Scaverous vs Reznik in the new edition

Yesterday I played first game of the new edition of Warmachine.

Traditionally we've played a game or two on my summer visit to Kuhmo with another player who's from here, but this time around we weren't present at the same time.

So it was time to blow the dust from Vassal engine and play a 10 point game.

I played:

Lord Exhumator Scaverous 1

- Erebus
- 2x Deathripper

Minimum unit of Bile Thralls

Opponent had:

High Executioner Servath Reznik 1
- Castigator
- Devout
- Dervish

Minimum unit of Choir of Menoth
2x Allegiant of Fist

We didn't use any scenarios in such a small game. Protectorate started. First picture is from the end of Cryx turn 1. So far Death Ward is on Erebus and Ignite is on Castigator (like it needs to ignite things any better...)

Second turn Protectorate advanced under spell shielded warjacks and warcasters, and defense 18 Allegiants of Fists.

Such magic protection was an intimidating prospect. I was afraid I wouldn't get any use out of Scaverous' feat at all until it was already too late. Witch Hound stopped me from planning any kind of an assassination with Erebus (I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off without -2 arm on Reznik) so instead I decided to waste my feat to destroy the Choir of Menoth. Lovely plan, but somehow I grossly overestimated the reach of AoE 4. Oh well. Used my feat to kill three choir boys.

Perhaps it was worth it anyway, since Feast of Worms gives soul tokens nowadays.

Bile Thralls activated next and did some futile sprays. I was sure I'd kill one Allegiant with a purge attack, but damage roll came up as double 1's. My warcaster's new ability, Knowledge of the Damned, came into good use in the first game with him.

I knew that charging Erebus to Castigator might be a very bad idea. Too often Cryxian jacks take an good chunk of health boxes away from an Arm 19 target, but fail to disable any important systems. But this time was different. Perhaps the dawn of new edition, or something. Charge damage roll was 10, second initial 9, first extra attack 6 and last attack 10. This wasn't enough to wreck the jack, but it was stationary now and - most importantly - had lost it's cortex.

Turn 3 Reznik casts Engine of Destruction and charges Erebus. Death Ward acted more like a Death Warrant because of Purgation. But still Reznik didn't destroy Erebus with three attacks. Reznik used his feat. Devout had already activated and had tried to injure Deathripper, but had failed in doing so. Lone choir priest gives extra damage for Dervish, who comes and punches Erebus twice, hitting with both attacks. Last attack scores the kill. Last remaining Allegiant knocked some six points off from Deathripper on the right, or something.

Exactly what I feared had now happened: I had lost Erebus, and opponent kind of nothing. Stationary Castigator without cortex had at least made Reznik commit himself far. So, now Reznik died or Cryx lost. Fortunately Reznik was within charge distance of Scaverous, who had eight focus this turn. Scaverous charged in and would hit with 6+. Scaverous went without attack boosts the whole run, and didn't miss a single time. Damage rolls (which I boosted) were quite excessive. A camp of two didn't help against rolls of 14+ and so.

But this simple and innocent game only led to the true test. I have to start thinking how to engineer my new and improved excel sheets...