Battle at Lund: Road to Invitationals #3 (#129): Haley2 vs Deneghra1

:: Prologue ::

For my third game I drew Cryx. I get too little experience with Cryx on a daily basis so it was back to "serious gaming mode". I dropped Haley2 and received Denehra1. Wielding the Cryx forces was Anders, an experienced general.

Let's go twin sistah!

:: 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
Gastone Crosse - PC: 3
Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator - PC: 1
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt - Lady Aiyana & Master Holt: 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

Opponent:

Warwitch Deneghra - WJ: +5
- Skarlock Thrall
- Nightwretch - PC: 4
- Deathjack - PC: 12
Darragh Wrathe - PC: 4
Aiakos, Scourge of the Meredius - PC: 3
- Leviathan - PC: 9
Soul Trapper - PC: 1
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls - Necrosurgeon & 3 Grunts: 2
The Withershadow Combine - Malevolus, Admonia, & Tremulus: 5
Mechanithralls - Leader & 5 Grunts: 3
Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters - Cylena & 9 Grunts: 10

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

The scenario was Close Quarters and I got to go first. I am so used to dealing with a Skarre2 Deathjack that it was refreshing to play against one without shenanigans. As such my plan was to run up hard and try and take him out of the picture as soon as possible. I placed the Stormwall centrally, Haley opposite my opponent's flag (because of superior terrain more than anything) and Thorn behind mine. Cryx replied with DJ opposite Stormwall. Excellent!

:: Game ::

I run stuff up and throw up Deceleration in case Leviathan wants to try his luck.

Nyss flank up, Leviathan runs, DJ takes the center with McThralls nearby and Surgeon behind.

I love not feating T2 vs Cryx when I have better options. In hindsight I played this too aggressively not to feat but I blame it on not knowing Deneghra1 well enough. So anyway Thorn moves up, I TK Deathjack out, kiss + shoot him and finish him off easily with Stormwall. E-leaps + pod takes out the Withershadow model who removes upkeeps. Eiryss disrupts Leviathan. B13th + ATGM start working on Nyss.

Crippling grasp was already up on the Stormwall and fore some reason Deneghra opted not to take it off and cast Parasite but instead just upkeep it. She feated and her plan was to take down the Stormwall. She came very close, but I had ~8 boxes left or so.

My turn to respond. Stormwall gets max. focus and starts hitting stuff. Thorn helps out and deadeyed ATGM clear out Nyss. I feat and kill most of the important models. Eiryss Disrupts Leviathan again.

One last attempt is made trying to take down the Stormwall but it fails because of my feat.

I clear out most of what remains of his troops and engage the arc node with Thorn.

Deneghra tries a crazy run on Haley because that's basically her only shot. While she does have puppetmaster and the arc node gets Ghost Walk to bypass Thorn, 13+/16+ is too much and I survive.

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

A bit of a messy game. I try and do too much top of 2 and I even think I expose Haley to a bit of a risky assassination run on my feat turn (which I of course realized too late). Luckily for me, Anders didn't take it. 

As for the DJ move top of 2, I should either have feated (totally legit given my ensuing dominant position) -or- simply backed off beyond 10" from DJ and shot it with the Stormwall as well as my other guns. 

Apart from that, Leviathan was trivial to handle because he was too aggressive. He should've taken up cover and the Withershadow do not need defense buffs as their Stealth is plenty if they just chill in the back lines. I also learned that Thorn can scalpel out the Necrosurgeon, something I should've looked for openings for earlier on. 

A bit lucky to have the Stormwall survive Deneghra's feat turn. Not sure it was crucial as he committed half his army, had already lost DJ and the Necrosurgeon was exposed, but it most certainly helped a ton. Doubly so because Deneghra wisely started pushing scenario as well in this turn. 

The lessons I learned here would come in handy on day 3!