Into Republican Chain Breaker, I'm still hard testing into what I armchair general-ed as being bad in general, given how the theme force pans out.
Ossrum1 - 8x Gunner, 2x Blaster, 3x Driller, Reinholdt, Tinker, Eiryss1
vs
Axis1 - 3x Inverter, Cipher, Conservator, 2x TEP, 15 Servitors in Elimination and Attunement versions
Dammit. I now know the actual Clockwork models names by Osmosis.
It's Outlast, I lose the roll and get given first.
I wasn't hopeful terrain wise, I've got some water and a wall, centre line has a central wall and a forest in the right zone (Though it's angular nature favours me), Convergence side has a not relevant forest, an irrelevant Cloud and a long trench that's dripping in sauce with the flavour of Meaningfullness.
I wasn't super worried about the Trench, there's enough stuff that I'll be able to shoot something. The forest in the right zone looked annoying, as it vectors me to not shoot stuff that'll contest the right zone, which isn't ideal as the water funnels me to that side a little.
List wise, SHIELD GUARDS FOR DAYS AND IT'S A PROBLEM.
I basically have to apply force in a very small area and accept that there will be several rounds here only servitors die, unless I can get critical activations out of my two Spray Bunnies, which is hampered by Countercharge (Spray 8, Countercharge 6, Servitors 3 inches behind means I need to stop the charge in order to get into a good position). The list change of dropping some light from our last game helps me with that. The TEPs are the biggest issue though, I have to kill them with Drillers which are precious as it is.
Almost Symmetrical deployments from both of us, TEP's and a Driller on the flanks, caster dead centre.
Oh yeah, Eiryss1 is lost on the wind somewhere, so she is proxied by Rask. Times are tough in Mark3 (Line stolen from Chappie. The person, not the movie.)
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Merc 1: By dint of the water and the annoying forest, the Bunnies form a wedge of doom in the centre. That wasn't really intended, its just how it panned out once everything moved up.
One of my few decision points is where the third Driller goes, he goes on the right as it looks like the heavy Vectors are slightly leaning toward the left, though I can't pretend I devoted appropriate thought to it.
Eiryss gets Snipe and goes behind the right forest, in the anti spray nook. If Convergence hold back she will just do Phantom Hunter shots on Servitors, if they move up all aggro then she'll have to fall back.
Ossrum Bullet Dodgers himself out of a desperate desire to live.
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CoC 1: Gearheads run.....wait a minute.....they have gears everywhere, most of them are robots....
Gearbutts run up, starting from the right to the left, where we get a classic case of Huge base discombobulation.
Essentially, on the left the TEP correctly keeps itself just shy of the left Driller threat range. The right one didn't do so, I think an effect of the Driller over there having a wall and forest in the way, which requires keeping in mind my threat range, feat granting pathfinder and that when the model is lanky enough it is visible regardless of terrain impediments.
By god Eiryss is panicking though.
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Merc 2: The right Driller can go into the TEP on the right, so that's enough to make it worth feating. Got to pop that smuck and otherwise start chewing on Shield Guards.
The left Driller is in range of the Conservator and the left most Inverter, so I opt to drop both upkeeps (Feels.....awful....) in order to fuel both heavies and for Energiser, which was needed for the threat range to be fulfilled.
Ossrum feats, Energises, moves across to be next to the wall on the right. Shoots at the Axiom, hits and kills a Servitor.
I have to deal with the Counterchargey brick in the centre, as I don't want an Inverter to do a knock down rescue for the TEP. A Bunny slams at Axis, triggers the left most Inverter who charges in and knocks it down while also trashing the cortex. A second Bunny goes for the Corollary, finishes the tie up. Misses his target, but I wasn't exactly hanging out to do POW 6 damage rolls.
The right Driller goes into the TEP on that side, easily kills it. The spare Driller runs to be behind to avenge his soon to occur death.
Bunny wise, both Spray Bunnies go up, one behind the centre wall, the other camps out in the right zone forest, they both spray down some Servitors and do incidental damage to Vectors.
Four Gunners hang around Ossrum to fort him up later, the Counter charge Inverter has limited shield Guards so I shoot them down and wing said Vector a little bit.
Remaining two Gunners go to the left zone, one of them gets heaps out of control to be in an annoying spot, further plinking on the now most forward Inverter.
I have two activations that matter left, Eiryss and the left Driller. The Inverter isn't missing systems, but has lost a chunk of armour, so I elect to disrupt him with Eiryss and send the Driller into the Conservator, which he manages to destroy without issue.
Happy with the TEP, Slamming, Plinking and Ossrum cowardice.
I thoroughly regret the left side Driller, that was a waste. Given where the other Drillers are, I essentially ceded any practical ability to deal with the left TEP and consigned myself to just contesting the left zone. If he just moves to be between the water and the centre wall, in Ossrums control and with a couple Bunnies in front stopping him getting wrecked by charges then he is an active participant in later rounds and likely keeps my attrition game alive, which I think I lost at this point. Also Conservators don't feel good enough to me.
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CoC 2: Axis counterfeats, a shortage on threat range I didn't consider with my revenge Driller placement. The out of control Bunny, Ossrum, Tinker and Reinholdt are all outside of Axis' control range as he wisely camps out in the trench. He beats on the knocked down Bunny in front of him, but rolls poorly at best. Corrally makes attacks to pass focus across and manages to strip an armour point of the standing Bunny, so that was something.
Left zone wise, the TEP and Cipher capitalise on my error and punch through the Driller. The disrupted chipped Inverter goes behind the centre wall, engaging a Spray Bunny.
In the right zone, two Servitors go on either side of the Spray Bunny in the forest. The Inverter, with a full focus load, stabs the TEP destroying Driller, knocks him down and takes off his claw arm.
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Merc 3: I'm hoping this is my score turn on the right zone, otherwise keep popping shots.
Zone clearing attempt first, the forested Spray Bunny walks out of melee, cops a good hit from the Inverter I neglected to notice was in melee range and takes out the Cortex. He still manages to kill the Servitor he needed to, so that was good.
Ossrum puts Bullet Dodger and Snipe on Eiryss back out, goes back a little bit to be behind the defensive wall on the right zone. A lucky shot (But not Lucky Charmed, because I'm Gobber blind) pops the Servitor in the forest, leaving just the Inverter remaining in the right zone.
The damaged Driller was the only one in a position to get it done, sadly the Inverter wisely engaged at further than one away, so he had to burn a focus to shake. He walks up, Axis' feat stops him, doing to much. back up Driller hangs around, in position to be in Energiser/Charge range of anything going into the zone next round for the sequel (Zone Clearing 2: Dominate Harderur).
Centre wise, the spray Bunny behind the wall backs up, my thinking being that he'll survive the freestrike (did so) and pops some Servitors. Alas, I didn't factor in the reduced speed, so he in fact was just a cog up for the Cipher to charge in and put him on one box of Movement. Blah.
The various Gunners then go, the very top active one takes the Corrolary freestrike. Three of the back ones wall up in front of Ossrum. Between them all they shoot down the damaged Inverter.
Eiryss plinks off a Servitor.
Left zone wise, the "What's a control range like?" Bunny moves further left. He can be killed by the TEP, but it's an inconvenience and likely not the optimal damage output activation for the battle Engine. He plinks down a Servitor, though one of the TEP's dudes should have taken it as they regenerate, but oh well. Little things.
The Tinker and Reinholdt run to the left backfield ready to run in and contest later on. This is a weird go to move I keep doing. Definitely value the lives of those solos....
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CoC 3: Right zone, he inverter polishes off the Driller that previously floundered at him.
In the Axis dugout, he finally pops the suicide Bunny that's just been limping a River Dance in front of him, he keeps a couple Servitor Shield Guards and the Corollary in his vicinity.
Left wise, the TEP and Cipher kill the Spray Bunny and the nearby contesting Bunny, the far left one who feels no need for focus carries on.
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Merc 4: Attrition looks alright on paper, but the TEP is definitely beyond my means to kill and that's an issue. I have to finally get that scenario churn going.
On the right, a pair of Bunnies that can get Line of Sight shoot the Inverter to ensure the kill, they roll outrageously well and do far more damage than they had any right to.
Ossrum Energizes and walks into the zone.
The Driller then goes in and easily removes the Inverter.
The other three Bunnies nearby wall up Ossrum, plink at the Cipher and average out my earlier damage rolls by being quite miserly with the pips.
Eiryss backs up, don't want to lose her trivially to the damn TEP. Shoots the Cipher and disrupts him. Glorious.
Left wise, Reinhold continues mission run to location of temporary safety. The Tinker says sod it, shoots the Cipher and does couple damage points, because he's a WARRIOR. Sort of.
The contesting Gunner stays chill, does sweet sod all.
Mercs get the leg up with 2 CP.
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CoC 4: Axis tires of playing the field and commits.
He charges the Driller in the right zone, drains his stack to kill him.
The Corollary goes into the most forward Gunner around, does nought.
Cipher limps across, shoots a rough terrain on the Bunny wall. Luckily for me it scatters and only enshrouds the least important one, I'd actually failed to even consider that the Cipher could shoot at this point, so this was easily the most useful action for it take.
TEP moves up, sprays down the central Gunner, also tries a shot on the Gunner that's up in the guts, doesn't do anything to the Bunny unfortunately also hits the Corollary, his dice stab in the eyes lacking the good grace to even try to do it in the back. Puts it on 3 boxes.
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Merc 5: Axis taunts me on zero camp. With two Shield Guards, the forest and the Counter Charge options I'm not convinced I can get a reliable assassination. Ossrum can't get to him without shenanigans, but if he does so and it'll be with an Energiser and I don't trust a shiddy crit fish assassination when I think I can get scenario without too much issue.
I fall back into the "do the important stuff first" brainset, which is an awful mistake. Eiryss shoots to disrupt the Cipher, which the Axiom ball hurls itself in the way of. Dangit.
Gunners move around in a wide triangle formation, the top one goes into Axis' trench and kills one Servitor. Another moves into the right zone to get line of sight past the forest to pop the other Servitor. Third one crawls out of the rough terrain to explode the Corollary.
That's the zone cleared, Ossrum falls back and camps as a last ditch assassination is the best CoC play (Low clock assist here).
The Cipher sadly will be able to run and contest, I run the Tinker around to vaguely annoy him out of mighty optimism.
Reinholdt, being a hero, is far back left that he's just barely in the corner of the photo.
I go up to 3.
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CoC 5: TEP sprays down Tinker. SAD.
Cipher runs and toes the right zone.
Axis turn around and beats down the Gunner in the trench, camps three or so.
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Merc 6: Dammit. That top Gunner was my central plan at this point, pre-measuring however determines that the plan is just possible.
Ossrum Energises, walks into the zone, casts Unstoppable Force. Bunny in the right zone runs through the forest, pushes the Cipher back an inch, keeps engaging so he doesn't Counter Charge back in.
Get to 5 CP, happy with pulling that one out. Damnable TEPs.
At the beginning of the game I scoffed at the notion of ever using Stranglehold in the matchup during the "This is what this caster does" spiel. In hindsight, that is a very silly perspective to have on an excellent spell. Having now done the math, in later stages if Ossrum was central he could get just within 10 of a TEP, upkeep Bullet Dodger, do a Stranglehold with boosted damage at a 72% chance to work. If it does, he then Energises backward and is completely safe from it attacking. If he fails, then the Battle Engine actually has a minuscule chance of killing him (Assuming I did the math correctly anyway. Glad the match cracked that mental issue for me, though it's a bonus given me and Abe always have sweet games.
