Pick up game 3/26/09

I played Cary last night.  Again I failed miserably.  

And as I'm a big dufus, I forgot all my cards except my Grissel list I've been playing so that was the only list I could play.

Faction: Trollblood

Points: 494

Model Count: 18

Victory Points: 18

Grissel Bloodsong, Fell Caller

Pyre Troll

Troll Impaler

Fell Caller

Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes [4] (0 added)

Trollkin Champions [5]

Trollkin Champions [5]

Faction: Khador

Points: 486

Model Count: 14

Victory Points: 19

Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff

> Destroyer

Koldun Lord

Man-O-War Drakhun

> Man-O-War Drakhun (Dismounted)

Manhunter

Yuri the Axe

Widowmakers [4]

Ogrun Bokur

Lady Aiyana & Master Holt [2]

We played a basic SR4 scenario, No Man's Land.  I got firrst turn (yay!).  After that I was a turn behind Cary.  

Grissel dumped 4 fury onto the KSB, advanced onto a hill (biggest mistake of the game), fell called Hoof it to a unit of champs.  Impaler and Pyre troll both riled for 1 and ran.  Fell Caller moved up, sang open road to other unit of Champs.  2nd unit of champs ran up 10" (with one model still in rough terrain.  KSB moved up and dropped the aura.

After this it was kind of a blur, on the 2nd turn Sorscha (as she normally does) feated, catching Grissel up on a hill with perfect view of her.  I played too defensively, not wanting to take the charge from the Drakuhn and Yuri.  Had I moved up, I would have blocked LOS to Sorscha and Grissel would have not been frozen and knocked down.

It came down to Cary had to eliminate both my Pyre Troll and my Impaler over two turns as Grissel was sitting on full fury to transfer damage.

Cary definitely knows Sorscha much better than I know Grissel, and even though this is another loss to her, I think I'm doing better than whenI started, I just need to think my moves out better and not leave my caster on top of a hill waving her arms and shouting, I'LL BET YOU CAN'T FREEZE ME FROM THERE!

MVP: Grissel, even though she got her stupid ass killed, using Cacophony while frozen and knocked down made Sorscha's life difficult according to Cary, had Grissel survived into her next turn she would have moved back out of Ayana and Holt's range (stupid "no feats) and feated on Sorscha, with 8 or so champs around her.  I don't think she would have survived.  But as I said at the beginning, i was one turn slow, perhaps if I had moved forward more on my second turn I would have forced her to feat defensively and put her on my terms.  Oh well, next game.

Call to Arms Week 5

Game 1 vs. Cary (Khador)

Troll list:
Faction: Trollblood
Points: 494
Model Count: 18
Victory Points: 18

Grissel Bloodsong, Fell Caller
Pyre Troll
Troll Impaler
Fell Caller
Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes [4] (0 added)
Trollkin Champions [5]
Trollkin Champions [5]


Cary's list (I forgot the rest :( )
Faction: Khador
Points: 406
Model Count: 6
Victory Points: 16

Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff
> Destroyer
> Destroyer
Iron Fang Uhlans [3] (0 added)


Scenario was Frontline Foray. Impaler took the far right line section for two points and pushed to keep the Destroyers away from the line. Grissel held up, but Sorscha's feat absolutely destroyed her. Sorscha kept freezing her and she could only transfer damage. Even under Grissel's feat turn I couldn't damage Sorscha more than 5 hp. Sorscha keps up Wind Rush (when not under Grissel's feat turn). The cold hearted bitch finally took out Grissel when she couldn't transfer any more.



Game 2 vs. Gabe (Circle of Orboros)
Faction: Circle Orboros
Points: 485
Model Count: 30
Victory Points: 18

Baldur the Stonecleaver
Woldwyrd
Woldwarden
Sentry Stone & Mannikins
> Mannikin
Sentry Stone & Mannikins
> Mannikin
Druids of Oboros [6]
Shifting Stones [3]
Tharn Bloodtrackers [10] (4 added)


I played my same Grissel list as I think I'm getting better and better with it. Scenario was Mudslide. I ended up with first turn. Gabe's 2nd turn put Pyre troll within Baldur's control area and 1" from the mudslide zone. Top of the third had Grissel advancing and feating. Pyre troll ran across the mudslide and into the clear. That was the end of it.

Again, Trolls 1-1. I think the next tournament I will be able to go the 1-2 I've been hoping for.

Tournament #2 Recap

Didn’t meet my goal for tourney #2, went 0-3 again.  I played well in the first two games but my third game I fell apart, playing my second list thinking it would work better for the scenario.

 

List 1:

Grim Angus

Troll Impaler

Dire Troll Mauler

Fell Caller

Trollkin Champions

Kreilstone Bearer & Stone Scribes (6)

Swamp Gobber and Bellows Crew

Alten Ashley, Monster Hunter

 

List 2:

Borka Kegslayer

Pyg Keg Carrier

Pyre Troll

Pyre Troll

Trollkin Champions

Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes (4)

Stone Scribe Elder

Stone Scribe Chronicler

Fell Caller

Brun Cragback

Lug

 

In typing those out I do not have my books or cards with me, but I have a sneaking suspicion I was over on points on my second list.  Shit.

 

Game 1 vs. Khador:

I played list 1

Guy played Vlad

Scenario was Process of Elimination.  He capped the two territories on my right and almost had the last one on my left but his mortar crew never moved up allowing my Dire Troll Mauler to capture it and contest it from him.  We went to time, I had at that point thrown my champs at Vlad in the hopes of knocking him down a couple of hit points.  No. Such. Luck.  In charging Vlad I had to disengage the Doom Reavers who had charged my Champs which of course killed a few.  I played well, I bricked up from the get-go with the exception of Alten Ashley who was far out in right field.  He got smoked after one attempted shot @ Fenris.  When time was called he had two territory points to my one.

 

MVP: Kreilstone Bearer & Stone Scribes - +2 ARM essentially gave all my units an additional wound every turn.

 

Game 2 vs. Skorne:

I played list 1 again

Stephan played Makeda

Scenario was Control the Squares(?) (where there are two rows of three squares (16”x14”)  and you had to control two of the ones on your side and one on your opponents side at the end of your third turn)  And.I.Blew.It. The end of my third turn if I had move my Fell caller Back 3” I would have won.  The end of his third turn he could have won but instead charged in his Cyclops.  The remainder of the game was trying to figure out if I wanted his Praetorians to smack Grim with or without free strikes from my Earthborn.  Either way Grim got poked like a pincushion.

 

MVP: None.  Everyone underperformed after I fucked up the scenario.

 

Game 3 vs. Cryx

I played list 2

Chris (Lakeland) played Asphyxious

Scenario was Mosh Pit.  I for some reason continue to think that Borka is the caster to play for this scenario.  Anyways, I think I had too many models on the table in this scenario.  Or I just fouled up the points something hardcore.  Either way, we played, and just like the last game I played against Cryx I underestimated the Bane Knight shadow shift.  I boosted up the strength of my Champs and got ginsu’d.  I should have used my pyre trolls from as far as possible and just laid out AOEs until I was in melee.  Next time Chris, next time J  And I promise not to cheat next time (I need to recheck that list).

 

MVP: Brun & Lug.  Wow, those guys are beat-sticks.  Flank on both of them, Brun gets Weapon Master.  Basically Brun runs up and casts Bear Hands on himself, takes a swing at the target.  If he hits it’s knocked down.  Lug runs up and starts wailing away at it getting a flank bonus.  Alternatively Lug can run up first, bear hands, knock down the enemy, smack with the rest of his hits plus fury for 3 additional hits, then Brun runs up and gets a charge bonus, flank bonus, and weapon master bonus.    Things don’t live long with these two in melee.  The only thing is I need to remember when to rile and leech fury and upkeep his spells.

 

Tags: After Action Report, vs. Khador, vs. Skorne, vs. Cryx

Call to Arms League Week 1

Call to Arms League Week 1

Game 1 Vs. Cary (Khador)

Troll list:

Faction: Trollblood

Points: 500

Model Count: 18

Victory Points: 18

Grim Angus

Troll Impaler

Dire Troll Mauler

Fell Caller

Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes [6] (2 added)

Trollkin Champions [5]

Alten Ashley, Monster Hunter

Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew [2]

Cary's List (as close as I remember but i think it's complete):

Faction: Khador

Points: 493

Model Count: 20

Victory Points: 18

Kommandant Irusk

> Beast-09

Man-O-War Drakhun

> Man-O-War Drakhun (Dismounted)

Kayazy Assassins [10] (4 added)

> Kayazy Assassins Underboss [1]

Man-O-War Demolition Corps [5] (2 added)

I played decently.  Much better than my last round against Cary.  I got two shots @ Irusk one for 4 points another for 3, the second shot was a shit damage roll.  If i had rolled 3 points or so moer I would have had her, she left me with a slim line of sight to Irusk.  I did make some mistakes, the biggest of which was not asking which models had which abilities like stealth or cannot be knocked down.  Had I been playing in a tournament I would have really fucked myself with that.  Also Cary told me that it was easier to kill me because I kept my Mauler and Impaler so close so I should keep them a bit further from each other.

Troll MVP: Dire Troll Mauler - he is a good psychological piece to the game looking all mean and stuff.  The Mauler made my life a lot easier by tossing Drakhun and getting him out of the face of himself and my (at this point frozen) Impaler.

Game 2 vs. Ed (Cryx)

Troll list:

Faction: Trollblood

Points: 500

Model Count: 18

Victory Points: 18

Grim Angus

Troll Impaler

Dire Troll Mauler

Fell Caller

Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes [6] (2 added)

Trollkin Champions [5]

Alten Ashley, Monster Hunter

Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew [2]

Ed's List (as close as I remember but i think it's complete):

Faction: Cryx

Points: 500

Model Count: 33

Victory Points: 15

Pirate Queen Skarre

Scrap Thrall

Scrap Thrall

Scrap Thrall

Scrap Thrall

Scrap Thrall

Bane Lord Tartarus

Necrotech

Skarlock Thrall

Bane Knights [10] (4 added)

Bane Knights [10] (4 added)

Withershadow Combine [3]

Gorman di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist

I rushed to get into this game in order to get in two games before the store closed (when I could have taken my time as my opponent misunderstood the meaning of "can you get a 500 point army together quickly?")

I played ok.  I wasn't 100% on how far Skarre's bomb would work and did not figure into account that I would have a bitch of a time counterattacking after her feat turn.  Bad move, I tried to counterattack, and got dick.  Grim got in a couple nice pot shots at her, once after her first turn, aiming, he left his Skarre way out in the open with only a smoke screen in front of her.

In the end he wrecked both beasts and Skarre bombed and killed Grimmy.

MVP: Grim, feat turn fouled up a lot if not all of his movement.  Taking those pot shots at Skarre and his reach kept him camping focus and not casting as many spells.

Tourney this weekend.  Not sure how it's looking for me to go 1-2 :)  Anyways I'm still having a good time.

Trolls 1, Khador 0

got a game against Guy tonight. He played:

Faction: Khador
Points: 500
Model Count: 14
Victory Points: 18

Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff
> Devastator
Kovnik Markov
Man-O-War Drakhun
> Man-O-War Drakhun (Dismounted)
Iron Fang Uhlans [4] (1 added)
Winterguard Mortar Crew [2]
Winterguard Mortar Crew [2]
Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios


(I think)

I played:
Faction: Trollblood
Points: 493
Model Count: 12
Victory Points: 17

Grim Angus
Troll Impaler
Troll Impaler
Dire Troll Mauler
Fell Caller
Trollkin Champions [5]
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew [2]

We agreed on playing for scenario we chose No Man's Land. He went first. On my second turn I ran my Champions, an Impaler, and Dire Troll Mauler into the scoring zone. I popped my feat and kept all but his Uhlan's from being able to jump into the zone. The Uhlan's could have gotten into scoring but Guy decided to try for caster kill and didn't make it.
At that point I offered another game but Guy wanted to finish out the current game trying for caster kill. I think I did a good job of winning the scenario. The sole thing I should have done would have been to tether one of his Uhlans outside of the scoring zone to make sure I had the win.
I'm very happy with my performance and suspect it's my training sessions with the local PG that helped achieve this.

After the win, when we continued for caster kill he finished me off with Mortar fire, Sorscha feated and smoked most of my Champs, the Uhlans got off a charge on Grim which required quite a bit of damage transfers. He caster-killed me but I got this win :)

Two Games against Obi Wan and Padme

Played against the local press ganger, Gabe tonight.

He played Cryx - Coven
I made some big mistakes. A.) I separated my army. again. after our last game i swore i would keep my army together because it works better that way and I still fucked this up. B.) I couldn't prioritize my targets. I couldn't decide between Gudrun or the chicken-jack he sent at me. C.) I didn't get Grim in a position to snipe the coven. they are tasty and squishy, I could have taken one out easy just failed to.

His list:
Faction: Cryx
Points: 498
Model Count: 19
Victory Points: 17

Witch Coven of Garlghast
> Egregore
> Deathripper
> Deathripper
> Deathripper
> Nightwretch
> Nightwretch
> Nightmare
Bile Thralls [8] (2 added)
Gudrun the Wanderer


I also played against his girlfriend, Cary.

She played Khador - Sorscha
I played this one much better (I just didn't know how to handle Sorscha's feat). I kept the Earthborn ahead of the champs with the Hero. I kept decent screening of Grim, but unfortunately she got a sliver of a look at Grim's base and laid waste to me. She froze all but two models and I was unaware that I couldn't shoot or cast spells while frozen. doh!

Her list:
Faction: Khador
Points: 489
Model Count: 9
Victory Points: 17

Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff
> Destroyer
> Destroyer
Iron Fang Uhlans [5] (2 added)
Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

I'm getting better I think. I think I'll do better the next tournament, especially if I keep going to Gabe's place and learning more and more.

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

Trolls 1, Khador 0

Finally! I got a win under my belt.

He played:
Kommandant Irusk
Behemoth
Man-O-War Drakhun
Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios
(looks like he's 21 points shy)

I played my same Grim list:
Grim Angus
Troll Axer
Troll Impaler
Earthborn Dire Troll

First turn I walked Grim up and sniped Eiryss out of a copse of trees (if I remember correctly, my first kill). One shot, one kill. A few turns of screwing around with the Behemoth and Drakhun jumping (getting tossed) down my throat.
During this time I took a shot at Irusk and popped a huge hole in him. After Drakhun tried to take out my Earthborn I moved Grim to the flank and popped Irusk and finished him off.

That makes me 1 and 3. I think I still need more games under my belt.

What did I do wrong?
1.) I dropped all my fury off of Grim at two points and would not have been able to damage transfer had I been attacked.
2.) I didn't throw Drakhun when I had the chance. I could have possibly knocked the Behemoth down with that.
3.) I didn't know from the get-go what happened when a warbeast who was knocked down and frenzies.

What did I do right?
1.) I kept Grim close to his Earthborn for the most part and kept him in trees and safe.
2.) I didn't keep a one-track mind. I didn't try to only slingshot my Earthborn, I didn't try to tether as my sole means of controlling the board. I used different spells and abilities and came out well.

***EDIT: apparently I didn't account for Drakhun's 20pt dismount, sounds like a gymnastics competition***