Our opening opposition is the sweet Tassites. Of note is that scenario/terrain is very relevant for my lists, it wouldn't surprise me if I was the most fluid in my ratings on the day, alas my poor Kapitan.
I have a couple dead matchups (Ghost fleet with double Wraith Engine is a problem, inexperience into Circle), the other three however I put myself as favoured into (CoC, Menoth, Khador). I expected to go into Clockwork Commandos (That's when you go out wearing a partially demolished clockwork in place of undies), sure enough into G-G-G-G-G-Gxis I go!
I pick a table that has some line of sight obstructing terrain, which can give me some options against the TEPs. This is based on the expectation it'll be Axis, which sure enough turns out to be true.
Convergence of Cyriss - Axis OTC
Theme: Destruction Initiative
Armory - Steamroller Objective
Axis, The Harmonic Enforcer - WJ: +30
- Inverter - PC: 15 (Battlegroup Points Used: 15)
- Inverter - PC: 15 (Battlegroup Points Used: 15)
- Inverter - PC: 15
- Conservator - PC: 12
- Corollary - PC: 6
Transfinite Emergence Projector - PC: 19
- Permutation Servitors
Transfinite Emergence Projector - PC: 19
- Permutation Servitors
Reflex Servitors - 3 Reflex Servitors: 0
Reflex Servitors - 3 Reflex Servitors: 0
Reflex Servitors - 3 Reflex Servitors: 0
Attunement Servitors - 3 Attunement Servitors: 0
Attunement Servitors - 3 Attunement Servitors: 0
Optifex Directive - Leader & 2 Grunts: 4
By Gods. I just had to copy paste that and it felt amazing.
Objective: Bunker
(Gorten 1) Gorten Grundback [+31]
- Ghordson Driller [10]
- Ghordson Driller [10]
- Grundback Blaster [6]
- Grundback Blaster [6]
- Grundback Gunner [6]
- Grundback Gunner [6]
Gobber Tinker [2]
Ragman [4]
Rorsh [15]
Savio Montero Acosta [6]
Wrong Eye [17]
Kayazy Eliminators [5]
Kayazy Eliminators [5]
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt [8]
From indistinct and hazy records written by the elder ones (You know, those brain cells approaching 48hours of age), it is suggested that Convergence won the roll and picked first. I pick the side of the board with the building, otherwise there's a blob of rubble smack bang in the centre of the zone while the various evil grandfather clocks have some woods that don't do a huge amount.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhkcY8Xcom6NARnm73Kx3BzJX83BmViv9gHYsFcAVUbCFsj7fuBTHdtURwGTgArsjJUgtAiWFro2qsGOLvBJgdWO9CzrzXa0OA5ioS0XLLo0p0-VxtNCzn8Bea6CAH1gPu5LY2WL-JeKv/s1600/001+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
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CoC 1: Reflex Servitors move up a bit, spread out and Dig in. A TEP is on either side, having just lazily advanced up. The battlegroup moves up the centre, Conservator out front. Axis puts Iron Aggression on the far right Inverter and forgets to move (Not a killbox scenario, so this doesn't hurt him to bad).
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Merc 1: Everything runs. The Pigs lean toward the left, the intent being for them to kill that sides TEP. The Crocs submerge and go on the right, Wrongeye into the building, Snappy starting his beeline to the right TEP.
Everything else goes up as a blob in the centre, Strength of Granite on a Driller and Solid Ground up.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8J0Sw2TrwdcdM24eozNchl3JSIW8s1BiPD-3S8NSdkOy1i_xY4QrUBQArbs_-5InghVZISEmYdYZUVov9iIV-oM5KU73DYcL3HMD9nY95q3NXinVkzZ4Vp2oOROp6UDSUxv7kibRZHz3/s1600/003+%2528800x450%2529.jpg
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CoC 2: It's a quite conservative turn from Convergence, four Reflex Servitors run up to jam, one on Brine, another on a Gunner, two on Snapjaw.
The Conserator toes the very back of the zone as the Inverters wiggle their booties behind him.
Axis makes up for lost time and gets up the board (I think Onslaught was up, but not 100% on that one).
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Merc 2: Pretty simple plan for this turn, hang back, kill the opposing objective, keep conservative on my clock. TEPs take time, while the Conservator feat push for scoring would net me points I'd then get screwed attritionly, so I'm better off achieving little and just waiting.
Brine, Snapjaw and the Green Eliminators all clear out the jam models and essentially don't advance. A spray bunny advances the bare minimum to thread a spray through those Kayazy and kill a Dug in Reflex Servitor. A Gunner moves to above my objective, shoots the opposing iteration, Conservator takes the Shield Guard. Gorten then toes the zone, fires a POW 16 shot at the objectives, boosts the damage and cranks the roll. The other Gunner easily finishes it off. The Granite Driller goes next to Gorten, the other is further back with some of the support pieces.
The Red Kayazy go, the leader runs into the zone just shy of the Conservator threat range as time waste piece. The other runs way out of command into my backfield, intent being as a late game contesting piece as required.
Wrongeye walks around to the back of the building and Submerges, as did Snapjaw.
Mercs go to 1 CP.
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CoC 3: I like to think this pic is how I was seeing the table at the time. Alcoholics go to meetings, so I don't count.
The left TEP advances, shoots down Acosta. Sadness. The right advances, lightly pings a Spray Bunny and kills the Green Eliminators.
The Conservator charges the Red Kayazy in the zone, boosts to hit and bins her hard. The Inverters then move around at the top of the zone in a semi circle.
Various Servitors form a backline behind those jacks, another Reflex Servitor engages Brine, a second goes on Snapjaw, a third goes a few inches from Snappy.
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Merc 3: I really like what's being done here. Gorten can charge the Conservator for feat distance, but doing so draws in Inverter Counter Charges that are going to be awful. I could throw focus out, pull the jacks in and try to kill with my jacks, then only one Heavy needs to survive, get speed with Axis feat and kill the dwarf.
I opt to go for the scoring play and trying to pop the Conservator.
Aiyanna misses the Harm on the Conservator. Dammit lady, practice zapping Holt until you do this better!
Holt and the in zone Gunner shoot the Conservator, get some damage on him.
The Strength of Granite Driller charges the Conservator, toes the zone. Gets an Inverter Countercharge, which I just had to accept was going to happen, he lands a mild hit (Solid Ground stops the knock down) that takes out no systems. The Driller lands its attacks, rolls well and lands a massive amount of damage that takes the Vector out.
Gorten then advances up in the zone, feat pushes back all the jacks, one Inverter turns into a blue proxy base, another stays in the zone alas. The Dorf then does a couple shots into the Inverter, which gets Shield Guarded to Servitors.
On the left, a Blaster falls back and shoots Brine. This kills a Servitor and does a couple points to Brine, triggering Pain Response. Rorsh then smokes the Big Pig forward, he charges for free, no Counter Charges trigger due to my feat. I go up to three Fury to kill it.
Wrongeye moves up the left side of the house and submerges. Snapjaw tramples, killing a Reflex Servitor and Submerging. The Red Kayazy runs to this side, trying to draw off the annoying Reflex Servitor that Snappy failed to kill.
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CoC 4: Axis Counterfeats and hangs back next to the Corollary, who toes the zone. My outer circle of support/backfield models aren't hit, pretty much everything that matters is.
Two Inverters move up into the zone behind the rubble, the third is further in the backfield and and starts busting a move in Bacon directions.
The TEP moves up and guns down a Blaster and Aiyanna. A Reflex Servitor engages Snapjaw.
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Merc 4: I'm 9 minutes ahead on clock, so my only real plan here is to have a reasonably quick turn and make sure Gorten doesn't die. I've screwed up my Croc Fury, not accounting for the Trample of last time. Fortunately he passes his frenzy roll, Brine however was never going to be able to and Frenzies after Rorsh pulls off one Fury. Axis feat stops the charge, so that was that. I keep the fury on him, Rorsh will be doing some gun shots anyway.
We didn't pick up that my speed should have been debuffed on my models. The Strength penalty didn't come up and we played the no charge deal, completely skipped on the -2 Speed, I've only realised that now looking at the Pics. Ultimately it changes where Gortens wall and battlegroup models end up, I'm in a worst position but think the game is still in my favour quite reasonably.
I drop Strength of Granite, Gorten walks back, puts down a wall where the Inverters bases could land. Do a boosted POW 16 shot on an Inverter for some damage. The Gunners toe the back of the zone and shoot said Inverter, as does Holt in the backfield. Damage rolls are not mighty alas. Snapjaw submerges and eats the Reflex Servitor. Wrongeye moves back around the house.
Rorsh moves in, shoots the same Inverter for a bit of damage.
Brine and the Drillers make a line of heavies to the left of the zone.
The Red Eliminator runs up to the right side of the board.
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CoC 5: The Inverter I shot somewhat goes into the forward most Driller and kills it.
Back Inverter goes into Brine, misses the charging Macro Pummeler. Hitting with the other harm puts Brine on a handful of boxes. Right Inverter charges a Gunner and misses its attacks, or so I infer from the photo. The TEP goes behind it and messes up the remaining Driller with its sprays.
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Merc 5: Still up on time, otherwise keep attritioning it. Keep Gorten safe.
Up on the left, Ragman goes behind Brine and Death Field, one Inverter gets a Counter Charge that misses. Rorsh heals Brine, shoots the Inverter in the zone. Brine then attacks the pair of Inverters next to him, kills one and heavily damages the other.
Wrongeye hides behind the house, pops Submerge and Star Crossed. Snapjaw goes in, easily kills the TEP.
Gorten backs up out of the zone, puts down a safety wall and shoots the forward Inverter. The Gunner toes the zone and shoots the same Vector, as does Holt.
The damaged Driller lost Cortex, so just hangs back and gets Tinkered.
Blaster moves up to Brine, shoots down two of the repair guys.
Red Eliminator runs up behind Axis.
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CoC 6/Merc 6/CoC 7/Merc 7/CoC 8: Not many CoC pieces in the endgame, the Inverters kill Brine and Snapjaw, the Corollary contests.
I then kill the top Inverter with the Driller, shoot the Corollary and kill it with the Eliminator Combo Striking. There's still an Inverter left, so Gorten stays back and I get a point for controlling, going 2 v 0.
Axis runs to the right flag, Inverter walks back. Score is now 2 v 1 my way.
I shoot the Inverter down, contest the flag with the Kayazy and put Gorten in the zone, go up 4v2.
Axis kills the Eliminator with a Battering ram, goes to 2 as I get the zone.
I loved this game, much as the snafoo with the Axis feat is regrettable. Will need to play Hastenon more in the future. I'd call this tied for my favourite game of the weekend.
