Spread The Net
Test game of Locke playing into Destruction Initiative.
The Jaga list is one I currently use in my tournament pairing and I'm reasonably content with, has minimal feat but usually manages to utilise Signs and Portents with Sprays quite well.
Sub standard playing and writing of previous Jaga games can be seen here if you are so inclined: http://www.wargamerau.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=185393&st=0
Convergence Army - 74 / 75 points
[Theme] Destruction Initiative
(Locke 1) Aurum Lucanum Athanor Locke [+29]
- Conservator [12]
- Conservator [12]
- Conservator [12]
- Corollary [6]
- Inverter [15]
- Prime Axiom [38]
Algorithmic Dispersion Optifex [2]
Algorithmic Dispersion Optifex [2]
Attunement Servitors [0(4)]
Elimination Servitors [0(3)]
Elimination Servitors [0(3)]
Elimination Servitors [0(3)]
Optifex Directive [4]
Minion Army - 75 / 75 points
[Theme] Will Work for Food
(Jaga-Jaga 1) Jaga-Jaga, the Death Charmer [+27]
- Bull Snapper [5]
- Dracodile [36]
- Ironback Spitter [14]
- Targ [0(4)]
Alten Ashley [0(6)]
Bog Trog Mist Speaker [4]
Bone Shrine [2]
Dahlia Hallyr [17]
Gremlin Swarm [3]
Hutchuck, Ogrun Bounty Hunter [0(6)]
Rorsh [15]
Swamp Gobber River Raider [4]
Swamp Gobbers Bellows Crew [2]
Terrain wise the most important piece is a central house obstruction, of sufficient height to block line of sight to Large bases.
I win the roll and opt to go first, traditionally the best means of utilising the Minion theme's speed benefit on the opening turn. There's a forest on the table I would have liked for Jaga positioning, however I felt the house and other ancillary terrain could still be utilised reasonably by the Croc forces.
My table therefore ends up with a trench and hill on the left, these are positioned around my flag meaning they are suitable for contesting but not scoring.
My right has an awkward perpendicular wall that intrudes on my zone, numerous pathfinder options mean it can be used for cover if necessary. Said zone also has a large cloud useful for the Prowl models, though the presence of Flare on the opposing side limits my enthusiasm for that benefit.
Convergence have a defensive forest, otherwise limited to a patch of water near their flag of minimal interference. Both sides are pathfinder heavy in any event, though I also have the additional option of using Ghostly to handle the Obstructions.
Game was played on clock, though with pauses for photos and to optimise some tactical choices. Dice rolls were reasonable without any swings of sufficient improbability that no results were changed.
Proxies:
Dracodile - Huge Base with Road Hog and two War Hogs upon it
Bone Shrine - Medium Base with Orin sideways on it, eclipsed from most photos by dint of being in my backfield
Elimination Servitors - Represented with Reflex Servitors
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Minion 1
Intent this turn is to give nothing away to the Convergence, who have anchored the left side of the board with the Axiom and otherwise have their jacks angling to advance on the right.
I advance nothing sufficiently to get Axiom'ed on the bottom of 1.
Given Engine of Destruction and Locke's feat's Purification effect, I opt to put Gravewind on Skarath. The Snake is heading out to the right flank, the furthest point from Locke, so he's less likely to feat to trivially remove and the naturally higher defense is needed to keep the spell relevant against the MAT 9 potential of Engine of Destruction.
Dracodile stays Central, plan being to use the obstruction as a shield. Rorsh was out on the left, the Axiom deployment would make him easy pickings so instead he takes Brine and advances to teh centre of the board.
Skarath goes into the cloud, Dahlia goes even wider as Haunting Melody lacks value.
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Convergence 1
Per the deployment, the Jacks all advance. Axiom ensures it is safe from the Dracodile.
Conservators and the Inverter make a line behind the house and water terrain, Arc Node solos stay reasonably far back for future arcing plans.
Redline is placed on the Axiom, Locke moves up to be behind the forest.
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Minion 2
I weigh up my options, the potential threat range and melee proficiency of the Vectors is an issue for easy planning this turn. A Redline Axiom running up to the Dracodile and getting Jackhammered felt like Bad news for my Gargantuan (Running the maths on Oddsmachine, it comes out to a roughly 85% kill chance assuming a Redline upkeep and 6 Jackhammers).
I opt to swing my list out to the right and start attacking the other Heavy Vectors, using Blind to make them shake and limit Locke's spell casting options.
On the left, a River Raider charges and kills an Attunement Servitor, I'd hoped to then shoot another and put the River Raider in a more annoying spot, however he missed.
The Mist Speaker and Gremlin Swarm both move to spots that contest my flag to ensure a Servitor couldn't run up and score in a cheeky manner.
Jaga shuffles to the right and puts up Signs and Portents, has Battle Host on her. I'm not keen for a Locke feat stripping the spell off her, however where she is positioned that would mean he could be Dracodiled so the odds were not favourable.
The Spitter moved up, positioned with the intent that the Axiom wouldn't be able to run past him and hte obstruction to get to Jackhammer range of the Dracodile. He tries a shot at the Inverter, having been deliberately placed to miss to scatter and kill Shield Guard Servitors. The random direction was poor and did not follow this plan.
A River Raider runs up behind the obstruction for future Jaga feat turn targetting.
The Dracodile moves behind the house, does a spray on the left Conservator and Inverter for some damage, Targ then Ancillaries to spray the other two Conservators but misses one. I'd intended to Blind them all, missing an unboosted spray is not an infrequent occurrence though, Signs and Portents only helps so much.
The Bullsnapper and Swamp Gobbers hover in front of Jaga.
Rorsh and Brine run to the back right of the board, intending to attack any Vecotrs that come in on teh Dracodile.
Alten moves over to the cloud, the shot on the Servitor on the Convergence flag is Shield Guarded by the nearby Conservator.
Skarath charges up aggressively in order to spray down the right Arc Node, puts up Counterblast. Dahlia stays at the fringes. I wanted Jackhammer out of the picture so I could push on the right.
Now with the benefit of hindsight and having played the matchup, my misplays here are the Spitter placement. While I don't have an issue with the intent, what I ought to have done is moved the Mist Speaker and Swamp Gobbers up more aggressively in the turn previous so that they could move in after his shot and place clouds in front of him to prevent the Axiom Tow Cables.
I remain torn on ideal Dracodile placement, it's a tough situation for the model.
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Convergence 2
Redline dropped from the Axiom.
It's Dracodile murder time. The Inverter and right most Conservator shake blind, leaving only the left most Shield Guard heavy still blinded.
On the left, an Elimination Servitor moves onto the hill and kills the forward River Raider.
Another runs to be contesting my flag.
The Axiom Tow Cables the Spitter in, it lacked focus to buy attacks due to shaking and focus being consigned elsewhere, it leaves the Ironback on 12 boxes.
Locke puts Redline on the centre Conservator.
The Inverter and Redlined jack both go into the Dracodile, leave it on 4 boxes. There are four Elimination Servitors throughout the Convergence board space yet to activate, they all advance, land their shots and manage to finish it off.
The left most Conservator just stands up while Blind, the right most tries to go for Skarath however the snake is saved by the opening attack missing and being Poltergeisted away.
Convergence score their defensive rectangle zone with the Axiom and the flag with a Flare Servitor.
Score now 0-2.
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Minion 3
Skarath and the Ironback pass their frenzy rolls.
We map out a hypothetical assassination on Locke, with Jaga putting Ghostly on herself to get over the wall, charging the Inverter for control area, healing the Spitter to then walk over and start punching Locke. Would have put her on 1 box. We then reverted back to normal play, the assassination run had a 45% chance.
Dahlia camping her Fury last turn also proves to be a mistake, as it prevents Skarath melee a Conservator to death.
Have to kill the Convergence Jacks near to me, then try to roll up from there.
Leftwise, the Mist Speaker charges the Servitor contesting my flag, kills him and is positioned to score.
The Gremlin Swarm and Ironback both toe the Convergence rectangle.
Jaga stays behind the wall, pops Signs and Portents.
Around my rectangle zone, Rorsh and Alten shoot the Inverter with some Shield Guards made.
Brine charges into the back of the most forward, healthiest Conservator. Alas the rolls average low and the contesting Conservator lives on a box after Targs Ancillary.
The Bullsnapper moves up, toes the Circle zone, boosts it's attack roll to finish off the Conservator and pops Spiny Growth as a more reliable way to get minimal damage on the Inverter (One FURY left after boosted damage roll, so it's either an unboosted -7 or D3 from Spiny of not one rounded).
Around the Convergence flag, Dahlia runs up for Skaraths bond to apply.
Skarath sprays down the line of Servitors.
Hindsight should have retroactived Dahlia's Fury camp and had Skarath maul the right Conservator.
I score my rectangle and flag, now 2 all.
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Convergence 3
On the left, the Arc Node solo runs up and a Flare bot hits the Gremlin Swarm. Locke then arcs his nuke to kill it and puts up Engine of Destruction.
Another flare bot hits the Ironback.
The Axiom uses Tow cable generated attacks to kill the Ironback, then uses it's regular gun to kill the Mist Speaker camping my flag. A servitor runs to score it.
The Corrolary moves up into the centre zone to get focus forward on the Vector Heavies.
Inverter, heavily damaged but unbowed, shuffles into my zone and kills Brine.
Warpath moves shuffle the Conservators around, one attempts to kill Dahlia and transfers leave Skarath on one box. The other then comes in to get the job done instead of killing the Bullsnapper, does it with ease.
A Servitor runs to the Convergence flag.
Convergence score both flags and the defensive rectangle, now up 2-5.
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Minion 4
Desperate times for Minions. Hutchuck has to come in to try to contest the left side of the board while Jaga makes last ditch personal efforts to score up the right.
Leftwise Hutchuck kills a Servitor with a Wild shot, then charges to contest my flag and kill another Servitor.
Targ runs to be behind the obstruction and contest.
Jaga charges the Inverter after casting Signs and Portens, manages to finish it off.
Rorsh shuffles across, absorbs the Shield guard of the Conservators and mauls the healthiest one down to a handful of boxes.
Bullsnapper charges and kill the top Conservator, allow Alten to kill the last Servitor on this side of the board.
Both sides score their rectangle, now at 3-6.
At this stage it is trivial for Converge to run the Corollary to contest my rectangle, use the Axiom to kill Hutchuck and score the final pair of needed points.
Having now played the matchup and determined the mistakes I made which we did not detect at the time, I would conclude that if she were released at present I would consider her a perfectly fine and viable warlock. The matchup is not a great one for this build of Jaga, however it felt in line with similar matchups that brought threat ranges and tools that the Minion list is disinclined to meet on an even footing.
Only item being tested was Locke, I would rate her as ** Yellow ** (possible problems, needs more testing) at present.
Note that my opponent of this game will weigh in with his own evaluations when possible, I believe we had some difference of viewpoint.
Her brief for my own reference:
Locke is an arcane mechanik in the service of the Order of the Golden Crucible. She is also a warjack support caster fighting alongside the Crucible Guard. She is a tinkerer who is focused on making machinery better. She is also secretly a member of the Convergence of Cyriss.
She should be a viable option in both Crucible Guard and Convergence.
Given her exo-suit she should be semi-durable and have the option of mixing it up in melee while her suit is “active” (Engine of Destruction).
Support Role - She stayed up the back, arcing appropriate spells and using Engine of Destruction when relevant.
Spells - Prior to the game, I was concerned about the prospect of MAT 9 Vectors. Is she were considered for a weakening of her spell list, such as an increase in feat, my personal preference from the game would be for her version of Engine of Destruction to only lend a +2 or so to MAT. That does oppose the fluff of her super armoured battle suit powering up, to me however it feels inline wither her above indication of being a support caster.
Jack Hammer was not utilised, however the threat of it dictated the Dracodile play and had a severe impact on the game.
Redline was a good buff, moved around with good effect.
I felt that Road to War was her defining feature in the game, allowing jack repositioning and good Induction play. It felt uniquely excellent in Convergence that would not be replciated in Crucible Guard games.
Sentry lacked an appropriate target in the Convergence list design and was not required, though that would not be the case in other builds or matches. It could have been very interesting ont eh Axiom in a different game state for free tows at the start of the turns.
Bombshell was a default nuke this game, all that the game required so it's various effects were not suitably tested to make a call upon.
Feat - Simply put the feat didn't need to be popped to affect the game, as I opted to play around it rather than into it. With teh synergies and play granted by her spell list I did not feel that the Convergence player was disadvantaged by having a feat that could be perceived as relatively limited.
Abilities - Primarily not relevant in the matchup. Precision Strike was not relevant as beasts died or were dragged out of control, repair was unnecesary, Vital Magic had no effects tested on it. Resourceful feels less meaningful when Induction is available to balance the costs upkeeps would derive in any event, though it's lack would have allowed more value for the attempted and failed blinding of the Heavies attempt.
