Battle Report #49 - Caine2 vs Asphyxious2 (50)

:: Prologue ::

Given the quick first game of the Caine2 vs Asphyxious2 matchup we decided to basically just start over with the same T1 etc. This time I was determined to move up more aggressively and set up to make sure Caine would be of use T2.

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

Captain Allister Caine - WJ: +5
- Squire
- Ace - PC: 7
Journeyman Warcaster - PC: 3
Alexia, Mistress of the Witchfire - PC: 4
Eiryss, Angel of Retribution - PC: 3
Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator - PC: 1
Stormsmith Stormcaller - PC: 1
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt - Lady Aiyanna & Master Holt: 4
Tactical Arcanist Corps - Leader & 2 Grunts: 4
Greygore Boomhowler & Co. - Boomhowler and 9 Grunts: 9
Rangers - Leader & 5 Grunts: 5
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

Opponent:

Lich Lord Asphyxious - WJ: +6
- Deathripper - PC: 4
- Helldiver - PC: 3
Bane Lord Tartarus - PC: 4
Darragh Wrathe - PC: 4
Saxon Orrik - PC: 2
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor - PC: 2
Bane Knights - Leader & 9 Grunts: 10
Bile Thralls - Leader & 5 Grunts: 5
Bane Riders - Leader & 4 Grunts: 11
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls - Necrosurgeon & 3 Grunts: 2
Mechanithralls - Leader & 5 Grunts: 3
Satyxis Blood Witches - Leader & 9 Grunts: 6

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

As with the previous game I wanted Caine on the left with TAC, A+H, B13th etc. ATGM centrally and Boomies left. Cryx replied with the same deployment as last time. 

:: Game ::

This time I took care to get Lynch as far up as possible with the high-damage-output models nearby. Ace went up quite a bit with a Ranger and Caine was just behind. I ensured the middle part of the table was secured more thoroughly as well and Boomies went a bit further up.

With the possibility of Lynch' 5" light-up denying gaspy the advantages of clouds he decided instead to go for an excarnate trick in the middle. He removed 3 Rangers this way and they failed their command check. Riders jammed me up to buy time.

The problem with jamming Caine with Rangers nearby, even fleeing ones, is that his RAT is through the roof. I aimed and took out 3 after Aiyana kissed the unit and I boosted damage on all rolls. Holt + B13th took out the rest. On the right I swarmed the zone with enough models to feel confident that he would have to pull some crazy stuff to clear it all and move up to a 2-0 lead. Unfortunately the lessons from T1's excarnate trick didn't stick and my target priorities were off as I prioritized Bane Knights over Bile Thralls...

...the result of which was, of course, an excarnated bile thrall taking out something like 4 boomies (no tough due to satyxis UA), 4 ATGM, Eiryss2 and put corrosion on Alexia. The Bane Knights followed up with a couple more casualties but luckily for me they were in no position to wipe out everything as there were simply too many models around. Boomies failed CMD. Gaspy ported behind the woods. McThralls jammed my zone with Wrathe jamming up B13th + A+H.

With Gaspy way, way over there I no longer had to fear his feat with Caine. Not that it mattered that much, Caine had to go into the zone regardless. B13th + A+H took out Wrathe because Kiss and Gunfighter is a thing. Caine took out the rest. Ace tanked a free strike from the Helldiver. I thought dice-2 wasn't a big deal until it dealt 15 damage, crippling both sides. TAC clouded up as per usual, Caine even got a magic bullet off on ATGM who killed off the Satyxis UA to give Alexia a soul token. I summoned a thrall to kill a Knight. 2-0.

Tons of McThralls are summoned. I'm not particularly worried as they die. Quickly. Regardless Gaspy feats and finally clears the other zone. 2-2.

A little careless of me not to have anything except the ATGM near the other zone as not contesting could've been a problem, but they were still alive. Thus this was trivial to resolve: They ran into the other zone while I cleared out my own. 4-2.

As Cryx couldn't contest me in the left zone, the game was over. 

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

I managed to pull off a more aggressive T1. Perhaps Gaspy could've still gone for something like first game with clouds and Riders behind. The problem is that Lynch needs to target something and I don't have a plethora of models that can survive going through those clouds and still be reasonably easy to hit. 5" is huge though and perhaps the sheer threat alone (Ace can be the sacrificial lamb for example) is enough to deter this. 

T2 was a crucial turning point here and I think that more proper target prioritization would've made this game significantly easier for me because only a couple of Biles were close enough to get that ridiculous excarnate off. Hopefully I'll keep in mind how destructive that trick is. 

Caine keeps doing his one man army thing and I keep underestimating his ability to simply remove models from the table consistently each and every turn. In this game I didn't even feat because I wanted to save it to threaten Gaspy should he feel courageous. By relying more on Caine I think I can free up more stuff to go elsewhere. That said, I didn't have a ton of things left in my right zone apart from Caine's focus in a couple of turns. 

I feel that Caine2 vs Asphyxious2 is a game for sure. It's probably in Caine's favour. I have to work on some of the counter-tricks but the volume of shots in my list has the potential of removing 20-30 models per turn alone. Just gotta remember to take out those Biles getting close...