Spawned by this thread: http://privateerpressforums.com/showthread.php?259390-Hammerfall-Seige-Crawler
I'm running this sillyness:
Durgen1 - Drillerx2, Blaster x2, Gunner x3, Thor, Aiyanna + Holt, Reinholdt
Objective: Bunker
Primary intent being to see how good the Crawlers will be. I don't expect them to carry the list, as two of them would need to do, but I wouldn't be to shocked if one of them proved viable in a number of lists.
This time the Persian Vamps have produced:
Xekaar1 - Bronzeback, Gladiator, Shaman, Brute, 2x Farrow Brigands + Warlords, Venator Reiver Cannon, Taskmaster, Paingivers, Orin1
Objective: Fuel Cache
I put down Entrenched, as its the scenario I've played least. Well, OK, technically that's Linebreaker, but I've yet to here of the TO that bothers to put that down on the table.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6E85y_RNXA2UZHk9uw8-94fI1Zp_GxZf7aB1Q5T2FmNhI7dniiL-bRE5pa4nxnBeBC2pwfV-pFqmneNLk2sB29SQn1xJ9hGpShHrT5OL9rb8KkJ0_gj2VREc1A37LGq51jROZc_6l2KI/s1600/008+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Skorne Deploy: Farrow units on each flank, beasts central, Xekaar favouring the left side. Skorne on the terrain board is a hill that won't have much effect and a block of rough terrain. Also relevant on the Skorne side but not in frame is a forest blocking a chunk of Line of Sight.
Proxies:
Croaks = Warlords
Renegade = Cyclops Shaman
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmTzxrvDhh2n9jtrt5-8EObAfBfnCtQ4h6LV3bsH6oSw2AOGN-7Nqc3dimdqL2U_EZk7NQoWCBl3GJSdsr-RRYboAnLJKQ0OuquScuYefqZI_0d_krN_uE4xpScXoiQp4ehRNGmrZEdU/s1600/009+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc Deploy: I'd won the roll, picked second for the sake of the house/trench in the middle of the board and the wall to the right.
That water was somewhat annoying, contributing to a deployment that isn't stellar, those Drillers are in what would prove to be irritating starting locations.
The Privateer Press former Wreck Markers are the Crawlers.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg77xhlOPk0OXz2awAc3R1IVyz0I-Wn2cETR7eH2CVSRqTexuqCghROgofy3zeV2lW1mg77I3H9XYzYcSLRZiWAzxRlOmH2cmZziKARAKIFlvYDtZ4aRLvFQe8aVGihw8v5mwbp6qY_s7o/s1600/010+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Skorne 1: Left Farrow unit placed Prey on the left most Crawler, right unit chose the far right Driller.
Everything moves forward, Taskmaster hangs out with the left unit of Brigands as does Xekaar.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjja0HQGUhX1c-6Yv1ieXDVLkR70tg_zocSEhjfrsrBIHvL3tcCFzrzfTKnL-Ctxd8nebppW1JfxgJrKRKv1QXGvTp3byrd38KIUDOnQaZXosoS3Uj98IUBgTZ_k-2Lu9JifSyefEd4HHY/s1600/011+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 1: Everybody redeploy!
Kinda. The list has so few models it actually self defends a bit against mucking up the early stages to much.
Plan is to move the Preyed models to suitable spots, get the right Driller into a better spot, otherwise see how the Skorne turn goes.
The Gunners block Durgen, the Spray Bunnies move up and to the right. The Preyed Driller gets Red Line and runs behind that lot, support models behind him. Thor repairs the Red Line damage.
On the left side, the non-Preyed Crawler goes straight over the water. The further left one runs to the table edge, gets far enough to be out of the pic (Whoops!). Left Driller moves up, content to hide behind the forest.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjwkTzFmN8Egi9QjtK4wV4ed3FNCtrRfuHpAZe81XnlkcSvEbHbcwFmNQmh7YiS84TGZuRzMhDu1DJd1jox4gJcTuzp_s641Zzyjj3IeuxngxtPq83X8oitolWQECvUlXQ6kkGxvAGgg/s1600/012+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Skorne 2: Xekaar gets Talismaned up (Craft from the Shaman, not the shameful board game still getting updates), advances into the Fuel Cache Cloud, Feats and throws a Mortality on the left most Gunner and camps three.
The left Brigands move up, I'd been careful with my placements so they end up digging in rather than anything exciting.
Centre wise the beasts all move.
On the right the Brigands advance and land some Gun shots on the Mortalitied Gunner, they take off eight boxes and no systems then reposition around.
The Reiver cannon tries to assist, but misses and gets Force Fielded away.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDENtFiBqgnIdTnpINFz9yS3FACnxd0hqQJTO8dETppA6CfEWs67um2kz0nH2AX0OXyUnIgavt33qaoti4E7j_8wkdNKyZ-BSpIFSLSPskAbAxlb4bRPlq_1qCtsgdBdY7OegNTQWAjA/s1600/013+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 2: Jarbiger resisted the urge to do a second Mortality, which would have left him on one transfer range and assassination time. He'd have a shield guard, but I can run a series of lights and have good odds of a slam (Middle Gunner runs to engage Bronzeback and stop Countercharge, damaged Gunner runs up to be 8.5 from nearest Blaster, should need a 2 on the Slam distance and Xekaar gets knock downed and easily dies).
Anyway, plan is to start the score train, hold feat pending an assassination in a later turn. Kill stuff.
The pair of lively Gunners move into the zone, in charge but out of slam range of the Gladiator, which is the nearer Heavy. They shoot down the one Brigand in my zone, needing both as he toughs. Speaking of which....
Durgen gets Reloaded, bravely stands aloft behind the Gunners and does a pair of Carpet Bombs on the Brigands. The results weren't impressive. I kill one Brigand.
Spray Bunnies move up in the trench, one wonders into Xekaar's feat range and does nothing, the other sets a couple Farrow and the Gladiator on fire.
The Red Line Driller toes my zone, adding to Durgen's not-as-good-as-Gortens bunker. Thor heals him again.
The Centre Crawler gets just out of Xekaar's feat range, shoots the enemy objective down to one box (Slightly over average). Holt then wonders up next to him, gets his boots wet and finishes said objective off.
I'm then in a lot of strife for the left driller and Crawler. There was no way to get the Driller in Durgens control area, so I settled for "Not in Bronzeback charge range". The Preyed Crawler runs across for want of things to do.
Two glaring errors for me here, the first is not using the Gunners to cap the right Warlord (Durgen was and inch and a half shy, but didn't want to die to the Gladiator.
The second was the Preyed Crawler. I put in a place to die without getting work. I don't if there is a good move for it, probably it should just run toward the back of the other Crawler and prepare to cycle up when he dies.
Oh yeah, when I ran up the suicide Gunner I forgot to toe the Skorne zone for the contest.
Mercs go to 2 CP.
Skorne go to 1 CP.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYymf6oiURWh8i7b0kaAtj_xCm8CkqQouXxhvFZITBymJaHZ-jU7kBN3L_Fbky2Ii0odRsjbGhDPkTqnyEwHctVsahKdufP3pQkjE6DXkd3byQLbBkWUNCLKgdP8QOzQ-xsBDWiYXcpY/s1600/014+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Skorne 3: Time to stop this meandering and for some real things to die.
Support wise, Paingivers all Enrage, Shaman Rushes the Gladiator and makes a giftshop present for Xekaar.
On the right, the slightly damaged Brigand unit, who took a couple casualties from fire, move into my zone and ding the Red Lined Driller. They roll appallingly, but still managed to scrap off chunks of armour off every column.
The Brute moves behind the Titans, spikes the damage roll to slaughter the Gunner.
The Gladiator charges in, kills a Gunner and takes out a Blasters movement.
On the left, Xekaar Mortalities the the Preyed Crawler.
The Farrow then advance, it takes the warlord to completely pulverize it.
Scores level at 2 CP each.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kidMjNLRqQ_MT40EV-VUHt-aZZvIAvT0hfWF3B9cv3sSE9U7NNlZ5zwywLIWuEI6kBNSEJqDhq2aGjbBnu8SRr4A5waCi6N4TF3EUmkpElrKdTkS7GuusRdeHEhU2c2Q-UK_IlLJSC8/s1600/015+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Merc 3: Hmm. Fault in the list. Need to contest the zone, throwaway pieces are minimal.
Xekaar is camping two, that's conceivable with Durgen, the lights and the Crawler. I didn't really notice it at the time, even now while the attacks are on the table the Gladiator is well and truly blocking me up, which makes what I thought was a waste was actually the proper choice. Oh well, we play for fun, the improvement is a bonus.
Anyway, attrition/scenario plan. Kill Gladiator, get something in opposing zone, kill Warlords, score.
The Red Line Driller gets repaired, then goes in and kills the Gladdy with focus to spare.
Durgen aims,feats, throws out some AoE's, killing the right unit Warlord, four of the Paingivers and getting some ancillary damage on the Brute.
The Bunnies go, the remaining Gunner and the damaged Blaster block Durgen from the Reiver Catapult, unless you take Arcing Fire into account. Let's not talk about that. They also account for the remaining farrow of the right unit bar one.
The other Blaster moved into the Bronzebacks face, used the feat Gunfighter to spray and kill the remaining pair of Paingivers and ding the Brute.
The left Driller limps into Durgens control area and in range of the Skorne zone for next turn contesting.
The remaining Crawler charges a brigand, uses Bulldoze to get into the Skorne zone. He then uses his right AoE to crit stagger the Brute and Bronzeback, the damage roll isn't amazing but the various touch attacks had been enough to reduce the Brute to death range. The gatling gun rolls up, takes most of its shots kill the Taskmaster. The left AoE then kills the Warlord and a Brigand.
That....was probably the activation I needed. The Brute dying was a complete surprise to me, I'll lose the Crawler but it was worth it that time.
Mercs pull ahead 3v2 CP's.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFZWtowKuqLchv7BjjHO71EW6eLREdeQSuI5zKVP4vuu_lG75D_bqAqZgVBl2Mq2uTlVtrMFAUQL9apsPLp0LpaPpymukPiVCE6qJFNap3tYxihXc3KIirvPn9aT58tasz1bQW976MoI/s1600/016+%2528800x450%2529.jpg [/img]
Skorne 4: Shaman does his thing, then Xekaar Mortalities the Crawler (When land tank thing contemplate the difficulties of utilitarianism....) and gets Pursuit on the left Driller, followed by the standard Maltreat.
The Farrow then do runs/charges, ends with a grunt in my zone and the remaining bloke of the right Pigman unit.
After their attacks and a good Catapult shot, the Crawler isn't enjoying life. The Bronzeback charges in and manages to finish it off, being careful to stay out of the Red Lined Drillers threat range.
Orin wonders out alone into the rain, contemplates the mystery of life, death, ponders his choices. Then calmly lightnings the Red Lined Driller, killing Reinholdt and Thor.
NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
LLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRROOOOOOYYYYYY
Skorne level the scores out at 3 CP.
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Merc 4: Descended into the tank for a bit here, had to be careful not to throw away everything at this stage.
I decide Scenario is my best option, with two Drillers I'd normally be able to easily push the attrition but Pursuit kills that. I survey every Skorne model that can get in to contest, if I can kill four Farrow and Orin I should safely have the game.
Aiyanna Harms the left Brigand unit, Holt kills one of the important Farrow and Orin.
The left Driller tramples, killing an Incidental Farrow and boosting to hit a potential contestant, knocking him down. Good enough for that one. Pursuit causes Xekaar to move, staying shy of the Red Line Driller.
It takes both the Blaster and the Gunner in my zone to finish off the Brigand unit leader.
Durgen aims, I opt to do an armour piercing shot to remove the last Brigand. And miss. That was a terrible host selection, done out of concern of wining my jacks that I need Box cars to hurt.
The fully loaded Red Lined Driller (Necessary to keep the Bronzeback honest on a Pursuit move) goes in to kill a single Brigand. Good use of resources that.
The Blaster that killed the last Paingivers moves up and kills the Catapult and crew.
Mercs in the lead, 4v3 CP's.
Probably could have used Pursuit to Countercharge with the Bronzeback. Need to look that up.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqDP-DjDq4w6xCzP2a-ZHLXEvPhdzCa2YjqnEBAt8tohds28R34D7_D46ibMEaTbXqgfoMmwbUmSkZ0AFGvHt7tv8N_DtewMXw3cde0JvkL3ipE-BvqJGR4KmdSHUW9tDO35tN4y3yZk/s1600/018+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Skorne 5: Shaman riles, Xekaar moves up and tries to deadweight Durgen down, doesn't land the hard eights to hit. Nothing can contest, so I bop along to a 5v4 CP win (Bronzi easily eats the Driller if he was so inclined).
Need more practice with Durgen. Definitely feel I'm still not picking the point where an assassination run is the most viable play.
One Crawler was great, the other achieved nothing. Most Skorne lists I've dealt with would be pretty reasonable, this particular list with Brigands is not.
Will play this a couple more times, when I inevitably drop the second Crawler I'll likely throw in some assassination assists (Eiryss/Basher/Ninja Pig style things)
