Game 312: Ravyn vs Deneghra3

Game 312 – Vs Duncan Harradine – Cryx – 22/02/19

My list:

Ravyn, The Eternal Light (Defenders of Ios)

-Fane Knight Guardian

-Hyperion

Arcantrik Force Generator

Arcantrik Force Generator

Dawnguard Trident

Dawnguard Trident

Arcanist Mechanik

Fane Knight Skeryth Issyen

Lys Healer

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

His List:

Deneghra, the Soul Weaver (Slaughter Fleet Raiders)

-Satyxis Blood Priestess

-Nightmare

-Nightwretch

-Scavenger

-Deathripper

Axiara Wraithblade

General Gerlak Slaughterborn

Ragman

Max Black Ogrun Smog Belchers

Max Black Ogrun Boarding Party

Max Bloodgorgers

-Jussika Bloodtongue

Sharde Dirge Seers

The Devil’s Shadow Mutineers

Game 3 on a Friday evening and I’m up against regular opponent and former Pressganger Duncen. I decide it is the perfect time to try out the silly list I’ve had planned for a while. Ravyn with 5 huge bases and a load of solos designed to keep her alive. It isn’t subtle, but I love the way it looks on the table. If you’re looking for high level tactical play, this battle report isn’t for you. Duncan won the first turn and we got moving.

Deneghra puts up Grave Wind on herself and gives the Bloodgorgers Ghost Walk to get them through the water in front of them.

Ravyn casts Snipe on herself and walks up to shoot into a group of bunched up Trolls with a Blaster shot, killing 3 and Swift Hunting back. She switches Snipe onto a Trident which moves up and kills another. Everything else just runs up to take board position.

Duncan puts out Mortality on the right Trident and Hyperion. He charges a Bloodgorger into the former, dealing minimal damage, and shoots into Hyperion, rolling well to deal 25 points or so. Nightmare runs through the building to engage Eiryss. Deneghra Feats to give herself a big next turn.

Ravyn Feats, and the shooting begins. She starts things off herself by walking up to kill a Bloodgorger before firing a Blaster shot into the rest of the unit. This is the first time I’ve used Ravyn since the rules change and she is so much fun now, as she Sprints back to safety. The rest of my army deals decent damage into the Cryx, taking out Ragman and decent chunks of the infantry, including all of the Dirge Seers at the back. I knock down and Disrupt Nightmare, dealing with him for a turn. 0-0

Duncan has a strong turn, putting Mortailty back out onto the right Trident and Hyperion, before throwing attacks at them until both were dead. He scores the left zone to lead 1-0.

I shoot more stuff, finishing off Nightmare and almost clearing the right zone, but Jussika just wouldn’t die, but thankfully isn’t in the zone to stop me scoring. 2-2

Duncan keeps pushing up, this time taking out my left AFG with the Boarding Party. He scores twice again to lead 4-2.

I remove most of the Boarding Party and move my Trident over to the left to help out, clearing the right zone with the two Fane Knights. Unfortunately I don’t move either of them to the flag, or Ravyn into the zone, and so I don’t score and Duncan goes 5-2 up, winning easily next turn.

DEFEAT

This game wasn’t really about the result and was an absolute blast to play. Some real errors from me all over the place including completely forgetting about Swift Hunter on my Feat turn, and not scoring any points in my last turn. I want to play this list more, but don’t think it’s particularly competitive. I might take it to York alongside my Helynna list and have a lot of fun through the event before concentration on competitive lists from there. I’ll just have to not tell my WTC captain…

Game 311: Helynna vs Terminus

Game 311 – Vs Becky Red – Cryx – 22/02/19

My list:

Magister Helynna (Forges of War)

-Chimera

-Discordia

-Manticore

-Manticore

-Manticore

Dawnguard Trident

Dawnguard Trident

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

House Shyeel Arcanists

House Shyeel Arcanists

-Soulless Escort

His List:

Lich Lord Terminus (Dark Host)

-Barathrum

-Slayer

-Nightwretch

Wraith Engine

Bane Lord Tartarus

Machine Wraith

Machine Wraith

Max Bane Knights

-Bane Knight Officer

Max Bane Warriors

-Bane Warrior Officer & Standard Bearer

Max Bane Warriors

-Bane Warrior Officer & Standard Bearer

It isn’t long now until the York event where I have to play Helynna so I wanted another practice game or two to get back into Rhythm with her. Bex wanted to try out the new Bane Knight Officer and so the leftmost unit of Bane Warriors are Knights. With Bex winning the first turn we get moving.

Terminue casts Malediction on himself and everything runs up, pushing over to the left flank under the protection of the forest and the theme benefit clouds.

The sheer number of Banes in this list is pretty intimidating, but right now I can afford to get up the table aggressively to try and exert some scenario pressure. I don’t have any cheap throwaway pieces to contest with so I need to take a strong opening position.

Becky pushes up further through the forest, moving her Machine Wraiths over to the right flank to contest and score the flag and my zone in later turns.

I want to start scoring as much as possible, and so concentrate on clearing the Banes out of the central zone. A Manticore and Discordia get the job done, allowing me to put down 2 Covering Fire templates down, before moving out of threat with Rhythm of War. I score to lead 3-1.

At this point Becky commits her force en masse, running through to engage my lines with the Bane Knights and some of the Warriors, holding back with others to charge into me next turn. One of the Machine Wraiths runs to the flag to contest, and so we both score our own zones to move to 4-2

I need to score 3 uncontested points to win, which realistically means m own zone and flag, and either the flag or central zone to win. The flag would be easier, so I arc a Force Strike from Helynna, taking out the machine Wraith. From here it is a matter of clearing out the Banes around my flag, which I manage before moving into Becky’s zone with Rhythm of War. I win 7-2 on scenario.

VICTORY

Becky was probably a bit slow to move towards the scenario elements in this game, and underestimated how easily I would be able to remove the Machine Wraiths. From there it was a matter of keeping the pressure on and killing the Banes as they came forward, which was honestly pretty satisfying

Game 310: Garryth2 vs Morvahna2

Game 310 – Vs Paul Sheard – Circle – 22/02/19

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:

Morvanha the Dawnshadow (The Devourer’s Host)

-Argus Moonhound

-Storm Raptor

Bloodweaver Night Witch

Gallows Grove

Lord of the Feast

Tharn Ravager Shaman

Tharn Ravager Shaman

Max Tharn Ravagers

-Tharn Ravager Chieftain

Max Tharn Ravagers

-Tharn Ravager Chieftain

Max Tharn Wolf Riders

As part of my testing of Garryth2 I wanted to see whether he had decent game into Circle, as Mortailty feels like a good way to get around Tharn healing up all over the place. The terrain wasn’t particularly friendly, with a large forest on each flank to protect Paul’s advance. Given this, despite Paul winning the roll, he opts to choose sides and I get moving.

I put up Occultation onto the Ryssovass and Road to War on Garryth himself and run up the table.

Part of the reason that Circle are so punishing at the moment is that the slightest mispositioning is really punishing, and that comes into play early on here. I had moved a Harpy up about an inch too far into range of the Storm Raptor, so it moves up and shoots me around 75% dead. Morvahna puts up Fog of War and Carnivore onto the right Ravagers. One of each Ravager units run up aggressively, with the rest holding back.

Paul had used quite a few rerolls last turn trying to take out Ellowury, and so Morvahna is only on 6 boxes and a handful of transfers. I take the Eiryss shot to strip her focus, and just miss the 8 I needed, so I abandon the assassination and look at attrition instead. Garryth Feats and I shoot off what I can, triggering Vengeance on both units but keeping largely out of threat. I don’t feel good about the game state.

Paul pushes up and loses a couple of guys to Feat shots before finishing off my Harpy with the Raptor. Paul scores his own flag to lead 1-0.

I really need to get some work done this turn but so much of Paul’s army is in areas I just can’t get to. I clear out what I can, using Mage Sight to clear the left zone, allowing me to start scoring. I jam the right unit as best I can, but the pressure is really piling up and I just can’t get off the defensive. I move into a 3-1 lead.

Between a Raptor pulse and the two units of Ravagers I lose a lot of infantry this turn, as well as being pushed out of the right zone to allow Paul level the score to 3-3. He starts to do Morvanha’s Feat but I save us both some time by conceding the game.

DEFEAT

I don’t really know what to take from this game. I saw enough from my army to think that there might be something there into Circle, but Morvahna is a different beast altogether and on a table with 2 huge forests giving only a 3” and 4” gap to the central building it was always going to favour the Tharn. I’ll probably look at this matchup again, especially into casters like Iona or Wurmwood.

Game 309: Helynna vs Borka2

Game 309 – Vs Gary Stewart – Trollbloods – 17/02/19

My list:

Magister Helynna (Forges of War)

-Chimera

-Discordia

-Manticore

-Manticore

-Manticore

Dawnguard Trident

Dawnguard Trident

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

House Shyeel Arcanists

House Shyeel Arcanists

-Soulless Escort

His List:

Borka, Vengeance of the Rimeshaws (The Power of Dhunia)

-Trollkin Runebearer

-Earthborn Dire Troll

-Earthborn Dire Troll

-Mulg the Ancient

-Rok

-Storm Troll

-Troll Axer

Troll Whelps

Troll Whelps

Max Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes

-Stone Scribe Elder

Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew

Another practice game with Helynna and I’m up against Borka2 again, but this time in the Beast theme. My game plan will be much the same as it was against Rob, but with three differences. Firstly, the beasts threaten a bit further as Gary has a Troll Axer for Rush. Secondly, we are on a much more live scenario than before and thirdly, I don’t win first turn this time. With some issues to play around, we get moving.

Borka puts up Counter-Charge and Snow Shroud and fuels the stone before everything runs forward.

I get up the table as far as safely possible. Neither Earthborn has a speed boost at the moment so the threat ranges are fairly manageable.

Gary Feats with Borka and moves his battlegroup up, putting the Earthborn animus on himself (as he would for the rest of the game). He moves a Whelp to the right flag to allow him to score in my turn.

One of the weaknesses in this list is not really having anything to score flags, so I have to take an Arcanist out of the right to do so. This turn is a lot of awkward positioning. I largely back off to avoid having to Feat, giving up some scenario presence in return for a turn of safety. To counteract this, I am able to charge a Trident up on the left, take out the Gobbers and a couple of Whelps before repositioning out of range of the Earthborn. I lead 2-1.

Gary is uncertain how to play this turn, as I don’t think he expected me to back off so aggressively. He charge the Axer into my left Trident, leaving it on 8 boxes, before pushing up with the rest of his battlegroup, hoping to overwhelm me with targets. 2-2.

This is the turn where I need to get work done, and I don’t do particularly well. The Earthborn on the right being Defence 16 against my shooting means the Trident doesn’t get much damage on it, and the Manticore I commit can’t finish it off due to having to boost to hit. On the left things go better, the Trident takes out the Axer, and Discordia and the Manticore combine to take out a Hand of Fated Mulg. 3-3.

Gary does what he can into my feat, but struggles to get too much damage done. The right earthborn gets Primal and reduces the Manticore to around 8 boxes, the left tickles Discordia a bit, and Rok walks through the forest to kill the Chimera. 4-4

Here we go, its been a long time since I had to write up a turn I played this badly. It should have been simple, kill 2 heavies, leave just Rok alive and stroll to victory. Instead I triggered Counter-Charge on Borka, who hit the Crit-Smite on my fully fuelled Manticore, as a result the left Earthborn survived to threaten me next turn. Then some pretty bad dice (Trident midding a boosted 8) meant that the right Earthborn just wouldn’t die, taking my entire right flank to remove it. I do clear the top left zone through to at least pull ahead 6-5 on scenario.

Time to see if I get away with my mistake or not. Helynna is behind a wall with 3 Focus so essentially a 17/20 caster but this could still easily go wrong. Gary plays it well, clearing out the blocking Manticore with Rok before putting Primal on the Earthborn and sending him in. He rolls pretty well on the assassination, hitting 2 of 3 unboosted 9s to hit, but some slightly under average damage rolls mean I survive with a single box, for the second time in a weekend. The game is over here, as I would go 2 CPs up in his turn (the assassination was his last activation) and would just need to clear my right zone to win.

VICTORY

I played a lot of this game really well, before completely falling apart at the end. I could easily have got both heavies onto the Earthborn without triggering Counter-Charge but just forgot about it and nearly threw away a really strong position. I really enjoy playing Gary, and he’s becoming a really strong opponent in what is a great Merseyside meta. I won’t have too many more games before the York event, and then after that I will be building towards the Welsh and then the WTC. Garryth2 coming out means it’s a really exciting time for the faction and there seem to be so many options at the moment. Its now been 40 games since I last played Vyros2, I feel like I need one of those Alcoholics Anonymous badges.

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.

Game 307: Helynna vs Borka2

Game 307 – Vs Rob Brown – Trollbloods – 15/02/19

My list:

Magister Helynna (Forges of War)

-Chimera

-Discordia

-Manticore

-Manticore

-Manticore

Dawnguard Trident

Dawnguard Trident

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

House Shyeel Arcanists

House Shyeel Arcanists

-Soulless Escort

His List:

Borka, Vengeance of the Rimeshaws (Storm of the North)

-Trollkin Runebearer

-Earthborn Dire Troll

-Pyre Troll

-Rok

Fell Caller Hero

Valka Cursebor, Chieftain of the North

Max Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes

-Northkin Elder

Northkin Bear Handlers & Battle Bears

Northkin Bear Handlers & Battle Bears

Northkin Fire Eaters

Northkin Fire Eaters

Max Northkin Raiders

Second practice game with Helynna and I’m up against Borka2 played by my clubmate Rob, who inexplicably had avoided being on this blog up to now. I win the first turn and we get moving.

Helynna puts up Deceleration and everything gets up the table, with Rhythm of War allowing everybody to get into Discordia’s Kinetic Field bubble for some extra armour.

I’ve kept my support far enough back to be out of the Fire Eater’s threat (as much by luck as by judgement) and so they get lit up by the Pyre Troll and set some of my Jacks on fire. Other than that he gets up the table, with the Bears taking the snow drift to give themselves Stealth. Borka Feats.

Much like the last game, I don’t want to Feat this turn. If I can hold back just out of threat I can then take a strong attrition position next turn. I shoot off the Fire Eaters that had come forward, and Discordia sprayed down the conga line of Bears and Handler, killing one bear and Deafening the leader. She was then Slipstreamed and Rhythmed back to safety. I shoot off a handful of Raiders.

I had left both Tridents just within range of the ambushing bears, doing rough maths to work out that they shouldn’t kill it. And I was right; the unit ambushing on the left and rolling fairly well to leave me on 7 boxes. What I hadn’t calculated was Rob killing the Deafened leader, allowing the last Bear in the unit to charge and finish it off. Rob then turned to an attempted assassination, with my caster being on zero camp (probably an error). 2 Fire Eaters could get sprays on her, but one was killed by Covering Fire and the second missed. Rok’s spray made contact and left her on a handful of boxes, so Rob went all in and went for Borka’s Sprays. The first hit and left her on a single box, with the second (unboosted and needing a 10) thankfully missing. I survive the turn. 0-0

Despite Borka being right in front of my with no Fury, this still isn’t a trivial assassination as he ran up with everything he had to jam me. Eventually I solve the problem by smiting the Earthborn at Borka with a Chain Attack from Discordia, knocking him down and clearing a route for a Manticore to finish him off.

VICTORY

My mistake this game was thinking I needed Hand of Fate to take out the Fire Eaters. This cost me three focus on Helynna, but my jacks would still have easily been able to remove them. With 3 extra Focus (and ideally being in range of Kinetic Field) the assassination would never have been on. As it was, I had to rely on a bit of good luck to survive. Rob was a great opponent and we have a lot of fun in this game, Helynna isn’t as bad as I feared.