Game 292 - Rnd 1 Penrith SS Heat Gorten/Durgen

Round 2, Fight!

The dreaded Cryx menace resurfaces, now piloted by Colin of Bobliness fame.

For a second time I crunch into ADR, this time 3Gaspy and Coven. I don't even think about it, Cryx = Durgen. In hindsight it wasn't great either way, Gaspy was loaded with Satyxis and the Witch Coven...well....

Witch Coven of Gargamel - Deathjack, 2x Ripjaw, Bane Knights, Withershadow Combine, Pistol Wraith, 2x Warwith Siren, Tartare Sauce, Skarlock, Gorman, 9x Scrapthralls
Objective: Bunker

Given Tartarus = Tartare Sauce, would Bane Thralls = Fried fish, Bane Thrall UA = Lemon? I post the hard hitting questions. Bane Knights are probably chips.


Cryx Deploy: I think I'm so entrenched in the idea that Cryx = Mechanithrall blob + Necrosurgeon/Satyxis support that anytime I see that doesn't at least half fill the deployment zone my brain starts making weird fizzing noises. Cryx also won the die roll, Colin accurately predicting that he would roll a four against my three (Damnable psychic might....).

Merc Deploy: Le Merc blob.

Cryx 1: The Undead march, Occultation goes on the Knights, a Veil appears in front of Deathjack.

Merc 1: Durgen has no targets, so puts Primed on the Steelies, Red Lined on the Earthbreakers, advances and twiddles his fingers. Nyss spread out on the hill, Gun Mages form a thing purple/pink line, Earthbreaker runs the hell away from the Deathjack.

First thing I learnt this game was the effect of Veil of Mists. Had Durgen been deployed maximum Redline casting distance away from the Earthbreaker, Dougal could have popped Double Powder ration then either the Colossal or Durgen could have lobbed some shots into the Deathjack or forced it to stay back.

Cryx 2: Occultation upkept, Arcnodes advance! The Steelies get cursed by Tartarus then get wrecked by the Knights. Scrapthralls spread around. The right Ripjaw walks forward, then gets two Stygian Abysses arced through it. The first kills Cyclena, the second crit shadowbinds the Earthbreaker. Witch Coven feats.

Merc 2: I haven't ever really givent eh Witch Coven any consideration, I would describe trying to deal with their feat while playing Durgen as akin to this experience:

<Insert lame gif joke here>

Upkeep Prime, allocate one to the Earthbreaker. The Steelheads walk up and kill a couple Scrapthralls. The Nyss move up and miss a lot, one hits the Pistol Wraith but doesn't kill. I um and arr for a goof few minutes trying to work out what to do with Durgen, I end up running away so Deathjack doesn't kill her. Gun Mages move up, pop a few more Scrapthralls. I've now placed loads of Nyss around the Arcnode, so the Earthbreaker can't attempt to knock it down without blowing them up. Eiryss aimed disrupting shot on the Deathjack is also spoiled because the Steelheads went first and engaged, so she just walks back. I also forget to activate Dougal.

Well, I screwed this up a multitude of ways. Nothing to mess up being in the running for the winners bracket like screwing up your Earthbreaker, Eiryss and Dougal activations...

Cryx 3: Admonia wonders up, strips off Prime. Tartare Sauce charges, kills two Steelies and one Knight, creates two Knights so ultimately wins out. A couple Scrapthralls kill most of the Gun Mages. The right Warwitch walks up, sprays four Nyss dead. Knights charge the Nyss, engage Holt and leave the unit parred down to a single member. Gorman runs up. Left Arcnode runs up, then gets an arced Stygian through it to kill Aiyanna. One of the Witches falls back, another goes base to base with the Bunker and Egregore. An arced Stygian Abyss forces Dougal to tough. The right Ripjaw charges the Earthbreaker and puts Lockjaw on it.

Second thing I learnt: I need to live in more fear of Bunker

Third thing I learnt: Lockjaw exists on a throwaway model, which is outright terrifying.

Merc 3: Time to pray for the dice to be benevolent. Dougal stands up, Artillerists Durgen and mini feats. Durgen walks toward Egregore, but ends an inch out of Dougal's command. He feats and lobs his shots, the initial one scatters way out of the way killing a pair of Knights and the red headed step child of the Combine. The Earthbreaker knocks down Deathjack and leaves him on three boxes, two for the right arm and one for the Cortex. Eiryss moves up and plinks of another box. Holt kills the Knights engaging him. Tinker decides it is his time to shine and shoots Deathjack.

He predictably fails.

Cryx 4: Durgen gets Curse of Shadowed, normal Curse, Dark Shrouded and pulped by the remaining Cryx models.


Merc on the left.

Damn I could have played that better. I think my Steelhead positing is to rubbish to get maximum use out of them, I'll sub in Pressgangers for a while. It's also the first time Cyclena has been snubbed out, needed to think through at the start of the match how I was going to react to the lists target selection, pin down and feat junk. Even better, activating the Earthbreaker before moving stuff in the Blast Radius of its shots....