Undergrowth

We started playing slightly modified version of Riven Bonds Warmachine/Hordes league here at my home town.

The only real and visible change was that we're not playing in the regions (since we're not sending the results anywhere).

Anyway, this was the first Riven Bonds league game.

I started playing the league with Circle since I happened to have one unpainted Blackclad Wayfarer hidden somewhere in the bits boxes.

Game was 35 points and my list was:

Krueger the Stormlord
- Megalith
- Feral Warpwolf
- Gorax
- Scarsfell Griffon

Shifting Stones
Swamp Gobbers
Sepoh Thalasland, the Blackclad Wayfarer

2x Gallows Grove
Lord of the Feast

Opponent had:

Grand Scrutator Severius
- Avatar
- Blessing of Vengeance

Maximum unit of Horgenhold Forge Guard + Attendant Priest
Minimum unit of Choir of Menoth
Daughters of the Flame
Paladin of the Order of the Wall, the Paladin of the Order of the Wall (the Stormblade Captain)
Covenant of Menoth
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord

Scenario was Close Quarters, and Circle got to start the game. First picture is from the start of Circle turn 2, where I have already teleported Lord of the Feast with Shifting Stones.

Defender's Ward is on Daughters, Vision on Avatar and Eye of Menoth is all over the place. Daughters had ran to block my advance, and Def 17 models sure are annoying to get rid of. Megalith and its animus eased that a little, but still... you can see my overall advance in the second picture for turn 2. Blackclad Wayfarer also scored an amazing attack roll with Stone Spray and killed one daughter and knocked down other. So it was pure luck that I killed four daughters instead of three.

I had been a bit scared if I'd have enough attacks to deal with all the infantry enemy had, but Lord of the Feast scored six kills on the Forge Guard. That should even things out.

Turn 2 protectorate rushed forward. Covenant denied spellcasting, Avatar gazed and if I remember right Severius tried to fry one shifting stone with a boosted Immolation - but dealt only four damage. Daughter of the Flame tried to poke the last remaining damage point in, but didn't succeed.

Turn 3 I kind of needed to deal with the Avatar, who had Vision on. Gorax cast Primal on Feral Warpwolf, who then warped for Strength and charged Avatar. Every attack hit, but there was not even a single damage roll above average. Not that much below average either, but the end result was that Avatar was still very much alive after Warpwolf had finished its activation. At least damaged columns had been somewhat lucky, as Avatar lost shield arm.

I had had plans that Megalith would have killed the Covenant of Menoth, but instead Shifting Stones had to teleport Megalith to destroy Avatar. This time first damage roll was a bit on the high side, and Avatar fell to initial attacks and one damage boost. Megalith used its animus, turning 5" area around him into rough terrain.

Krueger advanced and shot Covenant of Menoth three times - and then he used feat and pushed every enemy model 3" back, except Paladin of the Wall and Attendant Priest. Megalith scored one control point for Circle.

Looks like I've skipped Protectorate turn in picture. Severius cast Defender's Ward on himself, and choir boys and Covenant of Menoth attempted to contest the flag.

Turn 4 Circle mopped up all the contestors from enemy flag, and Krueger dominated flag, bringing Circle to total of three control points. Gorax failed threshold check and ate a shifting stone. Feral Warpwolf didn't have a choice in the matter either because of Primal, and it attacked Megalith for seven points of damage.

Shifting Stones just teleported to block movement.

Losing Megalith to a charge from Forge Guard and an Immolation from Severius was a bit of a scary situation. After all it made ultimate dice screw that much more possible. But it was not to be. After Gallow's Grove teleported to deny Tough rolls, Krueger cast Lightning Storm over the gathering of Forge Guard - and boosted every damage roll. Finally a shot from his lightning stick killed Attendant Priest, too.

And that was it, because last remaining Daughter of the Flame was a little too far away to contest.

Honourable mention goes to Swamp Gobber, who didn't fail his massive casualties check, and scored not only one, but two hits against Paladin of Wall during the course of the game. Well, one of them was a free strike, but still. No damage, though. Paladin kill would have been a legendary story that old gobbers tell to their young at campfires.

Blackclad Wayfarer got Electrical Augmentation for his league upgrade.