This is my first report for Retribution! It happened a little over two weeks ago, so I apologize for any forgetfulness. I can't remember why I didn't write the report right away, but here it is:
I ran:
Kaelyssa, Night's Whisper (+7)
*Banshee (10)
*Phoenix (10)
*Sylys Wyshnalyrr, the Seeker (2)
10 Dawnguard Invoctors (10)
*Officer and Standard Bearer (2)
6 Mage Hunter Strike Force (5)
*Strike Force Commander (2)
Arcanist (1)
My opponent, Ben, ran:
Drake MacBain (+6)
*Nomad (6)
*Buccaneer (3)
*Sylys Wyshnalyrr, the Seeker (2)
10 Kayazy Assassins (8)
*Kayazy Assassin Underboss (2)
Lady Aiyanna and Master Holt (4)
Alexia Ciannor, Mistress of the Witchfire (4)
Ogrun Bokur (3) (Client - Alexia)
Eiryss, Angel of the Retribution (3)
Gorman di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist (2)
Saxon Orrick (2)
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord (2)
I won the roll off, and decided to go second.
Turn 1: Mercenaries
Drake cast Failsafe on the Nomad, and Countermeasures on the Kayazy. Almost everyone else ran, and Rhupert gave the Kayazy Tough for the round.
Turn 1: Retribution
The Invictors used Extend Fire, advanced, and CRA'd into Alexia, leaving her at 1 or 2 boxes, but failing to finish her. Kaelyssa cast Banishing Ward on the Invictors to ward off Hellfire, and put Phantom Hunter on the Banshee for LoS ignoring slam shots. The 'jacks ran up. The Strike Force ran forward a bit, keeping a forest between themselves and the Kayazy. I didn't want them getting shut down by Countermeasures or murdered.
Turn 2: Mercenaries
The Kayazy ran forward to jam me, shutting down nearly all ranged weapons outside of Kaelyssa's and the Strike Force's. Alexia and the Bokur advanced on the Invictors, but had no ranged attacks to make. Eyriss shot and disrupted the Phoenix. Drake didn't Feat, but did Energizer the warjacks a little. He saved his Feat for next turn. Rhupert gave the Kayazy some extra Def and Terror with Dirge of Mists.
Turn 2: Retribution
Since Drake hadn't Feated last turn, I'd need to do a lot of damage this turn. Unfortunately, all my guns were basically offline thanks to Countermeasures. Kaelyssa advanced and popped a few Kayazy with her Runebolt Cannon, then used her Feat to defend my army. The Phoenix walked forward, and used its Combustion attack, killing 4 Kayazy. The Banshee and Invictors got into combat with the Kayazy, and killed one or two between them.
Turn 3: Mercenaries
The Nomad advanced on the Phoenix, and did its initial attack. Drake advanced, used his Feat to help the surviving Kayazy and Alexia out, and cast Jackhammer to get some more attacks out of the Nomad, leaving the Phoenix at just a couple of health boxes. Other models moved into position. Alexia charged and killed one sad Invictor who wasn't in Kaelyssa's CTRL (whoops).
Turn 3: Retribution
The Banshee was thoroughly jammed, so Kaelyssa dropped Phantom Hunter from it. The Artificer advanced, and repaired some boxes on the Phoenix, which tried to hurt the Nomad, but didn't do much. The MHSF advanced, killed Holt, and put some more damage on the Nomad with Arcane Assassin and Jack Hunter. Kaelyssa put Phantom Hunter on herself, and killed Eiryss and an un-Feated Kayazy or two. The Banshee tried to Critical Grievous Wounds the Kayazy in combat with it, but just knocked it down. The Invictors knocked down a couple Kayazy, and got some damage in on the Nomad with Flank.
Turn 4: Mercenaries
The Kayazy and Saxon started killing some Invictors. The Nomad finished off the Phoenix. Alexia got to summon up some Thralls, who obligingly killed a few more Invictors for her. The Buccaneer tried to net itself a Kaelyssa, but didn't hit.
Turn 4: Retribution
I was pretty sure I could charge the Banshee into Drake this turn, so Kaelyssa gave it 3 Focus. Then the Invictors killed one of the Kayazy engaging the Banshee, as well as most of the Thralls and the Bokur. Then Kaelyssa advanced, and tried to shoot the other Kayazy engaging the Banshee - but she had wandered into range of Countermeasures. Luckily, I was able to kill it with an Arcane Bolt, and the Banshee was able to charge Drake. It missed with its charge attack, and scuffed him up a little with its off hand. -_-
The Mage Hunters finished off the Nomad, and I ended my turn.
Turn 5: Mercenaries
Aiyanna and Gorman debuffed the Banshee, and Drake killed it in style. The Buccaneer once again tried to net Kaelyssa, this time with the aiming bonus, but once again it missed. Ben was not pleased. The three surviving Kayazy charged my support models, killing the Arcanist and a Mage Hunter, and wounding Sylys. Alexia and her Thralls finished up the Invictors on her side of the table.
Turn 5: Retribution
Drake was camping 3 Focus, and was clearly in Kaelyssa's threat range. I had Sylys upkeep Phantom Hunter, then Kaelyssa advanced and killed off Drake with her Runebolt Cannon and his own Focus.
Victory to the Retribution!
Thoughts
Kaelyssa is a lot of fun. I felt she didn't have as much to do this game as she might in others, since her anti-magic wasn't at its best against Drake (who doesn't do a lot of offensive spellcasting), and the list's shooting game was being harshed over by Countermeasures. A lot of people on the Retribution Forums have recommended Sentinels with her (and I definitely wished I'd had them more than once), or another primarily melee unit. I'll have to proxy them at some point soon. Saving an extra point over the Invictors would let me squeeze in another Arcanist, and I really do feel like I'll want 2 in most lists. Even so, Kaelyssa made a fantastic super-solo, with her Runebolt Cannon plinking Kayazy off reliably, and she finished Drake with Phantom Hunter and Energy Siphon. She's definitely a nasty fighter even when her support isn't shining.
I played a pretty solid game, though what I could have/should have done differently is a little hazy right now. After the game, Ben said he was surprised I didn't try to sneak around his flank with the Mage Hunter Strike Force - I kept them in the woods. I probably should have kept advancing with them, as it would have forced Drake to deal with them somehow, and his backfield cast of Sylys, Gorman and Rhupert might not have been up to the task.
Ben made a couple of mistakes. I feel he should have used his Feat on turn 2, rather than let me kill off half his Kayazy. He came back quite well otherwise, and he probably would have managed to kill Kaelyssa if either of those nets had hit. In retrospect, I was treating her like a Warlock with a couple of Fury on her, instead of a squishy Warcaster camping a couple Focus. Ben could get 2-3 attacks in, and I wasn't nearly as worried as I should have been.
No comments:
Post a Comment