Standoff
By Spicy Meatballs, it's time for a change of pace. I got time before the next team tourney yeah?
Through together half a dozen Llaelese lists. Most were sucky.
I had Ashlynn and MacBain ready to go, my emergency game call opponent, one of the local champs, once more had that most devilish of trees. I didn't fancy either caster particularly into Wurmwood, though having pathfinder readily available was a nice change of pace.
Mercenary Army - 74 / 75 points
[Theme] Llaelese Resistance
(MacBain 1) Drake MacBain [+30]
- Galleon [39]
- Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator [0(4)]
Anastasia di Bray [3]
Eilish Garrity, the Occultist [0(5)]
Major Harrison Gibbs [4]
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord [4]
Taryn di la Rovissi, Llaelese Gun Mage [0(5)]
Dannon Blythe & Bull [5]
Storm Lances (max) [20]
Storm Lances (max) [20]
Thorn Gun Mages [9]
Attempting to buzzsaw:
Circle Army - 75 / 75 points
[Theme] The Bones of Orboros
(Wurmwood 1) Wurmwood, Tree of Fate [+27]
- Megalith [20]
- Wold Guardian [16]
- Woldwarden [14]
- Woldwyrd [9]
- Woldwyrd [9]
- Woldwyrd [9]
Blackclad Stoneshaper [0(3)]
Blackclad Stoneshaper [0(3)]
Blackclad Stoneshaper [3]
Blackclad Wayfarer [0(4)]
Feralgeist [2]
Gallows Grove [2]
Gallows Grove [2]
Sentry Stone & Mannikins [5]
Sentry Stone & Mannikins [5]
Shifting Stones [3]
Shifting Stones [3]
Galleon is unfortunate, it's not going to get to do a great deal with Stranglehold around. Likewise the Eyrds make the upkeeps not exactly enticing.
It's Standoff, a welcome change from the Outlast shenanigans.
I eventually win the roll after tieing three times (Anastasia eventually pulling through!). I contemplate second for the better central terrain for a moment, then decided against it. I wanted buffs up in play so that I could then delete them with a recast and bypass the Wyrds that way.
I have a forest, a rear trench and a right side hill. I also plonk the Llael provided rubble on the left where it can touch the left circle zone.
The left zone also has a wall on it's outer flank edge of dubious locational value.
Circle get some water lacking value, a central obstruction constructed of pure gold and manure, with a forest on the right. There's also a defensive hill that I don't think comes up?
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2iWvTZk21cqQlNCUXHqkuNveUtEkpobtzlNZWsdv822dwW6fwQY41EHKLg5R0DN3HxYHpXtxw7yWrCfoHc9QEvV035BnIMBIO75uzT-yWQUpll0EcNo5wl7cZhxdeOzce66K8mN97MDC/s1600/009+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Merc 1: I send the Lancers up either flank, Galleon goes up the centre into my zone before it is inevitably Strangeheld for life. Thorn Gun Mages go into the forest for Prowl.
Circle has leaned its heavies on the left, so my proxied cat man (Gibbs) goes over that way to be minister for health of Belgium.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrW2XEVY5Fvg9y89Y_YsgCPQPqWCGOOx9zLnEzL0QpnAE-sMPLd-f6SlsSGydW1Sq3teZX2pEJduE5fmF_3KQPQoxWTp4ch8D8-xKc5a5UHj5OM9S97sBrj-4F2-_Oa2KvUEVIVbdIJ6KO/s1600/010+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Circle 1: Everything moves forward and centrally, sure enough Cassius runs up, arcs a Stranglehold then gets ported back to Wurmwoods newly established cave behind the obstruction.
A forest pops over the left Gallows Grove.
Sentry Stone sprays on the left kill a Storm Lancer, my optimism that only generating one Fury would keep the horsey fella alive turning out to be a foolish hope. They also kill Bull, though given I mentally mistook them for Herne and Jonne in list creation then the cards showed them to very much not be that good I was crying merely crocodile tears on that death.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCI6a3zoGoozX4kWKPgzfWLFRGqn7M03UmgHgn3qDwZ8x0ZS3kg3Td7VLR9rCUQt26dqjva5ZnLoZQAa7GDROL8BrJqx5G4VLZYxOjHeA2feXuQOdiI5nuruE-kw3-lOGSKtm8kOq2v7cG/s1600/012+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Merc 2: At the start of the game I hypothesized that the best play was likely to feat after the tree. I promptly forgot about that notion. Otherwise plans were to pop the stealthy Gallows Grove and not kill any twigmen, as Sentry Stone safety teleports had left them all out of command. Anastasia also ambushed in, with a vague thought that she could run in the backfield and contest later on.
I don't actually know you Johnny even is, let alone where.
All forms of music need to stop using alarm noises in the backtracks, makes me think something is on fire everytime.
Reinholdt strips the left Gallows stealth, Galleon pew pews it to death. Trees should have been put in front of it, not around. It also got the magic shot from the objective and killed the feralgeist, saving me the effort of usiing Eilish or Taryn to hunt it down.
Left wise, Gibbs toes the zone in the Llael cover, Two of the Thorn and the Storm Lancers move up and roll abysmally in their attempts to kill Shifting Stones. Late in the turn Anastasia moves in to kill one of the Egg Carriers, however the Guardian shield Guards it.
Right wise proxy Blythe runs forward. Probably not the best use of her, but eh, she's trash.
Yes, that is an appalling approach to a model in a game, do better. Just cause Drake's rich doesn't stop him being a morose motherfucka after all, and who is Marvin? Why his room?
The Storm Lancers on this flank end up with concealment from Piper, if they did shots then they achieved little.
End of the turn, MacBain feated on various Storm Lancers, re-cast Fortune to take it off the Galleon.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MayQm1x_MguAI2iFxbsFueu3ypxyWfN1BKWE7L-_NzHS8A9-B7XeTwbMmTHwqLGMHx2yKVqaknFIiRjysjT7sI8huHu_YOV4BJ3d8I_LSMvCzeQcB1DQbQQ7UJ1ip00wTEQvCCIZNlyO/s1600/014+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Circle 2: Leftwise, the Circle heavies move in. Four of this sides Storm Lancers end up knocked down from various shots and power attacks. An egg carrier tries to pop Anastasia and misses.
Wurmwood stays hiding behind the building, various shots ping my objective down to a handful of boxes. Something strangleholds the Galleon, think it was Megalith this time.
Feat of foresty doom pops. You know, I don't think the knockdown and doing a damage point has come up for us in this Wurmwood run.
Rightwise Blythe dies to the Wayfarer.
Such was the busyness of the Circle models and all their shenanigans, nothing got to my zone. Both flank zones were also contested, ergo with both get a point off our friendly rectangles. 1-1.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyQrvL09lc6CNU7nnkX0qAahNuDUPbKPIxCa7Nr-3d2sNYaUVoTzSIFOWAtUyEjBBZJlchyphenhyphencVdkwcCs6FxgBxygwlxHzXubIjJPG0nia_ARfu-g7ej9BLzVlMAXRtCPRUrENPrzteHflBR/s1600/015+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Merc 3: Burritos are a form of weapon. Let's contest and start trying to clear out these damnable support pieces. If it teleports I want it dead.
Leftwise, Storm Lancers manage to crack the available shifting stone unit, the Thorn Mage does a handful of points to Megs. Gibbs popped Hot Meal to heal up the pair of 1 box Storm Lancers, didn't feel great but I wasn't going to be presented with a better time to use it. I think it's actually the first time it's come up. Maybe if Bastions weren't insufferably lame.....
The Lancers repo around, though most of the unit is doomed.
Galleon wings Megs for a bit with his left pew pew gun.
MacBain just chills out, also chips Megs. Reinholdt runs to block a potential charge position by Megs on the Galleon.
Circle zone wise, Anastasia runs to toe and die. I mean commit an act of freedom fighting.
Right side Ponies get concealment again. Taryn moves forward into Wurmwoods woods, fails to hit the Wayfarer with either attack. Doh. Ponies charge the Gallows to kill it, one gets a redirect on the Wyrd for a bit of damage that electro leaps to kill the Wayfarer.
A weak turn killing wise, though Wurmy's feat makes that a difficult proposition.
I score my zone, now 2-1.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQtXSChI8fuGhJGBvExGisc3M1AdnMc2aJQZGiNcuXOjJKdfgXMSxVR9AyxgxrBD-0hGSq3S3I-68M13-zLKf2OqpVxMeC8fHYA9a2sRKVe8QHTQv0wC5pB332p7NEwLTRsy6qFKpZzXUx/s1600/016+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Circle 3: The hippies unleash some hardcore mean spirits on the Storm Lancers this turn. Everything feels fragile after a brief stint of invulnerability. Really should have pulled some of them further back, oh well.
Left wise, the Guardians kills a Pony to free up the Warden who moves over and pops another pair of the neighers.
Circle zone, it takes both egg carriers and the back wyrd to kill of 'stasia.
In my zone, Megs gets into my objective and kills it with ease, Strangleholds the Galleon. The pair of broken stones port in,one inconveniently right in front of the colossal.
A wyrd tries to shoot Reinholdt, he misses and the Gobber dodges to be engaged by Megalith. Def 19 is deemed not worth trying again.
Right wise Sentry stones and a Wurmy Stranglehold kill three of the Lancers, leaving a pair left on this flank. One to many for my attrition math, didn't need to charge three forward.
Trees score their zone, we level back to 2-2.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDnImnnAEvB7ddxGBu02HCIac89Vckq9P6mar4R-aKJOzIvXRYfUR8OdiS1qln2M49xHbi5kWbsNAMd4Zqw5a8rRsZuSND2-eeZkkJR6EJt96hoLSLcraEMxYci3XzYkD01R2Jp0XGqhH/s1600/017+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Merc 4: The late avenues of the game form a fairly clear narrative. The right side is mine, the left is circle, it's principally a matter of keeping enough throw away contestors alive and limping along with the Galleon.
Leftwise Gibbs chills in his spot, doe a shot into the walls of stone.
The Lancer on this side wants to charge the back Wyrd, alas a twigman is in the way and to close for an impact, so instead he moves up, does a shot and repositions to engage.
Around my zone, the Galleon walks around to engage Megalith.
MacBain charges a stone and kills it, buys Jackhammers to kill Megs and the other stone.
This has left him in trample range of the Guardian, so the last Thorn Gun Mage moves in and uses Thundershot to knock him back.
Rightwise, the remaining pair of Storm Lancers manage to kill both the Wyrd and the Sentry Stone, then reposition back.
This lets Taryn moves up, contest the Circle Rectangle, hide behind the obstruction and far more importantly kill Cassius. Good times Taryn. No, this isn't enough for Shaw to get a chance in a list.
I score my rectangle and the right zone, now 4-2.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRBFcyA3wUtL4dutoZMxCxJ3nnKNtf1lL_jgUeIUvZkDbm9oHeOQ2B4mITXo3h6sB2_bQSt_KrArLSfUEVZ5QiEH-1zj9QyI8WRYadqduTAnJJ3UgsVDvyyAVogB2YIiYnPFYl6qvnDGI/s1600/018+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Circle 4: Leftwise, the Thorn Gun Mage is easily blatted. Gibbs toughs out from a Sentry Stone, Feign Death finally becomes super awesome. Yay for situational abilities!
The back Wyrd flails badly against the Storm Lancer, who lives on a couple boxes.
Doesn't even need an Arc Node now, the tree Strangles the Galleon.
Right wise, Wurmwood kills another Lancer, a single member of each squad lives.
The tree tries to do the same to Taryn, fails magnificently.
The remaining unit of Shifting Stones ports to contest my zone (Concealed by the Galleon's silhouette) and the right.
Circle score nothing, 4-2.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitU4jPw4jXCTtOfQfCNwAlgx6KxxdSjBqRaZ72snG_HVBPR1cFysx4jXSKfwqEQwICo3lUM_-jb3uqvIglgx9L7GBUCaBRfLAKnKgvMGxy7vzr9ggBqkQEtMmqfZhkSeF1Jm0IUxQShUfx/s1600/019+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Merc 5: Clocks tight enough that if I just hold on I should win off that.
Left wise, Gibbs walks over and repositions to get behind the wall, contest the left zone.
The lone Lancer on this side stabs at the Wyrd, misses.
Centrally, between Galleon pew pews and MacBains shots the remaining Shifting Stone and another Wyrd are killed. A JAckhammer melee attack also pops the stone contesting my zone.
Reinholdt boldly hides behind the forest.
Right wise Taryn and the Lancer kill off the Shifting stone contesting the right zone.
I score my rectangle and right zone, now 6-2.
I completely failed to recognised my scenario position here. Urk. Strong player. Totes.
[img]https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXYLJWBSoHxkNeh4o761FOytccFMkHZAedu5qQOsKQYoJZoE26rigF2WtMn2nu_vcQq-pMB-nLt3r30dnkrFG2KvvWMXnGJ2HDB9IUJigfmfLbTBmxJgjWMB7uK86uzsbek-su1utTxwQQ/s1600/021+%2528800x450%2529.jpg[/img]
Circle 5: Top Lancer finally pops. Right side Lancer and Taryn are both moved and killed by a nice hellmouth placement. Alas, Circle clocks.
Playing it out, Reinholdt ends up contesting the circle zone, though they do start some counter scoring.
The Circle heavies end up pushing far forward, until eventually the Galleon can kill them. The right becomes a null zone.
Ye old error check:
Late Game - There was a point where Fail Safe would have been useable and could have started combatting the Strangleholds, alas it wasn't to be.
Mid Game - Psent Storm Lancer lives to cheaply. Waaaaaay to cheaply.
Early - Feated to early, spaced the cav poorly. Never used ponies much historically, feels underdeveloped as a skill at present.
Deployment - Should have taken the opposing side to alter the scoring time table. Accursed tree.
