2 Weeks

Ok, so I haven't posted in two weeks. Bad sign.

Holidays have been busy, from Christmas parties to holiday shopping. I was supposed to get a game in this past monday, but no luck. Next monday may be shot as well due to the New Year holiday.

Anyways, today being December 26th, I have failed my own goal set to buid paint and bast my Borka & company. But they are further along than before. I plan on working on them once I greenstuff the models I built recently (Earthborn, Trollkin Longriders, Trollkin Champions, Fell Caller) so I am not as worried about them falling apart (especially the Earthborn's skirt and his *GINORMOUS* gaps.)

Monday (er, Tuesday) Morning QB

Ok, going over it in my head, where did I go wrong last night:

1.) I didn't use my cavalry to their best. They were set up far left and could have swept around and flanked, but didn't, instead got caught up with the Raptors
2.) I didn't know the exact rules for light cav which I think would have allowed one of my cav models to survive
3.) I continue to go after the warbeasts and units instead of the warcaster
4.) I didn't commit enough resources to removing the Angelius, I should have left the Seraph with my Winter Troll and attacked Angelius with the Fell Caller, Winter Troll, *and* Borka to make sure that he didn't get back up
5.) I set my


Now, what did I do right?

1.) I remembered to camp some focus in order to perform damage transfers
2.) I remembered my tough rolls
3.) I got my Freezer off on a couple guys, my opponent admitted that this forced a couple of moves which were not intended
4.) I set up the Borka throw and would have gotten it off if the Angelius didn't splatter my Mauler the turn it did

Raptors Light Cav

I think my opponent made a mistake with his Raptors last night as he at one point advanced, took two swings with his melee weapon then retreated as if it were a ride-by attack, however light cavalry cannot make ride-by attacks.
I'll bring this up to him next time he and I talk.

Oh, btw his list as far as I rememeber:
Saeryn, Omen of Everblight
Shredder
Shredder
Seraph
Seraph
Angelius
Shepherd
Raptors (3)

Also wik:
I just found out over on GuruDojo.com that a model can only be slipstreamed once. I need to verify in my Hordes Primal, but I know for sure he opened with Angelius double-slipstreamed.

Also, also wik:
Saeryn cannot "mirror" spell a spell with a range of "self".

Failed Painting Challenge

I have a painting challenge at the Traitor Legion forums to have Borka, Kenny, and the Troll starter box painted and based by Christmas.
I have the blue trolls mostly painted but I do not have Madrak Ironhide painted.

In other news though, I have modeled the following:
Grim Angus
Earthborn Dire Troll
Dire Troll Mauler
Winter Troll
Fell Caller
Trollkin Champions
Trollkin Longriders

Bases are very cinematic with lots of cork and wood chips to simulate rocks and boulders. Pictures forthcoming.

Legion 1, Trolls 0

PLayed my first 500 point game. I think I need to get in a lot more practice with solos and units. I also need more experience with Borka.
In other words I got my ass handed to me :)

List:
Borka Kegslayer
+Pyg Keg Carrier
Dire Troll Mauler
Winter Troll
Fell Caller
Trollkin Champions
Trollkin Longriders

I'll get in a 500 point game next week and learn to play the units (Longriders, Champs) and Fell Caller better.

Didn't get a game in last night, but I *did* get some modeling in...

I now have:
Earthborn Dire Troll - built and attached to his base. Added some chunks of wood chip for additional rocks scattered. Needs ballast and priming
Winter Troll - built and attached to a wood chip base, needs ballast and also some weight on the base to keep him from falling backwards.
Trollkin Longriders (x3) - built, based on wood chip base with other debris.

My biggest issue right now is that I know that I scored the joins to give more grip but I didn't pin *anything*. I'm afraid the models are going to fall to pieces.
I will be greenstuffing almost all of them.

The following greenstuff work needs to be performed:

• Earthborn Dire Troll - greenstuff *every* join. He's a big muther of a model, and needs the support but also he's got monsterous gaps in his chest and waist.
  
• Dire Troll Mauler - the back join as well as where his mohawk joins and both arms.
  
• Winter Troll - with his pose I want to get his arms GS'd but mostly his waist has a big gap that needs filling.
  
• Trollkin Longriders - the yaks all ended up with gaps in their joins. the two longriders (non-kithkar) need to have their weapon arms solidified. shields should gat a bit as well.

Other Modeling
Grim Angus needs a "harpoon" for his left hand gun
2" template for Tether. I have the jeweler's chain and just need a 2" diameter plastic and a small (1/16", 3/32") round dowel, also something to look like a manacle.

Got some modeling done this Saturday @ the War & Pieces Bizaar Bazaar.

Grim Angus - built a base from a wood chip, still needs ballast in the empty areas.
Winter Troll - built and on a wood-chip base. Still needs ballast and greenstuff work.
Dire Troll Mauler - built, greenstuff work is needed
Earthborn Dire Troll - built, MAJOR greenstuff work is needed. I think the rule with metal models (not just PP) the bigger the model, the bigger the gaps.
I also built the yaks for my Trollkin Longriders.

I the past my thought was if I build the models and paint them as I build them I would have a whole army painted. However I think the impetus to build comes from playing. If I don't have an army to play with I don't play and thus I don't build and paint. So I look like I'm building and getting prepped to paint, once I have my stuff built I will assembly-line paint them.
I think this means I'm not going to finish my painting challenge by Christmas...

Guess Who's Back/Borka's Back/Back Again

So, I've been talking to Guy, the Khador player who killed me with Vlad last week. He told me how hard of a game he has against Grimmy. So I'm thinking I'll try out Borka finally.

Thinking of the following lists:

• Borka Kegslayer
  
  • +Pyg Keg Carrier
  
  
• Dire Troll Mauler
  
• Winter Troll
  
• Trollkin Longriders (3)

The other option is to drop the Longriders for a Troll Axer which would have less bodies on the field, but provide a cool animus.
The Longriders, in turn, would allow for a cool (pun intended) area of effect for the Winter Troll's animus.
In writing this post I think that the Longriders is the best choice as it seems to be a better toolbox.

Benefits or Longriders over Axer:

• I get to use a unit!
  
• I get to use Cav!
  
• Speed (I can flank and freeze)
  
• Reach (Axer can Thresher but these guys can reach 2")
  
• Large Base (Winter Troll's animus extends 2" beyond base giving an effective ~28" area* for Freezer)
  
• Slams (I can push people around and [hopefully] knock them down)
  
• Wounds (I *think* they have 8 wounds a piece as opposed to an Axer)

How would this do versus the Vlad list?
Well, Vlad would have Blood of Kings up at all times, which would mean more movement, more hittiness and (i think) more defense. Vlad would *not* have Wind Wall up which would mean he would have (3 or 4?) more Focus per turn to use to smack me around. This will also mean more flak from the Behemoth, however I think I can neuter him (Behemoth) with the slamming Yaks from hell.
Drakhun, well, Drakhun's a pain in the ass. He'll be able to "Drakhun-ball" but thank god he won't be able to get over my Longriders (large bases FTW!) His large number of wounds will be hard to get around. Perhaps I can have the Mauler knock him off his horse and toss him. Once he's dismounted he can be knocked down, so tossing him aside is possible. I can still Borka-Bomb and hopefully get the kill there.
Alten Ashley will be a pain in the ass if I can't get in range picking off whole aspects of my beefy-Trolls.

He also played Irusk in a previous game. Irusk will make a caster kill difficult with his rough-terrain spell as I have nothing to give me the ability to charge through it. Perhaps against Irusk an Axer would be more viable.
In his Irusk list he played Eiryss. I haven't seen Eiryss much and only can think that she's in there for the Phantom Bolt as I think the rest of her bolts are 'jack specific.
The rest of the Irusk list mirrored the Vlad list.
I think the Irusk list would be the harder to take down as I would need to be able to handle the Behemoth, Drakhun *AND* the Inhospitable Ground casting Irusk.

I need to look into whether a Warbeast can Headbutt without a "head weapon".
Also need to know if a model who stands up and forfeits their action if they can cast.

*50mm base = 2" diameter, 2" on either side of the base = 6" diameter, 3" radius. The area of a 3" radius circle = Pi*(3"^2) = Pi*(9) = 3.14*9 = 28.26". However this includes the area of the base. So we would have to figure the "blind spot" of the spell which would be the 2" diameter base. 2" diameter = 1" radius. Area of the 1" radius base would be 3.14". We subtract the 28.26-3.14 to get a 25.12" area of usable board space for the spell. A little more math will show that a model with a large base (50mm) will have a 4.47" frontage and I don't have the patience to figure out the actual area of that.

I was thinking about my games last night on my commute to work...
I think I could have come out better in the game against Guy.

If I had tossed my Axer and/or my Impaler with my Earthborn I could have possibly gotten some more damage on Vlad.

Not sure how I could have done any better agains the Legion army.

Trolls 0, Khador 1, Legion 1

Got two games in last night. Both playing Grim list versus Legion and Khador.

Legion game:
I set up well, I moved decently. But I was out manned. He played:
Saeryn, Omen of Everblight
Seraph
Angelius
Raptors (2 +1)

He had 2 more models on the table than me and with no way to take out multiple models in a turn I couldn't overcome that. I may have over committed my Earthborn as well which didn't end well :) He's beefy, but he's not invincible.

Second game was a rematch against the guy playing Irusk last week.
he played:
Vladimir Tzepesci, Dark Prince of Umbrey
Behemoth
Man-O-War Drakhun (with dismount)
Alten Ashley, Monster Hunter

This one was destined to be a loss. Guy (the player) told me up front he came packing heat against Grim. Vlad's wind wall shut me down the whole game. I couldn't pop a shot at ANYTHING. I ended up over committing my Earthborn again, but Guy was surprised at how far that big fucker can move when properly goaded. I think I played well with the deck stacked so high against me, but in the end he picked me apart and killed each model in turn.

On to the next game :)

Edit: More thoughts about the Khador game

Rematches

I've got a rematch against a Khador player I played last week. Hopefully to the same result :)
If we can get it over and done with quick enough I may be able to pull out another game and get my rematch against the Cygnar player.

Going to be playing my Grim list I played last week. it seems to be a nice toolbox ready for almost any issues.

• Grim can cast Cross Country to avoid rough terrain issues.
  
• He can snipe from 13-17 inches with Headhunter (+ Far Strike).
  
• He can control movement of particularly fast models with Tether.
  
• He can knock down with Mancatcher.
  
• Can "pull" models across rough terrain/woods with Pathfinder
  
• Axer adds 2" to charges and is pretty much a heavy warbeast himself
  
• Earthborn Dire Troll can slingshot with Headhunter and Axer
  
• Also doubles as a nice piece of meat to shield Grim
  
• Impaler adds animus to Grim as necessary
  
• Slams at will
  
• Can handle his own in hand-to-hand combat.

in short I really like this list :)

I modeled Grim the other night, also received all my order from Joel. I need to set up a base for him and drill holes for pins in his feet.
Earthborn should be my next project so I can fill this list out. Then on to the units...