Game 120: Goreshade4 vs Severius1

Game 120 – Vs Paul Sheard– Menoth – 6/12/17

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:

Grand Scrutator Severius (The Creator’s Might)

-Hierophant

-Blessing of Vengeance

-Reckoner

Vessel of Judgment

Initiate Tristan Durant

-Redeemer

-Redeemer

Vassal Mechanik

Min Choir of Menoth

Visgoth Juviah Rhoven & Honor Guard

Max Idrian Skirmishers

-Chieftain & Guide

I got in an unexpected game last week, and as Goreshade4 was what I had in my case I guess he gets lucky and has a second run out. This time I am up against Paul who has recently switched over to Menoth, running a Sevvy1 gunline. At least I would get some use out of my Feat this time! I win the roll to go first and get moving.

I run up my forces, with Frost Field again on the Destors to apply the defence debuff over as great an area as possible. I run Dahlia and Skarath on the right flank as I need to keep her as far away from possible from the AOEs of the Redeemers that could easily take her out with blast damage. I have no real interest in the left zone as Paul only has his Battle Engine here, and there is an easy spot for me to contest it safely all game. I put down Covering Fire in front of the Idrians to slow their advance.

Paul runs up his forces, not wanting to give up table space too early. From his Theme Benefits he has started with Defender’s Ward on the Idrians and Vision on one the Blessing of Vengeance. The Idrians just move up as their only target was the Sentinels and Paul wisely didn’t want to risk triggering Vengeance.

I have a decent opportunity to remove a load of Idians. Skarath moves up and sprays into the unit, killing 3 including the Officer. The Manticore moves up and slays 2 more with his gun. Goreshade feats and moves up to the flag. The rest of my forces move up, staying within 10” of my Caster as that will be the area of my feat once Severius feats back. On the left I run a Destor up to contest the zone and flag, and hope to block the Vessel of Judgment out of the zone.

Paul does indeed counter-feat, reducing my Focus and preventing spellcasting next turn. His Idrians run to jam my Sentinels but Paul forgets about my feat and they are all made Stationary. The rest of his forces shoot into the Destors, finally destroying the whole unit. Despite losing the Destors I feel like I am in the game and can hit back next turn. We both score our own flags to start the scoring at 1-1.

Time to take advantage of Paul’s error with the Idrians. I use some minor activations and a Manticore to clear the rest of the unit out, clearing the way for my Sentinels to charge into his Jacks. Skarath takes out Rhoven and one of his guard, before the Sentinels charge in, taking out the Redeemer and almost completely crippling the Blessing of Vengeance. Once again we both score our flags to move to 2-2

Paul sets about the task of removing as many Sentinels as possible and does a pretty good job at clearing out the unit through the Vessel’s guns and Severius’ spells. The result is that he clears out the way for the Reckoner to get to my Manticore, and it is quickly reduced to just a single box. The flag scoring continues, and we go to 3-3.

I pretty much lost what I expected to in the last turn but suddenly don’t feel in as strong a position as I thought I was in. I shouldn’t have made it so easy for the Reckoner to get my Manticore as with 3 heavies left I would have been in a great position. I make more mistakes this turn as well. My Aspis moves up blocking the charge route for Skarath to get to the Reckoner, meaning that the snake can only finish off the Blessing of Vengeance. I leave the Reckoner on around 10 boxes after I have finished with it. I do clear the right zone though, taking a 5-4 scenario lead.

Paul finishes off my Manticore and tidies up the last Sentinels before turning his guns onto Skarath. With Eye of Menoth and aiming the Redeemers get back up to a useable RAT4, and a couple of boosted 10s land on the snake, taking it down. Flags are scored, 6-5 to me.

With us both low on time I need to clear the zone and stay up on scenario. Goreshade goes into the Manticore, but some horrible dice including missing my charge attack mean I don’t take it out, and have to spend down to nothing. The Aspis comes in and finishes it off, with the Manticore going and removing the other Redeemer. A Choir member stops me scoring the right zone so I stay 1 ahead at 7-6.

Having to empty Goreshade has left me vulnerable to assassination and Paul leaps at the opportunity. A Shield Guard and a single Arcane Vortex allow me to survive through both Severius’ and the Vessel’s activations on a single box, but Tristan is on hand to charge in and finish me off

DEFEAT

I played that last turn really badly. There was no real reason to throw Goreshade in, and doing so resulted in me throwing the game away. The Reckoner had already lost it’s Cortex, so I should have just pushed it out of the zone with the Aspis and take the game from there, or just made it Stationary with no way to shake it. In my head Goreshade is better both offensively and defensively than he is on paper, so if I ever go back to him I need to rethink a few things. I enjoyed the game again though, but the feeling at the back of my head will always be “Kaelyssa does all of this better”, which is a shame.

I have a 1 day event coming up on the 17^th, to which I am taking Ossyan to complete my challenge of using all 12 casters. Stay tuned.