New Board, 4 player mini-tournament.

We had some good games today, 4 all up, they were:

Toshi - Cryx, 35pt T4 eDeneghra
Emma - Circle Orboros, 35 pt pBaldur
Josh - Menoth, 35pt pKreoss (ouch, feat)
Mike - Khador, 35pt Karchev!

We had 2 games each, Toshi vs Mike + Emma vs Josh, and then Toshi vs Josh + Emma vs Mike, using the same armies.

We had a good mix of units and warjacks, with no list being a clear counter to any other list - Movement and Denial shenanigans abound, and because we are playing scenarios the pressure is on.

The scenario we picked was "Close Quarters", #3 for Steamroller 2011. Controlling a point on the other side of the board is tricky, since that is basically where the opponent deployed. In turn one, most armies had a lot of troops already in the opposite players control zone. (Unless your Karchev, and can Tow all your warjacks into place, lol)

Deployment Pics, and also army builds: (click to enlarge)

Cryx vs Khador - Khador Army

Cryx vs Khador - Cryx Army

Circle vs Menoth - Circle Army

Circle vs Menoth - Menoth Army

Circle vs Khador

Cryx vs Menoth

As I was getting tired during the day, I forgot to take any more photos after the games of Cryx vs Menoth and Circle vs Khador, but I will sum them up quickly in a second post.

Game One: Cryx vs Khador

This one was an interesting battle, having played Karchev a lot myself, I know what he can do - and just how dangerous he is. I figured this would be difficult to win by scenario, since Karchev would position his Jacks as quickly as I could with solos, and his Jacks win easily. (Especially since Unearthly Rage grants Magic Weapons, ruining all Incorporeal's day.) Nightmare made Karchev his prey, and that did not bode well for him.

I had Bane Knights running up the left flank, and Blackbanes running up the right flank, with most of my solos helping out the Bane Knights. I used my Arcnodes a bit aggresively, and managed a fantastic Hellmouth attack - that cleared out all but one Doom Reaver. Unfortunately, my Machine Wraith served as a target and was also killed. As predicted, Karchev the Behemoth and a Spriggan were firmly entrenched in their home zone, and would prove to be difficult to remove. Kovnik Markov, who I did not consider a threat, moved up to the right flank and threatened the Deathripper.

Turns out Kovnik Markov is a badass, who not only had MAT10 on the charge but also hit eDenny with blast damage! Luckily not knocking her down. Fenris proves too much for Blackbanes raiders, who, after multiple charges still could not even take him off his horse. eDenny walks up, realising the bad situation she is in and goes Incorporeal and pops her feat, catching everyone but the Behemoth in it - including the Spriggan that the Machine Wraith is eyeing up.

On the left flank however, things were not going so well. The Behemoth had suddenly become super accurate and wrote off a Deathripper in one turn. The Pistol Wraiths are not firing yet, wary of Karchev and his strong magic. If you look closely, youll see a Machine Wraith standing right behind Karchev. I was just baiting him really, as a Machine Wraith cannot do anything to Karchev... ever. Except stand in his control zone, I guess.

Not pictured, unfortunately, is Nightmare - waiting behind the rock he had Ghostlied through it, and just inside 10" of Karchev, as it turned out.



The attack happens - Fenris is dismounted, but will slaughter the Blackbanes next turn. Deneghra walks into her most vulnerable position yet, and is not even Incorporeal. She successfully casts "Marked For Death" for a handy -2 ARM. Pistol Wraiths launch themselves forward, each one firing two shots from their Wraithlock pistols, causing minor damage to Karchevs hull and Chilling him from the grave. As it turns out, this was very handy. Nightmare gains +2 SPD from being close enough to Karchev, and then charges, straight passed the Spriggan. (Which was now my Spriggan, since a Machine Wraith had squirmed its way into its cortex)

With 3 Focus and on his prey target - (who wasnt camping any focus - he had spent it on a mighty eruption to kill the Machine Wraith in his turn just earlier) Nightmare tore Karchev to shreds with a mighty Combo-Strike - doing over 20 damage. I look at Karchev's remaining boxes and sigh. After more bought attacks, Nightmare overkills him by 1 point on his last hit.

All in all, a close game and well fought by Mike, who is going to become very good with Karchev soon... I was lucky taking out all the Doom Reavers, since they are a real threat and have a solid punch. The Behemoth never really got stuck in, since Nightmare never went near him, but his Bombards quickly annihilated the non-stealth portions of my army. Karchev himself played it safe - and it was this playing it safe that got him killed. After I managed to cripple his movement with my feat, I was then able to capatilize on it the next turn by going forward into his objective. He never really got to use his good attacks, except on 1 point ghosts.