I can cope with the despair, it's the hope that gets me

I'm whizzing forward through time to bring you this battle report. After writing up my intial battles, this one was played just last week and all reports from now on will be in chronological order. Are you keeping up?

Armies 1000 points
I brought my Chaos Undivided mortals:

• Aspiring Champion with Book of Secrets, extra hand weapon and shield (Steed of Shadows spell)
• Lvl 1 Sorcerer with Dispel Scroll (Steed of Shadows spell)
• 12 Warriors full command
• 10 Warriors full command
• 5 Knights full command
• 6 War hounds
• Chariot

Gary brought Dark Elves with:

• Lvl 2 Sorceress
• War Hydra
• 10 Repeater Crossbows
• 16 Spearelves full command
• 5 Dark Riders
• 19 Executioners full command

The battlefield and deployment
This was the same set up as a previous game. On my half of the table I had a large wood on my left, a smaller wood on my centre right and a hill on my right. The Dark Elves had some rock columns and a hill to my far left and a lake in the centre. From left to right I had 12 Warriors with Sorcerer, 10 Warriors with Asp Champ, Chariot, War hounds and Knights. The Druchii had Spearelves, Crossbows, Sorceress, Executioners, Hydra then Dark Riders.

The Game
The Dark Elves won 1st turn again. The Dark Riders ran forward. I marched the Knights up and faced the Warhounds toward the Dark Riders in case they decided to charge the Knights. The rest of my army marched toward the pointy ears.

The Dark Riders charged the flank of the Knights, killed one, I failed my break check, the Riders caught and killed the Knights then my Warhounds panicked and ran. Righto.

The Hydra moved into the centre, next to the Executioners. I moved my units forward again. The Hounds rallied and turned to face the Dark Riders again. The Riders killed four on the charge and ran the survivors down.

Moving again, I managed to cast Steed of Shadows on my Sorcerer. In a desperate ploy I charged him into the Repeater Crossbows. He failed to do any damage, failed his break test and failed to outrun the Elves. Rats.

The Executioners and Hydra joint charged my Warriors. I lost several men but passed the break test on snake eyes! At last, a glimmer of hope. This allowed my chariot to charge into the flank of the Hydra. With my Aspiring Champion and a Warrior also hacking into the beast I was confident of a kill. Three 6+ saves and a 5+ save later I had caused two wounds. Meh.

Back on the left, My Warriors charged the Spearelves. They broke and I ran them down. My Warriors then contacted the Sorceress who fled off the board. Huzzah!

In the main battle, my Aspiring Champion was bitten in half by the Hydra. The rest of the Warriors were slaughtered and the chariot broke. The Hydra chased it off the table and the game ended.

Result loss
Chaos 718 vps
DE 1187 vps

Thoughts

• Hideous luck. Lost 1st turn, lost the Knights and hounds, failed to hurt the Hydra (again). Shocking.
• Dark Riders are awesome again. The big table and my small number of slower units makes them kings. I just can't get to grips with them.