Battle Report # 6 Rahn 1 vs Captain Bartolo Montador 1

Exordium

After the previous game, I feel like I have a personal vendetta against Cain. And I wanted to win this game, with a burning desire. So I persuaded my previous opponent to set up his models again. To my joy, my opponent opted to play Cain again. Pay back time! And as always, Rahn is underestimated. But more on that later....!

I know for a fact that Cain with shoot can gun my army down, if I let him. So gunning for scenario, or attrition is out of the question. Its assassination time!

Lists

Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points

(Rahn 1) Adeptis Rahn [+26]

 - Chimera [8]

 - Chimera [8]

 - Discordia [18]

 - Sphinx [13]

 - Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker [4]

Mage Hunter Infiltrators (max) [13]

 - Eiryss, Mage Hunter Commander [6]

House Shyeel Battle Mages [10]

House Shyeel Battle Mages [10]

Arcanist Mechanik [2]

Arcanist Mechanik [2]

House Shyeel Magister [4]

Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]

Opponent

Mercenary Army - 75 / 75 points

(Montador 1) Captain Bartolo Montador [+26]

 - Mangler [15]

 - Nomad [11]

 - Nomad [11]

 - Nomad [11]

 - Talon [7]

 - Galleon [39]

Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor [5]

Gobber Tinker [2]

Pre Battle deployment and thoughts

We were playing the scenario, Outlast. Rahn wins the roll, and wants to go first. I'm a bit unsure on how to play this game. My opponent has alot of jacks, and an colossal. I would rather try the scenario game, but I dont know if I can handle a colossal. My damage output on units, or a caster is okay, but killing a non placeable colossal is going to be hard, especially with +2 arm. So I decided that if this game is going to be won, I have to go for an assassination.

Round 1

The lack of units on my opponent's side, makes me feel safe. He doesn't have a volume of attacks that can take out my battle mages. Nor are my jacks in any danger, since they cant be draged past my stealth infantry. Of course Orin demands his normal attention. Making my mages, and caster worthless while assassinating. But for now, I feel safe, and run up with most of my stuff. Rahn hands out two focus to bouth Chimeras, one standing in the forest. The second out in he open, but out of range for any harm. I run my Discordia up, and imprint. He's going for Orin next turn! 

My opponent moves up, a bit new to Rahn, he placed his caster in range, but well safe since Orin is within range of him. Orin is a superb model, and I would love to have him in Retribution. Cancelling spells within a certain range is great. But the trick against Rahn is to keep him close to your caster, at all times. And whatever that is in front of your caster. My opponent made a small error in judgement, not a big one. But still big enough for me to catch Orin with Discordia spray. 

Round 2

Orin is always a problem, and keeps my plans at check. Falling deep into the tank for a few minutes. Trying to avoid a long game, I figure that I have to roll 7 on 3d6 and 4 on 3d6 to get rid of Orin. If I get rid of Orin, his caster will be standing with his back towards me, knocked down. And in range of my mages. It's a sure thing. I move my Discordia, roll the die. Kill Orin. Place the closest Chimera in range, telekinesis the Tallon behind his caster. Forshammer, and a telekinesis later. His caster is in the open. The rest is gravy!

Retribution wins!!

Evaluation

I'm really starting to warm up to this list. Rahn keeps amazing me, on all the assassination angles. And how much damage hi can push out with a spell, when used in the correct order. And his mages.... wow these guys are good under his feat turn. 

Battle Report # 5 Rahn 1 vs Cain 2

Exordium

After the previous game, I feel like I have a personal vendetta against Cain. And I wanted to win this game, with a burning desire. So I persuaded my previous opponent to set up his models again. To my joy, my opponent opted to play Cain again. Pay back time! And as always, Rahn is underestimated. But more on that later....!

I know for a fact that Cain with shoot can gun my army down, if I let him. So gunning for scenario, or attrition is out of the question. Its assassination time!

Lists

Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points

(Rahn 1) Adeptis Rahn [+26]

 - Chimera [8]

 - Chimera [8]

 - Sphinx [13]

 - Sphinx [13]

 - Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker [4]

 - Helios [34]

House Shyeel Battle Mages [10]

Arcanist Mechanik [2]

Arcanist Mechanik [2]

House Shyeel Magister [4]

Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]

Opponent

Cygnar Army - 75 / 75 points

(Caine 2) Captain Allister Caine [+27]

 - Hunter [11]

 - Centurion [17]

 - Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator [4]

Trencher Infantry (max) [16]

Rangers [9]

Storm Lances (max) [20]

Gun Mage Captain Adept [5]

Journeyman Warcaster [4]

 - Firefly [8]

Ragman [4]

Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord [4]

Pre Battle deployment and thoughts

We were playing the scenario, Recon. Rahn wins the roll, and wants to go first. My opponent picks the same side as previous game. I know for a fact that Cain with shoot can gun my army down, if I let him. So gunning for scenario, or attrition is out of the question. Its assassination time! Queue the Airwolf theme music!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIoSPevvsds

Deployment

Round 1

Everything runs up like it deployed, just further up. Like always my mages end up behind Helios. Of course Cain can get around this setup. But he's too far away.

Like last turn, Cain runs up. everything runs up, to get into position. My opponent figures out that Lances dies a bit out when they cant charge my Helios. Two Trenchers cloud up in front of Cain, that is standing in the Fule Cache cloud, with heightened reflexes.

Round 2

I stop and think a bit. The clouds are placed in a way, that you can stand in all three, but still not be fully in a cloud. Also doing some quick math, defence nineteen isn't too hard to hit. I`m focus eight, with four dice, take away the lowest, I should be able to hit defence nineteen. Some more math shows that I need to apparition and run with the Chimera. Then telekinesis him two more forward to be within reach and melee of all the models close to Cain. But still outside of two from Cain. 

The numbers align up, it's go time! The Chimera runs up, Sylys whispers softly in Rahn`s ear. Rahn Feats and telekinesis the Chimera up. Rahn casts forst blast! All of a sudden, to my opponents disbelief. Cain is standing there alone in the dark. And after a telekinesis, his standing in the dark with his back towards his killers!

I have two opportunities to hit Cain in the back with my Sphinx's. Its ten on three dice to hit. I go for it, lady luck shines on my dice. Mages walk up and shoot. Second or third shot, and Cain is dead!

Retribution wins!!

Evaluation

I'm getting the hang of this, Rahns assassination rang, and possibilities are huge! There isn't much I can say about this elf. He never sizes to amaze me! Beating Cain is always a pleasure, but this time it was even better! Sweet sweet victory! 

Battle Report # 4 Ossyan 1 vs Cain 2

Exordium

This week so far, I have had two games. Both agains the same opponent. My opponent had requested to play against Ossyan, so he got what he what he was asking for. 

First off the bat, Id like to say that I don't believe Ossyan to be the big boogeyman people make him to be. In theory he's really good, in practice he's less than acceptable. He has a huge amount of problems, he's shooting units are either low powered, or less reliable to hit. He has no answers to stealth, or cloud walls. And his feat puts him in a very compromised situation. In perfect conditions, he will tear you a new one. But outside an utopian world, he will fail. Nevertheless I deployed my models and played.

On a side note, my opponents list looked like he in advance knew he was playing against Ossyan, and just him.

Lists

Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points

(Ossyan 1) Lord Arcanist Ossyan [+28]

 - Imperatus [22]

 - Discordia [18]

Mage Hunter Strike Force (max) [16]

 - Mage Hunter Strike Force Commander [4]

Mage Hunter Strike Force (max) [16]

 - Mage Hunter Strike Force Commander [4]

Stormfall Archers [9]

Stormfall Archers [9]

Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]

Arcanist Mechanik [2]

Opponent

Cygnar Army - 75 / 75 points

(Caine 2) Captain Allister Caine [+27]

 - Hunter [11]

 - Centurion [17]

 - Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator [4]

Trencher Infantry (max) [16]

Rangers [9]

Storm Lances (max) [20]

Gun Mage Captain Adept [5]

Journeyman Warcaster [4]

 - Firefly [8]

Ragman [4]

Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord [4]

Pre Battle deployment and thoughts

What can i say sometimes, Ossyan is no fun not good against this. There isn't a single hard target in my opponent's army. There's a hunter that I will certainly kill. Perhaps my opponent makes a mistake, and moves hit Firefly up, and the cavalry's unkillable for my mages. Nor is anything within Ossyan feat range. My archers won't be able to get anything done this game. The trenches are dug in, and immune to blast damage, and rangers are stealth. Lets face it, power six isn't anything to write home about. So my game plan is to survive, and perhaps get an angle on Cain.

We used a random scenario roller application, and ended up on Recon. Both players are using Fucle Cach.

Round 1

Ossyan wins the roll, and ipts to go first. There isn't much to say, I run up with a unit of mage hunter strike force on both sides. With quicken on the right unit, and shatter storm on the left one. Discordia and Imperatus run up. everything outside of Cains threat ranges.

My opponent armed to the teeth against Ossyan, runs up most of his army. Rangers get Rhupert buff, so they go stealth. Trenchers walk up, and dig in. Cain stands as offensive as he can, without actually being in MHSF range.

Round 2

Here goes nothing, I need to do as much damage as I can this turn. And positioning is very important. Ossyan casts Deadeye on both MHSF units. Then walks 3 inces back. The unit with quicken walks up to the right of the forest, and kill the Hunter. Then shoots a ranger and skills it. Then get three shots on Trenchers. 

"Trencher need to be rebalanced. This is a unit that can do everything, they make cloud walls, dig in, brutal charge. Like that isn't enough, they can assault, have a good melee range and tough! "

I can't fully remember the tough count, but it was over average. Four out of five or something. I get a lucky roll and kill a Lancer.

Wishing this game would end soon, I tell myself that either I roll well and kill Cain, or I will lose the next turn anyways. So an Archer takes a shot at Cain, misses, and Cain moves two up, within kill range of Ossyan. It's not in my intention to forfeit the game, but I see one place Cain can stand, and 

luckily that spot is within admonition range of my Imperaturs. Activate trap mode!

My opponent measures up and down, back and forward. Sees the trap, after a few activations. Sadly my one MHSF is in range of Cain Charge, and isnt killed with two attack from Trenchers. Cain gets in, and kills Ossyan caping zero.

Cygnar wins!

Evaluation

There isn't much to say, as soon as i saw my opponents list. I knew I was going to lose this game. It was a sure thing!

Initiate the salt! I believe Cygnar is strong, perhaps even to strong. Cygnar infantry is broken ar som places, and close to other places. They are at least better than Retribution. I wish I had Trenchers, Lancers or Rangers!

Looking away from the Halye`s, that obviously are broken past oblivion. Cygnar still has a strong warcaster bench.

Battle Report # 3 Rahn 1 vs Haley 3

Exordium

Starting to get the hang of Rahn now. Uncertainty around Rahn still lingering in the background, thinking back to my previous game. Unlike last game, my opponent doesn't have any stealth. But this time around, I'm facing a cloud wall. Judging by the scenario, this is gonna be a hard nut to crack!

I'm shooting for scenario play this game. I really have to see how big of an control game this is.

Lists

Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points

(Rahn 1) Adeptis Rahn [+26]

 - Chimera [8]

 - Chimera [8]

 - Sphinx [13]

 - Sphinx [13]

 - Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker [4]

 - Helios [34]

Arcanist Mechanik [2]

Arcanist Mechanik [2]

Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]

House Shyeel Battle Mages [10]

House Shyeel Magister [4]

Opponent

Cygnar Army - 75 / 75 points

(Haley 3) Major Prime Victoria Haley [+25]

 - Ironclad [12]

 - Grenadier [9]

 - Thorn [13]

Trencher Infantry (max) [16]

Journeyman Warcaster [4]

 - Charger [9]

Storm Lances (max) [20]

Anastasia di Bray [3]

Ragman [4]

Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord [4]

Hutchuck, Ogrun Bounty Hunter [6]

Pre Battle deployment and thoughts

We were playing the scenario, The Pit. I'm not sure if u can call this scenario alive or not. Anyways I feel that I got dealt the better cards in assassination, but for sure the worst hand for scenario game. Also, I'm sure my opponent is just going to bunker up, and score every turn on his own flag. And threaten to clear the zone as soon as he can.

Rahn wins the roll, and wants to go first. My opponent picks a side, then changes his mind and picks the opposite side.

Round 1 

Retribution runs up, ending uo close to starting position. Don't change a winning strategy, and to be perfectly honest, Im a bit unsure how to protect my mages with a different setup than this one. There is two walls close to each other on the left side, so I decided that my mages are safe, shooting at defence nineteen, even regarding my opponents hot dice. More on that later on! Also Helios can't go anywhere else, I need him in the zone, with the two walls so close to each other. There is only one position that he can stand at. The plan is to place my Helios up in my opponent's face, and just tell him to deal with it.

My opponent does as I thought, he bunkers up like the zombie apocalypse is here. Leaving a whooping one model that I can target! His positioning is causing anxiety, if he keeps this game going the same way. It will end up with me losing on scenario. His plan should be just running a few models in to contest my flag. And keep scoring on his.

Nothing dies.

Round 2

How to crack this nut? Feeling safe, I place my two arcanists outside of shooting range. Lanyssa is placed a bit aggressive, so that she can threaten my opponents flag next turn. Still feeling safe with defence seventeen. Helios barely in the zone, anticipating my opponent willingness to move forward. Both Chimeras standing on three focus, one on a hill, the second one in rubble. Outside of charge range for the cavalry, all but one. Not fearing one cavalry I switch over to opponent. 

My opponent smiles, and tell me he is putting in his ambushing modells. To my horror I had totally forgotten ambushe!

Hutchuck charges in to kill my Arcanist. Just standing outside of contest range. Anastasia charges in, and takes care of Lanyssa. All but three trenchers walk up and cloud up. The remaining three combine to take a shot. The Grenadier fires three shots into Helios. The charger walks around the forest, and shoots a long shot at my defence seventeen Chimera. Rolling seventeen on the dice, and puts a ridiculous thirteen damage points on it.

1 - 1 control points.

Round 3

First and badly damaged Chimera apparitions up, making sure he is in telekinesis range on the Charger. Rahn telekinesis the charger and A, facing her away from the rest of my army. Just so that she cant charger in, and has to run. Rahn chain blasts a lancer to death. Sphinx nummber two, the furthers to the right. Walks up to shoot a Lancer, nothing happenes. The mages pull the Charger down, putting a good amount of damage on it. Helios pulls it in and kills it.

My opponent thinks a bit, then decides to feat. I'm not sure why he chose to do so, I still believe that he was in the lead. Tho apparently down on attrition, but still damage dealt out to Helios and my Chimera. Old Haley, moves up and shoots my left Chimera, down to eight boxes. Rolling hot, mini Haley Chain Blasts Helios twice. And man did his dice roll on the chart. Holy spack! This model alone took one side of Helios. The rest of his army shoots Helios. A lancer runs up to contest my flag.

2 - 1 control points to Cygnar.

Round 4

I'm having a meltdown, this is turning into a mentally disturbing game. I take a few seconds to breathe, and look at the map again. Looking at it again, this might still work. I have a opportunity to kill Old Haley, and most likely most of the Lances. I can survive another control point for Haley.

The Magister slams the closest Lancer into the Lancer in the back. Killing the first one. Rahn hands out a few focus. And telekinesis future Halye. The right Sphinx kills two lancers. The left Chimera runs up to contest the opponent flag. 

2 - 2 control points.

My opponents fuels up Thorn, he wants to finish Helios. So he spent most of his army trying to get rid of it. But between 2d6 repairs a turn, and his high defence, this guy is still standing. I guess the dice gods cooled the dice, Jr. Warcaster plus Ironclad could not finish of the badly damaged Chimera.

As the last model activated, my opponent sees the trick. He is not going to get close enough to Helios. He will at best get 1 attack onto Helios, and that at the cost of me getting a control point. Instead Thorn runs up to contest my flag.

Round 5

For the first time Haley is left out in the open. I could clear out my zone, and contest his. But the assassination is just too obvious. I clear up the Chimera, that appritioned closer to her, standing in melee. Telekinesis the Grenadier and the Chimera, then Haley. Mages pulls her down, the mage damage is enough to do the job!

2 - 3 control points.

Retribution wins!

Evaluation

Cloud wall is a huge problem, even worse than stealth. I can't get around it, and terrain really hurts me. There isn't much to test, perhaps with a lot of practice, I might get around it. Also it shows that Rahn needs to be patient. As long as you can keep an arc node alive, and all your mages, you have game! Looking at this game tho, I should have lost. My opponent could just bunker up, and make sure I do not score in my turn. Instead he list focus, and let me get a angle.

Battle Report # 2 Rahn 1 vs Thagrosh 1

Exordium

New day, new game. I have had a few good games with Rahn the last few days. And shooting for a new win today with Rahn. I found myself on the otherside of the table to Legion. I have played against today's opponent earlier. I know his list, and know what it's capable of. I personally believe this to be the strongest list i have faced off against Legion.

Lists

Retribution Army - 75 / 75 points

(Rahn 1) Adeptis Rahn [+26]

 - Chimera [8]

 - Chimera [8]

 - Sphinx [13]

 - Sphinx [13]

 - Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker [4]

 - Helios [34]

Arcanist Mechanik [2]

Arcanist Mechanik [2]

Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress [3]

House Shyeel Battle Mages [10]

House Shyeel Magister [4]

Opponent

Legion Army - 74 / 75 points

(Thagrosh 1) Thagrosh, Prophet of Everblight [+28]

 - Carnivean [19]

 - Typhon [24]

 - Raek [8]

 - Raek [8]

 - Raek [8]

 - Raek [8]

 - Seraph [14]

Swamp Gobber Chef [1]

Hellmouth [6]

Swamp Gobbers Bellows Crew [2]

The Forsaken [4]

Pre Battle deployment and thoughts

We were playing the scenario, Outlast. Rahn won the dice roll, and opted to go first. Thagrosh carefully picked the side that gives Rahn the least amount of terrain to hide behind. I had a few ideas I wanted to test out during this game, first and foremost, I want to see how much of threat Rahn can push out first turn. Secondly I would like to see how this list works against a high damage output list. Especially against high defence models.

Map

Deployment

Round 1

The game plan is to pressure Tagrosh for scenario, the pressure should be dealt in assassination threat.Keeping my Chrimeras in position to walk or run in, to telekenisis and slam him, for the drag to win, like Rahn always does. 
I run up, positioning ,models close to what it looked like in deployment. Except I, like the previous game, place my mages behind Helios. It feels like they threat more, while in the middel. I make sure my models are positioned out of spray ranges, so that I can get another turn of positioning before I have to commit to melee.

As expected before game start, Raeks would be a menace this game. Legion runs up  and places one Raek in the left zone, two in the middel, and the last one in the right zone. The H is placed in the right zone, and runs up in position to jam my army with the tentacles. Carnivien and Typhon run up, in position to bouth contest, and spray my back line. Thagrosh moves up, feeling safe, Casting Fog of War, camping 3 fury.

We stop the timer her, Thagrosh is in very easy assassination range as he is standing. So we agree that Legion moves Thagrosh behind the wall. Most players cannot comprehend the insane assasionation threat Rahn has.

Round 2

I really don't want to handle four Raeks jumping into my ranks. I opt to move one of my Chimeras into telekinesis range of the furthermost to the left Raek. The plan is to telekinesis him in place right in front of the second Raek. Then slam the first one onto the second Raek. Knocking them bouth down. So that Helois can take care of them. And giving me the left side on the table. 

My dice fail me badly...... 

Four dice to roll seven should be without doubt possible, even a given event. After missing the third time, Rahn had done exactly nothing. Lanyssa with her vendetta, managed to miss on a Tentacle. This is normally where i begin to lose it. Insted i counted to ten. And used my Chimera to headbut his Raek, using the mages to kill it. I killed a few tentacles, and shuffled abit around. Feeling a loss was about to unfold in my hands.


The Legion player made a huge mistake this turn, it cost him the game. Reeks were moved up to jam. Tentacles ran up to jam. Typhon charged in and killed the Chimera in the left zone. Thagrosh sees the opportunity to score three control points here, in all his excitement he forgot to feat back the one killed Raek. I believe that, if he had feated it back. I would have been jammed so hard down that I would not find and opening.

Lanyssa was killed, so was the Magister. A few points og damage was dealt out, nothing important.

Legion scores three control points.

Thagrosh is standing on the base toeing the zone.


Round 3

I'm too far behind, I can't get back on control points. And the one beast I have killed will be feated back next turn. Cant play the attrition game anymore, nor is scenario on the table. The Airwolf theme song keep running in re-run in my head. It's assassination time.
My first plan is to clear around my last Chimera. But after failing to kill a Raek with my right Sphinx. I gave up that plan. The second Sphinx clears around Helios on the left side. Clearing a pathway for the man himself. Rahn walks up and telekinesis Thagrosh, and placed him in front of the Hellmaw. Then slams him into the Hellmaw! 

I cannot but feel the irony here, The overpowered unit, Hellmouth giveth, Hellmouth taketh!

Thagrosh is dragged all the way down to Helios, and is killed!

Retribution wins!!

Evaluation

This game was hard, it doesn't give me many options in attrition. I need targets that I can pull in and kill before we engage in the middle. With four stealth models in front, I'm trading for a loss. I guess I could have played my round two better, and given my opponent less options. Therefore I'm still not sure if Rahn is on the down side or not. Also Rahn has a safety, I WIN, button with his feat. Need more practice against Legion, and stealth in particular.