Game 67: Issyria vs Coven

Game 67 – Vs Hugh Allen – Cryx – 03/08/17

My list:

Issyria, Sibyl of Dawn (Shadows of the Retribution)

-Hemera

-Sphynx

-Chimera

Arcanist Mechanik

Mage Hunter Assassin

Mage Hunter Assassin

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

Spears of Scyrah

-Soulless Escort

Max Mage Hunter Strike Force

-Commander

Max Mage Hunter Strike Force

-Commander

Max Mage Hunter Infiltrators

His List:

The Witch Coven of Garlghast

-Egregore

-The Withershadow Combine

-Barathrum

-Deathjack

-Nightwretch

-Nightwretch

Satyxis Raider Captain

Soul Trapper

Machine Wraith

Scrap Thralls

Min Bile Thralls

-Skarlock Commander

Max Satyxis Raiders

-Sea Witch

If Issyria is to be my answer to Ghost Fleet, I need her to be able to answer any other questions that Cryx may throw at me. At the moment that feels like mainly Coven and Gaspy2 in Dark Host. As a result I tracked Hugh down for a game. I have changed up my Issyria list to see how it feels without Hyperion. My feelings are that it will make the list better into Cryx, but worse into Cygnar. Despite the theme benefit I lose the roll to go first. At least this allows me to test the list in worst case conditions.

NOTE: When I got this list out I forgot that I had made the Infiltrators into a max unit in this list, so am playing either 5 points down or 10 points up, depending on how you feel about theme lists…

After a discussion between the 2 of us Hugh’s very first activation was to advance a Witch and Feat. He casts Infernal Machine on Barathrum and Ghost Walk on both the Bile Thralls and Satyxis. The rest of his forces run up into aggressive positions with the Satyxis using Whipping Winds, staying out of threat of my units.

At this point I really wish I’d won the roll to go first. The number 1 threat to my units is the Bile Thralls, so the Chimera Apparitions and runs forward, getting within 5” of one of them. Issyria Arcs a Blinding Light, shutting down the Bile Thralls for a turn, before putting Admonition on herself and Inviolable Resolve on Hemera. 4 Mage Hunters are able to charge Barathrum, but I forgot about the -2 MAT from the feat, so they all missed. The rest of my forces back out of threat range as much as possible, and flank hard on the left.

Hugh’s forces come in, but I have spaced well, and left plenty of models in the way, and so I don’t lose too much. By the end of the turn Hugh’s forces are pretty thoroughly committed and I have lost an assassin, one Infiltrator, the Soulless Escort (triggering Vengeance) and about 7 Mage Hunters. The Bile Thralls just back off to remain threatening next turn. My arc node is knocked down and only on a few boxes, but its Arc Node and Generator remain intact.

Feat turn, and time to get a lot of work done. Minimum requirements are to clear out most of the Satyxis, kill both jacks and neutralise the Bile Thralls again. Vengeance moves take out 3 of the Satyxis, before Issyria Feats and casts Blinding Light through the almost broken Arc Node onto the Biles. The endgame of the turn is the Sphynx charging DEathjack to Hemera and the right Mage Hunters clear out Raiders to clear the path. On the left the Infiltrators and Spears wreck Barathrum and the Mage Hunters put a lot of damage into the left Arc node. The Sphynx charges into Deathjack, hits all 3 7s to hit and destroys the jack (the Mage Hunters had dealt some earlier damage). By the end of the turn, the Cryx forces are looking retty depleted, and Issyria is sitting with Admonition and 2 Focus.

Being so far down on attrition, Hugh knows he has to go for an assassination. He can get 3 damage onto me via Feedback from remaining Satyxis, which following previous turns would leave me on 9 boxes. He could then cast Stygian Abyss 3 times, and after I cancelled the first 2 with Arcane Vortex he would have to roll an unboosted 10 to finish me off. He fails and concedes the game.

VICTORY

The list felt really good into this match up. Had I gone first the ride would have been smoother, as backing up from the deployment line felt very uncomfortable, but the power of Issyria’s feat turn was enough to come back. I am not at all convinced by the non-Hyperion build, but it will be nice to get a few games in with is (including using the full Infiltrator unit) to be certain.