Lunchtime Hordes, 3/31/11

Ben and I played a quick game of Hordes during lunch, using 25 point armies, and with a few new things on both sides.

I ran:
Archdomina Makeda
- Basilisk Krea
- Molik Karn
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 3 Grunts)
Praetorian Swordsmen (Leader and 5 Grunts)
- Praetorian Swordsmen Officer & Standard
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew (Leader and 1 Grunt)
Agonizer
Totem Hunter

I was eager to get my newly assembled Basilisk and Swamp Gobbers on the table, and they provide me a good amount of ranged defense, in case Ben ran with more shooting elements.

Ben, however, took:
Hoarluk Doomshaper
- Dire Troll Mauler
- Earthborn Dire Troll
- Mulg the Ancient

Ben obviously went for a rather direct approach to his army design, but that sure is a lot of 'beat-down' packed into 3 packages.

The first turn, Ben and I moved into position.  I put Savagery on Molik Karn and Defender's Ward onto my Swordsmen, Ben used Transmute for Mulg and the Mauler, giving them +2 ARM due to proximity to obstacles.

On the second turn, I started with the offense.  I used my Krea (on my left) to paralyze his Mauler, preventing it from charging.  I sent the Swordsmen up so that they were out of the Mauler's charge range, but still in Mulg's.  Molik Karn (on my far right) flew into Ben's Earthborn, but some bad rolls (an 8 on 4 dice) caused only minor damage.  Molik used Fate Weaver to get away, behind a Swamp Gobber cloud, to keep him safe.

Ben went on the offensive.  Mulg charged in, killing two Praetorians and a Swamp Gobber, before struggling with rolls to hit anything else.  The Earthborn trampled forward into the newly created void, and managed to land two swings onto Makeda, but she transferred one, and stayed alive.

With two heavy trolls in among my forces, my immediate goals were clear.  The Swordsmen surrounded Mulg, taking small amounts of damage off him, Makeda took some small chunks out of the Earthborn, and the Totem Hunter ran up to put some more damage on Mulg.  Then Molik Karn went into action.  Swing, side-step, swing, side-step dropped the Earthborn, and with the 5 Fury I had available (due to Affinity with Makeda), he finished off Mulg as well. 

Ben was left with only a single Dire Troll Mauler and Doomshaper, and briefly considered conceding.  Instead, he decided to take a shot for victory.  He moved up into the Swamp Gobber, and declared a double-handed throw (boosting to hit).  He chose Makeda as a target, again boosting to hit, and knocking her down.  A few Primal Rages later, Makeda was dead, and Ben was again victorious.

I made a few really dumb mistakes.  I forgot to use my feat on the turn I had planned to (prior to Mulg charging), which probably wouldn't have made a difference overall, but certainly would've been nice to help have more bodies.  I also cast Carnage at one point, and completely forgot that I had used it.  Those are silly mistakes that there's no excuse for.  I also really need to be more careful with the warlock.  Makeda could've side-stepped away easily, and been happily out of danger (she'd have been out of range for Primal Rage, at the least).  Overall though, the game was very close, and several times the overall momentum changed.  I have a few new toys I can use, and I phase them in, I should start seeing some improved results.