Hordes Battle Report - Trollbloods vs. Skorne - 35 pts

Here's a new battle report featuring Jamar's Skorne taking on my Trollbloods. Jamar's List:

• EMorghoul
• Titan Cannoneer
• Cyclops Savage
• Cyclops Brute
• Basilisk Drake x 2
• Basilisk Krea
• Max. Nihilators
• Min. Beast Handlers

My List:

• EMadrak
• Bomber
• Impaler
• Max. Fennblades + UA
• Max. Burrowers
• Min. Kreil Stone + Ua
• Fell Caller
• Runebearer

Deployment: Jamar won the roll off and opted to go first. From top to bottom he deployed: Nihilators, Morghoul, Drake, Beast Handlers, Brute, Cannoneer, Krea, Savage and the other Drake. From top to bottom I deployed: Runebearer, Bomber, Impaler, Kriel Stone Bearers, Madrak, Fennblades, Fell Caller and Burrowers AD'd.

The scenario we played this game was Close Quarters, in which a player scores control points for controlling the 8" diameter zone close to their opponents board edge and the first player to 3 points wins. The killbox rule was also in effect for the scenario. The larger rocky area centered in the bottom of the pic is a hill.

Skorne turn 1: First off Morghoul used his Apparition ability to place himself 2" forward during the maintenance phase. The Nihilators ran forward and spread out to avoid nasty bomb deviations and all the beasts ran foward. Morghoul advanced and cast Silence of Death on the Nihilators, giving their melee weapons Greivous Wounds (models hit by them can't heal/be healed, can't transfer damage and lose tough) and shed two fury. Lastly the Beast Handlers advanced and removed the fury from the Cannoneer and the central Drake.

Trollbloods turn 1: Madrak went first, put all 5 fury on the Kriel Stone and advanced. The Fennblades ran forward, with one taking point, and the Runebearer ran behind the nearby wall. The Impaler gave the Bomber Farstrike (+4" to ranged attacks) and advanced around it on the right while the Bomber, clearly not in range of anything, moved up and chucked a couple bombs, targeting Morghoul. The first bomb deviated back to hit nothing, but the second drifted 6" to the 2, hitting and killing two Nihilators with boosted blast damage. The KSB spent a fury to activate its Protective Aura ability (grants +2 ARM to models within a radius of inches equal to the amount of fury on it +4"), which courtesy of the UA also granted +1 STR. Figuring he would  feat next turn (and only having one Fell Caller) I wanted to have at least one intact, effective threat for the following turn so rather than burrowing, the Burrowers ran forward a bit with the intent of burrowing the following round. Lastly, the Fell Caller ran between the Fennblades and Burrowers.

A Skorne perspective.

A Trollblood perspective.

Skorne turn 2: As per last turn EMorghoul Apparitioned up 2" and he upkept Silence of Death on the Nihilators. The Nihilators ran forward and the Cannoneer fired a boosted shot at the leader of the Burrowers and missed, but only deviated 1" and killed him, then used it's animus Diminish (enemy models within 2" suffer -2 STR). The first Drake advanced onto the hill, sprayed and killed a Burrower. The other one attempted the same, but was just out of range. Morghoul advanced so that everything was in his CTRL area, cast the Brutes animus, Safeguard, on himself (can't be knocked down) and used his feat (friendly faction models gain +2 DEF and can advance 2" when missed by a ranged attack), sitting on 2 fury. The Krea then advanced and use her animus, Paralytic Aura (within 2" of it enemy models suffer -2 DEF and friendly models get +2 DEF and ARM from ranged attacks) and the Savage and Brute ran into the zone. The Beast Handlers then advanced and removed all fury from the rearmost Drake and the Cannoneer. 

Trollbloods turn 2: Jamar wisely didn't take the bait of the vulnerable, lead Fennblade so no Vengence movement this turn. To start off the Burrowers burrowed and the Impaler aimed and threw a boosted spear at the nearest Nihilator, killing it. The Bomber advanced and threw two bombs, targeting a Beast Handler in the back. They were well out of range (allowing the Beast Handler to advance via the feat), each one deviating to hit one Nilihlator a piece, one of which made his tough check. The Fell Caller moved laterally just into the forest and used War Cry (target warrior model/unit get +2 to melee attack rolls) on the Fennblades. The Kriel Stone used the same Auras and ran up around Madrak. Madrak stayed put, threw his axe at the knocked down Nihilator, killing it, gained an extraneous fury, put 2 fury on the KSB and shed all but 1. Next the Fennblades used their mini-feat of No Quarter (they gain +2 movement when charging, Pathfinder, Terror and Fearless for one round) and received the charge order, one charging the Drake on the hill and missing and six charging various Nihilators (a couple doubling up) and killing 3, with one making a tough check. Lastly, the Runebearer ran behind the wall.

Skorne turn 3: Jamar forgot to Apparition Morghoul this turn and upkept Silence of Death. The Nihilators went first, the leader moving up a bit and the other one sacrificing his movement to stand and swing, but both rolled horribly and missed. The Brute walked up and killed the Fennblade engaging the forward Drake, then the Drake moved up to spray, covering three Fennblades and a Nihilator. It hit and killed two Fennblades, missing the third as well as the Nihilator (it's standing on some folded felt to keep it steady on the hill). The Beast Handlers charged a couple Fennblades, one hit and killed and the other missed. The Savage advanced and killed the Fennblade the Beast Handler just missed and the other Drake advanced and sprayed, killing two more Fennblades. The Krea advanced and shot the Fennblade Officer with its Spiritual Paralysis ranged attack, lowering his DEF to 7, then the Cannoneer shot him with its cannon, killing him and doing enough to kill the Kriel Stone Bearer behind him, though one of the Stone Scribes died in his place via Self-Sacrifice (if he's disabled by an enemy attack some one else in the unit within 3" can die in his place). Morghoul then moved into the zone, cast Safeguard on himself and camped 2 fury.

Trollbloods turn 3: First the four remaining Fennblades used their Vengence move, but whiffed their attacks, then the Burrowers popped up around Morghoul, the Drakes and the Brute as seen here.

The Fell Caller activated next, advanced, gave the Burrowers War Cry and sprayed, targeting the Nihilator by the rock (killing it), hit the Krea (doing 4 damage) and missed the Savage. The Runebearer advanced and used his once-per-game ability Power Glyphs to cast Blood Fury (target warrior model/unit rolls an additional die on melee damage rolls and suffers -2 DEF) on the Burrowers. The Bomber moved up and threw two boosted bombs at the Cannoneer, boosting the attack roll and hitting with both. Only one damage roll could be boosted, but the Titan still took a healthy amount of damage (more than a third of its total health, but less than half) and the Krea took 4 damage from the blasts. The Impaler advanced into my zone and gave Madrak Farstrike and threw an unboosted spear at the closest Beast Handler, killing it. The Burrowers maneuvered slightly, with two moving to attack the Cannoneer and brought it down to 3 health. A couple swung at the Drake on the hill (and are closer than they appear, as they can't stand on it well), doing a bit of damage, as well as some to the Krea, the Brute and the other Drake. One even rolled an 11 to hit Morghoul with a hand weapon for 11 damage, which he opted to take rather than transfer, as he was concerned about being further attacked this turn, and thus hung onto his 2 fury. The Fennblades received the charge order, two charging the Cannoneer (killing it) and one running up to engage the elevated Drake and Brute, with the drummer running behind. The KSB moved up, using the same Auras and made a nice semi-circle for Madrak to move into. Madrak then moved up, threw a boosted axe at the Savage in cover, needing 11's and missed. He then cast Blood Fury on the remaining Fennblades and used his feat (friendly faction models can make either an additional ranged attack or a melee attack against all enemy models in their melee range) and threw another boosted axe at the Savage, but missed again, sitting on 1 fury. The Bomber threw at the Beast Handlers. but missed and deviated to no where and the Fell Caller sprayed the Drake on the hill, but also missed. The Fennblades hit with all, but one of their feat-induced attacks, killing the Drake in his zone and the Krea, with one actually hitting Morghoul for 13 damage, which he transferred to the already damaged Brute. The Burrowers then attacked again, two shooting the Savage for a few points of damage, others doing a bit more damage here and there and one miraculously hitting Morghoul again. He was only POW 9 and not effectively a weapon master at this point, but Morghul was only ARM 13 and had 4 health left and the Burrower did 4 damage, so he transferred it to the Brute (who only had 1 health left at this point), killing it and leaving himself with 1 health remaining.

Skorne turn 4: Morghoul started off by Apparitioning laterally to engage the Burrower with the red cap, the Burrower leader and a Fennblade. The Savage advanced and attacked the Kriel Stone unit, killing a Scribe, then attacking the actual KSB, forcing me to Self-Sacrifice the other Scribe and the Elder to keep him alive. The Savage filled up on fury to make one last attack on the KSB, who had no one left to die in his place, but he ended up making the tough roll. The Savage did this not only to destroy my army, but because Jamar plans to assassinate my warlock this turn and Madrak has an ability called Grim Salvation, which makes it so that whenever a melee or ranged attack damages Madrak, I must remove a friendly Trollkin model within 1" of him from play. Thus when he's surrounded by friendly Trollkin models he's much harder to kill, as was my intention. The Beast Handlers advanced and attacked the two Fennblades blocking Morghouls charge lane to Madrak, one dying and one toughing it out. Morghoul then cast Flashing Blade (immediately makes a melee attack against each enemy model in melee range), killing the formerly tough Fennblade (the rest passed their CMD check) and one Burrower, with the other Burrower making his tough check. This was a problem for Jamar, as if either the KSB or the Pyg had not been tough, Morghoul would definitely have a clear charge lane to Madrak. The only sure way within his means to create a clear lane was to kill the Pyg before him, so he cast Flashing Blade again, hit and damaged the Pyg, but it made it's tough roll yet again. Jamar realized at this point that he couldn't afford to spend any more fury to ensure a charge lane and just went for it. He charged, but in order to avoid the tough Burrower and the Savage completely during his charge he ended up bumping into the KSB and just out of melee range of Madrak. Lastly, the remaining Drake, with its Mind and Spirit crippled, swung ineffectually.

A close up minus the KSB.

Trollbloods turn 4: During their Vengence move the Fennblades still had Blood Fury and the one that could still attack about-faced and finished off the severely damaged Drake. Madrak took the 2 fury from the Impaler and 2 of the 4 from the Bomber, but the Bomber still frenzied on the nearby Beast Handler, missing the boosted hit and removing the excess fury. Madrak didn't upkeep Blood Fury. First, the Fell Caller gave Madrak War Cry, then ran around to stand just a tiny distance from Morghoul. The Impaler then slammed the Fell Caller though the gap between Madrak and the Savage. The distance rolled was 3", but he went less than 2" before colliding with the KSB, ending where Morghol previously stood and displacing him a bit. All three were of course knocked down, the Fell Caller taking 6 damage, the KSB making it's tough roll again and Morghoul taking a POW 9 collateral damage roll. He was ARM 13 with 1 health remaining and no beasts he could transfer to and the damage roll came up 2 and 3, doing the 1 point needed to kill him.

Aftermath: Though it seemed I had things in the bag, Jamar came close to sealing the deal. He admitted that he had a bit of a brain fart when it came to the assassination attempt. Even though he remembered that the Nihilators with Silence of Death ignored tough, when it came to Morghoul wanting to take out Madrak, he was focusing only on the "no transfers" part of it. He said in hindsight he should have cast it first to ensure that those in his way died and then charged Madrak. After charging in, but before attacking he'd have cast Flashing Blade to kill the KSB (to remove not only the Grim Salvation target, but also the +2 ARM for Madrak) and then made his charge attack and consecutive attacks on Madrak. I figured Jamar would use his feat turn two, which was why I opted to not burrow the Burrowers turn one. Since I had just a single Fell Caller in this list I wanted to have one turn where most of my stuff would have a decent chance to hit and if I made the push when his whole army was DEF 14-15, it wouldn't have. Though I never plan around tough checks, I was a bit disappointed that none of the 8 Fennblades Jamar killed on turn three made any, though to be fair the few late game tough checks I did make may well have saved me. I was also a bit lucky on the Bomber drifting a bomb 6" towards his stuff on the bottom of turn one, as well as a couple chumps with Blood Fury actually rolling the 11's needed to hit Morghoul, but that's dice for you. Jamar said he was expecting me to play EMadrak and figured (correctly) I'd have a bunch of infantry, which was why he brought the Drakes, though in hindsight he regretted the choice of the Cannoneer. The next report in the works is going to be Beau's Gators versus Mark's Skone, so stay tuned.