Super Mages

[Ravenwolf]

Speaking of non-corporeal, the ultimate mage killers would have to be the Necropolis Death Riders. They can charge forever and through anything!!

You've got that right! And they're especially adept at seeking out goblins hiding behind stone walls.

 

Well, fielded Moandain for the first time yesterday, kitted out to 444 points (including Lesser Enhance, and Gruesome familiar) boy was he ever an abomination.

 

I don't think he is unbalanced from a point perspective, but if your opponent isn't prepared to fight a high level mage (Moandain, Ashkrypt, the Witch Queen), and isn't used to playing with alot of magic on the board, using this sort of model can leave a really bad taste in ones mouth.

 

I felt pretty bloody guilty running down a round with my familiar, unleashing a Firestorm, and running back down the road with the familiar's second action. And I couldn't pass up wandering the familiar around the corner of a building on the following turn and gunning down a Centaur and 5 Elves with a Lightning bolt (Wow, what a nasty spell that was, first time I've used that too ).

So did you opponent know that all he had to do was wack the GF a few times and Moandain would be out of spells? Since he was playing Elves, he could've done this easily enough. Moandain's only DV 10.

 

So, just so that in the future I don't feel so bad for using a high powered mage (they are pretty cool after all), what are some of the best tactics for dealing with high powered Mages?

 

In the Axe and Tavern thread Wild Bill was discussing his problems fighting the Witch Queen, and a few ideas were put forward. Any more thoughts. I suppose clerics and mages with Dispel are handy, but there arn't many around seeing as how dispel is a level 3 spell. At least with Ashy and The Queen they have to come out for line of Sight, Moandain with the familiar can just hide int he bushes (This I didn't feel too guilty about in my game, as I was playing Brushmaster, and he's hidden Aysa away from his opponents on several occassions while she dominates the game with her undying host )?

 

So, how do you guys generally deal with CP 7+ Mages (naughty Moandain was CP 9 in the game I used him in...icky).

I almost always field a Cavalry Troop of Sir Gadrun and some Deathriders. Their purpose is to hunt down casters and archers or counter my opponents Cavalry.

[Brushmaster]

So did you opponent know that all he had to do was wack the GF a few times and Moandain would be out of spells? Since he was playing Elves, he could've done this easily enough. Moandain's only DV 10.

1) I did not know I was facing an Ubermage and 2) SE had all the initiative draws so he was able to march the GF down the road , cast the spell , then zip back down the road behind cover , 3) It was a mupltiplayer game with Elves and Crusaders against the Reptus and Crypt Legion , so I was trying to protect the elves by blocking the road , 4) we had hit the GF with a volley fire but Moandain only lost a little fear spell ( I think SE had several) , 5) It was the first time anyone has used Lightning Bolt (I just got the book) and lastly 6) Moandain(170) + LME(15) + GF(30) + Firestorm(75) + Lighning Bolt(50) + 4 Fear Spell(20) = only 360 point so god only knows what else he had on it when it costs more than 400 . So much for the much vaunted higher MD of the Crusaders against this type of monster MD 11 v MD 10 doesn't mean much to a CP 9 caster that in 2 turns had killed 257 points of models .

Frankly I don't know why anyone would put any type of Magical Enhancement on a level 8 CP caster unless they are specifically going after high MD Leaders , Elites or Solos .

[Humansquish]

Frankly I don't know why anyone would put any type of Magical Enhancement on a level 8 CP caster unless they are specifically going after high MD Leaders , Elites or Solos .

For the pure joy of pointing to a md 10 model and saying "That model dies!" without having to roll the dice.

[Darthiir]

 

Frankly I don't know why anyone would put any type of Magical Enhancement on a level 8 CP caster unless they are specifically going after high MD Leaders , Elites or Solos .

For the pure joy of pointing to a md 10 model and saying "That model dies!" without having to roll the dice.

 

Totally!!!! It's why I always give Lysette GME. Most grunts are just going to fall down when she launches an AOE at them.

 

And this topic is of special interst to me seeing how I hate the crypt legion (no offense tony). . .but mine doesn't really refer to a super mage. . .she an okay mage but with one heck of a punch. . .stupid Aysa an innate spectral minions.

 

But I will put that in a different thread.

[Ravenwolf]

 

Frankly I don't know why anyone would put any type of Magical Enhancement on a level 8 CP caster unless they are specifically going after high MD Leaders , Elites or Solos .

For the pure joy of pointing to a md 10 model and saying "That model dies!" without having to roll the dice.

 

Totally!!!! It's why I always give Lysette GME. Most grunts are just going to fall down when she launches an AOE at them.

 

And this topic is of special interst to me seeing how I hate the crypt legion (no offense tony). . .but mine doesn't really refer to a super mage. . .she an okay mage but with one heck of a punch. . .stupid Aysa an innate spectral minions.

 

But I will put that in a different thread.

None taken. Actually I think Lysette is a GREAT Mage for her point cost. Malek is 40 points and he's CP 5! She's got points in the right places to be a really effective Mage. Who cares if she's Mav 1 and DV 7. She's CP 7, MD 13 Defensive Magic and Mage 3/12. Nuff said

 

Arik is ranked right up there for biggest bang for your buck Mages at 45 points. Yagun is great too for what you get at 63 points. Mage with Tough/2! Eek

[spiritual_exorcist]

So did you opponent know that all he had to do was wack the GF a few times and Moandain would be out of spells? Since he was playing Elves, he could've done this easily enough. Moandain's only DV 10.

1) I did not know I was facing an Ubermage and 2) SE had all the initiative draws so he was able to march the GF down the road , cast the spell , then zip back down the road behind cover , 3) It was a mupltiplayer game with Elves and Crusaders against the Reptus and Crypt Legion , so I was trying to protect the elves by blocking the road , 4) we had hit the GF with a volley fire but Moandain only lost a little fear spell ( I think SE had several) , 5) It was the first time anyone has used Lightning Bolt (I just got the book) and lastly 6) Moandain(170) + LME(15) + GF(30) + Firestorm(75) + Lighning Bolt(50) + 4 Fear Spell(20) = only 360 point so god only knows what else he had on it when it costs more than 400 . So much for the much vaunted higher MD of the Crusaders against this type of monster MD 11 v MD 10 doesn't mean much to a CP 9 caster that in 2 turns had killed 257 points of models .

Frankly I don't know why anyone would put any type of Magical Enhancement on a level 8 CP caster unless they are specifically going after high MD Leaders , Elites or Solos .

 

I Started this topic just for Brushmaster, he was rolling his eyes at me as I was casting my spells. I don't think such a mage is even remotely unbeatable. I fact 9 times out of 10 investing in grunts would be a better choice. There seemed to be some indication that I was playing a cheesy model, I would disagree, I was simply playing a model that no-one expected to see or have to deal with. Since none in our group routinely play with Mages, when you do take them they an entirely different dimension to the game. You have to be wary of doing things (like clumping or lining up your troops). Brushmaster knew I had a lightning bolt.

 

As for why spent the points on LME. Well I had spent 400+ points on Moandain already, well over 200 hundred of which was spent on spells. I had a 10% chance of failing when casting against MD 10, and a 20% chance of failing against MD 11, why not make the spells I put on Moandain 10% more cost effective?

 

I know what it feels like to have CP 7 and fail to cast spells in four consecutive turns despite only needing 3's to hit (urse you Yagun)

 

This was by far the most expensive model I have ever fielded, I think the Hill Giant is runner up in that category (in fact, this is the first time I've ever used a Warlord...hmmm...I might have used Gerard before).

 

Moandain

Firestorm

Lightning Bolt

Dispel

2 Life Transfers

1 Shockwave

4 Fear Spells (to sacrifice when the Familair got hit)

Bondsouls to carry the above spell loadout

LME

Familiar + Gruesome

 

The only other models I had in the 1000 point portion of my army (keeping in mind I was teamed with 1000 points of Reptus), were 5 Skeleton Breakers, Lord Kentaur, Sir Dauron, and 4 Skeleton Archers. I was extremely vulnerable from a numbers perspective. I just took the list to fool around with a Mega Mage, and because I wanted to use a Tank (Dauron).

 

Would I take such a mage again, maybe, but not in anything short of 2000 points (which was what Brushamster and I were originally supposed to play), so I simply picked some of the models I brought from that army out and used them.

 

I think the army is fairly beatable in most circumstances. I had used my major offensive spells after 2 turns and only killed a little over half of Moandain's points cost, I doubt he would have payed for himself directly. But spellscasters do alot more than just kill the enemies, they can conctrol the field of play and make other troops alot more or less effective. So in the end I could probably justify spending those sorts of points on him again.

[Hellsgate]

As the allied Reptus player I would say that had the firestorm been expected the damage it did could have been reduce significantly. But as mentioned our group rarely uses mages and so wasn’t expecting strike. Though this may change for me personally after it was pointed out that we have a CP:9 mage for 90pt.