Battle Report #275: Haley3 vs Nemo2

:: Prologue ::

No rest for the wicked! After a big event I usually enjoy playing some new things. A breath of fresh air, if you will. Following Olov's success at Iron Moot I was inspired to try out Haley3. It's a caster I struggle to understand and I could really use the training. What better way to start off than to shamelessly copy his list?

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

Major Prime Victoria Haley - WJ: +25
- Haley Past
- Haley Future
- Grenadier - PC: 9 (Battlegroup Points Used: 9)
- Grenadier - PC: 9 (Battlegroup Points Used: 9)
- Thorn - PC: 13 (Battlegroup Points Used: 7)
- Ironclad - PC: 12
Journeyman Warcaster - PC: 4
- Charger - PC: 9
Ragman - PC: 4
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord - PC: 4
Storm Lances - Leader & 4 Grunts: 20
Trencher Infantry - Leader & 9 Grunts: 16

Opponent:

General Adept Nemo - WJ: +26
- Centurion - PC: 17 (Battlegroup Points Used: 17)
- Ironclad - PC: 12 (Battlegroup Points Used: 9)
- Stormclad - PC: 18
- Thunderhead - PC: 20
Captain Arlan Strangewayes - PC: 4
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress - PC: 3
Gobber Tinker - PC: 2
Sword Knights - Leader & 9 Grunts: 13
Tempest Blazers - Leader & 2 Grunts: 11

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

The scenario was Extraction and my opponent got first turn. I don't think I've ever played vs Nemo2 before and I have played him like once myself or so I think. Anyway. The idea was to have the Trenchers push up centrally with Lances on his weak flank to wrap around and the shooting slightly to the left (between the Lances and the center) with the Ironclad + Thorn anchoring my right flank.

:: Game ::

Nemo moves everything up centrally barring the Blazers who flank left.

Traffic jams are real. God I need to play more H3. Trenchers get Tactical Supremacy and Haley gets Arcane Shield.  

Centurion gets marched up with Polarity Field activated. Stormclad has Polarity Shield, Ironclad has Lightning Shroud and Thunderhead has Failsafe.

I contemplate what I should do for like forever. I end up deciding to feat so that I can dominate out the Centurion which leads to his demise and my getting a CP off of the flag. I also Force Hammer Thunderhead because I am a little too paranoid about his ability to get up and fry half my army. Unfortunately there's no focus for Flux since I want to upkeep Tactical Supremacy (that's what the room for the Squire would've gotten me) and I've pushed my lines too far ahead: Energizer and a simple walk up allows him to engage me. This turn could've been so much better. To top it all off I've spent forever doing all this as well.

I catch a very lucky break as the Ironclad misses Thorn despite no Flux up on its first attack and I back off. The Thunderheads fries a few models and boosts damage onto a Grenadier, taking away most of its boxes. Stormclad charges a Lance and kills 2. Nemo feated.

Ok so it's go time! The idea is to Repudiate the Thunderhead, Tremor it with the Ironclad and kill it + Nemo's Ironclad with shooting and melee attacks. Ragman is MVP man and both heavies go down. I jam the last heavy and ensure Haley is safe.

With being this far down on attrition and having no scenario play nor assassination angle my opponent concedes the game.

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

I've gotta sit down and learn how to use the Trenchers and ensuing cloudwall properly. This was some miserable play and I wasted so much potential, time and space on my feat turn. The Centurion angle is solid and taking it out means my opponent gets stressed out. Honestly a lot of my mistake here is placing Thorn out behind a forest, which is just so stupid. He should probably be centrally so that he can dart wherever I need him. There's no reason for me to push hard on the right flank, simply keeping him out from the cloudwall is plenty.

In the end it's the grind and counter-punch of the list which takes it away for me. I think that even if Thorn dies to his Ironclad I have enough to claim victory in return. It's a new and different mindset for me. Practice, practice, practice :)