I played the 25pt list I've been blathering about:
Master Tormentor Morghoul (+7)
*Titan Cannoneer (9) 4 Paingiver Beast Handlers (2)
*Titan Gladiator (8) Extoller Soulward (2)
*Cyclops Savage (5) Agonizer (2)
*Basilisk Krea (4)
I consider this list pretty well balanced. It's a threat at a variety of ranges, and has the tools to deal with a variety of situations.
My opponent, Todd, played the following:
Goreshade the Cursed (+5) - Tier 2
*Stalker (4?) 10 Bane Thralls + UA (11)
10 Bane Thralls + UA (8)
Bane Lord Tartarus (4)
6 Scrap Thralls (2)
Hoooo. Leeeeee. Shit.
I may not have mentioned in my ramblings that my army, like most, has its weaknesses. It's pretty well balanced, but there are definitely builds I'll scramble to come up with an answer to. A Bane swarm like this, with 24 models rocking Weapon Master, Dark Shroud, and Tough, is one of those.
We decided to play scenario, and ended up rolling the one with the 36" long objective in the table center. My opponent would be going first. He deployed in a line across a lot of the board. I deployed in a brick refusing my right flank. My plan was to punch a hole through the Banes by any means necessary, and get to Goreshade before all my warbeasts bit it. I'd try to draw them in with my admonitioned Cannoneer to give myself as many options as I could for tramples and slams. The scenario would hurt, because I wouldn't be able to game distances to whittle my opponents' Banes down much.
Turn 1 - Cryx
Todd ran everybody. Bane grunts out in front. Officers and Tartarus a couple inches behind them, Goreshade a tad behind that line, and Standard Bearers in the back. There were a couple other things. The Stalker was out front, running into the control zone, and the Scrap Thralls were on the back edge of Goreshade's CTRL. It looked like his plan was to overwhelm me. His banes were clumped which was good for me, but I'd have to pick off Tartarus to reduce their effectiveness.
Turn 1 - Skorne
I advanced a little more cautiously, leading with my light beasts, but keeping well out of most of Todd's charge ranges. The Gladiator put Rush on the Cannoneer, and Morghoul added Admonition and Abuse. The Cannoneer advanced far enough to take a shot at the Stalker, winging it for minor damage. The paingivers did a lot of Conditioning. I'd try to do as much damage to the banes as I could next turn, and see where it went from there.
Turn 2 - Cryx
Goreshade allocated 1 Focus to the Stalker. Banes ran into the Control Zone, still clumped, trying to get to grips with my condensed force. The Stalker charged my Krea, doing some bad damage, but not killing her. Swamping me with Banes may not be the most subtle of plans, but it was looking mighty effective just then.
Turn 2 - Skorne
Morghoul leached, and upkept Admonition. The Soulward gave Guidance to the Cannoneer, who ambled up, and killed Tartarus. The Krea used Paralytic Aura, and wiggled around the Stalker to make room for my Gladiator. Morghoul abused the Gladiator, and gave one Fury to the Agonizer, just in case. Gladys advanced, and Double-handed threw the Stalker into 2 Banes, killing the Stalker and 1 Bane. The Beast Handlers conditioned the Titans and enraged the Savage, Adam. Adam charged the Bane line, killing 2 more. The Agonizer ran to block charge lanes to Gladys. That hadn't been a lot of damage, but my heavies would also get through next turn pretty unscathed. I'd be in a good position to kill a lot of banes, too, but probably not enough.
Turn 3 - Cryx
Todd charged one unit of Banes at the Agonizer, Krea and Savage. The Krea and Agonizer bit it, but the Savage lived. The second unit of Banes charged Adam and Candes (who ducked out of harm's way with Admonition), and did some running into a giant clump. Their attac ks finished off Adam. Goreshade actually advanced toward me, camping 7 focus. At this point, I could try to kill as many Banes as possible, knowing that A) they had Tough, and B) At least 6 would be returning. Or I could try to kill Goreshade, knowing that he was Arm 23.
Turn 3 - Skorne
Right, time to kill Goreshade. The Beast Handlers Enraged both Titans, and tried to whip a couple Banes. The Soulward also tried for a Bane, but also failed. Morghoul, though, cleared a charge lane for Gladys, and Abused both titans. I forgot to sprint back to relative safety, but if this didn't work, I was out of the game anyway.
Gladys charged into Goreshade, whiffing with 2 out of 3 attacks. #&%*ing elephant. Still, if Candes got very lucky, I could pull this out. She trampled across 2 Banes, missing both, and losing her mind to free strikes. Needless to say, she did not kill Goreshade.
Turn 4 - Cryx
Some elephants died for their temerity, and Morghoul got to feel very refreshed as Voass turned him into a pink Snow Cone.
Overall, I had a very fun game against one of my most feared matchups. Todd was a great opponent, and a cool guy. I'll post a couple of my mistakes, and their associated might-have-beens in the comments.
Master Tormentor Morghoul (+7)
*Titan Cannoneer (9) 4 Paingiver Beast Handlers (2)
*Titan Gladiator (8) Extoller Soulward (2)
*Cyclops Savage (5) Agonizer (2)
*Basilisk Krea (4)
I consider this list pretty well balanced. It's a threat at a variety of ranges, and has the tools to deal with a variety of situations.
My opponent, Todd, played the following:
Goreshade the Cursed (+5) - Tier 2
*Stalker (4?) 10 Bane Thralls + UA (11)
10 Bane Thralls + UA (8)
Bane Lord Tartarus (4)
6 Scrap Thralls (2)
Hoooo. Leeeeee. Shit.
I may not have mentioned in my ramblings that my army, like most, has its weaknesses. It's pretty well balanced, but there are definitely builds I'll scramble to come up with an answer to. A Bane swarm like this, with 24 models rocking Weapon Master, Dark Shroud, and Tough, is one of those.
We decided to play scenario, and ended up rolling the one with the 36" long objective in the table center. My opponent would be going first. He deployed in a line across a lot of the board. I deployed in a brick refusing my right flank. My plan was to punch a hole through the Banes by any means necessary, and get to Goreshade before all my warbeasts bit it. I'd try to draw them in with my admonitioned Cannoneer to give myself as many options as I could for tramples and slams. The scenario would hurt, because I wouldn't be able to game distances to whittle my opponents' Banes down much.
Turn 1 - Cryx
Todd ran everybody. Bane grunts out in front. Officers and Tartarus a couple inches behind them, Goreshade a tad behind that line, and Standard Bearers in the back. There were a couple other things. The Stalker was out front, running into the control zone, and the Scrap Thralls were on the back edge of Goreshade's CTRL. It looked like his plan was to overwhelm me. His banes were clumped which was good for me, but I'd have to pick off Tartarus to reduce their effectiveness.
Turn 1 - Skorne
I advanced a little more cautiously, leading with my light beasts, but keeping well out of most of Todd's charge ranges. The Gladiator put Rush on the Cannoneer, and Morghoul added Admonition and Abuse. The Cannoneer advanced far enough to take a shot at the Stalker, winging it for minor damage. The paingivers did a lot of Conditioning. I'd try to do as much damage to the banes as I could next turn, and see where it went from there.
Turn 2 - Cryx
Goreshade allocated 1 Focus to the Stalker. Banes ran into the Control Zone, still clumped, trying to get to grips with my condensed force. The Stalker charged my Krea, doing some bad damage, but not killing her. Swamping me with Banes may not be the most subtle of plans, but it was looking mighty effective just then.
Turn 2 - Skorne
Morghoul leached, and upkept Admonition. The Soulward gave Guidance to the Cannoneer, who ambled up, and killed Tartarus. The Krea used Paralytic Aura, and wiggled around the Stalker to make room for my Gladiator. Morghoul abused the Gladiator, and gave one Fury to the Agonizer, just in case. Gladys advanced, and Double-handed threw the Stalker into 2 Banes, killing the Stalker and 1 Bane. The Beast Handlers conditioned the Titans and enraged the Savage, Adam. Adam charged the Bane line, killing 2 more. The Agonizer ran to block charge lanes to Gladys. That hadn't been a lot of damage, but my heavies would also get through next turn pretty unscathed. I'd be in a good position to kill a lot of banes, too, but probably not enough.
Turn 3 - Cryx
Todd charged one unit of Banes at the Agonizer, Krea and Savage. The Krea and Agonizer bit it, but the Savage lived. The second unit of Banes charged Adam and Candes (who ducked out of harm's way with Admonition), and did some running into a giant clump. Their attac ks finished off Adam. Goreshade actually advanced toward me, camping 7 focus. At this point, I could try to kill as many Banes as possible, knowing that A) they had Tough, and B) At least 6 would be returning. Or I could try to kill Goreshade, knowing that he was Arm 23.
Turn 3 - Skorne
Right, time to kill Goreshade. The Beast Handlers Enraged both Titans, and tried to whip a couple Banes. The Soulward also tried for a Bane, but also failed. Morghoul, though, cleared a charge lane for Gladys, and Abused both titans. I forgot to sprint back to relative safety, but if this didn't work, I was out of the game anyway.
Gladys charged into Goreshade, whiffing with 2 out of 3 attacks. #&%*ing elephant. Still, if Candes got very lucky, I could pull this out. She trampled across 2 Banes, missing both, and losing her mind to free strikes. Needless to say, she did not kill Goreshade.
Turn 4 - Cryx
Some elephants died for their temerity, and Morghoul got to feel very refreshed as Voass turned him into a pink Snow Cone.
Overall, I had a very fun game against one of my most feared matchups. Todd was a great opponent, and a cool guy. I'll post a couple of my mistakes, and their associated might-have-beens in the comments.
My biggest oversight was during my assassination run on Turn 3. If I'd advanced Gladys instead of charging, and landed either a Headbutt or Double-Handed Throw on Goreshade, he'd have gone down much more easily. Still, both of these tactics require that I hit with one crucial roll, otherwise, they're much worse than simply charging.
ReplyDeleteIn a more strategic sense, I might have been better served by hanging back on turn 2. The disadvantage would have been letting Todd pick up a Control Point. The scenario required only 2, and letting him just take one uncontested would have forced me to commit to the zone every turn from then on until the game was over.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'd have had more time to whittle down his swarm. The banes were clumped enough that even a single extra cannon ball would have made a significant difference, and by running in to contest the zone on Turn 2, I denied myself the opportunity to slam my own Savage and/or Krea. A 4-5" slam is a decent expectation for the Gladiator, and even a medium base like the Savage might have made quite an impression on the 20-odd Banes facing me.
Playing this game has made me realize how limited my options against infantry really are. Only committing Morghoul himself to the fight was I able to clear enough room for an assassination run. Depending on how shooting-heavy the meta turns out to be, I may have to swap my Krea for a Drake.