The High Reclaimer vs. Major Markus "Siege" Brisbane (Cygnar)
Loss: Assassination
Well this week I ararnged a game with the club Chairman (and current club WMH champ) and his Cygnar. I also decided that I needed to expand my list of available casters ready for the next Tournament in just over a months time. With this in mind I rolled out the High Reclaimer (HR). I love the model and the fluff behind him but I've never felt that he was a particualrly good caster based on limited focus and a tiny control area. However the internet raves about him so I thought it was worth a dabble.
Before the game I'd gone through my first turn in an effort to make sure everyone could fit behind the cloud wall. It took me a few practice goes but I got a rough idea and deployed that way on the night. Basically it was zealots to run forward to create a screen so the Bastions could march up behind and hopefully get to the enemy relatively undamaged. Everything else would follow up ready to smash and grab assuming I coudl get the Alpha.
For once the plan worked perfectly, for the first two turns of the game the only model to die was a choirman who was killed by HR charging forward for extra distance on the clouds. Unfortunately I hadn't anticipated the next step where the zealots got jammed up by Boomhowlers and the whole train came to a complete standstill. I tried to get out of this and protect everyone using clouds and the book to try to force Siege back (if he wanted to cast spells) but due to poor placement and some unlucky dice rolls I failed to kill the trolls which left the book to far back to stop Seige and all my heavy hitters were still miles from combat. I'd managed to tuck HR into a pocket behind several Cleansers and Zealots and behind the screen of clouds though so I thought I'd have another go at it turn 4.
Bottom of turn 3:
And heres where it all went wrong, Siege was able to simply feat then walk to within range of HR and drop a boosted Ground Pounder shot right on HR's head. At ARM8 due to the feat and spiking 15 on three dice HR fell lifeless to the floor.
Feora, Protector of the Flame vs. Lord Commander Stryker (Cygnar)
Loss: Scenario (5/0)
In my mind like an itch I've had this list but haven't wanted to try it whilst we were only getting a single game in a night (I thought it was unfair to play a comedy list and waste the one game someone else may get that week). However after getting battered fairly quickly in game one there was more than enough time for a second game.
The list is basically eFeora, 8 x Repenters, Vanquisher, 2 x min Choir, full Zealots + UA, reclaimer and vassal. Don't ask why I have 8 repenters it wasn't by design, more a case of buying things from eBay that "come with a free repenter". Anyway the list sounded strong and with eFeora they're all speed 7 which is really nice.
I was facing off what is apparently a "themed" eStryker list containing 4 jacks and a large unit of Stormblade infantry, not neccesarily as much infantry as I'd have liked but nevermind - I got to use my list!
The game was basically a ponderous advance up the board for two turns and then turning on the fire. I managed to minifeat the zealots the same turn that the flames came in range so was able to spray through them into the infantry. I also managed to spray Stryker twice on this turn through Ol' Rowdy and by then end of it there was quite a lot of things on fire. I also saw for the first time the value of the Reclaimer as with a soul on him he virtually stopped the Stormblade charging as they would instanly die if they did. For some reason the list was doing much better than I had anticipated!
Bottom of turn 2:
As always whilst having fun I'd missed the part where eStryker had been sat on a flag for three turns and it was my opponents turn. That turn my jacks took one hell of a beating to the extent that I was left with only two jacks at full health and the rest were at 25% health or less. I'd also lost my reclaimer and all of the Zealots.
So in my turn it was assassinate or die! I was fairly confident that with her Fire Step and 11" threat if I could get to Stryker he'd fall (having been on fire for a few turns). The problem was in my attempt to secure her from assassination I'd pinned her between two jacks (see photo above). I also had to move my jacks out the way, set enough things on fire to feat with and create a charge lane. I used up most of my focus powering the jacks to set things aflame and sacrificed one by disengaging Ol' Rowdy (I needed to do this to open a charge lane but thats where it all went wrong). The jacks flames were either completely ineffective or two effective, all the infantry I sprayed died (thus not leaving fires) and I missed the targets that may have survived being roasted. When the dust settled I went for it, she feated for 5 focus, stepped beautifully into the gap created for her and the charge lane was open. The issue was that the jack I had sacrificed was now difficult terrain and to move across it took 4" of movement leaving her well out of reach range.
The game then finished as unable to contest the flag (being a warcaster) the scenario clock went to 5/0.
Lessons Learnt -
- Now I've got the Repenter list out of my system move on! I think the list still has legs but I need to get familair with eFeora first before its worth trying again.
- Sprays are cool, to be able to target units behind units is very worthwhile doing and getting continuous fire that won't go out on a warcaster is very nice indeed!
- High Reclaimer is a lot more fiddly than he first appears, I actually need things to die to get him some power and getting some damage on the enemy may help a little to.
- I need more game time before this tournament! I'm going to try to squeeze in an extra game each week as I really need the prep.
No comments:
Post a Comment