Cygnar is on the move again. Probably encouraged by Madison Calder's success at the last crossroad. This time they are sending their Cadre 'caster Sparkhammer — and what a hammer it is. Tatiana is dispatched again to make up for her past mistakes. She is again bringing her Man-O-Wars. She does a pretty good job until the last second where a 'jack breaks through and ends the game.
I have a thing with Cygnar. I can't seem to break them. I'm guessing most of the problem lies with the man behind the scene. He (yes, that is me) is simply not proficient enough with this list. However, practices makes perfect so I'm trying again with the same list as the last time I got beaten (see here for my last loss). So, let's see what happens. The two lists are as follows:
| 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 | Cygnar - Storm Legion Mechanik Adept Sparkhammer - Deflection - Lighting Pulse - Courser [8] HEAD - Arc Node RIGHT ARM - Heavy Stormthrower LEFT ARM - Voltaic Punching Spike - Courser [7] HEAD - Shield Guard RIGHT ARM - Heavy Stormthrower LEFT ARM - Voltaic Punching Spike - Stryker [12] HEAD - Relentless Charge RIGHT ARM - Voltaic Halberd LEFT ARM - Stormblazer Cannon - Stryker [12] HEAD - Relentless Charge RIGHT ARM - Voltaic Hammer LEFT ARM - Stormblazer Cannon - Stryker [12] HEAD - Relentless Charge RIGHT ARM - Voltaic Javelin LEFT ARM - Stormblazer Cannon Weather Station [3] Weather Station [3] Weather Station [3] Weather Station [3] Zephyr [7] Arcane Mechaniks [5] Arcane Mechaniks [5] Storm Callers [5] Storm Callers [5] Storm Lance Legionnaires [10] Command cards - Blessing of the Gods - Break Through - Careful Reconnaissance - High Alert - Old Faithful 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.
The Cygnar player is also proxying: Three of the Weather Stations are just blank bases, so is the Zephyr. One of the Storm Callers are a unit of Storm Vanes.
Initial Thoughts
Sparkhammer is very new to me. I have basically no idea what he does. He has a machine on him that allows him to extend his control range to 16", add 2 to electric damage rolls within his control range, or reduce the cost of each spell he casts by one. Pretty nifty. His feat gives him all three and friendly models can reroll storm call attacks. Seems a bit weak, but there is probably something in the details.
He brings Inhospitable Ground, which I'm not too worried about; Jackhammer, which he can actually cast 7 times when picking the 'redcue cost' ability — that is quite a lot of extra attacks on a 'jack; Mobility for +2 SPD and Pathfinder for his battlegroup — pretty good; Sunhammer, which gives d3 damage om 'jacks advancing in his control; Deflection for +2 DEF against ranged attacks — for everybody!; and Lighting Pulse, for a kind of POW 10 chain lighting. A pretty good set of spells.
He brings five 'jacks: two Coursers and three Strykers. The two former brings sprays and one of them is an arc node, which doesn't really makes any sense in this list. The latter are the normal beatsticks. Three different hand weapons, but all the same POW 14 gun and POW 10 hazard.
In addition to the five 'jacks, he is bringing a load of stuff that can bring lightning down: four Weather Stations and two Storm Callers. They are annoying. There are two units of the best mechanics in town. A unit of the Storm Lancers, which are normally very annoying. Finally, the new apperance (or in this case not-apperance) of the Zephyr. It is a bit uncelar what this does that is particullary dangerous.
On paper I think Tatiana and the Khadorian wall of steel should be good here. Except for the Strykers and the Lancers it is not a particular hard hitting list; even though Sparkhammer can stack stuff for damage. I'm not going to go through the list i details here. There is some more information here.
I think I'll just stick to my standard plan for Tatiana and Man-O-Wars: move as fast as Khador possible up the board and grab some real estate. Then feat, survive and kill stuff. No point in making plans to complicated.
Deployment
War are playing the Steamroller 2024 scenario Two Fronts. Sparkhammer wins the roll-off and goes first. Tatiana picks the side with the nice L-shaped wall, which will be very nice to hide behind.
Sparkhammer deploys far to the left with only a unit of Storm Callers on that flank. He is probably going to be hiding behind the houses for the whole game. All the 'jacks, save for one Courser deploys next to him towards the middel. There are two Weather Stations on each side of the 'jack brick. The fast stuff goes to the right.
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| End of deployment |
Tatiana deploys a unit of Snipers on each flank (as always). A Man-O-War module (Suppressors, Wrecking Crew and Officer) on each side. The Arkanist of each side to be able to Empower but also spray stuff. Everything else goes in the middle.
This picture above shows the situation after deployment.
Round 1
The first round is probably going to be just as eventful as all other first rounds. Let the extended deployment phase comence.
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| End of turn 1 |
Sparkhammer sends his Zephyr up the right flank along with a unit of Strom Callers that move into the forest. A unit of Mechaniks moves in behind thee forest. The Storm Lancers move forward and one of the repositions into the forest. They are making room for two advancing Weather Stations to move though next round.
On the left flank, a unit of Storm Callers, along with a Weather Station moves slowly forward shielding themselves behind the two houses.
Everything else moves up in the middle. The three Strykers line up from the house to block line of sight. Sparkhammer himself moves up and hides behind the house. He casts Deflection and Sunhammer. The remaining Mechaniks also move forward. That was it.
This picture above depitcs the battlefield after the inital Cygnar turn.
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| End of round 1 |
It is Tatiana's turn to do extended deployment. She puts Desperate Pase on unit of Suppressors along with Iron Flesh; Puissance on a unit of Wrecking Crew; and then moves up behind the wall. Finally, she casts Avenging Force on herself.
Both of the two Snipers move up their respective flanks and into the forest. I know the Storm Callers ignor forests. But they like it in the woods.
The two Man-O-War modules move up the board to claim some real estate. Two Dire wolfs tag along for the ride. One of the makes sure to stay within Shield Guard range of Tatiana. The rest of the troops just hag back.
The picture above shows the result of the invigorating first round.
Round 2
The second round is where the action is. Let's see which way the wind blows.
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| End of turn 1 |
This is Sparkhammers feat round. He fires the feat up, and perhaps casts some spells. In claccic Cygnar style he boldly stays hidden behind the house.
On the right flank, the Storm Callers move forward and obviously kill the poor dog and at least one Sniper. The Storm Lancers charge forward and helps clean out the remaing Snipers. The Zephyr moves forward and might get a shot of at something. Finally, one the the Strykers charge a Suppressor and kills him.
On the left flank, the Storm Callers move forward and attempts to reproduce the result on the left flank. Supprisingly, the dog and one Sniper survive!
In the middle, the two Coursers moves a bit forward. The Mechaniks do their thing and a fully tanked Stryker charges the right most unit of Wrecking Crews. It manages to take two our; one from each unit, trickering Vengeance. The second fully tanked Stryker charges the left most Wrecking Crew and manages to kill one of them. Everything else shuffles forward.
The picture above shows the result of the Cygnar drawing first blood.
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| End of round 2 |
"Vengenace is mine" shout two units of Wrecking Crew. The left most moves a far forward as possible and whacks a Stryker. This also brings him within charge distance of the Courser. The second Wrecking Crew moves forward a whack the second Stryker. Finally, a Dire Wolf move forward and smashes a Storm Lancer, except that it misses. Now, the turn can really begin.
It is feat turn! Tatiana drop her upkeeps, feats and cast Positive Charge on a Dire Wolf. She has to kill the Storm Lance in front of her to make room for the Dire Wolf behind her. Thus, she is left with only one focus.
Inititally, the Arkanists fill up the 'jacks and enjoys the view. Damien forgets he can cast Positive Charge and moves next to the objective in the forest on the right. The left Officer says Pathfinder to the unit of Suppressors and the right Officer says it to the unit of Wrecking Crew. Everybody is now ready to rumble.
The remaining Suppressor on the right side backs of and shoots at the Stryke. He does some damage. The Dire Wolf charges the Zephyr and kills it. This accidently exposes Tatians right side, so Sergei moves up to block and shoots at the Stryker. It is still alive.
On the left side, the remaining Sniper actually manage to kill a Storm Caller. This makes room for the Suppressors to move into the swap. They fire up and kills the Weather Station and chips away at the Courser and the left most Stryker. This also makes room for the two remaining Dire Wolfs.
The two Wrecking Crew on the right moves forward and hammer away at the middle Stryker. The middle Dire Wolf charges one of the Strykers and kills both. Nice Dire Wolf. This, of course leaves the last Dire Wolf with no target, yet three fokus. This releases the last of the right Wrecking Crew, which can then charge the Courser.
That is it. A rather brutal round leaving Sparkhammer on his heels. The picture above shoes the beatiful sight of Cygnar under preassure.
Round 3
Sparkhammer is under heavy preassure. Howver, Tatiane has left her right side potentially exposed. Everything can happen.
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| End of turn 1, end of game |
Not only is Sparkhammer under pressure, he is also quite low on time. The only way to go is to attempt to break through on the right and kill Tatiane. This requires some finesse and hefty rereading of the rules for charging and Unstoppable. The plan is to make room for the Stryker to get to Tatiana along the wall and hammer her to a pulp. The requires that Sergei is removed.
The Storm Lancers charge since one of the models are unengaged. Both Storm Lancers can reach Sergei. One with no issues and the other one because it does not leave the engagement with the Dire Wolf. This is more than Sergei can handle and he goes down. A corridor has now been opend for the Stryker.
The Stryker are fully load by the Mechaniks and moves down to Tatiana. It hammers away with surprisingly little damage. For a brief moment Tatiana feels safe. Then Sparkhammer activates. He does Vexing Alignment and 7 Jackhammers later Tatiana is pulp.
Final Thoughts
I managed to snap defeat from the jaws of victory. It was going so well and then I messed up by making it too easy to get to Tatiana.
The list is working better and better as I get to now it better. There are still some issues around focus management. I left a 'jack with three focus that Tatiana could have used. I'm pretty sure that some simple calculations would have told me that it did not need focus.
I still forge that Damian can cast Postitive Charge and has a spray. The main reason he is there. Snipers still die like flies to attacks that really wouldn't touch Man-O-Wars.
On the positive side, I getting better at the Man-O-War modules. They are beginning to feel good. Obviously, the main point is to have fun and we did. We did also get to reread a lot of rules around charging, being engaged and Unstoppable. Unstoppable units are really powerful and Man-O-Wars are Unstoppable...
Until next time.
For the Motherland!
For the Motherland!
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