I can only handle watching Haley die so many times, so out comes some Proxy machine for my style list:
Darius - Stormwall, 'Ol Rowdy, Centurion, Defender, Sylyss Wishesandstuff, Black 13th, Journeyman
Objective: Fuel
I looked up a bunch of Darius lists, this was an early Jay Larsen build that doesn't feature two Stormwalls and involves models I own, so gave it a whirl. Stormwall anchors, Centurion contests something, Defender takes pots shots or kills Cortexes, Rowdy/13th do the rest of the work.
And rocked into Runes (Eep!) on Two Fronts. Danger Will Robinson!
eDoomshaper (Runes Tier 4) - Mulg, Earthborn, Mauler, Axer, 4x Runeshapers, Janissa, Stone + UA
Objective: Fuel
Unclocked, as neither of us had rocked our lists out that much (Read: At all).
Troll Deploy: Doomie wins the roll, plonks down his models of evil. Runeshaper units are distinguished by Blu Tac assortments on the back of bases, so I didn't really keep track of which unit was which.
Cygnar Deploy: That's a forest in front of my deploy, I reasoned it would give me better play than the awkward Obstruction. The Blank bases are Darius and Half jacks. The thinking that Darius is on a large base is spread far and wide.
Centurion on the left, Rowdy and Defender on the right flank.
Troll 1: Everything runs up and scares the hell out of me. The Heavies crowd around the left side wall.
Cygnar 1: I give Focus to the Sotrmwall and Defender. Arcane Shield goes on the Stormwall, Fortify on the Centurion. Covering Fire and Magestorm go out. The Defender and Stormwall try shots on the right side units of Rune Shapers, both are about half an inch out of range.
The Centurion got Craned forward, then walks forward.
Gah. That was some sweet Runeshaper placement. The Centurion should have run so that he could Polarity field into the zone.
Though really the Centurion is a throw away. I'd have been better served putting my Halfjacks on that side to go into Mine mode in the opposing zone, or at least to go around the Centurions future wreck marker.
Troll 2: The Beasts veer left, Runeshapers variously advance. One gets a shot into Ol Rowdy and does a few points of damage.
Cygnar 2: The Dance begins!
I have to keep things 11 inches from Mulg to stop him breaking my stuff.
Except the Centurion. It's going to die. It gets three focus, charges and kills two Rune Shapers and pouts.
My various guns kills four Rune Shapers on the right side including the three in the zone, another Mage Storm goes up. Two of the Half Jacks advance and become Mines.
Darius runs to toe the right zone.
Cygnar goes to 1 CP.
Trolls on 0.
Troll 3: Doomie Purifies and feats, stripping Fortify off the Centrution. The Mauler goes in and...well....mauls the Centurion, though has to buy a stack of attacks to get the Job done. The Axer runs to the right side behind the Tier wall. Mulg and the Dire Troll advance a little and go behind Janissa's wall. Various Runeshapers advance, one knocks down Rowdy and does another couple of points to him.
Cygnar on 1.
Trolls go to 1 CP.
Cygnar 3: Defender clocks a Runeshaper. Rowdy gets Fortify and runs to the right. Stormwall drops back a bit , puts a pod in the opposing zone, does 6 damage to the Objective with boosted damage rolls (Low rolls and Armour 20 not working out so well). A Halfjack runs way to the right to utilise the fat on Rowdy.
Cygnar goes to 2 CP.
Trolls on 1.
Bad damage on the Objective aside, I was reasonably happy here. My stuff was out of Mulg Range, the scenario Grind was starting. The Axer seemed to be in a bad spot.
I'd forgotten that Goad existed. I should have loaded up Rowdy, Crane him forward and charged him in to kill the Axer. Mulg probably kills him, then the Sotrmwall kills Mulg and I hope I can do some good positioning/feat to pick off the next few heavies while looking for the shooting assassination on Doomy.
Troll 4: Axer frenzies, charges to the left and knocks down a member of the Stones.
Stone pops for Strength and moves to the right. Rune Shapers move around, one goes to a spot to stop Rowdy counter Charging in the future.
There was a theory that the Mauler might be able to get into the Stormwall with the Speed boost from the Wreck Marker, but the 12 inch threat looked a little short off Doomies control area.. The Mauler ends up hiding behind Janissas wall in any case. Dire Troll hangs out near the Troll Objective.
Doomie Purifies Fortify.
Mulg charges my Objective for free from Fuel, kills it with his initials and Goads to Rowdy. He maxes Fury to leave Rowdy on 1. He then Affinity attacks to kill him. Sadness. Rune Bearers move around all Rune Bearery, one of them kills Lynch.
Cygnar on 2 CP.
Trolls go to 3 CP.
I have an inclination to shake my fist
Cygnar 4: I have to clear a Rune Bearer so Stormwall and charge Mulg then be Jack Hammered.
Defender pops a member of the Stone. Watt knocks down a Stone Member, Ryan goes into Melee with the blocking Rune Bearer, does two Gunfighter shots and kills him.
Alas, I've mucked up my Ryan placement. I check my LoS, with Darius and Ryan the charge to Mulg is blocked by about 2mm. The Stormwall has to trample to Mulg and puts a pod in the left zone.
Darius moves up, does an irrelevant shot, kills Mulg with five Jack Hammer attacks.
Junior waddles forward a bit and shoots down the far advance scouting Rune Bearer.
Cygnar goes to 3 CP.
Trolls on 3.
Troll 5: Stone runs into the top edge of my zone. Mauler gets Transmute, charges the Stormwall and takes out a bit over half. The Axer goes in as well and doesn't do great. Janissa walls Doomie. Doomie Purifies and camps two. Earthborn waddles forward a bit.
Cygnar on 3 CP.
Trolls go to 4.
Cygnar 5: I have a chance! A slim chance, but I'll take it.
I have to shoot down the Troll Objective, contest with a Stormpod, kill three Stone Members and the Mauler to get the Scenario win.
No worries.....
A couple focus goes to the Stormwall. Darius feats, repairs the Stormwall, pot shots the Kriel stone to knock down the Bearer. Four Jackhammers leave the Mauler on two boxes. Stormwall pods down into the other zone, shoots the Objective, boosts damage and does a total of three points.
I sigh.
The nipple Guns roll max shots, plus the Black 13th and Defender the Mauler and two of the three Stone guys in the zone die.
The Stone Bearer toughs it out a few times to stay contesting the zone.
The Journeyman kills a Runebearer out of spite.
We level out at 4 CP, I concede as all the trolls need to do is kill the Pod to win.
That was tricky. Interesting, but I think weighted to the trolls. I'll give Darius more games, I think more aggressive moves by the Troll Heavies would have been a face punch.
