Battle Report #463: Sloan vs Vayl2

:: Prologue ::

One of the reasons I started believing in Sloan was because I think she can handle a wide variety of Legion pairings. While that was prior to the new Legion theme lists being released, it's still worth trying. Especially when my regular Legion opponent thinks Vayl2 is decent into Sloan. She never has been before so I struggle to see why she would be now, but I'll happily play it to see for myself!

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

"Firing Solution"
Theme: Heavy Metal
Captain Kara Sloan - WJ: +28 Armory
- Squire - PC: 0
- Hunter - PC: 11
- Hunter - PC: 11
- Hunter - PC: 11
- Hunter - PC: 11
- Hunter - PC: 11
- Stormwall - PC: 39 (Battlegroup Points Used: 28)
- Lightning Pod
Captain Arlan Strangewayes - PC: 0
Journeyman Warcaster - PC: 0
- Charger - PC: 9
Archduke Alain Runewood, Lord of Fharin - PC: 0

Opponent:

[Theme] Oracles of Annihilation
(Vayl 2) Vayl, Consul of Everblight [+28]
 - Angelius [17]
 - Archangel [37]
 - Nephilim Bolt Thrower [11]
 - Seraph [14]
Blighted Nyss Sorceress & Hellion [0]
The Forsaken [0]
Blackfrost Shard [9]
Blighted Nyss Hex Hunters (max) [15]
 - Bayal, Hound of Everblight [0]

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

We are playing Extraction and I win the dice-off. Pro-tip for Sloan players out there: You hardly ever want to go first. Going second slows the game down (opponents score T3 instead of T2, you get two turns of shooting before scoring happens etc) and you get so far up the table with Heavy Metal +2" deployment. So, I went second. This also allowed me to pick the side with superior terrain. The idea was to play as safe as possible and just wait it out, letting the guns do work for me.

:: Game ::

Seraph and Angelius move behind the fence. Hex Hunters spread out. Vayl arcs a few damage spells onto a Hunter through the Seraph, no harm done. Archangel stays far away, as does the Bolt Thrower and the Blackfrost Shard.

Obvious feat turn! I can aim with literally anything I need to. DEF18 is a thing but aim sure helps! I kill both heavies behind the 'wall and take roughly half of the boxes off of the Archangel. The Stormwall and a Hunter or two clear out the Hex Hunters in the center. Pew pew! Junior puts Arcane on Sloan just in case there's some kind of crazy angle I haven't seen.

With Arcane on Sloan and Blackfrost Shard alive my opponent makes a play for the Stormwall. ARM17 isn't much to write home about, but 56 boxes is still 56 boxes and the big boy lives.

I clean up. My opponent looks for angles but there aren't anyone and he concedes. This picture says it all:

Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

I struggle to see how Vayl2 has game against Sloan unless terrain is extremely favourable. There's just so much firepower and Legion things just die. This game was pretty straight-forward, don't let things die and kill Legion things systematically, keeping my own models out of crucial threat ranges.

It's good to confirm that Sloan is still up vs Vayl2 (she's always felt up in this matchup in my experience)! I like how the list plays as well, the Stormwall is such an enabler for her.