Battle Report: Zaadesh 2 vs. Tanith (75pts)

On to game two of the pod mini-tournament we're playing.  I brought the same Zaadesh list I played last week, as well as the same Mordikaar list I brought to the tournament a month or so ago.  This time, I was up against Jeff's Circle.  He brought Tanith and Wurmwood.  It felt like either list would have trouble cracking Zaadesh's armor, and while Mordikaar definitely had game into either matchup, I just felt more comfortable with the brick:

Lord Tyrant Zaadesh (*28pts) - Imperial Warhost
*Bronzeback Titan (18pts)
*Aradus Soldier (16pts)
*Titan Gladiator (15pts)
*Titan Sentry (15pts)
*Titan Sentry (15pts)
*Basilisk Krea (0pts)
*Agonizer (0pts)
*Agonizer (0pts)

Siege Animantrax (17pts)

Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (7pts)

There's a huge amount of armor here, and it was startlingly effective the last time I played it.  I kind of can't score circles or flags, but I have so much gristle that I'm hoping I can just attrition my way through, and contest until my opponent has nothing left.



Jeff went with Tanith

Tanith, the Feral Song (*31pts) - The Wild Hunt
*Loki (19pts)
*Pureblood Warpwolf (17pts)
*Woldwyrd (9pts)
*Woldwyrd (9pts)

Eilish Garrity, the Occoltist (5pts)
Reeve Hunter (0pts)
Gallows Grove (2pts)

Reeves of Orboros (Leader and 9 Grunts) (16pts)
*Command Attachment (Officer and Standard Bearer) (0pts)
Wolves of Orboros (Leader and 9 Grunts) (11pts)
*Command Attachment (Officer and Standard Bearer) (4pts)
The Death Wolves (9pts)
Shifting Stones (Leader and 2 Grunts) (3pts)
*Stone Keeper (2pts)

This list has a lot of infantry, and some good board control between Tanith and Loki.  The Reeves can do a lot of damage to heavy armor with Affliction.

The scenario was Invasion, so two round zones flanking a rectangle with an objective on each side.  Each of us picked the healing objective.

I won the roll-off, and chose to go first.  Jeff picked the table side with some forests to hide his wolves in.  He decided to ambush his Wolves.  I put the Animantrax in the center-left, and everything else basically in the middle.  Jeff put the two heavies on the center-left, the two Wyrds on the center-right, the Reeves on the far left, and the Death Wolves on the far right.

Skorne Turn 1

I advanced up the center, with the Animantrax going up the left flank.  Zaadesh put Inviolable Resolve on the Aradus Soldier, and put Battle Charged on himself.  The Paingivers whipped the Animantrax and healed it.

I'd set up out of threat range of all Jeff's units.  I'd see how he positioned, and then decide what to do.


Circle Turn 1

Jeff moved up cautiously, keeping the warpwolves in the forest with the shifting stones.  The Reeves ran up the left flank, and the Death Wolves ran up behind the house in the right zone.  Eilish and the Reeve Hunter moved up to the objective and the central forest.  Tanith advanced, and put Admonition on Loki.

Jeff was setting himself up.  The warpwolves were out of melee range, and the infantry wolves could come in on either side of the table.  I wasn't sure whether they'd come in to support the Reeves or make a play for the right zone with the Death Wolves.


Skorne Turn 2

Zaadesh upkept his spells.

I advanced into threat range, doing my best to ensure none of my beasts would be pulled to their dooms.  The painted Sentry stayed behind the Soldier, and the painted Agonizer and Krea moved up and used their defensive abilities.  The Animantrax shot a Reeve.

The Gladiator advanced behind the objective, and the Bronzeback moved into charge range of the two warpwolves.  Zaadesh advanced, and shielded the Bronzeback with a pair of clouds.  The primed Sentry moved up to contest the right zone.  The Paingivers advanced, healed the Animantrax back to full, and managed Fury.

This turn would make or break my advance.  I didn't think Jeff's list could put too much of a dent in mine, but he certainly had tools at his disposal.  It would depend on whether he'd be able to kill at least one heavy (or the turtle) and keep one or both warpwolves safe.


Circle Turn 2

Tanith upkept Admonition.  The Wolves of Orboros Ambushed in on the left side of the table, clearly intent on taking out the Animantrax.

Jeff activated the Reeves first, and moved them into range of the Animantrax, then realized he'd forgotten to put affliction on the Animantrax first.  Instead of murdining it with a thousand bolts, the Reeves ended up doing just a small amount of damage.

The Wolves of Orboros charged in, used their mini-Feat to gain an additional melee damage die, and did a lot of damage to the Animantrax, but failed to kill it.  The Reeve Hunter advanced through the forest, but was killed by a counter-charge from my Gladiator.  The two Woldwyrds advanced, one doing some damage to the unpainted Agonizer, and the other popping Arcane Suppression.

Tanith advanced, and popped her Feat.  She shot the Aradus Soldier to shut down its movement and make it and the Sentry force to shake Shadow Bind next turn.  She also channeled a couple Rifts through the Woldwyrd in the woods, killing the unpainted Agonizer and 4 of my Paingivers.

The Shifting Stones ported Loki up to within range of the painted Agonizer, but I saved the little champ with a Shield Guard from my Sentry.  Jeff then noticed the direct line between my Bronzeback and Tanith, which I'd been trying not to stare at too hard, and moved his Pureblood to block the charge.  The Death Wolves ran to engage the primed Sentry, and that was that.

I still had a pretty good shot at assassinating Tanith, I'd just need to manage my resources and make sure everything happened that needed to.


Skorne Turn 3

Zaadesh upkept his spells, and the Sentry and Aradus shook Shadow Bind.

Zaadesh was out of range of Arcane Suppression, so he cast Rush on both the Bronzeback and Aradus Soldier.  He also used his Feat.  Then I started activating the army.

The painted Sentry killed the two Wolves who'd charged it, then the Animantrax killed about 7 or 8 of the Wolves engaging it.  Then the Paingivers advanced, and Enraged the Aradus and Bronzeback.  The Aradus advanced to Loki, who Admonitioned to block its pull of the Pureblood.  The Aradus did kill Loki, but was unable to kill the Pureblood.  Then the Gladiator Rushed itself, and advanced up to the Pureblood, then used Power Attack: Throw to clear a path for the Bronzeback...

...which charged in and finished Tanith.

Victory to the Skorne!


Thoughts

I played a really solid game, and pushed attrition with my heavy armor.  Again, I was able to use Inviolable Resolve, my objective, and LoS-blocking clouds to deal with a single source of drag.  I like this list a lot.  It certainly has its shortcomings, but it also definitely has some strengths, including being a giant hunk of beef that can be pretty hard to deal with.

Jeff made some activation order mistakes which cost him the opportunity to take out my animantrax with Affliction.  He also left Tanith in a very dangerous position, which cost him the game.  He definitely set himself up well, though, especially with the Reeves.  If he'd gone through the activations needed to shoot down the turtle, I'd've been in a lot of trouble on the left flank, and I'd've had to push assassination or else seriously recommit to killing the Wolves before they could wipe out my backfield.

That's it for now.  I'm already scheduled to play my next Pods game this coming Wednesday, then I'm on a bit of a break.

Thanks for reading!