Game 173 - Thexus1 (Drudges) vs Goreshade3 (Ghost Fleet)

The Muscle men plague continues!

Thexus1 (Operating Theatre) - 2x Wrecker, 2x Agitator, 3x Mind Slavers + Drudges, 2x Mind Benders + Drudges, Alexia1 + I can't believe it's not Krang, 2x Overlords
Objective: Bunker

Continuing my masterful trend of playing into maximum fluffy:
Goreshade3 (Ghost Fleet) - Kraken, Blackbanes (Max), Rengrace, 3x Min Revenant Crew w/8 Riflemen, 3x Machine Spirit, Pistol Wraith, Hellfire Wraith (Caine, what have you done?!)

Recon once more, opposite corners of the zone have a largish forest with a string of clouds between them. I end up on the side with a hill and a trench, with water on the far right flank. Otherwise there's a wall on the Cryx side of the left flag. There's also a trench in the back of the Cryx that I don't think comes up in any way.

For once I win the roll and go first, the forests on either side means I have a place for Thexus to potentially hide behind. Have to leverage my sprays effectively, as my recursion doesn't have living warrior triggers and the opposing force has a bunch of RFP and Corpse stealing.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAUie4_WOzX9UKvrz9MZTPfyu0hh5Xzc2bp77AdLa5teuKxSsLjZ-oydTq-pf0T1t7Rn2Ja_YjrTy0g8JzMopz8EsRcCv1zx1wHQcFpszsalCPhmQW_6X5wMnjctnubF_ITpvwXMeSsqu/s1600/002+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Round 1:Thexus and battlegroup go up behind the forest for my side, because I live in fear of blast and spell death. I then have a big blob in the centre with a lean toward the left, Slavers and some Risen up front, Benders behind. Overlords on either flank extremely, the right lot represented by Ternions.

Opposing is Revenant proxies. ALL THE REVENANT PROXIES. Two units are toward the left, ready to find Drudges upon Drudges. Blackbanes are in the forest, Goreshade hides behind the Cryx Objective, Kraken is across from Thexus (Keep away! Awaaaaay!), third Revenant unit on the right.

Infernal Machine is on the Kraken, Shroud on the Blackbanes. Decel is up.

I've approached this opening turn poorly, right from deployment. The most important tools to get up the board are the Bender grunts, using the same layered approach is a mistake, a column style would be vastly better. The spreading out weirdness is also unnecessary, by dint of the distances and clouds the Kraken couldn't even do drifting shots this round.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeVRcWwwytgElpvavc0Zdqzvo9D8aGkiLInjmyGnlt8732pKpiQwK5iXlT5kVuFywiGzKI8b7ncHJr_tDIBHLwrBwG5E0qjwhgNCZ-a_cryBhlJtMJAJQX3kn7tLS7J4OHHT2MCYeuoVI/s1600/003+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 2: At the end of the Cryx turn the clouds go away in a shocking turn of events.
Have three plans going in,  to wipe out the left forward most unit of Revenants, keep Alexia safe and use a Wrecker to draw in the Kraken.

Plan 1: Wipe out the Revenant crew on the left. Drudges ambush in from the table edge.
Unit of Overlords go in, they spray reasonably well, unfortunately I prioritise poorly and fail to get a back member of the unit for which I have no other attacks to get to with. Ambush Drudges charge in anyway, once committed might as well hope for a low Deathbound roll at this point.

Plan 2: Keep Alexia safe. Easy enough, she hangs back in the trench under Decel, with four Risen as back up in the event of blast damage, outside of Apparition Blackbane charges. Drudges run up and around, hanging in collection and Decel range. She also spawns a Thrall that charges the Kraken, as it doesn't die to a single Wrecker going in. The Thrall does a single point, that's.....a start......technically....

Plan 3: Draw the Kraken in. Based on the opposing force composition, I reason that if I advance a Wrecker, the Kraken is the only thing that can meaningfully do something about it. Unless Goreshade wants to get out of his comfort zone. I put a Wrecker into the forest, just shy of the 3 inch mark so it'll take a walk or trample for the Colossal to get in. I arc a Hexblast onto the Kraken, knocking off Infernal Machine and doing more damage than the Thrall. It's something!

Mid next Cryx turn I realise the right Ternion unit didn't activate at all. Competence....


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitXxO1S3hcaW-dC991spBxHAqEk0fO1TPHi3r8H787EFXT_Yla0nB9Zrw352v74Haj6jZ7t9XaqsrR9B_jZsNOhjbM6gpOpH4RFBsJeqPLcgX1djDgqSP31Cy4xrufFRKJXCPEdnhXwM58/s1600/004+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Cryx 2: Max Revenants return. Sigh.
The left units of Revenants essentially get distracted killing off the ambushing Drudges, leaving a couple Grunts and the Cephalyx trudging on.

The Blackbanes come charging in, they eat an Overlord and a pair of Drudges, stifled by poor attack rolls and a spike in tough rolls.

The Hellfire Wraith aims and kills the Thrall blocking the Kraken. 
Goreshade puts up Infernal Machine, a free cast by dint of one of the left Overlords being just in his control. Dangit.
One of the Machine Wraiths gets Dark Shroud and runs up to engage the forest Wrecker.
The Kraken then stomps forward into the forest, misses the Wrecker with his first attack. The second hits, I Hyper Aggresive to get out of the Dark Shroud aura. Sadly the Kraken manages to punch through and kill the Monstrosity, hardly unexpected.

Lastly the right unit of Revenants charge and kill a Ternion/Overlord that I gave away for free.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHF74SR30g8QT_LkC-LR9KO0NGZPs21nEklYl60Ax4_rWfbUpE3ed3Lu6iDT5xJwuiB9NIe226WFa-PsV57r8jG4T2pcSzIteWp-PX0k2A-e5zCWss-w4tWwMTtjkro0UJ77o7xFTU3tfD/s1600/005+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 3: I want to send some Adrenalled Drudges into the Kraken plus the Wrecker and hopefully trash him.

Around the infantry front line, I realise at this point how my deployment and unpack has made my order of activation's straight up awful. The Green Slavers go first to clear off the Blackbanes on the Overlords, they do that pretty well. The purple Benders then send up three Grunts to do Sprays, they roll poorly, in particular failing to hit Blackbane. Hmph. Needing more sprays, the Pink Slavers forgo Adrenal Kraken punching to clear out a few more Blackbanes, freeing up room for the Blue Benders to move up and also fail in their sprays.
The pair of Overlords have a chance to wipe out the previous turns Revenant crew, they kill several but leave one alive behind the wall.
This was so much easier against the Winterguard, the one point Defence jump is having an awful effect on my plans.

The Wrecker gets an Instigate bubble put up, advances and takes out the right side of the Kraken. It's something.
Thexus gets as far away as he can from the Kraken, pops Decel and TK's himself even further back.
Alexia's Risen shuffle around, don't do much. She should have spawned a Thrall to charge the Kraken, I opt to do a hand cannon instead and miss. Alexia is apparently sending her resume to the 501st.

I ahd a theoretical chance to wipe out the right Revenants, the Ternion Overlords miss four of their six spray attacks to not even get close.

That......was a disaster. Plans kneecapped by earlier mistakes, compounded by attempting to achieve to much and relying on rolling averages. My saving grace is that the Revenant list is weird, I'm down to 22 minutes but feel I'll quite reliably win on clock.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLqubGUFkjMLFtQlFV3ytr66BkSOiprcH3Ots3oXnl4_wxhMTSBBRcHohDUARkUWj0Xa6_QKxm9HJBh35UdNAPHCQPdKbHWAIa-v7lsbFwIKjLn9GTMNRO8HLuWZTqjdofS-kvFa97JtS/s1600/006+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Cryx 3: Revenants respawn. Hypocritical whine about recursive infantry list here.
The Kraken spins to get its not crippled arm around, Sweeps down some Drudges, buys attacks to kill my Wrecker with the Machine Wraith Dark Shroud assisting, does a killshot at Alexia that scatters and kills some Risen in front of Thexus.
The various incorporeal solos move around or chew on my infantry. The Blackbanes charges the Objective and roll very poorly, leaving it still going on 6 boxes.
The Right Revenant crew charge in on the Ternion Overlords, kill one, clock runs.


Do some playthrough after the clock out, Revenants finish off the right Overlords, left Revenant blob kills the White Drudge unit, an Overlord and some Green Slavers.
The Cryx plan had been to clear the zone, Dominate, then start scoring off the right flag. That's a good plan that I had poor answers to (Basically send a Thrall each turn to contest and scramble to recover). Fortunately I had enough chaff in the zone and a surprisingly resistance objective to stop that.

I halfheartedly started planning my turn, upon which I discover without the struggle of winning on clock the list is boring as hell to me and I call it. The play should be Adrenal 6 Slaver Drudges, clear off some stuff and kill the Kraken with said coked up fiends, then push through the zone for scoring.


Not a great performance for me, with the failure to adapt to going first, not prioritising the sprays properly and, I think most damningly, not even attempt to push the win condition from the get go, relying on a slow attrition deal when that is eminently not a good plan in the matchup. I should have aggressively pushed the zone in turn 2, essentially creating a buffer of bodies to get teh Wrecker up in the open and threatening the Kraken. If it stands still or comes forward, I likely kill it, if it backs up I pop the Objective and threaten the Scenario.Good stuff to know, painful way to learn it.

Game 172 - Thexus1(Drudges) vs Irusk2(Stalingrad)

Righto, round 2 of Slam, still with this chunk theoretical oiled human flesh:
Thexus1 (Operating Theatre) - 2x Wrecker, 2x Agitator, 3x Mind Slavers + Drudges, 2x Mind Benders + Drudges, Alexia1 + Controlling dude in Latex, 2x Overlords
Objective: Bunker

There was a pair down, so essentially anyone at the Slam was a potential opponent. This is included a mix of Damiano Kingmaker evilness, Haley 3, Haley 2. Out of that lot, there was only one list I was hoping to avoid, because it was going to be a huge slog if it came up and it's self inflicted as I brought up one of Trebor's creations pre-Slam as test worthy.

Ergo, naturally, Stalingrad time:
Irusk2 (Winterguard Theme) - 2x Destroyer, 2x Mortar, Field Gun, 3x WGI (Max) + UA, 2x WGI (Max), 2x WGI (Min)
Objective: Bunker
Might have the exact unit compositions incorrectly and I'm to lazy to check. There's a ton of dudes.A two hour game it is.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuD2mJL93MzC54tXYiL5PQP9qVP30_y5lfTuIc-k8uHNsOgckqMXKT4e5_w7htCg9J9JECj81DbL_jncQHnz2cL_1BMc8x-nQEDh8G7IL-HX4Z2V7XFsi87yLzNtfyUYpLsnd6zCFRsgLz/s1600/012+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Deployment: I lose the roll and get given second. Got to appreciate the consistency.
So....yeah.....that's a lot of small bases.
There's walls scattered around the edges of the board. None of them are super relevant in a huge way.
What is relevant is both flags have a forest next to them, there's a block of clouds in the centre which both sides have the means to ignore (Eyeless vs Irusk Feat) which could have some play implications. Lastly, the reason I chose this side ultimately is that the forest/Obstruction allows Thexus to threaten scoring the right flag while staying safe from Mortar shots killing him with Fire for Effect Blast damage. LIVE IN FEAR.

Khador leans toward the left with one unit, because compressing to avoid the ambushers with that many models is haaaaaarrrrrrd.
There's a bunch of proxies (Assassins, Risen, Rifle Corp), it's all Winterguard Infantry.
Irusk, Destroyers and the weapon crews are central, two of the WGI UA's are on the left edge of the block, one on the right.

I retain the same proxies as last time, various metal blood witches as different Drudge fill outs, brown undercoated Kreuger as one of the Cephalyx Slavers.
Thexus, Wreckers, Agitators, Alexia go on the right. Overlords on each extreme flank. Drudge glob fills the space left between those elements.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSO7tGFklskBLiw-uw4QsaRT4riY2c94XFfe4yE6hUpfFZSr4oYRWF5KedXkCyHPpfCChTiY5wMXslzi_z1iG3O7HRMQX-TGVDa9iR5Vfmb8a7CiZwfGVOVJOcQQwjCrEu3exfbZ6Q0-MB/s1600/013+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Khador 1: Begin the Imperial March! Duh duh duh du da-da du da da. OK, that doesn't really work as text.
After Advance Moves, everything runs up. Seeing my telegraphed right flag plan, a solid brick forms up on the right, binning that plan until much later in the game.
Solid Ground goes up, quite a shock. Fire for Effect pops up on the Mortar.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YSx3RqEUUYph5yXIrrjnrY7RLWViHlkqF8KeZpIobF7KJmogz_uMMTkelFqEyRid3gLcL0dDGgjPh0GIcTvwfQDm63E-fzh9f_CASCdMLwwBXH07grHT4lxGgDPbtCiaJMe5XPdezPi9/s1600/015+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 1: Overlords run up on either flank, staying clear out of WGI murder range.
Thexus puts up Deflect and walks up somewhat, Wreckers go to Sac Pawn range on either side.
That's the stuff I care about, after that  Risen and Drudges run forward with some spreading out. A bunch of them will die, as they should.
The cloud nearest the Khadoran side goes away.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWnk-91o9uoF-AgcP_qoNnu6DvfTnNMiOK8Dmpd1g-m8v1fns4NTOlq9wji2fs-PheDO5YlbMj0lOyT4Igov3VEySmQrJ_82jnrY8cEcaEZQEGSE_u5uz3otSsoqgYUhdLdsJu3tRkSAG/s1600/016+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Khador 2:The infantry blocks advance forward, shooting down the suicide Risen out front and a Pink Slaver, while most units on the flanks run, keep themselves in the tough bubble of Irusk.
The Destroyers move into the zone, alongside the various artillery they shoot up the left Wrecker, remove most of his health but only take out his right arm.
At the end of the turn the clouds all go away, like you do. Not like my Eyeless Sight army was that concerned.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvP67K-ql6agZOBu2Vwg-XPC1-ju5Wst6Ji9AL1HKRO6YvFFwoF0ORuexZ71m6kgxy9Od3zA6k1tHGaoBNKtwmKd8DpR3xDksffaoh42K36Pq5ZqZa0eRDe1cbZNNCSzcchHlQq77x0Udy/s1600/018+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 2: Not doing super cerebral planning here, this is going to be a long game. This is feat turn to maximise sprays.
Thexus feats on most of the stuff in the centre and the right, I push one Destroyer back and the other forward into the damaged Wreckers charge range. Thexus then heals the damaged arm, casts Deflection and moves across to the right.

Left wise, I've ambushed the unit of Slavers as theirs some victims in range. Between the left Overlord unit spraying and the White Slavers (Phrasing. Awkward.) charge in and put the unit down to two models (Standard bearer is engaged and obscured by the tree). Three Drudges get created by Prep Surgery.

The Pink and Green Slaver units are in the way of the spray unit and Wrecker. Three of the Green guys get Adrenaled, as Wreckers don't seem to quite kill heavies on their own, or at least it's to dice dependent for my liking. The Green unit then charges one side of the push phalanx I constructed, two of the Adrenal Drudges ding the Destroyer for a bit. The Pink Slavers charge the other side of the WGI wedge, stab more dudes. Both units Prep Surgery multiple times (You can see the lines made quite clearly by the Drudges in the pic). The Purple unit then advances, pop forward three sprays and leave only a few of their targets alive. Finally, an Agitator moves up and Instigates, the Wrecker charges in and eats the Destroyer.
Alexia stays back behind my objective, living the dream of corpse collection.

On the right, The Overlord/Ternion unit sprays down a bunch of Winterguard on the right, though they go a bit higher on the miss/tough ratio than I'd like (i.e they each only killed 3 or 4 models).

I'd really been hoping to see how long the turn took, so naturally I bungled the photo and glared out the clock. Oh well, it felt very quick for how much I got done.














[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinCwtlde5kTry2pZH_6Eba-wnZ5q0-YwvSreFYt9lfGD1UwDlEQOo1zi-p5z6yv96vGjcvpzRqzkTSyg1QZLWgdYQ1bNHwJ3bIpyOzmQ0KV33NBS9NiKdD6XSfUFZgyF8e8G8Ee_9hMEYg/s1600/019+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Khador 3: He that lives by the Spray.....
The left most unit with UA got kaputted before it could participate, that leaves the two central units though, who come in and obliterate most of the Slaver Drudges that had gone into the phalanx. A few do survive, as the 6 inch range has a number of limits.
The WGI on the right do various CRA's and pop the Ternion Overlord unit, like you do.
The various Artillery bits go, manage to finish off the Wrecker that had come in.
Irusk chills out, feats, ensuring he gets my remaining Wrecker.
As the very last activation of the turn, the remaining Destroyer aims and hits Alexia. Does 10 damage, one points more than the Risen and health boxes could absorb. She fails her tough roll and stares at me in sadness as the dice marking the max corpse generation go into the box.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfy2LiXFPfm3Ih0JUeYgpl_iHPHWvPU0EXnJ1qQ3BG9WVakvwyVpas7aEp337-popNJ5upvFYKTjlObmkoQdgvhEMTwIDKdSYZJwcPPzuIJxT8N_8YkQNR8x6H6xo-E-1HWkDhnbtUAi-b/s1600/020+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 3: The Monstrosity runs directly toward Irusk, getting him just in Hex Blast range. Unfortunately I have to kill at least one out of two Winterguard to free up the line of sight, I recognise to late that with the feat I lack any attack that can get in. I could ostensibly do it with two Hexblasts, ultimately I feel that I can still swing attrition my way and that having Thexus on no camp will lead to him dying to Mortar Blast damage. Ergo, Thexus ends up just chilling in Sac Pawn range with Deflection up.

Left wise, the White Slavers (Yeah.....I'm going to paint those guys a lot sooner now) mostly just stumble through the forest, fail to kill the Standard Bearer, Surgery the other member of the unit into another Drudge (They exceeded their movement size immediately, so some Blue Benders had to be roped in).

Centre wise, the Overlords move across and do a few sprays. The Pink and Green Slavers charge in, they kill some Winterguard. The Green unit recovers its numbers pretty well, the Pink unit is less successful.
The few remaining Risen just run up into the back end of the zone.

On the right, where my remaining pieces are more limited, an Agitator runs up as an expendable piece while Mind Benders move up behind him.


Khador 4: Hmm....no photos. This might be a struggle.
The few remaining centre Winterguard and Kovnik Joe free up the Drudges near the artillery. 
The artillery pew pew, they clear out most of the Drudges in the centre and do a long shot down the back that kills the Purple Mind Bender Cephalyx unit leader (When Drudge Command 4 comes up it's rarely good). The Green Slaver Drudges are wiped out now.

The Destroyer, having had its path cleared, charges the Objective with max focus. Flubbs the rolls hard, leaves it alive on three boxes. The Khadoran mechaniks that assembled him were doubtless brutally killed for their failure long after the battle.

I still have various Risen, the Dominator and a couple Drudges in the zone. Accepting clearing the zone wasn't going to happen, Irusk walks back to be behind the obstruction, looking to head toward the right flag to score.

On said right flag, two WGI kill the Agitator, then it takes the next half a dozen to kill the nearest Bender Drudge.


Merc 4: The remaining Agitator moves up and Instigates. I screw up with the Monstrosity, essentially misplaying a rule I played in error on Monstrosities in the past (Thexus arcing doesn't give them focus from damage, has to be an attack or continuous effect. It's embarrassing how many times I did that.). Exulon ends up just chilling back and putting up Deflection. By dint of my screw ups, the Wrecker goes into the Destroyer minus a focus off what he should be. He slaps the Destroyer a few times, sadly fails to kill or get the cortex, so I was sad at the time. It transpires in the next turn that I crippled both arms, so that was actually quite reasonable. The Purple Mind Benders charge the Destroyer to try to kill it off, they roll poorly (Though dice -9 isn't great in any event).

The Overlords shuffle around, do a spray or two to kill the last few central WGI that aren't engaged by Risen.
White Slavers run around, kill the Standard Bearer, one goes into the Objective and does five points. A couple engage the Artillery pieces.

Far right, the Mind Benders advance and Concussion Pules twice, kill all the WGI over their bar one.


Khador 5: Kovnik Joe clears off one artillery piece, as I didn't really get many Drudges in to engage, slowed by the forest and a need to keep activation times low. Another frees itself by taking a free strike and using the Take Up rule. Silly artillery rules.

The Destroyer manages to kill the Objective, then hits the Wrecker a couple times. Artillery kills a few of the White Drudges and one of the Overlords. Irusk moves toward the right flag, alongside the last WGI they kill the remaining Blue Drudge and the Cephalyx unit leader.


Merc 5: The Wrecker gets Instigated and easily kills the Destroyer with his initials.
The remaining Pink Slavers and Purple Benders charge the Khador Objective, they spike unreasonably and easily kill it.

The White units limps onward, they kill Kovnik Joe and some of the Artillery Grunts.
The Risen Press Frward, the Dominator and a pair of them run to contest the right flag, the Ceph in the forest at the four inch mark. One Risen is stuck with the last WGI in the zone, manages to kill him, which saved some Purple Drudges having to do it.

The zone is cleared, so Thexus toes the zone.

I go to 3 CP and have one minute and four seconds left.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8idvbJyNQE_cSyzG-g20O3fYOfaQxbJCWTIuUti2pi3wXlxXjG5csn5X3NmBk2hbB2IuJ2j6FUxyGoHjW8SXZplY9oI6_eFT2n58E-a8y3x2MYyx21u6AC24imKAdnZUXQoB5Yv-FnHH9/s1600/021+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Khador 6: Irusk and the last WGI kill the two Risen around the zone,they can't get to the Dominator. He Energizes to the flag anyway. Their isn't anything Khador can do to realistically pull it out now, Thexus is unkillable and I can easily clear the zone on my next turn. The Artillery do pot shots and mess up the Wrecker, nothing gets into the zone and go to 5 CP's, Khador left with 34 seconds.


So......that happened......Such infantry. Much wow?
I enjoyed that quite a bit, can't see that style of game happening very often. Will run the Drudge a few more times, optimistic on it at the moment so lets watch that slowly dissipate into the inevitable void that follows us at all times, being unstoppable and beyond comprehension.

After the game, I was initially under the impression that I didn't pursue the Hexblast plan sufficiently, in hindsight I'm content with the moves made. I don't necessarily need the Wreckers to kill opposing heavies, they just do it the most efficiently, they are still better spent doing that than arc noding in this instance where I have the necessary special rules to punch through the tough anyway.

Multiple play errors in terms of not ideal activations, that's an inevitable aspect of the list, though ideally those screw ups get saved for the expendable pieces.

Game 171 - Thexus1(Drudges) vs Reznik1

It's not the world we know. It was different. Better. Idealized communism was successful. No Child went hungry. Education was free and accepted by all. Clothes never got stained. The only problems were Firt World Ones, because that's where everyone lived, whilst maintaining the full acceptance on how small those problems were and they were kept in that context.

In other words, I actually got to play in another Slam. Wonders never cease.

I've been consumed of late trying to find solutions in my pairing, which wasn't going anywhere, so instead I just dropped down some nonsense to present a problem instead.

Thexus1 (Operating Theatre) - 2x Wrecker, 2x Agitator, 3x Mind Slavers + Drudges, 2x Mind Benders + Drudges, Alexia1 + "Undesired Adult", 2x Overlords
Objective: Bunker

Round 1, it's Gerrah with some pyromaniacs:
Reznik1 - Scourge of Heresy, Crusader, Reckoner, Devout, 3x Redeemer, 2x Choir (Min), Rhoven and Co, Wrack, Hierophant

Scenario is Incursion, for once that doesn't bother me. I've got more than enough equivalents of schlubby sitcom dad's to just throw into the contesting Grinder.
I lose the roll, get choice of side. The Menites end up with some walls/trench that don't matter, the left flag is in the midst of a forest, the centre one is somewhat open with an obstruction and double cloud deal between the centre and right flag, an arrangement which is basically the bunker THexus has always dreamed of.

Going in, this matchup seemed favourable to me. Redeemer blast damage struggles against Deflection buffed Drudges and it's a small list, though Witchhound can be difficult for my more interesting plays.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_uVSzJUqg62n-W2zzx4MPNUCbvni7RmAZfRaI6e_Uj_AqMJRqu31TC40I2cejss7iSNkgfUVuNsFMz-9WQFYfvDN7w5KwszG4-Un2iQUXIPam7Xh7289hqFIzfZtepH-YNfuY4QbaBWM/s1600/005+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Round 1: The Menites compress to the centre somewhat, wary of my ambushing Slaver unit. The Heavies are dead centre (Green Templar is subbing in for Scourge of Heresy), Rhoven and buds on the left amidst the walls and Redeemers on the right.

Right unit of Overlords repped by some colourful Ternions, with a few metal models subbing in for various Drudges and a brown Kreuger model as the Green Slaver unit Cephalyx (Alas IKRPG, how dare running that and being lazy force me to proxy!).
Overlords run on both flanks to an extreme extent.
Drudge horde goes up the guts with a left side leaning, Slavers out front and Benders behind. Thexus, Agitators and Alexia go up behind the Cloud/Obstruction formation on the right. A Thrall runs up behind the cloud nearest the line of flags.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK2yQ3TBr3wCRJBXswGYzXvUDWdtFDt2QxaV6bvzYwK_3tDb-GOLUo8cm7fwnc-MjL0dX4OmZG5h-8knpMz5v0bVlfnohVAjv4QzF8MSsQM5Vm0mFQD1Zhwzb9YL_VBpL1lmsqTklnHIip/s1600/006+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Menoth 2: Reznik throws Brand of Heresy on the front Pink Slaver unit. Redeemers/Reckoner shoot the front line, I roll outrageously well on tough, end up losing half the unit which is chump change for the amount of fire power used.
Rhoven and co hang weirdly back and spread out.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEchVQef_DU_WtvbKNnWMg4ap3IrGoGa0_w3R8T7rv2wwVDLP1oxkzx6OBSDYGMZYn8qRqifh13L8oGQ6ZhUlegoLs5FaS95yd9d7VnV5ILNJM6AqiAOLnK9gsOXW5-MCy6Exkearobfuk/s1600/007+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 2: Thexus hangs back and casts Deflection again, the fuelled up Wreckers just chill. One goes behind the Obstruction to potentially try to crunch something next turn if required.
Each Overlord unit runs to the flanking flags to score.
The Reckoner is sadly just in contesting range of the centre flag, so that's the extent of the scoring I'll get this turn.
I Adrenal three of the Pink Slavers, Thexus TK's a couple of them up as well. This lets three of them charge the Devout and with some high spiking damage rolls manage to bin it.
Slaver Drudges and Risen run up as a mob around the centre.
The Ambush unit crops up from the top right of the board, because Rhoven doesn't matter to me but distracting the Redeemers is useful.

Mercs go to 2 CP.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3krgcmStHU1TKmY3ChlLG5kwVK11rSgpI0C89jVPRDfW6A9wYKqqRydJ0eFtIT7AuJ149hrPUpoc-iYz82ytlEkCxmbhDHhHTZciR0rvb6uguInep6eOQVs5hkjVwT0fCE2upgmP0Q3NK/s1600/008+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Menoth 3: Deep into the Tank we go, as the Menites try to find Dora.
After some futzing around and clearing out Drudge chumps into the centre, a Gotcha moment strikes me like a battering Ram going up my nose as Reznik kills a Drudge and Scourge advances, then moves up again from a Perdition. Into charge range of Thexus. Oh god.
Fortunately, an attack shortage meant that Risen were still blocking the way, so Scourge has to trample to Thexus, misses the first attack, hits with the second. Its Dice + 6 because in over 400 years of life Thexus has never considered his physical form anything less than invulnerable. Good to know where PP sits on the question of Willpower equating to Intellect (i.e in no practical way whatsoever).
Thexus goes down to four boxes, starts telepathically screaming for someone to fix it.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr2HqkadzfkzyJJdOvNEAUnu92234w058qrKFx6XlkZMclmElUeTQjzq8M8LROxEZW6j7LeY9AFkE1LUKt3BJN3wJh161BPVttl7SYIJU65nWXxdgEkpgWj5m28WFvpwgc4JmZe8gx5Y2U/s1600/009+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 3: I screw around with some Overlord Sprays, because I'm dumb. Once that's finished with, Thexus trundles up, stays in melee of Scourge, feats pushes the relevant models away from flags as they were only barely contesting and I go to 5 CP.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF1YAfZW2b5wgpBSCXLZcLKa-d_uP9vB1AJcPEaMkFF_utgSnCWk_PHDcmVX0bEdmHW5vfDpujzffWoB9UFx638Ns-yZDLbjWaMOTM3NoaYwxgIzYY8DoKz2ybv2klasuLnlYtG2-gKWtu/s1600/010+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Well, I remembered to look at Rezniks card, almost got horribly swiped by Sourges' Bond, so that was something. Scraped through in any event, the learnings continue.

Very happy with how the timing worked out, moved the list with reasonable speed, made quick decisions when it didn't matter and spaced correctly for the rules I was aware of.

Game 170 - Gorten1 vs Haley3

So I have a few gaping holes in my Warmachine experience, gave our resident gameplay Divinity a light push to throw down one of the undiagnosed nightmares of Mark 3.

Running my most practiced list that has never appeared in the thread before to see how it plays out:
Gorten1 - 2x Driller, 2x Blaster, 2x Gunner, Wrongeye/Snapjaw, Rorsh/Brine, 2x Eliminators, Ragman, Acosta
Objective: Armory
Some of the Incorp spam around has caused some hypothetical issues and Bunker has never really been useful, so I finally select an objective with a specific purpose in mind. Yay Magic!

Meanwhile, voiced by a smooth Tim Curry and set to be remade later on to spawn a brief 3d movie craze for the 4th or so time in history:
Haley3 + Photo album of memories - Thorn, 2x Firefly, Junior + Firefly, Laddermore, Gorman, Ragman, Trenchers (max), Storm Lances (Min) x2

Scenario is Incursion, whose impending demise I look forward to.
Terrain is.....not the best? I go first and get the side with a hill and we're done? There's a wall, cloud and some forests around the place.

[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOIGiY-3cdJicsfK0Ggiu-0sn6sVYDD-fVXT6IrCOOKdSz2pKajMVP4xOg5MGaGxB5mfFNlQR0Qhm9buBdYxsJ7quJkTJsabnz4r65LABOjprF2cdMsIm-IOTSp2Qgo_U5wNG4H02wiTI/s1600/001+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Gorten Jack fort goes up the guts, Ninja Pig goes left, Crocs and Acosta go right. Eliminators are on the extremes of both flanks.

Swannies pop out their ghost leadership, Trenchers do the Tac Supremacy cloud wall deal. Lances go on either flank, one runs up on the extreme right to allow the firefly to throw lightning out and kill an Eliminator.

[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-8z7KoOjQ8BmGKhf1odhSZ5ntmFP-OAd8ojm3NWa5N54pm3wCieF_RKEjN8O56MSXtbopr5Ni9q_G6glXHo4JPllUzD6OjiaVuOmYcllOOnUGU0oJ4_D2FKN2rXZ0DxuHRv220BRMUd8F/s1600/002+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 2: My thinking is basically I want a Rockwall out somewhere meaningful and otherwise camp 3-4 every turn to not die.
Left Eliminators jam up on the Storm Lances, Brine goes into the trench and contests the left flag.
Drillers run up on the hill and contest the centre flag, having them near the fort just gets them Force Hammered somewhere awful.
Gorten trundles across with lights in front, puts up a wall to stop Storm Lancers charging Snapjaw, who contests the right flag.
Acosta runs to far right and engages the forward most Stormlance.

[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPRdqEyh8mTP3xeLwJ3A4tSgucKmuLhePlbMU0i9D3Yj2GNFaK2JY9rSFnGiBUWsuG8XsdPBYkVzusXy7EaAGgjbH4lSaU9Ryxjt_mA7OeZok4GEEzx5_MpCiIJPs_XX7OCmB-0ZE4YWC-/s1600/004+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Cygnar 2: So we do some math.
Haley can feat, teen rebel version can force hammer the Rhulic lights (Or Haley2 could Dominate if needed), then between Haley Grandma shooting, Trenchers, Storm Lancer Assaults, Thorn charges, Firefly shots Gorten gets squished. Assuming that happens, we go with a version where I drop the wall and camp 5, which makes the assassination slightly harder but still eminently doable. That's the matchup theory utterly crushed at any rate.

Attrition gets played out instead.
Haley feats, Fluxes, Dominates one Driller to go up to his buddy and hug/stab him.
She then falls back, the Incorporeal diary entries come to life contest the centre and right flag.
Gorman rust bombs the Drillers, Between charging Fireflies and Trenchers both Drillers get crumpled up and dusted.
Juniors Fire fly shoots Brine, electro leaps off him, to the flag, to the Eliminator annoying the left Storm Lance unit. Didn't account for that. Kills her.
Left Lance unit and Moreladders charge Brine and repo back, hurting him a fair amount.
On the right the Storm Lance unit charges Acosta, first one misses, Riposte does two points, second attack hits and kills. Another member charges Snappy and gets an excellent hit.
Four or so Trenchers go into Snappy and kill him.
Thorn moves up, I'm to dispirited at this point and concede. Thorn can stop Gorten getting to a charge location for a potential assassination, plus also disrupt all my lights. I can damage the lights and kills some models with feat, then the ponies finish obliterating me.

Quite the pantsing. To the Ice Cream and Gin recovery couch! Ok, not really. I'm lactose intolerant.

Game 169 - 50 pt Cyphon vs Sorscha2

It's been a struggle getting game of late alas, thankfully got a 50 point game of derps into one of the three Valkyries who are at fault for getting me into this game.

When it comes to this point level I've basically got a whole "don't even go there" syndrome, so just dropped a Wrecker and Mind Bender unit from my current Forced Evolutionists. If there ever is a third Cephalyx caster, I'll be somewhat disappointed if they don't have Forced Evo now, IT'S JUST SO FLUFFY.

Cyphon - 2x Wrecker, Subduer, 2x Mind Bender Units, Alexia1 with Undead and abusive boyfriend, 2x Agitator

Into "your Gallows dreams are made of suck":
Sorscha2 - 2x Devestator, Black Dragon IFP, Eliminators, Manhunter, Greylord Ternion, Greylord Koldun, Widowmakers, Widowmaker Marksman, War Dog

That's....pretty much everything I never want to see? Effective anti infantry shooting, Jacks that refuse to be moved, Magic attacks, threat extendenders. Ewww.

Take and Hold because I'm lazy. Literally only terrain that matters in the end is a cloud on my side, plus I lost the roll, got given second and my models where already inclined this way. Let's put some faith in the mist.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRX7wi5t4vLqkB4bRyY-_y_n1gFASPzbFlqRYNssbAeXRxMV4rZ6xEPH6zi4CQ9dt68UE2EJ1o79Xn5QVF_CRLFQ5ebMRZFInDHhitJg9ihrYZ-9ZjNNQTaR70sp0bZADQbLyyOftYLYPV/s1600/007+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Round 1: Khadoran stealthy stabbers move up on the left, IFP get Shatterstorm and go up the trench. Greychaps and Widows on the right. Sorscha and jacks go behind the infantry front line.

Demolishers and Iron Zeal aye? Subduer runs to the right flank, because apparently tieing up Widowmakers is the best use for it at the moment.
Overlords stab the Wreckers to give them some focus. Only one of them spikes for five damage, so woo?
Cyphon turns a Drudge into delicious man meat jelly to get a long range Breathstealer out on the IFP, then puts Perseverance on the right Wrecker. Wreckers then go either side of the Cognifexer.
Risen form a wall in front of the Wreckers, if the Reds want they can Boundless charge their skirmishing models in, which is essentially the plan. Risen are happily sacrificable if I get some Eliminators in a position to Concussion Pulse or Empathic Overload.
Drudges optimistically go on the hill. Should have Blurred them. Oh well.
The cloud I'd put faith in goes away at the end of my turn. Maybe Sartre did have a point.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6uZ5Yr-zPoDBpraq25dzvaf2-6rR29Iv47nxUYKT0lNz5iZKMpoJTY6kxJ_3JnDf7_NxVP6tlgQGYl0eIh48ZeueMhhCG9I6zTP6-rnei623XF2Fso2EcaPca_6GBAlMEnqpSLTi7j-W-/s1600/008+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Khador 2: Sorscha, sure enough, Boundless Charges the Eliminators who go on to stab down four Risen. The Manhunter skulks forward a little bit on the left.
IFP decide to run forward so that they can get somewhere. Not like Shieldwall is going to save them.
The Greylords and Widowmakers kill half a dozen Drudges on the right they even lack the common decency of breaking the Subduer's armour for focus and Hyper aggressiveness. Just mean.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6VuSfiYRLZzo9pMHJhDqJ8sVyqQq24SZlldJCZtObFxsgdbFaIqi3vXEqkK7b1c47YzQp3bLcdo4RUOpW3sISSfrZWOeqOA2Xh84QBBrgi7wYHeD8s745zFIRG08R6BCSYVEyn0assMaO/s1600/009+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 2: Lets kill stuff!
I genuinely have no idea what to do with the Subduer and no good answer to the Widowmakers, so he runs and engages half the Snipers to at least make something happen.
One Wreckers futzes out of the way, does a lazy attack that kills one of the Eliminators, which makes me lose my impetus to Empathic Overload him.
Cyphon Breath Stealers the Black Dragons again, aims to try to spray down the other Eliminator and misses. Like you do. Feats on the right Wrecker.
Drudges from both units move forward, sprays for days!
All the Black Dragons die. All the Ternions miss, the Greylord Koldun gets hit but only take a damage point. Complete success followed by utter failure, sounds about right. I begrudge you Def 13.
Alexia moves around, the Dominator Seduces the Eliminator into a death spot, Alexia shoots and kills her.
One Agitator walks into the middle of no where and Instigates, the feated Wrecker then charges one Devastator, takes out the Cortex and Right arm, does another swing into the other Devastator to take out a column.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtoB9vMXgW_puhUVI5MMBKD-03iwMF2hpDwsD_bEqsZuyECvU52GqqK7rpvwYGL1ZwP_oSDLNxGLUXe7nvOPMs8l6UZs_Bva-hphCfjSxUYe4RFUqEDv7Fw4p_MdDSoixErTltVLvlpY8i/s1600/010+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Khador 3: So....fail time. I didn't re-read Sorschas spell card like an idiot and forgot about her self movement spell.
In a different fail, the Devastator bulldozes the Persevered Wrecker to clear the charge lane. Good use of your own spells there brain.
Ternion advance, hit Cyphon three times with Ice Cage to stationary him.
Dog runs up to grant parry.
Sorscha does her advance spell, Boundless charges, goes into Cyphon, feats, one shots through the focus camp.
Well.....bugger.....

My non-opposing caster card reading fail aside, happy I'm at least remembering to Breathstealer, good enabler for the mass sprays. 20 Mind Benders feels immensely worse than 30, than extra unit makes an a slight exponential difference.

My existential warmachine crisis: I love my Gorten list, but have a complete inability to find a second list that covers his particular bad matchups. Flubadubdub.

CID Grymkin week2: Me vs Rob MacBain vs Dreamer beast spam

75 Point game, MacBain (Kingmaker theme) against The Dreamer running a Beast spam. Opponent was RobShepherd, I expect he'll put his own views and accounting in the vicinity.

Intent being to examine the viability of Rattler Spam, tested items in Bold.

Mercenary Army - 75 / 75 points
[Theme] The Kingmaker's Army
(MacBain 1) Drake MacBain [+30]
 - Buccaneer [6]
 - Galleon [39]
 - Nomad [11]
 - Madelyn Corbeau, Ordic Courtesan [4]
Kell Bailoch [0]
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor [0]
Steelhead Halberdiers (min) [7]
Steelhead Halberdiers (min) [7]
Trencher Infantry (max) [16]
 - Trencher Infantry Rifle Grenadier (3) [6]
Rangers [9]
Objective: Armory


Grymkin Army - 75 / 75 points
[Theme] Dark Menagerie
(Dreamer 1) The Dreamer [+28]
 - Cage Rager [14]
 - Gorehound [6]
 - Gorehound [6]
 - Rattler [8]
 - Rattler [8]
 - Rattler [8]
 - Rattler [8]
 - Rattler [8]
 - Rattler [8]
 - Rattler [8]
 - Rattler [8]
 - Crabit [0]
 - Crabit [0]
 - Crabit [0]
 - Crabit [0]
Lady Karianna Rose [4]
Gremlin Swarm [0]
Gremlin Swarm [0]
Gremlin Swarm [3]
Gremlin Swarm [3]
Gremlin Swarm [3]
Objective: Fuel Cache


Arcana: All Fall Down, Tantrum, Ruin

I'd originally posited that Injury would be a selected Arcana, based on MacBain's feat, this was decided against as that Arcana is relatively easy to play around, whereas Tantrum has a broad and potentially exponential affect on the Rattler spam list. Ruin wasn't discussed prior to the game, so I cannot provide thoughts on that.

Game was played without clocks and averaging of dice sets that dipped excessively below or above the average. Movements/plans talked through to prevent Gotcha moments and tactical blunders of any severity.

Scenario is Extraction, I win the roll and pick first.

My side has a trench to the left and water to the right, the centre of the table has a hill and a pair of clouds. Grymkin have a wall next to their objective and a number of scattered forests.
Grymkin side taken primarily on the basis of reasonable pathfinder equivalents and a forest being more tactically usable than the water.

Deployment sees the Galleon taking the water side as my own pathfinder response (The Objective forces the Galleon to either stay backfield or advance up one side of the table in any event).
Halberdiers on either flank, Trenchers central, Rangers and Kell in front of the Galleon.


Merc 1: Everything advances forward without to much excitement. The Nomad heads for the Trench, intending to gain Cover as mild protection from Abyssal Gate while Orin hangs around the Galleon.
Halberdiers go up either flank, Trenchers/Rangers skirmish out the front.
The existence of the Ruin Arcana caused me some pause, as it makes the standard upkeep shifting mode MacBain likes to play with the list more difficult.
Part of my decision making is thankfully handled by the lack of guns in the opposing list rendering Counter Measures not especially relevant, so the Galleon gets Failsafe and the Trenchers recieve Fortune.


Grymkin 1: Most of the Grymkin run up to be behind the hill, with three Rattlers gaining Elevation. Two if those three further Benefit from Artifice of Deviation, as do a number of Crabits and the Cage Rager. The Dreamer is safe behind the Fuel Cache Cloud, she uses the Cage Rager to arc Enfeeblement onto a forward Trencher.
The Hounds and one Rattler run to the left, the Hounds sit in the forests for Prowl.
Gremlin swarms proliferate around for Serenity duty.
The right most Rattler, in the midst of a forest, has his Animus and is in the forest courtesy of a charge attempt on the Galleon.


Merc 2: Both clouds go away at the end of the Grymkin turn.
I feat for 7 models, selecting the front row of Trenchers and one Ranger.
The Ranger advances into the Gremlins to Mark Target the Cage Rager. This triggers the Rattler Countercharge, this is done to stop a line from the Ranger unit on a Crabbit in the back, essentially stopping an early binning of a Shield Guard. The Ranger unit mostly sit around the right flag and try to light up the Cage Rager as being the least disastrous target from the Artifice/hill Def boosts. They predictably do little. One Ranger is kept back as Mark Target insurance in later turns.
The Trenchers form a blocking line in front of the bulk of the Grymkin force, the Grenadiers and a pair of two man CRA's take out an exposed Crabbit on the left of the beast block. A larger CRA glances the Cage Rager.
Halberds run to be a reserve on the back left and far right.
Galleon lights up the Cage Rager with its little guns, I roll high on the amount of shots and do about half of its health, plus killing a Crabbit with blast damage and badly hurting another that took a Shield Guard.
The Nomad goes in the trench, stays outside of most of the Rattlers.


Grymkin 2: The Dreamer casts Manifest Destiny, goes incorporeal and goes on the hill in Artifice of Deviation.
Half of the Rattlers throw my feated front line into each other to free up movement lanes.
A series of freestrikes are made, as I need to get damage out on the many boxes. One of them is used to trigger Tantrum.
One Hound and a Rattler go into the Nomad, the Rattler with Enrage. They do about half of its health. A Gremlin Swarm then runs to get in base to base with said Heavy Warjack.
A pair of Rattlers do a Berserk/Overtake rides with Manifest Destiny up, they clean out most of the Trenchers, Rangers and a few of the right Steel Heads. Said Rattlers end up into the Galleon, where they do a few Columns as they max out their Fury. One Gremlin Swarm runs to be base to base with the Colossal.
A small based Phantasm spawns during this turn.
A Gremlin Swarm scores off the left flag.


Merc 3: MacBain is going to have to run to safety and as much work needs to be leveraged as possible, so the upkeeps drop and all the jacks get fully fueled.
The Nomad swings at a Rattler, puts it on one box.
Steelheads on that flank then charge in, All Fall Down gets triggered this turn. Several Halberds fall over as both the Hound and Rattler around the Nomad die.
Madelyn runs to contest the left flag, the Trenchers mostly stand up and make irrelevant attacks.
Around the Galleon, the Buccaneer gets Magic Weapons off the Armoury and stabs down the Galleon Gremlin Swarm. Steelheads, Kell and Orin kill of the Lights around the Galleon, though in the middle the Colossal has to move and take a freestrike.
Galleon tries to finish off the Cage Rager, kills some Shield Guarding Crabbits and kills Karianna Rose with Blast Damage.


Grymkin 3: Three Gremlin Swarms Apparition and get to the Nomad, they Special Action it to death.
The Dreamer stays on the hill in Artifice, puts up Manifest Destiny.
Gorehound kills a Trencher, uses Sprint to take the place of scoring on the left flag.
Rattlers chew through most of the remaining infantry, one ends its run into my objective and leaves it on two boxes, another gets into the Galleon and finishes off its right side.
Buccaneer dies and becomes a Phantasm.
Grymkin go to 2 CP.


Merc 4: MacBain casts multiple Failsafes to punch through the Ruin Arcana card, Galleon tries a long odds shooting assassination and that's game. I can contest for a turn, ultimately can't stop the scenario and/or assassination win next Grymkin turn.

** Red ** (definite rule problems / abuses)
I don't feel that strongly on any item at this stage.


** Orange ** (serious concerns over rules or balance)

Dark Menagerie/Gremlin Swarm/Tantrum - The impression I have received from this game is that this trio of items all share the same root problem, specifically the FA increase granted to Gremlin Swarms in this theme. FA 5 worth of Swarms makes the theme viciously difficult to contend with on scenario and severely limits the potential plays of an opponent that lacks the multiple tools potentially required to deal with Gremlin Defences (Incorporeal/Stealth/Tantrum Card). The mass of Serenity makes the cheap Light Beast Spam readily able to advance with no Fury risk, which feels against the intended changes made to Hordes in Mark 3.
My recommendation would be to remove the FA increase on Gremlin Swarms in the theme, to be replaced by an alternative benefit. If Beast Spam is the desired outcome, I'd recommend the removal of Gremlin FA and Serenity to be replaced by an alternative rule along the lines of "Warbeasts in this list can opt to run for free in round 1". Alternatively, if Beast Spam is to not be encouraged I'd given a benefit that parses a benefit to beasts based on alternative selections, such as "Beasts gain advance move for every unit in the list".


** Yellow ** (possible problems, needs more testing)

Gorehound - Appeared to work as intended (Stealthy, lesser hitter, Sprint model), more games needed to evaluate costing
Rattler - Extremely Destructive this game as they should be in the matchup. Testing into other list archetypes required.
Phantasms - Not particularly relevant to this game, evidence lacking to draw an appropriate conclusion,
Ruin Arcana Card - I believe I as a player gave this card more weight early in the game than was warranted, more tests required though at present I expect it would fit in fine with other upkeep denial abilities. It's universal availability might be a concern, as it forces upkeep reliant casters to always play uphill into the Grymkin faction. Potential fix to have Arcana cards determined at List Creation.
All Fall Down Trump Arcana Card - Not particularly relevant this game, more attempts required.

** Green ** (good to go!)

Cage Rager - Served a particular role in the list that did well (Occasional Arc Node, using its Animus as an assist).
Crabit - No issues, appeared as reasonable Shield Guard models in a useful roll with an appropaite point bracket.
Karianna Rose - Well costed for the options given.
The Dreamer - Appears serviceable, used spell list to deliver/assist army, nothing to egregious appeared from her personally.

Game 168 - MacBain1 vs Zerkova1

Round 2 of shenanigans:
MacBain1 (Kingmakers) - Galleon, Nomad, Buccaneer, Trenchers w/UA and 3 Grenadiers, 2x Max Steelhead Halberds, Kell, Orin
Objective: Bunker

Into some no-idea-if-this-works-or-not:
Zerkova1 - 2x Destroyers, Makacov1 + Ruin, MoW Shocktroopers + UA, MoW Kovnik, Gorman, Ragman, Widowmakers, Great Bears
Objective: Fuel Cache

Same table as last game, so terrain is the same with some random movements. Scenario is now Recon.
I lose the roll, get second again. My side has a hill and trench, centre line has a forest and cloud/rubble pair, Khador has a wedging Obstruction/water blob.

Concerned about Hexblast/Ruin messing up my upkeeps. Insufficient thought given to Zerky's feat messing me up.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cFWSsfX8gsLFudRQYN030weHBENdrEjWR7cXo5l0gPPEGAqtI5pfMeWYX2OtmHdyRtYm5H4yrc7ia37rKgu93tygo5acS-ihIs2ctmr_LrZ6W09yYxflQjrI_cfno03w8b5xGDUD9fbL/s1600/011+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Round 1: Khador advance as a blob, hemmed in heavily by the terrain. Red painted jack is Ruin, the Destroyers split up and go either side. Man O War are the front line, because that's their job. Kovnik is behind the large obstruction.
Widowmakers move up on the right side of the board.

Merc wise, basic plan is to make a push to score off the left flag with MacBain, as Ruin is leaning more to the right side.
Trenchers are the mainstay of the front line, they do a Press Forward to move around and assault with grenades that kills all the Widowmakers.
Kell hangs on the hill, shoots a Shocktrooper for three points. Galleon with Failsafe anchors the very centre as the halberds run up either side. Nomad goes up on the right with a vague notion of threatening Ruin if he comes forward. Buccaneer goes way up the left, theory being that if the Kovnik does a long journey around the obstruction I'll need something boostable in the vicinity to kill him.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ebaY0T9-C3X-yPYxOhymJ_USqqPjIa_kzzENfv9YJkbec2F6RB1GZBCtGrffUngdcVi9E2unoV6fAXQ2OIWcFVOL3n4fxLkDtNxNnYeNZjkNwvlKDLhnZUBWmWUdTgj-8bOw9_y0Zdkr/s1600/012+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Khador 2: Shocktroopers go up the guts in Shield Wall, Kovnik just shouting at them to move faster as he hypocritically just chills out in the same spot behind the Obstruction.
Destroyers do some pot shots, killing a Grenadier, couple trenchers and a few Steelheads on the left.
Zerkova clouds for days.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhFK_CmU1x0y1zhIblzxNeUxovHOvrmuocuGSTYnhbXKLM5zA4G4ZF_9OEJzpmkW3CVM_iv7r9qEjqEYM64fSZ7nbTDNHHoNIx8z1ZoUZBQsCa9JfSzo6LK3Ue7vHMIqCHIEzeSlI45iQL/s1600/013+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Merc 2: Alright, I've been lazy and sat at this point for a few days, time for some truncation.
I hadn't considered the possibility of four clouds at all, so my gun options are severely limited and I just move stuff up in reaction. I regret the Galleon being so central and thus limited in potential range of threat with the terrain included, should have had him on the right and the Nomad central.
MacBain feats on a bunch of stuff, said feated models form a line to stop the Shocktroopers getting in on the left flag. Otherwise Galleon sticks out of threat, Buccaneer stays chilling out on the flank and infantry spread around. MacBain gets to Energiser/walk range of the left flag.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkbZs4klB2K1U8ITE_piBKiqW7_KCNsrVOfv4q7IlsC2-mcjpHbIGh_HSBfhrPGn2pVCqXO2ZHrG_VDJgao73Lu4fyvnAKlJ89aYNohGU0kQHqO3X1ho0GFe89XfA-DSPDENx8vptMuKSH/s1600/014+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Khador 3: Zerkova feats, Shocktroopers form a pair of triangles protecting the zone. The left Destroyer tramples over the feated Halbs to contest the left flag, stays out of the Galleons now rather muted threat range. Ruin bops a Trencher, getting rid of Counter Measures (Which is kinda whatever really, I had no expectations of gaining stuff from it whilst also no concern about having it out there).


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfJHSEf-n4q0OvYTtCJ0iVI8efg6S24BzHvvy8kL3f_w0aVHTQxd0RoRaoa11tNaZLuCr1BmbXpTipL5svQrQYgPg-DQScEmHR-z0T2eUKvacxhfnr2yWnedjxNGP0BxCAGm7P18WJYdOG/s1600/015+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Merc 3: Well, damn, this looks bad. Tripped up by the cloud wall, I failed to recognise that I needed my feat to counter Zerkova's, now I'll have a turn on the backfoot and it looks bad.
I...just walk around? No meaningful attacks to make. Jacks stick out of melee threat ranges.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rJn9DEDFDesGXRVD8p0Zy9GLivdcBEqwfLL0B9c9FSfn-HRrYYhPG2keFaehkMlGCvayCQaOip28dScvwXfIuy1JCJ0fHsxvKhaviDW9-imv_pSbbSQ7lrB-gy1beE6wBnkaMonKqNy0/s1600/016+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Khador 4: Ruin swings his club around, sucks up some sweet souls off the linoleum.
Shots and charging Shocktroopers kill the dudes in the zone, followed by the Great Bears charging and nomming my objective. Zerkova sticks behind cloud walls, Dominates the zone.

Khador go to 3 CP, it....could be going.....a little better?


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrgJAHgc1oAJweLZLXnmuDeKaPp1OYtuXLpTXel6fPbj5PNQkFAaLPoiRNKxXMFEDzo-NuUCKpGXzBz1hCqzTl1gLlJXtraBceQf1Y9RMNQcI57bZ9ohwjoiBGl-V9zn8s6-s3ncFYoHM/s1600/017+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Merc 4: Kill! Contest centre zone! Try to ride out the clock win!
On the right, Steelheads charge Ruin, one gets to Malakov and dies to Watcher. Junior warcaster blindness. A big CMA cores out Ruins Cortex and the world is no longer ended!
Centre wise Trenchers shots with a Grenade kill off the Great Bears.
Nomad kills two of the front Shocktroopers.
Galleon toes the tip of the zone, rolls minimum shots. Ends up doing a few points to the Khador Objective.
Left wise, Kell kills off the Shockie he did damage to way back in the early eons of the game.
Buccaneer assaults the left Destroyer. Misses. Randomises amongst three Steelheads, lands the 8 to knock down the unit leader. World is ended again. Steelhead unit can't receive orders, so they just futz around.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRk__EvSpMh-VX0akYPSTxp9ryCWv4aYl_r2m2BAgaSFvJNLahSI6ZMhCPuWaFjtG8WiL7vnSFWiwyM-sENli7c22GsX1a-SKE1XEntRy5QyPtE-HGuY7ccBnIyHxUtAwMfMz3bDa0mtoi/s1600/018+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
 [/img]
Khador 5: Left Destroyer hits the Buccaneer, takes his net arm. Right Destroyer kills the Steelheads engaging Ruin.
Shockies kill left side Steelheads, one swings into the Nomad.
Ruin goes into the Nomad, leaves him with his arms and a cortex box.
Zerkova stays back, shifts a bit to the right and is behind the clouds.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnR3wpordE2L0rloGtUK__AVi-SL1kQUr5WXF9KL55hzckhCdjxHJa4gxyJ9XKcsnRRVP6l1l_eB9TEra-1iEWrxL9g4XtzqjPHNrnT7o5tmTSNFCrxuVsHhwMVvkKJMcNOcIGwcQ9zlT-/s1600/019+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Merc 5: Trenchers move a bit to the right.
Nomad kills Ruin and the last Shocktrooper near him.
Trenchers and three blue Steelheads try to kill Gorman, one Halberd dies to Watcher. Damn I suck at this game on a frequent basis. Gorman doesn't get hit.
Kell aims, tries to start coring out the left Destroyer Cortex. Misses twice, hits the Buccaneer off both attacks. First one does no damage, second one gets Boxcars and does 7 points.

My eyes are a little hollow as I slap the clock.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBrNXIbgcsNWSwfZW1xpu64e2fjp9B_mY6iDtoV_7Q7LulPt2eHfNSgqDO5pVQqurliv57Jt_GF13RZPa3sx_MXDd_33R1VGhWH_mf2hZs-BKUfRt55GcDIQCtF2KG86qwPauvfkqgv8EK/s1600/020+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Khador 6: Left Destroyer kills the Buccaneer. Right Destroyer kills my infantry in the zone.
Kovnik and Gorman run up to the Nomad.
Zerkova runs to the right flag, Khador go to 4 CP with 10 seconds remaining.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAw8uy0vtUudIHiacfwWXPed2GSYOL2t834x2bskVobgSpBc_3ISWSS6tSgK4tHiEMZP1jWWi-623jze6dJ4JmSitboBmS7iEk5RceFlFfu3ZtVwvD7E2fsYWIbMQAoWKP-GEH5BxE3Ui2/s1600/021+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Merc 6: Dilemma. If Galleon leaves zone, I potentially lose the Nomad in 10 seconds, ergo my best play is to drag in Zerkova and surround her with stuff.
Nomad shuffles out of the way, boosts to hit Gorman and misses.
Galleon shuffles over, misses the boosted harpoon by one.
Trenchers and Orin run over toward the flag, two get in to contest, one of those is under Orin's Vortex range.

Just....awful. I had 15 minutes. I could have bought and downed a pint and had time to plan that turn better. WHY DIDN'T I FORTUNE THE GALLEON?!?!?!


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpgz_NcDOTXzVwRMusTb3O2ZM_cq0EVNDeYGJKQRtEFw3lF6rYuGEl1KSfo8aXIjIXVPVJM3aTFeP-Cxq7JFEzg5YutwyTWGLjXVnUfbmLWaCH2mwRwS6TyfInBm0mFQtwGxXC8W17tNk/s1600/023+%2528800x450%2529+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Khador 7: Zerkova sprays the non-Orin Trencher, misses, sprays again, hits and tough fails. The clock beeps just after the gun hit roll. Her gun denies tough, so Khador get the scenario win.


Well, one of us played well (Hint: The other side).
Not unconvinced on MacBain, the battlegroup feels alright so going to shuffle some infantry around. Trencher UA does not have 5 points of value, at least not when the Colossal screws around the Cautious Advance option considerably.

Game 167 - MacBain1 vs Feora3

After a few Watchmachine days and real world crash and burn, finally got some dollies action (Read: Miniatures playing, not interfering immorally with a cloned sheep).

I think I've gotten Cyphon Perseverance bad tech out of my system, onto some Maker of Kings wherein I vainly resist against Damiano, because Snowflakism is something I'll never get past it would seem.

MacBain1 (Kingmakers) - Galleon, Nomad, Buccaneer, Trenchers w/UA and 3 Grenadiers, 2x Max Steelhead Halberds, Kell, Orin
Objective: Bunker

Galleon for Jackhammering threat, Buccy for Feign Deathing MacBain, Lad of infantry for feat and various upkeeps. Not enough Steelheads to put Stannis in.

Into Chrisugar, running the burning Menofixy dudes. Not the intended matchup for the list, good for getting a feel for the list anyway, should have had enough time since the early Mark 3 disappointment to not get messed up with Mark2 MacBain play instinct.

Feora3 (Guardians of the Temple) - 4x Crusader, 2x Dervishes, TFG + UA, Flamebringers (Min), 2x Daughters, Nicia, Choir (Min)
Objective: Bunker

I'm never going to be a Feora3 player. Every time I look at her card I get a dreadful reflex to make a list based on Molten Metal, which can't be good (Come on! She can cast it four times! GORTEN HAS DREAMS!).

Anyway.....that's a lot of jacks. My conceptual thinking throught the game was it was important to keep in threat range of a maximum of one at a time, as a single Crusader doesn't kill the Galleon whereas two most certainly do.
Flamebringers being present isn't ideal, thankfully only a min unit so the ability to counteract my feat should be manageable.
TFG have some aggravating potential, I should be able to counteract them with a few feated models and slow them right up if required.

Scenario is Extraction (Baseball Diamond).
I lose the roll, end up with second. My side has a hill of little consequence.
Along the mid line we have a large objective next to the left flag, which leaves contesting locations for both sides that will make it a tricky location to score off. I mentally right off that side as anything but a long term scoring opportunity.
In centre of the table with a lean to my side is a forest next to a cloud. The disappearing scenario element being used in this way is something I've picked up a taste for, as it means even if it goes away the permanent terrain it was attached to can still be used.
On the right of this line of terrain is a trench, I don't think it crops up for much?
On the Menoth side is a blob of Rubble and on the right a gloop of water.


Round 1: One unit of Daughters ambush. The TFG deploy on the left flank, Jack blob central, Cav and other Daughters on the right.
The early Menite turns surprise me thoroughly, as the Jacks run to the left, the TFG get stuck up behind them.
On the right the Cav, Daughters and one Dervish move up.

I had a fairly symmetrical deploy.
Wary of the ambushing Daughters being an irritant, and intent on threatening drags, the Galleon anchors the far left with Failsafe on it.
The Trenchers form the front line on the centre as Kell goes into the forest. Trenchers mostly Dig in, though a few cloud up MacBain and the Buccaneer. A third or so of the unit goes into the terrain cloud and kills one of the Flamebringers.
Steelheads go either side of my objective, the left in a patch of safety, the right angled in event of ambushers.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvn3cplQhuDO1Agi391DRcDJWLe8Hkaiya0-Dt8bmUqnjWU7qgDstpAjJhbHUH5SsXsrk44hH55ZXQJ0K15L3-rL17EZh-VIFpwng_C5_StKZmbdfvUBgHGVBvn-zRodBIBjKTTrbnZLZ/s1600/002+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
 [/img]
Menoth 2: On the left, Nicia walks around the building and swings attack the Galleon poorly.
The Crusaders move up and stay as the front line. The front white one sadly falls out of Choir range and isn't Passaged.
TFG continue getting blocked up behind the Jacks.
On the right, Ambushing Daughters come in, with the regular unit and one of the Flamebringers they charge/run into my right. I lose a half dozen infantry or so.
One Flamebringer and the Dervish on this side hang back contesting the right flag.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8paahDzC5z_N_yXBx3M0e0GKtXHenrBb6v7OHntBgih-JWXcTvFCjYe3etopmtxA2NG6DTzag7Cd1q4JATEB2mY5xaqLbLyWrHBezoNIFfdPVyblhhOfDn-4e2y8SYhusafjvg-BaRt4/s1600/003+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
 [/img]
Merc 2: I finally get an overall plan settled in my head. With how the Menites have come forward, I can throw garbage at the left flag, clear off everything on the right and start a slow burn scenario win off the right flag.

Left wise first, I've essentially been given Nicia and a Crusader for free, so....yeah? The trap laid for me here is that if I do go in and nab a Crusader, I'll be in charge range of a different Heavy, which is a longer game set up for a second jack to kill the Galleon later. Fortunately this is a scenario where MacBain's feat is perfect.
Galleon does the Robot march across, shoots at Nicia and blows her up. Drags in the Crusader without issue.
MacBain then feats, rolls high, it mainly goes on Trenchers/Steelheads on the left,though I throw a few on the right as I had some spare tokens generated. He Jackhammers the Galleon and kills the Crusader.
Trenchers/Halberdiers then move up on this flank, feated models go in an arc to deny a large base having a landing zone to attack the Galleon. A couple Halberds go up to threaten free strikes, though I'd rate their lives as being somewhere beneath Satans personal worm collection.
Kell kills a couple Choir.

On the right, the Buccaneer kills a Daughter holding up the Steelheads. Trenchers move around, a few lucky Grenades mess up some of the Daughters and a CRA kills the held back Flamebringer. The Halbs then go in, four Daughters are left after that. Two of them CMA the forward Flamebringer, put him on one box.
The Nomad walks up, fails to kill the Flamebringer. Typical two dollar store tools at work.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5aQDfQrCDst4qXZzCozDa-OMwtrhlx2J6oGn4zHrTafMMkOqwnHRte1j1All5UEQhsH9cDWCm4ixbXhYg9VoE9gr9iklj8ZZmZeOATEW4hBf_Uz-ZePjFo4J4EJm0yFIXulfrX5Wb4Pg/s1600/004+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
 [/img]
Menoth 3:  You know this whole time I thought the regular local Menite had converted his Flame bringers with Daughters. Nope, they really are doing stupid kneeling/crouching poses on the horses. Hate it. Looks dumb. Moving on. I always forget that Nelly Furtado did the whole Kylie Minogue image change.

The Crusader blob moves up and knocks down the suicide Halbs. TFG start a poker game behind them. They are positioned for the front Passaged ones to stop Galleon drags. Feora walks across to the right, throws some magic in the air then repositions back.

On the right, the Dervish, now Red Lined, goes into the Nomad and messes him up, leaving him on five boxes, though I am fortunate to have my cortex and right arm.
The Flamebringer Sidesteps around, stabbing some Trenchers.
One pair of Daughters, fulfilling their fluffy roll of Assassin Creed acrobatic expert assassins, butcher three Trenchers without issue.
The other pair miss the Buccaneer with every attack.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSwOdNO6C6S_3fjTxPV1-sFeEISlxbMGZlL-7fnMYZNQdBE-29Kg8_OLAJEqlOKTSq9hwdVMMwjY0MkpeIiiVBFim6u6r_Ry4i8gCQjDOGPXG5N8HHhwCxoIhYVGM9qF8R8OwR0g3sBOvx/s1600/005+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
 [/img]
Merc 3: The Nomad got far more banged up then expected. Infantry casualties are in line with expectations, I'll easily pull ahead on the right, because Kingmaker infantry.

Left wise, Kell shoots Feora for 6 damage, lacking other targets and because he's mean, 3 damage a hit essentially being the point where burning a focus point feels like garbage.
The Galleon lines up Feora and stays out of Crusader threat range, lands a hit that gets zeroed out, though that didn't really matter as those shots were intended to kill a Choir, which they did. I think of the misses also killed a Halberdier? Bah. My infantry are there to die on my whim.
Steelheads and the few Trenchers on this side gum up the works, a few stay in front of the Galleon to be the next wave of contestors. The Halbs do a few charges, I think they ding up the Dervish a little and otherwise bounce off.

On the right, the cloud was now an aggravation, preventing charges for plink damage on the Dervish. Oh well. The Halberd unit turns around, they kill of the remaining Daughters, freeing up the Buccaneer to charge the Flamebringer and kill her.
The Nomad and various Trenchers do slight damage to the Dervish, as 7's to hit prove to be beyond the humble Nomad's means.

I straight up forget to activate Orin this turn, though there isn't anything that he would do.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBqT5goNcsQrwgHgKa6FT9t56kDOQBK91SN8uo5EY7Jncga3YVuj57HOsU6h0hCU3z1ezxc7M8pyKlr-KE1f5CfS1Ds7JVv_IPMGf3RCJg91uG1OV8aTq2LYYbu_JX7AwspQiqG89Vyt2/s1600/006+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
 [/img]
Menoth 4: Left side, Feora feats and hides behind two of the Crusaders, one of them Passaged by the final Choir member. The third Heavy tramples forward and stomps a bunch f the Halbs into the ground. The TFG pop their mini-feat and finally get into the mix, killing a few more the random models around the left flag, it's now reasonably clear though still not scorable.
Feora also sprays and kills Kell.

On the right, the 2nd Dervish runs across and into contest range of the right flag.
The Dervish up on the mix combo strikes the Nomad and explodes it.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGHUScVo77jpNYlwrFeU0Abf4PP5GL6jn_aVa-i1c01DS3L8nvNVTGQO48d-4SgDFzu5GWJCMqvFqBtnNbTRPa21MU4OmnzeLkU7QHhSnCTHSaot5dgL82UKGI0ybqcUSktiftphFL7TJl/s1600/007+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
 [/img]
Merc 4: On the left, the few remaining Trenchers/Halbs go in, they bounce off the Heavies. One goes into the Obstruction protected contesting point.
Galleon drags in the trampling Crusader, with Jackhammer kills it. Good times.

On the right, Halberier charges and lucky Buccaneer damage spikes lets me kill both Dervishes, but sadly nothing can get to the flag.
Orin moves across to this side.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYS1SpHezZNjn1qZ7kawzGQQQJBjcXmiP6dAuJHQ0JczJFb8huWqtkScdjZl8cqPABO5xwonbhtf5goetK3hmICiF-7_-Pjqh_tICBCU7fEvUKqkB7BRa_PQl67X0XXhVTEDiH8HdxsFK/s1600/008+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
 [/img]
Menoth 5: Around the left flag, the TFG blob of doom trundles around and stabs more of the contesting garbage models to death.
One Crusader gets Passaged and move to stop Galleon killing Feora plans.
Feora herself Firesplodes some of my dudes and repositions back. Getting a theme here. Like, an underlying sort of overall meaning/idea, not the next list of benefits we all spend our time staring at and mining for busted spam lists.
The other Crusader tramples into the Buccaneer, takes out his left arm.



Merc 5: No photos, under time constraints as I struggle to develop coherent game ideas.Push plan Alpha Omega X Spaze Lazor (Plink at jacks, score the right zone).

On the right, the Buccaneer takes a Crusader freestrike, necessary to get it on the flag to score and give the Galleon a good shot. It loses its movement, ultimately doesn't matter to me. Had he failed Orin could have run and scored, isn't ideal though.
Other than that halberdiers run up, hoping to get Objective charges in future turns.

Left wise, the Galleon drags the foresty Crusader in, Jackhammers it to death.
A handfull of infantry contest the left flag.

I go to 1 CP, took five rounds but the plan started working eventually.


[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2RZZKqbEVjfbNoCkjy56rwln0kI7ZhyI41d-iOUfQ0bDgfeqWNKRxK5ITIeplEQMizf61xooAwhDYCTe5rIvAKOzfR6fuN6ldehKYKbyaDnapmPrpdwUUl8pGKdCI1SVfNWkSpARcnPF/s1600/009+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
 [/img]
Round 6: Rolled a 1, game ended.

Wait, wrong version of Steamroller.

The last Crusader gets Redlined, charges the Galleon and takes out one side.
TFG grind on more infantry.
Feora Fire Bangs the infantry that were going to kill the objective. Sadness. She knocks off the Buccaneers arm with a shot.

I go to 2 CP in the Menoth turn.

Feora is on no camp and 12 boxes, time to kill her. I'd charge up MacBain, alas the cloud is still here blocking his line. Stupid mist.

Between the last few Trenchers CRAing and the Steelheads going and CMAing,Feora dies. Good thing to, next plan was to charge in Orin. When your assassin is an old man with a crippling terminal disease maybe your plan is garbage.


Uncertain on MacBain kingmaker. Didn't feel like a good fit, though I don't know what to point at as the problem at this point, I suspect it is solely player driven.
Menoth heavies list in long games are pretty much the ideal Galleon target once the Choir are chewed down, with terrain serving me well here as well as the TFG didn't have great places to go.
Only list mod I'm currently contemplating is shifting the infantry module, the Trencher UA definitely feels unnecessary for the price tag.