Game 48: Helynna vs Wurmwood

Game 48 – Vs Paul Sheard – Circle Orboros – 21/06/17

My list:

Magister Helynna (Shadows of the Retribution)

-Manticore

-Manticore

-Manticore

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Spears of Scyrah

Max Mage Hunter Strike Force

-Commander

Max Mage Hunter Strike Force

-Commander

Min Mage Hunter Infiltrators

-Eiryss, Mage Hunter Commander

Narn, Mage Hunter of Ios

His List:

Wurmwood, Tree of Fate

-Cassius the Oathkeeper

-Woldwyrd

-Woldwyrd

-Pureblood Warpwolf

-Feral Warpwolf

Max Reeves of Orboros

-Chieftain and Standard Bearer

Max Tharn Bloodtrackers

Sentry Stone & Mannikins

Sentry Stone & Mannikins

Shifting Stones

Not entirely satisfied with my Helynna Forges of War list I have started trying to find another list to play as a pair for my Kaelyssa list. I like the aggressiveness of the Shadows of the Retribution list and wondered if the +2 ARM would give the Mage Hunters enough staying power to avoid blast damage and deliver their high value attacks. Covering Fire from the Manticores was added in order to help stop them being engaged and the Spears and Infiltrators were put in for a much needed melee presence

My first game with the list was against Paul, who was taking a break from the Retribution to play Wurmwood. Aided by the +1 to go first I won the roll and we got going.

Between us we had an incredible amount of Advance Deploy between up and so I held back from running up as far as I could, with only the infiltrators pushing hard up the centre. With Rhythm of War the jacks were able to keep up pretty well and Narn flanked hard to the right to put pressure on the shooting units.

Paul advances up cautiously, also keeping out of range of my walk and see through stealth guns and uses the Mannikin sprays to kill 4 Infiltrators. Wurmwood teleports himself centrally and arcs a Hellmouth into a Mannikin, pulling in a Mage Hunter and Eiryss, killing the Hunter but only dealing 4 damage to Eiryss.

I spot some opportunities for strong attrition plays this turn. 2 Infiltrators are able to charge Cassius if their lanes are cleared, so the right Mage Hunters clear them a path and shoot some Reeves off the table. The Infiltrators charge in but roll badly, only doing 3 damage to Cassius. A single Spear is able to charge one of the Sentry Stones, needing a 15 on 4 dice to kill it, but again the dice don’t spike my way. The Manticores lay down Covering Fire and the left Mage Hunters slowly chip away on the flank. I don’t feel like I got nearly enough done in this turn and am in a really bad position.

Wurmwood feat turn. Before the forest goes up Paul works on clearing out as many of my models as possible. A number of Strike Force die on the right, and 3 die on the left to a Pureblood spray. Paul attacks the Spears but can only kill one, triggering Vengeance on the other two. Despite nothing really dying, I feel like my position is getting worse and worse as my Mage Hunters are chipped away at for minimal return.

Wurmwood’s feat turn obviously leaves you unable to do too much. I had foolishly burnt the minifeats of the Mage Hunters earlier so this would very much be a consolidation turn. The Spears shine though, between Vengeance and their activations they kill both Sentry Stones, removing a significant threat from the table. Other than that the right Mage Hunters run to engage the Bloodtrackers and the left unit shoot into the Pureblood to minimal effect.

Paul’s relentless attrition continues with the Pureblood coming close to killing the furthest forward Manticore under Cure of Shadows. (He rolled badly, he should easily have destroyed it). The units on the right decimate the Mage Hunters, leaving only 2 and the Commander left. In the centre Wurmwood Strangleholds a Manticore to keep it back.

I am well down on attrition but have a decent looking assassination. Helynna is in range to advance and cast Hand of Destruction on Wurmwood, and then the 3 Manticores can unleash their guns into him. With only 1 transfer I liked my chances and by the second Manticore (and some very spiky dice) Wurmwood went down.

VICTORY

I pride myself in taking good points from a defeat, and in this game I really have to take the bad from a victory. Paul’s list outclassed mine in almost every way, and had he Strangleheld the other Manticore or put down a forest in front of him, the assassination would have been off the table and I would have ground down to a defeat. I will keep trying the list but I’m not sure it will go very far.