lørdag 1. april 2017

Showdown #1, Game 2 (#478): Haley2 vs Fyanna2

:: Prologue ::

We only had 3 games set up today and an eventual final if there were 2 undefeated players. This meant we had to play both lists in the course of 3 games. Since I dropped Darius in the first game, I was somewhat unsure of what to do when I faced Vayl2 and Fyanna2 in game 2 (both lists in Oracles). I contemplated it back and forth. Eventually I settled on Haley2 because of two reasons: If my opponent drops Vayl2 then I get to practice the matchup. I haven't played this in a long time so that would definitely be valuable. Also, no list lock in game 3 would probably give me an edge. I got Fyanna in return and was happy with that.

:: Lists ::

Cygnar:
"Technical Death Metal"
[Theme] Heavy Metal
(Haley 2) Major Victoria Haley [+25]
- Charger [9]
- Hammersmith [12]
- Stormwall [39]
- Thorn [13]
- Squire [0]
Captain Arlan Strangewayes [0]
Journeyman Warcaster [0]
- Charger [9]
Lieutenant Allison Jakes [4]
- Stormclad [18]
Opponent:
Theme: Oracles of Annihilation
4 / 4 Free Cards     75 / 75 Army
Fyanna, Torment of Everblight - WB: +28
-    Succubus - PC: 0
-    Angelius - PC: 17 (Battlegroup Points Used: 17)
-    Angelius - PC: 17 (Battlegroup Points Used: 11)
-    Angelius - PC: 17
-    Neraph - PC: 12
-    Neraph - PC: 12
-    Neraph - PC: 12
-    Seraph - PC: 14
Blighted Nyss Sorceress & Hellion - PC: 0
The Forsaken - PC: 0
The Forsaken - PC: 0
Blighted Nyss Shepherd - PC: 1
Blighted Nyss Shepherd - PC: 1

:: Pre-Battle Thoughts & Deployment ::

It actually didn't dawn on me that my opponent didn't have a Naga until after we had found our models and started deploying. This is a big deal and I think definitely a mistake. It hinders so many matchups and with 6 heavies doing work, surely you can afford to drop one. Anyway, we were playing Extraction and I won the dice-off, electing to go first. The idea was to get far up on the table and either shoot or feat top of 2 depending on Legion's response.


:: Game ::

Stuff runs.


My opponent contemplates for a while then feats and spreads out his birds.


I consider whether to play it "safe" (read: Hang back and shoot, don't try and get work done) or move in and maybe kill off a heavy (or 2!). Admonition would be a problem. I decided for a mix: Have the Chargers aim, load up 'wall, 'clad and Hammersmith and activate Thorn + Haley for TK plays as late as possible.

The entire turn is an unmitigated disaster. I cannot for the life of me hit any attacks and the dodge moves completely screw me over. I guess that's what I deserve for being greedy. My opponent makes a couple of big mistakes in his dodge plays though, which allows Haley to somewhat salvage the situation. I'm still looking to lose the Hammersmith on my own feat turn though if my opponent finds the correct plays.


Luckily for me, he does not. He ends up jamming me more so than anything and opportunistically placing the Angelii to threaten Haley.


It's hammer time! If the guy hasn't been an MVP in the past, he sure was now. I started with him and he beat backed a Neraph a couple of times before chain smiting him to kill a Shepherd and a Forsaken. On top of that the follow-up move brought him into melee with a Seraph, which he dealt 10 boxes to with his last remaining focus for good measure.

The Stormclad and Chargers followed suit and this turn was suddenly looking a lot brighter than my last. Haley TK'd around a couple of Angelii after Thorn ran over to help her out. I took care to play her outside of 13" of the upmost Angelius and with the Stormclad killing the Seraph the other Angelius, TK'd out, would not be a threat. The Stormwall killed one of the Angelii.


My opponent had 3 heavies left and could either go for my heavies or the 'wall. He chose the latter but the lack of a Naga hurt him so bad: 2 Angelii and a Neraph with Fury couldn't take him out.


The 'wall was pretty much useless due to poor Arlan decisions last turn, but the heavies came through in style again, killng off 2 heavies which left Thorn and the 'wall to kill the last. Haley got into a safe spot where nothing could threaten her. Given the state of the game my opponent conceded.


Victory to the Swans!

:: Evaluation ::

It's been a long time since I played Haley2 into this Legion opponent and likewise he's sort of forgotten what Haley2 "feels like" I guess you could say. In effect what happened this game was that I had a somewhat questionable set of plays set up on Fyanna's feat turn (basically too greedy) and then he failed to capitalize on the situation he was given. Had he done it correctly he could've killed the Hammersmith (by having a Neraph use its animus to set up another Neraph with Slipstream) -and- had an Angelius spend his turn under Temporal Shift hitting the Stormwall.

What surprised me was how badly these beasts died post-feats. The non-colossal jacks on my part did a great amount of work turn 3 and this was where the game broke. It's interesting to note that I didn't have particularly crazy dice here. What this means in effect - and this is a big take-away for me - is that Haley2 probably doesn't need to get a lot of work done vs Fyanna2's feat. She simply has to play it safe and counter-feat. There's enough power to handle the actual killing post-feat. Very interesting game!

Ingen kommentarer:

Legg inn en kommentar