Had I been a bit more creative, more experienced, and had better rolls I'd have had the game. However, it was a nice optimistic push, as I've been feeling cynical about my capacity to do well recently. A series of tabling losses and defeats give a certain set of expectations that don't breed confidence. However, each one is a learning experience and I hope to eventually post a win for all of you to read.
However, I hope my losses make winning easier for everyone else. This match was close, fun, and showed the power that scenario has to balance the game. It also teaches some good lessons to try to find ways to look for answers in your lists if you don't have an easy answer planned in for it.
25 points of Convergence vs. Skorne
Scenario: Outflank
Convergence:
Warcaster: Syntherion
Monitor
Cipher
Assimilator
3 x Elimination Servitors
3 x Attunment Servitors
Optifex Directive
Skorne:
Warlock: eHexeris
Bronzeback
Titan Gladiator
Cyclops Savage (Arc Node)
Max. Nihilators
One of my problems with Skorne list building wise has been to try to fit in support units. It always seems so difficult to fit them in at low points costs. Skorne also has a problem with trying to find space for it's support due to it being both equal parts necessary and at the same time detracting from the capacity to put in work units. We aren't like Trolls where the supports are absolutely necessary, or like Legion where the Supports can also put in work over an extended period like Foresaken. So, for this list I decided to just not put in any support pieces and have everything do something important.
At the start I was worried about the Elimination Servitors, since if those stayed alive, I'd be losing a lot of Nihilators and slowly lose scenario, and his gun line would eat through most of my big stuff. So already I came in skeptical and nihilistic, but as the game goes on I get to do some clever tricks and take advantage of some fun positioning later on.
Deployment
This game is my first time ever playing scenario so my deployment may seem funny, especially to me. I was mostly concerned about getting my infantry set up well. I didn't. What I should have done is solidly kept them on one side of the board. I was allowed to go first by my opponent forcing me to choose sides awkwardly. I set my heavies on the right, and my Nihilators kind of to the left. I didn't know how he'd deploy his anti-infantry so I just set my Nihilators close to the middle. I knew they would have been gunning for the left zone, but I wanted to be able to respond to later threats. This gums me up a lot later on, and screws over my game. I knew I'd be camping eHexeris behind the wall and letting the arc node join in with my Nihilators to give them some supporting meat and to tag them with various spells/reach his "infantry" with spells to support the Nihilators as needed.
Turn 1
I figured out early on that he was running a gunline and wanted to avoid it for as long as possible. I've gotten incredibly paranoid recently about my heavies and this game is a bad example of me being incredibly conservative and nervous game play-wise.
He walks some jacks forward, runs his Servitors toward the walls, and lays down some Rough Terrain templates to clog up the Nihilators who'll have to take a hard left toward the left zone. He's not in range to shoot anything this turn beyond the AoE'd Nihilators. He tosses Syntherion's big healing spell on the backmost Vector.
Turn 2
This is the moment I realize how bad my picture taking skills are as I seem to forget the causality of my photos and realize I forgot to take one. The important principle of this turn is that I realized that I can start having my Nihilators (now in the Zone) that I can start getting rid of his Servitors due to Ashes to Ashes. I target his heavy that is in the middle of the board with Ashes to Ashes, and it gets 5 nearby enemies in 5" clearing out all but one of his Servitors. I charge it with my Nihilator, realize he is out of formation, and feel incredibly stupid. Somewhere he killed some of my Nihilators and ran them off to the side.
This is also the moment I realize that I am terrible at taking pictures at the time of writing.
My Nihilators unfortunately split themselves up due to my terrible understanding of positioning and stupid decisions. One of them tried to charge the heavy to get some damage on it and couldn't attack due to formation separation. Then my Cyclops charged at it, and wiffed miserably on the attacks doing minimal damage. Then, in fear of an assassination attempt, I block up the pathway with my Bronzeback, and hide the Gladiator in cover for fear of getting torn apart by bullets. POW 12 Bullets. Or charge attacks. Those are also scary.
If I could have turned the clock back here, I would definitely be more focused on actually keeping the zones better occupied and getting some use out of my Bronzeback. Who accomplished very little so far, and will continue to be nothing more than a threat. He ends up moving his Heavy jack over toward the left zone to keep me from gaining any contest points. This next turn is also part of the plague of bad playing and shows the important gap between experienced players, and new players.
He moved the Optifex Unit toward the middle of Zone, seeing my Heavies near by the Zone. This causes me to reconsider the idea of charging an exposed heavy, and making the attrition game go well for me so far, as I'll now have to trample through and probably not make it through. But, I also realized I can get some interesting things done with the Cyclops I realize on my next turn.
Turn 4
What I realized was that I could Arc Ashes to Ashes into the Right Zone at the Optifex directive by charging his caster with my Savage. Then, I'd be able to charge the Gladiator in no problem with Rush. What the Problem is though, I had an obstacle. The Bronzeback was positioned to be where my Caster had to be. So, in my brilliance and not realizing that the wall to my right was a run-overable linear obstacle, I had him run to the left, into the Zone, rather than over the wall to engage something, and score up on Scenario. Instead, he ducked left, because since it was a Heavy in my left zone I presumed it was a god-like infantry killer or could just trample through my Nihilators.
Anyway. I Have my Bronzeback duck left. I have my Caster walk up, and Arc through.
Hexeris Misses. So I burned 4 Fury, for a miss. I pop feat. Get it back. Hit this time. So I burned my feat for this. Then, I have the Gladiator put Rush on himself and charge at the far right Vector, and don't do as much damage as I should.
The Nihilators charged at the Heavy and did some damage, bringing him down close to dead.
Here's what I SHOULD have done:
Have the Cyclops put Future Sight on Hexeris, and Charge Syntherion.
Hexeris Charge at the Bronzeback to get in Range for the Arc Node. Arc Ashes to Ashes through.
Kill All of the Optifexes. Charge the Bronzeback over the wall at the Left Most Vector, and have the Right Most Vector get charged by the same Gladiator strategy. If I have to, pop feat to put Rush onto the Gladiator to clear a zone.
That's not how it happened though.
What happened lead to my opponents turn getting me a Counter Charge with my Bronzeback onto the Vector in the left zone, and giving me a wreck marker to work around. He killed my Savage with his caster.
He then killed my Heavy, and Dominated the Zone for 3 thanks to Syntherion casting Synergy.
Turn 5:
I couldn't get my Nihilators over to his zone to contest, leading him to Contest the Zone for a total of 6 points, winning him the game.
End thoughts:
This game was equal parts frustrating and empowering. I felt clever for some of my positioning and like a downright novice for all of the silly mistakes that I made over the course of the game and the fact that I'm still terrible at putting my pieces in a degree of calculated risk.
This was another battle where I had to take the pieces I had and somewhat improvise a use for them, as at the time I didn't see eHexeris's actual Anti-light infantry capacity as all I'd seen where the larger styles of infantry or jack/beast heavy against him.
This also showed me how much easier it is mentally to play scenario and how the game fits into a smoother pace when there is a sense of direction beyond caster kills.
I need to learn how to treat my infantry better and treat them with more awareness with the introduction of terrain into a lot of situations.
This game was one of the more optimistic learning experiences I've had and one that I'm glad to get in as it shows me more options for down the line play.
As a side note: I've recently gotten involved with a Warmachine League at the local gamestore (Scars of Scaen I believe), and while I missed one week's worth of pictures from that, I'll be sure to be more dilligent in the future. I get to caught up in the games to take pictures some times which can lead to problems.
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