Friday see’s me leaving Wales for an early flight. Our Captain Martyn Jenkins (and the man behind The Welsh Masters) has set up some practice games to get our teeth into. I’ve been up since about 2am at this point and politely declined the option of a third game, and hope that I can stay awake through the games.
So our first match of “Casual Friday ” is Norway Hugin (full team breakdown is available on Conflict Chamber). We’ve done our homework, both in checking over lists and grading our matchups and beforehand in knowing we were likely to see sets of particularly skewy or terrain heavy tables.
The Scenario is Standoff , and I’m put up against Amund Stokke and his Cygnar pairing of Hayley1 Sons of the Tempest, and Hayley3 Gravediggers.
It’s a match I’m familiar with and feel I have a good game into with Vayl whichever way he goes, probably a fairer fight and better chance for him if he drops Hayley3 which he does.
Amund wins the roll and goes first, I pick the side with the building in the zone and pair of trenches to hide in.
Cygnar Deployment and Turn 1
The Trenchers move up beyond my threat range spreading out across the left circle zone and towards the centre of the board. The longunners and trencher solos take a more central spot behind them with the dog being on the right side of the central zone. A Grenadier and Trencher Buster sit near the dog on the right where Thorn and the second Grenadier take the line between the left and centre zone. Alexia sits back with Hayley as she puts out her echoes and tac supremacy.
Legion deployment and turn 1
Vayl and the support are pretty central with the Naga so I can reach out with its animus easily enough. The ice witches are spread out so I can offer Puppet Master on both flanks. The Seraph is in a similar spot to be able to reposition either way. A Carnivean and Throne take each flank, with the huge battle engines being furthest from the centre.
The Throne opposite the long gunners has Occultation and the right Carnivean has Admonition. I’m careful in my advance to make life difficult for my opponent, parking a Hellion with Wind Ravager up behind the central building, keeping out of threat ranges in the main or giving just a few shots at stuff in trenches.
Cygnar Turn 2
Trenchers and long gunners continue to move cautiously forward into the side zones and leave a wall of clouds extending from both sides of the house and very effectively making a line between both our forces. He gets some minor shots off but nothing significant thanks to the main target on the left where that weight of guns lie being stealthed. His army is very well positioned to push forward the next turn unless I can do some serious damage.
Legion turn 2
I know what I need to take out first and try to look at my options. I spend a little time proxying out angles and landing spots for both thrones but only one can get eyeless sight. On the far left just at the edge of charge range is a long gunner who has strayed too close. I can charge up and end inside the cloud wall and follow up from there. This sets the plan in motion. The right Throne is given guidance to ignore the cloud, and one of my Hellions walks into the cloud on the left of the building and sprays down a line of trenchers hitting maybe 1 or 2. The Naga walks up putting Wraithbane on the right Throne to ignore Flux and my Ice Witches spread out to put Puppet Master on Vayl and both Thrones.
Vayl moves into the trench and shoots the Hellion in the cloud to begin arcing through it, and Feats. Vayl casts Wraithbane on the left Throne for free and boundless charge on both thrones, lands Icy Grip on the Trenchers and follows up with a Deadly Storm and Chosen into the Cygnar back line. She puts Occultation on the second Hellion as I hicup and forget where I wanted it (it should have gone on herself).
The Carnivean on the right moves into the right zone with Spiny Growth up, not being in a position to threaten anything but I can prep for next turn. The right Throne goes forward and starts killing Trenchers, each one that dies sees me bounce a Spine Burst into a Trencher Buster to get Alexia and Hayley, I start chipping away, then get the spike I was hoping for and Alexia is taken out.
On the left side my Throne goes into its charge target and starts spraying down the line eating up a sizeable chunk of the Cygnar left flank.
I follow up with an Assault Spray with the Carnivean but like a chump had forgotten to Wraithbane him too so he could spray down baby Hayley. Instead he puts fire onto a trench buster and jack and some minor damage. I run the second Hellion over the building to contest his zone and score 1-0.
At the end of the turn I’ve taken out nearly all the long gunners, a big chunk of trenchers, Alexia, and some more solos and support and put damage onto pretty much anything that’s left. Crucially tho I didn’t kill baby Hayley and I didn’t leave Vayl as safe as she should be and there’s an Ice Witch in front of her.
Cygnar Turn 3
We have a bit of a chat about the state of the table as Amund declares it’s all or nothing as he doesn’t feel he can come back from the damage I’ve inflicted.
As I’ve said I made a few crucial mistakes in my turn that have left an opening. Thorn moves into range and Hayley feats looking to slam the Witch into Vayl which goes down, Vayl is sat knockdown in the trench and a bit of Ghost Walk on some key models let them walk out of Melee and put Vayl in the dirt.
Assassination loss.
The game was mine to lose, and boy did I do that. No matter what the cause, I made mistakes that changed the game and gave my opponent the chance to kill me where a number of things would have removed the option from the table completely.
Saying that, Amund was a pleasure to play against and we had a good chat about the match afterwards and he admitted he’d be looking to dodge me if our teams met the next day, and we discussed a bit of Legion in Scandinavia.
Reign of Fire 