Battle Report #340 & #341: Issyria vs Haley2

:: Prologue ::

I have played against Retribution. A lot. It gives me some ideas about what I fear, what I'm trying to avoid etc. I was eager to try it out in practice from the other side of the table. Let's get to it!

:: Lists ::

Cygnar disguised as Elves:

(Issyria 1) Issyria, Sibyl of Dawn [+29]
 - Hyperion [36]
 - Imperatus [22]
 - Phoenix [18]
Mage Hunter Strike Force (max) [16]
 - Eiryss, Mage Hunter Commander [6]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]
Arcanist Mechanik [2]

Opponent:

Major Victoria Haley - WJ: +25
- Squire - PC: 5
- Stormwall - PC: 39 (Battlegroup Points Used: 25)
- Lightning Pod
- Thorn - PC: 13
- Ironclad - PC: 12
Journeyman Warcaster - PC: 4
- Firefly - PC: 8
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress - PC: 3
Ragman - PC: 4
Storm Lances - Leader & 2 Grunts: 12

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

The linear obstacle in the middle struck me as the perfect place to have my heavies. Haley will feat bottom of 2, that much is nearly guaranteed. As such the fact that I don't have Pathfinder is kind of irrelevant. This also allowed me to send Hyperion on the left flank where he'd have way less things blocking him to worry about. 

:: Game ::

I run stuff up. MHSF take care to stay around the objective so the Firefly will seriously struggle to reach any of them outside of bouncing twice (off of a Lance and the objective for example). IR on Hyperion, Admo on Imperatus.

Cygnar has to be careful. The advance is setting up for bottom of 2 action...

However, Stormwall is within 18" of nearly all the MHSF models. Feat, shoot, forfeit game. Rerack time!

Wise from his mistakes in the very quick first game my opponent now places the Firefly a lot more centrally. I decide to place MHSF centrally as well, the idea is to simply form a wall of jacks and Issyria in front of them so that the leaps simply can't reach them.

I do brainfart however as I don't run the jacks max. ahead. My bad. Admo on Imperatus and IR on Hyperion again. Cygnar sets up for bottom of 2 action and this time the 'wall is outside of 18" of most of my jacks.

I move all my heavy hitters up and spread out MHSF.

Cygnar takes the 3-0 lead under Shift.

Weeell I am way too far behind on scenario so I simply move all my pieces up to threaten Haley as much as possible. I forget that she can simply run away and comfortably make it to 5 CP but my opponent forgets that as well, so in the end a little power attack: power strike shenanigans sends an Ironclad over her and Issyria finishes her off with an Ancillary Attack. 

:: Evaluation ::

Scenario is the big weakness here for Retribution, no doubt. The MHSF experiment didn't turn out to be a big game changer unfortunately. Cygnar simply has too many shenanigans and counters. 

It was interesting to play as Issyria for a couple of games. It really helps one understand the matchup better!