Game 80: Kaelyssa vs Damiano

Game 80 – Vs Mark Ellis – Mercenaries – 26/08/17

My list:

Kaelyssa, The Night’s Whisper

-Helios

Arcantrik Force Generator

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Eiryss, Angel of Retribution

Max Dawnguard Sentinels

-Dawnguard Sentinel Officer and Standard Bearer

Max Dawnguard Sentinels

-Dawnguard Sentinel Officer and Standard Bearer

His List:

Captain Damiano (The Kingmaker’s Army)

-Nomad

-Nomad

-Buccaneer

Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor

Kell Bailoch

Stannis Brocker

Min Steelhead Halberdiers

Min Steelhead Halberdiers

Max Trencher Infantry

-Officer & Sniper

-Rifle Grenadier

-Rifle Grenadier

Max Trencher Infantry

-Officer & Sniper

-Rifle Grenadier

-Rifle Grenadier

Min Boomhowlers

Time for a second shot into Mark’s Damiano Kingmakers list after a pretty desperate failure last time out with my Issyria list. It also gives me a chance to try out my Kaelyssa list again to get a feel for whether I want her to be my 3^rd list for the Nationals. Mark had slightly changed his list, dropping 4 Halberdiers, 2 Grenadiers and Dirty Meg to add some Ambushing Boomhowlers to add another dimension to his list. He won the roll to go first and got moving.

Note: I apologise for the pictures in this report. We were playing on a sunny morning at the local club and the sun was streaming onto the table. If in doubt assume that the blind spot is filled with Halberdiers and Trenchers, you probably won’t be far wrong.

As per our last game Mark puts Sure Foot up onto one unit of Trenchers, and Death March onto a unit of Halberdiers. The Trenchers advance and Dig In and the rest of the army runs up to form a formidable battle line.

I run up in response, Feating with Kealyssa to protect my forces. Helios gets Blur cast on it and Kae puts up Refuge on herself.

Mark doesn’t feel that it is worth risking triggering Vengeance on the Sentinels, and is aware that clock management it important with this list, so just runs up his infantry to jam my lines. He moves the Buccaneer over to the rectangle zone to start scoring defensively but doesn’t get a solo over to his flag.

For me to win this game I am going to have to keep Helios alive, which means getting rid of the Nomads before Damiano’s Feat turn. My Sentinels clear a zone to make space for Helios to advance, before Kaelyssa makes the Nomad behind the building Stationary using a combination of Phantom Hunter and Stall. Helios moves up, drags it in and destroys it, setting a few infantry on fire with Flame Burst. The other Nomad is controlled by being Knocked Down and Disrupted. I deal with the infantry as well as I can but can’t get anywhere near his zone. Mark scores to lead 1-0.

Mark’s turn is Damiano’s Feat turn. He continues the strategy of jamming me out of the zones and kills 5 or so Sentinels in the left unit. Boomhowlers come on to the left side to join in the party but don’t make any meaningful attacks. Mark scores again to take a 2-0 lead.

My Vengeance moves leave Stannis on 2 boxes and I can’t find a way to kill him before activating the Sentinels, so once again I can’t get anything into Mark’s left zone. I need to start scoring in response and thankfully am able to clear my right zone to score there. My Sentinels keep trying to clear Mark’s units out but can’t get the job done quickly enough. 3-1

Operation Jam becomes Operation “Kill all the Sentinels” on the left flank, as the Trenchers open fire and leave only one alive. Boomhowlers and the Nomad run up to engage the AFG and the remaining models on the right spread to all corners of my zone. Orin Midwinter runs to his flag to score an additional point, to lead 5-1.

The game is essentially lost but there is a chance if I can clear a lot out and start scoring more in response. Kaelyssa needs to roll perfectly with her attacks to kill the Sniper, Orin and Stall the Buccaneer, but fails a couple of shots and can only take out Orin. I manage to clear my zone to score there but can’t stop Mark’s inevitable victory. We both score to make it 6-2.

Mark simply runs the light jack to contest my zone to win 7-2

DEFEAT

This is a tough list and I’m still not sure what to do against it. I didn’t play well as I was deployed back to front (AFG should have locked down my zone while Helios pushed towards his) but it doesn’t escape the fact that going second against a fast list is a deathtrap for this list, so I’m just not sure it stands up under SR2017, at least until a Dawnguard theme comes out. Mark played this game really well, and it’s great to see a clubmate gel quickly with a list as he has with this one.