Game 50: Helynna vs Thyra

Game 50 – Vs Jonathan Clarke – Protectorate of Menoth – 25/06/17

My list:

Magister Helynna (Shadows of the Retribution)

-Manticore

-Manticore

-Sphynx

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Spears of Scyrah

Max Mage Hunter Strike Force

-Commander

Max Mage Hunter Strike Force

-Commander

Max Mage Hunter Infiltrators

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios

Narn, Mage Hunter of Ios

His List:

Thyra, Flame of Sorrow (Guardians of the Temple)

-Blood of Martyrs

-Castigator

-Crusader

-Crusader

-Crusader

Nicea, Tear of Vengenace

Pyrrhus, Flameguard Hero

Daughters of the Flame

Max Flame Bringers

Max Temple Flameguard

-Officer & Standard Bearer

Min Choir of Menoth

With my better half being away for the weekend I was searching around for a 1 day Steamroller and found one in Stafford, only around an hour from my home. I travelled down to give more testing to my Kaelyssa, Helynna Shadows pair, but with some tweaks to the Helynna list. In the first round I was drawn against Clarkey, the local Menoth player, with a Thyra/High Reclaimer pair. I didn’t like the idea of Sentinels into either so dropped Helynna, with Clarkey dropping Thyra. I won first turn (+1 is amazing) and off we went.

I cast Rhythm of War and ran up, making sure to stay out of his threat ranges. My infantry was a bit bunched up on the left flank so I would have to sort this out in the next turns.

Thyra casts Gates of Death on herself and Occultation on the Flame Bringers and advances up his forces, again staying out of my threat ranges. The Choir bless the jacks with immunity to non-magical shooting

On the right flank my Mage Hunters advance, taking a position of defending my zone and being ready to shoot into the Flame Guard next turn. A Manticore puts down Covering Fire to stop the Menoth infantry from charging. In the centre the Sphynx shoots a Crusader, allowing Helynna to get in Range for Hand of Destruction. She pushes the jack 3” towards the Manticore who scraps it. On the left I don’t have too many ideas and so simply jam with the Strike force and prepare the Infiltrators to take Daughter charges or charge next turn.

My, did I underestimate the ability of this list to kill high Def infantry. Under Carnage his Melee Attack was high enough to easily hit Def14 and my Mage Hunters melted to the Flame Bringers and Ambushing Daughters. In the centre both the Manticore and Sphynx died to the Menoth jacks, and on the right the Flameguard jammed into my Mage Hunters. This did not feel like a strong position.

So far down on attrition I knew that it was going to be assassination or nothing. I had a very long shot at killing Thrya who was camping nothing and so went for it. I cleared out the one Spear’s charge lane, drifted an Obliteration blast from Helynna onto her, dealing 4 points of damage. The Spear charged in, needing 10 to hit and a 15 to kill (on 2 and 4 dice respectively). She missed. I cleared out some other models but the game was essentially over.

Clarkey was a gentleman and didn’t feel the need to prolong things. He charged Helynna with Blood of Martyrs and killed her with his 2 initials.

DEFEAT

A misjudged matchup against a strong player. I didn’t play particularly well, especially with my infantry on the left. Not needing Advance Deploy on the Infiltrators seems like a good idea but I need to find a way to stop them tripping over the Mage Hunters on tables where there is something impassable in the centre. Clarkey played this game extremely well and was a pleasure to play against. On to round 2 to see if I could bounce bac