Game 55: Issyria vs Wurmwood

Game 55 – Vs Paul Sheard – Circle Orboros – 05/07/17

My list:

Issyria, Sibyl of Dawn (Shadows of the Retribution)

-Hyperion

-Chimera

Arcanist Mechanik

Narn, Mage Hunter of Ios

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

Spears of Scyrah

-Soulless Escort

Max Mage Hunter Strike Force

-Commander

Max Mage Hunter Strike Force

-Commander

Min Mage Hunter Infiltrators

His List:

Wurmwood, Tree of Fate

-Cassius the Oathkeeper

-Woldwyrd

-Woldwyrd

-Woldwyrd

-Pureblood Warpwolf

-Feral Warpwolf

-Wild Argus

Tharn Bloodweavers

Tharn Bloodweavers

Sentry Stone & Mannikins

Sentry Stone & Mannikins

Shifting Stones

Shifting Stones

I think that having a Shadows of the Retribution list in your pair is going to start being pretty important in SR2017. Having looked into Ossyan and having tried Vyros1 and Helynna in the theme it was time for Issyria to step up as Mage Hunter leader to see if she works. I was again playing against Paul trying to get his head around how Wurmwood plays. I won first turn and got on with things.

The first frustration in terms of this being a first practice game with a new caster is that I didn’t feel that I could put up any of her upkeeps. Paul had 3 Woldwyrds with Purgation and so Admonition and to a lesser but still significant extent Inviolable Resolve felt like a death sentence. Instead, everything just ran up, remaining out of threat of Mannikin sprays.

Paul ported Wurmwood up into a position to Hellmouth the right unit of Mage Hunters, killing 5 or so. The rest of his forces ran up, putting a forest wall between the house and the natural forest.

My target this turn was to kill the Sentry Stones with as little commitment as possible and then hold back waiting for an opportunity to come up later on. A lucky scatter from Hyperion and some very hot blast damage dice managed to kill one of them, whilst 2 Infiltrators and a Spear finished off the second. The remaining right Mage Hunters flanked hard to find a position for later on.

Paul spends his turn clearing out my presence in the centre of the table, mainly with a devastating Hellmouth on the main clump. Wurmwood feats to put up his forest and the Bloodweavers on the left run up to engage the Mage Hunter on that flank.

Under Wurmwood’s feat there is not too much I can get done. Hyperion puts 2 AOEs into the models in the centre, killing a few, and the Mage Hunters on the left do some CMAs into the Bloodweavers, but bad dice mean I only kill a couple.

With very minimal scenario presence from me Paul makes a play to grab some CPs. His Woldwyrds clear off my pushed up Mage Hunters on the right, and the Pureblood gets Primal cast on it and sent to destroy the objective. On the left the Bloodweavers use Blood Bursts to kill off all but 1 of the Mage Hunters. Wurmwood puts up a forest to protect himself and dominates the zone. Scoring 3 in total for a 3-0 lead.

The game felt pretty much over at this point but I decided that I could kill his objective and dominate the right flag to at least put some scenario pressure on in response. An Ancillary Attack from Hyperion removed the Chef and Hyperion trampled up to destroy the objective. The Chimera charged the Argus but even with Issyria’s feat in play could only hit once, but doing reasonable damage. I score 2, but Paul still led 3-2.

Paul essentially just needs to kill Hyperion to dominate the zone and win. He casts Curse of Shadows followed by 2 Strangleholds dealing decent damage, before the Woldwyrds open fire, leaving me on 6 of so boxes. The Feral charges in and finishes the job. Paul wins 5-3 on scenario.

DEFEAT

A frustrating game as I felt that I was on an inevitable road to defeat from pretty early on. In addition, playing a new caster and not being able to use their spells was unfortunate. The game was still useful to see the ways Wurmwood operates, and I will need to try a brickier list like a Helynna Forges list to see how that fares against him. Hopefully my next game will see her able to do some of her bag of t