Dice: the most cruel lash of them all

Since errata and all that, it was good time to give first game for my Skorne in new edition. Since Hexeris1 with whom I started Skorne, he was all but solidified choice for my list. Of course he receiving quite a few changes in errata had a kind of an impact here. Anyway, it was a 75 point game.

Lord Tyrant Hexeris
- Agonizer
- Archidon
- Basilisk Drake
- Tiberion
Paingiver Beast Handlers (min)
Praetorian Swordsmen (max) + Command Attachment
Venator Reivers (max) + Command Attachment
Tyrant Commander & Standard Bearer
Mortitheurge Willbreaker
Hutchuck, Ogrun Bounty Hunter

Effigy of Valor

Opponent probably had:


Theme: Operating Theater

Exulon Thexus
- Subduer
- Warden
- Wrecker
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt + Dominator
3x Cephalyx Mind Bender & Drudges (max)
Cephalyx Mind Slaver & Drudges (max)
2x Cephalyx Overlords
2x Cephalyx Agitator

Effigy of Valor

Scenario was Entrenched and Skorne started game. Death March is on Praetorian Swordsmen and Soul Slave on Archidon. I bunched up my infantry in the middle and tried to use Hexeris' feat way too early. Which was turn 2. I had thought that I might have chances of removing some 8-10 drudges at least, but damn they were good at passing Tough checks this time. Hexeris' feat gave Skorne only one extra... knockdown.

Opponent dealt less damage than I had anticipated. Only a few Swordsmen died, but opponent secured two scenario points - one from dominating their zone and one from destroying my objective. Could have been three, though, because opponent had no-one to control it.

Next turn I wanted to have an assassination or something, and used Tiberion to kill a monstrosity and Praetorians who used Power Swell to kill another - which had been knocked down by Hutchuck. Exulon went down with the bomb, too. Praetorians got the monstrosity down to one hit box remaining after Basilisk Drake had sprayed around a little with it's eye. Spray attack was sacrificial pawned on the last monstrosity, too.

But Sacrificial Pawn works while knocked down, so Venators removed the knocked down monstrosity and had pawned damage roll on the last one.

Hexeris with Puppet Master cast two damage boosted Sunder Spirit's at Exulon, and dealt seven points in total. Exulon had two focus points remaining and Deceleration on. Now Hexeris had no fury, three beasts on maximum fury and only a few contestants on both zones. Whee.

Because of some bad dice rolls (namely with Telekinesis and three misses on equal to Magic Skill 8 ) Hexeris survived. But first things first. Master Holt took shots at Hexeris, one of which was shield-guarded by Tiberion. Not sure what triggered such a terrible hatred and frenzy on Tiberion, because next moment he attacked Hexeris, dealing enough damage to bring Hexeris to nine boxes remaining. Cause was Rampager from Exulon Thexus, of course. Immovable object is not that immovable any longer.

Well, then Exulon Thexus was sitting there in the middle of Skorne army with no focus points, already being injured. At three control points, though.

I felt like I should have lost the game. I made so many ridiculous mistakes (wasting my feat, not contesting my zone with, for example, immovable Tiberion, fooling around in the middle with no transfers...)

Opponent conceded, as there was no chance for def 14 arm 14 target to survive Venators, Basilisk Drake, Hexeris with seven fury points and what was left of Archidon.