WM vs Hordes Battle Report - Cygnar vs. Trollbloods - 35 pts
The following is from a recent league game between my Trollbloods and Beau's Cygnar. Apologies in advance for the suboptimal pics. Beau's List:
- PStryker
- Ol' Rowdy
- Stromclad
- Full League Storm Guard
- Full Horgenhold Forge Guard + Murdoch (the Cygnar ranking officer)
- Journeyman Warcaster
- Ragman
My List:
- EHoarluk (though using the PHoarluk model, as I prefer it)
- Earthborn
- Mauler
- Axer
- Scouts
- Full Burrowers
- Janissa
- Whelps
Deplyoment: He won the roll off and deployed first, choosing Fallback Plan, the strategem granting Bushwhack to a model/unit once per round. I chose Feinting Gambit which grantss +2 MAT and -2 DEF to a model/unit for a round once per game. I started with all Whelps on the table.
Cygnar turn 1: He cast Arcane Shield on both units, Snipe on the Stromclad and ran everything else, the Ragman falling in behind the Storm Guard.
Trollbloods turn 1: The Scouts ran up my right flank, the Burrowers burrowed and the Mauler and Earthborn both ran up. EHoarluk advanced, casting Transmute (the Earthborns animus) on himself and Refuge on the Earthborn and Janissa placed a wall.
A Cygnar perspective.
Cygnar turn 2: He upkept all spells. The Ragman attempted to Bone Shaker a Scout, but missed. The Stormclad shot a Scout and thus another one was hit by the lightning arc, but both made their tough rolls (the ones with the blue markers). The Journeyman ran behind the barrel by the house and the Storm Guard ran up in a somewhat trample-resistant formation, followed by the Forge Guard. Ol' Rowdy and Stryker advanced, Stryker using his feat, making the Storm Guard ARM 25 and the Forge Guard ARM 26.
Trollbloods turn 2: Hoarluk upkept Refuge on the Earthborn. Two Scouts assaulted the Ragman, taking him out. The Mauler advanced and cast Rage on the Earthborn, who then moves up to kill the three base-to-base Storm Guard (after copying their POW + Rage it is a p+s 21) and Refuges back. Hoarluk activates, casts Transmute on himself and casts Rage and Refuge on the Axer, who, by way of boosting damage, kills the other two forward SG and Refuges back. Realizing the Burrowers can't even scratch his crazy ARM, they back off to regroup when they can do something, with one of them running in front of the Mauler to force my opponent to deal with it first (a Whelp does the same). Janissa then places another wall.
Cygnar turn 3: Stryker upkeeps nothing, but Jr. upkeeps AS on the Forge Guard. Ol' Rowdy and Stryker advance, Stryker casting Arcane Shield on the Stormclad and shooting a Scout. The Forge Guard advance, with Murdoch shooting a second Scout dead and Jr. capping a third, forcing a command check, which they fail. The Stormclad tries to clear a path to the Mauler by shooting and killing the Whelp in front of it. The lightning arc hits the Burrower, but it made it's tough roll, so only two Storm Guard were able to charge it (doing decent damage), with a third failing a charge on the Axer and the remaining two finishing off the KD'd Burrower. Light bounces did a couple damage to the Axer.
Trollbloods turn 3: The Axer ate Whlep to manage fury, Hoarluk upkept Refuge on it and the Scouts rallied. Said Axer advanced and Threshered four of the five Storm Guard (now at normal ARM) and Refuged back. The Mauler healed some damage by snacking on the Storm Guard that was in his face, Goadimg back so as not to get rushed by the Forge Guard and regenerated a bit more damage. Hoarluk cast Transmute on himself (as usual), as well as Rage and Refuge on the Earthborn. The Earthborn was then able to walk up to the Stormclad (with p+s 22 fists) and wreck it before Refuging back into the woods. Lastly, Janissa made yet another wall.
Cygnar turn 4: Jr. upkept AS on the Forge Guard. Ol' Rowdy ran forward, as did Stryker who camped his focus. The dwarves then ran forward/protectively around Stryker. Jr. tries to shoot a Scout and misses.
Trollbloods turn 4: Nothing was upkept and the Earthborn ate a Whelp to manage fury. Even though the Burrowers had +2 MAT from the strategem this turn, they popped up and swung/shot very ineffectually at the Forge Guard, killing only one. The Scouts assaulted, 2 on the Forge Guard (killing one) and one on the Journeyman (doing two points). Janissa was able to move up and have Ol' Rowdy within 3" to Tectonic Shift him to my right, revealing Stryker. Hoarluk cast Rage and Wild Aggression on the Earthborn and feated, allowing the Earthborn to walk 10" over to Stryker and kill him in two swings.
A Trollblood perspective.
Aftermath: Going into it I was worried about how to deal with his feat turn along side two castings of Arcane Shield, but fortunately for me he feated before we got fully stuck in and I was able to hang back a bit and avoid more retaliation that I would have otherwise. I definitely felt that Refuge (though techinically EHoarluk) was the MVP of this game, as it allowed the Earthborn to stick and move safely and still take care of business.