat by a landslide. However, the dice clearly favoured them as they rolled up a double one and a six for their LD test letting them hold their position. The angels unit lapped round for more attacks next turn.
With combat over the Red Host made its move.
Turn 3- Red Host
After losing one of their most important units and the skink chief things were looking bad for the red host. Tehenhauin performed a trixie manoeuvre by using his higher movement, something I had forgotten about, to charge the sons of fire. I considered my options here, and chose to flee, as this would hopefully give the vengeances the chance to counter charge, and as long as they didn’t roll double 6, they wouldn’t flee of the table. No other charges were declared, so my opponent attempted to rally the skink skirmishers. They seemed to get over the death of their allies and stopped running ready to rejoin the battle.
Now to move chargers, Tehenhauin passed his Terror test and was obviously in range (I had been sniping him from 12” away the whole game) and so I rolled for my flea. A double six. The sons of fire were off the table. Not what I had planned. Even so, Tehenhauin had failed charge and hopefully the vengeances mighty swordsticks would see him off.
The remaining jungle swarm darted through the trees to support the skinks that were in disarray after the Angels attack.
The remaining skink skirmisher unit moved towards the already weakened angel unit in hoping it could take it out with blowpipes. The Engine of the gods hadn’t charged this turn but obviously wanted another turn of firing. It still moved so now it was undoubtedly in charge range.
With the priest dead Tehenhauin suddenly seemed like much less of a threat magic wise. He started with Second sign of Amul on one dice, failing to cast. Tehenhauin forced all his remaining power dice into comet of Cassandora. Targeting the Princedom hoping to cause maximum damage. It was cast on 15. I decided not to risk letting it through so used my last dispel scroll on it.
In the shooting phase the engine of the gods summoned another Meteor to hurl at the Senat, but something went wrong. The priest on top of the Arcanodon tracing the meteor’s path couldn’t understand, the arcane magic’s were being sucked into the machine instead of being exerted to force the meteors trajectory. The skinks atop the Arcanodon’s back were running terrified trying to stop the machine from spinning. Then the priest realised what was happening, he looked up to see the meteor being pulled directly towards the machine. They screamed, terrified as they were engulfed in flames, all that was left was a smoking husk where they had been.
Game wise, he misfired and rolled a 1.
So, with that 215pt threat out of the way I was very happy. The remaining skinks slew four angels reducing the already weakened unit down to a mere 5 models using blowpipes. The angels panicked and fled. Hopefully they would rally next turn.
With shooting over it was onto the combat between the Powers and angels against the final “uber” red host unit. First the angels would attack, then the Powers and Red Crests simultaneously. The angels killed three skinks, including the champion. The red crests violently pulled down four angels before the powers struck and killed a further five with their attacks. With CR 9 each and both having musicians it was a drawn combat.
With no other combats to fight it was the angels turn again.
Turn 3- Angelic Beings
I declared a charge with the Vengeances against Tehenhauin who held. The Princedoms unit charged against the only just rallied skinks that replied with a hail of blowpipe fire. This would hopefully get them far away from the comet when it landed. The Virtues moved away from the skink skirmisher unit who had just taken down one of the angel units in a hail of blowpipe fire, hoping to deal with them in the magic phase.
The blowpipes took down two of the princedoms unit before they engaged.
In the magic phase both virtues raised their staffs in order to fight off the skink skirmishers. Burning gaze was cast with irresistible force, killing four of the skinks. Serraphals last wish was then attempted on the units in combat with the red crests. It was cast but the last of my opponent’s dispel dice went towards it to stop the spell. I then cast angelic blast on the skinks sending a further three off. There went the last of my power dice.
Now it was the Senat’s turn. With only one point of energy left I needed to roll high to finish off the skinks, but with no more Engine to bother me it seemed easy enough. That is it “did” seem easy enough. My 3D6 came up a 1, 3 and 4. My opponent rolled a 6. The Senat had taken betrayed me when I needed it most. With two power points to spend thanks to his traitorous ways dark light erupted from his Screaming maw with two massive glowing tentacles following, enveloping, devouring both of my remaining mages, crushing them.
Oops.
The skinks, with the magic phase over took a panic check but to my horror passed.
Things suddenly took a very sinister turn.
Combat and we decided to do Tehenhauin vs. Vengeances first. Only having T3, I decided it would be best to use the swordsticks for more attacks. 12 attacks I hit with 5 and then wounded with 4. Due to my strength he only had a 6+ save but was able to make two saves nothing less. His ward save failed to save either of the blows though leaving the prophet of Sotek with 1 wound. The blade of the serpents tongue proved highly effective, hitting with all three attacks, then wounding with two. One of these wounds was a killing blow, though due to lack of armour it was irrelevant.
The Tide of Serpents only rolled 1 attack, however this proved to be all he needed, and the attack was poisoned and so instantly fell a further vengeances which meant the Combat was Drawn. (2 wounds by vengeances, 3 wounds by Tehenhauin, vengeances outnumber)
The battle between the red crests and the angel/power combo was still going on. The angels slew another three Skinks, and the powers another four, but they seemed to be without number. The angels hadn’t even reduced the unit to even half its starting strength. The angels lost another three of there number to the red crests.
Thanks to the skinks war banner the combat was another draw.
The final combat for this turn was between the princedoms unit and the skink skirmishers. Needless to say, they were torn to shreds by the angels, however one of the angels fell to a poisoned knife. They fled and were run down easily by the angels, leaving the princedom, and his unit far away from the battle.
Turn 4- Red host
Even though the engine of the gods was lost the red host still had a chance they could pull a victory from the jaws of defeat. The Jungle swarm had not gone so deep into the woods that it could not see that Tehenhauin was being slowly defeated and so they declared a charge to aid there master. The skink skirmishers who were deep within enemy lines headed towards the Senat with the hope they could destroy the beast with poison.
Tehenhauin tried to cast second sign with one dice again but failed. Then attempted to cast Portent of Far on the jungle swarm that had just charged in to aid him. It was successfully cast on an 11, and with my mere two dispel dice I wasn’t able to dispel it.
In shooting the Senat came under a hail of fire from the poison darts, and due to a bit of luck, and a lack of a decent ward save due to the actual low strength of the darts he suffered two wounds. I could only hope that he came under control next turn and was able to finish off the skinks before they finished him.
Finally Combat, Tehenhauin’s combat was yet again done first, with the jungle swarm, thanks to portent slaying two more Vengeances, leaving only three alive. Tehenhauin had the higher initiative and so struck out with the blade of the serpents tongue. He successfully killed another two Vengeances leaving one alive. This was it, if I could slay Tehenhauin with the remain Vengeances then I would still stand a chance of winning the game. I only hit with one attack against the great lizard, not good. It wounded. He rolled his armour save and failed. It came down to the ward save. 4+ he lives. It was a 3. Tehenhauin had fallen! Undoubtedly the vengeance that killed him would die horribly now, but that was kind of inevitable.
I took my Ld test, and even though I was stubborn, I broke and fled from the jungle swarm. I fled a mere 4” he pursued 7” and wiped me out.
The only other combat was the continuing battle between the Red Crests and the angel/powers. The angels took out only 2 red crests this turn, while they took a further three deaths themselves, leaving only two of the unit. The powers on the other hand took out a mighty eight of the red crests. CR, The skinks had lost by an awful lot, and finally broke. They fled 9” the powers pursued 9” as well and ran them down, while the remaining 2 angels only pursued 4”. Combat was over, and it was the angel’s turn.
Turn 4- Angelic Beings
Normally if your playing a slow army then this is about the time the major combats were happening, however now both armies had been severally battered and bruised.
In the movement phase I made the princedom jump out of his unit, without a 360” line of sight he wasn’t goanna play any other part in this battle. The rest of his unit turned around as well. The now severely weaken angel unit turned around to face the skink skirmishers. The powers turned around to face the skinks, but they it looked as if it maybe to late to catch them. With no other units to move we moved onto the magic phase.
The princedom attempted to cast star fall on the skink skirmishers but it was dispelled. I rolled to get the Senat back, but this time it I rolled a triple 1! My opponent rolled a 3 and the Senat had betrayed me again! Yet again dark light annihilated the remaining angels in the unit that had fought so hard against the Red Crests trapping their souls for eternity.
For the first time in many turns there was no combat.
Turn 5- Red Host
The Jungle swarm remained where it was so it could take the table quarter it was in for additional VP. The only other unit on the table was the skink skirmishers, who, if lucky could take out the Senat now.
There was no magic due to every mage on the table being dead!
All that was left was the shooting phase, opening fire against the Senat with multiple shots it suffered a further two wounds. The mighty beast collapsed screaming in pain, its body began to warp and disintegrate as the souls it had devoured were released into the world. The princedom looked on and felt a huge guilt lifting from his heart, at least those angels the Senat had betrayed would now be free to return to the void.
Yet again there was no combat to fight.
Turn 5- Angelic Beings
I decided that there wasn’t much point in risking the Powers being reduced under half strength, or the Princedom dying and so he they both took flight to capture the final free table quarters.
The princedom attempted star fall and this time was able to cast it (thanks to a double 1 on the dispel roll) Uranons Thunderbolt came down from the sky and struck the skink skirmishers. The entire unit was fried leaving not one alive.
Turn 6- Red Host
All that was left was a jungle swarm in the red host, slightly repositioned itself to hold the last table quarter.
Turn 6- Angelic Beings
The battlefield was littered with the dead, nothing was left. Hundreds were dead, of both Angels and Skinks. If only the foolish Prophet had not landed upon the isle of stars, this would never have happened. He shook his head in disbelief. If only the fools would realise, the angels were the true children of the old ones, not their pathetic race.
The difference between them is that angels are eternal, we return and are reborn, they however will not. One day the true old ones plan will be recognised.
End of game
Well, that was a game and a half. Death death, and more death.
Victory Points
The Red Host of Sotek: 1621
Angelic Beings: 2450
Result: Solid Victory for the Angelic Beings against the Red Host
Feedback:
That game was a HELL of a lot closer then the result makes it look. Literally hundreds of models were dead. A few points from my opponent, he was surprised that Powers don’t cause fear, most things there size/power do, second that the Senat, for its cost didn’t kill much and maybe had it been in a better position it would have done more damage, but the fact it can attack you makes it seriously ineffective. If it can’t kill anything then its useless, so the best tactic is to completely avoid it or attack it with characters it cant harm. He says that the game played as if It was a proper War hammer army, and since this was his first game with the red host he sees he needs to refine his tactics a bit as well.
The army really doesn’t need much work don’t to it, it’s the 2nd game he has had against the army and feels it has improved drastically since then.
My thoughts for this game is that I should have give the princedom eagle quills and sent him off behind enemy lines hunting. Never put stuff you don’t want to lose close to the senat, take a few more angel units. I should have taken archangels as well.
It was a good game, which took me a hell of along time to type up. I apologize for any spelling mistakes and inconsistencies in the text, as I am really tired. Now im going to sleep. With cheese. Mmm cheese.
Well, netiehr of your armies were built very well.... 50 red-crested skinks? 1 unit?!? No. He should've split both units. You should've taken some archangels, and not FC on 12 man strong units!!! What about shields? It was a good game though, it sounds. Did you think it was a fair game, a very close one? It sounded fun. He thought the game was fair, thats good.
We'll re-visit the Senat after another playtest, I think. 480 points does seem very high for the amount of damage it can do.
---Baran