Battle Report: Makeda 3 vs. pDoomshaper at 50pts

I got to try out the Makeda 3 list I've cooked up for the upcoming SR 2013:

Makeda and the Exalted Court (+2)
*Molik Karn (11)
*Bronzeback Titan (10)
*Titan Gladiator (8)
*Archidon (7)
*Cyclops Shaman (5)
*Basilisk Krea (4)

Tyrant Commander and Standard Bearer (3)
4 Paingiver Beast Handlers (2)

Agonizer (2)

My thoughts on the list can be found here.

My regular opponent and co-blogger, Caleb, ran the following list:

Hoarluk Doomshaper, Shaman of the Gnarls (+7)
*Rok (11)
*Dire Troll Mauler (9)
*Troll Axer (6)
*Rune Bearer (2)

5 Trollkin Champions (10)
*Skaldi Bonehammer (3)
10 Pyg Bushwhackers (8)
Kriel Stone Bearer and 5 Stone Scribes (4)
*Stone Scribe Elder (1)

Fell Caller Hero (3)

This is going to be a standard brick list.  It hits hard, and is hard to hurt.  Its biggest fear is going to be spammed Weapon Masters and high-Def infantry, but It'll love going up against 'Beast and 'Jack heavy lists.

Deployment & Scenario

We played Incursion, the scenario where 3 flags are placed in the middle of the table, and one disappears at the end of the 2nd player's 1st turn.  I won the roll off, and chose to go first.

I'm leaning to the right with my faster beasts, and keeping the Titans in the middle.

Caleb opposes me.  His main block is right across the brick wall from mine.

Turn 1 - Skorne

I ran my heavies, threw up Vortex of Destruction on Makeda, and Paralytic Aura on the Krea and the Shaman (who charged to get their distance), and dumped 4 Fury on the Agonizer.

The Skorne move up to gain ground.

A pretty standard opening for lists like these.  I was hoping to get my beasts behind the wall next turn, and use it to block off Caleb's nearly Reachless army next turn while I set up my attack.  It would also be nice to have the Archidon around to score on the left flag if it stuck around.


Turn 1 - Trollbloods

Most of Caleb's army ran.  Only the Pygs and Doomshaper advanced.  Doomshaper cast Fortune on the Pygs, and piled Fury onto the Kriel Stone.  The Pygs shot at the Gladiator, but did no damage.

Poised to take the objectives, and out of range of most of the Skorne.

Caleb had advanced skillfully.  He was threatening the wall with most of his army, but was out of my threat range with anything except Molik Karn.  What's more, the left flag disappeared, which put me on the clock.  Caleb could let his Pygs score points on the right flag while contesting the center one.


Turn 2 - Skorne

I decided to do a hit-and-run attack with Makeda, Karn, and the Archidon, before consolidating behind the wall.  The Tyrant Commander used Press Forward on Makeda and the Exalted Court to give them some extra reach.  Then the Bronzeback ran to just behind the wall, only to be Counter-Charged by Skaldi, who did 1 damage.  Makeda and the Court advanced, and Makeda cast Eliminator at the Bushwhackers.  She killed 3, then retreated 6".

The Krea advanced, used Paralytic Aura, and moved up to zap Rok with a Spiritual Paralysis.  The Shaman advanced, and used Rush on Molik to give him +2" movment.  Molik charged a Champ I knew was in range, then bounced into the Mauler, taking it down to a few boxes before using Fate Walker.  The Archidon used Lightning Strike to give itself Sprint, and charged Skaldi.  It killed him, and retreated to the wall.  The Agonizer used Gnawing Pain to debuff Caleb's Warbeast damage rolls, and ran up to a safe little pocket in my lines.  Finally, Karn took his Fate Walker move to get behind the Archidon.

Right here, I think I'm pretty safe...

I'd done some damage, but I'd made a serious mistake too.  I should have gone all in with my fast beasts, and spent Karn's last two Fury to kill off the Mauler, and Sprinted right into Rok and the Champs with my Archidon.  There was one thing I'd overlooked, which could easily turn my defended position into a trap.


Turn 2 - Trollbloods

That thing was Rampager.  The Rune Bearer reminded Doomie that it was OK to covet his opponent's Warbeasts with Harmonious Exaltation.  Then Doomshaper cast Rampager at the Bronzeback.  D:

...but Doomshaper sees only the Bronzeback.

He hit, causing the beast to trundle over the wall and attack the Archidon while mooning Caleb's Dire Trolls and elite heavy infantry.  Doomie also tried to Stranglehold Molik Karn, but didn't do enough damage.  Then he popped his Feat, which would shut my list, especially Makeda, down hard on my next turn.

Then the Kriel Stone popped its aura, and passed out +1 Strength.  Rok cast Primal on the Mauler, and walked up to the Bronzeback to take away a big chunk of its health.  The Champs charged in, and managed to finish the Bronzeback and the Archidon (though the one attacking the Agonizer managed to miss twice).  The Mauler charged Molik, taking him down to 2 hit boxes, and the Axer charged the Gladiator, but managed to miss twice.  The Pygs wasted some shots trying to bring down Molik and the Agonizer, and also claimed the right flag for Caleb.

Some Warbeasts seem to be missing here, but Doomshaper is awfully close to the action.

Another good turn for the Trollkin.  Losing the Bronzeback was a major blow, and Doomshaper's Feat was shutting down both heavily wounded Molik Karn, and spell-happy Makeda.  I was in a bad situation, but Caleb had also made a mistake.  His only available transfer target was the Axer, and that was next to my Gladiator.


Turn 3 - Skorne

Time to see if I could pull off the assassination.  Makeda took some damage from upkeeping Vortex of Destruction.  The Tyrant Commander advanced, gave Makeda's unit Pathfinder in case they needed it, and finished off the Mauler, allowing Doomshaper to reeve the Fury.  Molik advanced, and put some damage on the nearest Champs, and opened a lane for an Exalted Guardian.  The Gladiator charged and killed the Axer, taking some damage from Doomshaper's Feat.

Now that Doomie had nowhere to shunt his damage, I started my assassination.  First, the Cyclops Shaman advanced, and hit him with a fully boosted Evil Eye, doing a bunch of damage.  Then, the Agonizer got out of Makeda's way (dying to a Free Strike in the process).  Finally, Makeda Feated, and issued a charge order.  The Exalted Court utterly flubbed their attacks, and the Champs they tried to kill were fine.  But Makeda killed her target on the first swing, and used Blood Boon to cast Eliminator at Doomie without taking 3d6 damage in the process.  She did end up taking 2d6 to boost the attack and damage rolls, and did enough damage to disable him.

Armless, not harmless.  Makeda aims for Doomshaper.

He failed his Tough check.

Victory to the Skorne!


Thoughts

1 - Rampager.  Do not let it happen to me.  I would have been fine if I'd jammed with the Archidon, and used Molik to take out the Mauler, but I tried to get fancy instead.

2 - One of Makeda 3's greatest strengths is how comfortable she is on and near the front lines.  She can project her hitting power and spells at the enemy very easily, and being able to do that let her end the game for me.  Even if Doomshaper had passed his Tough check, she would likely have survived his next turn.

3 - I'd be more comfortable with this list if it had an infantry screen.  I'm considering Bloodrunners, Swordsmen, and Cetrati.  If I owned actual Nihilator models, I'd prefer them over Swordsmen.  They're not as offensive, but I don't need them for offense.  Bloodrunners are nice, since they can stay ahead of the Battlegroup even at full speed.  Cetrati are very solid, but very expensive.  I'd have to drop the Shaman or the Krea, which I'm not wild about.

4 - Caleb is getting much better at handling pDoomshaper.  His list was ready to grind it out, and he'd timed it well to give himself an advantage.  He just overextended with his Axer at the end of Turn 2.  This list has also served Caleb better than previous pDoomie lists, and seems to work pretty well.  I'm usually pretty underwhelmed by the Bushwhackers, but they were an important unit this game.  They were able to stay out on the side and control the flag, while still contributing (well, not that much against this list) to the battle with their shooting.