I would REALLY like to point out, this is just general musings on DoW and how magic affects them, I don't play much against them, and I don't know of the latest "in things" all DoW generals do (like how us Empire generals have 3x3 detachments), but I've tried my best to contribute something valuable, even if I am tactically inept.
I don't think it's a good idea to accept this work as the core of the anti-DoW magic tactica, and I would like it if someone who knew what they were talking about could add things, especially as I feel I can compare what I've written with something a GW WD staff member could come up with (they suck at tactica in general). Also, grammer and syntax(?) issues might be a problem.
Due to the nature of the DoW, often units crop up that also appear in other lists, ie dwarfs and ogres. Learn how all the laws affect the other armies, and you'll know quite a bit on how to take out DoW.
Fire: General killy-ness. Useful for stripping ranks from block units (t3 for the most part), very suitable for removing Duellists and Light Cavalry. Norse Marauders are frenzied, so you'll get the chance to raze them all with Wall of Fire. Average leadership means Burning Head (and thus the Doomfire Ring) won't have a substantial effect. Flaming Sword of Ruin will instantly make your Imperial characters better in combat than their mercenary counterpart, still a duff spell though.
Metal: Maximum save is 2+, so the 2 big hitters (RoBI and SotF) have a lessened effect; however, the only defense DoW characters get is an Armour Save (what about Ward Save granting items... Bwah ha ha ha), so sniping characters with RoBI is definitely viable. 2d6 Str4 from DoMS is the standard "strip a rank or kill skirmishers and fast cavalry". Whilst reducing a unit's ability in close combat is nice, when they're sucky humans it's less important. DoW have access to 3 War Machines, so CoB will have some targets; important to note it doesn't stop a war machine from fleeing (I think), so plans for holding down Bronzino's Gallopers so you can charge it without it fleeing won't work probably. As for Law of Gold, just look at the Magic Items section for DoW and decide for yourself if it's useful; perhaps some of those funky RoR that have fancy magic items, otherwise
.
Heavens: rerolls are always nice, so PoF and SSoA have their place. It doesn't really matter whether Armour Saves are allowed or not, due to lack of high armour units, so in Heavens you get two lots of d6 Str 4 hits, 'cept UT is still good for Heavy Cavalry. Celestial shield is a bit superfluous, as I'm not convinced DoW armies go to war with lots of shooting. CoC is the heavy hitter of this lore; not useful against all-cav armies, or aggressive assault armies, but can scare (slow) war machines and perhaps Dwarfs.
Light:Meh, DoW not DoC, so this law has diminished power. Again, reducing a unit's effectiveness in combat is not so good when the unit isn't effective in the first place. Pha's Illumination (3 Str5 attacks?) is extra sucky, as the "no magic weapons" bonus means squat effectively. DoW lack means of putting psychological pressure on you, so Guiding Light is only beneficial if you like your units to be ItP; perhaps good to counter the ogres, giants, dragons, and that Undead unit. D6 Str4 hits is standard again, and due to DoW not being very "hoardy", CF ain't so good either.
Shadows: Movement spells=the win, so unseen lurker is a good one. PoS will mange the war machines, although look out if the Galloper Guns have a chance to take an I check for the spell I'm not sure here; you might also like to try this spell on DoW dwarfs, seeings as though they have low initiative. Causing Fear is nice when the opponent's only responce is a Ld check, but good for when ogres or the aforementioned Undead unit is on the pitch. SoS be wary of the core fast cavalry and skirmishers, otherwise there is a diminished amount of shooting so a SoS + CoT combo might work. On that note, CoT is a standard d6 Str4 affair, but be wary as it hurts your own troops too, but it'll hurt your opponent more as his units cost more.
Life: Yeah, depends on terrain. MoM can significantly slow down pesky fast cavalry, otherwise
. Master of Wood can upset Mengil Manhide's Manflayers, and the ubiquitous "Master of Stone on the War Machine on the hill" approach is very valid too. Gift of Life doesn't really need anything additional said about it. Howler Wind will mess up all non-war machine shooting the DoW have, but I suspect they won't be relying on their shooting; good to annoy people using the Marksmen of Miragliano though. Rain Lord, again, won't affect a DoW generals plans much, but will certainly muck up usage of their (weak
) Cannons.
Beasts: You won't be fleeing much, so Oxen Stands ain't so good but can be useful for stopping the pursuit/overrun thingie if your opponent wants to charge your fleeing troops with his Fast Cav or Birdmen. Hunter's Spear won't be presented with many glorious flank shots, but look out for cav heavy armies; equally for Beast Cowers. Movement spells=the win, so Wolf Hunts presents a nice possibility for some flanking with your 'nillas (you
do have 'nillas don't you? The Crow's Feast is meh, 2d6 Str4 might see off the skirmishers and fast cav, after all, DoW are just T3 "humies". Bear's Anger might tear into your opponents troops, and it'll make you feel better for taking that VHS on your wizard only to come up against another paltry human, perhaps it'll help you be knock up more combat res, seeings as though many RoR get a "Captain-statted" unit champion.
Death: D6 and 2d6 Str4 hits are easy to know what to do with, so those spells don't need much explaining. Causing fear has it's bonuses, already amply described previously, but in addition, a flank defense unit that causes fear will have greater effect on any flanking units that are far away from the generals Ld , however, beware of nasty RoR characters with Ld8. Stealing wounds off of individual models is nice, and with the potential for the amount of characters DoW can have, it could come in useful. Drain Life is nice, but only really gets REALLY useful if the no saves part gets important, otherwise it's meh. Doom and Darkness is where it's at here, reducing Ld in an army where the best possible Ld is 9 is damn useful; use when you really want the enemy to flee, or when you're stuck up against darn DoW Dwarfs.
The only magic defense DoW can achieve really is through plain ol' Dispel Dice, Dispel Scrolls and the Staff of Sorcery (What's that? It's a common magic item, just carry on ignoring it...). Be fearful of when you face a DoW army with a Level 3/4 caster a a hero, the Dispel Dice can really rack up. All in all, DoW really are a generic army, you can use knowledge from vol. 1 of this tactica with impunity, safe in the knowledge that DoW barely have any of the negative aspects of the 8 lores described there.
I think that's my longest post ever so far!