In any event though, at least it was into Abe, who emits a gentle cloud of sugar in his surroundings (In the good way, not the sticky and attracting ants iteration).
It was Convergence,where I got a little bit thrown by it not being Axis. The pair was Lucant and Mother, both in tier. It sure ain't going to be Bart, the matchup ended up being what was most likely.
Thexus1 (Operating Theatre) - Subduer, double Warden, Agitator, Triple Slaver, double Bender, Alexia + Dominator
vs
Iron Mother1 (Destruction Initiative) - Prime Axiom, 2x Assimilator, Corollary, Mitigator, 3x Reflex Servitors, Puncture dudes, Flare bots
It's Spread the Net, got to enjoy that last minute SR17 practice before Wintercon's 14 inch killbox bones me. Central unit unit zone,both sides have a defensive flag and rectangle.
I win the roll and pick first. Convergence takes the correct side, which had a pair of forests Thexus and friends would have loved to use defensively. They also get a wall, while both sides have to deal with the obstruction in the centre of the circle zone. I have a trench and cloud that don't impact the game much.
Deployment wise is even for me, while Convergence anchors either flank with a huge base, the Axiom to the left and TEP to the right.
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Merc 1: Stuff rolls out! At this point I realise I've mixed up the Drudge units on the right flank, confusing the Benders and Slavers. Honestly a first for me, thankfully rectified without to much hassle. Given everything is basically running short of the CoC max range my formation doesn't get to screwy. I spawn a Thrall Warrior who runs up on the right to be a future scoring element.
I have a concern that Iron Mother could run up one of her Vectors, who are all nodes, and start spelling Thexus to death, so my basic plan is to run both Wardens in front of the sexmeister for line of sight block.
I had a Monstrosity out on the far left originally with the vague intent of scoring the Convergence rectangle, the Axiom damages that plan rather badly.
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CoC 1: A bunch of the Reflex Servitors form the front line and dig in as everything runs forward. Making use of experience from my previous shenanigans, the Assimilators go behind the wall to stop easy TK madness, though ultimately the important stuff stays out of convenient attack range of my stuff. The TEP just waddles forward.
TEP gets Tactical Supremacy.
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Merc 2: As the CoC was thrusting back and forth in the opening fold out, I basically crossed my fingers in the hope the TEP ran. If it doesn't pop it's doodads around the base and gets up the board, than I can kill it early and at least have the sprays of doom out of my pile of concerns.
It wasn't to be, and there wasn't anything placed near for me to casually nab early, so run up and take a load of casualties plan it is.
Drudges run up, going more aggressively up the left against the light and Axiom, while hanging back to only give up a few to the TEP.
The Overlords move up on either flank, both units spraying down a pair of Reflex Servitors (4 down, 274 to go!)
The two Monstrosities on line of sight blocking duty advance and toe the centre zone, can't make scoring to easy after all. Thexus goes behind them, such that a drag won't pull him to his death. I wanted to block them with stealth models, alas such models are all valuable and easy killed by Grounder Pounders. The other Monstrosity gives up on its dreams of getting to the CoC rectangle anytime soon and moves across toward Exulon.
Alexia spawns a Thrall who charges the Axiom to start chipping at its health (No repair in the opposing list for a change). The other Thrall runs to a stupid spot to die, as I critically fail roll-to-have-plan.
Decel is up, has value in making annoying choices for the TEP.
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CoC 2: The Convergence light vector, it turns out, isn't a Diffuser. It's a Mitigator. Three Bender Drudges evaporate.
Between the TEP moving up and repoing back, Axiom, Iron Mother and one Ground Pounder I lose another eight Drudges, all Slavers plus the Thrall Warrior. Imph. The Axiom advances, Tow cables the Subduer. He Shield Guards. Does the second Tow cable I'd not considered. Oh God, or whatever version of a Brain Golem the Cephalyx use as a suitable equivalent. Subduer gets dragged in, roughed up by the Axiom then finished off by the second Assimilator.
Iron Mother chills back out of the zone, content to not give me any easy shots.
CoC go to 2 points off their Rectangle and Flag.
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Merc 3: CoC had a reasonable turn, it was somewhat lengthy though (Even the briefest holiday from Induction to the easy smeasy Fury causes memory muscle depreciation).
I pop out ambushers, they go in place to kill the TEP as the Axiom is out of their reach and in range of various attacks anyway.
Risen Spawn, primarily in the centre zone. Gum up the works lads!
On the left, that sides Overlords advance and spray down some Servitors and roll badly on the Mitigator.
This frees charges by four Green Drudges, three of them Adrenalled by the Purple Benders, plus one of the Wardens who boosts all his damage rolls.
It gets left on three boxes, so when Alexia moves up her Risen, she pops out yet another Thrall who charges in, sadly only does a pair of boxes leaving the Axiom alive. Fortunately it's only got one box of movement, it is still not ideal.
Thexus had to TK in the midst of that, he stays hanging back with the other Warden in Sac Pawn range, Decel up. I hadn't gone for the TEP yet, I left him out of its range just in case.
Flipping over to the right, the Overlords get out of the way, spraying down another Reflex Servitor.
The Blue Benders Adrenal three of the yellow Ambushers, they charge into the TEP and leave it on three boxes. Unlike the Axiom, that it legitimately unfortunate for me. Oh well, not having an Attrition win this time around.
Thrall Warrior mistakes and desperation means I don't score this round.
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CoC 3: Iron Mother stays were she is, her little bots Imperil the Yellow Ambush Drudges and the Warden that flailed at the Axiom. She feats.
A Reflex Servitor kills the Thrall Warrior, then the Mitigator eats some of the Green Drudges in Melee. The Axiom tries to have a go at attacks, spawning an optimistic healing bot, it's attacks are poor at best.
The forward Assimilator goes into the forward Warden, awkwardly leaving him alive on 3 box with just the left claw going. The other Assimilator moves up to behind the centre obstruction, pew pews more Drudges down.
The TEP spews out at the Ambush Drudges, leaving three grunts and the Ceph leader alive, with one of the Drudges knocked down from tough.
CoC score off the Rectangle and go to 3 CP.
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Merc 4: I'm in an excellent position clock wise, however I should push scenario to ensure there isn't a dramatic turnaround and have to keep Thexus reasonably safe.
The left Overlords have a burst of hyper competency and spray down the Mitigator. They also fail to kill the Axiom, but oh well. The super damaged Warden also fails at that. The Green Drudges go into the Axiom, though it's a non-charge Drudge and the unit leader (Should have Adrenalled the Drudge, but oh well) they do one damage to leave the Axiom back on technically alive. Took out the Induction box at least.
The Instigator drifts to my flag, Thexus toes the corner of my rectangle and keeps a Warden close by.
Risen jam up the centre zone.
On the right, the Ambush Drudges go into the TEP and manage to finish it off, the Pink SLaver Drudges also move up around them and manage to kill some Servitors.
Alexia had spawned another Thrall Warrior who runs to the CoC flag.
The scores now tie at 3 apiece.
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CoC 4: The Convergence stuff basically doesn't really move and just attacks my remaining doodz. They barely move however, and I start rolling some tough.
I lose a few Drudges and the super damaged Warden, however nothing I was scoring got contested or killed so I went up 6 to 3, then won without having to do anything meaningful in my next turn (Aside from finishing off the Axiom. Risen and Overlords failed, it took Thexus Hexblasting). CoC finished on 40 seconds to my 15ish minutes, so it was somewhat cut and dried at that point (Hard to do that many attack rolls quickly).
Number of errors, some quite glaring. Happy with my recovery though, only a few more games prior to Wintercon alas. Haven't played my second list at all. Oh dear.
