Game 119: Goreshade4 vs Rask

Game 119 – Vs Adam Jones– Minions – 29/11/17

My list:

Lord Ghyrrshyld, The Forgiven (Legions of Dawn)

-Manticore

-Manticore

-Chimera

-Aspis

Dahlia Hallyr

-Skarath

Dawnguard Sentinel Scyir

Arcanist Mechanik

Arcanist Mechanik

Max Dawnguard Destors

Max Dawnguard Sentinels

-Officer & Standard Bearer

His List:

Rask (Blindwater Congregation)

-Gatorman Soul Slave

-Blackhide Wrastler

-Boneswarm

-Boneswarm

-Boneswarm

Sacral Vault

Bog Trog Mist Speaker

Totem Hunter

Bog Trog Trawler

Max Croak Raiders

Gatorman Bokor & Bog Trog Shamblers

Max Gatorman Posse

Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew

When I started playing Retribution back in February I had 2 targets for the year. One was to play at least 100 games in the year (success) and the other was to try every caster in the faction at least once. 10 casters down and with an Ossyan list on the painting table ready to go in December it was time to face Goreshade. On paper, Goreshade doesn’t look BAD, just so completely uninspired. It took me a long time to write him a list that I thought would work, and in the end I was pretty pleased with it. As long as I don’t face a good player with a top tier control feat caster I would have a decent shot. Enter Adam. Enter Rask. As is standard against Adam I won the first turn and we got moving.

For all of Goreshades’ faults he does have some pretty excellent spells. Frost Field is an excellent spell for Destors as it essentially makes all their attacks RAT8/MAT9 allowing them to reliably clear out a lot of infantry. They also gain Ghost Walk to allow them to pass through the shallow water in front of them and get up the table. My Sentinels Mini-Feat as they are going to have to advance into range of a load of Croaks, and I don’t want to lose too much of the unit. Both Manticores advance and put up Convering Fire to slow his advance.

Adam moves up with his forces, staying out of my threat ranges in most areas. The Croaks don’t want to risk triggering Vengeance on the Sentinels so choose not to use their oil on them, instead just using the spears to set five of the unit on fire. Very late on in the turn Adam realises he has to Feat, and does so, adding a Veil of Mists to his defensive setup. Had he planned to Feat earlier in the turn he could have been far more aggressive with the troops on the right, but it was definitely the right decision to do so.

With Rask’s Feat up there isn’t too much I can do, so I just back up out of threat ranges, keeping something in each zone that I don’t think he will be able to easily remove to stop myself from going too far down on scenario. I pull 2 of the Destors to the left, realising that this is where I have to win the game and push up Dahlia, who under Haunting Melody and Mist Walker would be really difficult for him to remove. Goreshade Feats in response, preventing him from jamming me too well and giving me at least some defence against his guns. The Manticores put down their Covering Fires again and I wait out the Feat.

Adam’s guns on the left continue to take their toll on my Sentinels, the Croaks killing the two that I had pushed forward and a couple more after Oiling the main lines. The Sacral Vault then kills 2 more, forcing one to kill a friend and another to take out one of the Destors. The Bog Trog Trawler comes on and removes the Scyir. The Mist Speaker runs to the flag to start the scoring. With his success on the left flank Adam realises that his best move is to hold his troops back on the right, preparing to push on that zone later. He takes a 1-0 lead on scenario.

I feel like I am a long way down on attrition but I still have 3 heavies on the table so if I can keep them safe I can maybe find a way to turn the game around later. First thing I need to do is start clearing out the left flank and fomr of the Gators. The Destors go in and with Frost Field up make mincemeat out of his troops, killing off 4 Croaks, a Gatorman and a Boneswarm, with some incidental damage put onto other models. The remaining Sentinels then take out more Croaks and the Bone Swarm on the left. I then make my big mistake and get greedy with Dahlia, pushing her up into a position where the Sacral Vault could kill her next turn. I contest Adam’s flag and score my own with an Arcanist to level the game at 1-1.

A load more Shamblers hit the table and Adam continues his attrition game. He clears out 3 Destors and a couple more Sentinels, and my mistake with Dahlia is punished as the Sacral Vault deals with her with Eyeless Sight. I need to learn to use her better but it was very satisfying getting her so aggressively up the table. The Totem Hunter clears my Arcanist off my flag and his forces keep pushing forward, scoring the right zone to lead 2-1.

I keep pushing on but after losing a heavy to a misplay can’t see a way out of the game. I clear the last troops on the right and my last remaining Destor kills off the Totem Hunter to make sure he can’t score my flag on his turn. I lose a Sentinel because I forgot how the Sacral Vault works (It didn’t have a Soul when I entered the 2”, but I killed a model, giving it one and then died due to ending my activation in range, one to watch out for). I contest the zones to keep the score at 2-1.

More Shamblers pop out, these guys are becoming a real pain. Adam kills off the last Destor to take complete control of the right flank, and simply floods the left with Shamblers, killing off the Aspis along the way. He scores another point to lead 3-1 and the scenario game is rapidly getting away from me.

The game is effectively over so I just decide to have some fun. I charge Goreshade in to kill the Bokor and a load of Shamblers, and try to use my remaining forces to try and finish off the unit. I fail and leave 3 alive. Adam scores the right zone again for 4-1.

With my caster swinging in the breeze Adam puts me out of my misery. A Paralyze shot from Rask before throwing in a Boundless Charged, Raged and Furied Wrastler. The job was done with 2 initials.

DEFEAT

I don’t really want to jump on the “Goreshade is unplayable” train here, everyone reading this blog knows his issues and he needs something to really change for me to give him a go in a serious tournament game. The more interesting thing was just how much fun I had in this game. This is partly because I knew the pressure was off and so was more relaxed, partly because charging Destors into things is just great, and mostly because Adam is always a pleasure to play against. After my Blood and Oil defeat followed by this I’m starting to think Rask is on my hit list. More sensible casters and lists coming soon (but still with Destors).