mandag 31. oktober 2016

Battle Report # 3 Rahn 1 vs Haley 3

Exordium

Starting to get the hang of Rahn now. Uncertainty around Rahn still lingering in the background, thinking back to my previous game. Unlike last game, my opponent doesn't have any stealth. But this time around, I'm facing a cloud wall. Judging by the scenario, this is gonna be a hard nut to crack!

I'm shooting for scenario play this game. I really have to see how big of an control game this is.

Lists

Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points

(Rahn 1) Adeptis Rahn [+26]
 - Chimera [8]
 - Chimera [8]
 - Sphinx [13]
 - Sphinx [13]
 - Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker [4]
 - Helios [34]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]
House Shyeel Battle Mages [10]

House Shyeel Magister [4]



Opponent

Cygnar Army - 75 / 75 points

(Haley 3) Major Prime Victoria Haley [+25]
 - Ironclad [12]
 - Grenadier [9]
 - Thorn [13]
Trencher Infantry (max) [16]
Journeyman Warcaster [4]
 - Charger [9]
Storm Lances (max) [20]
Anastasia di Bray [3]
Ragman [4]
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord [4]
Hutchuck, Ogrun Bounty Hunter [6]



Pre Battle deployment and thoughts




We were playing the scenario, The Pit. I'm not sure if u can call this scenario alive or not. Anyways I feel that I got dealt the better cards in assassination, but for sure the worst hand for scenario game. Also, I'm sure my opponent is just going to bunker up, and score every turn on his own flag. And threaten to clear the zone as soon as he can.

Rahn wins the roll, and wants to go first. My opponent picks a side, then changes his mind and picks the opposite side.


Round 1 


Retribution runs up, ending uo close to starting position. Don't change a winning strategy, and to be perfectly honest, Im a bit unsure how to protect my mages with a different setup than this one. There is two walls close to each other on the left side, so I decided that my mages are safe, shooting at defence nineteen, even regarding my opponents hot dice. More on that later on! Also Helios can't go anywhere else, I need him in the zone, with the two walls so close to each other. There is only one position that he can stand at. The plan is to place my Helios up in my opponent's face, and just tell him to deal with it.



My opponent does as I thought, he bunkers up like the zombie apocalypse is here. Leaving a whooping one model that I can target! His positioning is causing anxiety, if he keeps this game going the same way. It will end up with me losing on scenario. His plan should be just running a few models in to contest my flag. And keep scoring on his.
Nothing dies.


Round 2



How to crack this nut? Feeling safe, I place my two arcanists outside of shooting range. Lanyssa is placed a bit aggressive, so that she can threaten my opponents flag next turn. Still feeling safe with defence seventeen. Helios barely in the zone, anticipating my opponent willingness to move forward. Both Chimeras standing on three focus, one on a hill, the second one in rubble. Outside of charge range for the cavalry, all but one. Not fearing one cavalry I switch over to opponent. 



My opponent smiles, and tell me he is putting in his ambushing modells. To my horror I had totally forgotten ambushe!

Hutchuck charges in to kill my Arcanist. Just standing outside of contest range. Anastasia charges in, and takes care of Lanyssa. All but three trenchers walk up and cloud up. The remaining three combine to take a shot. The Grenadier fires three shots into Helios. The charger walks around the forest, and shoots a long shot at my defence seventeen Chimera. Rolling seventeen on the dice, and puts a ridiculous thirteen damage points on it.

1 - 1 control points.


Round 3


First and badly damaged Chimera apparitions up, making sure he is in telekinesis range on the Charger. Rahn telekinesis the charger and A, facing her away from the rest of my army. Just so that she cant charger in, and has to run. Rahn chain blasts a lancer to death. Sphinx nummber two, the furthers to the right. Walks up to shoot a Lancer, nothing happenes. The mages pull the Charger down, putting a good amount of damage on it. Helios pulls it in and kills it.





My opponent thinks a bit, then decides to feat. I'm not sure why he chose to do so, I still believe that he was in the lead. Tho apparently down on attrition, but still damage dealt out to Helios and my Chimera. Old Haley, moves up and shoots my left Chimera, down to eight boxes. Rolling hot, mini Haley Chain Blasts Helios twice. And man did his dice roll on the chart. Holy spack! This model alone took one side of Helios. The rest of his army shoots Helios. A lancer runs up to contest my flag.

2 - 1 control points to Cygnar.

Round 4



I'm having a meltdown, this is turning into a mentally disturbing game. I take a few seconds to breathe, and look at the map again. Looking at it again, this might still work. I have a opportunity to kill Old Haley, and most likely most of the Lances. I can survive another control point for Haley.

The Magister slams the closest Lancer into the Lancer in the back. Killing the first one. Rahn hands out a few focus. And telekinesis future Halye. The right Sphinx kills two lancers. The left Chimera runs up to contest the opponent flag. 

2 - 2 control points.


My opponents fuels up Thorn, he wants to finish Helios. So he spent most of his army trying to get rid of it. But between 2d6 repairs a turn, and his high defence, this guy is still standing. I guess the dice gods cooled the dice, Jr. Warcaster plus Ironclad could not finish of the badly damaged Chimera.

As the last model activated, my opponent sees the trick. He is not going to get close enough to Helios. He will at best get 1 attack onto Helios, and that at the cost of me getting a control point. Instead Thorn runs up to contest my flag.

Round 5


For the first time Haley is left out in the open. I could clear out my zone, and contest his. But the assassination is just too obvious. I clear up the Chimera, that appritioned closer to her, standing in melee. Telekinesis the Grenadier and the Chimera, then Haley. Mages pulls her down, the mage damage is enough to do the job!

2 - 3 control points.



Retribution wins!


Evaluation

Cloud wall is a huge problem, even worse than stealth. I can't get around it, and terrain really hurts me. There isn't much to test, perhaps with a lot of practice, I might get around it. Also it shows that Rahn needs to be patient. As long as you can keep an arc node alive, and all your mages, you have game! Looking at this game tho, I should have lost. My opponent could just bunker up, and make sure I do not score in my turn. Instead he list focus, and let me get a angle.

søndag 30. oktober 2016

Battle Report # 2 Rahn 1 vs Thagrosh 1

Exordium

New day, new game. I have had a few good games with Rahn the last few days. And shooting for a new win today with Rahn. I found myself on the otherside of the table to Legion. I have played against today's opponent earlier. I know his list, and know what it's capable of. I personally believe this to be the strongest list i have faced off against Legion.

Lists

Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points

(Rahn 1) Adeptis Rahn [+26]
 - Chimera [8]
 - Chimera [8]
 - Sphinx [13]
 - Sphinx [13]
 - Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker [4]
 - Helios [34]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]
House Shyeel Battle Mages [10]

House Shyeel Magister [4]


Opponent

Legion Army - 74 / 75 points
(Thagrosh 1) Thagrosh, Prophet of Everblight [+28]
 - Carnivean [19]
 - Typhon [24]
 - Raek [8]
 - Raek [8]
 - Raek [8]
 - Raek [8]
 - Seraph [14]
Swamp Gobber Chef [1]
Hellmouth [6]
Swamp Gobbers Bellows Crew [2]
The Forsaken [4]


Pre Battle deployment and thoughts

We were playing the scenario, Outlast. Rahn won the dice roll, and opted to go first. Thagrosh carefully picked the side that gives Rahn the least amount of terrain to hide behind. I had a few ideas I wanted to test out during this game, first and foremost, I want to see how much of threat Rahn can push out first turn. Secondly I would like to see how this list works against a high damage output list. Especially against high defence models.
Map


Deployment


Round 1





The game plan is to pressure Tagrosh for scenario, the pressure should be dealt in assassination threat.Keeping my Chrimeras in position to walk or run in, to telekenisis and slam him, for the drag to win, like Rahn always does. 

I run up, positioning ,models close to what it looked like in deployment. Except I, like the previous game, place my mages behind Helios. It feels like they threat more, while in the middel. I make sure my models are positioned out of spray ranges, so that I can get another turn of positioning before I have to commit to melee.

As expected before game start, Raeks would be a menace this game. Legion runs up  and places one Raek in the left zone, two in the middel, and the last one in the right zone. The H is placed in the right zone, and runs up in position to jam my army with the tentacles. Carnivien and Typhon run up, in position to bouth contest, and spray my back line. Thagrosh moves up, feeling safe, Casting Fog of War, camping 3 fury.


We stop the timer her, Thagrosh is in very easy assassination range as he is standing. So we agree that Legion moves Thagrosh behind the wall. Most players cannot comprehend the insane assasionation threat Rahn has.





Round 2





I really don't want to handle four Raeks jumping into my ranks. I opt to move one of my Chimeras into telekinesis range of the furthermost to the left Raek. The plan is to telekinesis him in place right in front of the second Raek. Then slam the first one onto the second Raek. Knocking them bouth down. So that Helois can take care of them. And giving me the left side on the table. 


My dice fail me badly...... 


Four dice to roll seven should be without doubt possible, even a given event. After missing the third time, Rahn had done exactly nothing. Lanyssa with her vendetta, managed to miss on a Tentacle. This is normally where i begin to lose it. Insted i counted to ten. And used my Chimera to headbut his Raek, using the mages to kill it. I killed a few tentacles, and shuffled abit around. Feeling a loss was about to unfold in my hands.



The Legion player made a huge mistake this turn, it cost him the game. Reeks were moved up to jam. Tentacles ran up to jam. Typhon charged in and killed the Chimera in the left zone. Thagrosh sees the opportunity to score three control points here, in all his excitement he forgot to feat back the one killed Raek. I believe that, if he had feated it back. I would have been jammed so hard down that I would not find and opening.


Lanyssa was killed, so was the Magister. A few points og damage was dealt out, nothing important.


Legion scores three control points.




Thagrosh is standing on the base toeing the zone.



Round 3





I'm too far behind, I can't get back on control points. And the one beast I have killed will be feated back next turn. Cant play the attrition game anymore, nor is scenario on the table. The Airwolf theme song keep running in re-run in my head. It's assassination time.
My first plan is to clear around my last Chimera. But after failing to kill a Raek with my right Sphinx. I gave up that plan. The second Sphinx clears around Helios on the left side. Clearing a pathway for the man himself. Rahn walks up and telekinesis Thagrosh, and placed him in front of the Hellmaw. Then slams him into the Hellmaw! 

I cannot but feel the irony here, The overpowered unit, Hellmouth giveth, Hellmouth taketh!


Thagrosh is dragged all the way down to Helios, and is killed!


Retribution wins!!




Evaluation

This game was hard, it doesn't give me many options in attrition. I need targets that I can pull in and kill before we engage in the middle. With four stealth models in front, I'm trading for a loss. I guess I could have played my round two better, and given my opponent less options. Therefore I'm still not sure if Rahn is on the down side or not. Also Rahn has a safety, I WIN, button with his feat. Need more practice against Legion, and stealth in particular.



lørdag 29. oktober 2016

Battle Report # 1 Rahn 1 vs Cain 2

Exordium

I have had a few games with Rahn already. Tho every game has ended up with an assassination, I felt that I would like to try the attrition game. Through the game, I couldn't help but thinking what were Privateer Press thinking. When they introduced pre measuring. Also my mind kept drifting off towards all the ways I could get hold of Cain 2.

Lists

Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points

(Rahn 1) Adeptis Rahn [+26]
 - Chimera [8]
 - Chimera [8]
 - Sphinx [13]
 - Sphinx [13]
 - Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker [4]
 - Helios [34]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]
House Shyeel Battle Mages [10]

House Shyeel Magister [4]


Opponent

Cygnar Army - 75 / 75 points

(Caine 2) Captain Allister Caine [+27]
 - Centurion [17]
 - Centurion [17]
 - Ace [12]
 - Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator [4]
Journeyman Warcaster [4]
 - Charger [9]
Rangers [9]
Storm Lances (min) [12]
Captain Arlan Strangewayes [4]
Gun Mage Captain Adept [5]
Lynus Wesselbaum & Edrea Lloryrr [5]

Ragman [4]


Pre Battle deployment and thoughts

We were playing the scenario, Entrenched. Rahn won the dice roll, and opted to go first. Cain saw a few opportunities with the terrain. Forest, a hill and the house would give his army good protective opportunities.




The picture is from after Retribution first turn.


Round 1



Retribution runs up straight up. Ending up very close to what starting deployment looked like. Just remembering to keep my HSBM behind Helios, and trying to keep all models that are in Cain`s threat range spread. Both Chimeras get three focus, to try to keep them safe. The one closest to Cain, behind a wall, and the second out of his range, but safe for the rest of Cain`s shooting.

Cygnar runs up. With a loss, and Rahn`s huge assassination range fresh in mind. Cain tries to stand as safe as he can. This hurts Cain in my opinion. Since he gives me half the table, and ends up using Ace stealth og a hill, with heightened reflexes on. 

Round 2



Round two is a blur for me, I messed up my plan badly. Then plan was to telekinesis the furthest left jack in. And kill some rangers to the right. I wanted to clear out the left side of the table to move R into the zone, and not let Cain get ahead on controll points. 

I managed to telekinesis the jack, and the telekinesis my own Chimera behind the forest terrain. To keep him safe from the cavalry standing in the back. From there I moved my Sphinx up to shoot the Centurion, for psychic relay. And started moving my HSBM within range of the Centurion. This is when I realized that I forgot to cast Chain blast on the Rangers. I pulled the Centurion close enough, and then in place. So that I could walk up with Helios, shoot him, and then melee him to death. 

Nevertheless all the mistakes, I managed to kill the Centurion, start the game 17 points ahead of Cygnar.




Cygnar shuffles around, trying to minimize his losses. But still getting the most out of his turn. Cain moves into place, getting a few shots in to the furthermost Chimera to the right. Taking out everything but both arms. Because I made so many mistakes round to, Cain also got my Magister and Lanysa. 
Cygnar scores one control point.

Mistakes were made on Cygnars turn, in my opinion. Cygnar ran his cavalry behind the forest as shown on the picture. Effectively taking them out of the game.


Round 3





One of the best mechanical players in my local gaming club, keeps telling everyone.
- "While ahead in attrition, never assassinat".
With scenario play in mind, I tried to keep going to attrition. Taking away all the pieces that can kill Helios, equals me winning on scenario in the end, at least thats what I keep telling myself. 

I moved my damaged Chimera down to get repaired. The second Chimera walked up in telekinesis range of the Charger. Then Rahn telekinesis the Charger, then the  Chimera closer the Centurion, to put him in range of the third telekinesis cast, and put the Centurion in range og walking distance of Helios. The Sphinx moves up to shoot the Charger, giving my mages extra range. The mages proceed to pull the Charger into charge range of the second Sphinx. Helios moves up shooting Centurion, moving him into melee with Helios. Then shoots Reinholdt out of range of Cain. Helois kills the Centurion, and the Sphinx takes care of the Charger.

Cygnar takes another control point.

I feel that this turn went according to my plans. Leaving Cain between a rock and a very hard place. He has to feat, hoping to kill Helios. Leaving me with two heavys in range of him, and Rahn feat still alive.


Cygnar scores his third control point.

With two Centurions, and a Charger down. Cygnar hasn't much they can do. Cygnar shuffles around, before feating, trying to kill Helios. With Ace in melee, and Ragman right behind him, Cain is shooting with pow 14. His first roll was downright a miss. The result of rolling low on the damage rolls the three first attacks, and not being able to get the third attack from Reinholdt left Helios alive with 17 boxes.


Round 4



Cain is left out in the open, behind a cloud. More importantly, he is standing there without heightened reflexes. This means I can knock him down! All my ideas about scenario play just flew out the window. It's hammer time!

My second Chimera hasn't taken too much damage. Just his shield is down, so I hope he can take a free strike from Ragman. I take my chances and run him up between Ragman and Ace, into the cloud. Sylys gives Rahn arcane secrets, Rahn feats, casts telekinesis on Cain. Then forse hammers Cain into his own objective. Four damage dice for the slam, and Cain dies on that single roll.

Retribution wins!


Evaluation

One of my main problems against Cain is how much work he can do himself. In my opponents list, there are a few problems to solve. Heavies and colossals, tho something you need to be wary of. Can be solved in an easy matter, but Chains threat ranges are super scary, especially when he can assassinate you without light of sight nor initial ranges. So keeping my infantry safe is very important, since it's the HSBM that deliver the punsh.



fredag 28. oktober 2016

Army focus

I have decided to start focusing on casters, and stop playing different casters everytime I go down to my local gaming club. After a good and hard thorough look at my casters, I am pleased to present to you the top three:


Kaelyssa 1


Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points


(Kaelyssa 1) Kaelyssa, the Night's Whisper [+29]

 - Banshee [18]
 - Hyperion [36]
Elara, Tyro of the Third Chamber [4]
 - Discordia [18]
Dawnguard Invictors (max) [16]
 - Dawnguard Invictor Officer & Standard [4]
 - Soulless Escort (1) [1]
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]


Our dear and best girl, Kaelyssa is back. After a thorough rebalancing in MK3. She made the cut, and moved up from a good second caster. To a strong pick.


I feel that this list has very few hard counters, if any. Don't misunderstand me, there are lists out there I would rather not play this list into. But hard counters are few, if any.

It has a good shooting game, with good melee threats. Kaelyssa feat is great defensively, it could potentially win you the game if used correctly.


Rahn 1


Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points


(Rahn 1) Adeptis Rahn [+26]

 - Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker [4]
 - Chimera [8]
 - Chimera [8]
 - Sphinx [13]
 - Sphinx [13]
 - Helios [34]
House Shyeel Battle Mages [10]
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
House Shyeel Magister [4]


Initially I wasn't sold on Rahn, but after some musing. And literally a dream I had, were the list appeared to me. I have had a few games with him. Rahn is strong, very strong! In a world were you can premeasure, you will have a ball playing this dude!


Sadly I have yet to find a list that I can use while Helios is still missing in action. Please do not hesitate to contact me with ideas!




Vyros 2


Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points

(Vyros 2) Vyros, Incissar of the Dawnguard [+27]

 - Imperatus [22]
 - Discordia [18]
 - Sphinx [13]
 - Griffon [8]
 - Griffon [8]
 - Griffon [8]
 - Griffon [8]
 - Griffon [8]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]



Mr. Big V himself! The elf that alone have made the makers of Griffons rich! Stock prices on Griffon.Corp shoot sky high! Our crotch through parts of MK2. What can you say about this list, it was good, and still is. It asks so many questions, and Birds Eye solves tons of questions. Like cloud walls ect. ect.



torsdag 27. oktober 2016

My first post!

As an effort to up my own game, I started taking pictures, round for round. To recapture, and recap my own games. I finally decided to start a blog for my own benefit.

First off, I'll start with some facts. I have been playing Warmachine since MK2 release. And because I have a strong desire to excel in what I have started, I keept playing Retribution of Scyrah. No matter how bad these guys were back in those days. But Retribution being a joke faction, is old new. And with the release of MK3, these guys really have a big footprint.

In fact Retribution is now a contender for top faction in both Warmachine and Hordes. "live the dream while you can boyz!"