It was a 50 point game, and I had this absurd and funny idea of using Kraken with Venethrax.
Here was my list:
Lich Lord Venethrax
- Kraken
- Reaper
- Nightwretch
Maximum unit of Mechanithralls
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls
Withershadow Combine
Bloat Thrall
2x Necrotech & Scrap Thrall
Pistol Wraith
Warwitch Siren
Ragman
Ogrun Bokur
Opponent had:
Temporal Barrier Haley
- Centurion
- Lancer
Maximum unit of Storm Lances
Arcane Tempest Gun Mages + Officer
- 2x Charger
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt
Journeyman Warcaster
Stormblade Captain
Squire
Gorman diWulfe
Scenario was Destruction. Well, it wasn't all that apparent at the start of game, but really. That match-up and scenario. I can spoil that game was not short, as Haley makes enemy sluggish with Temporal Barrier and Venethrax has absolutely zero quick-and-dirty tricks for him, and even the scenario had four large based models at the centre blocking any possible charges... oh my.
I thought that I'd want to have Lamentation going on to counter Temporal Barrier. Hiding behind Kraken I thought that would be easy. Kraken also had Soul Harvester.
I don't actually remember if Cryx or Cygnar started game. First picture might be from the end of Cygnar turn 1 or 2. However it is, Cryx starts the second turn.
Haley had cast Temporal Barrier, but still it looked like Kraken might be within range to start beating Lancer with advance + 4" melee range.
Well, turned out that there was almost quarter of an inch too much distance. A beautiful shot from the big cannon killed Squire, though, so it wasn't all bad.
Kraken was now, however, going to bite the dust if I didn't start some rash actions.
All the rest of Cryxian troops pretty much ran forward to block as many charges as possible against Kraken. All in all it felt like a pretty bad turn, but I was in for a surprise next turn.
Haley uses her feat, obviously. Aiyana casts the +2 damage kiss on Kraken. Gun Mages kill most of the Mechanithralls, and Chargers attempt to shoot Reaper. They do pretty well, since the ranged weapon drops. The Mechanithralls, on the other hand, seem to have some kind of blessing on them. It takes Haley, Gun Mages, Junior Warcaster and whatnot to kill them to the last. Oh wait - there's still one remaining! Behind the Reaper!
Next Storm Lances charge. Thankfully some important charge lanes to Kraken were blocked and only one Lance got to charge the colossal. One Storm Lance charged Reaper, and I was sure Mechanithralls were now done for. After all only one attack needed to hit Reaper to make Electro Leap to last remaining Mechanithralls.
All the attacks missed. Well, I didn't feel sorry. Not yet.
Lancer advanced to melee with Kraken, and then it was Cryx turn again.
Venethrax activated first and used his feat.
Withershadow Combine activates and Tremulus gives Puppet Master to Kraken, and Admonia goes to abolish Arcane Shield from Storm Lances.
Kraken then kills Storm Lance and with resulting Kill Shot it shoots Lady Aiyana, despite needing absurd rolls to hit. To make matters even worse - Master Holt fails massive casualties command check. With remaining attacks Kraken nearly wrecks Lancer warjack, but not quite.
Ogrun Bokur advances and gets Client bonus from being close enough to Venethrax and attacks Lancer, but fails to kill.
Reaper and four Mechanithralls destroy two Storm Lances.
With all magic weapons except those of Haleys and Journeyman Warcasters gone, Pistol Wraith feels courageous enough to run forward.
Then it's Cygnar turn, and remaining two Storm Lances, what's left of Lancer and Centurion unleash their full fury upon Kraken, and this is where I start to feel sorry. Damage rolls were pathetic, and if memory serves only left tentacle was broken. Chain Lightnings and Electro Leaps took all of my support away, though, so there was no more repairing Kraken at least.
Gun Mages and Chargers underperform seriously. One Mechanithrall is left alive... again. And it was being shot to back arc.
Gorman diWulfe almost manages to win the game again, when he advances and throws Black Oil on Lancer, whose Movement system had been broken down. That was bad news for Kraken next turn.
Something kills Admonia, which was a setback. I don't remember who or what did it, but I believe it was one of the Gun Mages.
But then it's Cryx turn.
Pistol Wraith advances and shoots Gorman diWulfe with one well placed shot. Second shot goes to Journeyman Warcaster, and it's a kill again. At this point I'm not feeling sorry anymore - I feel bad. It was really looking like my opponent couldn't roll above 7+, and I couldn't roll less than 7+.
Well, Journeyman bit the dust and off went the Arcane Shield from Centurion.
Blind Kraken wrecks blind Lancer.
Two mechanithralls and Reaper wreck uninjured Centurion with pretty good rolls. And then... just because I can, Withershadow Combine gives Puppet Master to somewhere and Maelovus takes a random pot shot against Stormblade Captain. And... it's a kill.
Venethrax, aided by Ragman's Death Field, advances into forest and whacks two Storm Lances dead.
It's certainly not looking good for Cygnar, but on the other hand, Kraken wasn't in too good shape either and if the big guy would go down, there wouldn't be much to talk about of Cryx forces either.
Finally all of the Mechanithralls go down, and one of the Chargers run to block Kraken's advance. Pistol Wraith also dies to one of the many options.
Next turn there's some amazing dice rolling going on again. An aimed shot from Nightwretch and a boosted Dark Fire from Maelovus wreck the Charger on right, and Reaper and Venethrax wreck the other one.
Kraken charges objective, but fails to destroy it.
How many critical brutal damages can Arm 18 Venethrax take? Well, I don't have the answer, because Gun Mages and Master Holt dealt at most five damage points in.
Kraken then charges Haley, but doesn't hit even once.
Venethrax charges Master Holt and kills him, and now it's Arm 18 Venethrax again against critical brutal damages, this time targetting his back arc.
But two Gun Mages just don't roll enough to kill Venethrax. All opponent has remaining is two Gun Mages and Haley, so he concedes.
It was an interesting game that went all kinds of funny, but it was a bit frustrating since neither force could deal the final blow at any point during match. I believe Cygnar would have been triumphant here if there had been even a couple lucky rolls going their way, but no. Only averages and 5 or less with three dice.
It's very possible this was the last practice game I can play before playing in a tournament at the start of next month. Well, at least I know for sure that since it's using Deathclock, I'm not bringing Venethrax + Kraken there.
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