Battle Report #371 & #372: Sloan vs Baldur2

:: Prologue ::

WTC preparation game! This time around I was dropped into a Baldur2/Una2 pairing with Sloan/Haley3. I awaited the map before deciding what to drop. Lo and behold, we got a super-open map so I figured Sloan would be the go-to caster here. My opponent dropped Baldur2 and off we went!

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

(Sloan 1) Captain Kara Sloan [+28]
 - Hunter [11]
 - Hunter [11]
 - Hunter [11]
 - Hunter [11]
 - Hunter [11]
 - Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator [4]
Rangers [9]
Trencher Infantry (max) [16]
Captain Arlan Strangewayes [4]
Gun Mage Captain Adept [5]
Alexia Ciannor & the Risen [10]

Opponent:

Baldur the Stonesoul - WB: +30
- Woldwrath - PC: 37 (Battlegroup Points Used: 30)
- Megalith - PC: 20
- Pureblood Warpwolf - PC: 17
- Pureblood Warpwolf - PC: 17
Swamp Gobber Chef - PC: 1
Sentry Stone & Mannikins - Leader & 3 Grunts: 5
Sentry Stone & Mannikins - Leader & 3 Grunts: 5
Shifting Stones - Leader & 2 Grunts: 3

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

The scenario is Entrenched and I got first turn. The game plan is easy: Move up, claim board space and force him to either give up scenario, heavies or assassination angles.

:: Game ::

A slight mistake is made as I don't take care to get the GMCA in an optimal position. The Hunters spread out and I move up cautiously, ensuring no Wolves can assault and no 5" aoe has direct targets.

Baldur hides behind the obstruction with the Woldwrath in front of him. One Pureblood is put up on the hill with Rock Wall in front of it, the other behind the wall on my right. Roots of the Earth goes up on the Pureblood on the hill and the Woldwrath.

...and Baldur dies. The GMCA makes the Woldwrath rather transparent and the Hunters following up with Sloan's feat make short work of the 0-fury Baldur2. The win is recorded and we reset Circle's T1.

This time around Baldur puts a Shifting Stone behind the Woldwrath in front of himself while he keeps the second Pureblood on the other side of himself.

I reply by clearing out Sentry Stones and pushing up a cloudwall.

The lack of push in this picture says it all: Baldur cannot move much at all, nor can his forces, in fear of Sloan's feat ripping them to shreds.

...and Baldur dies again. He was camping 1 this time around but it wasn't enough. GMCA hit the Wold, Sloan killed the Shifting Stone and the Hunters killed Baldur. 

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

Baldur struggles to survive against Sloan and I think that pretty much regardless of list he needs a piece to hide behind. Hunters reach far and wide and Sloan really deals well with the otherwise pervasive flanking elements from Circle. Sentry Stones are merely a nuissance with her, most games at least.

It's good to validate that my idea about the matchup is correct in practice as well. It's often far too easy to assume something that isn't necessarily true. This game showed that my initial thoughts on the matchup were sound.

With better terrain I think this heavily sways in Baldur's favour, in which case I'd have to drop Haley3 I think. The lesson to take away is to consider every aspect of a game before deciding what list to drop in a paired situation. In this case, terrain was the biggie.