NCL League Log

[78Brad]

Matt is so going to be playing Sloan. Expect her to feat turn two and a loss by scenario for you. Lisa if you're reading this I'm sorry.

[Beaumains]

I had a similar run of failed assassinations with Thyra, if you recall. Eventually, the Church allowed it, but it took a while.


For those confused, "the Church" is just the nickname of the place we play, due to an architectural similarity. It's not actually a church or a religious thing.

[EvilFuzzyDoom]

Round Seven of the New Church League

This round took place between 30 January and 12 February.

For the Seventh Round, we are playing Destruction, one caster, 35 points, Character Restriction (forces may include only one choice with FA: C aside from the Warcaster/Warlock).

Due to the re-ordering of the League last round, I'm having another rematch - my second Cygnar opponent, whom I played in round 3.

Lists:

A few other members of the League had already played this scenario and the consensus I'd gathered was that the range game is king in this scenario - the aim of the game is to destroy two 50mm bases with Def 5 Arm 20 and 15 Boxes. They can't be touched on the first turn and the second one enters play after the first is destroyed.

I figure what I need to do is JAM THE HECK out of my opponent's lines and blast away at the objectives. So I took a Bomber + Impaler for one flank, and a Slag Troll + Impaler for the other. Fennblades with UA and SSC take the jam role, with pGrissel as my Lock to give them 18" move on turn one - yee haw!

Grissel Bloodsong (*5pts)
* Slag Troll (6pts)
* Troll Impaler (5pts)
* Troll Impaler (5pts)
* Dire Troll Bomber (10pts)
Trollkin Fennblades (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Trollkin Fennblade Officer & Drummer (2pts)
Stone Scribe Chronicler (2pts)
Troll Whelps (2pts)

Cygnar takes some powerful shooting and a couple of heavy jacks to back them up - the Charger and Hunter give me pause, since the ol' pewpew is pretty worrying to me since I'm stocking up on offence and pGrissel isn't the best at surviving without some buffs.

Constance Blaize, Knights of the Prophet (*6pts)
* Charger (4pts)
* Gallant (9pts)
* Ironclad (7pts)
Arcane Tempest Gun Mages (Leader and 5 Grunts) (6pts)
Sword Knights (Leader and 5 Grunts) (4pts)
Gun Mage Captain Adept (2pts)
Journeyman Warcaster (3pts)
* Hunter (6pts)

Battle Report:

I win the roll-off and decide to go first. That way I figure I get first crack at destroying the objectives. Looking at the terrain-rich table, there's a pair of small buildings at the centre of the square formed by the four objectives which will provide me with cover but break up any advance. Grissel goes right in the centre so that she can give me 24" to either side to run my beasts, with the Fennblades in two rows alongside her Red Sea style. The Slag Troll & Impaler go on the left flank, lined up to get at the second objective when it opens up. The Bomber & Impaler go on the right flank to get at the first objective. Each pair of beasts gets a whelp and the Stone Scribe Chronicler goes on the left side of the Fennblades.

Cygnar puts Constance and her battlegroup on my middle left flank to get at the first objective, with the Sword knights out wider. The Gunmages and solo go in the centre-right, and the Journeyman (lovingly nicknamed "Junior") goes on my right flank with his Hunter.

On my first Turn I blitz up the table. Grissel moves first, and I consider using Rift to block some charge lanes but honestly, I'm going to be putting Fennblades there in a minute so I just dump three Fury instead. The Fennblades get Tale of Mist & Hoof It, fanning out in classic jamming style in front of Grissel. The beasts all run, with Whelps following closely behind (I'll need to eat one next turn because I've generated 4 Fury and only have space for 3 on Grissel).

Cygnar's first turn also consists of advancement, but because of Sniped shots and my AMAZING SPEED he can get off a couple of shots from Gunmages and the Hunter - I lose a few Fennblades and the Hunter fails to get range on Grissel (luckily for me!)

On my second turn I get a couple of Vengeance attacks - I engage the Hunter on one side and the Ironclad on the other, and black out a few of their boxes, but don't take out any systems. The other Fennblades take up position for more jamming. The Bomber's Impaler eats a whelp (particularly necessary since it's out of Control range at this point) and I leach. The Impaler moves up into Control and drops Far Strike on the Bomber, then chucks a spear at the Hunter (again failing to deal much, if any damage). The Bomber lobs GIANT FLAMING BARRELS OF DEATH at the objective, and with two boosted hits destroys it. Grissel moves up a bit further and puts Heroic Ballad on the Fennblades, then drops 3 Fury since she can't see anything and nothing's in range anyway. The Stone Scribe put up Tale of Mist again since I'm more worried about pot shots taking out the Fennblades than about melee (everything that might kill one is going to be engaged by two big swords, except the Charger!). I pop Acidic Touch on one of the Fenns engaging the Ironclad and move my left-flank beasts up to draw a bead on the second objective. The Fennblades minifeat & charge, all running up to engage gunmages, the Sword Knights, and Cygnar's Heavies - I dish out some damage, but nothing incredible.

Cygnar's second turn consists mainly of Fennblades getting munched - the grunts engaging the Sword Knights and Gallant die, Gallant kills the Officer, and the others are mostly knocked down (including one engaging the Hunter). The Hunter parries his way out of combat but can't get range on Grissel takes a potshot at the Bomber. The Gunmages fail to kill their Fennblade (who gets a promotion to leader somewhere along the line) and the unengaged ones take sniping shots at the Bomber, who drops a whelp to make sure that his Impaler doesn't frenzy. Blaize takes cover behind Gallant and then uses her Feat.

On my third turn, I eat a whelp or two to manage Fury and do some eyeballing. Most of my Fennblades are dead, but none of my beasts have systems out and Grissel is untouched. The Bomber, even with Farstrike, won't be able to get a hit on the second objective without some whacky deviations, and from memory it's immune to blast damage. So that's out. Grissel won't likely be able to get range on it. It's up to the Impaler and the Slag Troll and if I can't take it out this turn, that's probably game for me.

Grissel moves up, feats (because why not, right?) and tries to drop Calamity on the objective, but I'm way out of range. I think about trying for an assassination on Blaize for a moment and spray the Gallant, catching her in the template. I roll poorly though, and don't put any damage on her. So that plan's out. The Fennblades go next, with one taking out a Gunmage and the other putting a dot or two on the Hunter. Another is knocked down... and fleeing. So he just stands up (if I recall correctly. His action wasn't very important). The Impaler strolls up into range and throws a spear, boosting for 6 damage on the objective. Decent. The Slag troll does similar, boosting to four dice for... 3 damage. FFFFF. Last shot, and many dots come up on my dice. Happy days! Hands are shook and lifts home are given.

Debrief:

Well, I'm certainly getting better at this business. I had a game plan and a list to go with it and I stuck to my guns (hurr hurr), which paid off.

Thinking about the list, I might have done just as well with a second Slag Troll instead of the Impaler, and maybe adding a Fell Caller or Janissa with the other three points, but if things hadn't gone my way I'd have probably needed the Bomber's power to have a chance in the attrition game. Had I not managed to bog down the Sword Knights, in particular, I think that taking out the second obstacle would have become somewhat more difficult, since wading through two Heavies while my forces were divided and two pretty nasty ranged threats can draw a bead on my Warlock... well, I'm not sure it would have turned out well for me.

Tarpitting is a great tactic when used right. I felt more in control and aware of my Fennblades this game than I have before; knowing that I could run one of them into a close-packed unit of small bases (like the Sword Knights & Gunmages) and just STOP them for a turn was gold.

The last thing which worked well was using beasts to effectively extend my Control range for a turn. Grissel was almost exactly equidistant from the two beast pairs all game, and 12" is quite a long Control range. That said, if I didn't consider things exactly I could leave one of the four beasts outside it. Having a whelp there meant that I didn't need to worry about leaching from that beast at all, and I could walk into Grissel's Control range, force without issue, and then leave them behind when I moved Grissel again. Of course on my last turn I think I had ten Fury on the board, so if I hadn't managed to destroy the Objective (and somehow not been killed by the Hunter and Charger) I'd have been very likely to be killed by my own beasts.

This Scenario victory puts me at sixteen points and third on the ladder at the end of the Seventh round.

Next round, I’m playing Circle (Epic Kaya or Epic Krueger), playing Revelation, one caster, 35 points, No Mercenaries (no mercenaries or minion choices may be taken).

[EvilFuzzyDoom]

Round Eight of the New Church League

This round took place between 13 and 26 February.

For the eighth round, we are playing Revelation, one caster, 35 points, Mercenary Restriction (Armies may include only Faction models).

Lists:

My opponent this round is our "token chick" playing Circle (actually a good friend of mine and not very token at all). I know two things going in; that I would be facing eKaya (since she's my opponent's most practised 'Lock) and that I want to win by scenario if possible (since it's getting to the end of the League where I'm starting to think about placings and stuff). Other than that... not much.

So I look at my collection and consider a few things: firstly, that I want a way to deal with Stealth. Scattergunners are in every draft list I put together for this match. The second thing is that I want to be able to deal with a fairly beefy Battlegroup, which is something I've had trouble with in the past. Just check out the report I wrote a few months back about the three-man tournament against Beaumains and Nonchalance where they both ran T4 'Jack caster lists...

I'm honestly torn between pGrissel and pMadrak because while Grissel has the speed to get to the objectives, I'm not sure she's got the staying power to support the boys when they get there. Madrak is almost the opposite; he's got the toughness and the damage output to hold points, but doesn't want to go sprinting up the field or all the careful buffs I need to put on him will get messed up.

I decide to go with Madrak mainly because he supports beasts better than Grissel. Despite having less Fury, he lends himself better to high-MAT assaults (less boosting to hit), I'm not tempted to bring multiple big infantry units (more resources to spend on beasts) and the multiple defensive buffs I tend to bring with him lend survivability to key support pieces like whelps.

The Bouncer is a last-minute inclusion instead of an Impaler, since I'm going a little overboard in my preparations for Stealth I don't expect Far Strike to be all that useful.

Chief Madrak Ironhide (*6pts)
* Troll Bouncer (5pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
* Earthborn Dire Troll (10pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Trollkin Scattergunners (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
* Trollkin Scattergunner Officer & Drummer (2pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)
Janissa Stonetide (3pts)
Troll Whelps (2pts)

Circle takes almost what I predict - since she's a perfectionist painter, works slowly and has the self-restraint to only buy what she can finish (unlike yours truly who nearly puts out a shoulder every time I pick up my figure-case) I know most of what's in her collection before it hits the table. Of course I forgot some things and confused some things, but the only real surprise is the Tharn Wolf Riders - who look cool and give me a bit of a scare straight away.

Kaya the Moonhunter & Laris (*3pts)
* Feral Warpwolf (9pts)
* Pureblood Warpwolf (9pts)
Druids of Orboros (Leader and 5 Grunts) (7pts)
* Druid of Orboros Overseer (2pts)
Tharn Wolfriders (Leader and 2 Grunts) (6pts)
Warpborn Skinwalkers (Leader and 2 Grunts) (5pts)

Battle Report:

We decide to play at a FLGS since we both work in the city and it's close by. I arrive early (since I finish early this day) and set the board up and pack it with terrain - hills, craters (eventually deciding to use these as forests because there's a real dearth of LOS-blocking scenery), ruins and a big obelisk dominating the centre of the board. Circle wins the roll for deployment, and we determine that the flag on my left is flag one.

Circle deploys with a wide spread - her druids go on one flank, behind a big forest on my left; the wolfriders go on the other flank; and Kaya's goes with her battlegroup in the centre-right of the board, in and behind a forest.

I deploy with a slightly off-centre brick, with Madrak almost in the middle of the board, Janissa and the Runebearer in base to base with him. The Bouncer, Axer and Earthborn are in a row proceeding to the right from here, with the Scattergunners in a clump next to that. The Fellcaller goes behind the Earthborn and two whelps round out my deployment. The Tharn Wolfriders choose the Fellcaller as their prey.

Circle's first turn is fairly simple. The Druids advance through the forest. The Skinwalkers advance. The Tharn run EIGHTEEN INCHES WHAT THE HELL yeah okay that's fine I guess if you want to... And Kaya's battlegroup puts up some upkeeps, runs and riles. Then the store owner lets everyone know that the shop is closing at eight. So, it turns out we're playing to a time limit. We've got about an hour and a half all told to get through our game. The twitching starts about now and doesn't really stop - since I don't really like playing under pressure and Circle likes to properly consider all of her moves and think ahead and play conservatively and all that sort of thing. There's a little bit of weirdness for the rest of the game and ultimately we have to call it on account of time, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

On my first turn I decide that I want to do a bit of a bait & switch. The last thing I want is the Wolfriders annihilating my Scattergunners before they get a chance to lay into Kaya's stealthy battlegroup, so I stick my Earthborn behind a handy pillar and then run the Scattergunners across his path - if you were to trace their movement it would form a rough "X" - and if the Wolfriders charge my Scattergunners, the Earthborn can carry out a nasty nasty counter-charge the next turn. Everyone else buffs up and heads towards flag #1, chilling behind Janissa's wall, except the Fellcaller who hangs out behind the Scattergunners for a bit of his own counter-charge action.

On Circle's second turn she advances the Druids again, putting up some Vortices and Counter Magic to keep them protected. The Wolfriders spot my cunning ploy to pound them into oblivion, and instead round on my Fellcaller and fling some spears at him. A few mediocre rolls later and he's only taken 2 damage.The Skinwalkers move up onto flag 2 (but can't get any Control Points off it yet). Kaya & Laris hang back behind the forest while the two Warpwolves advance through it and do some riling.

As my second turn begins I decide that I'm not really that attached to my Scattergunners. They advance and spray-spray-spray all over the Skinwalkers and the Wolfriders. The Officer alone rolls incredibly well and takes out two of the Wolfriders on his own! The other Scattergunners spit out a bundle of damage on the Skinwalkers but don't kill any (four, four and two damage on the three of them). Madrak and his puissant posse march up to within spitting distance of flag one, with the Bouncer by his side, the Earthborn next to him and the Mauler behind. He also chucks Rathrok, boosting because I can spare the Fury, and takes out one of the Druids. Because he's just that awesome. Janissa moves up and puts a wall directly in front of Madrak to finish things up.

Circle's third turn is pretty messy. The Wolfrider charges my Fellcaller but fails to damage him, then is killed when she decides to pull it out of melee with my Mat 7 Weaponmaster killin' dude. The Skinwalkers charge my Scattergunners and knock a couple down, then the Pureblood Warpwolf sprays and kills four of them. Because Pureblood. Lucky for me, they pass their command check with help from the Standard. The druids charge Madrak (hooray for Reach + Pathfinder) but fail to hit him due to some quite abominable rolling. Kaya & Laris again hang back, advancing to the front of the forest she's been hanging out in.

At the start of my turn, the wall holding back Madrak dissipates. The Runebearer uses harmonious exaltation, Madrak casts Carnage, uses his feat and PAC-MANs his way through all of the Druids except the last one, who I miss. The Earthborn runs up to be in base-to-base with the flag and the Mauler and Bouncer pivot up to block charge lanes and LOS to Madrak. Janissa gives them a wall to hide behind. The Fell Caller and the Scattergunner officer have a go at the Skinwalkers, killing one but not scratching the other two.

Circle decides that fourth turn is Feat turn. We've got maybe ten minutes left here, for reference. The Skinwalkers do their thing and kill the Scattergunner Standard pretty convincingly. The Feral uses the Pureblood's Leadership effect and grabs Ghostly, charging through the Skinwalkers to get at my Fellcaller, who is turned into teal-and-red paste. The Pureblood also uses Ghostly, and charges around the wall to get at my Earthborn, doling out 15-20 damage on some sub-par rolls and failing once to get through my effective ARM 20.

With five minutes left before we need to be outside the building, Madrak puts his axe through the remaining Druid of Orboros and I declare, taking one VP.

Since nobody's won outright, we go to the SR2011 rules which give us the breakdown for who wins when time runs down. Tiebreaker one is surviving Warlocks/Warcasters, which is silly in a single-caster game so we can ignore that. Tiebreaker two is Control Points. I have one, Circle has zero, so I take away a Scenario Victory.

[EvilFuzzyDoom]

Continued...

Debrief:

Alrighty. I'm a bit miffed that our game was time-throttled as it was - on the nights I normally visit my LGS, it doesn't close until tennish, but I guess that's life. A little taster for timed turns which I should probably get used to if I'm going to keep playing this game long-term. I was getting excited at the notion of getting both our Battlegroups to grips and really seeing what our beasts could do to each other since I haven't played many games at all against Hordes.

That aside, I am getting more and more used to units and how they work. Watching my opponent, she put her units in tight groups, but spread out each of the units across the battlefield. The Tharn were probably about 24+" away from the Druids for most of the game, which is something which I just don't do - even if I'm playing infantry-heavy pGrissel I tend to clump my models in close so that I can have an easier time of layering buffs and throwing around my Warlock's powers. Seeing the Tharn at work (less the Druids - they sort of ran into my entire force and got smooshed) I started to get ideas about taking units outside my Control area or even beyond my Warlock's effective area of influence - and using independent support solos like Fellcallers to keep them running while they run around on their own.

I also learned that cavalry is neat, if only because they move like the devil is at their backs.

I should also post pictures of the Circle player's models because they're really really good, or maybe get her to do it.

This Scenario victory puts me at twenty points at the end of the Eighth round.

Now I get to prepare for the final game of the round robin, which is me versus Nonchalance's Cryx with two casters. This will no doubt be messy and I could really use your help! I'll be starting a thread on the Privateer Press Forums about beating Cryx some time shortly, I'm sure.

Next round, I’m playing Cryx (Venethrax and Scaverous), playing Command and Control, two casters, 50 points, Two Casters (Exactly what it says on the tin).

[Beaumains]

Have you seen the ladder points?

It's me on 22, Hatred on 21, you on 20. Nonchalance has his game this week, and if he can pull off a scenario win, he'll be on 19.

Pretty tight, no?



Also, welcome to the finals, sir.

[EvilFuzzyDoom]

Fyoosh, wow.

And to think, I'd won something like two games with Trolls before the League started!

[EvilFuzzyDoom]

Quick update, no report yet because it's been a busy week:
I lost my Round 9 match against Nonchalance by Caster-kill (I forfeited because I'd lost one and it was late), but I'm in the finals anyway.

Match-up is me vs Khador (eIrusk & Harkevich) 75 points. Wish me luck!

[Beaumains]

Good luck.

[nonchalance]

Damn. I wanted a report with me in it.

Good luck, anyway.

[EvilFuzzyDoom]

Round Nine & Semi-Final of the New Church League

Round Nine took place between 27 February and 11 March.

The Semi-Final Round was played on 10 March, since everyone had played their games by then.

The actual battle reports are going to be pretty much highlights for both of these: partly because I didn't take any notes, partly because it was hard enough to keep track of the game, and partly because it's been a while since the games took place now that I come to writing everything up...

Round Nine
For the ninth round, we are playing Command & Control, two casters, 50 points.

Lists:

Coming into the last round of the League, I'll admit I wasn't feeling too confident. Nonchalance's Cryx are the one opponent in our gaming group whom I haven't beaten even once and by this point I'm starting to wonder if I've got what it takes for big games - since the supplementary game we fought in Round Four, I've suspected that I need to get some serious practice in with larger forces to have a chance. I was a bit more confident putting my list together for Round Nine than in Four, since 25 points less makes for less overwhelming choices...

I end up going with what people might call a "Me list"; it's full of stuff that I'm comfortable with, has served me well so far and isn't utter rubbish to start with. I have a suspicion that the synergy between pGrissel and pMadrak isn't great though; we'll see how that goes.

Grissel Bloodsong (*5pts)
* Slag Troll (6pts)
* Earthborn Dire Troll (10pts)
Chief Madrak Ironhide (*6pts)
* Troll Axer (6pts)
* Mulg the Ancient (12pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Krielstone Bearer and 3 Stone Scribes (3pts)
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder (1pts)
Trollkin Fennblades (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Trollkin Fennblade Officer & Drummer (2pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)
Janissa Stonetide (3pts)
Troll Whelps (2pts)
Trollkin Champion Hero (3pts)

Nonchalance pretty much takes a Trolls-killing list. It's all about the Bile Thralls to thin out tarpits, big jacks to hold me up and little jacks to kill my important dudes. Oh, and Nonchalance has the best feat turn ever between his casters. Sigh.

Master Necrotech Mortenebra (*4pts)
* Cankerworm (5pts)
* Scavenger (4pts)
* Stalker (4pts)
* Deathjack (12pts)
* Harrower (10pts)
Lord Exhumator Scaverous (*5pts)
* Ripjaw (5pts)
* Skarlock Thrall (2pts)
Bile Thralls (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
The Withershadow Combine (5pts)
Necrotech & 1 Scrap Thrall (1pts)
Necrotech & 1 Scrap Thrall (1pts)
Necrotech & 1 Scrap Thrall (1pts)
Warwitch Siren (2pts)
Warwitch Siren (2pts)

Battle Report:

Like I said, this is pretty much just a highlight reel. I'm going off phone-camera pictures and hazy memory, but I'll try to give a good overall impression of the game.

Command & Control is a Radial scenario where players have to get their Warthings into contact with an objective to enable their forces to take the central control area. Nonchalance & I basically ignored this, setting up opposite each other across a terrain-free control zone, which we used a handily-sized hill to represent.

Bile Thralls dominated the centre of Nonchalance's setup, flanked by a Harrower and a house. Mine saw Grissel and Madrak's battlegroups each take either side of a longer house, with Grissel keeping Janissa and the Champion Hero nearby. Madrak sat behind the Fennblades closer to the centre, with my plan to run them into the objective to be the anvil, and Grissel's Battlegroup to play hammer once I could draw in a meaty target or two.

Very nearly all the Fennblades died quickly, with the one survivor being controlled to hit Madrak before I'd really got a chance to make use of them. The Fellcaller did well, tying up a Warwitch, Cankerworm and Stalker on a flank before he went down. Between Cryx's DOUBLE FEAT TURN, Deathjack and a couple of failed Tough rolls, Madrak's entire battlegroup was gone by about turn three. On the other hand, this set up the glorious moment when I got to declare the best starting-my-turn words ever: "Leaching... Okay. Grissel Feats and CHARGES THE MOTHER****ING DEATHJACK. She and the Earthborn got the job done, then reformed to hide behind Janissa's wall in the control zone.

Sadly though, that was the real highlight, since next turn Janissa got taken down. Realising that there was basically no way for me to win with an almost-dead Earthborn and Grissel basically on their own, I decided it was best to retire from the field with my dignity intact.

While Nonchalance's Heavies were both down, all of his support solos were still kicking, a Stalker, Cankerworm and Ripjaw were close to Grissel, and neither of his casters were anywhere near danger. He could have sat back and thrown Void Gates & Excarnates at me until I cracked and went completely mad.

Semi-Final:

For the Semi-Final, we are playing Killbox, two casters, 75 points.

Lists:

So. After I did so well against Nonchalance, I still made it into the finals on the strength of my performance so far in the League. Not holding out a lot of hope though, since I've already seen firsthand that there's not a lot of synergy between pMadrak and pGrissel the way I use them. I know that I can beat Khador here though, since he's using two casters he's less familiar with, and because I've beaten him before. I go for serious beats. The Fennblades stay at home for Cabers, and Champions & Runeshapers go in for fearless damage boxes. Oh, and I pack in six beasts. Between the Earthborn & Mauler I should be able to take out heavies without much trouble, and the Bomber should make short work of troops.

Grissel Bloodsong (*5pts)
* Slag Troll (6pts)
* Troll Impaler (5pts)
* Dire Troll Bomber (10pts)
Chief Madrak Ironhide (*6pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
* Earthborn Dire Troll (10pts)
* Troll Axer (6pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Kriel Warriors (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
* 3 Kriel Warrior Caber Thrower (3pts)
* Kriel Warrior Standard Bearer & Piper (2pts)
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 4 Grunts) (10pts)
* Skaldi Bonehammer (3pts)
Trollkin Runeshapers (Leader and 2 Crew) (4pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)
Janissa Stonetide (3pts)
Troll Whelps (2pts)
Troll Whelps (2pts)

In response, Khador takes a Jack Brick. Mortars which can boost pretty much every turn, mechaniks to keep everything alive and a wall of steel up front. Yeah sure. No problems.

Kommander Harkevich, the Iron Wolf (*5pts)
* Black Ivan (10pts)
* Demolisher (9pts)
* War dog (1pts)
Supreme Kommandant Irusk (*5pts)
* Beast-09 (11pts)
* Behemoth (13pts)
* War dog (1pts)
Alexia Ciannor & the Risen (Alexia and 9 Risen Grunts) (5pts)
Battle Mechaniks (Leader and 5 Grunts) (3pts)
* Battle Mechanik Officer (2pts)
Battle Mechaniks (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
* Battle Mechanik Officer (2pts)
Doom Reavers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (6pts)
* Greylord Escort (2pts)
Great Bears of Gallowswood (5pts)
Winter Guard Mortar Crew (Leader and Grunt) (3pts)
Winter Guard Mortar Crew (Leader and Grunt) (3pts)
Fenris (5pts)
Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich (2pts)

Battle Report:

Khador's Mortars go with Kovnik Joe, Risen & Doom Reavers in front. The Jacks go in a line along the middle, with Mechaniks & casters behind. Great Bears & fenris go on the other flank. On my side, champions & Fell Caller go just on the edge of a forest facing Fenris, Madrak's Battlegroup on the other side of that, with a solid clump of Kriel Warriors holding the centre of the line & Grissel's battlegroup on the other side of them, facing the Mortars. On the first turn, the Kriel Warriors hoof it right up front into the Doom Reavers, while the two Battlegroups converge behind them and brick up behind Janissa's wall.

This fight felt like a sustained effort in futility. Irusk's feat early on prevented me from getting the charge with everything except the Earthborn & Champions. They ran in and laid the smack quite respectably, with the Champions peeling apart the Great bears and locking up Black Ivan for the first few turns.

The Earthborn, running up the middle, ran straight into Behemoth. I used Beast-09's axe POW to lay some severe hurt on Behemoth, but not quite enough to lay him out. Because I am a moron, this meant that next turn the Earthborn got gangbashed by THREE heavies, which is enough to make even the bravest Trollkin wet his quitari. Also, the half-dozen or so Mechaniks standing behind Behemoth took him back up to almost full capacity, which made me feel pretty dumb.

Mortar fire and Doom Reavers took out most of my Kriel Warriors (who then took out most of the Doom Reavers in turn, hoorah!), and the Risen advanced all stoic and dead.

The Axer and Mauler moved up to take advantage of an out-of-position Beast 09, who'd been exposed while killing the Earthborn. They took him out but couldn't finish off Behemoth as well (who at one point I got down to ONE. FREAKING. HITBOX!) before he got all systems go from the Mechaniks again and started pegging bombard shots into my battlegroup that remained.

The photos and my memory get a little hazy from here since they go from showing two almost-full battlegroups, staring down Behemoth, to Madrak, Janissa and a Slag Troll kinda hanging out on their own.

I can only presume that I stopped taking photos there, and Madrak took some sort of ranged killing blow to the face. I believe I failed his first Tough roll.

Continued below...

[EvilFuzzyDoom]

Continued...

Debrief:

Ow. Ow ow ow. Three two-caster games during the league and I got thoroughly trounced in all three. I'm not sure I properly capture it here but looking at the photos I took you can see an ever-shrinking circle of light around my ever-shrinking circle of models on the table. I'll admit that by this point in the League I was getting a bit disheartened, and a bit bored of playing Grissel and Madrak for every game.

In terms of constructive lessons learned, I think I need to get in more practice at two-caster games and larger games as well. I keep "learning" that lists need to specialise in something and have a definite game plan before they hit the table - but not properly applying it. My smaller lists (35 points especially) are getting much tighter, while at higher points levels I keep thinking "so I need to take a unit or two of warrior models to fill things out..." which actually seems to just pad the lists out with chaff.

Do I actually need to take a tarpit, the way I play? I'm thinking no, at this point. They're basically thrown away to an opponent who stacks his/her list with threats the way Nonchalance & my Khador buddy do - so when they're wiped out to a handful of models by end of turn two, I'm basically playing ten points down from then on in.

More threats!

Also target selection. Gunning for the Behemoth in the Jack Brick was just plain stupid. I'll admit that I couldn't have just sat back and let Khador come to me, but using Irusk's feat turn as an opportunity to reform and either determine his charge targets or prepare for my own would have been a better idea than sending my beasts to smash up against his brick piecemeal. Herp Derp, we live and learn.

With the Semi-Final done, the last match was to be Khador vs the winner of Nonchalance & Beaumains. Next time, I'll briefly cover the result of that battle and talk a bit about the League as a whole.