Durgen1 - 3x Gunners, Blasters, 2x Drillers, Reinholdt, Tinker, Aiyanna + Holt, Dahlia w/Skarath, Kayazy Assassins, 2x Kayazy Eliminators, Piper
Objective: Bunker
First game into the Ret starter chump.
Helynna1 - Imperatus, Banshee, Phoenix, Aspis, 2x Mitten Hands, Mitten Hand solo, 3x Arcanist, Sylyss Wysnallyr, Ghost Sniper, Healy solo dude
Objective: Fuel Cache
Incursion, because I need to work out what I'm doing with that thing.
I win the roll and pick first, fearing that Rythm of War would let the Ret Battlegroup get up quick enough to cause severely awkward decisions on my part.
This game is essentially at the cheap warmachine terrain factory for the local stores, so behold shitty-terrain-in-even-worse-than-normal-half-finished-state.
Left side has a pair of Concealment walls that will hopefully mimic hedges when they get Greened.
White circle that totally isn't a CD is a centrally placed fog in front of my Advance Deployment lines.
On my side of the centre line there is an obstruction repped by a chunk of Sacral Vault, then a forest near the right flag (That thing wot says "Trees").
On the Ret side we get another blob of trees, a green central hill and a Wreck Marker of Rubble on the right.
Deployment/initial plan wise, I put all the Kayazy on the left side, reasoning that the Stealth flood will be more effective there as the Obstruction provides nice cover but doesn't really stop to many lines of sight.
Durgen and jacks go edging toward the right, intending to push for the middle flag.
Dahlia and Skarath go on the right, as they can use the forest to trigger Mistwalker Prowl or to hide behind it effectively.
Ret wise, Mittens go on either flank, then the Jacks sit in the guts ready to take in the view of the hill.
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Merc 1: Shit runs forward, the Eliminators go up on the left, the Assassins essentially go up the guts as fort Durgen forms up behind the cloud. Dahlia and Skarath move up per the plan.
Assassins get Primed, because that's what they are their for. Durgen Force Fields himself and learning from that Aradus mauling I put out Redline on a Driller.
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Ret 1: The left unit of Mittens moves up, sticking short of the Eliminator threat range. The Phoenix moves up on that side to an arcing position.
The other Jacks, Mitten Solo, Hel and so forth all pile onto the hill and fort up with Force Barrier. She gets Arcane Secreted, then casts Obliteration.
My eyes about popped out of my skull. My opponent, being a normal warmachine player and not a dick, read out the spell list for his caster before the game when asked and my brain immediately discounted Oblit due to habitually ignoring it on Buthcer1. Where the hell is the logic that a spell Butcher won't cast isn't utilised elsewhere? Just.....so dumb.
Anyway, the Oblit hits three of the Eliminators, I get lucky and only lose two.
Rightside, the Ghost Sniper goes into the Rubble, the right side Mitten unit spreads out.
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Merc 2: Obliteration? No way that'll happen again. Surely. I can Fore Field from here out anyway (Wait for it). Plan is to get the jam happening, push to nab the right flag, fight over the centre and just contest the left. Fog goes away, which isn't the worst thing (My guns can't hide behind it and do shots, Ret will hit Dwarf jacks with ease anyway).
Left wise, the Eliminators could run and engage the Mittens, but then they just die to walking in the back arc engage magic pew pews, so it's a waste. Instead a Kayazy runs backward to be behind each hedge, they are then joined by the Spray Bunny running behind the Obstruction, hoping for a future turn of spraying away Mages.
Centre wise the Gun Bunnies shoot the Banshee at max range, one shot goes to the Aspis, the others do some slight chipping. Durgen runs behind the Bunnies (If he took a shot it means something is in range of Imperatus and Durgen dies, or Durgen is out in the open and also potentially splats).
Aiyanna and Holt cruise int eh backfield, one Driller advances to threaten the centre flag.
Right way, seeing as how the Ret jacks lack pathfinder I opt to run the Red Lined Driller (After an incompetent Tinker repair job) to be behind the Rubble. he's also immune to Pushing, so the Mittens might very well hurt him badly but can't assure his destruction by pushing him out to Banshee/Imperatus charging. Dahlia stays way back in fear, the Snake gets Mistwalker, puts up Counterblast, walks into the forest and sprays down the Ghost Sniper.
Fairly innocuous turn in terms of damage, but happy with my placement at this point.
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Ret 2: Leftwise, the Battle Mittens just move up and try some shots on one Eliminator, missing pretty hard.
Centre wise, the Phoenix and Imperatus chopped up most of the Assassins. The Banshee shoots the centre Gunner, knocking it over Durgen who ignores it courtesy of Force Field.
Helynna sits on a hill behind the Aspis and the solo tool with Force Barrier. She Feats and casts Deflection, the jacks all fall back somewhat at the end of the turn with Rhythm.
On the right, the Mittens walk up, one gets a hit on Skarath, pushing him a minute distance further into the woods, another punches the Driller for some token damage.
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Merc 3: Well, feat means I'm not doing much, thankfully the Jacks didn't push forward around the centre flag, I'd have been screwed. Instead I have a chance to push the side flags for a few points.
Leftwise, Holt shoots down the contesting Mittens. One Kayazy goes in, kills another, sidesteps and misses the follow up attack. The other Kayazy goes to the left flag to score it.
Centre wise everything just backpedals, Durgen runs and camps (Noting that I did waste a reload with Reinholdt because of dumbness).
I contemplated burning all the Gunners to pop a couple of the Arcanists, instead they just chipped the Banshee.
The last pair of Assassins, no longer Primed, run up into the far forest to threaten the support junk later on.
Right side the Driller and Skarath kill the three contesting Mittens, the snakey moves to score.
I go to 2 CP.
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Ret 3: The left Mittens manage to pop the Eliminator engaging them. The Phoenix kills the scoring one and Rythms to the left flag.
Centre wise Imperatus kills the Assassins, Banshee moves to the centre flag and knocks down the Driller in front of Durgen.
Fort Helynna moves off the hill, re-pops the Force Barrier/Deflection nonsense.
Hellynna also arcs another Oblit (Which is magic and gets around Force Field. Sigh), this time scattering off Holts head to kill Aiyanna and ding the Spray Bunny.
Right wise the Battle Mittens move in on Skarath and the Driller, don't do much of relevance.
Scores level at 2 CP.
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Merc 4: I have to push for a scenario win on the right flag, Attrition will go poorly as Skarath doesn't hit very hard without damage buffs.
Left wise Holt moves up and shoots down a Mitten, the unit is now below half strength so that's fine. I run the spray Bunny to sit 4 inches from the left, Rhythm of War means I can't stop the score realistically but the Phoenix is the only viable scoring piece on that side so takes a heavy out of the centre attrition game.
Centre wise, it takes all three Bunnies to blow through Deflection and the Shield Guard to pop the Force Barrier wanker, at least giving Durgen a potential feat turn. if he wants to die to Imperatus. And get one shot because Reinholdt is way out of range to pop Reload. Next round for sure!
Durgen Redlines the Driller that he maxed on Fury, misses an Armour Pierce shot after shuffling a little bit to the right.
Said Driller then goes in, easily cleans up the Banshee (Elves didn't account for the free charge). I can't believe I once expressed disdain for the Drillers Sustained Attack, it's magic against this Def 12/13 stuff.
Right side, the Driller and Skarath clean out the Mittens and put up Coutnerblast, but Reinholdt is the only piece that can run to score as Dahlia already hid behind the forest.
I take the lead, 3v2 CP.
End of turn I was super worried. Clock was on parity, and I didn't recognise swiftly enough that the top Driller was so far out of control range that the top Driller was in way a threat to Imperatus. If he just clears out the centre Driller and runs stuff to contest the right flag this turn I'll be hard pressed to not lose on scenario in my next turn.
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Ret 4: I get a super lucky misread, in which Arcto-man decides assassination is the better play.
The last couple Mittens pop Holt, the Phoenix runs way up the board to get behind Durgen.
Helynna moves up in front of my Driller to get the Phoenix in control area again, arcs a knockdown and Death Sentence equivalent on Durgen.
Imperatus walks up past my Red Lined Driller, shoots at Durgen.
Durgens sweet Fire Immunity comes up, Ret concedes.
No business getting the win here, was definitely outmatched.
Durgen, I don't what to do about you. He just doesn't feel strong. Possibly there's a list that works? I think I'm going to go back to Thexus and just accept I'll have a couple brain melting games in a long tourney. Probably throw down some Ashlynn and Fiona lists in the meantime, the Power Attack Errata in theory makes them playable now.
Oh yeah, I forgot Durgen's continuous fire Field Marshal all game. Like you do. He's the explody dwarf, not the fire one dammit.
On another note, Ret jacks models are trash and need to change.
Not that they look bad, I think for the most part the aesthetic is fine, my issue is I've played against them for years and still can't tell the damn things apart.
I tried to get the names of the opposing jacks before we even deployed. I got Imperatus correct, then even my opponent screwed up when he initially agreed the Aspis was a Chimera.
More likely it's just me, but this wouldn't be the internet if it wasn't presented as a gripe.
