Karl Franz Cup 2 Game 1

 

On Saturday the 29^th of August 2023 I attended the Karl Franz Cup Team Tournament in Hachioji. This is the second Karl Franz Cup in Hachioji this year. Having won the last one back in April, which was a singles event, I decided to bring a slightly more unusual army. My 3 monster high elf list is as follows.

Lords

Prince (140) Lance (7) Heavy armour (6) Enchanted Shield (5) Griffon (150)

Khane's Ring of Fury (25) Swooping Strike (25) 358

Heroes

Dragon Mage of Caledor (350) Level 2 (35) Dragon Armour (10) 395

Core

15 Archers (10x15) 150

5 Silver Helms (21x5), shields (2x5) 115

5 Silver Helms (21x5), shields (2x5), Champion (10) 125

Special

10 White Lions of Chrace (13x10) 130

Rare

Flamespyer Phoenix (225) 225

1498

I had some doubts about this list, especially around is killing, and surviving power, but at least it would be fast.

The event had an unusual style as the first game was a singles game, with the top winners choosing their partners first. I was paired up against Will, who I had spoken to a fair bit since the last event and I know is a strong player with a nasty dark elf list. I had hoped to avoid his army. His list involve fast cavalry units with very powerful characters carrying stat boosting items such as the black dragon egg and potion of strength. My plan was to avoid letting them engage until I was ready.

Turn1

We deployed and Will went first. He was fairly cagey with his vanguard and movements. It seems we were both afraid of getting charged. His magic was of no use as it was beasts and the buffs were pointless this turn. His shooting killed 1 or 2 silver hems and the bolt throwers did a wound on the phoenix

In my turn I moved up 1 unit of silver helms close to the dark riders and the phoenix maneuvered. The white lions also advanced. My magic did nothing, but got rid of the dispel scroll on turn 1. My shooting and phoenix bombing killed a couple of dark riders.

Turn 2

The black riders on the left side charged the Silver Helms, who fled and escaped. The rest of his army moved around. The magic and shooting did almost nothing, but 1 wound from a bolt thrower onto the sun dragon.

I got a little confused and combined turns 2 and 3 or the right side of the battle

In my turn the other unit of silver helms moved right up in front of the dark riders to black any charges, and to threaten the bolt thrower if they moved. The other silver hems rallied. The phoenix went in front of the black guard and the white lions again moved up. Some magic and shooting killed a few dark riders.

Turn 3

Will's black dragon master ate his egg and charged out of his unit into my lord. It was a slight gamble as he only had 3 attacks. His unit then moved out to the side. The black guard, having little other option, charged the phoenix. Normally they would have the advantage, but their flaming banner meant I had a 2+ ward save. Will knew this, but hoped he could survive and get help later.

After this the game was so serious I forgot to take any more.

The shooting again did little, some while lions were killed by the lords unit. The magic was a failure. In combat the master did 2 wounds to my lord who did nothing back, the griffon also did nothing and then the lord was killed by a well placed horse kick. The shame! Despite loosing by a lot the griffon held. In the other combat the black guard's flaming attacks did nothing and they lost 8 to the attacks and stomps of the phoenix.

In my turn the remaining white lions went into the side of the black guard where the sorceress was hiding to avoid the phoenix. The 2 remaining silver helms charged the bolt thrower The dragon mage moved up and flamed the dark riders in the middle with the dragon's breath. This killed a few and the rest, with their master panicked and fled. They would fail to rally and fled the table next turn.

In combat the master wounded the griffon, which again did nothing back (Will had made 2 6+ armor saves). The birdie failed to hold and was run down. The silver helms killed the bolt thrower and reformed. The black guard and their sorceress were wiped out .

Turn 4

The master, who had just run down the griffon, now turned on the archers, who could only hold as he was so close. The lords unit moved slightly Shooting killed the 2 remaining silver helms, and damage the other unit, the white lions were reduced to a single model, but he refused to run. In combat the master killed 2 archers, took a wound in return, broke them, ran them down, then died due to dangerous terrain in the forest. A sad end for a hero who had scored nearly 600 points solo.

In my turn the phoenix ate the bolt thrower, but took a wound from the crew. Magic and shooting killed the left most dark riders.

Turn 5

The lord and his units shot the last white lion to death. The High elves moved around and may have killed a couple of dark riders.

Turn 6

The dark elf lord and is unit tried to finish off the 2 remaining silver helms in the corner with shooting, but they made their saves. The high elf magic could now kill the lords unit and so ended the game.

The final points tally was around 1100 to 900 in my favor. It had been a close tactical game with a lot of movement. I had kept his lord out of the game for the most part, but had lost my own instead and the game had swung on several key moments where it could have turned. The phoenix and fire mage had preformed well while the griffon lord had been a disappointment. This is a trend that would continue through ever game.

After the game I was in 3^rd place and so had 3^rd pick of partners. I chose an ogre player with a well painted army. As the finals scores were a mix of both team players page, paining and sports points I wanted a nice all rounder.