Battle Report #112: Haley2 vs Asphyxious2

:: Prologue ::

Rematch! We started again with the same lists and setup to see how the game plays if it's a little less crazy!

:: 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:

Lich Lord Asphyxious - WJ: +6
- Nightwretch - PC: 4
- Helldiver - PC: 3
Warwitch Siren - PC: 2
Saxon Orrik - PC: 2
Gorman di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist - PC: 2
Master Gunner Dougal MacNaile - PC: 2
Bane Lord Tartarus - PC: 4
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor - PC: 2
Satyxis Blood Witches - Leader & 5 Grunts: 4
- Satyxis Blood Hag - Satyxis Blood Hag 2
Bane Thralls - Leader & 5 Grunts: 5
- Bane Thrall Officer & Standard - Bane Thrall Officer & Standard 3
Bane Knights - Leader & 9 Grunts: 10
Bile Thralls - Leader & 5 Grunts: 5
- Skarlock Commander - PC: 1
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls - Necrosurgeon & 3 Grunts: 2
Mechanithralls - Leader & 5 Grunts: 3

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

Recon is a scenario that's typically slow but it can suddenly accelerate. In this game I saw an opening for skewed vs skewed game and I had to take it. Can scenario be played vs Gaspy?

:: Game ::

Cryx move up. Same procedure as in our last game.

This game my ATGM are alone on the left flank and they spread out. Ryan Mage Storm scatters again and I put down covering fire around it.

Gaspy moves to the flag on the left flank and, together with Gorman, clouds up there.

This has essentially become a race against the clock: Can I out-scenario Gaspy in time? I can't touch him on the left flank when he's so far away. I have to kill Bane Knights if I want to score the right flag and, seeing as that'll take a lot of my firepower, I expect Haley to be somewhat exposed even if I feat if I don't clear up as much as possible there. The TL;DR of this is that I don't dare to go for the zone with the Stormwall (he had Armory so he could sacrifice his own models as well). Possibly not the right choice, I don't know. Anyway I clear out most of the Knights on the right and ATGM take a heavy toll on the left with Deadeye, one model even contests Gaspy.

One of my covering fires were a bit off and the remaining Knight could slip through and contest Haley. He would otherwise have had to sacrifice Tartarus or his Arc Node to do so. Anyways he jams me up but makes a mistake on the left flank as Gaspy doesn't excarnate the closest ATGM to allow him to remain on the flag. This nets him 0 points in this turn.

I am afraid to lose Stormwall to feat so I move it back up and put down covering fire. Ryan Mage Storms to complete the Haley-protective triangle. Thorn makes sure to keep in the zone to contest.

Gaspy makes his big move! Tartarus charges Ryan and puts Curse on Thorn. This allows the Gaspy-feat to hit Thorn on 7s instead of 9s. Obviously a big deal and I lose him, my objective and the rest of the models that were in the zone. Gaspy moves to 3 points. I have 2.

I can give Gaspy 1 more point but 2 will lose me the game. ATGM put 3 boxes on Saxon Orrik. I clear up the left flank, including Tartatus (how I hate him) but as this is basically no longer a scenario game for me, Haley backs off as much as she can.

Saxon tries to jam the Stormwall to prevent it from being in the zone (to contest) and within 4" of the left flag. I didn't see that coming and without Thorn it's kind of a problem to be honest.

What I could've done here was to clear the middle and go for a scenario win straight up with 5-4 by contesting his flag with a Pod. Instead I tried to take out Saxon with Watts, who succeeded with Black Penny as he walked around the Stormwall to be within 5". This allowed the Stormwall to contest both the zone and the flag. The rest of my guys cleared up his guys.

Seeing as Gaspy was unable to kill the Stormwall, the game was effectively over.

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

This was an intense game which pretty much shows how dangerous Gaspy is when he puts enough distance between himself and the cygnar army. The feat is an ever-present long-ranged threat and behind clouds I basically cannot touch him. As such, going opposite him is probably a better idea, for Haley2 at least. Caine might get away with a skewed approach, I'm not sure. 

With this many models and the McThrall recursion it's really hard to chew through enough of the Cryx army fast enough. Again, the Stormwall is quite ineffective as well. I think the key to using him better in this kind of matchup is perhaps to rely less on covering fire and instead actually just shut stuff more, and/or act as an anchor to threaten Gaspy. 

ATGM work well here and I think they're the right choice. Without TAC scenario plays are more risky but I think the attrition game is better. 

Lastly I should note that had Cryx gotten a point a little earlier I'd have to approach this quite differently with the Stormwall in the zone instead of backing off. I'm not sure how this would've played out, perhaps it would in fact have been even better for me. Regardless I think a skewed scenario push like this is very risky in a scenario that can spike as quickly as Recon. Use with caution!