Battle Report #24 - Haley2 vs Vayl2 (50)

:: Prologue ::

The second game of the day was Vayl2 again, this time on Incoming. This time I decided to play as I usually have against Vayl2 with the Stormwall as a big, bad "you can't touch Haley" safeguard. With the Effigy of Valor and Alexia (whom I've never had vs Legion before) I think this is a fairly safe play.

Cygnar:

Major Victoria Haley - WJ: +5
- Squire
- Stormwall - PC: 19
- Lightning Pod
- Thorn - PC: 8
Journeyman Warcaster - PC: 3
Eiryss, Angel of Retribution - PC: 3
Alexia2 - PC: 4
Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team - Lynch, Ryan & Watts: 4
Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Pistoleers - Leader & 5 Grunts: 6
- Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Officer - Officer 2
Tactical Arcanist Corp - Leader & 2 Grunts: 4

Opponent:

Vayl, Consul of Everblight - WB: +6
- Succubus
- Angelius - PC: 8
- Angelius - PC: 8
- Angelius - PC: 8
- Angelius - PC: 8
- Ravagore - PC: 9
- Seraph - PC: 7
Blighted Nyss Shepherd - PC: 1
Blighted Nyss Shepherd - PC: 1
Spell Martyrs - PC: 1
Spawning Vessel - Vessel & 6 Grunts: 3
THEME: Machinations of Shadow - Tier 4

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

Legion took T1 again but this time I deployed more defensively with the ATGM in a typical role where they can control my off-flank. I decided to put B13th here as well because I think they need to start pumping Brutals into Angelii as soon as possible. Legion deployed behind their own zone and off we went!

The flat pieces are hills. The piece in my opponent's zone is a trench. 

:: Game :: 

 Legion opened up with sending everything into a bit of a central position. Tenacity galore went up again.

The response was to send up ATGM who thunderbolted birds away to buy me space. Stormwall followed up with putting a few strong shots into an Angelius and I was comfortable with my start. Eiryss hid out on the left. 

The Angelii committed into the ATGM but margins here and there in terms of ranges and dice were with me and they did very little damage.

Here, I spotted an opening. The Anglius on the right had Occultation and I reckoned I could charge it and hide behind with Haley. I did this, however again I was greedy and I didn't feat. The ATGM + B13th performed wonderfully, pushing out birds again and even killing one off! A feat here would be the right play for sure.

So obviously since I didn't feat, Vayl killed me: Spawning vessel popped a dude to move past Thorn's LoS-block which Vayl shot and double-oblited me to death. So annoying, but I could also have been more careful with boxing Haley in for sure. 

:: Evaluation :: 

Judging by the state of the game prior to my last turn this is totally mine to win. However this game just shows yet again that Cygnar have to approach this matchup super carefully and play precise from start to end. The slightest mistake can take it away just like that. 

This was more reminiscent of how I usually approach Vayl2 and you can tell by the start I got that I was well on my way to making him pay dearly for his mistakes here. That part I'm fairly comfortable with and the lesson I try to take away from this is to play super conservatively with Haley and just ensure that no matter what, you are ahead in terms of attrition. If you can keep those things under control (scenario is almost never an issue) I think you're good to go!