Xerxis 35pt and ??? Steamroller 2010 lists

[Subhedgehog]

Hi all,

I'm playing in an SR 2010 tournament on March 13th, and I want to run a Xerxis list. I have only played a handful of games with the field test models previous to Jan 29th releases.

Here's what I came up with, 35 pts



Tyrant Xerxis (-5 pts)
* Basilisk Drake 4 pts
* Molik Karn 11 pts
Cataphract Cetrati (Leader + 5) 11pts
Praetorian Ferox (Leader + 4) 11 pts
Totem Hunter 3pts

The Ferox have pathfinder, and Big X can grant pathfinder to the Cetrati. The totem hunter is a pretty good solo for menacing a flank or hunting in the back field. The Drake I chose to at least have some ranged option and give the advantage of bushwhack on the cetrati to help them push forward. Molik Karn is for yo-yo murder shenannigans.

I'm a little concerned that the beasts in this list are somewhat squishable, so I'll have to choose carefully between Defenders ward on cetrati, ferox or Karn depending on the situation. It also feels like a disadvantage to have so few (relatively) models on the field, but I'm hoping the mobility of the ferox will help me pull opponent units out of formation, or circumnavigate roadblock units to attack the backfield.

Any critique is appreciated.

My second list for the steamroller event will be a titan herd, lead by either eMakeda or Morghoul.


The Supreme Archdomina (-5pts)
* Bronzeback Titan 10pts
* Titan Gladiator 8pts
* Titan Cannoneer 9pts
Paingivers (Leader + 5) 3pts
Praetorian Swordsmen (Leader + 9) 6pts
* Officer and Standard 2pts
Saxon Orrik 2pts

The praetorians are to act as a screen, maybe getting to blend some troops with what's left of them. Orrik and Makeda sheppherd the titans upfield as fast as possbile, then it's time to use the big meat to clear the objectives. It's pretty straightforward, but I'm not sure if I can stand up to cryxian tricks of any variety. There are a bunch of Khador players I'm hoping to take this list to , as they tend to fall right into the preferred playstyle of this list.

As for other items - with one possible exception, I will be the only Hordes player in a field of 20.

Let me know what you think - I will have a chance to test things at least once before the tournament, but I'm not sure I'll get more than a couple games in that day.

[Subhedgehog]

Update to those who might be interested - I used the following Xerxis list:



Tyrant Xerxis (-5 pts)
* Rhinodon 7 pts
* Titan Gladiator 8 pts
Cataphract Cetrati (Leader + 5) 11pts
Praetorian Ferox (Leader + 4) 11 pts
Totem Hunter 3pts

This list went 2 and 0, winning by caster kill against a Magnus Agenda list in the Close Quarters scenario - the Gladiator got a slam against a renegade that let him follow through to Magnus and smash him flat. I was going to be in trouble, getting swamped on the left flank by Steelhead halbrediers and cavalry, but I did have the Rhinodon in place to kill ~ 8 models and the cetrati + xerxis brick were holding my circle from the advancing jacks and solos. What was left of the ferox were going to try and jump over the fray to put some spears on back arcs and prevent charges, so it would have been interesting had the slam opportunity not been handed to me.

The second win was against a Retribution list (uh, Rahn? 8 focus, some sort of super-slam spell?). The Retribution got killed almost to a man by the brick in The Gauntlet (custom made scenario for this list). The Rhinodon killed an entire unit of mittenmages (except their soulless escort) and a light jack whose name escapes me. Big X and the Brickhouse Boys marched up the field while the Gladiator took out the stragglers that survived the Ferox impact + charge rampage and secured the home zone until he finally flipped out and bum-punched the Rhinodon in the final turn. Ended with X making his patented two-club elfbutter. He'd been knocked down by a magically rammed Rhinodon and charged by the elf who could barely scratch him with his mini-weapon. The Cetrati lost a single member, despite being on fire for three turns while taking on a heavy jack, a couple of angry mage hunters + starfall (?) archers and keeping Rahn bottled up at the end of his gauntlet zone.



Master Tormentor Morghoul (-7pts)
* Cyclopse Brute (5pts)
* Bronzeback Titan (10pts)
* Titan Cannoneer (9pts)
* Titan Gladiator (8pts)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Extoler Soulward (2pts)
Saxon Orrik (2pts)
Void Spirit (2pts)

This list was 1 and 2, but the losses came to the tournament winner who went 5 and 0, playing eSorscha with Beast-09, IFP + UA, Greylords, Winterguard + UA + Joe and I'm forgetting something. I chose my titan list knowing that the X brick would get destroyed much quicker. I got worked badly, no excuses really, but Sorscha's feat allowed three lightly scratched Titans to be killed in one turn. :/
The second loss came to a Haley list - the details escape me... storm blades, light arcnode, no-charge-me heavy, hammer heavy, fixer-up-ers, squire. A couple of lightning dudes, probably, and I'm guessing Junior. Either way, it was game 4 of the day and I was not as attentive as I should have been. The scenario was Outflank, Outfight, Outlast, and I just blew it. I deployed poorly (there was an impassable, 5" rock column on the edge of my zone that forced me to deploy to one flank) and totally forgot to guard the right objective zone with more than one squishy spook. I also left chain-lightning line-of-sight straight to morghoul more than once, though he had fury for transfers. Lost on scenario to the Cygnar player who came in 5th overall.
My win came against a jack-heavy cryx list run by Terminus - scenario was Overrun. The player, usually quite knowledgable in the game, had no idea the threat range and raw beatdown of an enraged + abused + rushed gladiator. I suspect he actually knew the number it could get to, just didn't quite get the good eyeball to the terrain to judge the kill radius. Turn 2 I failed a charge with the bronzeback on his Seether by 1/8" as the Cannoneer crushed an arcnode from afar. The Bronzeback went for a ride, ending up right in midfield, knocked down and charged by a Slayer who miraculously failed to actually kill him. The Gladiator was behind the BB and off to one side on the edge of the line and watched as Terminus flew up across the battlefield to get over a 2" wall and sit a few inches outside the objective strip. Morghoul moves up, heals the one lost aspect on the BB and casts abuse + rush on the gladiator. The BB stood up, tusked, grabbed and smashed the Slayer into a two handed throw aimed at a necrotech near terminus. Bullseye, the big dude was knocked down. In goes the gladiator all fists, smelly bits and anger. Terminus is terminated.

All in all, it was a great time. The event was run by PG_Geist as part of a mini-con called Trumpeter's Salute. I came in 4th due to strength of schedule, won a sweet Skorne patch for my efforts. I enjoyed both lists despite the losses with Morghoul. I love the Mk 2 Skorne heavy beasts. Cetrati are terrifying for my opponents - the retribution list I played against lit them on fire for three straight turns and they refused to die due to defenders ward. Ferox are good times, as always.

[Amon]

Sounds like a good time, plus your reports are hilarious. :D

How was the totem hunter? I find mylsef trying to work him into a lot of lists lately.

[Subhedgehog]

I really like the totem hunter, but in this event I didn't get much out of him. Against the retribution I had to use him to block a charge lane and he died to a mage hunter charge. Against Magnus he did better, getting up to narrowly miss killing some shooty solo pair. I was aiming to get to Orin Midwinter, or to force magnus to deal with the hunter for a turn, but the gladiator got to both of them first. :)

[Subhedgehog]

Incidentally, I made much more complete write-ups of this event on the Vancouver Warmachine Blog (http://vanmachine.vancouvergamers.com)

The posts are:
List discussion (http://vanmachine.vancouvergamers.com/2010/03/subhedgehogs-salute-2010-steamroller-report-army-lists/)
Part 1 - games 1 and 2 (http://vanmachine.vancouvergamers.com/2010/03/subhedgehogs-salute-2010-steamroller-report-part-1/)
Part 2 - games 3, 4 and 5 (http://vanmachine.vancouvergamers.com/2010/03/subhedgehogs-salute-2010-steamroller-report-part-2/)

Enjoy!

[Malfunction]

Incidentally, I made much more complete write-ups of this event on the Vancouver Warmachine Blog (http://vanmachine.vancouvergamers.com)

The posts are:
List discussion (http://vanmachine.vancouvergamers.com/2010/03/subhedgehogs-salute-2010-steamroller-report-army-lists/)
Part 1 - games 1 and 2 (http://vanmachine.vancouvergamers.com/2010/03/subhedgehogs-salute-2010-steamroller-report-part-1/)
Part 2 - games 3, 4 and 5 (http://vanmachine.vancouvergamers.com/2010/03/subhedgehogs-salute-2010-steamroller-report-part-2/)

Enjoy!

Very nice articles. I enjoyed them.

Thanks!

[CaladanCid]

Great reports! I have been having trouble making a variety of lists with the new rules, you don't seem to have had that problem at all. Thanks for putting these up, I will have to check out your blog more often.

[Subhedgehog]

Great reports! I have been having trouble making a variety of lists with the new rules, you don't seem to have had that problem at all. Thanks for putting these up, I will have to check out your blog more often.

Thanks for reading guys! I'm going to make an effort to keep contributing to the Vanmachine blog regularly, which in turn will keep me motivated to get out and play games (or vice-versa).

CaladanCid - I know what you mean. I have actually found that giving myself a theme, rather than approaching list building as "list building(tm)" ends up with me putting in models I might not otherwise pull out of the box instead of my favourites. For example, I normally ignore Hexeris entirely (I think I played him twice in Mk 1?), but when I thought of an evil voodoo theme I figured he was the best fit for it. Now I actually want to try it, and him, out.