I ordered my 2nd Reaper helljack earlier this week. I never thought I would be doing that.

 

When I started played Mortenebra’s theme force recently, I created a list that used cheap Slayers (only 5 points in the theme force) to fill out the force. Playing that list, though, I realized that I would rather have multiple Reapers than multiple Slayers.

 

Reapers don’t have the Slayer’s huge Combo Strike, but they have Reach and with their Harpoon’s Drag feature they have the potential for 2 attacks followed by Sustained Attacks. Reach, with both a solid range attack and a solid melee attack (plus tusks), just gives Reapers so much versatility. And they only cost 1 point more than Slayers (and only 6 points in the Morty theme force).

 

Example:

35-point Steamroller, Mortenebra Theme Force (Tier 4)

 

Of course, once I have 2 Reaper, I know I’m going to be tempted to create a Harpoon Spam list with Malice (which I already own) and a couple Black Ogrun Boarding Party units (the temptation will be to buy a 2nd BOBP).

 

Example:

35-point Steamroller

 

Why Skarre2? Because she grants Black Spot. Which means all those Harpoons get a DEF debuff *and* a chance at multiple shots, ignoring ROF. To field that list, though, I would need a second full unit of the Black Ogrun Boarding Party. Maybe I can find one cheap on Bartartown…

 

-David

I’m approaching the completion of my first year of playing Warmachine. A recent game with a Coven theme force where I included Bane Knights (who proved incapable of hitting anything even while mildly scaring my opponent with their mere presence) caused me to start thinking about how best to evaluate the potential effectiveness of a melee unit/model in a list.

So now I’m working on what I called “The MAT 8 Hypothesis”: If a melee unit/model cannot reach MAT 8, either by itself (with Gang, Combined Melee Attack or some other ability) or with the help of the warcaster or a solo (boosting, spells or other abilities), then it has no business in your list.

 

Except for automatic hits (via Knockdown, Stationary, and so on), MAT 8 is the closest thing to a guaranteed hit for DEF 10-12, and a better-than-even chance of hitting DEF 14. In other words, for most melee cases, you can plan on MAT 8 actually hitting.

 

Most units/models have some way of reaching MAT 8. Bloodgorgers and Satyxis Blood Witches have Gang, and Satyxis Raiders have CMA, which means they are largely self-sufficient and can function with just about any caster. Bane Thralls and Bane Knights, though, need Bane Lord Tartarus to hit MAT 8, or need some help from the caster (like Black Spot from Skarre2). Soulhunters get +2 to hit on charge and can boost with souls. And so on.

It’s possible, my new hypothesis is a solid “Well, duh”. But it might also have caveats. So in true scientific fashion, I’m now looking for counterexamples that disprove the hypothesis.

 

In the meantime, of course, I’m going to build all my lists as if it were true.

 

-David

The list I played last night:

 

35-point list

 

I consider this my first “real” Terminus battle, in spite of a couple of 20-point Highlander games I played with him some months ago.

 

This list is a modification (35-point reduction) of what is called the Terminus “Gunslinger” list.

 

My opponent was running a Madrak2 list with Finn Blades + UA, Scattergunners + UA, Troll Hero, Fell Caller, Storyteller, an attachment and two light warbeasts, an Impaler and a Pyre Troll.

 

We played the SR2012 Incursion scenario, and I went first.

 

My First Mistake: I struggled with the 7″ deployment zone. I opted to deploy my Mechanithralls and Brute Thralls to the right of Terminus and the Leviathans, with the idea of having them run slantwise on turn 1 to get in front of Terminus. The result, though, was that I lost at least 3″ in turn 1 advancement up the board. Even Darragh Wrathe’s Death Ride +1″ could not make up for this.

 

My Second Mistake: I forgot the Finn Blades have Reach. On turn 2, knowing that I could not reach my opponent’s front line with a charge, I set up a screen with my Mechanithralls to receive his (inevitable) charge. I thought I had positioned the Mechanithralls so that only 4 of them could be targeted by the charge, at most 5. But I had left too much space between the front screen models, and my second line too close. The Finn Blades were able to charge my second rank as well as my first rank, letting them get in deep. I had also underestimated the Finn Blades threat range, and Gorman was also charged. The Scattergunners followed the Finn Blades in and caused even more damage. My Mechanithralls made a good % of their Tough checks, but ultimately my opponent was in a good position for Madrak2′s feat, which really tore apart my force. Darragh Wrathe’s Beyond Death made a minor difference on the right side of the field.

 

My Final Mistake: Terminus didn’t advance far enough. Terminus allocated all his Focus to the Leviathans, then activated and Feated. Unfortunately, wanting to get as many souls as possible–including Madrak2 in the AOE–he only advanced far enough to be able to use his breath weapon. Between Terminus and the Leviathans, I collected 9 souls, then had the Necrosurgeon deploy some new Mechanithralls as Sacrificial Pawn fodder. Because Terminus had not advanced to within 4″ of the closest scenario Flags, though, Madrak2 was able to clear a lane, charge and kill Darragh Wrathe, and win on scenario.

 

I don’t think I used Darragh Wrathe particularly well in this game, though he did assist. Gorman DiWulffe accomplished nothing except one cloud that helped screen one of the Leviathans from an Impaler. And the Withershadow Combine just helped with upkeep a couple times.

 

What went right? My Mechanithralls, combined with some decent Tough checks, did create a useful tarpit. The Leviathans with an aiming bonus and full load of Focus were rather effective–but only one turn.

 

I like the list, but I’m obviously a novice with it.

 

I’m tempted to swap out the Mechanithralls/Brute Thralls/Necrosurgeon for a full unit of Bane Knights–but that will have to wait until I have my full unit of Bane Knights painted. So until then, I’ll stick with the Mechanithralls. Maybe even learn to use them more effectively.

 

My other temptation is to replace one of the Leviathans with a cheaper warjack, or one with more melee potential. Again, though, I want to try the list again. See what happens.

 

I’ll let you know.

 

-David

I created this list with no real competitiveness in mind:

 

35-points

 

The point of this list was to play some of the models I have recently painted but never used, especially my Boomhowlers. The bolded models/units had never been played by me. The Bile Thralls I had only ever played once. Saxon Orrik and the Ogrun Bokur, only a few times.

 

So, except for the Nightwretches and the Skarlock Thrall, it was like playing a completely new list.

 

I fought an eMagnus theme force with Mule, 2X Renegade, Boomhowlers (max), Devil Dogs (min)…and maybe something else? I forget. Oh, right: Dannon (sp) & Bull.

 

We played a SR2011 Capture the Flag scenario with no time limits.

 

What went right:

 

What went wrong:

 

What might have been better:

 

I don’t expect to ever play this list again. But it was fun to pit Boomhowlers against Boomhowlers. =)

 

-David

I had the idea for a new Witch Coven list built of the fastest units I could field:

 

 

The Satyxis Raiders + UA have Pathfinder, and the Raider Captain can give them an additonal +2″ movement.

 

The Soulhunters are Incorporeal when they activate near Darragh Wrathe–and Mr. Wrathe himself is no slouch with a SPD 8.

 

The Reaper is the slowest model on the list, besides the Witches, but even he’s a SPD 6–and the Witches can give him Ghost Walk to ignore terrain and Infernal Machine to give +2 SPD.

 

 

I played the list for the first time today versus a pSkarre pirate list, SR2011 scenario, and won with a casterkill.

 

Opponent’s list

 

Skarre’s Revenant Crew used their Advance Move to come up the center of the field.

 

 

I went first, running the Soulhunters (on the right) and Satyxis Raiders (on the left) up to about the 20″ line (from my edge), with the Reaper just behind in the center. One Nightwretch hung behind the Reaper, the other on the left flank. The Witches move up a bit too, remaining in Perfect Conjunction. They dropped Veil of Mists in front of the Reaper and put Occultation on the Soulhunters.

 

Opponents first turn, he ran his Scavenger and Stalker up his right flank (my left). His Revenant Crew advance up the middle, then took pot shots at my front line. His Black Ogrun Boarding Party followed the Revenants with the Mariner, while the Freebooter and the Skarlock Thrall went left. Skarlock cast Ritual Sacrifice for some extra focus on the next turn.

 

 

My second turn, I split the Satyxis Raiders, sending 4 to deal with the Scavenger and Stalker, a few that were in range to challenge the Revenants, and the rest to screen the Sea Witch. The Raiders on the bonejacks failed completely.

 

Lesson Learned: When attacking DEF 16 with MAT 6, I need at least 3 for the CMA, and 4 is probably better.

 

The Soulhunters charged the Freebooter and the front line of the Revenant Crew. The Soulhunters put a dent into the Freebooter and wiped out the front line of the Revenants. They then pulled back with their Light Cavalry Movement.

 

Soulhunter Tip: When attacking a warjack without Reach, use only their Reach weapon. That way they can use their Light Cavalry Movement to get away with no free strikes.

 

The work done by the Satyxis Raiders and the Soulhunters exposed the Revenent Crew unit commander, so the Reaper was able to step and harpoon him, making the Revenant Crew “deaths” permanent.

 

I feated before the end of my turn.

 

Opponent sent his damaged Freebooter after the Soulhunters, killing one of them. The Mariner moved up behind the line of Black Ogrun Boarding Party, but still outside the Coven’s feat’s aura, and took a shot at Darragh Wrathe–and blasted Wrathe’s horse out from under him.

 

Overall, the Coven’s feat had the desired effect of limiting the effectiveness of my opponent’s army.

 

Skarre had shifted her position enough to tempt me with an assassination run. I arced Ghost Walk and Infernal Machine on the Reaper, then remembered that Ghost Walk wouldn’t let the jack go through models. So I then arc-ed Curse of Shadows onto the Black Ogrun Boarding Party. The Reaper charged Skarre through the Black Ogrun Boarding Party and hit Skarre. With Sustained Attack, the Reaper took out a good chunk of Skarre’s health, but not enough.

 

Soulhunters charged again. They finished off the Freebooter with help from Darragh Wrathe’s Hellfire, and killed the Skarlock Thrall and a couple of the Black Ogrun Boarding Party. (Souls!)

 

Satyxis Raiders put a 4-count CMA on the Scavenger and put some hurt on it.

 

Opponent popped feat.

 

The Mariner, with the help of the Black Ogrun Boarding Party, finished off the Reaper. The surviving Revenant Crew took out a couple Satyxis Raiders.

 

The Scavenger cleared the path for the Stalker to run toward the Coven.

 

 

Soulhunters attacked the Black Ogrun Boarding Party and the Mariner. The Black Ogruns all died (more souls!) and the Mariner was dinged up. The Scavenger was scrapped, and two more Satyxis Raiders ran to put themselves between the Stalker and the Coven.

 

Nightwretches were maneuvered into position, Curse of Shadows was cast on Skarre, and the Coven opened up with Stygian Abyss. And missed with a boosted attack (versus 7) on the first attempt. The second attempt, also boosted, hit, but left Skarre with 1 point of health. Foiled by the dice twice.

 

Skarre retreated, sending the Warwitch Siren and Mariner to attack the nearest Nightwretch. The Stalker killed the Raiders blocking it, but could not get closer to the Coven.

 

 

The last few Satyxis Raiders ran to interdict the Stalker–just in case.

 

The un-engaged Nightwretch burned a very valuable Focus to run to get in range on Skarre.

 

Coven cast Stygian Abyss at Skarre and that was game.

I went to the Top Deck Game Shop “Foodmachine 2012″ tournament yesterday (10 December). I took 2 lists, because I could. Here are the battle reports:

 

 

1 game.

 

Loss versus Menoth with some caster (whose name I forget) that prevents soul taking (or insists that he gets all of the souls from his troops), which made for a bad matchup. Very bad. List included the Menoth battle engine.

 

What went wrong:

 

I’m not sure how I would improve this list. Other than never again use it against that matchup.

 

NOTE: Tier 3 (Soulhunters start with 1 soul token each; redeploy one unit).

 

2 games.

 

Loss versus EGoreshade tier list: 2X Bane Thralls + UA, Bane Knights, Nightwretch, plus some Scrap Thralls for use during the feat turn. The loss came from the scenario tiebreaker. I was lining up my last-ditch attempt at an assassination when “dice down” was called. Which might have worked. Maybe.

 

What went wrong:

 

I’m not sure how I would have handled that list better. I don’t have any way to absorb a charge, though Coven’s feat does help with this. Attrition is out. I should have used Curse of Shadows on the Bane Thralls or the Bane Knights, or both, and made it easier to take them down.

 

Also, in trying to avoid taking a charge, I choked up on the Soulhunters turn 1 run. The worse part was that I hid them behind an obstruction, which prevented charges and reduced my second turn charge or run distance.

 

Win versus Khador: The Butcher, Beast09, Widdowmakers, 2X Manhunters, Great Bears, Iron Fang Pikemen(?), and the War Dog.

 

I won by assassination. What won me the game was remembering to use Curse of Shadows *before* attacking. The Withershadow Combine, with the assistance of Curse of Shadows, nearly destroyed Beast09 by themselves. Cycling Curse of Shadows to the Butcher, then a lot of boosted Stygian Abysses, followed by an Incorporeal charge of Soulhunters through a shield wall and a bevy of Great Bears ended the game by caster kill. Without the Foodmachine boosts on the attacks, it probably would not have worked. Still, I had almost killed Beast09 *without* using those boosts. If the Reaper had been able to contribute even a single attack, I would have converted Beast09 into a Seether. That would’ve been fun.

 

The trick, it seems, is: Curse of Shadows *first*, then attack.

 

And I should probably use Ghost Walk more. For example, on the Soulhunters I parked in a forest for protection from the Widdowmakers. If they had had Ghost Walk on them, Darragh Wrathe’s Dead Ride would have been more useful. I also need to use Veil of Mists more strategically.

 

What went wrong:

 

 

I think I will be adjusting the Coven list, maybe swapping one unit of Soulhunters for a minimum unit of Bane Knights to have some real infantry on the board. But maybe I just need more practice. I see no reason to mess with the Venethrax list. I want to play that list versus Hordes (or at least an army with souls) before I make any changes.

 

Two games in a row, once with each list, I screwed up my first turn movement, leaving my Bloodgorgers and my Soulhunters exposed to enemy fire/charge. I need to do a better job of maneuvering on the first turn.

 

A significant lesson from this tournament is that I should not have 2 soul-dependent lists. Venethrax is not at his best without a ready supply of souls. And the Soulhunters need the souls from the infantry they kill so they can kill more infantry.

 

-David

Is there already such a thing as “flintlock fantasy”? Or did I inadvertantly create the sub-genre with the release of Gunwitch: A Tale of the King’s Coven? (Though, if I created the sub-genre, it won’t technically exist until I finish and release the sequel.)

 

I’m betting it’s already out there, and not just in the form of RPG’s and tabletop wargames like the Iron Kingdoms or WarMachine by Privateer Press. (And I will not deny that my Iron Kingdoms RPG campaigns were a big influence on Gunwitch. Dig a bit through the session logs and you can find the first appearance of one Rosalind Bainbridge.)

 

If anyone can suggest examples, I’d love to read ‘em. Especially if the protagonist is a woman with magic and a gun. Because, as I’ve said before, I love women with guns.

 

-David

Since I’ve instituted my Total Elf Boycott, I’ve decided that I’m going to start building a new mercenary force. That is, a new force of mercenaries to use in my Cryx lists.

 

Specifically, I’ve decided to start accumulating Steelhead units, beginning with Steelhead Halberdiers, Steelhead Heavy Cavalry, and the Steelhead solo, Stannis Brocker. Eventually (probably sooner than later), I’ll add Steelhead Riflemen, and maybe even fill out the FA for each unit. (An even further eventuality might be me getting Damiano and Roccinante having an actual mercenary army. But that’s probably deep in 2012.)

 

I’m thinking my Steelheads should have a look distinctive from my Cryx units. No “moldy goldy” or “radioactive chess set” for them. Well…no “moldy goldy”, anyway. There are different kinds of “radioactive”…

 

My current musings are in the direction of red and gold, which fits the art for Damiano and should fit within my style. I’m thinking I’ll stick with metallic black as my base coat. Then I’ll wash the unarmored parts of the models with a gray. Then paint the armor and weapon blades with a dark metallic red, maybe a metallic clotted blood color. Then I’m thinking I’ll dry brush the edges of the armor and weapon blades with a bright metallic red. For a final highlight color, I’m thinking bright gold could work.

 

I’m going to experiment on my first set of Halberdiers (which I took from my son, who got them in a trade months ago and hadn’t done anything with them). Stannis Brocker should arrive next week. He will provide the template for the cavalry, which I’m going to delay buying for a few weeks (or maybe not).

 

I can kinda see what I want in my head. The question is: Can I get there from here?

 

-David

I’ve decided I’m going to institute a Total Elf Boycott on my Cryx army. No Goreshades, no Nyss Hunters, no Elves. Period.

 

Should the Elf Whore Eiryss, Prime or Epic, ever reverse her decision to Never Work For Cryx, this Boycott will repealed. Or if she dies. Either option works for me.

 

-David

Some pics of Davis and me playing at Warmachine Weekend 2011. All photos by James Salyers.