Saturday, 29 July 2017

Defenders of Ios, Thyron VS Mohsar the Desert Walker.

War Room Army

Circle Orboros - Mohsar

Theme: No Theme Selected
75 / 75 Army


Mohsar the Desertwalker - WB: +27
-    Wild Argus - PC: 7 (Battlegroup Points Used: 7)
-    Wild Argus - PC: 7 (Battlegroup Points Used: 7)
-    Megalith - PC: 20 (Battlegroup Points Used: 13)
-    Gorax Rager - PC: 7

Blackclad Wayfarer - PC: 4
Blackclad Wayfarer - PC: 4
Thrullg - PC: 6
Thrullg - PC: 6
Reeve Hunter - PC: 4
Reeve Hunter - PC: 4
War Wolf - PC: 2
War Wolf - PC: 2
War Wolf - PC: 2
Wolf Lord Morraig - PC: 8
Gallows Grove - PC: 2
Gallows Grove - PC: 2

Wolves of Orboros - Leader & 9 Grunts: 11
-    Wolves of Orboros Chieftain & Standard - Chieftain & Standard Bearer: 4

-----------------------------VS-----------------------------

War Room Army

Retribution of Scyrah - Thyron

Theme: Defenders of Ios
3 / 3 Free Cards     75 / 75 Army


Thyron, Sword of Truth - WJ: +27
-    Fane Knight Guardian - PC: 0
-    Banshee - PC: 18 (Battlegroup Points Used: 18)
-    Banshee - PC: 18 (Battlegroup Points Used: 9)
Proxied by Hypnos.

Arcantrik Force Generator - PC: 17

Lys Healer - PC: 0
Arcanist Mechanik - PC: 2
Arcanist Mechanik - PC: 2
Arcanist Mechanik - PC: 2
Fane Knight Skeryth Issyen - PC: 0
-    Fane Knight Skeryth Issyen (Continued)

Houseguard Halberdiers - Leader & 9 Grunts: 13
-    Houseguard Halberdier Officer & Standard - Officer & Standard: 4
-    Soulless Escort - PC: 1

Houseguard Halberdiers - Leader & 9 Grunts: 13
-    Houseguard Halberdier Officer & Standard - Officer & Standard: 4
Proxied by a unit of Skorne swordsmen.

Heavy Rifle Team - Leader & Grunt: 4
Heavy Rifle Team - Leader & Grunt: 4
Poxied by a ghost sniper on a large base and a Dawnguard UA.


THEME: Defenders of Ios
---


A little pre game theory. 

This Mohsar list has some pretty credible assassination. As he can sands in, use the Argus animus to paralyze me and just start buying attacks. 
Thankfully as long as Thyron is flanked by Banshees within 3 inches, he cant cast spells if he sands in close enough to attack me. 
Thyron doesnt bring anything specifically good into the match up, other than himself. 
Thyron himself, is specifically good. 

I won the die roll and chose the side without the 2 forests.

Ret and Circle turn 1.
Thyron put Assail on a Banahee and Storm ragers himself.
I derp a little by running my halberdiers in, but leaving the second wave too far back to do anything.
He had positioned up and put some pillars in the center of the table.
Circle turn 2
So I lose the Halbs and have no retaliation. Even worse I positioned the UA to keep them all in command and he made a perfect Crevasse target which dismounts Skyreth.
Left flank doing poorly. 
I mis read my Heavy Rifle Team cards and cant advance them close enough to take a crack at the Argus. The Banshee also misses. 
The other HRT however puts 6 damage on Megalith and then the AFG does another 14ish. Thyron skirts around the AFG to control the flag, but puts Assail on the Bannshee first. The Banshee with 3 focus charges Megalith and finishes him off with one charge attack. 

Maybe he forgot to cast Wild Growth or thought Megalith could tank it. When I asked him about it he said that he was happy to initiate the trade with Megalith because he knew he could kill the Banshee. 
Certainly if the Banshee couldnt charge the shooting damage putput would be negated by Megaliths healing. So I felt that I had to take the opportunity, wether he intended to make it that easy for me or not.  

Because a Banshee is fortunately completely within 3 inches of Thyron his assassination run is blocked.

Mohsar curses the Banshee in the zone which killed Megalith and the Reeve hunter War dog synergy kicks in. First hunter assaults, triggers the three charges then hits with his charge. After all that the Banshee is down to 3 boxes and the other Reeve hunter finishes it off. One hunter consolidates into the Halbs and the other consolidates backwards.
This time he derps on the left flank and leaves 3 Halberdiers alive in the zone. He uses resources instead to kill thr HRT, which at least leaves Morraig contesting the flag Thyron is on.

Ret is on 2 control points and Circle couldnt score any.

So The Banshee gets charged up with focus and concentrated power. The AFG shoots the 2 pillars of salt out of the way. Thyron feats and charges his center Argus. Sitting base to base with the flag he kills it and controls the flag.
Then the Banshee starts swinging at Morraig. However with 5 attacks boosted with Thyrons feat only 2 hit, so he only dismounts him.
Squeaky bum moment as the last thing to stop me from dieing to an assassination next turn is the Fane Knight Guardian charging Morraig and attacking him over a wall.
Miraculously he hits over the wall and rolls enough damage to kill the Wolf Lord.
The lyss healer advances to control my flag.
2 points secured.
The last part is for the right zone Halberdiers to mini feat and clear the zone of 3 Wolves and a Reeve hunter. Which they do with much less effort than I expected.

Retribution scenario win.

Thursday, 27 July 2017

Shadows of the Retribution theme Issyria VS Infernal Machines theme Agathia.

The pit 2 

[Theme] Infernal Machines

(Agathia 1) Bane Witch Agathia [+29]
 - Deathripper [6]
 - Deathripper [6]
 - Slayer [10]
 - Slayer [10]
 - Skarlock Thrall [0(4)]
Bloat Thrall [4]
Bloat Thrall [0(4)]
Bloat Thrall Overseer Mobius [6]
Necrotech [2]
Soul Trapper [1]
Soul Trapper [1]
Warwitch Siren [0(4)]
Warwitch Siren [4]
Bile Thralls (min) [9]
 - Skarlock Commander [3]
Carrion Thralls (max) [10]
Mechanithralls (min) [6]
 - Skarlock Commander [3]
Mechanithralls (max) [9]
 - Brute Thrall (3) [6]
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls [4]
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls [4]

Theme: Shadows of the Retribution
2 / 2 Free Cards     75 / 75 Army
Issyria, Sibyl of Dawn - WJ: +29
-    Hemera - PC: 16 (Battlegroup Points Used: 16)
-    Daemon - PC: 16 (Battlegroup Points Used: 13)
-    Daemon - PC: 16
Mage Hunter Assassin - PC: 0
Mage Hunter Assassin - PC: 0
Narn, Mage Hunter of Ios - PC: 6
Arcanist Mechanik - PC: 2
Mage Hunter Strike Force - Leader & 9 Grunts: 16
-    Mage Hunter Strike Force Commander - PC: 4
Spears of Scyrah - Leader & 2 Grunts: 9
Mage Hunter Infiltrators - Leader & 9 Grunts: 13
-    Eiryss, Mage Hunter Commander - PC: 
THEME: Shadows of the Retribution

Ret wins the roll and goes first.

Once again, everything runs.
I am not used to not bringing immunity to blast and bunch my Strike Force up a bit too much considering all the bloat thralls he has.

And so the bloat thralls take a significant chunk out of the unit.
Mech thralls charge the remaining Strike Force but all fail to hit the nimble elves.

The Daemons advance up on either side of the house and between them vaccuum up about 11 models including a War Witch and the Skarlock.
Hemera with Admonition upkept for free runs up. Issyria thanks to Hemera arcs 3 blinding lights into his 3 Bloat thralls.

The ambush comes on the right and kills off almost all of the rest of the MHSF. His jacks come in but fail to kill both of mine, however leaves them engaged. The carrion thralls run in to engage my Infiltrators.

I didnt particularly want to go for an assassination as I wanted to see how well my Daemon and the Spears of Scyrah could hold the flank. However I kind of needed to go gome early so I gave it a try.

  • The Daemons get 2 focus each.
  • Issyria feats and casts crusaders call.
  • The one on the left advances right and shoots a Thrall on the hill. This pulls the jack out of melee with the other Daemon.
  • One mage hunter assassin kills the Carrion Thrall which is engaging Eyriss3. 3yriss advances and shoots Agathia, hitting and causing Arcane Hemmorage. Upkeeps and focus drops and with 4d6 dropping the lowest does 10 damage. 
  • The Daemon which was unengaged by the others helmouth shoots a Bloat thrall pulling in Agathia and killing her with its pow 12 blast, even before the MHA can charge her. 


Shadows of the Retribution theme Issyria 75 points VS Witch Coven

Spread the Net.

Theme: Shadows of the Retribution
2 / 2 Free Cards     75 / 75 Army
Issyria, Sibyl of Dawn - WJ: +29
-    Hemera - PC: 16 (Battlegroup Points Used: 16)
-    Daemon - PC: 16 (Battlegroup Points Used: 13)
-    Daemon - PC: 16
Mage Hunter Assassin - PC: 0
Mage Hunter Assassin - PC: 0
Narn, Mage Hunter of Ios - PC: 6
Arcanist Mechanik - PC: 2
Mage Hunter Strike Force - Leader & 9 Grunts: 16
-    Mage Hunter Strike Force Commander - PC: 4
Spears of Scyrah - Leader & 2 Grunts: 9
Mage Hunter Infiltrators - Leader & 9 Grunts: 13
-    Eiryss, Mage Hunter Commander - PC: 
THEME: Shadows of the Retribution
---
(Helleana 1, Morgaen 1 & Selene 1) The Witch Coven of Garlghast [+26]
 - Deathripper [6]
 - Deathripper [6]
 - Reaper [13]
 - Seether [13]
 - Slayer [10]
 - Stalker [8]
 - Stalker [8]
 - Skarlock Thrall [4]
Gorman di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist [4]
Machine Wraith [2]
Machine Wraith [2]
Warwitch Siren [4]
Warwitch Siren [4]
Blackbane's Ghost Raiders (max) [17]


Ret top of round 1 turn 1.
I went first and ran. Although a little too zealously.
Admonition went on to Hemera, which is proxied by the Pheonix.
I didnt actually know what to do with Invoiable Resolve.

Cryx bottom of round 1 turn 1. Cryx Feat Turn
A stalker takes Infernal Machine and kills Eyriss, who thought she was safe behind the house.
Black banes run up.
The Egg gets moved forward and the jacks group up around it to keep it safe. The coven feats and plunge the majority of the Retribution army into darkness.

Ret round 2 turn 2 Retribution Feat Turn.

The center Daemon takes 3 focus advances and attempts to shoot the Blackbanes but misses.
So Issyria feats, advances and ancillary attacks it. The shot it and pulls 4 more Black Banes killing them all.
The other Daemon advances but does nothing. After the Spears activate only 2 BlackBanes remain. The Strike Force put a little damage on the jacks.
The Infiltrators charge and kill the Stalker which killed Eyriss. Narn who was outside of feat charges the Machine Wraith and sprints to engae a Stalker and Deathripper.
Hemera runs into the zone but my Arcanist is too far away to control the flag in the forest.

Cryx bottom of round 2 turn 2.

The Coven put Curse of Shadows on the MHSF. Kill the Daemon but only put a small amount of damage on the other.
Banes move in to hold central zone. Gorman acid bombs 5 Infiltrators.

Ret 1 Cryx 0
Ret top of 3 turn 3

The MHA and the spears unengage the Daemon by killing the jack, the Daemon steps back and boosts its shot into a blackbane dragging in Gorman and another blackbane and killing all 3.
A Mage Hunter Assassim runs to the flag and the Infiltrators kill the other jacks in the central zone.

Ret goes 3 to 0
The Cryx player engineers an assassination using his jacks harpoon gun. However the repaired Daemon admonitions into melee with it and the assassination fails before he even gets to roll dice against Issyria.
At the end of his turn Ret goes to 5 and wins on scenario.



Monday, 17 July 2017

Boundless Charge 2017. 20 person Osaka SR2016 report.

July 15th and 16th

Win while your losing. 

Finally after sleepless nights and un-productive days the culmination of anxiety came to a head down in Ikeda, Osaka. It was a scorching hot weekend, I was wearing a pair of new shoes which had savagely ripped the back of my ankles apart, to the point that my heels and socks were covered in blood. Despite this I was prepared and excited.

I thought I had prepared myself as much as I could. I examined all the lists I could run into and what the match up drops would probably be. Soon I will go into detail about that.

 

The result was that over 5 rounds I lost 3 games.

But came 4th.


This was a pretty devastating result for me. At the end of the first day I was a comfortable 2 out of 3 and figured I would just cruise into the lower bracket. Thought I might win some games and feel better about myself for dropping one in the first day.
But SoS put me into the top four for the second day and suddenly it was all hands on deck. With a curry infused hangover which was the result of being encouraged into the bottle due to the recent crushing defeat, bleeding ankles and being dropped into the match up I thought I had dodged, the second day was going to teach me some lessons which I was not prepared for.

Pre tournament predictions and assessments. 

So before the event I put up this match up prediction. Assessing what I would play into each list and who the opponent would pick. I hoped to see how accurate I was at predicting outcomes and thought it might be amusing to see how wrong I was too.

In Italics are post tournament comments and notes.


Pair 1
This is my biggest concern this tournament.
I built my Issyria list to be able to play into Bones of the Earth, but I had no practice against it. On the other hands the Wurmwood list would eat the Issyria list up. Thankfully I took Vyros1 on a whim and he might need to be the drop into either list.
The Vyros list cares little about Wurmwoods feat and he doesnt have a lot of infantry for Wurmwood to prey on. Wurmwood cant sit in the center of the table and feat because Imperitus can just charge and kill him.
Into bones its a much harder game. Nothing in the Vyros list can one round a Woldwrath while it has roots on it.
With roots I can only take one Wold if I commit all 3 heavies. If I feat I can take 2 wolds with all of my heavies. At any time however Megalith can be killed by 2 of my heavies or Helios himself. It becomes a very tricky game where I am trying to bait into a position where I can feat and engage with infantry to kill 2 heavies in one round, whereas he wants to sit back and shoot away my infantry and support. If i can split his force it gives me a bit more play. Thankfully if my jacks are alive I do have an assassination in the back pocket. Either by delivering IMperitus with potentially 23" of non linear threat or just shooting Baldur a few times if he doenst camp any fury and has no defencive tech up, both unlikely situations.

Vyros
Confidence against:
Baldur - 50%
Wurmwood - 75%

Result:

 This list ran into the Ghost Fleet player round 1. In a massive turn of events the Ghost fleet player was last years champion. This totally dashed my confidence as I was banking on this lists pilot to be inexperienced. Anyway it was Wurmwood into Skarre double Kraken double Wraith Engine and Wurmwood lost. 

List dodged!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ghost fleet appears. 
I have it on good information that the pilot of these lists is likely to have purchsed them, net decked them and played them little. I am banking on the Ghost fleet to be mis played. While the secondary list would be reasonably easy pickings for either of my lists. I think Issyria is the drop in both cases as I had hear in mind for taking both Bones and Ghost fleet. Again I just have to hope I can play Issyria better than he can play Denegra in the match up.
The wraith Engine is more of a problem for Issyria but I cant chose to drop Vyros into this list anyway, its too dangerous. One of the key targets is to take out the arc nodes asap and try not to let my army get debuffed to all hell.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Skarre - 90%
Denegra - 70%

As it turns out this was last years champion. 
Confidence re assessment. 
Skarre - 50%
Denegra - 25%
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The infernal machines list or Witch Coven. Skarre can give me a pretty bad day with this much infantry and I used to know what the coven could do, so they are a bit of an unknown entity for me. That being said I am pretty confident that my Issyria list could play into either of these and considering the kind of success I have had with it in the past against Cryx I am pretty confident.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Skarre - 80%
Coven - 80%
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The mysterious circle player.
At first I didn't pay these lists much attention. But later I was made aware that they were likely made by a surprise visitor who is a member of the French WTC team. Because of this clout alone I am giving them a lot more attention than I otherwise would. That being said the match up becomes a bit more difficult after considering it. My first reaction would be just to grab Issyria but because I have heard that he is a great player and I have realized what the theme is capable of, I think I would have to drop Vyros not to just get all my infantry eaten. It also lacks a lot of punch outside of Ghettorix. So he may be forced into playing his Baldur list, which alternately is weaker to the movement shenanigans of my Vyros list.

Vyros
Confidence against:
Kruegar - 50%
Baldur - 50%

Despite stuff, my confidence level stays the same, I just need more experience into that particular match. Knowing the player now however I might put the confidence level down to 30% with my current lists.
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The Children of the dragon-s
So if I have heard anything about crap theme lists from podcasts it is that this is a crap theme list. I dont know what all the Nehpalim do and I think they might get unyielding. So the best thing to do is just shoot them all off the table with Issyria.
I am pretty confident Issyria can play into this and I have no idea what Thagrosh does these days but I am assuming this player isnt that experienced and I can just clean him off the table if I run into him.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Thagrosh list1 - 90%
Thagrosh list 2 - 90%
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The known enemy, Circle list.
Looking at the lists alone, I would be concerned. The only thing better than one stalker is 2 and this player seems to be bringing a lot of tech. Unfortunately I know this player well and know what he can do. Because of this it is one of my least favorable match ups. I dont know new Grayle these days but I remember he used to like seeing infantry accross the table. Kruegar is a bad time for my Isyria gunline so the answer must be Vyros. If it is the Helios list then he is crutching on Wraithbane to get around my armor. The Thrullgs are bad news for my Battle mages too. I dont think Vyros into his Grayle list is too much better for me. But still better than dropping Issyria.

Vyros
Confidence against:
Kruegar - 40%
Grayle - 50%
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Trolls trolls and trolls.
Hoarluck stops Vyros from playing the shenanigan game and Horgle can bust his jacks anyway, so without needing to analyse the match up much more I need to drop Issyria into this.
I am pretty sure she can shoot those heavies off the board if not the Sentinels will make short work of them and the same goes for the Horgle list, I just have to make sure I kill it so he cant Ignite a unit full of Sentinels who fail to kill the mountain king. However if my Sentinels fail to kill the mountain king while under an Issyria feat I will swiftly eat my own hat.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Hoarluck - 75%
Horgle - 75%

Well this calls for a complete re assessment...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cygnar! Storm Division and Heavy Metal
What do these guys do again? So I assume Nemo throws ligthening at me and Caine just shoots everything off the table. While Vyros into Nemo seems like a safer play Caine will just destroy the Vyros list I am pretty sure. Issyria is packing a fair bit of armor stack with the Sentinels and can out threat most of both of those lists. Electro leaps are going to be hell. But blinding light gets me a lot in either of these match ups going down on the Stormstrider or the Hurricane and she should let me get the first strike in comfortably.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Nemo - 75%
Caine - 60%
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That Cephalyx guy.
This is another local meta player. The last few games against him I have dropped as I was trying out new things. The biggest problem is just eh weight of numbers and not being able to pick out the heavies soon enough. Ret needs its infantry to do work yet the Cephalyx infantry will be able to overwhelm the Ret infantry.
The wins I have had are usually due to assassination. With the fact in mind that he can just flood my infantry I am leaning into Vyros for this match up. I would need to focus on bringing down his heavies however. Issyria would do little into the army herself but Discordia could get a lot of work done. In the end it might depend on table and Scenario but I think Vyros is my call here.

Vyros
Confidence against:
Thexus - 65%
Cyphon - 50%
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Exhibit Skorne A
Another local meta player. I have played against both of these lists. Because of my knowledge of the player and the fact its Skorne I think I must go with Issyria. Xerxis cant hide from her army and she can threat a long way. I can ignore Tiberion, the Vyros army would not and I can focus on killing Xerxis himself. More importantly into Zaal I can probably whipe off most of his army, but that is when his assassination threat is the most live. With Issyria I have Arcane Vortex and can negate it.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Xerxis - 60%
Zaal - 80%
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The Oracles list.
Simply look at all those Angelii. It must be Issyria, no question. I have little to no dea what Fyanna does and I will never see someone play Vayl the way I have in the past. But the anti shooting tech cimbined with the hit modifiers and threat extention for Issyria seals this deal for me.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Fyanna - 75%
Vayl - 60%
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Last years champion
There is no doubt in my mind who this is. I built my Issyria list specifically to be able to drop into it. Blinding light can shut down the TEP and the Invictors have the range and damage to first strike a lot more of his support. The Stormfall archers provide punch or range both necessary to keep away from his guns. The only problem is running the Sentinels as they are most vulnerable to his autopoint damage. I included them ironically to play into the Bones list, which now they wont.
Still I am pretty confident I can deliver half a unit, which is all I need under feat to kill Prime Axiom. Moros is stealth so not an easy Backlash target and Discordia will have the assistance of Arcane Vortex. 

Issyria
Confidence against:
Iron Mother 65%
Lucant - 65%
This was not last years champion!
He was in fact running last years champions lists, or lists very similar.
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Menoth
This one is an enigma to me. I never used to play against menoth, for almost 5 years. I certainly have not played against new menoth. I know what the Harbinger and Avatar are capable of. The Chior on both lists can shut down Issyrias ranged game, he also doesnt have much that Issyria particularily wants to blind.
Interestingly Vyros brings enough of a combination of ranged or magical attacks that he will need to choose carefully who Vyros will get to pick it. If you passage, its force bolts, if you stop magic, its the tractor beam. I dont fancy playing Vyros into all that infantry but knowing that Menoth favor attrition and that he can kepe his jacks mostly safe, I am leaning on Vyros and looking for the Imperitus missle assassination.

Vyros
Confidence against:
Severius - 60%
Harbinger - 70%
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The red menace
Judging by the composition of the lists I am going to assume that he is not the most experienced player. Khador however as usual is infantry and high armor, both of which Issyria has no problem playing in to. This would be Issyria definitely. Even though, I have absolutely no idea what Koslov does.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Sorscha - 80%
Koslov - 60%
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Piggies
I cant think too much about this but I see reasonably squishy warbeasts and things that don't like getting shot. So my answer to either of these lists would be Issyria.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Carver - 80%
Arkadius - 80%
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The Menoth mystery
I have no idea what these casters do. This is possibly one of my least prepared match ups. However simply because of my previous Menoth assessment I am tempted to say Vyros. Yet with so many targets Issyria might be the one to go for. It will depend on what kind of threat extension either of those warcasters have. Considering one list is packing errants and the other list doesnt have any infantry Issyria could play into both of those, as long as she can deliver the Sentinels.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Durant - 60%
Anson - 70%
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Good ol' Haley
I have certainly played into my fair share of Cygnar and Haley especially. Since my last true test her feat has been nerfed and I have been given Issyria. I don't see any reason to drop Vyros into this match up and I am pretty comfortable running Issyria against both lists.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Haley - 70%
Striker - 65%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meat threshers a kimbo.
Yea the threshers could thresh my infantry, but I think I can kill them before they do too much damage.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Carver - 80%
Sturm and Drang - 65%
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Skorne Exhibit B
For much of the same logic as the previous Skorne Xerxis / Tiberion list pair, Issyria needs to go into this one. Rasheth is a concern especially as assassination will be very difficult.  Yet killing the Mammoth should be doable since he has no Krea support. Still I must be very careful with my infantry as Rasheth can just swallow them up.

Issyria
Confidence against:
Xerxis - 70%
Rasheth - 60%
That Animantarax, what a monster.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My lists!

  • Issyria no theme.
  • Sylys
  • Discordia
  • Moros

  • An Acanist mechanic
  • An Artificer (Never leave home without it)
  • A Dawnguar Scyir (This was pretty new tech for me. It replaced a Mage Hunter Assassin. as a result it didn't do the work a MHA would do but giving the other Dawnguard Tactics was not trivial.)
  • Full unit of Invictors with unit attachment (These guys don't get much love, but with Assault, Crusaders Call, Mini feat and even feat they can threat 24 inches accross the board with accurate reasonably hard hitting stealth ignoring shots. This actually came into use 0 times as they didnt run into their preferred targets the whole tournament.) 
  • Full unit of Sentinels with unit attachment (Arm 22 vs melee and 24 vs ranged with Discordia and mini feat. Pathfinding charge, Vengeance, whats not to love.)
  • Full unit of Storm Fall Archers (I find the only weakness of this unit is its Rat, Issyria fixes that nicely)
  • Full unit of Storm Fall Archers

  • Dawlord Vyros, Forges of War theme. (This was a last minute drop. I wanted something that wasn't infantry heavy, that I could have some fun with.)
  • Sylys
  • Helios
  • Imperitus
  • Manticore
  • Manticore
  • An Artificer
  • 2 Arcanists
  • A unit of Battle Mages with a Souless Escort attached. 
  • 2 Magisters
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • The games.

Bacon for breakfast!

Round 1. VS Player 16!


He dropped list 1 and I took Issyria.

End of round 1.
I think he went first, I chose the side without the giant impassible obscuring obstruction in the middle.
He prayed the Sentinels with his Brigands and ran forward.

Discordia took 2 focus, Imprinted and ran forward. The Sentinels had Invoiable Resolve and mini feat for Iron Zeal and ran up into Discordias bubble.
The Invictors took the wall and prepared for the imminent blast damage.

Round 2 end of Pigs turn 2.
The Brigands killed one Sentinel triggering Vengeance. This allowed them to position nicely into the charge. Moros came through the First and Paralyzed one War Hog, Issyria later Ancillary attacked it to Paralyze the other Warhog.
The Sentinels charged in and did killed a few of the Brigands but focused mostly on taking out the 2 Warhogs. With Issyria feat up and the Storm Fall Archers and Discordia softening targets up it was pretty easy. Then the Invictors cleared out the Razorback crew and the Efariit scout.

End of Ret turn 2 round 2.
His light warbeast did some good damage into the Sentinels. The Brigands achieved very little and his last Warhog killed an Invictor or 2. Carver went to work killing SFA.
But a wild Hutchuck appears and rusts Discrodia!

Round 3 end of Pigs turn 3.

Round 3 end of Ret turn 3.
I had a clean Assassination opening but decided to play around for the scenario points. Vengeance and activation took out most of the rest of the Brigands. Discordia sat on one flag while Moros sat on the other. The SFA shot up the objective and a couple even killed Hutchuck.
The Invictors went to town on the last Warhog killing it.

So Carver went for an impossible assassination. Issyria admonitioned away and in her activation cast a Blinding light on Carver. The Artificer came up and slammed him into the wall and SFA shot him while he was down.

Round 4 end of Ret turn 4

Assassination win 6 Control points.

Off to a great start!

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The worst start possible!

Round 2 VS player 2 list 1

Ghost Fleet after bowls.


He took Denny and I dropped Issyria.


I knew I didn't have the tools for this match up. Although I think misguidedly he believed that my magical weapons were a problem.
I was banking on being the more experienced player to be able to win this. But now I know that we are perhaps evenly matched, so I needed to assassinate.
I win the roll and go first. He takes the hill as it is the best defense against Disordia.

Everything runs.
Discordia gets Admonition and Issyria takes Invoiable Resolve.

Round 1 end of Ret turn 1
So his things run forward too. But not all of it. He crippling grasps Discordia and puts 3 combines into her. However after his Blackbanes take front and center Discordia Admonitions FORWARD. This gets her attacked by a stalker which tears off her left arm.

So in my turn... I go into the tank for 15 minutes...

Discordia gets focus as well as Moros. Denny is on the hill, behind 3 pirates camping 4 focus. She didnt have to come that close, but she wanted to feat on my army next turn.
The thing is, if Discordia can advance 1 inch she is in range. But Discordia is blocked in by the Stalker

Artificer to the rescue!

  1. Sylys gives Issyria Arcane secrets. She feats and blinding lights the Stalker. 
  2. The Artificer Combo Smites it away from Discordia, it doesn't go far but its now knocked down and least disturbance pushes it off to the side. Discordia advances and boosts a shot into one Pirate opening line of Sight up to Denny. But then hits all three pirates and lands about 5 damage on her after she uses a focus. 
  3. Moros uses fleet and advances through the black banes. With another boost he shoots Denny Paralysing her and landing more damage. 
  4. The Invictors activate and mini feat. One three man combine and one 2 man combine put just enough damage into her to kill her. JUST ENOUGH.
However I still had a few SFA shots to drop on her if that failed.


Top of round 2 Ret turn 2
Like a canny privateer I steer the agile Iosan forces to victory against the Invincible Cryxian armada.
Obscure references.

Assassination victory 0 control points

Despite being thrown a curve ball with Ghost Fleet we recover and push forward into round 3.

Everything going according to plan...

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Plan!? Forget the plan we need to improvise!

Round 3 VS player 8


Doomshaper 3 VS Vyros...
yes...
I know...

So this is a train wreck waiting to happen.

Especially since I have never played into Doomy3 before and couldn't remember everything on his card or be bothered to read it all again.

I win the roll and decide to go first, I could extend my threat bait out his feat and fall back.
So thats what he does, he runs forward and feats.

But then I decide, with my feat, I can kill 2 maybe 3 of his beasts.

but I cant...
But then even without the feat I decide that a Manticore and Imperitus could kill 1 or two beasts maybe...

but I cant...
So I mean at least Imperitus is still alive and by now I have completely lost but I might just be able to kill one more beast with Imperitus

but I cant....
So Vyros hides behind his objective and waits for the Trolls to grind his army down.


In spectacular fashion, I not only went off the rails I went through the wall and off the second floor to the cobbled steps below.

Why you may ask? The answer you see is Divide and Conquer. I was so concerned about getting locked into Vyros I had convinced myself to play him this round. Despite even so definitely telling myself that it was not possible. I had tricked myself into believing he would drop Horgle.

Scenario Loss, 0 control points.

At least I'm out of the fire.

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Out of the fire and into the oven!


So that night at the party I drowned my sorrow in wine and curry and made myself content in the possibility of dropping to a lower bracket and having some fun, successful games. 
At least I could still go 4/5 and say I performed well. 

Round 4 VS player 4 

Issyria vs Kruegar 1 the Devourer Host. 
Yep, did I mention I was hung over with a grotty tummy and expecting to play some easy non consequential games?

I derped going into this thinking it was Kruegar 2. So when I found out he was Kruegar 1 I was actually a little relieved. At least I could shoot at his stuff, I just had to feat and blind it to hit it.

Well as it turns out my strength of schedule put me into the top 4 bracket. So I played against this monstrosity of a headache.

He went first so I chose the side of the table that funneled my force into the middle, rather than split it around the shallow water. 
his force of course, completely ignored pretty much everything.

Round 1 Circle turn 1
I bunch up and advance to just outside of his threat ranges. With the high arm I shouldn't be an easy pick for electro leaps.
I drift some blast damage onto his blood weavers and then make one massive error.
A blast drifts on to a Ravager, rolls a 10 and causes a point of damage which gives the unit Vengeance.

End of round 1

3 of them rush in and murder half my unit of Invictors and gum up my lines.

Now what was supposed to be happening this turn was Disco and the Artificer go right to contest and take down 2 or 3 Ravagers while the Invictors and Sentinels work on the center.
What had to happen is Discordia had to clear off the Tharn in front of my lines. This was pretty important as not holding back that right flank is what ultimately lost me the game... well that and drifting a random pow 6 blast on to a Ravager and giving the unit vengeance.

Round 2 Circle turn 2

So despite the worst possible scenario of getting all of my guys charged while clumped up by Ravagers I pull out of it pretty well. Issyria feats and I kill the White mane and all but 1  in the unit of Ravagers, who toughed 3 times in a row...
I missed the Blood witch on the left with aiming feated SAF, thinking it was just a weaver.

The SFA on the right failed to kill any Ravagers but the Artificer did kill one and wounds another with a Combo Smite.

End of round 2 Ret turn 2

So then the things he has left alive come in and start eating my elves.
To top it off he feats on whats still alive

Round 3 end of Circle turn 3

I fight back, but having given up the right zone and lost most of my infantry in the middle, I cant meaningfully remove his infantry without getting destroyed by Ghettorix.

End of round 3 Ret turn 3

So he grinds me out and takes the scenario and kills Issyria with his final activation.


I wasn't too confident about that match up to begin with. Vyros might have been better but worse on this scenario. Losing the initiative really made it hard for me to recover because of that drifting aoe.
The theory being that he would have feated to stop me from charging his front lines, but IR IZ Sentinels don't die easily to pow 10s and I land a very precise alpha strike which can take out his key support pieces. This never happens.
At this point I am lamenting my luck pretty heavily but am happy to play for third.

Assassination loss 0 control

It is a game of dice after all

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How lucky can a Skorne player get?!?

Game 5 vs player 20 

Mind that Siege Animantarax! 

What Siege Animantarax? 

splat...

I could not have been more confident going into this game. I knew which list he would drop, I knew how it played and I knew I had the tools to deal with it. 

Round 1 Skorne turn 1
Stuff happened. He all ran up full steam ahead. So this should be pretty easy right. Feat and shoot the Animantarax off the table and take care of his Paingivers who are the only other legitimate threat to my infantry.

End of round 1 Ret turn 1
So I do kill most of the infantry, that was good. But I miss one Taskmaster on the left flank.
However, my Invictors and Stormfall Archers only do about 15 damage to the Animantarax.

I consulted the Oracle before this turn. With Issyrias feat it gave me odds of about 4 damage per Invictor and 6 damage per Archer. 6x4 + 4x10 = a plenty dead Animantarax which has no buffs. So doing half damage was not only bad, it was below the average of below average.

Round 2 Skorne turn 2
So the Animantarax casually killed the whole unit and the Storm Fall Archers too. He didn't even need Rasheths feat, although he did feat. The Mammoth did shoot at Discordia and only half killed it tho. So there is that.

Round 2 Ret turn 2
I had to send the Sentinels to take care of the Animantarax or it would single handedly wipe my entire army off the table. So tie the Mammoth down I hit it with a Paralyze shot from moros and Blinded it with Issyria.
Still Rashath managed to use Breath of Corruption to get work done against them.

Discordia dropped back to get repaired and finish off the Animantarax because 5 charging Sentinels still couldn't carve off its last 20 boxes.
The left Storm Fall Archers land 3 blasts on the Paingiver and it still doesn't die.

Round 3 Skorne turn 3
The extoller soulward is used to arc another Breath of Corruption into my Sentinels, killing more.
End of round 3 Ret turn 3
This turn I need to go all in on the Mammoth to kill it. I wanted to get Discordia on enough angle to hit the Agonizer and maybe twice with an Ancillary attack, but I don't have the movement available. So I settle for spraying the Mammoth twice. Moros takes focus and hunts the Agonizer instead, but only does half damage to it. The Artificer and 4 Sentinels go in on the Mammoth leaving it on 14 boxes.
The Scyir on the right charges into the back arc of the Bloodrunner but fails to connect.


So he kills all my things.
Nothing special here. Its pretty much game over. Discordia gets a concentrated power but still cant finish off the Mammoth
But then a shining glimmer of hope.

He left a Sentinel alive behind the obstruction.
It gets vengeance...
Impervious flesh but weapon master...
It hits Rasheth who has 0 transfers!
and does 3 damage...
OK
but then it charges Rasheth,
and does 10 damage...

The Mammoth and the Gladiator kill everything else and I lose on Scenario as Rasheth sits on the flag in front of Issyria who can do nothing.

Match up post analysis

What to take away from this...

Round 1.
Probably the only game where what I predicted is what happened.

Round 2.
I didn't expect the player that was piloting this list. But knowing that my only option was assassination I'm lucky that I got to do it. I think if he had any idea of how disadvantaged I felt, he would have been more cautious of my assassination.

Round 3
I did exactly the wrong thing and what I expected to happen did happen. I also definitely mis played Doomshapers feat. I think I should have had a better list pairing in anticipation of this and should have really played back on his feat.

Round 4
I was unsure about this match up from the start. I wasn't sure what to drop into it nor how to play against it. The only thing I could do to mitigate my unpreparedness was to feat on him early for maximum casualties. Because of my mistake I couldn't do that at full capacity. In the end I should have been aware that vengeance is on damaged, and not taken any chances.

Round 5
Not sure what to take away from this one. It dropped as I predicted. I could use my tools as I had anticipated. I didn't anticipate the Animantarax just casually removing 16 pieces of arm 17 infantry in one activation. Did that really happen? I cant believe it. I must have missed something...
Anyway I guess besides remembering that it is a dice game I could become less complacent in what the odds should be. The only thing I could have done was place both of my Stormfall Archers on that flank on deployment. But considering the damage I managed to do, another unit would not have been enough.
No fuck that even 6 Charging Sentinels couldn't kill a half dead Animantarax, something was seriously wrong that game...

Right looking forward to next year. Better pairs on the horizon and I am planning to get something painted up nice enough and put a lot more reps in with it if possible.

The tournament was of course again amazing. Preparation and organisation were exemplary and although the location was a little far from the station it was very comfortable.

So long and thanks for all the fish...

Or see you next year and thanks for all the octopus...


The dinner over night was again the highlight with many people across cultures, languages and generations getting together laughing, cheering and crying about Warmachine and Hordes. This is definitely one of the best hobbies and Warmachine is still a great game to be playing right now. No arguments were had about rules, no one was labeled a power gamer or un fun. We all respected each other and treated each other well. 2 days with excellent friends challenging ourselves and having a great time. What more could you ask for?

Osaka Boundless Charge 2018, that's all I can ask for.