Friday 21 August 2015

Nerfageddon! WTC lists, faction Breakdowns.

So as I'm sure you are all aware Privateer Press released an errata yesterday (20th August) that applied some pretty big changes to Warmachine. Here's a great summary: http://privateerpressforums.com/showthread.php?236100-August-2015-Errata-and-You

Another thing that must be taken into account was the WTC lists had to be submitted on Monday (17th August) and they were published for all to see at 0800 yesterday (20th) Privateer Press released their errata at about 1550-1600.

I'm not particularly bothered about the errata, it changes stuff, definitely for the better. My absolute biggest issue is the timing.

As anyone who reads the blog knows I have been practising for the WTC for months, it's been fairly certain from the start that I'd be playing Haley2 and the list is designed to do specific things, mainly fight Bradigus and Legion but hordes in general.

Now I'm going into the WTC locked into this list that was designed and tested to fight certain matchups that it will really struggle against. Stormnouns are incredibly squishy and without the control part of the feat they are likely to die in droves.


Specifically thinking about the engaging at reach strategy against non reach models and then feating on them.

Anything that has some sort of movement spells can now negate this by moving models so that they can hit back.
One example is Thagrosh2 slipstreaming his models forward using manifest destiny and killing a lot of things under Haleys feat.

Lylyth2 has become incredibly scary as she can now feat first and kill a lot of your things comfortably, including being able to use the Naga Animus beforehand etc.

Bradigus can now feat his Wolds forward and build the Synergy chain and kill models easily.

In EE Calandra can just walk her engaged Trolls out of melee and feat then use the other trolls to shoot everything to death!

The Gorman Nerf hurts a lot against anything beast heavy, especially Trolls, Legion and Brad.


I'm going to have to play Haley a bit to see how much things have changed and I think its going to be easy to adapt certainly my biggest issue, as mentioned before, is the timing of this.

All the WTC lists can be found here: http://www.discountgamesinc.com/blog/

On that note here's the faction breakdown for all teams.


And here are the caster breakdowns courtesy of Ryan Evans:

















Tuesday 18 August 2015

Passed 50, doubt I'll make it to 100!

Managed to get in 4 games over the weekend just past, will keep them short.

Game 48/100
Caine2 Vs Morvhana2
Opponent: Phil Doogan
Scenario: Two Fronts
Phil's List:
Seasons of Fate - Tier 4
Morvahna the Dawnshadow
* Warpwolf Stalker
* Warpwolf Stalker
* Gorax
* Druid Wilder
Tharn Bloodtrackers
* Nuala the Huntress
Tharn Wolf Riders
Tharn Ravagers - Min
* Tharn Ravager Chieftain
* 1 Tharn Ravager Shaman
Gallows Grove
Gallows Grove

We diced out a Top of 2 assassination from Phil, he failed.






Phil then won on Scenario but we diced out my assassination and I killed him, probably should have gone for it, oh well still counting it as a win.

Caines Assassination Run

ASSASSINATION WIN!


Game 49/100
Haley2 Vs Vayl1
Opponent: Pete Croft
Scenario: Destruction
Pete's List:
Vayl, Disciple of Everblight
* Seraph
* Scythean
* Typhon
* Zuriel
* Shredder
Strider Rangers
* Strider Rangers Officer & Musician
Blighted Nyss Shepherd
The Forsaken
Spawning Vessel



Dominate to 3, full camp, AS
Pete was unable to kill Gorman and I was able to get good control of the Zone and blind him and managed to get a Scenario win with 3 boosted TKs in the last turn.


TKs done I go 5-0


SCENARIO WIN!

I decided to try Haley3 into Cryx as I didn't fancy another Haley2 game, I crowd sourced a list and threw it on the table.

Major Prime Victoria Haley
* Squire
* Dynamo
Storm Lances
Stormblade Captain
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt
Trencher Infantry
Tempest Blazers
Journeyman Warcaster
Gastone Crosse
Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord

Game 50/100
Haley3 Vs Denny1
Opponent: Lars Likedeeler
Scenario: Two Fronts
Lars's List:
Warwitch Deneghra
* Skarlock Thrall
* Deathjack
* Stalker
* Scavenger
* Deathripper
* Deathripper
Bane Thralls
* Bane Thrall Officer & Standard
Bane Lord Tartarus



I got ahead on attrition early on but Denny feated and pulled it back, I wasn't able to remove Deathjack and he got to Haley Prime needing 11s to hit and managed to get two and finish me off.

ASSASSINATION LOSS!

Game 51/100
Haley2 Vs Thagrosh2
Opponent: Mike Porter
Scenario: Fire Support
Mike's List:
Thagrosh, the Messiah
* Raek
* Raek
* Shredder
* Scythean
* Scythean
 * Seraph
Blighted Nyss Legionnaires
* Captain Farilor & Standard
Spawning Vessel
The Forsaken
The Forsaken
Spell Martyr

I was able to get a solid Alpha and then trigger Espionage and removed 2 Raeks, 2 Scytheans and damaged the Seraph in one turn and went on to win.
By rights I shouldn't have got the 2nd Raek or the Espionage but there was some confusion over true strike under Thags2 feat and Mike let me have a massive take back (Activating Thags first under feat)


SCENARIO WIN!

This weekend we're having a local SteamRoller for about 16 players so I should get in at least 4 games and some good practice.

I have also been helping out with the painting of more Legion and I got the Legionnaires and Farilor done and started on eVayl.


Farilor & Bros



Tuesday 11 August 2015

Game 47 and some Legion toys.

Only managed to get in one 50pt game this weekend :( Sad Times.

I was playing against Zaal2 who was recently spoiled at Gencon, I opted for Haley2 into Skorne.

Game 47/100
Haley2 Vs Zaal2
Opponent: Alan Buckley
Scenario: Close Quarters
Alans's List:
Zaal, the Ancestral Advocate 
*Tiberion
*Cyclops Shaman
*Basilisk Krea
Hakaar the Destroyer

Extoller Soulward
Mortitheurge Willbreaker
Nihilators (Max)
Nihilators (Max)
Cataphract Arcuarii (Max)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Min)
Swamp Gobbers Bellows Crew

I won the roll and opted to go first, I unpacked with the Lances and Blades on the Right, Stormclad Central and Nyss on the Left.

Alan ran everything forward screening with the Nihilators with Tiberion and the Arcuarii central.


I advanced with the Nyss and shot some of the Nihilators  and also assaulted in with the Storm Lances and put the Stormclad into Tiberion. I was able to Black Oil Tiberion and then feated with Haley.

Hakaar triggered Vengeance and hit a Storm Lance but failed to kill it. as did Zaal but he was wedged in a couple of Animi and Spells went out and thinks shuffled about, Hakaar and the Soulward Killed a Lance each. A Nhilator moved up into the Nyss.


Post feat the Nyss cleared the Nihilator and the Willbreaker and controlled Alans flag, Gorman moved up and Black Oiled again, catching Tiberion and some Arcuarii again. The Stormclad was then bumped sideways out of Tiberions Melee range and killed 3 Arcuarii. The Stormblades assaulted killing Hakaar and the Lances Charged in and attacked the Shaman. Haley moved up to dominate my own flag and I scored 2 points.



Alans Shaman and Krea frenzied killing a Lance with the Krea and the Shaman missed. Zaal moved in and killed the remaining two Lances. a Nihilator charged in and Berserked on 3 Blades killing all of them. Nothing was able to contest so I scored 2 more points.


I end my turn and score 2 more.


SCENARIO WIN!

I also played a small Demo game with pStryker and was down to Stryker and the Charger who were able to Earthquake and then shoot Irusk to death.



Haley3 has been temporarily shelved as I am helping my Brother out with his Legion toys for the WTC, I was able to get the Pot Ladies done on Sunday evening and will be working on some more toys in the near future, it makes a change from generic normal humans, even though the pot ladies are pretty much that.


Friday 7 August 2015

She's here! Games 45 & 46

A couple more games in the bag, for both of them the Haley2 model was being repainted so Haley1 kindly stood in.

Game 45/100
Haley2 Vs Haley3
Opponent: Pat Dunford
Scenario: Incursion
Pat's List:
Major Prime Victoria Haley
* Squire
* Charger
Storm Lances
Tempest Blazers
Trencher Infantry
Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team
Alexia Ciannor & the Risen & Thrall Warrior
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord
Stormblade Captain
Journeyman Warcaster

Pat asked to play the Haley3 into Haley2 matchup to see how it goes.

The smoke wall really effectively stopped my Alpha and I ended up getting stuck in a grind against an amazing attrition caster who can also revive things and generally attrition well, Alexia1 really helps with this!

Unpacked
Pat under feat

After Alpha
 
Mopping up
 One highlight was Harlan Versh taking out Granny Haley.

I was able to get a trampled Stormclad onto Haley Prime but she was DEF 19 with Flux and Dirge I managed to land one hit but didn't have the focus to follow up.
Then I got killed.

ASSASSINATION LOSS!

My next game was against Bradgius as I need some practise for the WTC, Phil kindly agreed to bring him along, although he forgot the model so Morv2 is standing in.

Game 46/100
Haley2 Vs Bradigus
Opponent: Phil Doogan
Scenario: Recon
Phil's List:
THEME: Wold War - Tier 4
Bradigus Thorle the Runecarver
* Woldwarden 
* Woldwarden
* Woldwatcher 
* Woldwatcher 
* Woldwatcher 
* Woldwatcher 
* Woldwatcher 
* Woldwatcher 
Sentry Stone & Mannikins
Sentry Stone & Mannikins
Shifting Stones
Shifting Stones
Shifting Stones

I unpacked the army aware of the shooting and feat threat from the AD'd Wolds, the Nyss were interspersed amongst the army. AD went onto the Lances and I put Decel up, just in case.

Unpacked
Phil unpacked with his Mannikins and Wolds behind/in the forest wall and also threw out a couple of rifts via Geomancy in an attempt to slow me down.

I moved the Nyss up and shot down the Mannikins, Haley loaded the Stormclad up, TA'd it, feated and it trampled off to engage some Wolds and try and kill one, he crippled it but didn't kill.
The rest of the army jostled for position and got ready to assault in next turn.

Enaging and feat
Under feat Phil pushed his Wolds up into my line, I'd made an error of having the Storm Lance leader up front and it meant they had to be further forward than needed so he was able to engage a couple more models than he should have been able to. He tried a couple of rifts, going for Anastasia and Gorman but failed to kill either of them.

Alpha ready to go!
After that turn I was able to load up the Stormclad again and then able to get Anastasia to trigger on Bradigus I pulled back the Engaged Storm Lances, made a couple of attacks with the Blades and repositioned for the Charges and activations.
I then did my Charges with the Stormdudes and swung with the Stormclad and was able to leave 3 lights, one crippled, and one Woldwarden left alive. Haley ran off to the far corner to be as safe as possible.
Dead Wolds
Phil came back and was able to kill Gorman, the Stormclad, and a couple of the Stormblades, Bradigus having to do some work and help build the Synergy chain.

Harlan stepped up and did a few points of damage to Bradigus who was only camping 3 or 4, forcing a transfer, unfortunately he missed his 3rd attack. The Nyss and SBC cleared up anything jamming the remaining Stormlances and blades. Then I Deadeye'd the Lances and switched Arcane Shield onto Haley, just in case. The Stormblades charged Bradigus and did a little bit of damage then the Lances went in and put him into the dirt. Had this not worked Anastasia was ready to espionage and get a bunch more attacks onto him including SBC.

Bradi(vhana) gets deaded
ASSASSINATION WIN!

Overall I'm happy with how the game played out, Anastasia and Gorman living was huge and something that really helped swing it.


In Painting news I finished redoing my Haley2 and I'm happy how she turned out.


 I also finished a batch of trenches for tables for the WTC, I did a couple of snowy ones as well.

Trenches
And finally, Haley3 actually arrived, I put them together its a beautiful sculpt. I will be painting them asap, and hopefully playing her soon enough.

New Toys!

WIP