Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Cryx vs Trollbloods, 50pts, 2/28/2012

Quick battle report from last night.

Minute and I played a 50 point game at Games & Stuff, where we generally try to play a game once a week.

I decided to run the Witch Coven.  I'm working on assembling some new Skorne models to more effectively run some of my warlocks, and I don't seem to get the Cryx on the table often enough.  Plus, Minute has been on a bit of a winning streak, and that just isn't allowed.

My list:
The Witch Coven of Garlghast
- Nightwretch
- Nightwretch
- Deathjack
Bane Knights (Leader and 5 Grunts)
Bane Thralls (Leader and 5 Grunts)
Bile Thralls (Leader and 5 Grunts)
Mechanithralls (Leader and 9 Grunts)
The Withershadow Combine
Bane Lord Tartarus
Bloat Thrall
Necrotech & 1 Scrap Thrall
Warwitch Siren

I don't think there's anything really strange about this list, although I did take a Necrotech, mainly because I had a single point left over with nothing better to use it on.

We ended up rolling a scenario requiring reinforcements, so my reinforcements were Darragh Wraith and a minimum unit of Soulhunters.

Minute took:
Grissel Bloodsong, Marshal of the Kriels
- Troll Impaler
- Dire Troll Bomber
Trollkin Fennblades (Leader and 9 Grunts)
- Trollkin Fennblade Officer & Drummer
Trollkin Long Riders (Leader and 4 Grunts)
Trollkin Scattergunners (Leader and 9 Grunts)
- Trollkin Scattergunner Officer & Drummer
Fell Caller Hero
Horthol, Long Rider Hero
Stone Scribe Chronicler

For reinforcements, Minute chose the Earthborn Dire Troll.

Our scenario was envelopment- there are two controls zone off center, one closer to each of us, and we have to control the far one to get control points.  It's actually one of the scenarios I most enjoy because it both has reinforcements and does a good job getting the two armies to fight one another.

I didn't take pictures, so I won't bore everyone with a play-by-play.  Basically, first turn Minute moved everything up, and I did the same, and threw a Veil of Mists in front of the Deathjack which was in the control zone closest to me (which Minute needed to control for control points).  Second turn, he started shooting at me, knocking the Deathjack down with one of Grissel's shots, and then dropping two Bomber shots on me, which unfortunately didn't do a whole lot for damage due to rather poor rolling.  Minute also sent Horthol way off to my left for a strong flanking maneuver, unfortunately for him.  The Fennblades began charging in, doing very minor damage to the Deathjack, and killing two Bane Knights.

I began by having my reinforcements come in, who immediately charged and killed Horthol and his dismounted form.  The Bile Thralls sacrificed two of themselves to drop a few Fennblades, and the Bane Knights killed a few themselves, healing up the Deathjack with the newly released souls.  My Mechanithralls charged into the oncoming Long Riders on my left (who were hit with Curse of Shadows so I could get through them), killing two.  I also feated. 

This put Minute in a tough spot.  I had pretty much wiped most of his Fennblade unit, and I had a few Bane Knights over on his side of the board, making it difficult to get his beasts into the action.  The feat stymied any hope of him charging and doing serious damage, and it really hosed his Scattergunners, who were too far away to go after the main things he wanted to target.  The Long Riders were engaged, but hardly out, but there was a full unit of Mechanithralls in between him and my vulnerable casters. 

After some thought, he had the Bomber clear a Bane Knight who was near Grissel, and started moving most of his army to his right (my left) to camp in the zone I needed to get to.  The large unit of Scattergunners moved up, and targeted either the Deathjack, or themselves (they auto-miss themselves, but it was handy for getting shots at things they couldn't see).  The end result of all this shooting was a dead Bloat Thrall and Bane Lord Tartarus, a few boxes chipped off the Deathjack, and a Nightwretch with no Arc Node.  He also managed to roll a 12 to hit my Warwitch Siren, but rolled really poor for damage (his rolls all night were pretty poor).

The Long Riders began riding through the Mechanithralls, killing 8 of them, I believe, and Minute declared his turn over.  He had thrown a large unit right down the center of his target deployment zone, in between me and his warlock.  Of course, with the Witch Coven, that's not a problem.

My turn was longer than it had to be, but I'll mention the main points.  The Scattergunners were blocking LOS to Grissel from the Deathjack, who I was fairly certain was in charge range (with Infernal Machine on him).  The Warwitch Siren went up and sprayed, killing one of the two blocking models.  The Withershadow Combine took care of the last one.  One Ghost Walk later, the Deathjack was in combat with Grissel (camping two fury), with 5 focus to use.  My charge attack missed, sadly, but thankfully I hit her with enough attacks to end her.

I forgot how much I missed playing the Witch Coven.  Their movement tricks make it very easy for me to do what I want during the game, and they have the ability to put out enough offense if they need to (which I didn't use at all this game).  Unfortunately for my opponent, this seemed like a super-favorable match-up for me.  Inhospitable Ground did not mean anything to my army, and her feat, control range, and abilities didn't have the ability to do much to my army, it felt like.  Of course, this was my first time facing her (and his first time using her), so more games may be more telling.

I have another game on Thursday, so I'm sure you'll hear from me soon after!

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