Game 269: Vyros2 vs Locke

Game 269– Vs Andrew Murchie – Convergence of Cyriss – 6/10/18

My list:

Vryos, Incissar of the Dawnguard (Forges of War)

-Sylys Wyshnaylrr, The Seeker

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Aspis

-Discordia

-Manticore

-Manticore

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

House Shyeel Arcanists

House Shyeel Arcanists

His List:

Aurum Lucanum Athanor Locke (Destruction Initiative)

-Prime Axiom

-Corollary

-Inverter

-Inverter

-Conservator

-Conservator

Algorithmic Dispersion Optifex

Attunement Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Reflex Servitors

Optifex Directive

Round 3 of the UK Nationals and my second against Convergence. Andrew dropped Locke who, unfortunately, I hadn't been able to get a game in against before the WTC. I won the first turn and we got moving.

I had no idea how to proceed in this game, but it can be a pretty live scenario if you can push on hard enough, so I eyed up that as a possibility. To that end, everything runs.

Redline is put up onto the Prime Axiom and everything gets up the table, but being careful to stay well out of my threat ranges.

I decide to spread out pretty severely, trying to tempt Andrew out and giving me the best opportunity to score zones next turn. The weakness of this list has always been contesting the enemy zone on this scenario, but that was a bridge to cross later.

Andrew takes out one Griffon before Warpathing the Conservator back slightly. The rest of the forces push up and he contests my zone to take a 1-0 lead.

I need to take some chances in this game, and so I decide to push hard. I shoot off the objective, contest Andrew's zone with a Griffon, and score both circular zones to take a 4-1 lead and put Andrew under some pressure.

However, in my haste to score points I have left Vyros within 16” of the Prime Axiom, so after a lucky Flare scatter lowers his defence, the Axiom runs up and takes Vyros out with Jackhammers.

DEFEAT

Whilst the Flare was a big deal (changed the Axiom from needing 8s to 6s) I shouldn't have taken my eye off the ball in that way. I really had no idea how to approach this game and was pretty please with the way I played it in general, as I got Andrew to the point where he felt he needed to go for the risky assassination. I need more practice into this matchup. Vyros isn't a perfect drop into Convergence and when I start investigating some of the new options we have, I'll be looking to see whether we have a better option into lists like this.

Game 267: Vyros2 vs Lucant

Game 267 – Vs Rachel Child – Convergence of Cyriss – 6/10/18

My list:

Vryos, Incissar of the Dawnguard (Forges of War)

-Sylys Wyshnaylrr, The Seeker

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Aspis

-Discordia

-Manticore

-Manticore

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

House Shyeel Arcanists

House Shyeel Arcanists

Her List:

Father Lucant (Destruction Initiative)

-Corollary

-Inverter

-Inverter

-Conservator

-Conservator

-Conservator

-Galvanizer

Transfinite Emergence Projector

Reflex Servitors

Attunement Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Accretion Servitors

Optifex Directive

After a short Post-CID break and a bit of time to absorb the Retribution dynamic update that followed a week later it was finally time to get some models back on the table. What better way than to go straight into the UK Nationals. My lists were Elara2 in Shadows, Ravyn in Legions and my old faithful Vyros2 in Forges. I promised myself that I would play Vyros as little as possible, but I wanted a strong performance to hopefully help me onto a WTC team again next year. The first round saw me up against Rachel with her Convergence, which unfortunately meant that it was a Vyros2 drop straight out of the gate. I win the first turn and we get moving.

With no turn 1 threat Vyros just runs up with his army following as much as possible.

Rachel decides that she has to Feat this turn or have to sit so far back that she would give up too much on scenario. Lucant casts Deceleration to further increase their armour and runs everything up, staying out of threat range of my Manticores.

I don't really want to advance into Lucant's Feat, and the threat range on the Vectors is pretty limited, so I decide to back up slightly. I am going to surrender some control points next turn but I think I can afford to. I leave an Aspis contesting the central flag, in threat range of some Vectors, but Rachel would have to commit a heavy to take it out.

Instead, Rachel tried to take out the Aspis using the TEP, but under Deceleration that was always going to be tricky and the Aspis lived. She contested my scoring elements but backed off with most of her forces, scoring twice to lead 2-0

Making attacks with the TEP had left it in range of 2 Griffons, and with Synergy built up by taking out Servitors I sent 2 in to take it out, following up with Discordia into a Conservator to start off the heavy trade. I stay out of threat range of both Inverters and the score goes to 3-2 to Rachel.

With Discordia providing a juicy target in the middle of the table the 2 remaing Conservators are sent in to take it out. The Inverters are both moved to provide Watcher cover for Lucant. The score moves to 4-3 to Rachel.

There are 2 Griffons within range of Lucant, so I start looking at an assassination. The issue is Watcher so I would need to take that out of the equation first. I load up a Manticore and after Synergy is built to 2 I send it in to the left Invertor. The issue that Rachel is set with here is that she can either use Watcher to knock down the Manticore, or save it for the assassination and almost certainly lose the Inverter. She chose to knock down the Manticore. My turn was then a simple matter of taking out the left Conservator and delivering the Griffons to Lucant, with the first taking him out.

VICTORY

Some small CID tweaks in Forges has really improved this Vyros list. Essentially I have swapped out a Griffon and a free solo for Discordia, which is a great change for the list. This game was a really interesting to play, with a couple of turns of feinting and backing off before being able to play Vyros' preferred game and crushing through a flank. Had I not gone for the assassination I could have taken out both Conservators and had a very strong attrition position from there, which I am certain I would have pushed through on what is a very live scenario. On to round 2.

Game 263: Vyros2 vs Orion

Game 263 – Vs Adrian Ramos – Convergence of Cyriss – 15/09/18

My list:

Vryos, Incissar of the Dawnguard (Forges of War)

-Sylys Wyshnaylrr, The Seeker

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon      

-Griffon

-Aspis

-Manticore

-Manticore

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

House Shyeel Artificer

Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress

House Shyeel Arcanists

House Shyeel Arcanists

His List:

Eminent Configurator Orion (Destruction Initiative)

-Corollary

-Prime Axiom

-Prime Axiom

Transfinite Emergence Projector

Accretion Servitors

Attunement Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Reflex Servitors

Reflex Servitors

Round 3, and surely this round a bit of luck will go our way. We are paired up against Spain Rogue who are equally disappointed to be in this position. This round I have to take a bit of a hit for the team. I had matchups that I was happy about in the first 2 rounds, but none of us wanted to face this Convergence pair, and after my long and hard Round 2 I was the obvious person to put up to it. And who knows, maybe there was a way I could win the game. I won the roll to go first and we got moving.

I move up the table, casting Deceleration as Orion can be a bit Focus strapped, and forcing him to spend 2 for Blessed is worthwhile. There are 4 Pull shots on the other side of the table, so I am careful to keep 4 Jacks behind in Shield Guard formations to stop anything being removed too early.

The 3 Huge Bases run up the table with Orion snugly hidden behind with some of the support models. He casts Avenging Force to add some options for next turn should I kill any Servitors.

And I do kill some Servitors. I honestly have no idea how I should be positioning into this matchup, there are just too many attack vectors. If I bunch up too much the TEP has a field day, if I spread out then I’m just doing to get picked apart piecemeal. I opt to send 3 Griffons up to kill Servitors and hold the rest back to hopefully do enough work next turn.

Between Avenging Force and the 2 Collosals activations I lose 4 Griffons and a Manticore, and I don’t really know how I could have avoided it. Adrian scores 2CP to take a 2-0 lead.

I make a desperate play to stay in the game, going for 2 boosted Lock the Targets on the far Axiom whilst destroying the near one. Unfortunately whilst the first colossal goes down, neither Lock break armour, so Vyros is left swinging in the breeze. It doesn’t matter in the end though, as The score goes to 4-1 in my turn and Adrian just has to contest to win 6-1.

DEFEAT

This is a real example of a WTC list for Adrian, and it really worked. It scared us, he got it into a good matchup and I really felt like I had no chance at all. Thankfully, sacrificing me into it worked out, and the team got through another close round 3-2 to finally get us up and running. We got a good night’s sleep again and prepared to continue our comeback on day 2.

Game 231: Vyros2 vs Orion

Game 231 – Vs Chris Young – Convegence of Cyriss – 28/07/18

My list:

Vryos, Incissar of the Dawnguard (Forges of War)

-Sylys Wyshnaylrr, The Seeker

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon

-Griffon      

-Griffon

-Aspis

-Manticore

-Manticore

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

House Shyeel Artificer

Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress

House Shyeel Arcanists

House Shyeel Arcanists

His List:

Eminent Configurator Orion (Destruction Initiative)

-Assimilator

-Assimilator

-Conservator

-Corrollary

-Monitor

-Monitor

Algorithmic Dispersion Optifex

Attunement Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Reflex Servitors

Transfinite Emergence Projector & Permutation Servitors

Round 2 sees me play against club mate Chris with his Convergence, a match up that I am still not practiced enough into. Chris won the roll to go first and we got moving.

Avenging Force goes onto Orion and everything tramples of runs up the table.

I can take most of the shooting pretty well so just get up the table as far as possible, making sure that there is no way the TEP can spray more than one Griffon at once. Deceleration goes up to force Chris to spend Focus to ignore it.

Chris moves up and puts some gun shots into me, removing one of the Griffons and splashing around some additional damage.

I figure that I can remove 2 threats this turn, and opt for one of the shooty heavies and the TEP. Synergy is built and I send the Griffons in, taking them out, but having to leave Vyros in an aggressive position to do so. 2-0 to me.

Chris feels forced into an assassination and due to my forgetting Mage Sight he has a pretty decent chance. His shooting jacks hit all their 10s to hit before the Conservator goes in to finish the job

DEFEAT

-      I think I overestimated the threat of the TEP in this game. Had I gone for the Conservator instead I would have been able to hold Vyros back and deal with the Battle Engine in a later turn.

-      Convergence is still a real struggle for me in terms of reps into them, so any game against them is a bonus

Game 211: Vyros2 vs Axis

Game 211 – Vs Stuart Esplin – Convergence of Cyriss – 16/06/18

My list:

Vyros, Incissar of the Dawnguard (Shadows of the Retribution)

-Harpy

-Harpy

-Harpy

-Harpy

-Siren

-Siren

-Siren

-Siren

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Max Mage Hunter Infiltrators

-Soulless Escort

Max Mage Hunter Infiltrators

-Soulless Escort

His List:

Axis, the Harmonic Enforcer (Destruction Initiative)

-Corollary

-Diffuser

-Conservator

-Conservator

-Conservator

-Inverter

Transfinite Emergence Projector & Permutation Servitors

Transfinite Emergence Projector & Permutation Servitors

Attunement Servitors

Attunement Servitors

Reflex Servitors

Reflex Servitors

Reflex Servitors

Optifex Directive

Game 3 of SR. Useful practice game into Convergence and I don’t see them often. I win first turn.

Everything runs up, staying out of Feat and shoot range of the TEPs. Cast Synergy.

Convergence run up, with all but 1 Reflex Digging In. Casts Battle Charged.

I manage to clear out reflex Sevitors pretty well with guns and Infiltrators, and push back one of the Conservators. Infiltrators jam and Vyros Feats

Axis gets up the table and Feats, catching the vast majority of my forces. TEP sprays take out about half the Infiltrators on each flank, but he is careful not to trigger Vyros’ Feat. 0-0

Axis’ Feat means I can’t get into melee, so concentrate on shooting instead. I have decent success, taking out one Conservator, and knockdown-disrupting another. More Infiltrators move up to jam the TEPs. 0-0

More clearing out of Infiltrators and the Invertor comes in and takes out one and a half of my lights. 0-0

I finally have a strong turn of attrition, building up a Synergy chain before taking out the Invertor and the right TEP, clearing both outside zones for a 2-0 lead.

I have kept Vyros pretty safe but Stuart still has a long shot assassination on me. The Flare hits but he can’t roll well enough on the other attacks and Vyros is left alive. 3-0 to me.

Axis is right out in the open, camping very little. I take him out, winning 5-0 on scenario at the same time.

VICTORY

-      Useful game into Axis, he always seems to be the Ret drop.

-      The shooting of the list did a lot, but I always felt like Vyros was a bit too vulnerable. The central building certainly helped

-      Relieved to get onto the score card at the event, I really didn’t want the spoon…

Game 137: Kaelyssa vs Orion

Game 137 – Vs Chris Young – Convergence – 25/01/18

My list:

Kaelyssa, The Night’s Whisper (Legions of Dawn)

-Helios

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

Dawnguard Sentinel Scyir

Max Dawnguard Sentinels

-Dawnguard Sentinel Officer and Standard Bearer

-Soulless Escort

Max Dawnguard Sentinels

-Dawnguard Sentinel Officer and Standard Bearer

-Soulless Escort

Min Dawnguard Destors

Min Dawnguard Destors

His List:

Eminent Configurator Orion (Destruction Initiative)

-Corollary

-Assimilator

-Assimilator

-Inverter

-Inverter

-Monitor

Transfinite Emergence Projector

Attunement Servitors

Reflex Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Elimination Servitors

Elimination Servitors

With a big event in York on the horizon and my list pair decided after a successful Steamroller at the weekend I just needed reps with my pair to be prepared for whatever I was likely to see. Chris was looking for a game with his Convergence and it was something that I definitely wanted to test Kaelyssa into. He was using the interesting new caster Orion, who seems like a really great toolbox caster. I win the first turn and we get moving.

I’m up against a gunline so it’s the usual suite of Blur on Helios and Refuge on Elara before running everything up. One unit of Destors flanks really hard on the right with an eye to going after Servitors on a later turn. Eiryss shoots at one of the Dug In Reflex Servitors but can’t break armour.

I have made a pretty significant positioning error and Chris punishes me for it. Orion puts up Avenging Force ready for next turn, and casts Magic Bullet on the Monitor. I have left a Destor within the Monitor’s range, and Eiryss was within 4” of him, so the Magic Bullet takes her out. The rest of Chris’ forces advance up outside of my threat ranges.

I’m not absolutely sure how to go about my next turn, but know that if I take control of the zones Chris has to come into me eventually. I respect the threat ranges of his guns and largely stay out of them. Helios moves up into an advanced position. Kaelyssa Feats before casting Phantom Hunter on herself and shooting off all 3 Reflex Servitors. The right Destors move a long way round the flank, ready to cause trouble next turn.

Chris doesn’t want to walk into all my threat ranges, and can’t do too much damage to me through Stealth anyway, so he contests the zones with Servitors, and takes what shots he can into Helios, removing pat of his Force Field. The right Invertor gets into the right zone to contest and a Servitor takes advantage of a slight positioning error on my part by blocking up 2 of my flanking Destors.

Usually the turn after Kaelyssa’s feat is when everything charges in but Chris’ positioning has made this impossible, so I need to just score 3 CPs, weather the Convergence Feat and then see what I have left to work with. My Destors on the right unjam each other allowing one to charge through and kill a couple of Servitors, the ones on the left deal with the contesting models to score the left zone and clear the centre for Helios. Helios himself charges in and kills the contesting Invertor and Kaelyssa simply runs into the right zone to take a 3-0 lead.

Time for me to suffer Orion’s Feat turn for the first time, and it really is impressive. He casts Forced Induction onto Helios, to put a Focus on it, before concentrating on shooting off my forces, killing around 10 of them with the Ground Pounder shots. The TEP clears off all 3 Destors but he has no units with which to score the zone. The Inverter goes into Helios dealing an impressive amount of damage, taking out well over half of the colossal. I don’t feel that I have lost enough to lose me the game, but the mispositioning of my Sentinels on the right has made life difficult for me. All the zones are contested so we remain at 3-0 to me.

With most of Helios gone an attrition game feels like it will be a real struggle, but I do only need to score 2 CPs to win. 3 heavies are contesting the right and central zones and all are within 3” of being pushed out, so Helios can get that done. There are a number of Shield Guard Servitors making life difficult so Kaelyssa and the Sentinels have to deal with that, and thankfully I hit the 5s I need to clear them out. Helios has 3 focus and boosts all 3 shots to remove the Heavies from the zones, allowing me to score 2 more points and win 5-0.

VICTORY

This was a really tough game positionally with the impressive threat from Orion’s guns. I was at risk of a Magic Bullet assassination early in the game but the dice weren’t quite in Chris’ favour so he opted against it. The blue unit of Sentinels were mispositioned all game. They were on that side due to the difficult terrain near my deployment zone, but I should have recognised that the game was going to be played further up the field, and that the ability of Helios to gain Phantom Hunter would have been much more beneficial to deal with that forest.