Regular readers will note that the only games that normaly appear in this blog are the ones between Myantek and myself. I thought it was time to change that because we do play other people, and in fact do so more often than we play each other.
Everyone wanted to try out the new epic warlocks so my friend (known as Indy on the PP forums) and I went at it with Legion vs Trollbloods in a straight up Mosh Pit scenario.
Legion
Lylyth, Shadow of Everblight
Carnivean
Seraph
Teraph
Shredder
Striders
Vassal + 9 Archers
Deacon & Ammo Porter Unit Attachment
Vassal + 7 Swordsmen
Incubi
Shepherd
Forsaken
Trollbloods
Madrak Ironhide, World Ender
Earthborn Dire Troll
Axer
Impaler
Bouncer
Champions
War Shaman + 7 Warriors
Kithkar + 2 Long Riders
Krielstone Bearer + 4 Scribes
Fell Caller
Set up
The table was the standard 4x4 with a mirror set up. Each side had a small hill coming out from the side, some trees and some pillars in the middle. This made for a field with open flanks, some concealment and cover nrear the centre, and an open area in the centre of the board to fight in. Right in the middle was a small platform but we counted that as decorative open terrain, an ideal marker for the scenario.
The scenario itslef was Mosh Pit, which meant that by the top of turn three both sides always had to have a model within 8 inches of the centre. Indy won the roll and decided to go first.
He began by putting the Long Riders on the flank, my far left. Going across were the Impaler, Champions, Bouncer, Earthborn and Axer.Madrak was set up behind and touching the Bouncer, and then surrounded by Kriel Warriors. The Fell Caller stood behind the Champions. At the very back of everyone was the Krielstone Bearer.
I set up my Swordsmen on my left flank opposite the Long Riders with the idea of trying to stall, if not kill them. Going across I set up the Seraph, Forsaken, Lylyth, and Shredder behind the trees. The Carnivean was set up next with an eye on holding the centre with the Teraph beside him and the Shepherd behind. Covering the open section of the field the Archers + UA were placed beside the Teraph. Indy had no advance deploy units so I then put the Sriders as far forward as I could on the far right to try get them into the trees on the opposite side.
Turn 1
Trollbloods
This was a redeployment turn for Indy. The Long Riders ran to the centre while the Earthborn, Bouncer, and Axer ran straight forward. The Champions then ran up behind the Long Riders followed by Madrak, who began the activation by dumping all his fury into the Kriel Stone. The Kriel Warriors followed at +2 movement with the Fell Caller beside them while the Impaler ran to take the hill. Lastly, the Kriel Stone unit walked and put up Protective Aura (+2 ARM to nearby models).
Legion
I began with the Striders, who moved towards the trees and took cover behind the stone arc, before putting a CRA into the Axer for 3 points of damage. The Axer could only reach one Strider on the charge and I was trying to lure him out of position and into an Incubi to the face.
After that I did alot of running myself. The Swordsmen moved up and spaced out, the Archers ran to the opposite hill to cover the centre, the Seraph moved into the trees, and the Forsaken moved around the trees to support it. The Carnivean and Teraph moved up to the stone pillars to cover the centre, with the Shepherd beside them behind another pillar. The Shredder then moved up and put Tenacity on the Shepherd. Last of all Lylyth moved up, but not into the trees because I didn't want to get too far from the Archers, and put Shadowpack on the Carnivean, giving both it and the Teraph Stealth.
Turn 2
Trollbloods
Madrak leeches for full and Indy gets a cunning plan. It starts with the Bouncer who Castles with Madrak. The Long Riders then run across the centre to threaten the Archers. Next, the Impaler moved towards the centre and cast Far Strike (+4 range) on Madrak. He also threw at the Seraph but was well out of range. The Fell call moved over and put War Cry (+2 to attack rolls)on Madrak. 
Madrak then moved up onto the platform and took advantage of the fact that he couldn't see the Carnivean (due to Stealth) to huck his axe right into Lylyth's face. While he hit her there was no critical, so she transferd 9 points to the Shredder, destroying its Mind and Spirit. The axe Richochets and lopped the head clean off of the Shepherd before returning to Madrak.
After that is more running, as the Champions ran up beside Madrak, the Earthborn ran in front of Madrak, the Kriel Warriors ran up to surround Madrak, and lastly the Kriel Stone Bearer moves and puts up Protective Aura again.
Legion
Lylyth leeches and cuts herself for a point to get the fury she lost to transfer. The Striders moved into the trees and started shooting up Scribes to try and shrink the area of Protective Aura. They hit alright, but kept rolling low for damage and only two Scribes fall. They also whacked a Kriel Warrior beside Madrak but it means nothing as he made his Tough roll.
Next went the Carnivean. He went stomping forward and Slammed the Earthborn straight into Madrak. I had been hoping for a big distance roll to shove it straight through and kill off the nearby warriors, but instead it was just knocked down and took Madrak with it. Or so I thought. I then found out that part of Madrak's Grim Salvation is that not only does he use it to avoid damage, he also ignores the effects. At this point I was in the weird position of desperately hoping my collateral damage roll didn't hurt Madrak just so he would fall down. I did and he didn't. The Carnivean took a bite out of the Earthborn in frustration but between the Slam and bite the Earthborn has only taken 5 points of damage.
Lylyth now moved up to get the angle on Madrak. She started with a boosted Pincushion attack and tagged him with it. She feats and unloads, getting all six shots and killing all the Kriel Warriors while doing three points of damage to Madrak in the process. This left her empty of fury, but I figured that she was so exposed that next turn Madrak was going to kill her regardless, along with most of my army.
The Serpah now stepped up to the plate. Taking advantage of the + 4 inches of range from the feat it was able to aim before boosting to hit Madrak. Between the aiming, boosting, and Pincushion it was able to rip off about half Madraks life. The Teraph followed next and ground Madrak down some more with two ranged attacks, although only the first hit while the second deviated to bounce off the Axer and a Long Rider.
Now it was the Archers turn. Two were out of range but the remaining ones were more than sufficient to drag off Madraks final three damage points. Madrak made his tough roll but there was still enough firepower left to hit him until he stayed down.
Afterward
Defenstrator
Well I hung it out there but it all worked out. Which is good because if it hadn't then the Long Riders would have smashed my Archers, the Champions would have been given Open Road by the Fell Caller and charged my Seraph, the Earthborn would have killed the Carnivean, and Lylyth would have been trying to negotiate her surrender to an angry Axer and Madrak. As it was nervousness was taking hold toward the end. Madrak had sucked up being slammed, Pincushioned, shot up by my warlock, and shot by two beasts. It finaly took the unit of Archers using its mini-feat to take him down. In a more attrition based game finishing him off could cause real problems, especially when trying to simoltaneously deal with tough things like Long Riders and Champions.
Fortunately her feat paid off in spades. Epic Lylyth is all about the setup I noticed. You are trying to put your army in that sweet spot where the enemy is too far away to just run up to you but too close to stay out of range. Then you feat and mess them up. I went for the assassination this game but I can see others where you just tear up a chunk of the opponents force and then fight it out with a points advantage.
That said, this is a very squishy army. The Carnivean was the only tough guy in the bunch and things like Chain Lightening or big AOE attacks are going to really hurt you. You are also forced to dance around playing the run and gun game, and against very quick and tough opponents like cavalry you may find yourself in trouble quite quickly. Overall though I was happy with epic Lylyth. She brings shooty to the table in a non Serpah form that makes a nice change from my more typical beast heavy lists.
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