Battle Report #226: Sloan vs Issyria

:: Prologue ::

After two good games against the Protectorate where I learned tons, it was time to round off the day with a rematch between Sloan and Issyria - both with new and interesting lists!

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

Captain Kara Sloan - WJ: +28
- Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator - PC: 4
- Firefly - PC: 8
- Hunter - PC: 11
- Hunter - PC: 11
- Stormwall - PC: 11
- Lightning Pod
Captain Arlan Strangewayes - PC: 4
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord - PC: 4
Gobber Tinker - PC: 2
Storm Lances - Leader & 4 Grunts: 20

Opponent:

Issyria
- Hyperion
- Imperatus
Arcanist
Arcanist
Arcanist
Mage Hunter Assassin
Mage Hunter Assassin
Stormfall Archers
Invictors (full)
- UA

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

While the Sloanwall wasn't a good drop vs Protectorate, I think it should be good vs Retribution (the non-anti-shooting variants anyway). Likewise my opponent has taken some steps to be able to retaliate better against Cygnar. Let's see how this played out.

For deployment I wanted to confuse my opponent with regards to where the Lances was going. For this game I wanted Sloan in cover so the trench was pretty much set to be hers. I put the Firefly on the right flank as I thought I'd need it defensively. Retribution reply with a rather aggressive deployment, screaming "I'm all in". Come at me, brah!

:: Game :: 

With Invictors on the right I immediately run all Lances left. Firefly moves to be able to toe the woods if need be and Sloan takes the Trench. In my first game vs Protectorate today I charged Sloan ahead. That meant that Reinholdt would've ended up outside of the trench if he wanted to reload her T2 and I couldn't risk losing him that early. Lesson learned. Refuge up.

Hyperion and Imperatus "switch sides". Invictors move towards the Lances. MHAs are super aggressive. I wonder why.

The Firefly starts out with grilling the MHAs. Pow12s for the win! The Lances chill out and take care to be in range of the objective. Kara casts Fire Group and aims so she hits Imperatus on 3+, thus no need to boost. Damage is solid and with the Stormwall adding a hit as well it's looking good. The Hunter actually forces out Phoenix Protocol if I remember correctly. The second Hunter pumps a shot into Hyperion. Solid start.

Retribution makes a daring move! Without Arcane Shield the Stormwall is more exposed than usually. If my opponent can take it out with shooting he'll be in a very solid position. To do so he has to risk me charging him in return though. Balls to the wall, he goes for the kill. Issyria feats + Ancillary following the Hyperion's activation. The damage is solid once the Invictors start CRA-ing into it as well. I survive on 10 boxes or so. Imperatus charges my objective and side steps into the Firefly, which it fails to kill.

So I want to kill the Hyperion and Imperatus. I decide to tank a free strike from the latter but I forget Admonition and I thus end up still being engaged (since I forget Admonition is only a 3" move). This complicates Sloan's ability to kill the Imperatus as DEF17 is a little on the high end. Stormwall charges Hyperion and does a lot of damage. Sloan adds her shooting in as well and with feat, it goes down. I have to deal with Imperatus later. To avoid my opponent's CP running wild I contest the zone with a second jack as the central Hunter moves in. The Lances take out his objective and I'm now 2-1.

Imperatus kills Firefly. Lanyssa runs up to contest me. Stormwall dies to Invictors charging. I forgot to pod to block the optimal lanes. 2 Lances survive the SFA shooting.

I clear out a significant amount of Invictors and the Imperatus. I am significantly up on attrition.

My opponent tries to get work done but can't even score a CP. He concedes the game.

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

Certainly a better matchup than Reznik2! It was a lot closer as well compared to our last encounter, but to be fair I don't think it had anything to do with my list changes, but rather my opponent's. The Invictors add a huge ranged factor which helps him absorb my damage -and- deal a significant amount in return of his own.

The concept worked well. Rhupert got a ton of work done defensively on the Lances which was crucial to the ensuing attrition win. The Stormwall survived long enough and proved that it takes a -lot- to bring him down. I'll have to sit down at some point and run the math here in various matchups, but with the Tinker and Arlan as backup it is tougher than it might appear. After all, most things that kill it can kill 2 Defenders as well. It's not -quite- that easy, true, but there are a lot of other benefits as well. The damage it put on the Hyperion on the charge is something the Defenders can never match.

I'm glad to see my Retribution opponent finding his way with Issyria and discovering lists that have game into Sloan. I look forward to playing this matchup more. I still have a lot to improve on for my own list in terms of positioning and patterns. I do like the concept though and will continue to playtest it.