Battle Report #202: Haley2 vs Butcher3

:: Prologue ::

Finally time for some Khador again! Long time, no see. As I hoped, it would be a Butcher3 list facing me. This was an interesting matchup in Mk. 2 where I felt Haley2 had a distinct upper hand. Let's see how it is in Mk. 3.

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

(Haley 2) Major Victoria Haley [+25]
- Thorn [13]
- Stormwall [39]
- Squire [5]
- Ironclad [12]
Journeyman Warcaster [4]
- Firefly [8]
Captain Arlan Strangewayes [4]
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]
Storm Lances (min) [12]

Opponent:

Kommander Zoktavir, the Butcher Unleashed - WJ: +22
-    War Argus
-    War Dog - PC: 3
-    Devastator - PC: 0
-    Devastator - PC: 6
-    Ruin - PC: 17
Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich - PC: 4
Kell Bailoch - PC: 5
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor - PC: 5
Alten Ashley - PC: 5
Saxon Orrik - PC: 4
Greylord Ternion - Leader & 2 Grunts: 7
Winter Guard Rifle Corps - Leader & 9 Grunts: 13
-    Winter Guard Rocketeer - PC: 2
-    Winter Guard Rocketeer - PC: 2
-    Winter Guard Rocketeer - PC: 2

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

The B3 list is full of support whereas mine is more about squeezing in as many models that can get some work done as possible. Khador seized the initiative and deployed everything a little skewed to the right. I replied largely the same, placing Haley across the flank where he didn't have much. He responded with Kell + Ashley there.

:: Game ::

Khador runs up, Winter Guard take it slow.

I don't want to lose Lances so I keep them far away. I get a pod down which the Firefly leaps off of, killing a couple of infantry models. Haley moves to the right and gets Deflection up. Thorn + Ironclad take a central position.

Devastators move for the central wall. Ruin takes the woods and the WGI move forward but roll snake eyes for a CRA on the Stormwall.

I kill Kell + Ashley and run Lanyssa to the flag. I simply leave the Devastators alone and save my feat. The Stormwall skews a little to the right to avoid Ruin. Probably could've found a better solution here as taking it too far away from the left opens up for Butcher to start making a move.

Butcher moves in to kill Lanyssa. A devastator bulldozes the Ironclad a little further behind. A war dog runs up with a cloud and the second devastator + Ruin move to the right flank.

I have to start moving the Stormwall over to the left side again. I also want to rid myself of the Devastator there so I decide to feat. I find an opening on Orin via pod + eleaps and the dog can safely be killed under my feat.

Although I am only 1-0 on scenario I've really come ahead on attrition and Khador isn't exactly in a fantastic position in terms of scenario. Because of this my opponent tries a move with Butcher3, moving him up with Vengeance + Energizer to take a flag. He doesn't kill the Ironclad however and saves his feat.

With such a move I only have 1 choice and that is to kill the Butcher. If he survives I lose, it's that easy. The Clad is loaded up and receives Temporal Acceleration. Thorn + Stormwall have 2 focus each so I intend to KD Butcher, shoot with Stormwall and boost damage and send in Thorn last. Haley Time Bombed him to he's down to DEF12 (doggie too far away). The Clad lands tremor and the rest is down to dice. With so many attacks it's heavily in my favor and the assassination run takes it home.

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

A very interesting game. I find that the dynamics of this matchup closely resemble what they used to be in Mk. 2: Khador have to press forward and pressure Haley on scenario, otherwise they are slowly losing on attrition. I thought I had an opening here but Line Breaker is very scary because of how quickly the points start flowing in if you can get your caster up. I should perhaps have looked for ways to put Haley2 up more aggressively given Khador's T2 moves. 

The Stormwall was incredibly afraid of Ruin. The problem was that Orin was in such a hard position to get to unless I was willing to risk vengeance and spend my feat or stuff like that. No time bomb, no domination, no TK and Pathfinder on charge... A real pain and I predict this guy staying that way. This needs to be addressed from Cygnar's point of view.