It's The Pit, with the opposing options being High Reclaimer and a theoretical Harbinger.
The image of a single Venger jousting Thexus vegetable body is enough in my brain, don't need to see Reclaimer do that on the table, so naturally the Dwarf it was. Sure enough High Reclaimer drops.
High Reclaimer1 - Templar, Scourge of Heresy, Vengers, Idrians + UA, Knights Exemplar + UA, Choir, Vassal of Menoth, Cleansers, the Book thing
I win the roll, my choice of table side was fairly obvious, dictated by a forest around one flag that would slow Gorten unacceptably. Aside from that, there's a trench on the zone, some water on the top left of said circle, while my flag has a wall behind it and there's a hill in my Advance Deploy line.
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Round 1: The Menites clump up at the top of the zone, Idrians out the front (Prey put on a Spray Bunny), Vengers on the left edge, Knights Exemplar on the right, Jacks central.
I run the Pigs and one Eliminator unit waaaaaay right. Either they draw off some models, contest the opposing flag or go a long way around the forest to threaten Choir and related stuff.
Crocs are on the right edge of my brick,Submerged into the dirt per common sense (Where ever I stand is water! Cause magic!).
It's then a clump of the rest of the list, Gorten sitting behind a pair of Gunners and a wall to impede Venger murder. The Red Eliminators are out front as necessary sacrifices, Acosta hugs the butt of the Drillers hoping a Vengeance Trigger might give him a charge into something sweet (i.e a Jack or I probably don't care).
The Spray Bunnies hang behind stuff, in a nice example of the at times flawed nature of Prey as a benefit the victim of said ability goes behind the terrain wall, quite safe from dying anytime soon. No Prey cycle for you!
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Menoth 2: Idrians get Hand of Fate, move up and easily kill the poor Red Eliminators. One gets in to contest my flag.
The Menoth bulk. if anything, moves more backwards than anything, contesting the top of the zone and spreading the Vengers back a bit.
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Merc 2: That's a nice appendage in the corner that is.
Acosta's Vengeance isn't going to achieve anything alas, so he futzes around with it.
Alright, let's have a moment. Acosta. PP starting model rules based off fluff, per the Hungerford Matt of Pact episode, Insiders and that interview of Simon in 2014 on the rotating podcasters series Menoth John did. In what world does the Thamarite (My only religious tenet is supreme narcissism!) traveling Merc give a flying backwards moose arse about some random plebs dying to the enemy, a light singe of temperature or an acid bath? The answer is the Iron Kingdoms, but it shouldn't be.
Um....anyway.....
Reclaimer didn't go to his flag, which saves me either trying some Ninja Pig jank to kill him or sacrificing something to stop the score. Plan A goes into effect, the wall sticks around, the various Rhulic jacks contest the zone. Acosta runs to be behind the wall and see if he can Dodge/Riposte the world, though I didn't leave him enough room to backpedal to safety if he so desired, meaning he could easily be boxed in for a kill.
Snapjaw goes forward and contests. The two Warbeasts are premium models in the matchup, or at least look like it as they can both RFP. Snappy is placed to contest, be out of the Jack ranges. I'm expecting some Idrians and one Venger to come in, if he dies that's OK but if he lives it's amazing (He'll even heal off the meals provided. Sweet).
I've no interest in having Wrongeye trivially killed, so forgo Star Crossed.
Team Ninja (Not Die Antwoord related) continue running up the flank. There was definitely a choir hunting joke made, though really with only two jacks I wouldn't care to spend the models so long as the scenario play was working.
Mercs go to 1 CP.
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Menoth 3: The Menites tire of playing the field and commit a little, though we are talking more moving in together than Engagement at this time.
Two of the Vengers come in and blat a Gunner.
The Idrians charge into Snappy, do damage but he survives with all aspects and I'm preparing for internal peacock preening.
They then reposition to give room for two of the Exemplar Knights to get in and the fear hits. The pair charge in as the unit jogs around, they sadly get the job done.
Backfield models finally enter the zone, Scourge being the bolder of the two.
Reclaimer goes to his flag, scores level at 1 CP apiece.
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Merc 3: The forest keeps team Ninja safe, but also makes the Pigs unable to get to Reclaimer in a good way(Should have had Brine 5 inch from the forest, so he could walk and toe off the smoke. Foiled by my own Skornish model!).
The mission is clear, so carry on scoring my flag.
Between Aiyanna/Holt and the various Bunnies the two Vengers and the Idrian contesting my flag get killed off. The Drillers then cower behind the wall, one contests the zone.
Wrongeye runs, engages the clump of Idrians that killed his poor little pet.
On the right, they get joined by Ragman running from the middle, if a jack goes to the side Brine will need the armour debuff to pop it.
The Pigs run back a bit, to a location where they can threat the flag in a reasonable way.
The Green Eliminators run to be behind the forest contesting the flag.
Acosta runs right up in their, engages the Officer of the Idrians, contesting the enemy flag and awaits his either imminent demise or move/stab turn of glory.
I take the lead 2v1.
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Menoth 4: So this is the day after Cancon and I stayed up all night watching season 2 of iZombie, so I don't see how this isn't going to be my magnum opus of literary skill after this sentence. Though essentially it's a soap opera I've deemed acceptable for the sake of constant murders and actors who have faces that can emote at times due to their lack of permanently attached masks composed mostly of plastic.
Another round, once more a pair of Vengers charge in, neigh in the face of a Gun Bunny and implode that fuck out of it, then promptly drop their Lancers and start mentally summoning them for the next time they charge something. Idrians move around, surrounding Wrongeye. They do melee attacks, turns out the little Croc is tougher than his larger counterpart, ends up on 3 boxes. The unengaged Idrians shoot Brine up, take out his Mind, reposition to be in the way.
Cleansers/Exemplar Knights/Scourge all sit in the top half of the zone, as the Book and Templar chill on the hill. Reclaimer tries to kill the Green Eliminators by Ashes to Ashes being cast on an Errant, kills one and puts the other on 1 box.
Scores unchanged.
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Merc 4: This is the turn I'm finally forced to contemplate feating. The Driller is short on getting into Scourge, because Driller native threat range is......great.........whilst if I don't do something about him, he comes in kills the Driller, Menoth probably get to 3 CP and with Reclaimer feat easily clear out to a scenario win.
Thus Drillers run to blocking spots on Gorten, he moves to the top edge of the flag and pushes back Scourge, most of the Knights and the Vengers. They don't go super distances due to terrain and back pieces, that's OK though. One Venger becomes the green proxy base on the awful water terrain.
I'm allowed to cast that piece of terrain garbage, was one of the first pieces I made and now I know it's unplayable rubbish.
Wrongeye chooses to remain super annoying, so burns all his Fury to heal and misses his melee attacks (Didn't buy extra, if Reclaimer wants feat targets he could put in some damn work for it).
The Green Eliminator stays contesting as Brine, lacking his Mind, puts up his Animus, snacks on a couple Idrians then gets Souie'd back by Rorsh.
I get up 3v1.
Menoth 5: Curses! Photo taking discipline has fallen! Scourge kills some Exemplar Knights. Well, we know what's happening now.
Idrians futz around, one dies to a Wrongeye freestrike. They shoot down Ragman and flail their noodles at Wrongeye.
Reclaimer moves into the zone, fats back Vengers and Knights.
Vengers and Knights move in, they pop the Driller in the zone and reposition leaving a couple of them contesting my flag. A Knight misses Wrongeye, who is feeling pretty damn immortal at the moment.
Cleansers move up into the top left of the zone.
The Book and Templar move block Brine getting in on Reclaimer.
I've got a spray bunny contesting the zone, so we remain at 3v1.
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Merc 5: Aha! It took 5 rounds, but now I kill with abandon! With my....11 models remaining. Quality verse Quantity right? Ignroing that the Menites kinda have both at the moment?
No longer fearing random feat generated assassinations, I get to drop the wall and throw focus on a Driller.
Clearing around my flag first, Aiyanna/Holt advance into the zone, Harm the Vengers. Holt shoots one down like a boss.
Driller walks up and kills the Vengers. Spray Bunnies clear off the other contesting stuff.
Gorten sits on the flag, shoots......something?
Wrongeye kills a couple Idirans, heals up a bit off the Bite. Nom nom nom.
The only thing I really regret from last round was Ragmans death, as without him Brine isn't likely to do much at all to the Templar. I go for it anyway, Brine'll just get Cleansered or be irrelevant at this point and I need work from every action. Rorsh walks to hide behind the forest after dropping smoke and healing Brines aspects. Brine goes into the Templar, maxes Fury and from memory doesn't do that great.
Mercs go to 4 v 1. All....most.....their......(Insert Wilhelm scream)
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Menoth 6: Cleansers brutalise Aiyanna/Holt.
Vengers go into the Driller, don't roll super great. One repo's to a super annoying spot behind the terrain wall behind my flag.
Scourge gets to contesting range, puts the Spray Bunny on one box so contesting still succeeds!
Reclaimer sticks around in the centre of the zone.
The Idrians finally kill Wrongeye. Alas tough.
The Templar takes some swings at Brine, Reclaimer juggled some spells so without the extra focus he doesn't manage to kill the glorious Pig.
The Choir and book and move up around the Menoth flag.
Scores stay 4 v 1.
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Merc 6: I've got a definite clock advantage and my model count is becoming a more and more depressing multiple of my control points, so lets just try to keep it slowly trucking on.
SPray Bunny goes way out left, kills some infantry but per average dice doesn't do squat to teh Vengers. This sadly means the Driller has to keep them, so Gorten walks backward off the flag to not die to Scourge, he guns downs the Venger that was hiding behind the wall.
Tinker moves into the zone. I cancel his paycheck early.
Around the Menoth flag, the green Eliminator walks in kills a pair of the choir, sidestpes back to stay contesting the holy flag. Brine attacks the Templar, does some more chip damage. Little pig moves to the contest spot behind the forest. Had Rorsh been in smoke range I think I easily kill Reclaimer, so that's a self inflicted mistake.
Scoring is for chumps, so why would we do that?
Menoth 7: This game was going to long for the phone camera to keep up.
Scourge kills the Spray Bunny, takes out the Drillers Movement and left arm.
Cleansers and Idrians swarm around my flag, brutally putting down the Tinker on the way.
Templar finally puts down Brine. Sweet Bacon, wasted on a sentient artificial war slave.
Menites score the centre zone with a Domiante, now it's 4 v 3 with Mercs still technically in the lead.
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Merc 7: Ye gods, just kill stuff and desperately contest.
Last Bunny does an excellent spray, no Knights left on the table and sweet sod all of the Idrians.
The Driller toes the zone and stays contesting my flag, kills Scourge.
Gorten actually drops Solid Ground, because knocking down Rhulic models at this point? Go for it. Stays where he is, shoots down some Cleansers.
The Eliminator finishes off the choir, sidesteps up to the hill and contests the zone.
Rorsh moves out in the open, pew pews the Templar for not much.
I remain at a tantalising 4, Mercs at 3. Looking bad.
Menoth 8: This is now the longest Mark 3 game I've had (In rounds at any rate).
I have no sodding idea what the Templar does. Jiggles a little bit. Menoth starts with a couple minutes this turn, so it's a cram turn.
The scattered remaining infantry flood around my flag, though none have enough models left to score.
Clutch play happens, Reclaimers puts Hand of Fate on himself and charges the Driller, easily bins it.
The Eliminator, whose been on 1 box for.....5 rounds or something? Contests the centre zone and stops the Dominate the zone for the win. Menoth hits the clock with 39 seconds to go.
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Merc 8: I've got 10 minutes or so, options are kill the Reclaimer or score my flag. I've got Gorten, a spray Bunny, the hero Eliminator and Rorsh.
There's only four Cleansers contesting my flag at this point, that's a damn sight easier to pop than a caster, regardless of camp. Def 11 for the win.
The Bunny pops three of the Cleansers.
Gorten walks up to the flag, hits the first handcannon shot and bam, that's the 5th point.
Alas Game 65, this is my new favourite game of wardollies.
Not sure my overall approach to this game was spot on. The scoring was fine, but mayhap I gave to much creedence to the "let's not kill stuff cause it'll come back" plan. Sacrificing the Gunners essentially stops the potential Venger wipe out, though Dimster is to skilled a player to not keep a Venger well safe if they aren't the sacrificial pieces. The Spray Bunnies are to valuable to do the same, plus one was Preyed and the moves that deny that ability do stroke something warm and sticky in my brain. I definitely could have kept Ragman alive, as he got CRA'd so he should have been placed to Sac Pawn onto Wrongeye, this makes the Templar death likely and means I probably win the attrition instead of losing it.
Candidly, I got lucky twice here with models on two turns on one box sitting around to contest.
Do needs more games into DS, always down to the wire and now we need a winner for the best of three.
