Game 308: Garryth2 vs Deneghra1

Game 308 – Vs John Tavernor – Cryx – 17/02/19

My list:

Garryth, Eye of Vengeance (Defenders of Ios)

-Harpy

-Harpy

-Moros

Arcantrik Force Generator

Arcantrik Force Generator

Arcanist Mechanik

Lys Healer

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

Heavy Rifle Team

Heavy Rifle Team

Max Ryssovass Defenders

Max House Ellowuyr Swordsmen

-House Ellowuyr Swordsman Officer & Standard

His List:

Warwitch Deneghra (Slaughter Fleet Raiders)

-Satyxis Blood Priestess

-Nightmare

-Nightwretch

-Ripjaw

Axiara Wraithblade

Eilish Garrity, the Occultist

General Gerlak Slaughterborn

Max Black Ogrun Smog Belchers

Max Blighted Trollkin Marauders

-Jussika Bloodtongue

Max Bloodgorgers

Cephalx Overlords

Sharde Dirge Seers

A couple of games on a Sunday afternoon, the first testing my slightly adjusted Garryth2 into Cryx, in particular into a Deneghra Slaughter Fleet list. John won the first turn and we got moving.

After my Advance Moves John runs everything forward, staying mostly out of my pretty significant threat ranges.

John had accidently positioned one model (an Overlord) in my threat range, but that’s all Garryth really needs. I move up, put down a Mage Sight and cast Road to War, before taking the shot and removing the model. This allows the left Harpy to move forward and kill one of the Smog Belchers that had previously been out of threat. Everything else runs up.

Deneghra arcs a Crippling Grasp onto my Ellowuyr and the Smog Belchers open up into them with their guns, building a cloud wall in the process before Repositioning back. The Bloodgorgers run up behind and toe the zone. On the right John moves up fairly cautiously, and redeploys Nighmare to help out on the right.

This needs to be Garryth’s Feat turn, but I don’t think I can afford to aim for the extra Control Range. This is because I want to put down a Mage Sight on the two models that are in the zone to allow me to start scoring on the left. I shoot one off with Garryth before opening up with my guns on the left, taking out the objective, clearing the zone, and shooting the Arc Node off the Ripjaw. On the right I take out as many Marauders as I can, and am able to take out Jussika due to a mispositioning by John. I score to lead 2-0.

John decides to mostly hold off on my Feat, just using his guns to deal what damage he can. He does charge in a couple of Marauders, some being taken down by my Feat and some dealing damage into my forward Harpy, taking out the gun. John takes out my objective to close to 2-1.

I expected a defensive Feat from Deneghra last turn, but John clearly wanted to hold it for the offensive benefit as well, so I have this turn to deal as much damage as I can. I do a pretty decent job, with Mortality going on the Marauders and allowing my Ellowuyr to reliable Cleave through them. I fail to take out the Ripjaw but leave it on a single box and out of Deneghra’s Control range. On the right the AFG and Ryssovass are slowly grinding away, crucially taking out the second Arc Node. The score stays 2-1.

John does Feat this turn, clipping most of my army, but he doesn’t really have enough models left to capitalise on it. He takes out Moros, the rest of my Ellowuyr (apart from the Prey buffer at the back) and most of my Ryssovass. John clocks this turn, the time taken to play round my Feat really took it’s toll. We decided to play on regardless as the game is interestingly poised. John moves into a 3-2 lead.

At this point the game will be decided by who can keep contesting the zones the longest, so I just clear out what I can, scoring the left zone to level at 3-3. The two remaining Rysovass charge Nightmare and cut out it’s Cortex, significantly reducing it’s threat.

John clears the right and central zones, contesting the left to move 5-3 ahead on the top of turn 5. I need to pull this back quickly but I think I have time on my side.

I shoot off all the models in the centre and left, leaving John with only one model that can really ever contest the left again. I score twice to close at 5-5 again.

John needs to clear my whole HRT unit in the centre, and with the Overlord failing he has to commit Deneghra to within 14” of Garryth to do so. He does remove the unit to score the zone again to lead 7-5 on the top of 6.

I am confident that I can grind it out from here as I can shoot off Eilish with a Harpy and from there John can never contest the left again. Moving the AFG into the central zone would shut down him scoring that, meaning the right would be his only avenue, and I would have enough models around to contest it long enough to win. But with Deneghra in range of Garryth I can’t refuse the assassination. The AFG moves to within 5” of the Overlord and slams it into the Caster. After a Mage Sight, Garryth’s Armour Piercing shot leaves her on a couple of boxes, and the Harpy moves in to finish her off.

VICTORY

I’ve never been one to love the long grindy games that really appeal to some people (I’m looking at you, Haley3 players), but Garryth2 seems to be really good at them, and I finally have a caster that I’m enjoying in that style of game. I really like the list now with the second HRT and one of each melee unit, and the Ellowuyr are doing just enough to keep their place for the time being. John was a great opponent through this game, and it was nice to get revenge for the SR final I lost to him at the start of the year.