First Mk3 Steamroller

Ho-di-oh folks !
Yesterday, as you might know, I went to a Steamroller. If you want to check out the list I'd take just click here. Without further mumbling from me, here is the story of my latest adventure.

First Round - Entrenched

Trollblood

Jarl, Devil of Thornwood
- Bomber
- Rök
- Mulg
- Axer
- Runebearer
Horgle
- Pyre
- Pyre
Min Stone + Elder
Gobber Chief
Bunker

Since Trolls tend to have a High Armour and his second list had a Glacier King, I went with my pThag list. I won the roll-off and choose my table side for the wall and trench, letting my opponent go first. He moved pretty aggressively with his heavies and Pyres, so I went forward a little but didn't run much, because I didn't want to end up in reach of his heavies. His second turn, he moved forward again, staying just out of reach of my warspears, but still threatening both zones. I realised that I can't keep back for an eternity, and moved forward a bit, to bait him. Toward his zone, I sent the Carnivean with the Warmongers and toward mine the Warspear and Typhon. As expected, he charged with a Pyre in my warspear and Jarl started shooting off my Warmongers and scored a CP for him. On my turn, I killed the Pyre and put Thagrosh into my zone to start scoring also, while the Warmongers contested his zone. On his turn, he sent Mulg after Typhon, but the great dragon shrugg off the attack, since Mulg had lost is Mind to some well placed Typhon breathes the turn before. Jarl killed the last Warmonger with the help of his Bomber. Back to me, I don't have any other choice but to move my Carnivean into his zone to contest, and I'm hoping he can survive the Bomber. Typhon helped by the Blackfrost finish off Mulg. Back to him, he cast Primal on his Bomber and Axer and sadly kill the Carnivean. I didn't think about it before, but he snacked with his Bomber, so the Carnivean was removed from play, and I couldn't feat him back. The second Pyre rush into the few Warspears I have left, and then only my unit leader remain. Currently, it is 3-2 on scenario for him, but his caster his a bit exposed, so I tried to kill him with Typhon, but missed the first spray (even boosted) so Jarl dodged 2" away. For the sake of it, Thagrosh charged and killed the Pyre troll before lobbing an Obliteration into Horgle face, killing him outright. And then lost on Scenario, because he scored on my turn then on his turn. 5-3 CP.

Looking back to the game, I'd hold back too much during the first turn and I should have been more aggressive, especially during my first turn. I was really afraid of Mulg, because with his caster he treatened 13", but thinking back, sending Mulg into my Warspears like that would had meant that either Mulg was out of Control, or his caster was very forward. Overall, my opponent was a great guy and a very good player, and the game was a great game until the end.

0-1

Second Round - The Pit

Trollblood

Borka the Kegslayer
-Keg Carrier
-Mauler
-Mauler
-Earthborn
-Axer
-Pyre
-Storm
Max Long Riders
Horthol

Since I was in the "Loser Bracket", I already knew that the best I could do was getting 3-1, so I didn't care much and choose to send Lylyth3, even if I knew that Borka had Wind Wall, because I figured that I could try to beat him on scenario. I won the first roll and choose to go first. He chooses his table edge but I didn't really mind since the Lylyth list I played have Pathfinder and Eyeless Sight everywhere. First turn I moved forward pretty aggressively and cast Battlehost, which I upkeeped all game. After turn one, all my army was already at the zone or a bit more forward on the flank toward his flag. His moved as fast as he could do keep up, but he also but his cavalry in the front, but not far enough to touch the zone, and but Wind Wall on Borka. On my turn, I feated, froze all his army except Borka & Keg-guy and a Mauler hiding behind his cavalry. I also killed the Storm Troll and a Long Rider. On his turn, he had shaken off all the Stationary he could, but the Long Riders still blocked him, and he was alreay hot on fury. He moved all he could forward, and even his Earthborn ran to engage Lylyth. He didn't cast Wind Wall do, because he cast a couple of Rush to help his beat moving forward. On my turn, there was 4-5 of his beast into the zone, so I knew that my only option was the assassination, and Wind Wall was not up, so yeah for me ! The assassination basically takes me an eternity to achieve, and he succeeded two tough roll thanks to Stumbling Drunk, but he was so far behing his beasts that he couldn't transfer anymore. After all my Striders, Raptors and Angelius had a go at it, at last, a well-placed shot from my Bolt Thrower put him out of his misery.

At the beginning of this game, I was unsure how Lylyth would play into a Beast heavy list with a Wind Walled caster, and I knew that this would have been a pThag's drop usually, but I really wanted to try Lylyth 3. At the end, the Clock was 40 minutes left for him, and 5 for me, so that also mean that I will need to step up my game but for a first game, that's ok.

1-1

Third round - Extraction

Circle of Orboros

Kromac the Ravenous
-Druid Wilder
-Feral Warpwolf
-Ghetorix
-Warpwolf Stalker
-Wild Argus
Sentry Stone & Mannikins
Sentry Stone & Mannikins
Shifting Stones
Warpborn Skinwalkers
-Alpha

My opponent had only one list, so I had the chance to choose mine knowing exactly what I would be facing. So I choose pThag because I felt like he was the good answer. He won the roll and choose to go first, so I set up and the side with a forest touching a flag, so I could score while being in safety. He made a classic opening move, rushing forward with everything, casting Warpath also. I did about the same, my Carnivean was on the right flank, with Typhon and Warmongers in the middle and Warspears and my left flank behind the forest. On his turn, he killed 2 Ogruns with the Mannikins, rolling hot dice and so triggered 2 Warpath move. His Argus slammed one of my Warmongers and used Dopplerbark so I can't run or charge with the Carnivean. He also moved Kromac very close to the right flag and hide him behind a Sentry Stone forest and two Skinwalkers, because he had no Fury left on him (he upkept Warpath, cast Bestial and Wild Aggression). On my turn, since Kromac was empty, my Carnivean walked up around the Argus and targeted a Skinwalker with his spray and a boosted to hit and damage on Kromac, doing 11 damages. Typhon walked up also and sprayed toward a Mannikins and Kromac, boosting roll to hit Kromac, and finished him.

In this game, my opponent made a mistake, moving as forward as he did, he should have camped at least 2. The game would probably have been very different otherwise. It's no great play from me, just an early assassination.

2-1

Third Round - Take and Hold

Legion of Everblight

Bethayne, Voice of Everblight
-Belphagor
-Zuriel
-Nephilim Bloodseer
-Raek
-Stinger
Max Nyss Swordmen
-Abbot and Champion
Max Raptors
Blackfrost Shard
Grotesque Assassin
Fyanna the Lash

His other list was Absy2 with an Archangel and some more Heavies, so I dropped Lylyth3, 'coz why not, let's try her out again. He won the roll, so he chooses to go first and I picked up the side of the board. They were a bit similar, mine had a forest to the right while his side had a forest in the middle. First turn, he ran with everything and hid Bethayne behind the forest, where she will stay for about the whole game. My first turn, I moved Lylyth forward and kill both the Assassin and a Raptor before shuffeling back. The Deathstalkers killed 1 Swordmen and I sent 3 Scouts to jam his raptor in melee. My opponent his still moving forward, but didn't feat. He ran with the Swordmen to engage my Deathstalkers, the Raek leapt and kill to of my jamming scout. 2 raptors charged my Scouts and one the Angelius, while the last one battle against a jamming Scout. Zuriel also charged forward, and breathed, killing another Scouts. On my turn, I'm thinking about using my feat, but nay, better keep it to make it count since I believe I can win the attrition war. With a bunch of Swordmen on my left flank, I decided that the smart move would be to move my army to the right. I first activated my Scouts to do some melee then my Raptors put some damage on Zuriel. My Angelius also charged Zuriel, and I got triple 6 on my Armour Piercing attack, so Zuriel died, and the Angelius crippled the Mind and Body of the Raek. Annyssa walked his raptor and shoot one down, before reforming toward my flag. Lylyth moved right and had some shoot into the Swordmen and Belphagor. On his next turn, my opponent used his feat, but he only managed to kill the Angelius, Annyssa and another Scout, but did engage my Bolt Thrower with a Swordmen. On my next turn, since a lot of my stuff survive, I moving again way to the right, keeping just outside of the killbox. Overall, my Bolt Thrower killed the pesky swordman engaging him and shot at Belphagor but did low damage. I killed the Blackfrost and the Raek and his last Raptor, plus Lylyth shoot 3 times Belphagor, leaving him on 6, with only his Spirit working. On his turn, he had only a few minutes left on his Clock, so he decided to go dominate his Flag and hoped that he could rush his turn to win or that I would Clock myself since I only had 10 minutes left also. That was all I have been waiting for all game. Lylyth  trampled over to of my Scouts and Fyanna to take position, feated and miss her first shot, but hit with the second, forcing a transfer, hit with the last, doing 15 damage (loaded dice right there), forcing a transfer on Belphagor who die and she still lost 9, but gained a Fury to transfer. I moving in with my 4 last Raptors, hit with first one, forcing his last tranfer, then he concided me with 52 seconds on my Clock to do the last 3 Raptors, which I would had the time to do.So even if I won, several things that I didn't though off during the game because I was tire: Apparition on the Seraph, buying one last attack on the Raek with the Angelius, 'coz he was so dead anyway, better positionning my beasts. My opponent did the right thing, though, but if Bethayne hadn't went out for the flag, I would have want through his Swordmen with Lylyth and Belphagor wouldn't have survived one more turn either, so I was winning on Attrition.

3-1

Overall, I finished the day fifth out of sixteen, so not bad ! Even the guy that beat me finished sixth so... that's a personal victory right there !

Thanks for reading guys !

As always, comments are always welcome.

See you next week !

Lists & Meta: First Mk3 Steamroller incoming

Hello back people around the world !

This week, let's talk a bit about the general Meta in Mk3 up to now and what I plan to bring to next week Steamroller.

So, Mk3, eh ? That thing hits the Meta pretty hard. From what I have seen people play and what I play meself, Mk3 seem to favour High Armour Skew and Gunline. But why is that so ? Well I believe it is so for quite simple reasons actually. It's all part of the natural human defense mechanism, and Privateer Press changes. The main change is that every war-something can bring about two Heavies for free, depending of the cost of these, and usually a Heavy have around 18-19 ARM. Also, I believe that Warmachine is the great winner over Hordes. Some will argue that in Mk2, Fury was better because the beasts could do stuffs AND the Warlock could still have full Fury every turn... until beasts die, and you couldn't transfer anymore and you didn't even have Fury point anymore, where a Warcaster always had his full Focus no matter what. Although I will admit that a well managed Fury stack in Mk2 was a bit better than a Focus stack, the change to these systems are disproportionate. They fixed the problem of late game Fury vs Focus with Spirit Bond, but Power Up is just so good that now Focus roll over Fury, specially with Fury management tools being turn down. Players are taking to the table loads of 'jacks while Hordes supporters usually bring about the same number of beasts as before. The absence of beast marshal don't help either. So if there is more 'jacks out there, and that they are usually well armoured, and maybe a bit undercosted for some, you have the heart of the Armour Skew. The Gunline part is easier to see. Lots of models have seen their DEF going down a point (especially the 14-15 DEF fringe), and people being afraid of the change, if you kill it from afar, it can't hurt you. Having that in mind, we can proceed to the lists creation part.

If we can expect Armour Skew and Gunline, we shall have something to counter them. This is way for my next week Steamroller, I plan to go with my regular Thagrosh Brick and a brand new and shiny Lylyth 3 "Can't touch this" list.

Thagrosh, Prophet of Everblight

-Typhon

-Carnivean

-Protector

Max Warspears

-Chieftain

Max Warmongers

Blackfrost Shard

Warmonger War Chief
Stockpile

This list is tested and trusted. She's herself an Armour Skew, but mainly she hits like a brick and counter others Armour Skew and can deal with some Gunlines (that's actually what I would drops against eCaine, just because Thag can survive eCaine feat's more easily than Lylyth).

The "Can't touch this" is exactly what the name says. A list to control the game, threaten the Assassination and counter Gunline.

Lylyth, Reckoning of Everblight
-Angelius
-Seraph
-Nephilim Bolt Thrower
-Naga Nightlurker
Max Raptors
Strider Scouts
-Officer & Musician
Annyssa Ryvaal
Nyss Sorceress on Hellion
Deathstalker
Deathstalker
Shepherd
Bunker

This list can pretty much go against anything that doesn't have a colossal. The strategy is to protect the Sorceress with Lylyth Wind Wall while she herself cast Wind Ravager to have a big bubble of no shooting. The Deathstalkers and Scouts all have Stealth, so except against Sloan, there good to go, and the rest of the army move forward hidden either in Lylyth's bubble or deep into Sorceress' bubble so they can't be shoot at. There also a lot of assassination possibility, either with poisonous arrows from the Raptors, Lylyth herself for the "weaker" 'caster, and even the sling-shooted Angelius: cast Battlehost and freeze all models between Angi and the opponent caster and use Seraph or Lylyth to slipstream him forward if needed. That's an Angelius with 16" threat range, charging for free. Other games options include freezing opponent army to take zones/flags, then on his turn can't do much, then back on your turn use Repulse, Thunderbolt, whatever to push him out of zone, which usually if you dominate central zone and have kill the objectives, should give the victory.

I'm actually quite pumped for the next week Steamroller ! Lots of people from out of town, that I've never play against before. I just received by mail my Nyss Sorceress and she had a Mk1 stats card ! From the look of it, she must have been bonker good, but she also costed 45 pts, so meh... Trying to keep up the painting a bit, but I also need to learn the Morse Code for my job... Oh well, sometimes we must do what we have to do to make more money to buy more minis.

Thanks for reading ! See you next week, with some bat'reps !

Gettin' Ready for the Big Day !

"Ya' know, all these stories start almost the same. It's Friday night, feeling a bit lonely. You decide to go out with the crew (or your "squad" if you're a young-adult with to much swag). While blathering gibberish around a table, you glance at her from the corner of your eyes. She's just sitting there, with some other random hotties, but you don't mine them. You wonder how she is, how it's like to be with her, maybe even to play with her. Your friend next to you told you that you should think twice about this, she's too sophisticated for you, kind of out of your league. But damn them all, the odds favour the bold, you make your move. [...] It's getting late, the venue is closing. You bring her back to your place, smoothly, a bit nervous. You don't really know what's to expect from her, so promising, so mysterious. It's gonna be a short night of sleep for sure. [...] Next morning, you wake up. She's still there, waiting for you, maybe on your nightstand, maybe on your desk. You just bought your first Battlebox."

Feeling uncomfortable and mildly aroused ? Yeah that's normal, after all, that was a sweet love story I just told you there.Once you purchase your first battlebox, you will probably be looking forward for your first game already, unless you want to paint them first, which is ok too. You'll probably buy some supports and a unit or two, and getting THE THING that make your faction sooooo goooood, because L3G1T W1LL, who have 40 000 posts on the forum and always comments his wisdom on every guys' army list threads, told you how awesome it is. Then one day, when you will feel confident enough, and will have enough models, you may try to go to a Steamroller !!! [dramatic music, then pause]

So how to get ready for the bid day ? (Ok, I will gave it to you, that was a veeeery long intro for the main topic, but eh, she was cool.) First stop, quite obviously, know what the rules gonna be. Even when an event is labelled a Steamroller, there is as much variants as there is Press Gansters out there. Will it be one or two list ? Are character models restricted ? Will there be a deathclock ? It's very important that you consider all of that, 'coz you don't want to have to change stuff or try to adapt 10 minutes before the first game of the day.

Second thing, if the Steamroller you attend allow 2 lists, you should bring 2. You can always bring only one, but you will probably get beat-up all day long, since every opponents with 2 lists will choose the best of his list against your. Of course, if you only have enough stuff for one, you don't really have a choice, but don't expect to win the day.

Thirdingly, play what you know rather then an Internet list. I know you can find the list of some top players in the Interweb, but that don't mean you either know or have the skillz to play that list, which might lead you to lose. Nothing can beat your own experience with a list.

Now that you know the three secret tips to manage your way into a Steamroller, I hope you will have a good time !

PS: Also, I believe I just succeeded to post three weeks in a row ! I will try to keep it up and post every weed-end, either Saturday or Sunday (and exceptionally Monday if I had an event on the Sunday).

You should also be able to comment directly on the blog now without the need to register, so feel free to leave comments (for now I don't have to approve comments, they should go up as soon as you write them, because we're all grown up and I don't want to have to watch over you).

Thanks for reading and tune in next for a pre-Steamroller briefing !

Mk3 Full Steam Event debriefing

Hi-di-ho people !

Yesterday was the Mk3 Full Steam event in my city, and as you all know, I had set myself the objective to fully paint my army list, which one week ago add only Thagrosh painted. [Here the pre-event post: click me !!! ]Well after a week of intense painting (something around 10-12h of painting everyday, except last sunday and friday where I only could do about 6 hours because of other obligations), at 0130 EST on the day of the event, I finished my army ! Also, a tip for you all, don't spray varnish in the same room you sleep half'n'hour before going to bed.

Moving forward, after a buzzing night of sleep, I set sail for the Full Steam, confident that a fully painted army should prevail upon weak half painted army. There was 14 players at the event, with a nice mix between Hordes and Warmachines.

My first opponent was playing Minions:

Maelok the Dreadbound
-Blackhide Wrastler
-Blind Walker
-Swamp Horror
Gator Posses
Gator Bokor & Shamblerz
Witch Doctor
Thrullg
Wrong Eye & Snapjaw

Scenario was Close Quarter from the rulebook. I won the dice roll choose the table edge with a wall to cover Thagrosh and a hill close to me flag. Trully the only thing I cared for all day was first, having fun, both in close second place were the super-shiny Marshall Points, which I add already 3 for my painted army and a outstandingly sexy Everblight Necklace of Cunning. My opponent moving forward pretty aggressively, using it's feat on second turn defensively to add +2 ARM to almost all of army. He also placed the Shamblerz as meat shield for his beasts. Sadly for them, Typhon made a happy BBQ of the unit, including the Bokor (my opponent failing all his Tough rolls safe one helped me a bit here). That was 2 juicy Marshall Points in my back-pocket right there. On my third turn, I had a chance for the Assassination, and since it was 1-0 for me on Scenario, and I wasn't sure I could clear flags, I want for hit. Blackfrost cast one Ice Cage with the Kiss, then Typhon engaged the Blind Walker and sprayed through him 3 fiery spray in the face of Maelok, leaving on a few boxes and no Fury. Thagrosh walked up, shouted to Maelok "You fell into a burning ring of fire and it burns, burns, burns, the ring of fire !!!" and breathed him to death with a boosted spray.

1-0 for Everblight
8 Marshall Points

Second game was against Everblight:

Absolynia, Terror of Everblight
-Typhon
-Zuriel
-Angelius
-Proteus
-Protector
-Raek
-Forsaken x2
-Shepherd x2

Sceanrio was Throw Down. Once again I won the roll off, and I choose my table edge, since I really wanted to go second to clear zone and score points first. Here again, pretty aggressive opening move from my opponent, while I move forward more consciously. I do leave him the first strike, which the Angelius hurting Typhon, Raek killing a Warmonger and KD another one and his Typhon breathing away a Warspear (which he couldn't 'coz of Draconic Blessing on them, but hey, should had know me spell better). Like a vengeful spirit, the counter attack cripple his army, as I kill in one turn Typhon (only with the Assault attack, not even close combat !), the Angelius and the Raek, plus a Shepherd and a Forsaken. But woh, what's that ? Yep, 2 more points marshalled for me. My opponent tried a charge with Zuriel on Thagrosh, but I was camping 4 so yeah, it failed. He also placed his protector straight between my Protector and Absy, which would be his doom. On my turn, Typhon backstrike Zuriel into Shredder's meal, Thagrosh cast Draconic Blessing on my Carni and Twisted Form on his Protector. My Protector slammed his Protector on Absy, which resulted in both of them being KD. "Carni came in like a wrecking ball, he never hits so hard in love !" One-hit-wonder, at dices plus five, did 17 damages. And even more nice, I only lose 5 Ogruns, 'coz I'm Unstoppable !!!

2-0 Everblight
13 Marshall Points

Third'n'last game against Cryx:

Lich Lord Venethrax
-Cankerworm
-Deathjack
-Deathripper
-Deathripper
-Leviathan
-Nightmare
-Scavenger
-Stalker
-Stalker

Before hand, I would like to talk about a funny fact. At that point, we were three guys undefeated, my opponent, my arch-nemesis Joce and myself, and the three of us had all went to bed pass 0200 and had pretty little sleep. By this empiric demonstration, I can safely assume that the less you sleep, the best you perform.

Scenario was Hold the Doo.. oups no sorry Hold the Line. My opponent won the dice roll but choose to go first, I learned afterward that he was going for the win in 25 minutes by casterkill. I pick the table edge with a wall for Thagrosh and a Forest. That game was a bloodbath. At the end, he was down to Nightmare, a Stalker, a Deathripper and the Scavenger, while I still had the Carnivean, my Protector, my Warspear Chieftan, the Warchief, the Blackfrost and 3 Warmongers. The thing is, Venethrax charged nearly killed Typhon, but he camped 2 Focus and forgot to Feat. Typhon was then killed by a charging Scavenger. On my turn, I fully leached the Carni, who was on 4 Fury and blocking his only counter-charging model with my Protector. The Blackfrost landed one Ice Cage and the Kiss on Venethrax. Thagrosh killed Cankerworm and say "Where not going to take it anymore !". Carni walked to Venethrax and killed him in 3 bites, the last one boosted.

3-0 Everblight
14 Marshall Points

I would like to thanks my local PressGanster Pascal Coulombe for the event.

Here a photo of the happy army.

Full Steam and Painting

Hi everyone ! If there is still anyone on this blog...

HeLLOoooo !!! [oooh] [ooh] [oh] [h]

Damn that echo is deep... So, first of all, about that ND Open thingy, my main computer somehow crash for another unknown reason (he does that like once or twice a year, but this time it's look more serious since hitting the case ain't solving 'thing), and the draft was on it so... as soon as I get my hand on the hard-drive, I will post it.

Since Mk3, I have been quite busy actually. Between camping trip, drinking nights and job related stuffs, I managed to get 4 games ! To my good surprise, I'm also undefeated in Mk3 so far, and I intend to keep it that way by any mean possible, including quiting the game.

Just kidding people, stay calm, I hope you didn't flip your table too hard for that one. Right now I'm playing a Thagrosh, Prophet of Everblight list with Typhon and some Ogruns.

Thagrosh, Prophet of Everblight
- Typhon
- Carnivean
- Protector
Max Warspears
- UA
Max Warmongers
Blackfrost Shard
Warchief

That's also the list that I want to play for my Local Full Steam event next Sunday ! And since I got my eyes on the Marshall Award, I need to be able to get the most Marshall points possible ! Which mean that I'm currently trying to paint 11 ogruns and 3 beasts in a week to get those juicy Marshall points. It's in moment like these that I almost regret to decide to do Non-Metalic-Metal for my Legion, since it's very time consuming to do the 7 steps only for the gold/brass part. But so for I doing great, and I guess that if I keep up the good work (aka, in-line-painting), I hope I will succeed.

I'll keep you updated on that Full Steam event and the painting.

Durgil