Norwegian Masters #2 (#406): Nemo3 vs Makeda1

:: Prologue ::

Second game and time for Skorne! I was eager to see the new and improved Skorne in action. I looked at his lists, saw Makeda. No need to think further, Stryker has no business being in this matcup. Drop Nemo, receive Makeda1. Cool! No idea what she does. Just go first I guess and pressure the table space. Lose dice-off. Oh, ok.

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

Theme: Storm Division
(Nemo 3) Artificer General Nemo [+25], Bunker
- 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:

(Makeda 1) Archdomina Makeda [+29]
 - Molik Karn [19]
 - Titan Gladiator [15]
Legends of Halaak [8]
Praetorian Ferox (max) [20]
Tyrant Rhadeim [9]
Mortitheurge Willbreaker [4]
Wrong Eye [17]
 - Snapjaw
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor [5]
Paingiver Beast Handlers (min) [5]
Swamp Gobbers Bellows Crew [2]

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

Outlast, going second. Iffy. Molik Karn is crazy, on feat turn Ferox might be unkillable. Not sure what to do. Let's see what Skorne does first. 

:: Game ::

Molik takes the right flank. Ferox go left. Gladiator behind Molik. Wrongeye centrally.

Cautious advance with refused flank. Nothing in threat.

Sooo... Makeda wants to feat. Proxy base time! Lots of stuff is measured up, but Makeda's landing spot is not. When she eventually does move she needs Quicken to get far enough up because she has to charge to cover the distance and the only path she can take is through the woods (partially). All of this stresses out my opponent, not only does he forget to feat but he also forgets to activate the Ferox in time, so he blocks them in himself to a great degree, freeing up my center!

Plan is easy: Feat, kill Ferox, kill Radheim, kill Molik. Force Hammer a Lance into Molik for KD. Spin up Dynamo, shoot Molik. First short Shield Guarded by Gladiator, 3" behind Molik. Turns out I lose the rest of my shots. What? That caught me completely off guard. Terrible, just terrible. One Ferox decides that toughing and dodging is all kinds of fun and it takes an absurd amount of effort to kill him. This makes my enture turn a complete clusterfuck of activations and trying to cover myself. In the end I'm left in a horrible spot and Radheim/Molik could easily clear a path to Nemo, with a little help.

I'll make this short: The mistakes are not done. As Molik charges in to try and clear out a path for Radheim he is careless. One of my lights, in fact the one with Lightning Shroud, gets a free strike. Although Dynamo didn't get to have fun with Molik last turn the rest of my list did a number on him so this free strike is enough to take him out! This leaves a single Ferox struggling for his life to kill an Arcane Shielded Storm Lance. He leaves it on 1 box and Radheim cannot reach Nemo3 now. Makeda is sitting on 0 fury in the open...

...so I kill her and bring this mess of a game to an end.

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

Game of skill part 2? Sure felt like it! New Skorne feels legit, definitely uphill for Nemo here when I don't get to go first.

I make a strategical mistake to place my Lances around the forest. This lets the Ferox los-abuse me so there won't be a lot of charging Lances. Big mistake. Not sure I even chose the best side to be honest. In any case I need to have all of my power ready when Makeda feats. If I have that I think I might have the power to deal with her feat. Not sure, but charging Lances sure are key here. Nemo spending basically his entire stack to try and get Molik and then having Dynamo screwed over by a shield guard sure didn't help either. To top it all off Makeda didn't feat! With a feat there it probably was assassination or bust. Ugh.

Somehow I am 2-0 and good to go!