Burning Ash & Caustic Mist

There was one casual game of Warmachine in Ropecon where we agreed not to use theme lists. Because I really have missed that.

My list was:

Lich Lord Asphyxious [+28]

- Desecrator [14]
- Nightwretch [7]
- Ripjaw [7]
Bane Lord Tartarus [6]
Iron Lich Overseer [5]
- Harrower [16]
Necrotech [2]
Soul Trapper [1]
Warwitch Siren [4]
Bane Warriors (max) [16]
- Bane Warrior Officer & Standard [5]
Satyxis Raiders (max) [16]
- Satyxis Raider Sea Witch [4]

Opponent had:

Lord Tyrant Zaadesh [+28]

- Aradus Soldier [16]
- Aradus Soldier [16]
- Archidon [10]
- Chiron [19]
- Rhinodon [12]
- Titan Gladiator [15]
Legends of Halaak [8]
Paingiver Beast Handlers (max) [7]

Obviously I had great advantage in scenario game. Opponent closed in from the middle, so Bane Thralls were quite safe from Chiron's sprays. Opponent took a gamble with Chiron, bringing it forward and trying to spray Iron Lich Overseer. The attack was a miss.

Next turn Zaadesh used feat and rushed quite a lot of heavy beasts on to me. Harrower went down like it was butter, and I have no doubt that same fate would have been reserved for Desecrator had it been just a little closer to Aradus Soldier.

Chiron sprayed Ripjaw almost into wreckage. It only had cortex and weapon system intact.

On my turn I tried to kill both Rhinodon and Aradus Soldier in the middle, but only Rhinodon went dead. Aradus did have it's spirit broken and thanks to Desecrator it was suffering from Grievous Wounds, so at least it wouldn't assassinate Asphyxious.

Somehow Titan Gladiator couldn't kill Desecrator. How is that possible? I don't remember any more. It probably involved quite a few missed hits. So Cryx survived fairly well that turn, and next Bane Thralls were able to reach almost all of the warbeasts.

Titan Gladiator proved to be a difficult one to remove from the board, and Asphyxious tried to come to finish the beast. He had cast Hellbound and used feat. Feated Bane Thralls and some Satyxis Raiders wiped the board from warbeasts, and when Skorne started turn there was only Zaadesh and two members of Legends of Halaak left. He conceded.

Ropecon 2018 Warmachine Tournament

I played in a Warmachine tournament during Ropecon 2018.

My lists were:

[Theme] Infernal Machines
Lord Exhumator Scaverous [+27]
- Deathripper [6]
- Erebus [16]
- Reaper [13]
- The Withershadow Combine [9]
Bloat Thrall [4]
Darragh Wrathe [9]
Necrotech [2]
Pistol Wraith [0(5)]
Ragman [4]
Soul Trapper [1]
Soul Trapper [1]
Warwitch Siren [0(4)]
Bile Thralls (min) [9]
- Skarlock Commander [3]
Mechanithralls (min) [6]
- Brute Thrall (2) [4]
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls [4]
Soulhunters (min) [11]



[Theme] Dark Host

Master Necrotech Mortenebra [+24]
- Desecrator [14]
- Kraken [36]
- Seether [13]
Bane Lord Tartarus [0(6)]
Darragh Wrathe [9]
Machine Wraith [2]
Scrap Thrall (3) [2]
Soul Trapper [1]
Soul Trapper [1]
Bane Warriors (max) [16]
- Bane Warrior Officer & Standard [5]

For the record, this was my first time using Dark Host theme.

Game 1: Master Necrotech Mortenebra & Deryliss

First game was against Trollbloods, and opponent had a list something like this. Might contain some inaccuracies:


[Theme] Band of Heroes
Kolgrima Stonetruth, Winter Witch [+28]
- Dire Troll Mauler [15]
- Earthborn Dire Troll [14]
- Trollkin Runebearer [0(5)]
Fell Caller Hero [0(5)]
Saxon Orrik [4]
Trollkin Champion Hero [0(5)]
Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes (max) [9]
- Northkin Elder [3]
Trollkin Champions (max) [16]
- Skaldi Bonehammer [5]
Trollkin Champions (max) [16]
Trollkin Long Riders (max) [20]

An exciting game to say at least. Most of the game was at the brink of destruction - would Kraken hold? Would it survive charging weapon masters while at effective Arm 23?

It did, until heavy warbeasts decided to enter the battle.

Also, there was this major mistake made by me when Deryliss had used Tune Up on Kraken, who had killed some trollkin in melee and then used Kill Shot on Stone Bearers. I kept on boosting this thing, as I was thinking Tune Up. After realizing this I removed the focus points spent on boosts from Mortenebra - she was in base contact with Kraken. I would have rather spent those focus points on attacks against the trollblood in melee.

But when the Kraken fell, so did Mortenebra.


Game 2: Lord Exhumator Scaverous

Second game was such an optimized build of Haley3 and Gravediggers theme that I can't get the points right.

It was a desperate struggle. There was a glimmer of hope when I got a nice purge in that melt away Patrol Dog and an Express Team or something, and Mechanithralls got a charge in and killed a Master Gunner. The one Brute Thrall would have needed to kill Alexia, though, but this was not to be. I'm not saying I had won had that happened. I just might have stood a chance to find some kind of opening.

I did score some six scenario points, and there was a moment in the game where I actually had the lead. But once that blob of Trenchers was in middle of the field there was little to be done to contest. They had shot my warjacks dead. So I lost something like 6-11.

It was a hellish game, but an interesting new experience.



Game 3: Lord Exhumator Scaverous

Last game was against Khador, and with a list that I probably reverse-engineered incorrectly:

[Theme] Jaws of the Wolf

Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Champion [+27]
- Behemoth [25]
- Devastator [14]
- Marauder [11]
- War Dog [3]
Manhunter [0(4)]
Manhunter [4]
Saxon Orrik [4]
Yuri the Axe [0(6)]
Battle Mechaniks (max) [5]
Kayazy Assassins (min) [9]
- Kayazy Assassin Underboss [4]
Kayazy Eliminators [5]
Kayazy Eliminators [5]
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt [8]
- Koldun Kapitan Valachev [4]

Early in the game Vladimir2 used his feat and launched two feated Manhunters and Kayazy Eliminators to tie up my leftmost flank. Luckily Manhunters did not wreck my warjacks, though they did take heavy damage.

I was distressed. I couldn't reliably kill those four pesky models, and that would give all the time Khadoran warjacks would need to get into position for scenario victory. And what was I to do to those mentioned warjacks? I had suicidal POW 12 sprays and P+S 13 combo strikes, all with defensive statistics that would fall in swathes to Behemoth bombarding.

So.

It's time to figure out a far fetched assassination plan that's bound to fail sooner or later.

Far too much time went to trying to free Reaper from melee. All the resources that I could not assign to assassination went to killing those few models.

Bile Thralls, Erebus, Soulhunters, Pistol Wraith and Scaverous (!!) later none of the four feated models were dead. One was stationary from Pistol Wraith, though.

Well, obviously Scaverous did not spend all of his focus into futile attacks against these models. He instead cast Icy Grip on Vlad, telekinesis on Vlad and a couple of telekinesis's on Manhunter. Deathripper had ran to arc position earlier. Objective had given Pathfinder for Reaper, and Tremulus cast Puppet Master on Reaper. I don't remember if it was Maelovus or feating Scaverous that cast telekinesis on Reaper.

Anyway, then MAT 7 Reaper was free to walk into melee with Vlad, who had left his dog far behind. Vlad had perhaps one focus for mitigating damage.

Four attacks later Vlad had died.

Maybe I need to play Scaverous a little more, since my awkward assassinations seem to work slightly better with him.



Great tournament, as I had never played any of these warcasters before during Mk3. And for some odd reason I had not even once played against Cygnar in this edition. As far as factions go, I'm still missing Minions and, of course, the Crucible Guard.

Fields of Golden Corn

So it's that time of the year again, when I'm overburdened with write-ups from Ropecon.

Though 'overburdened' may be an exaggeration, as there was only five games played in total, four of which were Warmachine.

But this one is a board game called Stone Age.

What I enjoyed in this game was the multitude of choices when it comes to gathering victory points. I chose the route to become the agricultural master race.

And how I enjoyed seeing all the other players (we were three in total) to suffer from their lack of grain products! Bwahaha!

Well, crops were the only thing my civilization was producing. There was exactly one cultural product I had, compared to six to eight the other players had.

I did gain 80 points from my agricultural prowess, but this was not enough to secure me victory.

I did place second, though.

It was an interesting new acquaintance.

Sanurinn Pool

Great white beast tore two freshly awakened survivors into shreds before they had even realized what the creature was.

Leaping back and forth with such terrible force didn't come without a cost, however - survivor who only a moment ago had remembered her name, Ralala, slit open the stomach of lion-like creature. Or more accurately, bestial strength of the beast had accidentally landed on the sharp piece of rock Ralala was holding.

Ralala did not yet know the name of her helper. He was Nasets, who had had his waist already disfigured by the wounds claws had inflicted upon him. Injuries would leave his pelvis warped until the end of his days.

Pain the creature was suffering was apparent. It stayed in place, bellowing and roaring mightily at every turn. But it was a clue that this lion was not - in fact - invincible. This unlocked rageholism for Nasets, and Ralala felt her calling in defending the weak. Which in this case was Nasets. Quixotic.

With his last strength Nasets dealt the killing blow to prologue white lion. Scorching run had left survivors dehydrated, and in the distance a rumbling could be heard while corrosive rain drops were already occasionally falling from the sky.

Unknown to them, this fight had witnesses. Six other survivors beckoned the two to a nearby cave where they had been hiding. They had already begun to build up a society of some sort. They were utilizing crude bone tools, and had rudimentary hovels and resting places in form of beds.

Deep in the bottom of the cave there was a secret pool that Nasets and Ralala understood to be most sacred.

Thus begins my People of the Sun Kingdom Death campaign in Sanurinn Pool settlement.

Introductory Gorm event had given me Hovel innovation. The settlement innovated Bed, because the other choice would have been Shadow Dancing. Now who would have guessed - innovation deck is already bloated with useless junk on lantern year 1!

I'm leaving Flower Knight off from this campaign, as I will be using Gorm, Spidicules and Sunstalker already. Oh, and Lion God, too. It's possible I will eventually regret the decision, but I will be using Manhunter. Another sudden death element is the settlement event from Slenderman expansion that may give a random fight with Slenderman at any given lantern year.

I'm trying to keep this campaign a little more story driven than earlier ones. I've savored the stories there in the moment when I've been playing, but so many were already forgotten by the time I got to write them here.


Year 1 hunt.

Someone has noticed a grotesque monster in the front of the approaching storm. Four brave survivors from Sanurinn Pool arm themselves and are off to hunt this strange creature. Gorm.

Sero, Lerandant and Drorn area lead by Ralala, who soon finds out that there is not only one beast they're after - a large area of stone faces has been reduced to rubble by the passing herds.

Drorn points out that large boulders nearby have strange markings in them. Ralala, the quixotic heroine of the whole settlement, understands that their quarry has been rubbing their itchy palms to these stones. Survivors quickly find out the gorm with itchiest palms, who is still rubbing its hands to a stone so vigorously that it doesn't notice survivors approaching. They ambush the monster, who had been salivating quite an acidic puddle nearby. Lava pool.

Lerandant tried to pluck a curious looking block from the mouth of one remaining stone face, but only managed to collapse the whole thing while other survivors were nearing gorm in tall grass.

Bone Axe struck Gorm, dealing wound. This had the beast startled, and it ran away only to receive an additional wound from a bone dart. Ralala missed her attacks.

Gorm turns around and tosses Ralala away with maw arms. Then it proceeds to back slap Lerandant, but fails to hit because he was hiding in tall grass.

Survivors close in. Sero causes a wound with bone axe, and Drorn runs out of bone darts as they land on mammoth ridged spine. Gorm starts walloping Lerandant and causes a light wound to body.

Ralala lands a hit into the mammoth maw, causing the beast to retch. Bile causes a light waist injury to Lerandant and dissolves Ralala's feet to light injury level. Lerandant attacks with founding stone and causes a wound, but a tickling hit at mammoth backstrap causes the creature to run forward to opposite board edge. It takes a frightened look back and releases intense strobes of light, causing everyone but Lerandant to fall on their knees. It continues to illuminate the area, but doesn't do much else. So survivors dare to rise on their feet.

Ralala causes the gorm to retch. Only one card left in the AI deck, which is wallop. Sero is walloped down, but relentless survivors whittle their quarry to just one more hit from death. With a sorrowful whimper gorm dies.

Year 2.

Hunters return victorious as steamy, acidic rain is pouring from the sky. Storm has come, along with a weird dream that gives +3 insanity for departing survivors. Shrieking screams from the darkness is beyond terrifying. All this together has the settlement in disarray. Someone needed to act as the Voice of Reason.

Ghorum has spent all time admiring the storm - he had been braving the storm during that particular settlement event. He had been waiting for the worst to come, and it came. Gorm Climate gave +1 courage. He had the greatest insight to these gloomy events - and he spoke boldly. About death, but he did it very fluently. He received Orator of Death fighting art.

From beyond he received instructions to symbolically purify settlement of the filth of perpetual storm. Ritualistic drumming accompanies the ceremony (as settlement innovated drums.) First survivor to descend into the sacred pool is of course Ralala, the quixotic leader and savior of the settlement, who is now also overprotective. Her ego is soaring, but for a very good reason.

Hunt and showdown:

Second year hunters start to track a White Lion that has been seen to skulk around the settlement.

Khantan, an enthusiastic survivor who has never been on a hunt, notices scratching marks that seem to have appeared lately. Ghorum, who wanted to feel the rain and storm himself, found a large cat nail - a sign most certain that they were on the right trail. Sero was being too reckless and a sharp stone ruined her rawhide gloves.

Despite the strong smell of sulphur, Ghorum picked a scent on the wind that reeked of ammonia. Survivors were lead by their nose, and they found a sleeping cat who was resting after its meal - remains of that meal could be found in the form of a survivor corpse. Rain had started to dissolve the corpse, and Ghorum - lacking event a remote sense of modesty - picked up corpse's skull. Just because it looked useful.

Sero and Khantan were being too noisy and overconfident - just as they were going to strike the white lion while it slept, it sprung on it's feet and instinctively tried to chomp off the head of Drorn that had been emboldening himself in tall grass. Attack missed.

Everyone is a little bit sleepy. Lion misses all of it's attacks and survivors either miss or manage to don't wound the beast - or, as in the case of Sero - try to act as lion's barber, cutting through shimmering mane with rib blade.

But finally the battle begins. All but Ghorum gang up on the beast and deal in a respectable amount of wounds in one turn, but Lion often tries to swat right back.

Then it picks Ghorum as it's target, breaking out from the chain survivors had formed. Lion is determined to have Ghorum dead - the only survivor that has not shown any hostile action towards it. Ghorum had tried to hide behind a stone column, but Lion had leaped forward in such manner that Ghorum was visible again - and the closest.

Long and bitter battle it was, but ended up with no permanent injuries for anyone (except of course for White Lion, if you're inclined to consider death as a permanent injury.) Khantan dealt the killing blow.

Victorious, survivors return home.

Year 3

Can the weather get any worse? Scorching heat, continuous corrosive rain? Why, of course it can! Now it's raining spiders from the sky!

Settlement event is Season of the Spiderling.

Ralala, Nasets, Lerandant and Spiduka bravely defend the settlement from an onslaught of tiny spiders. Nasets achieves victory by eating as many spiderlings as he can. Either Ralala thought this is too disgusting - or it was a genuine accident, however, Ralala accidentally, well... murdered Nasets. Now Ralala is the only remaining survivor from the original four. Suspicious. Lerandant loses his once-in-a-lifetime roll during this extra fight.

However, there was one larger spider visiting the settlement, too. Spidicules claims the life of Lerandant. Which hurts, as settlement is now down to six members. Ghorum bears a special grudge over this event, as Lerandant had been his most hated and truest friend.

But six endeavors ought to lead to something. It leads to ammonia innovation and the purification ceremony of Drorn. As the settlement is in desperation, Drorn and Ralala try to revive newborn hope in the form of a baby. But despite having +2 from purified parents, this endeavor drains Drorn's once-in-a-lifetime reroll. I suppose he was still quite exhausted from the ceremony.

Hunt and showdown:

People of Sanurinn Pool decide to hunt for a screaming antelope.

A frozen lightning bolt strikes Khantan, which was bound to happen sooner or later - considering the climate. Anything can fall down from the sky. Anything. Next it's forbidden words in the wind. Ghorum becomes megalophobic. Sero is electrified by these revelations, though - and becomes hyperactive.

Survivors are unable to catch their quarry. Skittish migration leads hunting party further and further away from the settlement.

This leads to desperation and a sense of overwhelming darkness. Ralala receives courage from such events, and Sero - her synchronized friend - rescues a crab spider. Khantan gains -3 luck tokens and Ghorum loses all survival. Finally there is a moment of respite. Grazing fields soothe some injuries Khantan had received, and then survivors find their prey.

It was a hellish fight.

Never has a screaming antelope caused such great trouble. Mainly this is because Crush & Devour did it's thing, and survivors drew the trap a grand total of five times.

Also, this particular antelope was adept in healing. I think it healed a total of six wounds, causing it to have more wounds than a level 2 antelope! All the mechanics that prolong a fight and make it psychologically devastating were there. Antelope was also chomping off hands and legs from survivors.

There was a payoff, though. Seventeen resources from a year 3 hunt.

Sero with Timeless Eye was eaten first. Miraculously she was the only survivor that actually died. Eventually this happened via bleeding tokens. After three rounds of masticating Ralala was able to score one wound, and Ghorum tosses a founding stone to the antelope, causing it to regurgitate Sero.

Later antelope devours Ghorum and bites off his hand. I went into this 'fast forward' mode I sometimes go when things start to look terrifying. So that's why I didn't take that detailed notes about this fight. Khantan dealt the killing blow.

Year 4

Survivors return, and there is an Open Maw waiting for them. No-one dares to enter - it bears way too great resemblance to the horrendous maw they just had had to face. Settlement innovates Albedo. Could have taken either Albedo or Shadow Dancing. I used gormchymistry and received wisdom potion. Partnership from Sun Dipping triggered Edged Tonometry. On year four. That's two innovations per year on the average.

Drolala is purified, and he and Ralala receive triplets from a ceremony held deep below the surface of the sacred pool. Yes, Drolala is the son of Ralala. But population was down to five.

Ralala gets a new Synchronized Strike companion, Khantan, because Sero had fallen.

Hunt and showdown:

Heavy mist descended over the dawn of hunt, which caused some delays. Otherwise uneventful hunt phase was interrupted by a mask salesman that offered God Mask for Inbraladso, who was one of the inbred sons of Ralala and Drolala. Ralala looked at her son affectionately - this must be a sign that her lineage is destined for great things.

Second fight with Screaming Antelope was almost as aggravating as the first one. Only exception was that no-one was devoured whole, as Crush & Devour did not make it's appearance. Ralala had wisdom potion activated - as if she needed it. Her wisdom was already top notch, no need for artificial sweetening. Could be confirmation bias, but it sure felt like whenever a survivor had to draw blind hit location, it was the trap. If more antelopes wail as much as these two have done, I have no difficult time imagining how Endless Screams on year two must have felt.

After the fight Ralala suffers from Motion Sickness and Ghorum has developed Absent Seizures. Khantan receives a Gaping Chest Wound, but that comes from - Ghorum. Rivalry is now on the timeline.

Year 5

Settlement starts to get used to raging storm, when Gorm Climate once more adds a point of courage. That's third point to Spiduka, who is now Bold with zero hunt experience.

Settlement rejoices in Sky Vomit Festival, and grand festivities heighten and have Inbraladso make a grand proclamation to defend the pool and everyone living by the pool - an action that had Ralala's eyes glisten with pride. Her son. A defender, just like her.

But during this festival a collector had arrived. A harvestman, whose grain was the people living at Sanurinn Pool. He was the Manhunter.

Drunk from the various festive activities, Drorn the Purified looks Manhunter wrong. With a deranged expression, that would be forever fixed onto his face. This outsider was to be banished! And who would better accompany his endeavor than the two zealous defenders of settlement, Ralala and Inbraladso? Khantan also tags along, her being so attuned to Ralala with Synchronized Strike.

Fight was a desperate one. Even more so, because losing to Manhunter would end campaign. Not being able to dash or even encourage caused a distressing number of permanent injuries for every member of the defendants. Ralala had to endure the loss of her son. He wasn't fit to be the greatest defender of the pool, or maybe he had been required to redeem his grand proclamation too early, unprepared.

Ralala received warped pelvis for handling Manhunter's hat. Drorn went deaf and had a permanent rupture of muscles. Khantan received no permanent injuries - except that when survivors returned from this bitter fight that had cost the life of a future promise, Ghorum resolved his dispute with Khantan by killing her. Just as she had been part of the most dangerous fight yet.

Don't fear the monster.

Fear the fellow man.

After losing his friend, Ghorum pays zero respect for anyone or anything. Listening only the storm. Ghorum ain't only the Orator of Death, he's the Implement of Death.

Spiduka pours the blood of Manhunter to the pool, upgrading the location to level two. Laronsel is then purified in baptism of blood. Bloodshedding seems to take on a religious aspect when Hands of the Sun is innovated this year. Ralala trains Drorn to become her synchronized striker, but that vacancy is as dreaded as it is honored. The counterparts seem to die at an alarming rate.

Hunt and showdown:

To fend off the gorm herds, survivors depart to hunt a Gorm.

Familiar scratch markings guide Ralala towards the herd. Spiduka had a pickaxe and uncovered an opening to sinister looking tunnels that were reeking of death and decay. Curiosity killed no-one, as everyone knew better than to go spelunking in these putrid tunnels. Afterwards survivors spent a moment resting in the sonorous vibrations of a lantern late Manhunter had left behind.

Survivors caught their prey by a statue that had been carved into a form of a lion. Or had it been molded by the acidic sweat of the Gorm's palms? For sure the creature was overly protective of it's sculpture, as one unlucky soul had already perished while admiring incomplete this work. Artists...

Enraged by yet another batch of spectators, Gorm charged in an attempt to wallop Grissewan.

Ralala was the first to embrace newfound powers of Hands of the Sun while Grissewan (another Ralala's son) backed off from the fight to pull out the skull of deceased survivor.

Gorm didn't care which survivor would die first, so it continued to attack anyone who was in the front lines. Drolala received an aggravated bite, which causes a nasty bleeding wound to him. Fight took a different spin when the gorm's anger heightened to it's peak, and the bright bulb started flickering in frequencies that caused three of the four survivors to fall down to the ground in violent spasms. Trap card had to be triggered.

Otherwise hunters dispatched their quarry in a professional manner. Grissewan dealt the killing blow. No permanent damage was done. Except that Ralala lost her Berserker fighting art and received Harvestman instead.

Year 6

Thick, viscous mist clings everywhere as the settlement event. It makes everyone's head a little dizzy, and Laronsel douses herself in urine for whatever understanding it might give. She also receives the courage from Gorm Climate, as the primal revelations certainly had emboldened her, too.

Laronsel and Drolala have a baby as a consequence of Sacred Water ceremony. Ralala innovates Sauna Shrine while drumming alone. Laronsel and Drolala are convinced by Spiduka that they really should have a second baby, and they are willing to oblige.

Year six it's time to foray into the forest and hunt for Spidicules. But that happens somewhere in the future. Now it's time to write down some details.

Ralala
Accuracy +1, Strength +3, Luck -1, Evasion +1
Courage 2, Understanding 4, Fist and Tooth proficiency 4
Overprotective, Quixotic, Motion Sickness
Harvestman, Tough, Synchronized Strike

Children: Drolala, Grissewan

She has been purified and was the first one to do so.
- Last remaining survivor from prologue survivors. Killed the other remaining one by herself during Season of the Spiderling.
- Warped Pelvis from a fight with Manhunter

Killing blows:
Level 1 Gorm
Level 1 Screaming Antelope
Nasets

Ghorum
Strength +3
Courage 5, Understanding 1
Megalophobia, Absent Seizures
Vengeance, Double Dash, Orator of Death

Who is mostly interested in the storm. Whenever he is required to make contact with another human being, he speaks only in the language of death. And if there is a dispute, he can and will settle it by practicing what he speaks.

- Voice of "Reason"
- Lost his hand while inside Screaming Antelope's stomach
- Rival's Scar
- Killed his rival, Khantan, on the eve of Khantan's grand victory

Killing blows: Khantan.


Drorn
Accuracy +1, Strength +1
Courage 2, Understanding 1
Overprotective
Tough, Abyssal Sadist

Children: Drolala, Grissewan

- Second survivor to receive purification
- Chosen mate of Ralala
- Went deaf from a shot by Manhunter

Killing blows: Manhunter level 1

Spiduka
Strength +2, Evasion +1
Courage 3 from listening to storm.
Mighty Strike

- Season of the Spiderling survivor
- Architect of level 2 Sacred Pool


Drolala, a descendant of Drorn and Ralala.
Accuracy +1, Strength +1, Evasion +1
Understanding 1
Overprotective
Synchronized Strike

Children: Drosel, Larona

- Purified
- Third synchronized fighting partner for Ralala.

Laronsel
Strength +1, Luck -1, Evasion +2
Courage 1, Understanding 4
Overprotective

Children: Drosel, Larona

- Purified
- Second purification by urine



Grissewan
Strength +1, Evasion +1
Understanding 1

Killing blows: Gorm level 1


Drosel, a child of Drolala and Laronsel.
Larona, a child of Drolala and Laronsel.

Settlement innovations:
Death principle: Graves
Life principle: Survival of the Fittest
Sun Language, Hovel, Bed, Partnership, Hands of the Sun, Sauna Shrine, Ammonia, Nigredo, Albedo, Drums

Settlement locations:
The Sun
Level 2 Sacred Pool
Bone Smith, Skinnery, Organ Grinder
Weapon Crafter, Skinnery
Catarium, Gormery, Gormchymist

3x Cloth
3x Eye Patch
Bone Axe
Bone Blade
Skull Helm
Bandages
Luck Charm
2x Monster Grease
Dried Acanthus
Full Rawhide set
Leather Shield
Leather Bracers
Reverberating Lantern
Wisdom Potion
Bone Pickaxe
Rib Blade
Acid Tooth Dagger
Counter-Weighted Axe
Lion Beast Katar
God Mask

Reporter

The longest word that was present on Vocable board last Saturday is there on the title.

Vocable is some sort of a Scrabble variant, with the only noticeable difference being letter tiles that count as two other letters. Like a/e tile, or n/t tile or things like that.

It was a close game that I barely managed to win.

Luck Exhumator Scaverous vs Zoktavir

A 75 point game of Warmachine prior to Ropecon warmachine tournament.


Lord Exhumator Scaverous [+27]
- Deathripper [6]
- Erebus [16]
- Reaper [13]
- The Withershadow Combine [9]
Bloat Thrall [4]
Darragh Wrathe [9]
Necrotech [2]
Pistol Wraith [0(5)]
Ragman [4]
Soul Trapper [1]
Soul Trapper [1]
Warwitch Siren [0(4)]
Bile Thralls (min) [9]
- Skarlock Commander [3]
Mechanithralls (min) [6]
- Brute Thrall (2) [4]
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls [4]

Soulhunters (min) [11]



Opponent had maybe a list like this:

[Theme] Jaws of the Wolf
Kommander Orsus Zoktavir [+28]
- Juggernaut [13]
- Kodiak [13]
- Ruin [17]
Greylord Forge Seer [0(4)]
- Behemoth [25]
Greylord Forge Seer [0(4)]
Kovnik Andrei Malakov [0(4)]
- Marauder [11]
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor [5]
Kayazy Eliminators [5]
Kayazy Eliminators [5]
Widowmaker Scouts [8]

Jaws of the Wolf theme denied ambush from Mechanithralls.

I lost Pistol Wraith early on to a magical blast from Behemoth. In games like these I often feel like I can only make bad decisions. I tried to

Khador snatched scenario lead rather easily, and to continue to contest zones I had to feed Butcher with easy-to-kill models, which in turn triggered these extra speed abilities and whatnot.

Obviously I could not do effective piece trade either. That's kind of what started happening, though. Reaper and assorted models killed a Kodiak, but then in turn Erebus was easily within range of Ruin. Ruin had line of sight to objective.

Due to lucky double 1's Ruin missed one attack on almost wrecked Erebus, which saved the cryxian warjack.

Scaverous casts Telekinesis on Marauder or Juggernaut or something, and moves it a little closer to Ruin. Then he casts Feast of Worms, and Ragman casts Death Shroud for an effective +4 to damage rolls against both models. Without cortex and only one functioning weapon arm Erebus managed to freeze both enemy jacks.

Yet only Juggernaut or something got destroyed. And as luck did have it, Ruin did not lose cortex. This resulted in Cryx losing both Erebus and Reaper.

With toil and trouble I succeeded in destroying the half-wrecked Ruin, but there I was without heavy warjacks any longer. And opponent had Behemoth and a little injured Marauder.

I decided my best bet was on killing Butcher. After shenanigans I got Icy Grip on the homicidal maniac, plus turned him around with Telekinesis. Three charging Soulhunters left Butcher alive with, what, twelve boxes so it didn't go too well.

Situation looked pretty clear up until to the point when we checked that Scaverous was a little out of Behemoth's charge range, and Behemoth was just outside of range of receiving Boundless Charge.

First opponent combo-slams Darragh Wrathe to Scaverous. It falls one inch too short, so Scaverous gets to retain his def 14. Well, this doesn't protect him from Behemoth's aimed shots. Both cannons hit and deal a scary amount of damage. But they don't kill the Lord Exhumator.

Andrei Malakov then takes his hand cannon and walks within range. He boosts a hit and... deals damage. Enough to bring Scaverous to one box remaining.

And then Widowmakers activate with their range of 14" and ability to do one automatic point of damage.

This heroic khadoran sharpshooter locks and loads and... misses.

So, the lumbering warjack with cannons on it's shoulders score a hit, as well as the arrogant nobleman fresh out of the academy. But the sniper, well. Happens.

So I get another chance at assassination.

This time Scaverous fuels Deathripper with full focus. Bile Thralls activate first and I have to make this suicidal spray to remove Deathripper from melee with a Kayazy Eliminator.

The spray doesn't kill the Eliminator, but deals damage to Deathripper.

But I need that warjack. So, another purge against Deathripper and Eliminator. This time the trooper dies, and miraculously Deathripper survives with all systems intact. Then Scaverous makes a telekinesis at Butcher and casts Feast of Worms on him.

Deathripper walks into melee and scores some damage, but not enough. Butcher lives.

But telekinesis had brought Orsus Zoktavir within charge range of two Mechanithrall grunts.

The lurch in and pad the epitome of anger to death.

Yay, I guess.

I feel like I didn't really deserve this victory, as opponent failed a fairly reliable assassination, as well as having keys for scenario victory. But maybe I should complain less about my victores and more about my losses.

Or maybe I shouldn't complain at all.

Good Night, Sweet Burk

Year 8 hunt for Boneyard's Burk-cult was

Survivors had terrible luck at scoring hits or wounds. Sure, most of us needed to roll at least five to wound. The one survivor that was wounding on 2+ was continuously outrun by Screaming Antelope.

And was that devil fast. Cards like Gore and Run Down had the Antelope move three times per turn. That's just too much. More often than not every survivor managed to stay out of Diabolical path, but usually the Antelope was facing in such direction that it just ran out of reach.

There was a Dead Monster on the board, though, so survivors got to start the showdown. Tactics card drawn was Lance Formation, so that rather useless tactic saw use in this showdown. I don't expect to see another Lance Formation use any time soon.

Anyway, Samuel with Counterweighted Axe started in the lance position.

"Burk would be proud" moment was when within the three hits there was already trap.

Such tragicomedy seemed to permeate the beginning of the fight at every turn. Just as survivors had - it was perhaps turn five or six - scored a few wounds in to the beast, it healed back to full with Chow Down. Chow demoralizing.

But Burgette, Samuel, Mal-Mal and Elmoak put up a good fight, though. There was a point where it looked like survivors were slowly but not steadily gaining the upper hand.

And maybe they could have won, but last two cards were Run Down and Stomp. That's a terrifying combination, as Stomp draws additional AI card if it deals damage. So if it did, it was almost guaranteed knock down. Then it would draw Run Down that has +3 speed vs knocked down targets.

Mal-Mal was the last survivor to exist. She had Tough fighting art and Screaming Skirt waist armor. Now, if she only would've had Last Man Standing fighting art to secure victory. But she didn't.

We didn't play the showdown entirely through, because Mal-Mal received Disemboweled injury, so no matter the outcome survivors would lose. On the other hand there were so many horrendous puns throughout the game that maybe... just maybe we deserved to lose.

Settlement event was Haunted.

We had two survivors in the camp. Jessie with broken back and deaf Candice with intracranial hemorrhage. King's Man fight next.

So Jessie was banished from the settlement into the wilderness.

Candice ate Lonely Fruit and died.

Burkyard ended up in ruins in a true Shakespearean style.

But hey, it was fifth lost settlement. First milestone triggered there.

Six bodies on the ground

Touch of Evil campaign continues with three games being played.

First Scarlet Shadow and Maria de la Rosa fight Elaine Bartlett, the Shadow Witch.

At the same time there is very little to tell about this game, and also something I believe to be record-breaking.

On turn six heroes had lost to Shadow Track.

Though there has been quick losses before, I don't think defeat has ever come this fast. Continuous murders doubled their influence by spawning spectres. Eventually heroes were drawing four mystery cards per mystery phase.

Since game was over so quickly, we played another game against the same villain.

Thomas the Courier and Adrianna, Foreign Traveler put up a far more exciting hunt.

Skilled Hand event card and Sacred Chalice combination on Thomas was what kept heroes alive. It offset otherwise bad luck quite nicely. But we had no luck in scavenging clues about Elaine's past. Thomas found two clues, Adrianna only one.

Shadow Track was relentless, and forced heroes to start showdown too early.

All the events and abilities combined, Adrianna was able to muster over 25 fight dice.

Sadly this was not enough. Or more accurately, the intensity of Elaine's wrath was too much. So many fight dice killed both heroes in one turn. Elaine went undefeated, though she was reduced to three wounds remaining.

Last, and least, Lucy Hanbrook and Harlow Morgan attempted to vanquish the Banshee.

Attempted.

This game was by far the most accessible of these three and heroes had their chance. Lucy mustered 16 fight dice with silver bullets, and Harlow Morgan had 31 investigation at his highest, and was able to launch 19 dice at the Banshee in showdown. But this was not enough against the ghost with 21 wounds, because heroes had no staying power in the form of wound prevention to themselves.

Heroes tried to go big and failed, and yet they couldn't go home either. They were dead. Banshee survived with six wounds.


Campaign statistics:

Villains defeated: Spectral Horseman, Vampire, Siren, Bog Fiend, Volgovian Nutcracker, Delion Dryad, Scarecrow, Krampus
Villains still to be defeated: 11, +1 investigation vs Werewolf and Shadow Witch

Heroes dead: Lucy Hanbrook, Harlow Morgan, Scarlet Shadow, Maria de la Rosa, Thomas the Courier, Adrianna, Valeria, Jack Fellows, Argot Blackwell, Inspector Cooke, Isabella von Took & Liliana, Lost Soul
Heroes remaining: 12

Stashed investigation: 7