Monday 28 November 2016

Hellfire Steamroller

Hello everyone !

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No I haven't forgot you, it's just as the Steamroller was on Sunday, and I was very tired after, I didn't write the blog post yesterday. Being very creative sometimes, I'm also very mainstream some other times. That's why I went to that tournament with the same lists as last time, with Kryssa and Fyanna. Here are the battle report, with a big surprise at the end (it was even a surprise for me at that point, which is saying something !)

Game 1 - Bradigus Thorle, The Runecarver - Take and Hold

Bradigus
- Druid Wilder
- Megalith
- Wold Guardian
- Woldwarden
- Woldwarden
- Woldwarden
- Woldwarden
- Woldwarden
Sentry Stone & Mannikins
Sentry Stone & Mannikins
Shifting Stones
Shifting Stones

I never played against Bradigus before, but since there was so much armour in that list, and not much high Rat shooting, I went with Kryssa. Thing where going ok in the early turn. I lost a couple of Swordmen to the Mannikins, and I killed one stone and 2 Mannikins on the other before he feated. At that moment, Kryssa was hanging around his flag, camping 2. My opponent build his Synergy chain with the Woldwarden killing one Swordmen each, then Megalith was just in range of Kryssa. I tried a crazy counter charge from the Champion, just in case I spiked the dice at -8, to maybe shut down the Mind or Spirit. But I did 0 damages... He missed his charge attack (thanks Set Defence), but hitted with all the other, and with only 2 transfers, 2 attacks going through were enough to kill Kryssa. Oh well, next time I will check to distance between the big Heavy and my caster when his feat make him move 8".

0-1 Game

2 - Mr. Nobody, the Bye - Recon

As you might have guessed, we were 11 players, so I got the bye. That was ok, because I was already tired and eh, a win is a win.

1-1

Game 3 - Gorten Grundback - Extraction

Gorten
- Sylys Wyshnalyrr
- Ghordson Driller
- Ghordson Driller
- Gunbunny #1
- Gunbunny #2
- Gunbunny #3
- Gunbunny #4
Kayazy Eliminators
Kayazy Eliminators
Wrong Eye & Snap Jaw
Anastasia Di Bray
Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios
Gorman Di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist
Harlan Phineas Versh, Illuminated One
Kell Bailoch
Alten Ashley
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress
Saxon Orrik (not sure about him, but there was another solo anyway)
Objective: Fuel Cache

Since the other list of my opponent had a Galleon, I dropped Fyanna, and I was still pretty happy about my choice because I don't really know had Kryssa could have handle that list either. I choose as a Prey Alten Ashley for Annyssa, because I know that he could be a very painful model to deal with. My opponent went first, so I choose de table edge with a forest in the middle, to hide my caster into it. As a classic first turn move, my opponent ran everything forward and hid the snipers into the Fuel Cache cloud. On my turn, I did pretty much the same. I maybe put Proteus to forward, put I knew that Alten would shot him anyway. Fyanna go hide behind my objective, to protect her from Gorten feat. On his turn, all of my stuff are just out of range for his Kayazy, so he holds them back, but he shoots Proteus, causing him to lose his Spirit. He also make sure that Proteus can't reach anything, but forget that Proteus can't charge. On my turn, I switched Fury from Proteus to the Raptors and feated. Typhon moved forward and killed Alten Ashley, Kell Bailoch and a third solo who did nothing (maybe it was Orrik, maybe not, guess we will never know). All his Fury will be pull by the Forsaken. The Raptors went wild and while I wanted to charge Snap Jaw with 3 of them, only 2 could feat because of the distance and a Gunbunny in the way. Nonetheless, 2 were enough as one of them spiked the damages, and two of the unit repositionned themselves into Fyanna's feat. Annyssa killed her new Prey, Lanyssa, and choose Gorten as another Prey. One Gunbunny lost his movement also, mainly because of Typhon, but also a shot from the Seraph I believe. On my opponent third turn, he feated, catching Typhon, the Seraph and 2 Raptors. Sadly, my opponent forgot to give Focus on his jack, so both beasts survived, but the Raptors all die from either Harlan Versh (because fo Fury behind on them) and the Kayazys. Back to me, the Seraph moved back to Slipstream the Forsaken forward, thus escaping the melee range of a Kayazy. Then the Forsaken moved forward and shouted "Blight, blight everywhere !", killing 2 Kayazy and also doing 11 damages (actually only 6, because he used a Focus) on Gorten camping 4. Annyssa got into 5" of Harlan but fail to kill him because he was on a hill. Fyanna tried to kill another Kayazy, but failed to hit. Typhon received Fury and did what he knows best. He killed one Driller under the Kiss of Lyliss, and crippled both arms on the second one. Sadly, on my opponent turn, that was not enough to save him because of Sustained Attack. Rhylyss also die, with Annyssa, killed by a lucky Wrong Eye, and my Seraph barely survived with 2 healths. A Kayazy also engaged Fyanna, and a wall his made in front of Gorten with a Gunbunny, Gorman Di Wulfe and Sylys. Now for my last turn, as at that point we both have only 10 minutes left, my only option is to kill Gorten, since my opponent is also 3-0 on Scenario. I messed up my activation, since the Blackfrost, who went first, couldn't see Gorman, so they killed Sylys instead. Then, I activated the crippled Seraph, who shooted Gorman but couldn't hurt him, but I also hitted Gorten, which gived him -2 DEF, and did something like 1 damages. I was down to my last model, Fyanna, on full Fury, and Gorten on one Focus. She charged Gorman, killing him, and just made it to Gorten (forgot she had Overtake...). I bought one attack and boosted the damage roll, making 5 damages, that he used his Focus for. Bought another attack, boosted the damage roll, and here I spiked like crazy good, rolling 17 on 3 dices. Gorten was down to 1 boxe. Bought a third and last attack, hitted, boosted to roll... 2 dices landed on the table, the third one was so on fire by the tension of the situation that he jumped to the floor, but still, on the table, at -7 damages, a 3 and 4, so the third die killed him. My opponent forgot he's tough roll, but went he made it after we had complete the SR result, it was a 4, so Gorten would have been dead. Time on clock, 2 minutes.

2-1

Now here is the crazy thing (well, not as crazy as Fyanna vs Gorten crazy, but still). My lost was against the Steamroller winner, giving me 3 SoS, and the last guy was pair-down against me, giving me 2 SoS, so I also ended 2nd at that tournament ! That was a bit unexpected this time around, as I was sure that other people had better Strenght of Schedule than me. I will start believing that doing the submarine is a good way to win a odd players Steamroller. Next week, be ready for a Blood Bowl tournament battle report !

Sunday 20 November 2016

Fyanna rocks a Steamroller [Battle Report]

- Damn, I'm so tired after a tourney, I just feel like curling up and sleep for maybe like a week... Well, until next tourney actually.

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Before you go into the Battle Report, here's a big announcement ! No, I'm not pregnant... But, the Blog now have a Facebook Page, where you can directly interact with me, ask questions, tell funny stories (better be pretty funny, if not you will feel my wrath) and get the brand new Mid-Week Madness posts ! Since Facebook is easier to get into than a blog, I will be posting stuff during the week, like models I paint, crazy lists I think about, my general thought about X or Y. Lots of good stuff. You will also be able to have a notification every time I post something on the Blog. You see, there is absolutely no reason not to go and like it.

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WAZZA !! No more peep talk and long introduction, let gets right into the subject. Yesterday, I went to a Steamroller. Lists are here. Now that's how it went down:

Game 1 - Moshar the Desertwalker - Recon

Moshar
- Druid Wilder
- Ghetorix
- Feral Warpwolf
- Stalker Warpwolf
Max Tharn Wolf Riders
Sentry Stone & Mannikins
Sentry Stone & Mannikins
Shifting Stones
Gallows Grove
Gallows Grove
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress

Since his other list was Kaya2 with Warpwolves, I was afraid that my Kryssa list get out-threaten and I went with Fyanna since I feel she had a game against both lists.Quite frankly, I can't remember who won the roll and how it happened, but I handed up going second. Annyssa preyed upon the Wolf Riders, whom themselves preyed upon my Raptors.The game went down into an attrition pretty quickly. While Typhon managed to kill one sentry stone, I used my feat to protect him and Proteus, who were into the zone, and my Raptors that were battling against the Wolf Riders. I'm opponent made a cunning use of the Pillar of Salt by blocking my any retreat with Dodge, so even if he missed, I couldn't move Typhon back. He barely survived and Frenzied next turn because of Moshar's feat. On the turn after, Proteus killed Ghetorix, only to be kill by his Stalker the turn after. Meanwhile, on the left flank, my Raptors were left to only their Leader, but the brave Annyssa made short dispatch of his Wolf Riders. A good blast from my Forsaken also killed Lanyssa and the 3 Mannikins of the second sentry stone. The game was close to the end by then, as my opponent still had his Feral and Stalker on full health, while my only beast left was my Seraph. Moshar was hiding in a Forest, behind 3 Shifting Stone. I had to go for the assassination, as Moshar was only camping one. Fyanna killed a Shifting stone with a Gallow, which opened LOS to Moshar. I then activated my Seraph, but I moved him to hastily and ended up not having LOS to Moshar because of his objective and a Shifting Stone. That shaken my whole plan so much, that I lost it for a couple of seconds and moved on to my next activation. The Blackfrost went and I luckily hit with one Ice Cage and an Ice Bolt. My Raptor leader went and hit. By then, Moshar was down to 6 and one transfer. I had Annyssa left, and Moshar was her prey. I needed only 5 to hit but missed on the first roll. I then conceded because Fyanna was right next to his Stalker with only one transfer.

On retrospective, moving my Seraph to fast was a mistake, because he could have gone to a position with LOS. Even after my mistake, depending on the number of shots he had, I could have destroyed a second Shifting Stone and then shoot Moshar, but my concentration was totally broke down by my bad move and I just skipped his shooting.

0-1

Game 2 - Dominar Rasheth - Incursion

Rasheth
- Mammoth
- Titan Gladiator
- Agonizer
Max Venator Reivers
- Venator Reiver Officer and Standard
Max Praetorian Karax
Min Paingiver Beast Handlers
Swamp Gobbers Bellow Crew
Extoller Soulward
Mortitheurge Willbreaker

For this game, I choose again Fyanna, since if he dropped his Mammoth, I knew that even for Kryssa and the Angelius, it will be a nut too tough to crack, and he could really dispatch my Swordmen with some blasts. I won the dice roll, and choose my table side, which definitively gave me an edge for the Scenario, as the left flag was behind a house, so he would have to go around it, the middle flag was behind a forest, so he could see to it, and the right flag was in the middle of a plain, but eh, can't have everything for myself. There was also a wall in the middle, a bit forward of my deployment zone. His Karax moved toward the house, the Mammoth toward the centre flag and his Reiver toward the right flag. I advanced Fyanna and his beast kind of between the left and middle flag, to keep all my opportunities open. I also thought about being more aggressive with Fyanna, but since she only kept one transfer, I felt like that wouldn't be enough to protect her, and I didn't want to feat yet, so I kept her back behind the wall. My Raptors moved toward the right flag, getting on a hill, while Annyssa ran behind another house on that side of the table. Turn two, my opponent made CRA and killed 2 Raptors, and his Mammoth put a small dent into my Seraph. One Karax went around the house to toe the flag, and the other huddle the other side of the house, since there was a small area where they could be within 4 inches, but only 2 models could fit in. Rasheth feated defensively since only my Seraph was into his Control. For me, my Raptors killed 2 contesting Reivers and take the flag, and Annyssa killed the unit Officer and another dude. A Gallowed Gladiator got kill by Proteus and Typhon moved close to the middle flag without going into the forest since the Mammoth contested anyway. Some Karax also gets killed and the Gobber leader. Fyanna also dropped his feat. 1-0 on Scenario for me. His feat comes down and didn't really save anything. He CRA again to drop 1 Raptors (the one base to base with the flag, mind you). The Karax try to hurt Proteus, but the good old beast laughs at their petty attempts. The Mammoth shots wide because of the feat and put Counterblast on himself, while Agonizer hides behind him and cries. Back to me, it's Mammoth time. Rhylyss kissed the Mammoth, Typhon walked into the forest and breathed three times, Proteus charged, take the Counterblast, proceeded to hit the Garg until he was left on 1 health, Raptors charged in a Death or Glory move, and the Leader did exactly 1 damage. Fyanna then went to the middle flag. Annyssa contested the right flag. 2-0 on Scenario. My opponent still backed his Karax to the house to contest the left flag, another Raptor hit the dust. Because of Stealth, only one Reiver could shoot Annyssa and miss. Rasheth killed Vysaar with a Corruption Breath. He contested the middle flag with something, can't remember what, but probably a Karax. On my turn, Typhon moves and spray behind the house, killing most of the Karax. Sevryn and Rhylyss take up their sword and kill the Karax to take the left flag. I still hold the middle flag and Annyssa reduced the Reivers enough that they can't take the right flag any more. I went 4-0. I also have 2:56 left on my clock. With no more Karax, the Mortitheurge moved around, contested the flag, and Rasheth killed the Blackfrost with more blast stuff. The Extoller contested the middle flag. On my turn, I made it pretty quick. Typhon walked, breathed away to Mortitheurge, and a Spell Martyr ran to the flag. 5-0, game's end, 1:50 on the clock.

1-1, and even more ! I was pair up against Skorne, meaning I just made the event going from 4 to 3 games, and that would help a lot for my Strenght of Schedule.

Game 3 - Major Victoria Haley - The Pit

Major Victoria Haley
- Squire
- Dynamo
- Stormclad
- Thorn
Max Storm Lances
Major Katherine Laddermore
Gun Mage Captain Adept
Journeyman Warcaster
- Firefly

Since the event just went from 4 to 3 games, the TO ruled that no one would be list locked if he played the same list twice already. So I casually dropped Fyanna again, because his second list was Kara Sloan gunline, against which Fyanna feat makes me more confident.

I lost the dice of and my opponent choose his table-edge. The table was not very important during the game actually. I deployed a bit centrally with the Battlegroup and the Blackfrost, while my Raptors and Annyssa went in front of his flag. He also deployed centrally, with his Storm Lances in front of my Raptors. Annyssa preyed the Storm Lances. I advanced very close to the zone with both Proteus and Typhon. My Raptor advanced also very far, just outside of his shooting range. Fyanna hides behind a wall with the Succubus. He moved everything forward, also very close to the zone, and the Storm Lances got Arcane Shield on them. On my turn, the Gun Mage Captain Adept die to my Seraph and I successfully pull a Gallow on Dynamo, which Proteus killed. Typhon entered the zone also. Annyssa and the Raptors tried to kill the closest Storm Lances, but were not very good and left him on 1 . Fyanna feated and went base to base with my flag. On his turn, he feated back and used telekinesis on Proteus to turn it around. His Stormclad charged but had to boost his attack charge because of a bad roll, and left Proteus alive. His Storm Lances killed 2 Raptors also. Since he didn't go to his flag (missed about an inch), I went 1-0. Only Proteus, Typhon, the Raptors and Annyssa were under his feat. I activated the Seraph, who killed the Journeyman, thus dissipating Arcane Shield. My Raptors and Annyssa then killed 2 Storm Lances and used Reposition to move back or more on the side for Annyssa. Proteus moved around and used his Animus to inflict -2 DEF on the Stormclad and a Storm Lancer. Typhon breathed 3 times into the Stormclad and put Excessive Healing, but all his Fury would be leached by the Forsaken. 2-0 for me. On his next turn, my opponent failed to use telekinesis on Proteus because of the melee bonus and needed to use the Stormclad and a Storm Lance to kill him, while the other Storm Lances charged Typhon, doing some damages. Instead of going to his flag, he moved Haley to toe the zone, and also but Laddermore into the zone with Thorn. 3-0. New to my, I either need to clear the zone and put Fyanna in or take his flag. Since only a Squire contests his flag, I went for the latter. My 3 Raptors charged his Storm Lances, and killed the 2 on Typhon but not the third one. Annyssa then made his best move of the day, charged the last Storm Lance, killed him on impact, switched the Prey target into the Squire, shooted her two arrows into him, killed him, and Repositionned on the flag. For the sake of the Army Destroyed point, Typhon also went and killed the Stormclad before I claimed the victory with 5-0.

2-1

At the end of the day, we were only 10 players, one 3-0, four 2-1, four 1-2 and 1 0-3. The thing his, because I was pair up on my second game, my Strenght of Schedule got better, since that guy also happened to finish 2-1, and my only loss was against the Champion. So I placed Second and got a sweet and shiny little medal ! I literally live for those little things, since I play more for the glory than the rest.Also, this is already a big SR report, so my in deep thought of Fyanna will have to be for another time, but let just say she's great.

Furthermore, as stated in the first sentence, I have yet another Steamroller next Sunday, although I think this one don't have the shiny medals... So stay tuned on the Facebook page to see what I intend to bring !

Sunday 13 November 2016

And the Destroyer award goes to...

*Whistling* - Heigh-ho, heigh-ho. It's home from work we go... Popopom pom pom...

- Oh, I haven't seen you there ! Stop hiding in shadowy corners and actually come in ! It's warmer inside anyway. [Disclaimer: if you are from Australia, this won't make sense.] So, it has been what, one or two weeks now ? Fault's on me, of course, but yeck, what can I say ? I just feel like I don't have enough content, and I don't want to bore you with uninteresting babbling.

Nonetheless, last week, I went to a painting class, and that was very enlightening, to say the least. Did you all know about that wet pallet tricks, and never bother to tell me for so long ? That is just revolutionary ! And of course, I've learnt some other stuff, like doing several thin-coat to achieve shadow and all. So maybe if I feel more confident and that my models are looking better, I'll start posting them on the blog.

My journeyman league always finished yesterday. Even do there is still an ending-Steamroller to go, I already won 4 Destroyer Points, which is enough to claim the title of Master of Destruction, or whatever the name is. For those of you who wonder what my list was, I will post it here further down a couple lines, because she also the list I will take to the Steamroller. Mind you, my local Press Gangster made so change to the regular rule, and each week we could take out one card, so you won't see those shredders and the Bolt Thrower (who actually carried my list for the first 2 weeks of the League).

For the next week event, the terrible STEAMROLLER OF THE END OF THE JOURNEYMAN LEAGUE, here what I plan to take.

Legion of Everblight - Flying Circus

Theme: No Theme Selected
75 / 75 Army

Fuel Cache - Steamroller Objective

Kryssa, Conviction of Everblight - WB: +31
-    Succubus - PC: 4
-    Angelius - PC: 17 (Battlegroup Points Used: 17)
-    Seraph - PC: 14 (Battlegroup Points Used: 14)
-    Neraph - PC: 12
-    Angelius - PC: 17

Blighted Nyss Warlord - PC: 5
Blighted Nyss Sorceress & Hellion - PC: 6
Spell Martyr - PC: 1

Blackfrost Shard - Sevryn, Rhylyss & Vysarr: 9
Blighted Nyss Swordsmen - Leader & 9 Grunts: 15
-    Blighted Nyss Swordsmen Abbot & Champion - Abbot & Champion: 6

AND

Legion of Everblight - Dixie Salad

Theme: No Theme Selected
75 / 75 Army

Bunker - Steamroller Objective

Fyanna, Torment of Everblight - WB: +28
-    Succubus - PC: 4
-    Proteus - PC: 19 (Battlegroup Points Used: 19)
-    Seraph - PC: 14 (Battlegroup Points Used: 9)
-    Typhon - PC: 24

Annyssa Ryvaal - PC: 8
Spell Martyr - PC: 1
Spell Martyr - PC: 1
Spell Martyr - PC: 1
The Forsaken - PC: 4

Blackfrost Shard - Sevryn, Rhylyss & Vysarr: 9
Blighted Nyss Raptors - Leader & 4 Grunts: 18

I really like Flying Circus, because she's all about Alpha Strike, and has a tremendous (yep, I've followed the US presidential) amount of threat range. The list relies on high defence to survive (everything being 14 base, and 73% of the time, 16), and when the feat comes around, it usually cripples the opponent army so much that they can't recover. I know some people disagree, and don't think Kryssa can work that way, but since I'm 13-2 with her, I'll keep it that way. Also, she actually has some scenario play with the dual Angelius.

My second list, Dixie Salad, named in honour of an inside joke between Mr Vachon and myself about the cabbage salad from Dixie-Lee restaurant food chain's, present mainly in the Canadian mainland maritime area, is kind of my cat in the hat. As of this moment, I don't have either Fyanna nor Proteus, but they are both underway. If they don't arrive in time, I will have to change the list to a boring Lylyth3 Assassination list, but for now, I'm confident. The list is kind of a Hordes drop, because of the Raptors, but if my opponents have few 'jacks, or if the assassination potential seems good, I would also drop it in Warmachine. The idea is very simple: cast Gallow trough a Spell Martyr to give Proteus a 15-20" threat range, with Slipstream of course. Even, if possible, don't Gallow and cast Admonition on Proteus to protect him from retaliation. The list is geared to maximise Fyanna feat, with Typhon being 16-18 and Proteus 14-18(20), and Def 17+ for the rest. Also, Typhon alone can take down a Colossal with Kiss and Fury. So yeah, I feel good about the list.

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