Battle Report #193: Sloan vs Haley2

:: Prologue ::

After a brutal first game we had time for another. This time my opponent took out his Haley2 list. Exciting!

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

Captain Kara Sloan - WJ: +28
- Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator - PC: 4
- Firefly - PC: 0
- Firefly - PC: 0
- Hunter - PC: 0
- Hunter - PC: 10
- Defender - PC: 16
- Defender - PC: 16
Gun Mage Captain Adept - PC: 5
Storm Lances - Leader & 2 Grunts: 12
Storm Lances - Leader & 2 Grunts: 12

Opponent:

Haley2
- Thorn
- Stormclad
- Stormclad
- Squire
Gobber Tinker
Rhupert
Ragman
Trenchers (min)
Storm Lances (max)

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

Same map & scenario. This time I go 2nd. This is interesting because I fully expect Haley to feat top of 2. How will that affect my shooting?

:: Game ::

Haley advances cautiously. Deflection up, Trenchers dig in.

I look for openings to start pounding heavies. I find none and Thorn is way out of my threat arcs. I end up going for Trenchers instead and try and set up for Haley's feat as best as I can.

It's go time for Haley! Thorn runs up and Haley TKs 3 of my 4 shooty jacks. She then feats and everything advances. She catches my entire army apart from Reinholdt and a couple of Lances on the right.

Crucially, Haley2 was inside 16" of Sloan. She also had 0 focus. With my feat on top of that providing out-of-activation-shots, the decision was easy: Assassination. Poor Haley is very squishy and could not stand up to this heat.

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

I like to think that I know how Haley2 works. In this game, I did see the Thorn combo but I didn't consider what would have happened if Haley had played a little differently. By getting decel up and going with only 2 TKs (which means camping 2 after pulling from Squire) + concealment from Fuel Cache she is at DEF20. With Lances blocking LoS I would have had to disengage as best as I could. Thorn would obviously have had to die in that position and I cast Refuge on Sloan T1 for this reason. Another option for Haley would be to stay outside of 16" but within 18" so as to catch Sloan in the feat without risking getting shot back (at least by her). In that case, forced to disengage, I fear what scenario openings Haley would've got. 

My take away then is that Haley2 might have game into Sloan if the scenario + terrain allows it. That is very interesting!