tirsdag 7. februar 2017

Battle Report #415: Haley2 vs Iron Mother

:: Prologue ::

Convergence practice today! Cygnar got an amazing theme force in Storm Division, but Convergence was probably the faction which got the biggest buff from the initial theme force release. About time if you ask me! Would the addition of tons of free points and +2" deployment be enough for the machines to finally have an answer for Haley2?

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:
(Haley 2) Major Victoria Haley [+25], Storm Division, Fuel Cache
- Thorn [13]
- Stormwall [39]
- Squire [0]
Storm Lances (max) [20]
Storm Lances (min) [12]
Journeyman Warcaster [0]
- Firefly [8]
Major Katherine Laddermore [8] 
Opponent:
Iron Mother Directrix & Exponent Servitors - WJ: +27
-    Iron Mother Directrix & Exponent Servitors Cont.
-    Assimilator - PC: 16
-    Assimilator - PC: 16
-    Assimilator - PC: 16
-    Corollary - PC: 6
-    Prime Axiom - PC: 38 (Battlegroup Points Used: 27)
-    Diffuser - PC: 6
Attunement Servitors - 3 Attunement Servitors: 0
Attunement Servitors - 3 Attunement Servitors: 0
Elimination Servitors - 3 Elimination Servitors: 0
Elimination Servitors - 3 Elimination Servitors: 0
Optifex Directive - Leader & 2 Grunts: 4

THEME: Destruction Initiative

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

We were playing Entrenched and Iron Mother went first. She deployed the Prime Axiom very aggressively. In my experience this rarely pays off against Haley as Haley can make a counter-scenario play so I deployed for that.


:: Game ::

Convergence run up and I realize I've made a big mistake. I cannot push hard into all of that firepower combined with backlash. I probably should've asked for a reset right here but I decided I'd just go with it.


So... I kinda forget that Mother has Domination so Thorn gets exposed to an Assimilator on the right flank as I want to limit the PA with a Time Bomb.


A combination of luck and another rule being forgotten, Thorn gets away: The assimilator tried to Ground Pounder him and missed the boosted 8+. Dodge for the win! Regardless it's a super-iffy situation. I lose a couple of Lances.


I spend forever and ever trying to come up with a plan. I eventually settle on this: Haley TKs the Assimilator on the right flank and charges it to get into a good feat position. I have to play the long game for scenario here so I need to conserve my pieces. Thorn charges the Assimilator and kills it with help from a couple of Lances, Ionization and Laddermore. The Stormwall shifts right and I do around 30 boxes to the Axiom with shooting. 1-0.


Iron Mother feats and kills the Firefly and a couple of Lances, again. I am being contested.


I contemplate how I can take out the PA without charging in with the 'wall. I figure that it could be doable if the initial models get some work done. Even Haley participates with a boosted Hand Cannon shot! When the Stormwall's left it's conceivable that it'll go down. Even if it doesn't there are no meks in range and I'm being contested next turn anyway so I may as well try and shoot it instead of exposing the Stormwall. The 3 big gun shots (TA was up) leave it on a couple of boxes, however one of the big gun shots missed so I had a focus left over. It would possibly have been better to use future sight to boost the attack roll but I saved it to hopefully boost a spiked damage roll on the chain cannons. Luckily such a roll came up and I needed a 3+ on future sight to finish it off, which I got! 2-0 and a real opening.


Convergence move up their forces and contest. In my subsequent turn I clear out the closest models and put up covering fires. I'm at 3-0 and although I'm running out of time (a little over 4 minutes left), I should be able to finish my 2 turns of clearing before I clock out. My opponent concedes (after all, it's a practice game and he'd basically lost).


Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

This game was a mess to begin with and a real uphill struggle even when I started finding some angles to work with. The theme has surely done a -ton- for Convergence, and boy did they need it. It's a big step in the right direction and Iron Mother being able to put Haley2 in this much trouble is great for the balance in this game.

Obviously my plan was flawed from the start. As long as Convergence keep their spikebots defensively the Stormwall simply cannot wade in. Haley will die in 2 turns, if not 1. The assimilators are all super-painful for the Lances and I might have to consider getting out Arcane Shield on them in this matchup since the 'wall has to be so cautious anyways.

When I finally did find an opening though Haley's set of abilities made the most of the situation and I did indeed end up with a position which won me the game. True, we don't know if the clock might've gone out but I'm fairly confident I would've managed to clear out sufficient numbers of models in the time I had available. Besides, in a practice game it's more about the plays than the clocks and from that point of view it was -very- over.

Next time I gotta remember that Iron Mother has Domination...


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