The remains of the pirate kingdom of Cryx is still stirring. Skarre, the pirate queen is moving into Khador territory. She is escorted with all the girls with long spiky chains. Obviously, the Empress will not stand for such insolence. Tatiana is sent to defend the coast along with a detachment of the newest Man-O-Wars. The battle is fast and furious. Yet, the rampaging pirates is no match for Khadorian steel.
It has been a long time since I encountered Cryx. I'm pretty sure it is the first time in Mark IV. I kind of like Cryx, at least in the Satyxis version. It is fast, furious and deadly. I just hope that the new Man-O-War and 'caster can make the cut. This is one of my first trial runs with Tatiana and the new Man-O-Wars. So, I'm still learning how to pilot this list. This can clearly go both ways. The two lists facing off are:
| Khador - Winter Korps Kommander Tatiana Sikora - Iron Flesh - Puissance - Dire Wolf [9] HEAD - Shield Guard RIGHT ARM - Ice Hammer LEFT ARM - Plow-Shield - Dire Wolf [9] HEAD - Shield Guard RIGHT ARM - Ice Hammer LEFT ARM - Plow-Shield - Dire Wolf [10] HEAD - Shield Guard RIGHT ARM - Long Axe LEFT ARM - Plow-Shield Koldun Lord Damien Korovnik [3] Sergeant Sergei Krol [5] Winter Korps Officer [2] Winter Korps Officer [2] Arkanists [4] Arkanists [4] Man-O-War Suppressors [11] Man-O-War Suppressors [11] Man-O-War Wrecking Crew [10] Man-O-War Wrecking Crew [10] Winter Korps Snipers [4] - Winter Korps Hunting Dog [1] Winter Korps Snipers [4] - Winter Korps Hunting Dog [1] Command cards - Careful Reconnaissance - Hit & Run - Old Faithful - Power Swell - Put the Fires Out Total Points 100/100 | Cryx - Blackfleet Pirate Queen Skarre - Deathripper [4] - Slayer [9] - Slayer [9] - Slayer [9] - Slayer [9] Aiakos, Scourge of the Meredius [4] - Kharybdis [14] Axiara Wraithblade [4] Satyxis Raider Captain [3] Satyxis Blood Witches [6] Satyxis Raiders [7] - Satyxis Raider Sea Witch [3] Satyxis Raiders [7] - Satyxis Raider Sea Witch [3] Scharde Dirge Seers [4] Scharde Dirge Seers [4] Command Cards - Break Through - Duck and Cover! [1] - Infiltration - Old Faithful - Power Swell Total Points 100/100 |
A note to the reader: I'm proxying two units: One of the Wrecking Crews is Man-O-War Demolition Corps on large bases. The other one, is one of the Suppressor units that are Man-O-War Bombardiers on large bases. Both are painted red.
Initial Thoughts
The Skarre list is kind of daunting. There are a tremendous amount of small horned women with whips and a wall of Slayers. That is basically it.
The Satyxis are really fast. On paper they do not really hit very hard. However, they have build-in Gang; it is a chain weapon, so not shield; they have Feedback (one point of damage to the 'caster whenever a 'jack is damaged); under Dark Ritual from Skarre they hit DEF 16 on the average; and if they are feat targets, an additional +5 to damage rolls. This means that they can reach out at touch something 12" away at MAT 9 on three dice (DEF 19 on average) at POW 16. Pinging Khador 'jacks with Feedback and Backlash from Skarre makes for a really dead 'caster.
If that doesn't work there are four Slayers and Kharybdis (under Aiakos). They can also put a dent in most things. This is going to be interesting.
Tatiana basically runs the same list as against Madison (see here for details). Except that she dropped Defenses for Careful Reconnaissance.
On paper, this could go either way. I have said that before and lost. So, let's see how it goes.
Deployment
We are playing the Steamroller 2024 scenario Battle Lines. Skarre wins the roll-off and goes first. Tatiana picks the side with easy access to an L-shaped wall, which will be very nice to stand behind. There is a cloud in the middle (the four 3" circles), which is very nice for the Cryx player, not so much for Tatiana (the opponent can trivially see through it).
Tatiana deploys in a variation of a standard pattern. There is a unit of Snipers on each flank; all the Man-O-Wars are in the middle in two gruops. The 'jacks evenly spaced; an Officer and a unit of Arkanists on each side close to Tatiana; Tatiana in the middle; and the Slave and Sergei also in the middle.
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| End of deployment |
Skarre deploys a unit of Blood Witches on the right to move up and hug the objective. They have company of the Deathripper, which for some reason is left outside Skarre's control area. The left flank is assigned to Aiakos and Kharybdis.
Everything else goes in the middle in the order: two Slayes and one unit of Raiders on either side. The other stuff in centre.
The picture above depicts the situation after deployment.
Round 1
Round 1 is always the extended deployment phase. However, the Satyxis are fast, so stuff might happen.
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| End of turn 1 |
Hey ho, here we go! The Satyxis blast across the field to almost the midpoint of the board. They are followed up by the Slayers just behind them.
On the right flank, the Blood Witches move into the forest to hug the objective. The lonely Deathripper moves slightly towards the centre to be near it's master.
On the left flank, Aiakos and his little pet cautiously moves forward. Finally, Skarre stays in the trench.
The picture above shows the result of Skarres advancement.
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| End of round 1 |
Tatiana needs to get up the field. As she has recently learned, scenario means a lot in this Steamroller version. Yet, she really doesn't want to be hit by both the Satyxis and the Slayers at the same time. So, a bit of caution is required.
On both flanks, the Snipers advance to be ready to shoot stuff. Slightly shorter on the left, due to the objective. On the right, they need to get forward to start annoying the Blood Witches. They so much hope that the dogs will make it this time.
The two groups of Suppressors and Wrecking Crew moves forward in two blocks. The Suppressors in fron and the Wrecking Crew just behind. The little people stay behind to avoid the Satyxis. The Officers add Stand your ground to the Suppressors. Not that it will do a huge difference, but sometimes it good to just do things to get into the habit.
Finally, Tatiana casts Iron Flesh on the Suppressors on the right and Avenging Force on herself. After some internal debated she decides not to feat. This is perhaps a mistake. She got greedy wanting both the re-roll to hit and the additional armour.
The picture above shows the battlefield after the extended deployment phase.
Round 2
Round two is where the action is. Most games I play are more or less decided in this round. So, let's see what happens when the fast women activates.
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| End of turn 1 |
As expected the tsunami of Satyxis hit the frontline. However, before that, Skarre has to do stuff. She feats and adds the +5 to hit and +5 damage to all the raiders (that is 12 points of damage to herself). I think that is the most I have ever damaged a 'caster in one "hit". She has three boxes left. She also tries to get Backlash off on the 'jack behind the wall, which is at a mighty DEF 15. So, she fails (luckily). I think she might have done Ritual Sacrifice for more focus and then cast Dark Guidance.
The Satyxis charge in. The long and the short story is that they managed to kill first the 'jack on the left side, causing quite a lot of damage to Tatiana as well. The second group of Satyxis would not be worse and killed the middle Dire Wolf. I think it left Tatiana on five boxes. In a sense, it might be good that she didn't feat. The Satyxis do quite a lot of damage thereby killing the 'jacks pretty fast. This gives less damage via Feedback. Also, Skarre didn't get Backlash off, which is good or Tatiana would have been dead.
The rest of the models on the Cryx side was more or less inconsequently. The picture above shows the result of the first wave crashing into the wall of steel.
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| End of round 2 |
So, I am going to argue that it is luck that Tatiana is still alive. She could probably have improved her odds by playing the 'jacks slightly less aggressive. They would be happily alive if the Satyxis would have to crash into the Man-O-Wars instead. Anyway, vengeance is her's.
There is a group of Satyxis right next to Tatiana. They need to disappear. First off are the Vengeance moves from both Wrecking Crews, which the Satyxis managed to damage. After that Tatiana is going to use the Avenging Force move. That cleared out a few Satyxis. Noe she can properly activate. She starts by feating and whack a Satyxis. Now she is happy.
On the left flank, the Snipers run up the board to bring the dog close to Kharybdis (the dog is still alive!). The left unit of Akanists move to the objective to score and sprays the unit of Satyxis of the board. The two remaining Suppressors move forward and peppers Kharybdis (this is a lot of fun under feat and near a dog). Finally, the Wrecking Crew charges and almost destroys it. I think it has 2-3 boxes left.
In the middle, Sergei hits two Satyxis and kills them. The second unit of Arkanists almost cleans up with their sprays. There is only one left standing, which an Officer can kill by shooting it.
On the right flank, the second Wrecking Crew moves to the middle of the board and makes a wall of steel ready to receive any Slayers wandering in this direction. Damien runs up behind them, just because. The second Suppressor unit moves forward and shoots a Slayer to death. Finally, the Snipers charges the Blood Witches to at least contest the objective.
The leaves the scenario score at 2-1 in Tatiana's favour. My opponent is running out of time. The picture above depicts the end of the second round.
Round 3
Tatiana is in a good place. She has her feat up. There is a wall of steel facing the middle of the board. Kharybdis is almost dead, she is ahead on both scenario score and time. This can only go in her direction.
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| End of game |
Skarre is in trouble. There is only so much she can do in a panic. Aiakos moves in and kills the dog (again!) and a sniper. The Slayers do their thing and take out two Man-O-Wars. The Blood Witches kills the snipers on the right flank. Since there is nothing left, Skarre also charges the Wrecking Crew and really doesn't do anything. She runs out of time and the game is over.
Just for the fun of it, we do take the Vengeance move on the Wrecking Crew, and yes one trooper kills Skarre.
I think we formally end up at a scenario score of 3-2 in Tatiana's favour. The picture above shows the sorry remains of the Cryx incursion.
Final Thoughts
First win ever for Tatiana! This is fantastic. However, one should not get too ecstatic. There is probably something to learn.
First and foremost, it was perhaps a blessing in disguise that she forgot to feat. I'm pretty sure she would have died had she. Also, I should have kept the 'jacks back. If Skarre had managed to cast Backlash Tatiana would most definitely have died.
Snipers still die without doing a lot. They can't really hit anything important. I need to figure them out or exchange them for something else. I also have to remember that Damien actually can do other stuff than casting Positive Charge. He has a pretty good spray. Speaking of sprays, the Arkanists under Tatiana's feat are fun.
I still think I'm not sufficiently scenario-aware and Tatiana can probably do some work on her own. I'll have to try.
Anyway, we had fun. The man of the hour was the Wrecking Crew that killed Skarre on his Vengeance move. That was spectacular.
Until next time.
For the Motherland!
For the Motherland!
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