Pro: Slam games are sweet, need Thexus practice
Con: If the dog hadn't barked in my ear I wouldn't have even gotten up, let alone jumped into pants and driven into the store with about 15 minutes to spare.
So you know, it'll be some Thexus applied poorly.
For the sake of completeness:
Thexus1 - 7x Gribblies (3 Wreckers, 3 Wardens, Subduer), 3x Instigators, 2x Dominators with a pair of consenting slaves each
Objective: Stockpile
It's Recon, which is sweet. It's into the local terror, Rob's Curse (Any Kingmaker list, though at least it isn't Haley3).
Damiano1 - 2x Nomad, Freebooter, Buccaneer, Kell, Stannis, Orin, Trenchers w/UA and 2x Grenadiers, 2x Steelhead Halberdiers, Min Riflemans, Min Boomhowlers (Ambushing)
Objective: Bunker
I win the roll (aka not going into Lister, so I have a chance to do so). Nab first because Kingmaker is quick, which is annoying.
My side has a forest and water, centre line has a couple hills and a wall, one hill being in the zone the other two pieces hugging the flags. Far side has an obstruction and a forest.
MacBain is standing in for Damiano, Black Ogrun Boarding Party as Boomhowlers (Assume the medium based metal models you don't recognise are them and you'll be 100% accurate).
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Thexus 1: Not liking how this match up looks, reason I essentially have to trade a Monstrosity to try to get the opposing Heavies up, pop them then slowly grind through the infantry. I dearly wished Surefoot still cost 3, as then randomly Hex Blasting it causes some real choices, but at 2 it's not a favourable play.
Most of the Monstrosities go in the guts, with a couple flankers to get around the forest/water blockers. I throw up Decel and don't bother with early stabbing, as I expect the Monstrosities to take enough damage without me spiking some Eliminator rolls.
Plus if this goes in my favour it'll probably be quite a long game, so burning clock early isn't a strong start.
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Damiano1: A wall of infantry swarm forth like ants. The Surefooted Trenchers are on the right side, though there is some intermixing. Damiano hangs back with the Nomads, Riflemen and various solos, pops Road to War.
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Thexus 2: It's the bait out the heavies turn, looking at the board I opt to throw up a Wrecker way up the board and put a Warden in the bottom of the zone. The Wrecker kills half a halberd unit because he might as well.
I put a Warden up near the left flag, placed to avenge the suicide Wrecker. Other a Subduer and Wrecker hang near Thexus behind the Objective, while the late game back up Warden and Monstrosity arc out the left. Solos spread around, though one Agitator is way out in the open to make the Wrecker actually succeed in his Steelhead attacks (Cause MAT 5? MAT 5 is like Caine3 Spoilers[Calamitous]).
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Damiano 2: SODDING AMBUSHING BOOMHOWLERS. I have failed past me, who used ambushing junk all the time. I was shived by both Trolls and despair.
Damiano hangs way back, feats.
The Boomhowlers charge in, kill an Agitator and pop the reserve Wrecker's Brain.
Buccanneer aims, knocks down the Warden in the zone. I have the dreaded realisation of what habitually playing with Knock Down immunity has done to me as the Freebooter pops the Warden with not to much issue.
The Nomads barrel up the zone, they kill my objective. At some point a shot damages the centre Wrecker, who is able to Aggressive forward and contest the zone.
Stannis and Steelheads pop the suicide Wrecker.
Orin runs to be in denial range of all the Kingmaker jacks.
The Trenchers try to pop the left forward Agitator, but roll really badly on damage so he somehow lives (The direct shots pawn off to the forward most Warden).
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Thexus 3: Well, this is bad. I need to get super lucky to have a chance now.
An Eliminator charges a Trencher amongst the jacks, if she lands an eight on an attack then she can kill him and sidestep, free a space for my Wrecker o swing on the opposing heavies, hopefully I roll like Berserk and take out the systems that matter.
The kayazy misses both attacks and I'm somewhat sunk, feat is countered, slamming is currently countered, Orin has enough charges to stop me TKing the opposing stuff.
The Monstrosities go in and have a go, they manage to pop one Nomad (The Subduer crippled the right arm, possible I should have left it at that and had the Wrecker attack the other stuff, but with the model presence on the board I wasn't optimistic about any of my chances at that point. A poor headspace to be in, but their it is).
The Forward most Warden kills Stannis, which is nice. Cause sod that guy.
A Warden hangs near Thexus so he at least doesn't get blatted (My Eliminator not sidestepping blocked a potential TK and charge into the Freebooter. Stupid low odd plans not working......*grumble* *Adds salt to haircut*).
The other Wrecker tries to free himself of the Boomhowlers. He is an insult to his fellow kidnapped forced into servitude and body modification bro's, as he makes one tough and misses all the rest.
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Damiano 3: Damiano hangs back and the various opposing models leave me with a pair of wardens and no attack vector on the warcaster, so I concede. I loathe doing so, just not as much as the prospect of taking my next turn.
I guess a green Eliminator could try to kill Orin with a Sidestep attack (Would need an 8 on damage), TK the forward Warden to kill the Nomad, if Orin dies potentially kill the Freebooter with more TK's to get the other Warden in. Just last gasps, if those plans work then Boomis Cacaphony and run after Thexus, Steelhead CMA's kill one warden, other gets Assaulted and knocked down by the Buccanneer then kills with Rifleman shots and Trencher charges.
Think I'm content to call this matchup up poor. Curious to see how Drudges go (Do Bender explosions pop all the infantry?), but not enough to try it given I'm stuck in enthusiasm to get some Sturm and Drang down in a few weeks.
