Legion is not a faction I'm too familiar with. I generally think they look scary. This list consists of three hugebase models and a few bits and bobs. This looks like it should be just the kind of thing the new version of Irusk2's WGK list is made for. Irusk is packing three Marauders and Winter Guards, all capable of taking hugebase models down. The Legion list is as follows:
Legion Army - 75 / 75 points [Theme] Oracles of Annihilation [Absylonia 1] Absylonia, Terror of Everblight [+31] - Archangel [35] - Blightbringer [32] Blighted Nyss Shepherd [1] Blighted Nyss Shepherd [1] Blighted Nyss Shepherd [1] Blighted Nyss Sorceress & Hellion [0(6)] Bog Trog Mist Speaker [4] Blighted Nyss Hex Hunters (min) [9] - Bayal, Hound of Everblight [0(6)] Ice Witches [7] Throne of Everblight [16] | Khador Army - 75 / 75 points [Theme] Winter Guard Kommand [Irusk 2] Supreme Kommandant Irusk [+27] - Marauder [11] - Marauder [11] - Marauder [11] - Greylord Adjunct [4] Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich [4] Winter Guard Artillery Kapitan [3] Winter Guard Field Gun Crew [0(4)] Winter Guard Field Gun Crew [0(4)] Winter Guard Infantry (max) [10] - Winter Guard Infantry Officer & Standard [4] - Winter Guard Rocketeer (3) [6] Winter Guard Mortar Crew [0(5)] Winter Guard Rifle Corps (max) [13] - Winter Guard Rocketeer (3) [6] Winter Guard Rifle Corps (max) [13] - Winter Guard Rocketeer (3) [6] |
Initial thoughts
I really haven't got a great idea about what to expect from an Oracles of Annihilation list. This version is led by Absylonia1, who packs an interesting combination of innate abilities and spells, and a feat that can really ruin the day for Irusk2, who doesn't pack any Grievous Wounds capabilities - which incidentally doesn't matter against huge-based models.
Absylonia, Terror of Everblight is helping her warbeasts perform even better. Her innate ability Spontaneous Mutation is clearly nice for her, but it is really nice when it is applied to a warbeasts through her spell Playing God. It can give one or more of the following abilities: Ashen Veil (concealment and -2 to attack rolls within 2"); Warp Strength (+2 STR); or Wings (+1 SPD and Flight). She can also cast Refuge (allowing the target model a super Reposition, whilst being immune to free strike, if it hits something). Finally, Wild Aggression is not to be frown upon. It give boosted melee attack rolls and free charge, etc. As a bonus, she has Resourcefulness so she can upkeep them for free.
Her feat, if applied at the right time, is really good. It heals all damage from her beasts within her control range, and gives them Rapid Healing. So killing her beasts will be a pain.
Absylonia1 brings two gargantuan to the party: the Archangel and the Blightbringer. The former is the scary classic looking dragon, and the latter is the even more scary looking monster.
The Archangel is a high flying very mobile infantry slayer, which also packs three potent melee attacks. It is the only gargantuan in the game that can do the equivalent to Reposition for 3". It also hampers shooting at it by applying a -3 RNG modifier on who ever is shooting at it. Its d3+1 AOE 3" dragon breath threatens a potential 17" (in addition to the 1.5" extra from the AOE), whilst keeping the dragon 13" away from the point of impact (due to the reposition-style Flying High). Combined with its Animus, Draconic Aura it does 2d6+16 (average of 23) points of damage on the impact and 2d6+9 (average of 16) in the blast area (within 10"). Luckily, Irusk's trusted Winter Guards are very likely immune to blast, and tough when near this abomination. Also, with its low DEF and ARM 19, two fully loaded Marauders should quite easily one-round it (they should do in the vicinity of 70 points of damage to it). So no worries here (unless it is on Absylonia's feat turn).
The Blightbringer is a huge scary looking crab-like monster. It is, to my mind an odd choice in this list, as it appears to be better in a list where supporting infantry would play an important role; but, then again, I'm not a Legion player. In this list, it seems to be a beat stick. If Absylonia casts Playing God on it, it will be a flying monster hitting once for POW 20 and twice for POW 19 as its initial. That could hurt. It can also deal with tough within 2". Finally, its animus gives it sprays when hit, so this model should clearly be Marauder food. As with the Archangel, its low DEF and ARM 19 means that two fully loaded Marauders should quite easily one-round it (they should do in the vicinity of 70 points of damage to it). So no worries here (as long as Irusk can keep his Marauders alive and functioning).
The final huge-based model is the Throne of Everblight, which perhaps should be known as the Throne of EverSpray. It has one initial 8" POW 12 Spray, and then one more for each time it kills one or more enemy models, which is four if it hits with all of its tentacles. Winter Guards do really not like sprays, irregardless of how tough they are. Once again, two fully loaded Marauders should quite easily one-round it.
In addition to the three huge-based models, Absylonia brings a small group of infantry. Some of them are kind of inconsequential. These are: the Blighted Nyss Shepherd that can heal, force and remove one fury form nearby beasts; the Blighted Nyss Sorceress & Hellion has the nasty ability of being able to put a 5" AOE that makes models suffer one point of damage, if an attack against it fails to exceed the ARM (as a small note, my opponent forgot to put this one on the table, and we didn't discover until end of turn 2. So it never arrived); and the Bog Trog Mist Speaker, which doesn't really matter too much.
Finally, Absylonia has brought some stuff that is important to avoid for the Marauders in particular: The Blighted Nyss Hex Hunters and Bayal, Hound of Everblight are a real annoyance to the Marauders. They can Hex Blast (Marauders can't do Power Attacks) and Shadow Bind (Marauders can't advance); and the Ice Witches are capable of throwing Ice Cages around, which again could spell trouble for the poor Marauders.
Absylonia, Terror of Everblight is helping her warbeasts perform even better. Her innate ability Spontaneous Mutation is clearly nice for her, but it is really nice when it is applied to a warbeasts through her spell Playing God. It can give one or more of the following abilities: Ashen Veil (concealment and -2 to attack rolls within 2"); Warp Strength (+2 STR); or Wings (+1 SPD and Flight). She can also cast Refuge (allowing the target model a super Reposition, whilst being immune to free strike, if it hits something). Finally, Wild Aggression is not to be frown upon. It give boosted melee attack rolls and free charge, etc. As a bonus, she has Resourcefulness so she can upkeep them for free.
Her feat, if applied at the right time, is really good. It heals all damage from her beasts within her control range, and gives them Rapid Healing. So killing her beasts will be a pain.
Absylonia1 brings two gargantuan to the party: the Archangel and the Blightbringer. The former is the scary classic looking dragon, and the latter is the even more scary looking monster.
The Archangel is a high flying very mobile infantry slayer, which also packs three potent melee attacks. It is the only gargantuan in the game that can do the equivalent to Reposition for 3". It also hampers shooting at it by applying a -3 RNG modifier on who ever is shooting at it. Its d3+1 AOE 3" dragon breath threatens a potential 17" (in addition to the 1.5" extra from the AOE), whilst keeping the dragon 13" away from the point of impact (due to the reposition-style Flying High). Combined with its Animus, Draconic Aura it does 2d6+16 (average of 23) points of damage on the impact and 2d6+9 (average of 16) in the blast area (within 10"). Luckily, Irusk's trusted Winter Guards are very likely immune to blast, and tough when near this abomination. Also, with its low DEF and ARM 19, two fully loaded Marauders should quite easily one-round it (they should do in the vicinity of 70 points of damage to it). So no worries here (unless it is on Absylonia's feat turn).
The Blightbringer is a huge scary looking crab-like monster. It is, to my mind an odd choice in this list, as it appears to be better in a list where supporting infantry would play an important role; but, then again, I'm not a Legion player. In this list, it seems to be a beat stick. If Absylonia casts Playing God on it, it will be a flying monster hitting once for POW 20 and twice for POW 19 as its initial. That could hurt. It can also deal with tough within 2". Finally, its animus gives it sprays when hit, so this model should clearly be Marauder food. As with the Archangel, its low DEF and ARM 19 means that two fully loaded Marauders should quite easily one-round it (they should do in the vicinity of 70 points of damage to it). So no worries here (as long as Irusk can keep his Marauders alive and functioning).
The final huge-based model is the Throne of Everblight, which perhaps should be known as the Throne of EverSpray. It has one initial 8" POW 12 Spray, and then one more for each time it kills one or more enemy models, which is four if it hits with all of its tentacles. Winter Guards do really not like sprays, irregardless of how tough they are. Once again, two fully loaded Marauders should quite easily one-round it.
In addition to the three huge-based models, Absylonia brings a small group of infantry. Some of them are kind of inconsequential. These are: the Blighted Nyss Shepherd that can heal, force and remove one fury form nearby beasts; the Blighted Nyss Sorceress & Hellion has the nasty ability of being able to put a 5" AOE that makes models suffer one point of damage, if an attack against it fails to exceed the ARM (as a small note, my opponent forgot to put this one on the table, and we didn't discover until end of turn 2. So it never arrived); and the Bog Trog Mist Speaker, which doesn't really matter too much.
Finally, Absylonia has brought some stuff that is important to avoid for the Marauders in particular: The Blighted Nyss Hex Hunters and Bayal, Hound of Everblight are a real annoyance to the Marauders. They can Hex Blast (Marauders can't do Power Attacks) and Shadow Bind (Marauders can't advance); and the Ice Witches are capable of throwing Ice Cages around, which again could spell trouble for the poor Marauders.
Deployment
We are playing Recon II. Legion won the roll-off and opted to go first. We both opt for the Stockpile objective (remove d3 point of damage within 4").
Legion deploys a wall of huge-based models in the middle, along with Absylonia; and with the support pieces scattered loosely around in the back. Finally, the Hex Hunters are Advanced Deployed in the middle. The Theme Force allows for upkeep spells to be on models from the beginning. So Playing God goes on the Blightbringer; Refuge goes on the Throne of Everblight; and Wild Aggression on the Archangel.
Legion deploys a wall of huge-based models in the middle, along with Absylonia; and with the support pieces scattered loosely around in the back. Finally, the Hex Hunters are Advanced Deployed in the middle. The Theme Force allows for upkeep spells to be on models from the beginning. So Playing God goes on the Blightbringer; Refuge goes on the Throne of Everblight; and Wild Aggression on the Archangel.
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| End of deployment |
Irusk deploys in more or less the standard pattern. That is, one Rifle Corps on each flank, having a Field Gun on the inner side. Himself in the middle with the Winter Guard Infantry, the Mortar, the solos, and the Marauders in from of him, behind the forreste in the middle (yes, the two green areas that look like hills are forrest). The picture above depicts the situation at the end of deployment.
Turn 1
First turn is almost alway uneventful.
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| End of round 1, turn 1 |
The Legion basically just runs everything forward. The Archangel has its eyes (or not, it does have eyeless sight) on the rectangular zone to my right. The Blightbringer moves towards the left zone, and the Throne shambles up the middle. All the small models just shuffles along. The picture above shows the end of round 1.
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| End of turn 1 |
Irusk casts Solid Ground and Fire for Effect on the left most Field Gun. He still haven't thought about casting this on a Mortar. Tradition is a hard thing to break. He also casts Artifice of Deviation on the right flank, for a Rifle Corps to move into. It will bring them up to DEF 16 against the dragon breath from the Archangel. The Marauders move in behind the forest hoping to hide from the Hex Hunters until Irusk is going to feat. On the right flank, most of the Rifle Corps move into the Artifice of Deviation. On the left flank, Joe gives the inspirational speech of Courage of the Forefathers to the Rifle Corps, who then takes a wide left swing around the house. In the middle, the remaining models just move forward. The Mortar and the Field Gun goes into the trench for better protection. As usual, a not very eventful round. Somehow I did manage to use 11 minutes on deployment and the first turn. That is far too much. The picture above depicts the end of turn 1.
Turn 2
The two lines crashes and the Winter Guards will finally get to be tested against the dragon spawn.
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| End of round 1, turn 2 |
Absylonia upkeeps her spells for free. She also hurts herself for all three bonuses due to Spontaneous Mutation, which the Blightbringer also will benefit from. She then promptly heals using fury. Somehow she manages to also cast Blight Burst on the leftmost Marauder, making it very close to an inanimate lump of iron. The Blightbringer then moves up and proceeds to remove the other Marauder. On my right flank the Throne and Archangel moves into the zone. On the right flank, one of the solos moves next to the flag, and the Hex Hunters move forward.
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| End of turn 2 |
OK, one Marauder down, that is to be expected. There is a reason I have three. One should never underestimate the power of backups. Irusk upkeeps his spells, assigns focus to the functioning Marauder, and remains where he is. He is not particularly interested in getting near all the sprays. As an afterthought, he should perhaps have moved up a bit more to protect the advancing Rifle Corps on the right flank. The Artillery Kapitan moves up to the flag to score and give the Mortar Artillerist on the way. The Adjunct drops his cloud on Irusk, just in case. Next up is the artillery, which shoots and kills the objective and shoots the rest at the Blightbringer. The two Maraduers finish it of. One huge monster down, two to go. On the left flank, Joe gives the speech For the Motherland to the Rifle Corps. They then move up and starts shooting at Hex Hunters, and removes two. On the right flank, the Rifle Corps runs forward and spreads out to block the two remaining mosters and contest the zone. The Infantry shuffles forward. This leaves us at 2-1 for scenario score, in Irusk's favour. The picture above shows the end of turn two (I'm not completely sure what the AOE to the left of the Marauder is).
Turn 3
Legion fight back, but learns what really mad Winter Guards can do.
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| End of round 1, turn 3 |
So, Absylonia is a bit shocked to discover that her Blightbringer went down so easily. I can see revenge spelled all over her face. She upkeeps her spells, save Playing God and moves to hide behind her gargantuan. The Hex Hunters moves up and manage to put Shadow Bind on the same unlucky Marauder. The Throne then activates and removes a huge chuck of Winter Guards through the application of tentacles and sprays. Next up is the Archangel that moves forward and kills some more. She also back off from her flag. This enables Irusk to score another point, leaving the scenario score at 3-1 in Irusk's favour. The picture above shows the state of affairs at the end of round 1.
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| End of turn 3 |
Absylonia has spend a tremendous amount of time so far, which is nice. Irusk feels kind of confident. He upkeeps Solid Ground and Fire for Effect, fils up the functioning Marauder, the other one shakes Shadowbind. He then activates and feat, and cast Battle Lust on the Infantry. He is quite happy where he is so he just leans back at watches the battle unfold. The functioning Marauder moves up and hammers away at the Archangel. This is followed up by Joe shouting Bear's Strength to the Infantry, and runs towards Absylonia's flag. The Infantry the proceeds to charge to Archangel and removes it with out too much effort. Two monster down, one to go. The Rifle Corps on the left just moves forward, and in the interest of time forgoes any actions. The Rifle Corps on the right, and the artillery shoots at the Throne. The scenario score is now 4-1 in Irusk's favour. The picture above depicts the glorious battle field at the end of turn 3.
Turn 4
Absylonia is in serious trouble in so many ways. Here comes her last stand
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| End of turn 4 |
There really isn't much to do for Absylonia. She has lost her beasts, is really behind on scenario score, and is quickly running out of time. In short: the Throne moves in and removes a lot of Winter Guards along with one of the Marauders. A few Winter Guards also drop of on my left flank. That's about it. She looses to scenario.
Final thoughts
This was a strange match. I did expect more from all those scary looking monsters. However, I think that Irusk performed marvellous this time. Hiding Marauders behind the forest and striking under feat. Also, finally the Infantry got good use out of Bear's Strength and Battle Lust. The lesson here is that it is not sufficient with just one of them. To really perform, they need both.
Until the next time:
For the Motherland!
Until the next time:
For the Motherland!
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