Game 296: Goreshade4 vs Vlad2

Game 296 – Vs Jonny Jennings – Khador – 12/01/19

My list:

Lord Ghyrrshyld, the Forgiven (Defenders of Ios)

-Chimera

-Harpy

-Harpy

Arcanist Mechanik

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

Fane Knight Skeryth Issyen

Ghost Sniper

Ghost Sniper

Heavy Rifle Team

Heavy Rifle Team

Min Houseguard Halberdiers

-Houseguard Halberdier Officer & Standard Bearer

Max Houseguard Halberdiers

-Houseguard Halberdier Officer & Standard Bearer

Max Ryssovass Defenders

-Soulless Escort

Max Ryssovass Defenders

-Soulless Escort

His List:

Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Champion (Armoured Corps)

-Devastator

-Kodiak

Man-O-War Kovnik

Man-O-War Strike Tanker

Man-O-War Strike Tanker

Man-O-War Suppression Tanker

Man-O-War Suppression Tanker

Kayazy Eliminators

Kommandant Atanas Arconovich & Standard

Max Man-O-War Demolition Corps

-Sergeant Dragos Dragadovich

Max Man-O-War Shorctroopers

-Man-O-War Shocktrooper Officer

Man-O-War Siege Chariot

The final round of day 1 is agains Jonny's Khador. In terms of qualifying for the top pod of day 2, 2 2-1 players would make it, so at 2-0 I was in a good position. I didn't think my D&C was going to be strong though, so this did feel like a must win game. It was an onvious Goreshade4 drop for me, despite getting destroyed by Rob's Man-O-War list a month ago. I learnt a lot from that game and was confident I could take this down. Jonny wins the first turn and we get moving.

With 8 Advance Move units on the table its a fair while until we even get to turn 1, and the lines are already closing pretty quickly. For Jonny's part, he runs everything up, putting Assail on the Devastator and Hand of Fate on the Shocktroopers.

I can get use out of clouds this game, but with Vlad having Wind Blast I have to be clever with their placement and use them essentially as a defence buff for my troops. I place 2 down, making sure they can't be removed by a single spell, and put Dauntless Resolve on the Max Halberdiers. I get up the table, staying out of threat of all but the guns and Chariot.

Jonny makes an ill considered charge with his Chariot into my Halberdiers, forgetting about Set Defence and thus only killing one. IT is compounded by bad luck as he fails to hit my Harpy with the cannon. Everything else continues it's slow trudge up the board, with the Suppression Tankers putting down Covering Fire to protect from my Ryssovass.

It is Feat turn for Goreshade4 as I definitely want to Feat first in this matchup. I plan how to get an Alpha and spot that I can get a few guns onto one of the Suppression Tankers. I take it out, put Hand of Ice on the Shock Troopers, and charge the Ryssovass and Halberdiers into them and the Chariot. I don't roll superbly on the Men-O-War, but take 3 out and damage others, but the Chariot goes down with a bit of help from the Ryssovass on the right. I walk Goreshade to the flag to start scoring at 1-0.

Jonny has a tough decision to make this turn. He has some bits on the left flank that he can kill without being effected by my Feat, but little in the centre or right. He does opt to Feat defensively, and runs both Eliminators up into Goreshade to threaten next turn and give an awkward DEF20 to worry about. I tough quite well on the Ryssovass, preventing him from scoring his flag. I stay 1-0 up.

I have the opportunity for a second alpha here, but the Feat makes some targets extremely difficult to deal with. I get lucky on the Eliminators, hitting a boosted 13 from Goreshade on one, and an unboosted 7 from Halberdier CMA on the other. I switch Hand of Ice onto the Kodiak, and remove it and the Strike Tanker on the right in melee, with my guns taking out the final Suppression Tanker. Some good dice in this turn for sure. I score my flag again to lead 2-0, and my attrition lead is growing nicely.

Jonny feels that the attiriton game has completely gone, and he has lost all real ways of contesting the right flag and zone. He kills what he can but can't even clear his flag (Ryssovass have been so good this game) allowing me to move further into a 3-0 lead.

I nudge Goreshade into the zone to score 2 and win 5-0.

VICTORY

It was difficult to sum up in the report but I can't understate how good the Sniper package was in this game. Their constant damage was great to finish off damaged Men-O-War and along with the Harpies and Rifle Teams provided the constant damage the list needed to swing the attrition. At 3-0 I qualified for the top pod on day 2, which also contained my Cygnar opponent from today along with Circle and Cryx.