Thoughts of the first game

Thoughts after first try with first Ogre list (see http://jaeroler.blogspot.com/2011/09/first-taste-of-8th-ed-ogres.html)

1. Defeat in Blood and Glory scenario (not enough banners and not a good idea to have a banner on gnoblars). Insufficent fortitude when gnoblar unit with standard fled and general died

2. Mournfang failed to exhibit strong hitting and staying power despite a 2+ save which most likely is contributed to the way I normally roll my armor saves. On average per combat phrase, they killed 4-5 spearelves/witch elves and took 3-4 wounds (or one base) for the trouble. I trust they will do fine for others, just not for me until I get loaded dice!

3. I can imagine myself sipping my afternoon tea nonchalantly on my vintage chair as the leadbelchers shoot salvos after salvos trying to hit me! (My leadbelchers killed 2 Witch Elves I think)

4. Maneaters did not fire a single pistol shot, though they admirably killed a Hydra with their flaming melee attacks

5. One ironblaster blasted one Cold One Knight and a Chariot into smithereens with one shot. The other misfired and exploded into fireworks in the same turn lol

6. Scraplaunchers killed a few spearelves. I'm still keep them for their KB. Should have tried targeting the Knights for KB to bypass the armor saves.

7. Sabretrusks are marvelous (Gnoblar trappers should be amazing too). Redirected the Cold One Knights and Hydra to both flanks, away from me

8. Firebellies are amazing with their breadth attack in melee- could have been better if I'm not the one using them though. Ha!

9. Magic Defence test. Passed. Scrolled plus diced protected first turn. Hellheart-ed on turn 2 and enemy wizard became Lv 2 (lost 2 levels)

10. Unkillable dreadlord lives up to his reputation (stubborn, GW, 1+ armor, pendant) slays two of my firebellies while I scratch his armor for 3 turns (6 combat phases). Oh well, didn't expect him to really use it but next game I know how to deal with him! Then my Ogre double decker bus will go to town =)

11. MVP: Maneaters

12. MUP (Unvaluable): Leadbelchers, Mournfang

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The eruption of the volcano silenced the battlefield littered with mounds of disembodied carcasses. Next to the Abyssal Wood, the burnt remains of a Hydra nested like a small black perch on the bodies of a bloodied Mournfang and an ogre missing its head in the drab of Calimshan port of pirates. Elsewhere, a pillar of fire and smoke rose from a small crater where an Ironblaster had misfired and exploded in a spectacular pryotechnic display.

The rout of the Flaming Hand tribe stopped momentarily as both fleeing ogres and the accursed Dark Elves all turned towards the ominous dark-greish cloud of dust and ash that ejected from the broken cone of Mount Mazama. In the middle of the blood soaked fertile plains of Mount Mazama, a red pendant shone brightly like a crimson star on the neck of a lithe figure in a delicate and bladed elven mail. The dark elf general tied his latest grisly trophies- the heads of two Firebellies to his belt with a savage grin and surveyed the battlefield. He had captured scores of Gnoblars with their pathetic standard made of Yhetee hide but his greatest prize lay next to the Wildwood beneath Mount Mazama, a ten-foot long Ironblaster. He dread recalling what happened after the loud splitting roar and an orange trail that tore across the sky into one Cold One Knight and the chariot behind him, blasting both into a shower of elfish and cold one limbs. No, he cannot leave now that his prize is within his reach. With a hand on the reins, he leapt dexterously onto a dark steed and waved his hands forward. The frenzied and voluptuous witch elves on his right stopped their feasting of the Leadbelchers and launched themselves toward the Ironblaster with a high-pitched scream that sounded mellifluous and yet malicious at the same time. The witch elves' scream was answered in turn by the low grunts of the Hydra with one head still clamping a struggling Sabretrusks. With the snap of the beastmasters' whip, the Sabretrusk was snapped into half and ravenously swallowed by two other heads.

The gauntleted hand of the dark elf general stopped in midair as a vent burst forth from Mount Mazama and gigantic shards of blackened rocks and pyroclastic flows engulfed the witch elves in a thick voluminous chalky cloud which burned their flawless white skin or crushed them into red paste. A viscous stream of orange-red lava streamed at a slow but menacing pace down the volcano from the vent, threatening to swallow the entire dark elf army. The dark elf general blinked beads of perspiration away from his eyes, unsure if they are the result of the sudden immense heat or the imminent destruction of his army. There is no time to waste, he turned and galloped towards his Corsair ships, holding his reins tightly in his clenched fist.

The Fire prophet, Mordak Flamespitter, Most fiery Firebelly of Mount Mazama stood at the vent, squinting at the black mass retreating to their dark ships. His fellow priests have been caught unaware by the malevolent dark elves but Mount Mazama has woken from its slumber, furious at the desecration of his priests. Standing next to Mordak is Pdreak Maneater who gripped a grisly and bloodied elven head with contorted features by her once sparkling obsidian hair. Pdreak held the decapitated head of the dark elf High Sorceress, savoring the elven blood that dripped into his mouth before swallowing it in one gulp. His Maneater crew had slayed the Hydra and the High Sorceress and her retinue only to find themselves without an opponent or treasure to loot. Trying his best to ignore the intense heat of the lava sliding near his boots, he can't help but grinned at the prospect of getting his huge ogre hand on the red ruby pendant that sparkled like a crimson star as the dark elf general turn to gallop away from the lava.

Immune to the intense heat of the lava sliding past his feet due to the blessings of the volcano god, Mordak bellowed and his personal guards marched out of concealed entrances of Mount Volcano. The volcano god's hunger needs to be satiated with the bones of every single heretic dark elf. Pdreak bellowed in reply. The pendant will be his.

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Was mulling over the battle and the list and errmm, I end up writing a few paragraphs =) ___________________________________________________________________

Time to revise my list. While I see merit in the Mournfang calvary, I conclude that it doesn't work for me. Also a breakdown of the comparison between the Mournfang and the Maneater (280 points) as shown below:

4 Mournfangs vs. 5 maneaters (std, Banner of Eternal Flame, HA, 2 aHW)

a. Wounds: 12 vs. 15

b. Armour Save: 2+ vs. 5+

c.WS/BS: 3 vs. 4

d. Strength: same (S5)

e. LeadershipL 7 vs. 8

f. Move: 8 vs. 6 (can be mitigated with special rule, e.g., Scout, Swiftstride and Vanguard)

g. Attacks: 12 WS3 S4+ 16 WS3 S5 vs. 20 WS4 S5

h. Others: Special Rules for Maneaters

i. Others: Personalizability of Maneaters

Based on my limited experience of one game with the Ogres, I go with Maneaters over Mounrfangs, coupled with what i see as advantages (a, c, d, e, g, h and i) and the fact that rolling a 2+ or 4+ (against S5) armor saves is not my forte. I rather go for more elite bodies that can deal the hurt so a Maneater army so as to speak:

2500 Points Volcanic Expedition [REVISED]

HEROES

Firebelly, Lv 1, General, GW, Dispel Scroll, Ruby Ring

Firebelly, Lv 1, GW, Hellheart

Bruiser, BSB, Dragonhelm, HA, Sword of Swiftslaying, IF

CORE

8 Ogres, Std, Lookout Gnoblar

6 Ironguts, Std, Banner of Discipline, Lookout Gnoblar, Musician

3X10 Gnoblars

SPECIAL

3x1 Sabretrusks

2 Mournfang Calvary, HA+IF

4 Maneaters (ItP, Scout), 3 aHW

6 Maneaters (Stubborn, Poison), 3 OP, Std (BoEFlame)

RARE

2 Scraplaunchers

2 Ironblasters

Can't wait for next Saturday =)