Slog off set for Swan land, which defaults me to MacBain. Ended up against eCaine.
eCaine - Gallant, Squire, Boomhowlers (Max), ATGM + Dude, Gorman, Aiyanna + Holt, Nyss + Murdoch, Rangers, eEiryss
Objective: Effigy of Valor
MacBain - Buccaneer ,Galleon, Sylys Wyshnalyrr, Aiyana & Holt 4, TAC, eAlexia, eEiryss, Dougal, Orin, Kayazy Assassins (Max) + UA, Bokor, Tinker
Objective: Effigy of Valor
Threw in Kayazy, Bokor and Tinker after giving the Press Gangers and Grogspar a holiday.
Swan Deploy: I won the roll and picked the side with a tasty trench to cower in.
Merc Deploy: As captain HMAS Derpatron I thought all my solos had Advance Deployment, so they ended up being thrown in some default spots. I had thought that I might run Alexia on one flank, but that would lead either to being stuck on some Boomhowlers or pincushioned by the Nyss.
Swan 1: Caine pulls off the squire. Everything runs up, Eiryss going far out to the right toward the Galleon. Blur goes on the Rangers, Heightened Reflexes goes on the Boomhowlers and True Sight goes on Caine. Murdoch uses go to ground as the Nyss run up on the right. The Rangers fan out front.
Merc 1: I give one to the Galleon. MacBain Feats on Alexia, Eiryss and a stack of Kayazy, casts Fail Safe and Countermeasures. He then walks into the back of the trench.
Dougal pops Artillerist on the Galleon and mini-feats. The Galleon then walks forward, scatters shots onto Eiryss and kills her.
The Kayazy run forward and spread out.
The Buccaneer moves forward, then I remember I'm meant to be putting Aleixa in that spot and awkwardly stick it out of the trench.
TAC run up, Orin stays in the back and Anti-Magics, Eiryss stands up the back and wonders why the hell she was feated on.
Swan 2: All spells upkept (Blur, Heightened, True Sight), Squire pulled off. Gallant gets nothing, because he is a munchkin there to be a Shield Guard at the moment.
The Nyss flood forward, two of them engaging the Galleon.
Gallant plods forward in the right zone, Gorman moves up and clouds up next to him.
Rangers spread out.
Reinholdt Reloads. Caine walks forward, toes the Gorman cloud, knocks down three Kayazy and puts two magic bullets on the Gun Mages (Something weird happened here, at first I thought he put out three Magic Bullets, but the math is off, either way he cast that a few times and camped zero).
Gun Mages go, half aim and half advance. They kill a Kayazy way in the back, a TAC and knock down a load more Kayazy. Magic Bullet also kills Orin.
Boomhowlers move up and 4+ tough in the left zone.
Merc 2: Counter Measures and Fail Safe upkept, Galleon gets two.
Eiryss aims and knocks Blur off the Rangers.
Dougal Artillerists Galleon, who then turns on the spot and does shots on Gorman. One of the early shots scatters onto Caine, I boost the blast damage and do 9 points. Another shot kills Gorman, I get down to two shots with one focus, I decide to boost to hit needing a 12, I miss by one, (I forgot that Gallant was a Shield Guard...). The next shot scatters onto the squire and I roll the box cars needed to kill it. Last shot goes nowhere, and I am completely okay with that.
The Kayazy mini-feat and limp forward, one gets a Gang Charge into Aiyanna and misses, they also kill a couple Rangers.
Alexia has full souls, moves into the Boomhowlers who fail their terror check. She spawns Three Thralls. If I kill a Ranger and the Gun Mage on the hill I'll be able to Domiante. MacBain moves into the zone while staying the trench, misses the Handcannon shot on the Gun Mage. Buccaneer goes in front of MacBain and in the trench.
Thralls go, one kills the Ranger, another misses the Gun Mage and the last charges Caine and misses.
Aiyanna/Holt/TAC harm the Boomhowlers and kill some models on the left side to refuel Alexia.
This is the second time I've forgotten Gallant has Shield Guard to horrible detriment. The last time was Wintercon Steamroller, a latter round versus Big Chris. The Road Hog felt so good at first trying to burn Damiano.....
Swan 3: Heightened and True Sight upkept, Gallant gets two.
The Boomhowloers fail to rally.
The Gallant moves to get in melee range of the Kayazy on Aiyanna, boosted hit rolls ensure their demise.
Aiyanna moves forward a smidgeon and stealth's, Holt aims and shoots the Thrall engaging Caine.
Caine moves behind Gallant, does some shots that kill Kayazy.
Nyss charge, three get to the Galleon plus the two from the previous turn. They ping it for very little.
Gun Mages shoot down a few more Kayazy.
Cygnar goes to 1 CP.
Merc 3: Counter Measures/Failsafe upkept. Three goes to the Galleon.
Eiryss aims, shoots own a Boomhowler.
Tinker fails to repair Galleon.
Dougal Artillerists Galleon.
Galleon walks to the left and up, Nyss get 5 free strikes and takes out half of the right side. Galleon whirls up shots, it takes four of the opening five to get a hit, boost the damage roll and kill Caine.
Mercs on the left.
Well, I was confident I had the stuff to go against Cygnar. I'm not any more.
Counter Measures only get me so far, there just aren't enough bodies to push the preferred MacBain win conditions, at any point had MacBain been within 19" of Caine he could have feated and shot me to death, even with the Trench.
I need more stuff to absorb the feat and in this instance less tools.
ADR Fallout:
I think the solution at this point is to cut loads of support and keep the pirate boat in, so from the base list:
-Buccaneer, TAC, Aiyanna + Holt, Sylyss Wyshnallyr
+ Kayazy Assassins + Underboss, Bokur
In hindsight had I made these changes and elected first I get into a much stronger position. Everything can move up about 5 inches from the AD line and not get shot, top of two MacBain feats on Countermeasured Press Gangers, Alexia, Underboss and Grogspar. They then run forward in a wide skirmish line, other Press Gangers behind in pods of two to shield the front line of five Kayazy. He can feat to wipe out a load of infantry, but then the Galleon can pop Gallant and bombard the Nyss and be relatively safe. Important solo's stay not with 4 inches of anything.
eCaine Future Changes:
If anything this game has made me realise how soft Caine is, armour 13 and wanting to spend your stack is just sad. I'm thinking of changing around my list to get the Journeyman in for Arcane Shield and TAC for clouds (Blurred TAC in Clouds are 16/16 with 5 boxes versus non-Eyeless shooting, seems alright....)
