Ashlynn vs Kaya

Highborn Covenant vs Circle Oborus - Sacrifice, 35 Points


   It's been a while since Myantek and I did a battle report, and we figured we should get back in the swing of things.

Army Lists

Highborn Covenant

Ashlynn D'Eleyse
Mule
Mariner
Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters - Cylena and 9 grunts
Steelhead Halberdiers - Leader and 9 grunts
Harland Versh, The Illuminated One
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord
Gorman di Wulf, Rogue Alchamist
Ogryn Bokur

vs

Circle Orboros

Kaya the Wildborne
Purblood Warpwolf
Feral Warpwolf
Feral Warpwolf
Argus
Wolves of Orboros - Leader and 9 grunts
Wolves of Orboros Unit Attachment - Cheiften and Standard Bearer
Alten Ashley

Scenario

Sacrifice

  This is a radial scenario and is played from corner to opposite corner. On the centre line between the two deployment areas a 12" circular zone is on one side and a flag is on the other. Starting on the second players second turn, if a player controls the zone and one of his models is touching the flag he scores a point. The first player to score 2 control points wins the game. When a point is scored any models touching the flag suffer a POW 20 magical damage roll, are pushed 3" away from the flag, and are knocked down.

Setup

   We rolled off and Myantek decided to go second so that she could try to score first. I set up with the Mariner and Mule in the centre. The Nyss were setup centre left so they coiuld go for the trees with the zone, with the Halberdiers centre right so they could cover the centre and flag. It isn't a good idea to get too near the edges of a radial zone because you end up having to move a lot further to get anywhere. Ashlynn stood behind the jacks. When I advance deployed my solos thanks to the Highborn Covenant rules I put Rhupert in the centre beside Ashlynn to cover the units, while Harland Versh, the Bokur, and his client Gorman were put in the ruins.

   Myantek put the Argus on my left to cover the forest, with Feral 1 beside it. The Pureblood, Kaya and Feral 2 held the centre, while the Wolves took the right flank to head towards the flag. Alten Ashley advance deployed opposite the woods.

Turn 1

   I assigned one focus each to the Mule and Mariner. They then began the turn by running forward to get out of the way. The Nyss then run towards the trees. Ashlynn put Quicken (+2 SPD and +2 DEF vs ranged and magic attacks) on the Steelheads and advanced. Rhupert moved up beside her and played Dirge of Mists (+1 DEF and Terror) on the Steelheads. The Bokur, Gorman, and Harlan Versh all ran into the ruins, followed by the Steelheads who zoom forward to cover the centre.

   The Wolves of Orboros start the turn by running towards the flag. The Argus riled for a fury point and then ran towards the forest, with Feral 1 warping for +2 ARM and doing the exact same thing. The Pureblood warped for Spellward (can't be targeted by spells) and ran up to join them, followed by Feral 2 who also warped for +2 ARM. Kaya then activated, advanced, and cast Spirit Fang at a Steelhead but is just short. She then cast Spirit Door to teleport over to Feral 1. Myantek, realising she has accidently given herself too much fury she burned the last one on Kaya. Alten Ashley then activated, shooting at and missing a Steelhead thanks to their current DEF of 16 vs shooting.

Turn 2

   I saw an opportunity and decide to go for it. Kaya has teleported back, but there is a gap between Feral 1 and the Pureblood.  I upkept Quicken on the Halberdiers and gave two focus to the Mariner. Ashlynn advanced and used her feat Roulette. Now for a turn all attack roles in her CTRL area roll an extra 2 dice and then discard 2 dice, and I get to decide which ones are discarded. Ashlynn then puts Admonition (if an enemy model ends its movement within 6", the target model can make an advance while ignoring free strikes) on the Mule. The Nyss Hunters then advanced through the woods, and thanks to Hunter (ignore forests for LOS ) and positioning, most of the Nyss are able to see Kaya. Two combined ranged attacks later and she's dead.

Afterward

Defenstrator
  
   Well that was rather abrupt. To be honest we thought of doing the re-match then and there, but we had already started pretty late. I was lucky the Nyss Hunters were able to pull it off, because in my eagerness to set them up I'd blocked LOS to Kaya for the Mariner, which was the model I was actually expecting to do the job. I thought Myantek would put Occultation (grants Stealth) on the Wolves while she blitzed with the heavy beasts, but she didn't use Occultation, and didn't form enough of a pocket with her heavies to hide in. I was expecting to have to whittle her heavies down before my jacks went in, which is risky with her ability to have the heavies charge in and then be teleported back. So when I had a chance to go for the heart I took it.

Myantek

Oops!  I thought I had blocked LOS to Kaya with the Pureblood, but there was just enough space to be picked off.  I've had a lot of bad luck regarding Frenzy checks lately so I really didn't want to have to leave any Fury on any beast. 

It sort of disappointing because I felt I was on the right track.  I don't think the radial scenarios are ones that this army can win on scenario.  My best bet is to try to keep my opponent from sccoring points until I can get the assassination.

Older Highborn Stuff

Putting up the Talon reminded me that there are a bunch of figures that I painted for my Highborn army that never saw the light of day. These are old figures but I decided to put them up for sake of completeness. There is also a group shot of all my mercenaries so far.

The Nomad

The Mule

Battlegroup and Army

Battle Box Battle II - Kaelyssa vs Ashlynn

MK II Retribution vs Highborn Covenant


So I'm still putting together my Retribution force and still learning to play Warmachine so we stuck to the simple yet again. Defenstrator is testing out his various warcasters under the new MK II rules as well so it's a learning experience for both of us.


Retribution


Kaelyssa, Night's Whisper

Chimera

Griffon

Manticore



Highborn Covenant

Ashlynn D'Elyse

Vanguard

Talon

Mule

Set Up


Defenstrator set up the table and left a lot of open space on it. On the near left there was a small ruin with a stand of trees near it. The trees were mirrored on the far side. On the right the was a large hill with a set of ruins on top of it.

The roll to go first was won by Defenstrator but he elected to go second so that left me trying to figure out where to set up. The Manticore was placed on the far left by the trees and Kaelyssa, the Griffon and Chimera were placed on the other side of the trees.


On Defenstrator's side the Vanguard was placed closest to the trees. Ashlynn, the Talon and the Mule all lined up beside it.


Retribution Turn 1




The Chimera Apparated its full 2" forward before Kaelyssa gave one Focus to all her Myrmidons. She then walked into the trees and cast Phantom Hunter on the Manticore. The Mymidons all ran forward to the top of the trees.


Highborn Turn 1



Ashlynn gave one Focus to all her warjacks and then cast Quicken on herself. She moved forward and shot the Chimera for 8 points. The 'jacks all ran forward with the Talon staying behind the Mule and the Vanguard moving in front of Ashlynn.


Retribution Turn 2



The Chimera once again Apparated its full distance forward. Kaelyssa gave three Focus to the Manticore and then walked through the forest. She cast Rift through the Chimera and did 10 points of damage to the Vanguard. This probably would have been just the right time to use her feat but I forgot.


The Chimera and the Griffin then moved back out of range while the Manticore shot at the Vanguard. Unfortunately its shot fell short.


Highborn Turn 2


Ashlynn chose to upkeep Quicken and then gave one Focus to all her 'jacks.



The Vanguard charged the Chimera and shot it with its gun for just one point of damage. Ashlynn moved forward to attack the light Myrmidon as well and also did just one point of damage. She then cast Admontion on the Vanguard.


Retribution Turn 3




The Chimera Apparated forward and Kaelyssa assigned 3 Focus to the Manticore and 1 to the Griffon. She cast Arcantrik Bolt through the Chimera at the Vanguard to do 2 points of damage and render it stationary.


The Manticore blasted away at the Talon and managed to wreck it in two shots. The Griffon charged the Vanguard for 5 points and the Chimera retreated to the trees.


Highborn Turn 3




Ashlynn upkept Quicken and then gave 2 Focus to the Vanguard and 2 to the Mule. The Vanguard immediately shook off stationary. She then used her feat Roullette, which forces all models in her control area to add two extra dice to their attack rolls and then drop two chosen by her controler. She then moved around to attack the Chimera leaving the Myrmidon with one point of damage.


The Vanguard attacked the Griffon for 5 points and the Mule shot the Manticore for 9 points of damage.


Retribution Turn 4


Kaelyssa assigned 3 Focus to the Manticore and 2 to the Griffon.


The Manticore returned the Mule's fire doing a total of 8 points of damage on two shots. The Griffon flailed uselessly at the Vanguard. The Chimera moved out of combat and was wrecked by Ashlynn on the free strike.


Kaelyssa cast Phantom Hunter on herself and, with the Chimera out of the way, was able to move out of the trees and shoot at Ashlynn. Unfortunately, she missed. She used her feat.


Highborn Turn 4




Ashlynn continued to upkeep Quicken. She gave 1 Focus to the Mule and kept the rest for herself.


The Mule moved forward but thanks to the Stealth of The Vanishing couldn't see the Manticore. The Vanguard continued to attack the Griffon, doing another 3 points of damage.


Ashlynn cast Admonition on the Mule and then moved toward the Griffon. She attacked the Myrmidon for a total of 10 points of damage.


Retribution Turn 5


Kaelyssa upkept Phantom Hunter and gave 2 Focus to the Manticore. She then moved into the forest and cast Arcantrik Bolt at the Mule. She hit it easily. However, she did not do any damage to make the 'jack stationary.


The Manticore backed up amd shot at the Mule for 2 points of damage on two shots. The Griffon continued to whiff on the Vanguard.


Not exactly my best turn.


Highborn Turn 5


Ashlynn continued to upkeep Quicken and chose not to assign Focus.


The Mule shot the Manticore for 13 points of damage, taking off both the Myrmidon's arms. At least one of the heavies knows how to use its cannon. The Vanguard continued in epic battle against the Griffon doing 1 point of damage.


Ashynn knows that the best way to get something done is to do it herself. She moved in on the Griffon and wrecked it.


Retribution Turn 6




Kaelyssa upkept Phantom Hunter and kept all her Focus for herself.


The Manticore shot the Mule for another point of damage.


Kaelyssa lined up Ashlynn and shot her for a total of 13 points, leaving a single wound on the enemy warcaster.


Highborn Turn 6




Ashlynn continued to upkeep Quicken, she gave 2 Focus to the Mule and 1 point to the Vanguard. At this point Defenstrator remembered that the Vanguard not only has a shield, but can perform Shield Blocks and probably should have stood in front of Ashlynn for some of Kaelyssa's shots.


The Mule shot Kaelyssa for 15 points, leaving just one wound on the warcaster. Ashlynn moved in front of the trees to shoot at Kaelyssa and missed. As the shock fades the Vanguard simply ran into the trees to engage Kaelyssa.


Retribution Turn 7


Kaelyssa dropped the upkeep spell and didn't bother assigning any Focus. Instead she cast Rift on the Vanguard. The spell destroyed both arms and caught Ashlynn in the blast. With enough focus to boost the damage Kaelyssa was able to do 1 point of damage to the warcaster. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough. Kaelyssa was caught in the area of the Rift as well but no damage was done.


Afterword


Myantek


OK, I got lucky. I thought I was done for when the Arcantrik Bolt bounced off the Mule. Everything was going OK until that point and then the dice just failed me. On the bright side, Defenstrator's dice failed him to leave Kaelyssa with the one point. His forgetfulness worked in my favour as well. I didn't realise that the Vanguard could stop shots like that. I was hoping to kill her that turn.

Defenstrator

So boys and girls, what's the first rule when it comes to winning games? Remembering what your models do. This was the second time I had used the Vanguard in MKII, and I was all excited that I would be able to stop a shooty enemy warcaster from just pegging Ashlynn. So what do I do? Forget about it in the crucial moment. It's especially galling because it wasn't like the Vanguard was the full two inches away or anything. No it was right next to Ashlynn. It could have knocked that shot out of the air with a flick of its wrist. That left me vulnerable enough to be finished by Myantek's long shot at the end, and that was game.

It was all fun though. We had lots of manuevering on both sides and it was interesting to see how things played out. The Manticore continues to impress me as an all around solid warjack. Smashing my Talon at range made me wary of it and it was engaging the Mule in a solid gunfight. Like Myantek I thought the turning point was when her Arcantrik Bolt bounced off, preventing the Manticore from simply coming in and smashing the Admonished Mule. But instead it came down to a messy gun and magic fight in the centre. The Talon on the other hand hasn't been impressing me that much, and I think absorbing the Manticore's fire was about the best role for it.

Highborn Covenant Mariner

This is my latest Merc warjack and I painted him up to take him to PAX 2008. Ashlynn is my main mercenary caster, but she has a very glaring weakness. If she falls over she invariably dies, but because she is a melee caster and has short ranged spell list she has to play at least a mid field game. The Mariner deals with that problem with his Lash ability, where friendly models touching him can't be knocked down. He also adds some much needed range to the army and is able to do crowd control with his guns 3" AOE and his reach + Thresher melee ability. These days the Mariner + Mule combo is my standard build with Ashlynn.

This figure was painted with (the now defunct) Games Worshop Terracotta, which was blended up to Kommando Khaki. The silver metals were done with layers of Chainmail, Mithril Silver, and Taimya Smoke, while the bronzes were GW Dwarf Bronze and Taimya Smoke layers.. The Cannon was based with Privateer Press Brass Balls, washed with the the new GW wash Ogryn Flesh, a wash of Taimya Smoke, Ogryn Flesh again, and then drybrushed once more with Brass Balls.

Merc Ogryn Bokur

I feel bad. I've been getting stuff painted and eventually even photographed, but haven't been posting it on the blog. Posting stuff is what a blog is for so if I don't post, why have a blog.

Anyway, here is my Bokur. I did him in Games Workshop Terracota, highlighted up to Kommando Khaki. He has been painted to go with my mercenary Highborn Covenant army.