The Matrix

Sunday was the 25pt Tournament at The Hobby Matrix. I took Kara Sloan and Major Haley, and came third from the bottom in a 15player slugfest.




First game was against Jason Ly and his Cryx. We were both a bit nervous despite the simple scenario of Close Quarters and casual time limits - Jason having gone 0-3 last time he competed, and me on my first competitive outing with Haley2. I chose the list based on the scenario and the fact my opponent would have 'jacks to screw with via the delicious spells.

Army Name: 25 Haley2: The Sequelinator
Cygnar
25+5 points, 17 models

Major Victoria Haley +5 points
* Ironclad 7 points
* Thorn 8 points
* Squire 2 points

Archduke Alain Runewood 3 points
10 Precursor Knights 8 points
* Precursor Knight Officer & Standard 2 points

The Ironclad was Haleys bond, while she was Nightmares prey, but it ended up being Deneghra1 that got me. I forgot the bond I had on my Ironclad gave me +2" movement, and further left Haley too close. I'd brought her forward to TK the Ironclad closer to Denny, who herself had been TK'd through Thorn to present her backside to the charging Ironclad. I failed the Charge at 9" on an 8.5" threat range, remembering later thanks to the bond it should have been 10.5" and a success with 3 focus to mash tge evil tein with - c'est la vie!




Round two started after lunch, during which hungover Scottsman Kris fought valiantly with not one, not two, but three wasps before failing his command and retreating. This time I matched up against Kristian Zi... Ze.. Kristian Z. I won't past me list again as I did last post, but I ended losing on scenario after fluffing the assassination roll on feat turn with two 1's and a 2, and forgetting that I could have prolonged the game by blowing up his objective and stopping him scoring in Scenario #5: Supply & Demand.

I'd also spent the game thinking Lylyth1 had Stealth. Forcing me to keep Kara back to aim and ignore it and failing to fet CP's. Uhhh, what's that I always say about reading your opponents cards again?




Round 3 was my only win of the day against circle player Mark, who thankfully didn't flip the table when my Charger came on as reinforcements and toasted him. Sure, the StormSmith had rolled a POW18 hit on Kaya after Haley2 TK'd the warlock to present her butt to my army, and a Time Bomb had dropped her def by a further 2 to ensure the 4 point reinforcer of choice flanked his way on, but it still felt very rough to catch her on but two fury and get the dual-cannon's shots on her after they'd been used to transfer. Twas a dirty, dirty kill, and not one I'm particularly proud of.



Last round was against Tim's Retribution and Garryth. He split his forces in the Bunkers scenario early, which I'd again chosen Haley2 for. I kept mine center and right, my Ironclad, Thorn, and the reinforcement Charger decimating a squad of Halberdiers while Haley Time Bomb'd the daylights out of Invictors and Ghost Snipers, but my Precursors just couldn't clear the Chimera after the fire they'd taken, and my opponents reinforcements took two CP to win the match without him even realising.

I'd have had two CP myself If the Ironclad hadn't fluffed two hit rolls on the Phoenix in the zone I was attacking, or if I'd thought to throw it out rather than just attack it - again a heavy screnario learning experience for me.




Making up for missing Masters due to running it in January, February is continuing to prove it's not actually out to get me with not only an awesome league but ANOTHER TOURNAMENT! In two weeks time, after a bit of regrouping, pep talk, and some fresh coal & whiskey, Kara and Victoria will hit the ground again with 35pt armies in Do You Know What Nemesis Means?, the next tournament at Infinity Games. My latest young apprentice, The Boldcock, is running this one on the 26th of February giving me a second shot at spectacular failure.

Will upgrading to a Stormclad and adding some Stormblades and Arlan help Haley? Can Kara run a third heavy with just 10 more points, or should I go for a bigger Trencher screen? Is Nics mum really going to show up with a special yet dubious 'award' for the man who Warmachines the hardest?

Only time will tell!

Location:Frome Rd,Adelaide,Australia

Gnarly, league!

Tuesday night this week kicked off our first night of War Torn Alliances: Gnarls at Infinity Games. Near a dozen players were in by the tome I left at 7:30 last night, with several Cygnarans, a Trollkin, at least two Khadorans, a Menite, Cryxian, and some others I can't recall. I got four games in, only winning one, but as always had a rockin' time.




First up was Kris, fielding Gunnbjorn, and a scenario I mcan't recall the name of. Two 12" zones were on the table with a Fuel Cache Objective marker in each, control your own objective while contesting the enemy zone to score a point. Naturally, after ranting over and over to play the scenario to people lately I didn't, and Haley2's forces forgot to contest a zone, letting Gunny claim a map point in the Kriels.

On the same team as the Trollkin, Khador stepped up next and I got to face The Boldock with his Irusk2 list in a scenario with a drifting cloud that kept throwing things (including the Behemoth!). I must say it's nice to see him expand from Iron Fleshed Kayazy and the Winterguard Deathstar - he's now taking Aiyanna and Holt with themto cap Trenchers left right and centre, and Saxon Orrick to let those Kayazy charge over that pesky wall and one shot people like Kara Sloan with rolls of 6,6,6,5. Another point for the Kriels!




Third game was against the mostly Malifaux playing Rhys, and his Mortenebra Theme. Rhys still has a way to go in his collection, so we only played 25pts and played a simpler scenario with a large rectangle actoss the middle - perfect practice for Kara's planned outing this weekend at The Hobby Matrix's Feb 25pt Steamroller 2012. here's the list I've agonised over.

Army Name: 25 Kara Double The Fist!
Cygnar
25+6 points, 16 models

Captain Kara Sloan +6 points
* 2x Cyclone 9 points each

Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator 1 point
6 Trencher Commandos 6 points
6 Trenchers 6 points

Rhys had a good play, circling around my smoke wall with his Overrun movement proc'd by a Trencher slaying Leviathan on a Reaper, but unfortunately he misjudged the angle and the harpooned Cyclone got stuck on a Commando before it could make the Reapers melee range. The rest of Morty's feat turn was a bit wasted thanks to my forces spreading out, although I lost most of the Trencher Infantry. In my turn a Trencher Commando sliced the skull off the Deathripper that Kara had wounded in my earlier turn, leaving my latest girl to have three shots on Mortenebra between Reinholdt's reload and her feats' proc from a Cyclone, dropping Morty from a safe distance. Chalk up a map point for Point Bourne!




Game four sticki g to the same scrnario was against Mitch's Retribution, and Ravyn. I managed to get myself assassinated on turn one by Ravyn in a recent game against Bendigi PG Kerensky, so I played a very cautious match - possibly too much so. With the threat range on the Mage Hunters and only one Shield Guard model I hung back pretty far, a curse both for the scenario and the matchup. Mitch slowly whittle me down to the point I gave a ling shot a go, and when it failed Ravyn personally finished Kara off in melee.

I don't know what territory Mitch was after, but everyone went on for more games after I dashed off, including Feora2 chewing dirt in front of Ossyan, while a better swan than I scored another map point for Point Bourne. I've challenged the Cygnar league players at Hobby Matrix to fight for Kara's last known posting too, but we'll see how the dust settles on the interactive map.

I love these leagues, and was really disappointed when I had to call them off last year due to numbers. I'm hoping the guys are enjoying it as much as I am, and I'm fairly confident after the faces I was seeing last night. Switching to Journeyman style patches was a great idea, I can't wait to earn my full set and get them in my mitts!

Maybe I'll have to get a Trencher outfit to go with them...