Game 32: Vyros1 vs Vlad2

Game 32 – Vs Jonny Jennings – Khador – 27/05/17

My list:

Dawnlord Vyros (Shadows of the Retribution)

-Imperatus

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Aspis

-Manticore

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Narn, Mage Hunter of Ios

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

Max Mage Hunter Strike Force

-Mage Hunter Strike Force Commander

Max Mage Hunter Strike Force

-Mage Hunter Strike Force Commander

-Soulless Escort

His List:

Vladimir Tzepesci, The Dark Champion

-Conquest

Man-O-War Kovnik

Kovnik Josef Grigorovich

Saxon Orrik

Max Man-O-War Shocktroopers

-Man-O-War Shocktrooper Officer

Kayazy Eliminators

Kayazy Eliminators

Max Winter Guard Rifle Corps

-Winter Guard Rocketeer

-Winter Guard Rocketeer

-Winter Guard Rocketeer

Min Battle Mechanics

My second game of testing for my Vyros1 Shadows list saw me play against Jonny with his Vlad2 list. I am very familiar with Vlad1 but less so with his second form so it would be interesting to see what he did. I won 1^st turn due to the theme benefit and got on with it.

Vyros starts by casting Inviolable Resolve on Imperatus, and Mobility to speed up the battle group. Everything runs up but stays back slightly to avoid the worst of the Khador AOEs.

The Khador army walks up slightly, not getting too close to the zones. Vlad casts Hand of Fate on the Rifles and the Rocketeers take pot shots into the left MHSF, killing a couple. The Shocktroopers advance in Shield Wall and in the centre the Conquest fires its AOE, killing one Mage Hunter in the right unit and getting a lucky scatter to kill Narn.

I measure out what might be a possible assassination run but the closest Rifle is about 13.5 inches from Imperatus, avoiding his charge range by just half an inch. Instead I feel like I can put a lot of scenario pressure on by charging in and jamming him out of the zones. The issue for this plan is the Eliminators but they are both on the right flank behind the Man-O-Wars. My plan is to jam him out of the left zone and then make a 3 point play next turn. To this end Vyros casts Mobility and moves to the centre behind a building, and everything else runs or charges forward, with the left Mage Hunters killing a number of Rifles and leaving Joe on 1 box.

Jonny spent a while considering his options for the next turn before finding himself an assassination route. He used the Rifles first, clearing out some of the Mage Hunters on the left, and then Conquest activated, leaving the Griffon I had run up to him on a single box. Vlad advanced and finished off the Griffon before feating and switching Hand of Fate onto the Eliminators. The eliminators with feat and Hand of Fate then charged Vyros and managed to kill him through his 2 transfers.

DEFEAT

This was a typical case of me not respecting the threat ranges of feated Eliminators. I got greedy with Vyros in my turn 2 in terms of moving him forward but I wanted the possibility of a Feat assassination on my turn 3. In hindsight I should have left him in my zone and tried to grind the game out on scenario though. I am still not convinced by the list, especially the Manticore. I think that I will switch it and the Escort for a Hydra for some stronger ranged presence and the ability to store focus until feat turn.