Battle Report #56 - Caine2 vs Vlad2 (50)

:: Prologue ::

The second game of the day was against Khador, showing up with Vlad2. I believe that Haley is incapable of playing into Khador so I took Caine. More precisely, I believe Haley2 needs an arc node to deal with Butcher3, and my Haley2-list currently does not have that. Anyway, Captain Caine's Cohort was ready and eager for another game with lots of Haley-factions recently!

:: 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:

Vladimir Tzepesci, The Dark Champion - WJ: +5
- War Dog
- Behemoth - PC: 13
Iron Fang Kovnik - PC: 2
Koldun Lord - PC: 2
Man-O-War Drakhun - PC: 4
Eiryss, Angel of Retribution - PC: 3
Greylord Outriders - Leader & 4 Grunts: 9
Iron Fang Uhlans - Leader & 4 Grunts: 11
Kayazy Eliminators - Leader & Grunt: 3
Kayazy Eliminators - Leader & Grunt: 3
Widowmakers - Leader & 3 Grunts: 4

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::
My first thought was that this is -very- playable for Caine. We were playing Recon and my idea was to simply out-attrition him. My opponent won the roll-off and opted to choose a side so I went first. I put down Caine centrally, TAC + B13th right flank and Boomies left. ATGM in-between as did A+H and Alexia. Ace AD right flank to counter Eiryss2 and Widowmakers, Rangers centrally and my own Eiryss centrally.

This list has so many models compared to double-wall variants! Weird that, eh? I spread out a lot to not give the Behemoth amazing targets. Alexia received Blur as Caine charged into cover from my Effigy. Ace went up and used infiltrate with B13th behind. ATGM shifted right, I believed at the time they would be needed later on. More on this matter later. Eiryss2 then made a bit of a premature move, taking the central trench. There's no reason for her to be this aggressive so early on. Boomies ran up left with Call + Heightened Reflexes.

The Khador heavy cav run to the hill and form a defensive line. The cav solo takes the other side of the objective. Widowmakers try and hurt the blurred Alexia and although one hits she only loses 4 boxes. Eiryss chills, as opposed to mine. Behemoth misses both its attacks and scatters as it tries for Alexia (which I deliberately placed to avoid annoying scatters). Outriders lose 1 to Whiplash! from Eiryss2.

Boomies run into the heavy cav on the hill. Ace takes out the Widowmakers in the woods with Trick Shot, granting Alexia 2 souls (the third came from Whiplash). Alexia summons 3 Thralls which nearly kill the Dragoon solo. Caine finishes it off as well as taking 4 boxes off of a heavy cav guy before gatecrashing behind the fence for cover. TAC move up and cloud, A+H move into position, B13th + ATGM flank right and Rangers chill. I make sure that plenty of models are in the zone.

I forgot to move Eiryss and Outriders with Hand of Fate manage to get her this time. No whiplash for me! The heavy cav struggle with the Boomies but it's not the tough rolls that get to him: They simply can't hit me! He's no-where near taking them out nor clearing the zone despite the Eliminators making a play through their friendly models to remove Thralls.

I believe I have pretty good control of the game as is now, it's all a matter of taking out the right models and protecting my own. A+H go for the objective and deals a few boxes. Caine follows up with 2 boosted shots as well, one of which is lucky charmed but it still stands. Ace takes out Eliminators together with ATGM to grant Alexia another 3 souls. She runs her thralls into Behemoth who loses ~10 boxes. ATGM + B13th take out 2 Outriders and Alexia is again filled with souls.

Caine sits on the flag with Arcane Shield, within 3" of Alexia with 3 souls and behind a cloud wall. Safe, eh? Turns out that Vlad2 can trivially remove clouds. So he does and the Behemoth assassinates me with Hand of Fate. Yet another trick I've fallen for!

:: Evaluation ::

The ATGM should've gone up way sooner. I was a bit paranoid about Behemoth's AOE attacks. They should've been near/in front of TAC and put pressure on Outriders/Widowmakers sooner. Ace + B13th had to work overtime here and with ATGM presence sooner the flank would've been secure earlier on.

Apart from that I think my strategy worked really well. I felt I was in complete control of the game and I could've simply gatecrashed Caine behind the wall instead of to the flag. At least I'll remember this ability from Mr. Vlad and it's better to have it happen in a friendly than in a tournament!

I'm going to Berlin for a week tomorrow so I won't be getting any games in for a little while. When I get home the Norwegian Masters are less than a week away.