NM Warm Up Game 3 (#404): Nemo3 vs Magnus2

:: Prologue ::

For the last game of the day I faced Magnus2 Kingmaker's. Usually a strong list, but this caster got a serious implicit nerf in the power attack changes in the recent errata. To be honest I figured this would be a walk-over, he projects next to 0 threats vs Nemo3 and I just shoot anything he has dead really quickly. His pairing was Thexus, I think Mercenaries need Ossrum to deal with my list. Anyway, let's get to the game!

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

Theme: Storm Division
(Nemo 3) Artificer General Nemo [+25]
- Storm Chaser Adept Caitlin Finch
- Squire [0]
- Firefly [8]
- Firefly [8]
- Firefly [8]
- Dynamo [18]
- Lancer [10]
Storm Lances (max) [20]
Storm Lances (min) [12]
Major Katherine Laddermore [8]
Journeyman Warcaster [0]
- Firefly [8]

Opponent:

(Magnus 2) Magnus the Warlord [+28]
 - Buccaneer [6]
 - Renegade [10]
 - Nomad [11]
 - Nomad [11]
 - Nomad [11]
 - Freebooter [9]
Trencher Infantry (max) [16]
 - Trencher Infantry Officer & Sniper [5]
Trencher Infantry (max) [16]
 - Trencher Infantry Officer & Sniper [5]
Dirty Meg [3]
Kell Bailoch [0]
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor [0]

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

We are playing Extraction and our beloved Swans have seized the initiative. Magnus2's feat is scary so I need to overwhelm a flank, keep him from it and ensure I contest the other half of the map. To this end I go for a strong center, small (!) lances on my intended strong flank and a Lancer + Firefly with them. Rest go opposite. Magnus deploys more or less like I thought he would, the majority concentrated on my weak flank. Hard for him to leave the big Lances free to roam here, he could end up being severely pinned down.

:: Game ::

The small Lances are key, I hold them  back. Big Lances rush into the center and receive Arcane Shield. 2 Fireflies go right, 1 middle, 1 left with Lancer. Dynamo with Electrify.

Some Trenchers move up to try and start the job on a Firefly. A solid CRA is dealt, but no systems down.

I want to clear Trenchers! 1 Lance on the left runs up to rob the outermost guy of Dig In. 2 on the right charge in and kill a couple + reposition to sparknode. The Fireflies start boosting on the lances and the lightning generators do glorious work. Nemo finishes off with arcing Chain Lightning on the left. In total I've killed like 12 Trenchers. I have 2 Fireflies contesting the right flag and tons of strategical depth and positional flexibility. Bring it, Magnus.

The cloudwall advances again and Magnus feats (models caught marked with red tokens).

Dynamo blasts the objective to bits, I clear Trenchers and keep the right flag contested. 2-0 and my feat is still online.

Magnus' goal is to get a Nomad into Dynamo. However a lot of clearing has to be done in order to do so and not just die as a result. Dice don't cooperate, some subpar rolls on top of the terrible matchup for him and really nothing is accomplished this game. The long story short of this turn is that Magnus needs to get a lot of work done but without Calamity up from before he doesn't have enough focus to allow his only models capable of work left (read: Warjacks) perform said work.

With my feat I break the back of his army now. 3 heavies and a ton of support go down and I take a massive scenario lead. The clean-up lasts for another round or two but the game essentially ends here:

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

Another amazing matchup for Nemo! True, Mercs without Ossrum is a sight I don't really expect these days... But seriously, how strong is this list? It keeps making a complete joke of a number of the other fairly decent casters in this game and honestly I'm just loving it more and more. Interestingly, some of the choices I get the most questions about are the Fireflies and the Lancer. Look at this game, they are totally MVPs! I didn't note it in the report but to rid me of the annoying Unyielding Field Marshal I used my lights to headbutt jacks here. The flexibility and durability is insane.

I played this game without making major mistakes I think. A few techical issues here and there. I did what I tried to do and followed the plan. I also struggle to see what Magnus could've done differently. Perhaps he could've tried overloading a flank, but I don't see how he does that with this many shots. He could conceivably try and make a wall with his jacks and have the Trenchers behind so as to be fairly safe from electro leaps, but truth be told I just think the entire battlegroup evaporates on my feat turn. I recently destroyed a Hyperion with Inviolable Resolve and Discordia with imprint with a unit left to activate, these Nomads aren't tougher than that for sure.

A great set of games to prepare for NM! After 3 rounds we were 2 players with 3-0 records, myself and a Protectorate player with Amon and High Reclaimer. Neither of us felt like playing a 4th game to determine a winner so we let it be up to tie break scores. He had 1 SoS more than me and ended up taking the event while I took second place. Nemo's impressing me so much that I'm considering him for a spot in a 2-list pairing. NM should be interesting, but I can't wait until it's over so I can start playing Haleys again!