Game 130: Elara2 vs Scaverous

Game 128 – Vs Duncan Harradine – Cryx – 5/1/18

My list:

Elara, Death’s Shadow (Defenders of Ios)

-Siren

-Siren

-Siren

-Chimera

Houseguard Thane

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Eilish Garrity, the Occultist

Stormfall Archers

House Vyre Electromancers

Max Houseguard Halberdiers

-Officer & Standard Bearer

Max Houseguard Halberdiers

-Officer & Standard Bearer

Max Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters

His List:

Lord Exhumator Scaverous (Black Industries)

-The Withershadow Combine

-Deathjack

-Erebus

-Stalker

-Ripjaw

-Ripjaw

Iron Lich Overseer

-Seether

Machine Wraith

Machine Wraith

Cephalyx Overlords

Croe’s Cutthroats

First game of the New Year sees me up against Duncan and his Cryx. He has a Scaverous list and a Goreshade3 Scourge list. A huge part of the reason I have Elara in my pair is to take out Cryx so I drop her, with Duncan playing Scaverous. He wins the first turn and we get moving.

Duncan puts up Soul Harvester on the Stalker, and Death Ward onto Deathjack. The Character heavies and Arc Nodes advance centrally with Deathjack behind the central forest. The infantry run up the right with Croes shielding the Overlords. The Overseer and Seether move up the left, threatening that zone.

If I feat this turn I can get 7 Halberds into Deathjack, which at Dice-5 should take it out. I decide that’s worth it and throw them in. Killing the jack with the 5 from the first unit. The right unit of Halberdiers charge into the Croes and kill a few of them. The rest of my forces get up the table and prepare for Duncan’s assault next turn.

Duncan retaliates and tears through my Halberdiers on the right flank with Feat boosted Overlords and the remaining Croes, who then Reposition further into my lines. On the left the Machine Wraith it TK’d to be able to charge a Siren, walking it forward into the Seether’s range, who easily destroys it. The Scavenger clears a few more Halberdiers and Erebus, having had Death Ward cast on it, charges though to get deep into my lines, but unfortunately leaves Scaverous’ control to do so.

I lost more than I thought but still have a decent amount to retaliate with in my turn. Balancing Focus is tough though, and I face the fact that I’m not going to be able to take out Erebus. I power up my Siren on the left, charge into the Seether and take it out. Eilish removes Death Ward and Teleports back to safety. The Halberdiers try to clear out the last Croes but roll horribly and just end up blocking up my own lines. The Nyss then have to just take out the Croes and can’t push in deeper as I hoped, leaving my very bunched up. Nobody scores at the first opportunity.

Duncan is now in a strong position and like any good player doesn’t let up. Clearing out my remaining infantry on the right with a Feast of Crows, Sprays and remaining Croes, clearing out the right zone to score with a Ripjaw. Erebus moves back into control and deals some damage to the Siren and the left Ripjaw deals some damage to the Siren on the left. Duncan moves to a 1-0 lead.

I realise that the game is up, and so just clear up what points I can, with Elara taking out the Stalker personally. I end my turn knowing the game is done.

Duncan doesn’t mess around; TKing Erebus around into Elara’s rear, hitting her to make her Stationary before killing her with bought attacks.

DEFEAT

This feels like a decent enough match up for Elara, even with me going second, but it is difficult to see exactly where this game got away from me. I still think that Feating turn 1 to remove Deathjack was worthwhile but maybe I should have held back further with the rest of my forces to use my 13” threat ranges to keep him back. My second turn was a disaster but the game felt like it was getting away by then anyway. More experience needed with Elara and hopefully I will be able to understand games like this a bit better.