Battle Report #31 - Haley2 vs Morvahna2 (50)

:: Prologue ::

A quick game 1 gave us time for a second go. This time around Circle won the initiative!

:: Lists ::

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:

Morvahna the Dawnshadow - WB: +5
- Ghetorix - PC: 11
- Pureblood Warpwolf - PC: 9
- Warpwolf Stalker - PC: 10
Blackclad Wayfarer - PC: 2
Gallows Grove - PC: 1
Druids of Orboros - Leader & 5 Grunts: 7
- Druid of Orboros Overseer - Overseer 2
Shifting Stones - Leader & 2 Grunts: 2
Warpborn Skinwalkers - Leader & 4 Grunts: 8
- Warpborn Alpha - PC: 3

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

I had a feeling going first would impact the dynamic here quite a bit. I deployed much like I did in game 1 and this time around I intended to shoot more and solidify my hold on my half of the table instead. Of course, if no serious push would come I'd be good to go aggressive!

:: Game ::

Circle run up and basically form a wall around his side of the zone.

Even without Krueger's Telekinesis or something like that the threat range here is very hard to deal with. Unfortunately I screw up majorly as I try and Time Bomb Ghetorix: As I do so "counter magic" comes up but at this point in time I've already allocated the focus and moved the models accordingly. Since I can't cast time bomb my entire turn is basically setting up. This is very bad as I could've at least gotten something else done in this situation (shooting Ghetorix thrice with boosted rolls for example. Hyper aggressive is a bit of an issue but there are other shooters around as well which can move before the Stormwall).

With my entire T1 more or less wasted Circle move up and claim the middle.

This time around I decide to go for the Pureblood. I mess up however as I forget to headbutt it and it survives. DEF14 is a crucial threshold for the Stormwall. I feat and get Alexia some souls.

Well, TLDR the counterfeat comes up and I'm thoroughly jammed.

Haley is in a bit of a pickle. I give the Stormwall 3 focus and I then TK Ghetorix and Stalker around as well as the Skinwalker I'm engaging. Haley moves away, Stormwall kills Ghetorix. I try and use Thralls to take out the Pureblood but I'm literally 1 box short. B13th + TAC prove that they can hold their own in a jam and take out a couple of Skinwalkers on my right flank, freeing them up for damage next turn.

Morvahna is more than tired of the Stormwall and dedicates everything to kill it. While it does go down, both beasts are on max fury...

...so I kill her. It's a fairly trivial task since she can't transfer and more or less everything on my side is alive apart from the Stormwall. 

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

Well, when I do next to nothing T1 and I go as player 2, I know this will be an uphill game. It's a big mistake and I struggle getting back from it. The flanks are both won easily (given his lack of infantry this is no surprise) but in the middle I make a big mistake as the Stormwall doesn't headbutt its initial attack (assuming a hit the Pureblood goes down). If I had remembered this he would likely not have killed me at all. 

I was pointed out by a spectator that my deployment was susceptible to Morvahna T1 feat assassination. Haley was literally surrounded by models and this is really bad news. I must remember this in the future because even if I survive Morvahna is not in a super-exposed position in return. 

Lastly counter-magic is unforgivable to forget. I hope this mess will be remembered.