Battle Report #252: Coven vs Haley2

:: Prologue ::

Following the first game I really wanted to give Coven a try myself, partly to try an approach I believe would work well and partly to learn them better. There's a lot of value in swapping lists every now and then. Besides, what Cryx player hasn't longed for Temporal Shift?

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

(Haley 2) Major Victoria Haley [+25]
- Thorn [13]
- Stormwall [39]
- Squire [5]
- Ironclad [12]
Journeyman Warcaster [4]
- Minuteman [9]
Captain Arlan Strangewayes [4]
Gobber Tinker [2]
Storm Lances (min) [12]

Cryx:

The Witch Coven of Garlghast - WJ: +26
-    Egregore
-    The Withershadow Combine - Maelovus, Admonia & Tremulus: 9
-    Barathrum - PC: 15 (Battlegroup Points Used: 15)
-    Stalker - PC: 8 (Battlegroup Points Used: 😎
-    Deathripper - PC: 6 (Battlegroup Points Used: 3)
Machine Wraith - PC: 2
Bane Riders - Leader & 2 Grunts: 12
Bane Riders - Leader & 2 Grunts: 12
Soulhunters - Leader & 4 Grunts: 18
Satyxis Raiders - Leader & 9 Grunts: 16
-    Satyxis Raider Sea Witch - PC: 3

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

Same map and scenario and I move first as Cryx. The idea is to create strategical depth, that is basically swarm the center of the table in models. I deploy as symmetrically as I can so I can skew whatever way I need with infantry central. Haley replies with a Stormwall on the left.

:: Game ::

The idea is clear enough: Skew right, jam Stormwall + middle, make a scenario play and feat early to buy space. I run up T1 and thrown down Veil next to the cloud from Fuel Cache. Occultation is up on Soulhunters

Haley understands how much more careful she has to play with Cryx threatening far up the table. The Cygnar start is slow and cautious.

I contemplate jamming with Satyxis but decide not to. Instead I send the cav up to form a front line and spread the satyxis out to create the strategical depth I want, essentially making it very costly for him to close on the Coven. Feat comes up and I have a very, very solid presence on the right part of the map.

Haley tries to send in some Lances and Thorn but with my feat up they can't accomplish a lot. She feats and catches a lot of my army but the Stormwall is stuck dealing with cav alongside the Ironclad.

Shift was expected but my models are far enough back to give me some options. I try and swarm Thorn (with Ghostly) to prevent Dodge and start hitting him and Lances. I don't quite clear the entire flank yet but it's getting there. More cav are sent to the 'wall to feed it. I had the Arc Node in the rubble from the turn before with Curse of Shadows up on the colossal so Haley had to respect the cav.

The cav are nearly all cleared out on the left flank but the right flank can't get enough work done.

I kill off the rest on the right flank and move to a 3-0 scenario lead with the Stormwall yet again jammed shut.

The broken Swans can't find an opening and I win on scenario.

Victory to Cryx!

:: Evaluation ::

The plan worked quite well! Haley needed to get more out of Stormwall and Ironclad here but failed to get them up the table in fear of counter-charges and too much power being projected on them. Barathrum behind Veil of Mists was a big threat in this game as Thorn was nowhere near being able to help out here.

Spreading out the Satyxis prevented Cygnar from getting up the table and put scenario pressure on me. There was just no place to land! The T2 feat is essential here, his models have to commit and risk being killed despite him feating if he goes in. He did indeed do so and this won me the flank.

Cryx and Coven were cool to try out but don't worry, I'm back to the Swans already ;)