Took Thexus and Gorten, opening round is into some Camembear Legion cheese, using ADR Kallus2 and Lylth......2?1? Something pew pew.
Nominally Gorten is my slight preference for the Legion drop, however I felt his ADR would tailor better against the low model count list and Kallus' with Battle Lusted Raptors felt like they threatened my huge bases from to far out. Thus:
Thexus1 (Operating Theater) - 2x Wardens, Subduer, 3x Slavers, 2x Benders, Alexia with Dominator, 2x Overlords
vs
Kallus2 (Children of the Dragon) - Zuriel, Bolt Thrower, Sorceress on Hellion, Raptors x2 (One Max one Min), 2x Hex Hunters (Max, one with Bayal), Lannysa Ryssyl
Can't 100% vouch on the Legion list due to unfamiliarity. Definitely hesitant to recall the ADR changes, though at minimum I know Azriel was in the base list and was dropped (More on that later).
Scenario is Standoff, so flanking Circles and each side having a friendly Rectangle with an objective in it, we both took the repair iteration.
I won the die roll and picked first, as my slower base speed force wanted positioning and I felt I had plays with terrain on both sides.
The left zone has entry minorly impeded for both sides by seperate forests, then we both have hills in our rectangles, the right zone is dominated by a an awkward forest. Legion also get some backfield trenches that prove to be irrelevant, likewise to some walls on my right.
Oh, also an obstruction smack in the centre of the board. It's presence meant I always had something to hide line of sight to Thexus on, ergo my contentness, or I could go to one side and use the forests.
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Merc 1: All my stuff runs up the board, no danger of bottom of one plinking so Thexy allocates all the focus out. The Monstrosities form up around the Exulon in the centre. The left Overlords go into the forest that intrudes on the left zone, while the right iteration goes extreme flankage.
I create a Thrall that runs toward the right.
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Legion 1: Kallus puts up his upkeep that sets my stuff on fire if it ends its activation within 2 of his stuff in control area.
Kallus and the battlegroup stay central, with the Sorcerres Hellion going right up behind the centre obstruction.
The infantry spread out wide on both sides, with the Max Raptors and Bayal Hex unit on the right side making it slightly weighted that way, not that Legion mobility makes that set in stone.
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Merc 2: Alas, Nedton had forgotten about my ambushers. Both sides are pretty good targets, however that side weighting and a chance at killing slightly more Raptors makes me pop them out on the right side.
No super exciting game plays this turn, it's just attack with what's around.
Leftwise, one of the Overlrodss moves forward in the Cephalyx forest, sprays a pair of Hex Hunters and pops one. Drudges run up around the right of the forest.
Centrally, the Warden moves up behind the obstruction as potential bait. Thexus stays in my rectangle, moves to the right to a position that Zuriel can't Overun to get line of sight to him for a charge and horrible death. Alexia pops another Thrall who runs behind the obstruction for future giggles.
Right wise, the central units advance into the bottom of the zone. Two of the Overlrods hang back as one suicide runs forward to give his command aura to the ambush Drudges, who charge into the rears of Raptors, doing gang ups. I roll reasonably well, managing to pop the four Raptors I attack and pop out some sweet boonus Drudges. Good times.
The original Thrall Warrior on this side runs up to theLegion rectangle. For the Greater good bud.
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Legion 2: Out the left, the min Raptors move and shoot some distraction Benders I had far out to the left, one of them repo's to toe that flanks zone. The Hex Hunters come forward into the front Overlord and some Pink Drudges, they roll pretty poorly and kill few of them.
Centrally, the Hellion and Zuriel spray down the Thrall Warrior and a couple people, they end up toeing the friendly Legion zone.
Right wise, hald of Bayal's Hexies get into that circle zone, alongside the remaining Raptor and Lannysa they unleash on the Ambush Drudges, whittling the unit down to a handful.
Both sides score their defensive rectangles, go to 1 CP each.
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Merc 3: Legion has been somewhat conservative in their contesting, a fair move considering the threat ranges involved however I now have a good path to a straight up scenario victory, scoring all four zones and popping the opposing objective to get 5 ahead.
The plan starts with some unpack to get the right positioning, the left Blue Bender unit advances, Adrenals three of the Pink Drudges to get them out of the way before their activation. In teh Rectangle zone Alexia and the Agitator move out of Thexus' way. Alexia also creates a Thrall Warrior to teh right of the obstruction as a backup piece for the opposing objective.
Thexus can now TK himself, then move through my objective to the left side of my rectangle, TK my forward Warden so he can charge past the obstruction. He feats. After models are push the left zone has three Hex Hunters, the Legion Rectangle has one plus the Objective, the right zone has four with one to the left of the forest and three to the right.
Left zone, the Overlords spray down the relevant Hex Hunters.
Legion rectangle the Pink Drudges kill the relevant Hexies with ease, the Warden charges the Legion objective and kills it with ease.
Only the right zone remains. The left Hex Hunter survives a CMA by Green Drudges, but dies to teh Thrall Warrior stabbing him in the back (had the Subduer ready for a Slam anyway).
Blob of three Hex Hunters left on teh right side of the forest. I thought the forward most Overlord would die last round, alas I thought wrong so the other two Overlords aren't in command. The one spray attack kills two Hex Hunters.
I then have the Pruple Bender unit advance and try to spray the Hext Hunter, so I have three attempts at an 8 to hit to win the game.
I fail. Oh god.
I jsut have to keep Thexus safe now by running the back Warden or the Subduer in front of him.
Due to how I lazily moved the Agitator and Alexia, they have no means of running into the spot, so I just have to hope Azrael is out of range.
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Legion 3: We measure it out. Azrael is on on Thexus by about 2 mill. Satan, help! You owe me!
Kallus casts Overrun, kills the Thrall Warrior to get the move. Azrael then charges and kills Thexus with his initials.
Damn. Should have had that.
Looking at in now, I should have tramples the Subduer over the Objective/Agitator, or at least thought of it. Son of a.....
Otherwise, I was also playing considerably slower than I liked, only got three rounds but I was down to 16 minutes, well below baseline competency albeit with some complex important multi activation turns. I am content with my overally planning, that final play was in the region of 80% to win so....yeah....
In any event, funsies bracket awaits me! Onward! The games can only be easy from here (Right? right?). Cadmen would go on to get 2nd overall I believe.
