Battle Report #475: Haley3 vs Sloan

:: Prologue ::

Haley3 is a caster we can never rule out. Very versatile, crazy attrition game, different playstyle compared to Cygnar's other popular builds. How does Sloan play into her?

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:

(Haley 3) Major Prime Victoria Haley [+25], Bunker
- Grenadier [9]
- Grenadier [9]
- Thorn [13]
- Defender [16]
Storm Lances (max) [20]
Trencher Infantry (max) [16]
Journeyman Warcaster [4]
- Charger [9]
Ragman [4]

Opponent:

"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
- Stormwall - PC: 39 (Battlegroup Points Used: 28)
- Lightning Pod
Captain Arlan Strangewayes - PC: 0
Journeyman Warcaster - PC: 0
- Firefly - PC: 8
Allison Jakes - PC: 0
- Hammersmith - PC: 12

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

I took Haley3 here due to more experience with her. We wanted quality games and although we openly discussed most plays throughout this session it's important to play what you know best when we are trying to understand the true nature of a matchup. Anyway! The scenario was Outlast and my idea was to slow-push one zone. I went first which is kind of shit vs Sloan, but oh well. I guess second isn't that much better in this particular matchup due to the nature of Echoes.

I pushed my things up, cast Distortion, summoned echoes, cast Arcane on Lances and had everything in the DEF bubble with Trenchers and Grenadiers dug in. Your move!

:: Game ::

Long story short: Sloan feats and takes out Thorn, half the Defender, a couple of Lances and some boxes here and there if memory serves. Covering Fires go down in front of Trenchers.

I had anticipated the covering fires and that was why I was spread out so much. My opponent found his feat couldn't prioritize Trenches despite aiming with the Hunters. I think that's fair, there are more important targets as the Trenchers will sooner or later come within zzzap! range of the Firefly and until then, they don't do a lot explicitly. I keep pushing the zone on the right, move Arcane to Haley, spread out Trenchers and keep digging in stuff.

Sloan's Stormwall stays just outside of Past's charge threat range. A Hunter scores a point on the left. Clumsy of me to have a Trencher out of command, he could probably have contested otherwise. I lose the Defender's Cortex and more Lances.

Ragman is too far back so I can't apply death field to the 'wall. Yet I have to get work done so I feat and load the Grenadiers with focus. Repudiate and shots dig into it but it survives on ~20-ish boxes I believe.

My opponent commits the Hammersmith and goes to 2 CP. Not much else noteworthy happens.

I kill the 'wall with shooting. Past takes out the Hunter with help from Ragman. I contest with Future but it's dicey. Sloan can aim and Arlan's still up and running. I simply don't have that many models left to get work done with so I have to try and keep the echoes alive and keep doing work gradually while scoring in the right zone. 2-2.

Sloan takes out Future. Hammersmith kills a Trencher. Firefly contests. 2-3.

Trenchers and the remaining Grenadier run to contest. I move Prime out of my zone to spawn Future, getting a couple of models in range of Distortion. Past tries to kill the Firefly so I move to 3 as well, but rolls are miserable.

Sloan and the remaining Hunters clear the zone and I lose on scenario.

Sadly, a Loss for the Swans.

:: Evaluation ::

This was a game between two strong attrition casters. Before we started I had this hypothesis that Sloan's threat ranges are too great for Haley3 to effectively deal with, sans very favourable terrain. This proved to be my undoing in this game, after Sloan's feat I effectively do nothing for a full other turn and when I finally get to go at something it's the Stormwall and it simply doesn't die. To be fair the Stormwall probably overplayed its position as well, keeping it outside of 16" of Prime would've been trivial (it was 15.5" away) and at that point I just don't know what Haley3 does.

I should arguably have hugged the left zone instead with ample cover. Experience has shown me that hugging a side that hard with Haley3 can turn problematic from a contest point of view though and since I go first I can see Sloan grabbing the Trench on the right flank for example. In hindsight I think I made the right play. With better terrain it's probably more playable for Haley3. Sooner or later you need to advance to a place where Sloan can literally aim her entire army and feat though. On top of that there's the Hammersmith and Stormwall to deal with, neither are trivial for sure.

Interesting game. Sloan is strong!