Styker vs Irusk - Destruction

Cygnar vs Khador - Destruction, 50 Points

   I haven't played a game of warmachine in over a month so of course the first one I do to get back in the saddle is a battle report. This was against my friend Birch at his house. Last time my Legion triumphed over him, so let's see how Cygnar will do.

Army Lists

Cygnar

Commander Coleman Stryker
Stormwall
Squire
Storm Strider
Journeyman Warcaster
Arlan Strageways
Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team
Swordknights - Leader and 9 Grunts
Sword Knight Officer & Standard - Swordknight Unit Attachment
Centurion (marshalled to Swordknight UA)

vs

Khador

Kommandant Irusk
Behemoth
War Dog
Iron Fang Pikemen - Leader and 9 Grunts
Iron Fang Pikemen Officer & Standard - Iron Fang Unit Attachment
Great Bears of Gallowswood
Kayazy Eliminators
Battle Mechaniks - Leader and 3 Grunts
Greylord Ternion
Widowmakers
Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters - Leader and 9 Grunts
Koldun Kapitan Valachev - attached to Nyss
Harlan Phineas Versh, Illuminated One

Scenario

Destruction

    Mark a zone (12˝ × 6˝ rectangle) in the centre of the board and place four objectives (Monoliths) at each of the corners. The objectives on Player 1’s side of the board are friendly Faction models to Player 1 and vice versa. At the end of each player’s turn, starting on the second player’s second turn, a player earns control points (CP) as follows:

• Enemy Objective: Destroyed (once per objective) = 1 CP

• Zone: Control = 1 CP, Dominate = 2 CP

   The first player to earn at least 5 control points and have more control points than the opponent immediately wins the game. If time runs out before a player has won the game via scenario or assassination victory, the player with the most Control Points wins. If tied the player with the most army points inside the zone.

   Artifice: Kill Box - Starting on the first player’s second turn, if a player ends his own turn with a friendly warcaster/ warlock completely within 14˝ of any board edge, his opponent immediately scores 2 control points. A player can measure 14˝ from any board edge during his warcaster/ warlock’s activation.

Setup

   We rolled off and I went second. I predeployed the Stormwall in the centre and the Storm Strider on my left flank.

   Birch set up centrally with the Behemoth, Irusk, War Dog, Ternions, and Great Bears holding the middle with the Mechaniks behind the Behemoth. The Iron Fang Pikemen were on my left opposite the Storm Strider with the Elminators behind them. The Nyss led by Valachev held the other flank.

   I put Stryker, the Squire, and half the Sword Knights on the left of the Stormwall, and the other half of the Swordknights and Centurion on its right. Behind the Sworknights were Arlan Strangeways and the Journeyman, while the Black 13th held the right flank.

Turn 1

Khador

   The Behemoth was assigned one focus, after which there was a lot of running. The Iron Fangs ran. The Elmininators ran. The Greylords advanced and put Smoke on an Iron Fang, a Mechanik, and a Nyss. Irusk advanced and put Superiority (Target warjack gets +2 SPD, MAT, and DEF, and can't be knocked down) on the Behemoth and Iron Flesh (+3 DEF -1 SPD) on the Iron Fangs, leaving himself with one focus. The Behemoth ran forward toward the centre. The Nyss ran and the Mechaniks ran. And the War Dog aand Harlan finished the turn by advancing. Those Khador guys obviously like to keep in shape.

Cygnar

   I assigned no focus and began to unpack my army out of the way of the Stormwall. The Centurion ran towards the centre zone. Stryker cast Blur (+3 DEF vs Ranged and MAgic attacks) on the Swordknights, Snipe (+4 Range) on the Storm Strider, and Arcane Shield (+3 ARM) on himself, then advanced. The Squire ran up beside him. The Storm Strider advanced and shot twice at the Iron Fangs, but missed both due to Iron Flesh.

   On the right side the Black 13th ran and toed into a forest, with Prowl now giving them Stealth. The Journeyman advanced and put Arcane Shield onto the Centurion. Arlan advanced and Power Boosted the Stormwall. The Centurion was then Pronto'd forward another 4" by the Sword Knight Officer, and then the Sworknights ran to join it. The Stormwall advanced behind them, doing nothing with its big guns and then laying down two Covering Fire templates in front of the Sword Knights.

Turn 2

Khador

   Irusk upkept both Superiority and Iron Flesh, and assigned the Behemoth two focus to the sub-cortex. The Behemoth advanced and hit and killed a Sword Knight with a boosted Bombard shot. The AOE bounced off a Sword Knight beside the first, even with a boosted damage roll. But then Birch rolled boxcars and killed that one with the Behemoth's second bombard shot.


   The Nyss continued the punishemnt on the Sword Knights, advaing forward to Combined Ranged Attack and kill two, before being Zephyred back by Valachev.

   I had been a bit sloppy placing the Covering Fire templates and a single Iron Fang managed to squeeze through the gap into the zone and engaged the Centurion as they advanced and redeployed centrally. The Widowmakers and Eliminators also redeployed, running back away from the Storm Strider. The Ternions continued the trend by advancing and putting Smoke on two Mechaniks and a Great bear. The Great Bears and Mechaniks ran into position to provide concealment, while Irusk advanced to hehind a small bunch of trees and cast Inhospitable Ground. Harlan Versh ran as well.

Cygnar

   I began the turn by allocating one focus from the Squire to Stryker. Stryker dropped Arcane Shield, upkept Snipe and Blur, and allocated two focus to the Stormwall. The Journeyman upkept Arcane Shield on the Centurion, which it would continue to do for the rest of the game. The turn began with Arlan advancing and putting Evasion on the Centurion. The Sword Knights then activate and charge/run, with three charging the lone Irong Fang. I figure they can do the job at MAT 8 thanks to Flank, but all miss. The Centurion was then Pronto'd forward, but only 2" due to Inhospitable Ground.

   The Stormwall advanced up behind the Sword Knights and dropped a Pod, killing a forward Mechanik.  It then unloads on the Behemoth, but manages to miss both shots thanks to it being at DEF 14 with Superiority and Concealment from the Cloud. It then placed the Covering Fire templates down again, blocking the other Iron Fangs from the zone. No gaps this time.

   The Black 13th advanced out from the forest to do some work, but then missed both shots at the lead Great Bear. Ryans Mage Storm then hit the Storm Pod, which killed 2 Nyss, but the Great Bear was just out. Lastly the Storm Strider advanced and shot at the Iron Fangs some more, managing to kill two.

Turn 3

Khador

   Irusk upkept both spells and assigned two focus to the Behemoth sub-cortex just like last time. The Mechaniks and Harlan Versh both run. The Ternions advance and hit the Centurion with three Ice Cages, making it Stationary with no way to shake it off. Irusk casts Inhospitable Ground (everywhere in his CTRL area counts as ough Terrain to enemy models) and uses his Feat Undying Loyalty to give all friendly models in his CTRL area +2 to hit rolls, 4+ Tough, and can't be knocked down.

   The Nyss, now all pumped up, killed the Black 13th and Zephyred back. The Behemoth aimed and did 3 damage to the Stormwalls 3 coloumn on the right side with its Bombards. The War Dog ran to Irusk while the Ironfangs advanced and Shield Walled, then used their mini-feat to Reform even further over. The Elminators ran to be fully on my left side and the Great Bears ran up my left flank. The Widowmakers finished the turn off by killing two more Sword Knights.

Cygnar

   Stryker drew a focus from the Squire and upkept Snipe and Blur. The Storm Strider advanced up the right flank some more and unloaded on a Mechanik. There were a lot of bounces but with the 4+ Tough from feat turn only two Mechaniks died. The Sword Knights activated next and the free ones charged into the Iron Fangs skirting around the Covering Fire templates. They all continued to not roll an 8 to hit the Iron Fangs engaging them.

   Araln and the Journeyman ran to my left side to take shelter behind the Stormwall, away from the Nyss. The Stormwall put down a Pod but the Iron Fang hit made its Tough roll. It then shot the Behemoth, doing 3 damage on its second hit. lastly it put down the Covering Fire Templates to keep the Iron Fnags back. Lastly Stryker advanced, put Arcane Shield back on himself, and shot at the Behemoth to Disrupt it. Unfortunately he missed.

Turn 4

Khador

   The Khaodr turn repeated itself as Irusk upkept both spells and assigned two focus to the Behemoth sub-cortex. irusk started the turn by continuing to hide behind the trees, and casting Battle Lust onto the Nyss. The Nyss then ran and charged the Centurion, a Sword Knight, and the right objective. The Centurion bounced the Nyss, taking one point to coloumn 5, while the other Nyss missed the Sword Knight. The objective on the other hand was chopped into pieces, scoring Birch a point.

   The Great Bears then sprung into action, with the lead one charging in to kill a Sword Knight and the Swordknight UA. The other two hung back to be in position to counter attack. The Behemoth shot the Stormwall and spiked the damage rolls, doing another 16 points to the right side. The Widowmakers spread out to avoid the Storm Strider and shot at the Sword Knights, missing. With the Centurion now engage the ternions no longer had an easy target for Ice cage and so they ran, as did Harlan Versh, the War Dog, and the Elminators onto my right flank.

Cygnar

   Stryker drew the last focus from the Squire and upkept Snipe and Arcane Shield, but dropped Blur. Two focus were assigned to Stormwall. The Flanking Swordknights yet again rolled no 8s to kill the engaging Iron Fang. Arlan advanced and cast Power Booster onto the Centurion. Stryker then shot the Behemoth, disrupting it, cast Earthquake at three Iron Fangs and their Unit Attachment to knock them down, and then used his Feat Invincibility to give all friendly faction models in his CTRL Area +5 ARM for a turn.

   The Stormwall then advanced and dropped a Storm Pod. The lightning arced between them and killed a Nyss and Valachev, and did 3 damaged to a Great Bear. The Stormwall then unloaded on the Great Bears with its Chain Guns, getting five shots. But even though it managed to hit and wound them all they tanked like a boss and all make their 5+ Tough rolls. The following Cannon shot is also bounced off a Tough roll, and only Volkov died to the last boosted cannon shot. The Storm Strider then advanced and shot the Stormwall in the back, with the bouncing lightning killing three nearby Nyss and an Iron Fang. The Nyss would have had to do a Command check but were still Fearless from Battle Lust.

   The Centurion then shuffled over and killed a Nyss with its shield and the second Great Bear Turovich with a boosted to hit roll. Lastly the Journeyman advanced and killed one of the knocked down Iron Fangs with her handcannon.

Turn 5

Khador

   Yet again Irusk upkept both Superiority and Iron Flesh, but couldn't assign focus since the Behemoth was Disrupted. The Iron Fnags get the Shield Wall order and half sacrifice their action to stand up and advance. The other half poke away at the Centurion they couldn't hurt, and got a lucky Critical to knock it down. Now that it was no longer DEF 15 for being in melee the Ternions advanced and Ice Caged the Centurion again, making it Stationary, again. The Behemoth advanced and lobbed some shots at the Journeyman doing 2 points of damage to her.


   Next the War Dog charged and killed the Storm Pod and jogged back to Irusk. Irusk followed this up with Inhospitable Ground. Harlan and the Widowmakers just ran into new positions. Finally the Elminators put the pressure on by running through the Stormwall and other intervening models to engage Stryker.

Cygnar

    Stryker upkept Snipe on the Storm Strider while the Journeyman continued to upkeep Arcane Shield on the Centurion. Stryker then allocated three focus to the Stormwall. Stryker began the turn by casting Arcane Shield on the Stormwall and took a swing at an Elminator, which missed.

   The Stormwall then activated and moved back over to Stryker, taking three Free Strikes from the Iron Fang Pikemen. This did 7 damage to it and took out the right side. The Stormwall then dropped a Storm Pod and hit both the Eliminators with the lightning arc. I boosted damage on each to be sure and killed them both, while the Sword Knight Standard which was also hit survived as it bounced off. The Stormwall then boosted to hit with its broken right cannon and managed to kill the last Great Bear. The other cannon shot the Behemoth for 1 measly point. The working left Chain Gun then put covering fire down between Stryker and the Iron Fangs.

   The Journeyman aimed and killed another Iron Fang with boosted to hit and damage rolls while the Storm Strider only managed to kill the last Mechanik. The two remaining Sword Knights, still with Flank, yet again missed the one Iron Fang they had been engaging all game. Birch cheered he was so happy. Arlan fixed the Stormwall for one point on the right side.

Turn 6

Khador

   Irusk upkept Iron Flesh and Superiority as he had all game. But now he assigned two focus to the Behemoth's sub-cortex and two to the main cortex. The Behemoth spent a focus to Slam the Swordknight Standard into Stryker and boosted to hit. The slam was successful, killing the Standard, doing 5 damage to Stryker, and knocking him down. With Stryker at DEF 5 both Bombards easily hit, and with boosted damage rolls killed Stryker.

Afterward

   Well at least I made a game of it, which I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do after Birch's turn 3. I made some sloppy mistakes which you can't afford against a decent opponent, which caused me some real problems. The first was not being careful with the covering fire and letting that one Iron Fang slip through. Now I had a bit of bad luck in that I should have killed him at some point, buteven so, it was my own mistake that let Birch get him onto that awkward poaition. The second was advancing the Black 13th out of the woods. For two Nyss I gave away the whole unit, which would have been relatively safe just aiming and picking things off. Having them around to do real work later in the game would have been very helpful.

   The last mistake I made was that I could have done things a bit differently last turn. The Stormwall needed the Arcane Shield to shrug off the damage from the three free strikes it had to take to get rid of the Eliminators. Instead of using Stryker I could have dropped the Journeyman's Arcane Shield off the Centurion and cast that on the Stormwall. Once it killed the Eliminators Stryker would have been free to aim and shoot the Behemoth to Disrupt it once more, and then put his Arcane Shield on the Centurion.  This would have bought me another turn, which meant Arlan could have fixed the Stormwall some more and the Strider would have been shooting up the Ternions and other deep back field stuff.

   The man of the match was definitely the Stormwall, although the Storm Strider was slowly racking up kills. The Centurion only killed a Nyss and a Great Bear, but it absorbed a lot of attacks and firmly blocked the way for the Behemoth to move in on me. As long as it was there the Behemoth couldn't bum rush the Stormwall. Birch, however, did do a good job of showing why dedicated melee jacks aren't very popular jack marshall targets since they have some core vulnerabilites that can be exploited. Then he got to live the dream with the Behemoth slam double bombard move.