Harpoon contest

 Had two games of Warmachine a while ago. Both were 25 point games of Brawlmachine.

Game 1:

My list:

Cryx

Goreshade the Bastard [+29]
 - Corruptor [12]
 - Leviathan [14]
 - Stalker [8]
Necrotech [1]
Warwitch Siren [3]
Bile Thralls (min) [6]
Mechanithralls (min) [6] - Brute Thrall (2) [4]

Opponent had:

Cygnar

Commander Coleman Stryker [+30]

 - Defender [14]

 - Hammersmith [12]

 - Lancer [8]

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios [6]

Stormguard Infantry (max) [15]

Forest in the middle divided the battle, Bile Thralls and Warwitch Siren approaching from the left, warjacks and warcaster from middle and Mechanithralls from the right. Leviathan inflicted some serious damage on Defender. With a good damage roll Stalker could have removed Defender from the table, but that was not to be. But at least Stalker was contesting enemy  flag.

Cygnar had a good turn where it removed half of Bile Thralls with Stormguard and all regular Mechanithralls with the rest, while having Brute Thralls knocked down. Stalker went down with a single hit from Defender.

As Stryker didn't use his feat yet, it was Goreshade's time to cause as much havoc as possible. Feated Bane Warriors removed Hammersmith, and Bile Thralls did away with the few Stormguards that were contesting my flag. To give opponent something that required immediate answer, Corruptor charged Lancer and mostly managed just to nearly fry its own Cortex.

Opponent tried to assassinate Goreshade and knocked him down with Earthquake. A single Lancer, however, just was not enough to kill the eldritch. Cryx had gained such an upper hand in terms of points, so we just started another game.

Game 2:

Second game was against Cryx.

My list:

Cryx

Captain Aiakos [+29]

 - Harrower [13]

 - Malice [13]

 - Ripjaw [6]

Bloat Thrall [2]

Necrotech [1]

Warwitch Siren [3]

Wrong Eye [16]

Opponent had:

Cryx

Iron Lich Asphyxious [+28]

 - Defiler [7]

 - Desecrator [12]

 - Reaper [11]

Pistol Wraith [4]

Bane Warriors (min) [8]

Satyxis Blood Witches (max) [11]

Bloat Thrall attempted to control my flag, while the rest of my forces advanced to meet enemy on the right side of the forest. Wrong Eye & Snapjaw tried to protect my models from being dragged by enemy Reaper.

Enemy Reaper, then, switched fronts and tried to drag my arc node from the left side of the forest. Harpoon missed, as usual. 

It's funny how badly I manage to mess up my movement next when I only had nine models to start with! Well, the thing is, I replied to enemy harpoon action with my own - and Malice delivered the required hit. Then, however, I realized how I had dragged a heavy warjack to contest my flag! Also, I had moved Necrotech to block the charge lane of Snapjaw. So it was upon Wrong Eye to remove Necrotech from the board. This succeeded, but after Star Crossed he no longer had fury points to use Submerge. Harrower charges Bane Warriors to contest enemy flag, and Ripjaw ran to contest enemy zone.

Bane Warriors and Desecrator make short work out of my Harrower, no surprises there. Satyxis Blood Witches clog up the bottleneck that is between forest and structure. Arc node runs into position, and Asphyxious charges Ripjaw, not doing anything. He uses feat to try to assassinate Aiakos, but after first Breath of Corruption leaves much to be desired, he instead launches the volley on Wrong Eye, thus removing both the warlock and the warbeast.

Grim situation for Aiakos, but I conjure a plan to assassinate. Ripjaw tries to  move into back arc of Asphyxious, but the ensuing free strike cripples Arc Node. Then I spend my activations trying to clear up a lane for Malice to move and drag Asphyxious. Aiakos has to do some acrobatics to get into position to try White Squall Asphyxious - which would throw him into completely wrong direction anyway. But that didn't bother my plans, as the spell never hit. 

It was over for Aiakos. Over.

Asteroid belt

 Had two games of Warmachine. Format was Brawlmachine, and scenario in both games was the new Asteroids.

In first game I had:

Aphyxious the Hellbringer [+24]
- Reaper [11]
- Ripjaw [6]
- Slayer [10]
General Gerlak Slaughterborn [5]
Pistol Wraith [4]
Bane Warriors (min) [8]
- Bane Warrior Officer & Standard [5]

Opponent had:

Commander Coleman Stryker [+30]

 - Hammersmith [12]

 - Ironclad [12]

 - Lancer [8]

Black 13th Strike Force [7]

Rangers [7]

Stormguard Infantry (min) [9]

With Mobility up, my both heavies enter the rectangular zone. They are greeted by Stormguard that are screening enemy warjacks. Rangers on right are opposed to Bane Warriors, and Black 13th is flanking from left. Pistol Wraith tries to relocate itself away from their magical pistols. Nothing especially fancy.

But then... it seems there are some things I never really learn.

One of them is trying to make an initial opening by pulling an enemy warjack with a harpoon drag.

Feels like that misses 75% of the time.

And now my heavy warjack had only exposed itself to enemy charges. I tried to bring Asphyxious to front and use feat in an attempt to deter opponent from wrecking Reaper, or at least pay a price for doing so.

At least Hex Blast from Vociferon did exceptional job, frying three out of six Stormguards.

Ripjaw charges Black 13th and kills their double pistol model.

Stormguards then charge Reaper, and take almost half of its hit boxes away. Ironclad who comes to assist is far less effective, and leaves Reaper standing with cortex and melee arm still functional.

Lancer tries to free Black 13th from Ripjaw, and kind of succeeds. Bonechicken loses its head, meaning it wouldn't hit with free strike even if it rolled a six. Gun mages try to shoot Vociferon, but do not hit or damage. 

Stryker uses feat, making my next turn difficult.

Asphyxious had gained exactly one (1) focus point from his feat.

Ripjaw moves a bit so that it contests cygnaran flag. Bane Warriors destroy enemy objective and bring back all dead Bane Warriors via minifeat. 

Heavy warjacks and Asphyxious deal with the remaining Stormguards. Asphyxious is left with three focus for damage mitigation.

Three focus points just wasn't enough, as Stryker got Earthquake on Asphyxious. Black 13th and even rangers dealt in enough damage to take out two focus points, so there really was no chance for the iron lich when Ironclad parked itself within melee range. Loss for Cryx.

Game 2:

My list in second game:

Lord Tyrant Hexeris [+28]

 - Agonizer [5]

 - Aradus Sentinel [12]

 - Cyclops Raider [9]

 - Titan Gladiator [13]

Mortitheurge Willbreaker [2]

Swamp Gobber River Raider [1]

Thrullg [3]

Venator Slingers (min) [8]

Opponent had:

Kaya the Wildborne [+32]

 - Feral Warpwolf [14]

 - Gnarlhorn Satyr [10]

 - Wild Argus [6]

 - Wild Argus [6]

Gallows Grove [2]

Lord of the Feast [5]

Gatorman Posse (max) [13]

Circle approached with Gatormen, Gallows Grove and Lord of the Feast on the left, and the rest coming from the middle.

My battlegroup was also nearing the rectangular zone while Slingers and Cyclops Raider were bracing against the Gatormen.

Winter Argus managed to freeze Aradus Sentinel for a while. Circle warbeasts did clump up rather nicely there, so Aradus took a walk and sprayed some respectable damage in to both arguses and Feral Warpwolf. Attack on Kaya missed even with a re-roll from Puppet Master.

Gatormen had ran closer, so I though I might try to get some mileage out of Hexeris' feat. 

It didn't turn out so well, as the one and only Gatorman the slingers succeeded to kill passed its Tough roll - no Dark Dominion for me.

Cyclops Raider takes an aimed (and thus stealth-ignoring) shot against Lord of the Feast, and removes the solo single-handedly. Dark Dominion for me. 

Swamp Gobber River Raider tries to act a hero, and harpoons itself to enemy objective, poking in a point of damage into Feral Warpwolf. Hexeris had cast Parasite on it, though.

Gladiator just tries to look menacing, and protect Agonizer that was providing strength penalty.

Turns out Winter Argus is able to spray the lesser warbeast dead, and as a result Wild Argus and Feral Warpwolf butcher Aradus Sentinel. Gatormen remove half of slingers - although only because they couldn't reach for more.

I try to pick the pieces that are left - Feral Warpwolf is left alive with one hit point remaining, despite the efforts of Thrullg and Cyclops Raider. Titan Gladiator charges Gnarlhorn Satyr dead.

Slingers shoot one Gatorman down, and Hexeris charges another. For some odd reason I try to shoot another Gatorman with Sunder Spirits... and didn't even succeed.

Hexeris' downfall was completely unnecessary. Winter Argus could slam him, and then Kaya spammed Spirit Fangs on him until he was torn to shreds - as he had only one transfer available. Loss for Skorne.

Its new and scary

I had two games of Warmachine with the most recent rules update, both with Brawlmachine format.

Lists were same in both games. My list:

Master Necrotech Mortenebra [+28]
 - Malice [13]
 - Ripjaw [6]
- Slayer [10]
Bloat Thrall [2]
Misery Cage [2]
Pistol Wraith [4]
Soulhunters (max) [16]

Opponent had:

Cygnar

Major Beth Maddox [+30]

 - Charger [9]

 - Defender [14]

 - Firefly [7]

Arcane Tempest Rifleman [3]

Black 13th Strike Force [7]

Stormguard Infantry (max) [15]

Scenario was Syzygy. 

Both games played out very similarly. Cryx scored their flag twice, Malice broke enemy objective and either middle zone or flag was scored third time again. Cygnar wasn't able to contest Cryx flag reliably while Soulhunters contested Cygnar flag.

I kind of wonder if Syzygy is a functioning scenario. It seems to boil down to "who can contest enemy flag longest", where ultra fast difficult-to-remove units naturally have advantage. Maybe Soulhunters were a "hard counter" for the entire scenario. But that's not all.

Had we played with the old rules, my list would have been a whopping 12 points less, while opponent would have played only 5 points down. That was seven "extra" points for me, which is a crazy number for this point size. Well, time will tell if the point cost adjustments were spot on but it certainly felt like cheating in these games.

Dual Singularity

 Had a couple of games of Brawlmachine. Scenario was the Singularity.

First game I had:

Cryx

Asphyxious the Hellbringer [+24]
 - Deathripper [6]
 - Seether [13]
 - Slayer [10]
Satyxis Raiders (max) [16]
 - Satyxis Raider Sea Witch [4]

Opponent had:

Circle

Baldur the Stonecleaver [+31]

 - Gnarlhorn Satyr [12]

 - Woldwarden [14]

 - Woldwatcher [8]

Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters (min) [10]

Shifting Stones [3]

Warpborn Skinwalkers (min) [9]

Circle approached with stone-formed Woldwatcher in front, which was promptly wrecked by my heavy warjacks. Helljacks were in a bad position now, in a possible charge range by opposing heavies. Satyxis Raiders that had Cloak of Ash on sacrificed themselves for the protection of Slayer and Seether. 

Somehow opponent kept hitting Satyxis Raiders despite needing 10 to hit. Over half of them died, including Sea Witch. But at least they were only Satyxis.

Vociferon had tried to sneak up to my flag, but suddenly there were a unit of Nyss Hunters there so plan was foiled. 

Woldwarden died to Seether, which was good enough I guess. But since there was a five round limit, casualties inflicted by both sides were too low for either of us to gain a big point advantage.

However, I did have one point advantage from the turn when Cryxian jacks destroyed Woldwatcher. This was the winning point at the end of fifth round. 

Game 2:

Skorne

Dominar Rasheth [+28]
 - Agonizer [6]
 - Archidon [10]
 - Tiberion [19]
Swamp Gobber River Raider [1]
Void Spirit [4]
Praetorian Swordsmen (min) [8]
Venator Flayer Cannon Crew [5]

Opponent had:

Retribution

Kaelyssa, the Night's Whisper [+29]

 - Banshee [18]

 - Chimera [8]

 - Manticore [14]

Mage Hunter Assassin [4]

Mage Hunter Strike Force (min) [10]

Second game was excessively short, perhaps to compensate for the first one.

Shortly put, Tiberion ran to middle field and opponent focused all attacks to kill Agonizer and then Tiberion - but thanks to one double 1 attack roll by Banshee Tiberion survived with two boxes remaining.  Rasheth feated next and Tiberion wrecked two of opposing warjacks - suddenly gaining points from the rectangular zone, all the while Void Spirit & Swamp Gobber River Raider were collecting points from flags. Scenario win.

2x Brawlmachine, Cryx vs Cygnar, vs Cryx

 Two games of Brawlmachine format. Scenario in both was the Binary.

Game 1:

My first list:

Master Necrotech Mortenebra [+24]
 - Harrower [16]
 - Inflictor [13]
Bane Lord Tartarus [6]
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor [5]
Bile Thralls (min) [9]

Opponent had:

Major Beth Maddox [+30]
- Avenger [17]
 - Charger [9]
 - Firefly [8]
Arcane Tempest Rifleman [4]
Steelhead Riflemen (min) [8]
Stormblade Infantry [9]

First game is summed up rather quickly. I thought I was the underdog in this matchup because I was woefully outnumbered. But then I jammed Inflictor sitting next to enemy warcaster in a failed assassination attempt - and this is the crux of this matter, really. I went all in, and now Mortenebra was feating in a compromised position. 

Only after I realized that I might have had a real game without the assassination attempt - arm 21 def 13 warjack needs some effort to get rid of when its engaging your shooty warjack and warcaster. But that goes on to the territory of iffing. 

Short story short: Mortenebra was shot to pieces by Cygnaran arms.

Game 2:

Goreshade the Bastard [+27]
- Desecrator [14]
 - Slayer [10]
 - Stalker [8]
Bloat Thrall [4]
General Gerlak Slaughterborn [6]
Misery Cage [2]
Cephalyx Overlords [8]

Opponent had:

Bane Witch Agathia [+29]

 - Deathripper [6]

 - Desecrator [14]

 - Reaper [13]

Pistol Wraith [5]

Bane Warriors (max) [16]

Right side of the board was between Gerlak and Bloat Thrall versus Bane Warriors. On the left side, everything else. 

Opponent ran Reaper to engage Stalker, which brought Reaper within charge range of my Slayer. There was just this wall between them. But Stalker leaped and softened up Reaper a little from back arc. Slayer charged and had no trouble of removing the ranged variant of same chassis.

Deathripper broke Stalker's cortex, and enemy Desecrator came to vivisect Slayer through the wall. It was not very successful vivisection as next to no damage was done. 

Slayer got some job done at wrecking enemy Desecrator, but it wasn't very impressive either. Well, the crabjack had essentially +2 def and +2 arm, so it wasn't completely unexpected.

My Desecrator shot some contesting Bane Warriors off the board, and I was able to leap to +2 control points over my opponent.

Unfortunately, opponent was able to bring Desecrator to contest my circular zone and my flag, thus scoring evening the scores to +1 for Cryx.

It wasn't too bad as long as I can remove already injured Desecrator with feated Bane Warriors and what was left of Slayer. But still, three Bane Warriors and the aforementioned Slayer together didn't put a dent to enemy warjack. Two Bane Warriors missed and one didn't get that many points through armor. Only cannon was broken down.

It all went downhill from there. 

Desecrator contesting my zone and Bane Warriors my flag while controlling enemy circular zone... all this meant that opponent got to +1 points. All in all, I wasn't able to get rid of that Agathia's lead. Five rounds is surprisingly short amount of time.

Brawling again

Had two games of Warmachine at the very end of February. Because of the format they were 25 point games. 

Game 1:

Cryx

Captain Aiakos [+29]

 - Corruptor [14]

 - Malice [15]

 - Stalker [8]

 - The Withershadow Combine [9]

Bloat Thrall [4]

Warwitch Siren [4]

vs

Trollbloods

Madrak Ironhide, Thornwood Chieftain [+29]

 - Dire Troll Mauler [15]

 - Troll Axer [9]

 - Troll Impaler [9]

Janissa Stonetide [4]

Totem Hunter [6]

Trollkin Fennblades (min) [9]

Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew [2]

We rolled off to see which lists we'd play. Why, oh why did the dice gods decide to put Aiakos again against Trollbloods? 

And against Trollbloods with a supercharged sniper Impaler, who removes Malice's Harpoon right away on the second turn?

Oh well. Maybe there was a still game to play. 

Stalker removes Janissa Stonetide from controlling enemy flag, so at least Cryx got the scenario lead. Corruptor and Bloat thrall also were able to remove three Fennblades, so removing their circular zone controllers wasn't that far off.

Sadly I had to sacrifice Warwitch Siren in contesting rectangular zone.

Turn 3 Dire Troll Mauler kills Warwitch Siren, and Stalker is removed by Axer. Totem Hunter charges Corruptor, who has to waste its activation in removing the foreign bounty hunter. What's left of Erebus nearly kills Dire Troll Mauler. I really wanted that troll dead, so Aiakos charged in to finish the job. 

On opponent's turn scenario goes 2-2, and on my turn 2-3 for Trollbloods because Aiakos had left the flag. 

Opponent got easily to 2-5 next, so there was little point in continuing the game, as we still had second armies waiting enthusiastically.

Game 2:

Cryx

 Lich Lord Venethrax [+26]

 - Erebus [16]

 - Ripjaw [7]

 - Slayer [10]

 - Satyxis Blood Priestess [4]

Machine Wraith [2]

Necrotech [2]

Swamp Gobber River Raider [1]

Bile Thralls (min) [9]

vs

Cygnar

Major Beth Maddox [+30]

 - Avenger [17]

 - Cyclone [13]

Alten Ashley [6]

Black 13th Strike Force [10]

Stormblade Infantry [9]

Second game was far quicker than the first. I decided to launch a full-blown offensive against Cygnaran forces and not wait for them to start shooting my forces to bits. 

On second turn Slayer charged a Black 13th member under Terminal Velocity. Then it counter-charged both remaining members into melee with it. 

Erebus counter-charged Cyclone and hit with melee attack, causing Cygnaran warjack to become stationary. 

Opponent breaks Slayer with remaining Black 13th and Stormblades. 

Bile Thralls purge all remaining Stormblades dead, and machine wraith charges Avenger, who tries to take a swing at Alten Ashley, failing at that. But wait, there's more! Erebus finalizes Cyclone and slaps cortex off of Avenger. Who is now without cortex and stationary. 

There was very little opponent could do to prevent Cryx from winning by scenario.

Test brawl

 Had a 25 point game of Warmachine on Vassal. 

Brawlmachine format has been evading me for a while, but this is no longer the case. We played the Ignition scenario.

My list was:

 Asphyxious the Hellbringer [+24]
- Malice [15]
 - Nightwretch [7]
 - Slayer [10]
Machine Wraith [2]
Necrotech [2]
Pistol Wraith [5]
Cephalyx Overlords [8]

Opponent had:

 Bane Witch Agathia [+29]

 - Deathripper [6]

 - Desecrator [14]

 - Reaper [13]

 - Skarlock Thrall [4]

Bane Warriors (max) [16]

I chose to go second to start scoring. I felt the new and improved Bane Warriors of Agathia were oppressing, so as soon as I got the chance I slapped Calamity on them. Worth it? I don't know. I lost Nightwretch and entire unit of Cephalyx Overlords, but hey, Calamity!

Opponent had used feat on turn 2, but this didn't stop me from scoring two scenario points by walking my army far too close to enemy lines. This ended up with Desecrator shooting the cortex off of Malice, the loss of aforementioned models and even six points of damage to Asphyxious after using focus to mitigate damage.

But Asphyxious' forces survived, with fourteen focus on Asphyxious to boot. First Slayer activates to trample, and removes movement from enemy Reaper. Vociferon shoots a Hellfire to Reaper, and even Malice comes to take a focusless harpoon shot at it. And yet the thing survived with cortex and helldriver intact. 

Asphyxious charges to a group of nicely lined Bane Warriors, and manages to kill all five and still ended his turn with six focus. Pistol Wraith had been sitting on a flag, attempting to score points but now there was a Bane Warrior sitting within range to contest. The bane was shot.

It's turn 3, and Asphyxious leads the game by three points.

Now he just needed to survive a shot from Desecrator, three focus worth of attacks from Reaper and whatever Agathia would be able to deliver.

The heavy warjacks bring Asphyxious down to two focus remaining, plus half of his damage grid dusted off. It wouldn't be easy for Agathia to finish him, and eventually she didn't. And since there were no contesting models near Pistol Wraith, game ended in favor of Asphyxious.