Waving a flag

A 50 point game of Warmachine on War Table. 

My list:

Horruskh with Inviolable Resolve and Windstorm
-Ravener
-Tyrant with Relentless Charge, Shield and flail
Ulkor Barragers
Strike Reavers + Standard
Warwitch Sirens

Command cards: Careful Reconnaissance, Infiltration, Old Faithful, Power Swell, True Inspiration

Opponent had:

Cryx Dark Host
Bane Witch Agathia
-Desecrator
-4x Deathripper
-2x Ripjaw
Bane Warriors
Pistol Wraith
Necrotech

Command cards: Old Faithful, Blessing of Gods, Breakthrough, Infiltration, Power Swell

We were playing a Steamroller 2023 scenario. Cryx started, with Nanes and three bonejacks to the left, Pistol Wraith and remaining three bonejacks to the right, and Desecrator, Necrotech and Agathia in the middle. Agathia had cast Hellwrought on Desecrator.

Orgoth had Ravener rampage through the woods to my side flag, with Strike Reavers in the middle behind an impassable tower. Tyrant and Horruskh were there too. Horrusk gave Inviolable Resolve for Strike Reavers. Ulkor Barragers closed in from the left.

Desecrator shot at ARM 19 Strike Reavers. It was a direct hit, but damage didn't penetrate that armor. Howeer, two out of three blast damage rolls somehow succeeded at that. Go figure?

Everything opponent had on the left packed themselves to trenches. Pistol Wraith claimed flag, and the bonejacks there started to pivot to center. 

It was time for Horruskh's feat now. Remaining Strike Reavers got Tough from command card, walked near centerpoint and started shooting a Ripjaw that was hiding behind the tower. They managed to do some damage, but the kill shot was made by Tyrant's shield cannon.

Horruskh put up Wind Storm and went to control a flag. 

Ravener advanced behind Strike Reavers. Ulkor Barragers managed to kill Necrotech, but they also triggered Hellwrought with unfavorable tradeoff for Orgoth.

Ulkor Barragers were killed easily enough after Agathia arced Parasite on them. As an added bonus, Desecrator certainly had a thing going on with blast damage rolls in this game. Two Bane Warriors were removed by the finalizing shot made by Desecrator.

The flock of bonejacks continued to swarm the circular zone, leaving the right side with only incorporeal Pistol Wraith scoring points. However, Ulkor Barragers had been my only models contesting circular zone, so Cryx took the lead in scenario.

Since I had not hired enough solos to control flags, Horruskh was stuck at Orgoth flag. At least he had Fate-Blessed to support his team. 

Strike Reavers went to contest circular zone and shoot at bonejacks, dealing random damage points here and there. With some help from Reavers, Tyrant was able to remove remaining Bane Warriors. 

Ravener charges Pistol Wraith with fell cleaver, destroys the ghost and goes berserk on Cryx objective. Thus, Orgoth took lead in scenario.

While Agathia did respectable job personally killing Strike Reavers, the flock of bonejacks and Desecrator didn't fare as well against Tyrant. Although that was probably thanks to Agathia missing her boosted Parasite against Def 11 target. 

This gave me quite of a lead in scenario play, as now I was able to contest the circular zone with Ravener. Unfortunately Tyrant wasn't able to thin the number of enemy models, well, at all. Not even when Warwitches were supporting with Dark Shroud.

It was already turn five, so even if I was leading with points, I didn't think my models would last long enough to actually give me even scenario victory. 

This time Tyrant went down with ease, as Agathia cast Parasite on it for good measure. Bonejacks tried to kill any Warwitches they could find. They missed one. 

Another Deathripper wasn't enough to challenge Ravener, but it blocked its way to reach Agathia. With the aid of some finger maths, I reckoned Ravener and a singular Warwitch would have to survive for a one full round to give me scenario victory - or kill Agathia now.

Horruskh tried to blow Deathripper that was engaging Ravener away with Thunder Strike. Despite melee bonus, the spell hit and Ravener was free to get blocked by another damn Deathripper. No matter how I tried, there just wasn't a way to get to Agathia. So, the monstrosity just wrecked the bonejack and started to pray.

Its prayers went unanswered. In fact, the Ravener took absolutely horrendous damage rolls in. It almost looked like last Warwitch from coven would be the one to defy odds, but now. Last possible attack made another Deathripper sealed her deal, and Horruskh started his sixth turn with only him remaining. 

For a while I had been four points above Cryx in scenario game, so now Horruskh just needed to survive, or opponent would have to score four points. So, Horruskh cast Inviolable Resolve on himself, went hiding behind a flag and waved it... not to surrender, but to taunt.

A couple of Hellfires just weren't enough to kill undamaged Horruskh with five focus for damage blocks, so it was a tiebreaker victory for Orgoth. 

300

A game of Warmachine Mk4 (oh, shouldn't use that name anymore...) 50 points over War Table platform.

My list:

Horrushks with Inviolable Resolve & Windstorm
Tyrant, Relentless Charge, Quad-Bolt Thrower, Scything Flail 17
Jackal with Arc Node, Flamethrower, Assault Shield
Gnashers 9
Warwitch Coven 4
Grhotten Keeper 5
Halexus              4

Command Cards: Grave Robber, Power Swell, Old Faithful, Savagery, Sentry Duty

Opponent had:

Ilari with Avenging Force & Superiority
Dire Wolf with Flamethrower, Long Axe and Evasive
Great Bear, with Grand Slam, Heavy Cannon, Blasting Fist, 
Shock Trooper Gunners
Winter Korps Snipers
Winter Korps Infantry with 2x Autocannon & Standard
Winter Korps Infantry with 2x Rocketeer & Standard

Command Cards: Break Through, Careful Recon, Infiltration, Old Faithful, Power Swell

Game:

Scenario was Recon. Once I put my list on table, I realized the staggering disparity in our model counts. Maybe I shouldn't have used a 17 point heavy. Oh well. At least I had the durability on my side.

I left Gnashers in ambush and with them I tried to tie up a unit of Riflemen on the left. Apparently I ambushed them a turn too soon, as far as I know they can spring up earliest on turn two. But hey, in my defense - I was the second player!

Khador had their heavies and warcaster in the middle, and the remainder of the force on the right.

Horruskh and Halexus had good positions behind a building with 30mm obstacle. Grhotten Keeper and warjacks were going down from the middle, with Warwitch Coven on top of a hill. 

This time around opponent got good mileage out of Ilari's feat. Winter Korps on left disengaged inside objective forest and the entire unit scored a meager four points of damage to Gnashers. But then Ilari activated... and Gnashers were promptly removed. 

Well, at least that took away feat and activations of both heavies. Remainder of Khador troops didn't really accomplish anything.

So, it was time for a counter-feat. Grhotten Keeper charged a sniper and managed to kill it. Tyrant rolled a whopping four shots and removed two Shock Trooper Gunners. But yeah... that was it. Both warjacks took hiding in a trench, with a couple of Warwitches nearby contesting my objective building. I had chosen such a center terrain piece because I thought I would not be able to stretch my forces around that much...

It took both heavies and all of Ilari's focus points to remove the Arm 23 Grhotten from contesting enemy 30mm objective, but darn it, it succeeded. A unit of Winter Korps Riflemen from right took a flanking position and shot two Warwitches off the board. 

It was time for desperate measures. Remaining Warwitch went to cover Khadoran warjacks with Dark Shroud skill, and Tyrant with Inviolable Resolve charged for a thresher strike. Sadly the Warwitch died even with a re-roll from Horruskh. I had played Savagery on Tyrant, so it was able to deny heals for both warjacks. However, damage rolls were on the lower side. Had Warwitch survived, Great Bear would have lost both of its hands, but as it stood, only cannon had gone. 

Jackal tried a desperate attempt to shoot both jacks and a Sniper with a flamethrower, but this amounted to no damage other than the Sniper dying. Well, at least I still had some chances with good fire damage rolls, right?

Horruskh had gone down to zero focus points because of re-rolls, so he had to get out of sight. Halexus entered trench to contest my flagged building.

Opponent had taken lead in control points. I was mildly hopeful because of Old Faithful - even if Arm 21 Tyrant took a beating, he might still be able to kill Great Bear and maybe do something against Dire Wolf. 

However... those damage rolls! First 13, then 14, then 18, then 15 and then again 13 on three dice. No hope for Tyrant surviving that, or even Jackal for that matter. 

Well, actually Jackal did survive, but was tagged with no heals from Ilari, and only both hand operational.

Halexus died to a full Combined Ranged Attack by Winter Korps Riflemen from right, and, well, that was that. We ended game, situation was so hopeless for Horruskh.

First duo

 A 75 point game of Warmachine Mk4 in the new duo format.

My list:

Horruskh
-Molok
-Tyrant with Relentless Charge, Scything Flail and Claw

Kishtaar
- 2x Jackals with Arc Node, Hunter Rifle and Pneumatic Spike

Ulkor Barragers
Strike Reavers + Reaver Standard
Warwitch Coven
Reaver Commander
Vulcar Forge Master

Opponent had:

Cygnar Unlimited

Commander Coleman Stryker
-Defender
-Cyclone
-Charger

Major Siege Brisbane
-Defender
-Cyclone

2x Stormblade Infantry
2x Arcane Tempest Rifleman

Scenario was Invasion, and Cygnar started game.

One unit of Stormblades accompanied by Arcane Tempest Rifleman were on the flanks, with all of the heavy machinery lumbering on from the middle. 

Orgoth had less of a formation. Ulkors and a Jackal were closing in from the far right, with a unit of Reavers and their commander screening Kishtaar nearby.

Support units were hanging in the back, behind a burning building with Jackal, Horruskh and Tyrant holding middle. Molok had a bit of an ego, challenging the entire leftern flank in its entirety. 

Cygnaran firepower was scary indeed. Molok lost its legs to Defenders, and all but the flag died from Strike Reaver unit. 

Vulcar was a tad too far away from Molok, so Old Faithful repaired damaged systems of the character warjack. 

Ulkors were able to kill one Arcane Tempest Rifleman with blasts bouncing off from a slightly damaged Cyclone. However, when Kishtaar activated, she used her feat and removed the Cyclone with her pack of Jackals. 

Tyrant went to control my 50mm objective with Horruskh hanging behind feating hard. Molok spent a pathfinder card to charge unit of Stormblades that were holding enemy 40mm objective, killing two of them. So, damage done was okay, but what seemed devastating to me was the amount of control points - I received four of them. That seemed... excessive.

So, opponent replied by feating even harder than my warcasters. Siege removed the entire unit of Ulkor Barragers with his feat and Ground Pounder. A Cyclone and Defender brought Jackal in the Dust Devil clouds down to one or two health remaining. 

Stormblades removed the Reaver Standard and shot Reaver Commander off the board. 

Remaining Stormblades in the left ran away from scary Molok, and last remaining Arcane Tempest Rifleman ran to rob me a point from my 50mm objective. Charger was able to shoot Molok's head off, but thanks to hyper-aggressive that spelled some kind of doom for someone, somewhere.

Stryker also used his feat for a round of invulnerability. Opponent managed to deny me all points and even score two of his own. 

However, next turn Orgoth killed just the Arcane Tempest Rifleman, and all but wrecked a Defender with Molok. Orgoth were able to seize a whopping five points, which placed opponent in an untenable situation - either score four points or kill two casters that had plenty of focus left in bank. 

So, game ended in victory for Orgoth.

Some soaked fabric

 A 50 point game of Warmachine Mk4 over War Table.

My list:

Horruskh, The Thousand Wraths
-Inviolable Resolve, Hex Blast

Jackal 1
-Arc Node, Hunter Rifle, Clawed Fist

Jackal 2
-Bloodthirst, Flamethrower, Pneumatic Spike

Tyrant
- Relentless Charge, Shredder, Claw

Assault Reavers + Standard
Strike Reavers + Standard
Warwitch Coven

Command Cards: Infiltration, Old Faithful, Power Swell, Sentry Duty, True Inspiration

Opponent had:

Kapitan Ilari Borisyuk
-Avenging Force, Superiority

Dire Wolf
- Evasive, Long Axe, Plow-Shield

Great Bear
-Slammer, Battle Mace, Blasting Fist

2x Battle Mechanik 
Arkanists
Shock Trooper Gunners
Winter Korps Infantry  + 2x Rocketeer & Standard
Winter Korps Infantry + 2x Auto Cannon

Command cards: Break Through, Careful Reconnaissance, Infiltration, Old Faithful, Power Swell

Steamroller 2024 scenario. Khador started and advanced with Auto Cannon group from the left, and Shock Trooopers plus Rocketeers from the right. Everything else spearheaded from the middle, with Superiority cast on Dire Wolf.

Assault Reavers went to greet Auto Cannon Korps, holding position behind scenario house. Strike Reavers were holding line in the middle, with arc node Jackal and Tyrant with Inviolable Resolve a little behind. Forest on the right masked Warwitch Coven. Flamethrower Jackal ran deep to the forest, ready to fry some Shock Troopers and Rocketeers. 

Second turn Great Bear relocated to contest scenario terrain in case Auto Cannon Korps wouldn't be enough. 

Dire Wolf, Shock Troopers and Rocketeers and Arcanists all stormed right, managing to shoot all but one Strike Reaver and the flag down. Pity, since Horruskh's feat was coming next. 

Despite Auto Cannon Korps being Assault Reaver's prey target, Reavers were able to remove only three of them. Scenario terrain was left unsecured. 

War Witches had loaded up Orgoth warjacks. Hunter Rifle Jackal shot one Mechanik off the board. Flamethrower Jackal walked out of the woods, shocking one Shock Trooper by setting him on fire, and killing the second Mechanik behind Dire Wolf.

Tyrant made a slight overkill with pow 16 shredder cannon by shooting a single Arcanist. That one was contesting center-left objective, though, and I wanted to score control points. 

Turn three Great Bear charged Horruskh anyway while Ilari kept sniping Orgoth warcaster. Attack rolls weren't that impressive, so game did not end. 

Dire Wolf mauled Jackal and Rocketeers shot at the thing, but failed to destroy the light warjack thanks to +3 armor from Horruskh.

Remaining two Shock Troopers, however, removed what was left of Strike Reavers with ease. 

Orgoth turn started, and there was Great Bear that required attention.

Assault Reavers killed remaining Auto Cannon Korps and tossed their flag into acid bath for that -1 Arm aura. War Witches came to help with Dark Shroud. Horruskh managed to wreck the Great Bear, and even have focus left for damage mitigation. He used Vanish to get to safer position.

Tyrant didn't do much to superior Dire Wolf, but at least one Shock Trooper died to gore attack.

I took a two point lead. 

Fourth turn I decided to try to go for scenario victory. Remaining Assault Reavers went to take center-left objective, while arc node Jackal and Horruskh went to take scenario terrain to the left. Tyrant kept flailing Dire Wolf fruitlessly, but by now it just needed to buy time.

And surely enough, Khador Winter Korps were not able to contest all my point scoring areas and get two points themselves in the process. Was it first victory for Horruskh? Not sure. 

Infiltraitor

A 50 point game of Warmachine on War Table.

My list:

Horruskh, The Thousand Wraths

Spell rack: Inviolable Resolve, Second Sight

10          Jackal 1, Arc Node, Hunter Rifle, Assault Shield

7           Jackal 2, Bloodthirst, Mace, Assault Shield

17          Molok

3           Reaver Commander

7+2       Strike Reavers &  Reaver Standard

4           Warwitch Coven

Command Cards: Careful Reconnaissance, Grave Robbing , Infiltration, Old Faithful, True  Inspiration

Opponent had:

Khador - Winter Korps

Kapitan Ilari Borisyuk

Spell Rack: - Avenging Force, Fog of War

11          Dire Wolf, Pathfinder, Long Axe, Plow-Shield

14          Great Bear, Reposition, Heavy Cannon, Blasting Fist

2+2   2x    Battle Mechanik

7       Shock Trooper Gunners

6+1       Winter Korps Infantry, 2x Rocketeer & Standard

6+1       Winter Korps Infantry, 2x Auto-Cannon & Standard

Command Cards: Blessing of the Gods, Break Through, Careful Reconnaissance, Infiltration, Old Faithful

Scenario was Invasion

Khador started and advanced with a unit of Winter Korps on both flanks, with everything else in between. Ilari cast Fog of War and Avenging Force.

Horruskh cast Inviolable Resolve on Molok and Second Sight on Jackal with rifle.

Melee Jackal was almost the sole contender to zone on the right. Horruskh, Molok and Jackal with rifle were in the middle, with Strike Reavers and their solo advancing behind a forest. Molok also played Grave Robbers already 

Khador wasn't able to do much else than positioning next. Great Bear that went to contest rectangular zone missed its cannon on Reaver Commander, but Ilari was able to snipe that solo off. Winter Korps unit went to contest circular zone one left with half of their strength, with Shock Troopers backing them up in a trench nearby.

Dire Wolf went to contest circular zone on the right, supported by Auto-Cannon group of Winter Korps and a singular Mechanik.

Orgoth also wasn't in a position to dish out that much damage, but it was in position to endure it. Strike Reavers popped True Inspiration on them, walked into the forest and managed to kill one of the three contesting Winter Korps.

Molok and ranged Jackal were filled with focus by Warwitches, and Molok took Pathfinder card to charge a single Winter Korpsman. It certainly died to a 17-point beatstick with three focus. The grunt became a +3def buff for Molok.

Ranged Jackal shot the last contesting Winter Korps, thus giving Orgoth point advantage.

Horrusks used his feat, turning that Molok into a dreadful Def 14, Arm 24 monstrosity that cannot be knocked down!

Melee Jackal just went to contest circular zone, staying within charge range of Dire Wolf. I wanted to believe my light warjack would be able to take some Long Axe into face with Arm 22. 

Khador turn was painful to watch. That +3 armor messed up a lot of things, when opponent's highest rolls were just about the average. Dire Bear was able to deal a few points of damage to melee Jackal, but not enough to destroy systems. Shock Troopers were able to kill two Strike Reavers - that's it. No more killing today, folks.

Warwitches filled melee Jackal and ranged Jackal with focus, and went to Dark Shroud the Dire Wolf. Jackal wasn't able to do much, especially considering that there was a Mechanik nearby. Even if it had hit with all of its attack, I doubt systems would have broken anyway, because I rolled columns poorly.

Molok removed two Winter Korpsmen that had ran to block easy access within 1" of Great Bear. That probably saved Great Bear, because even five P+S 18 attacks that all hit, plus a POW 13 rifle shot and whatever Strike Reavers were able to do didn't bring the bear down.

I didn't consider Horruskh was in that bad of a position, and so didn't even consider playing Infiltrate on him. 

Then... Old Faithful repairs Great Bear for five. On its activation Great Bear also uses Breakthrough to gain Unstoppable which it already had to move away from melee. It scores a critical shot against Horruskh. No damage, though, thanks to the only point of focus camp.

Ilari advances next and shoots Horruskh with his rifle, but doesn't score a crit and is able to remove only four of Orgoth warcaster's health.  Next shot, though... Is a critical, Horruskh is already knocked down and damage roll is exactly 15 points in.

That's what you get for not infiltrating around. 

The Thousand Chills

 A 50 point game of Warmachine.

My list:

Horruskh with Inviolable Resolve and Silence of Death
-Tyrant with Relentless Charge, Ripper and Harpoon
-Jackal with Arc Node, Pole Arm and Shield
Strike Reavers & Standard
Assault Reavers
Ulkor Barragers
Maulgreth, Charnel Plague

Opponent had:

Bane Witch Agathia
- 2x Slayer
-Deathripper
-Defiler
2x Bane Warrior units
2x Pistol Wraiths

Cryx went first and had a pretty symmetrical Bane Warriors  - Bonejack - Slayer - Pistol Wraith - Agathia formation that was mirrored on the other flank. Orgoth had Ulkor Barragers, Horruskh and Tyrant in the middle, Strike Reavers on the left and the rest on the right. Silence of Death went to Tyrant and Inviolable Resolve on Assault Reavers.

Second turn Cryx continues flanking operation with Bane Warriors spreading near table edges, just contesting the rectangular zones. Cryxian forces kept their distance and even used Agathia's feat defensively. Fortunately a single Strike Reaver was the only casualty that turn.

It was obvious feat round for Horruskh. Strike Reavers went to take shots against enemy objective. Tyrant missed Deathripper with harpoon and I completely forgot about Fate Blessed. Oh well, Assault Reavers went within 5" of Deathripper and dragged the thing into melee with them. Damage wasn't all that impressive, but at least there were was armor 19, 4+ tough detachment that wouldn't get knocked down in the middle. They received tough from command card.

Ulkor Barragers couldn't figure out anything better to shoot than Agathia, and so didn't really do anything. Maulgreth had the sorry duty of contesting rectangular zone on right, with Jackal standing nearby. 

Cryx then activates and Slayer on the right is absolutely on fire. It kills both Maulgreth and objective, thus getting two control points! What a disaster. At least damage made by Slayer and Deathripper in the middle was tolerable - only two Assault Reavers died. A pistol wraith shot one Ulkor Barrager stationary and the other killed a Strike Reaver. Bane Warriors just closed in as they were a bit far from the action.

The scenario pressure was real. And it didn't help when Strike Reavers tried to do double duty and kill corporeal Pistol Wraith and destroy the objective - failing at both. Assault Reavers relocated a little and tried to poke holes in Deathripper, but didn't accomplish much. Ulkor Barragers did more damage to Deathripper with blast damage when they shot at hellwrought Slayer in the middle.

It certainly pained me when Jackal had to charge Slayer on the left rectangular zone and left it with only around four or five damage boxes remaining, although Maulgreth had already softened the helljack a little with defensive strike. 

Deathripper in the middle didn't have too many damage boxes left, so Horruskh who had two focus points charged the thing. He needed to roll only around six with three dice if the charge attack hit. If the charge attack hit.

It didn't, not even with re-roll. At least last bought attack removed the Deathripper from board and triggered Blood Boon, which went into Inviolable Resolve on Horruskh, but still my warcaster was now in the middle with zero focus.

Tyrant manages to land harpoon against hellwrought Slayer and totals the helljack, which evens score as Horruskh controlled the flag and plenty of units had the circular zone.

Agathia attempts assassination, which started to look a real possibility when first Pistol Wraith death chilled him. After that all the remaining attacks hit without effort, and while they didn't do a lot of damage, each point counted towards Horruskh's demise. The other Pistol Wraith chilled Horruskh a second time and Defiler splurged bile over Horruskh. Agathia charged Horruskh, cast Parasite on him and attacked a couple of times. He sure is a tough fellow, as even after this The Thousand Wraths was standing with around six damage boxes or so.

But with -5 armor, the assassination wasn't resting on remaining Slayer's shoulders. It was on rightmost Bane Warriors. Jackal with Set Defense and shield was engaging the Cryxian heavy. Warriors were hitting on 8+, dealing damage with dice -6.

Out of five attacks only one missed. Granted, two attacks in removed Set Defense from equation. 

Jackal went down, and so went stationary Horruskh.