Warmachine Battle Report - Menoth vs. Cygnar - 35 pts

This one is from just last night, with Owen's Cygnar taking on John Johnson's Menoth in a 35 point battle.

John's list:

• EKreoss
• Reckoner
• Castigator
• Dervish
• Knights Exemplar
• Knights Exemplar
• Min. Choir
• Exemplar Seneshal
• Vilmon
• Paladin

Owen's list:

• ENemo
• Stormclad
• Centurion
• Thorn
• Charger
• Stormblades + UA
• Journeyman Warcaster
• Squire
• Storm Smith x 3
• The Piper of Ord

Deployment: Owen (Cygnar) won the roll and opted to deploy/go first. In order from top to bottom (in the pic) was, Charger, Storm Smith, Piper, Stormblades, Centurion, Journeyman, Nemo, Squire, Storm Smith #2, Thorn, Strom Smith #3.

For John top to bottom was Knights unit 1 (sand bases), Kreoss, Paladin, Vilmon, Castigator, Knights unit 2 (rock bases), Seneshal, Dervish, Reckoner, with Choir in the central rear.

Cygnar turn 1: Nemo cast Energizer for 3, moving his battlegroup up 3" and cast Fail Safe on the Centurion. The jacks, Stormblades and Storm Smiths (one going right towards the forest, and one going left around the ruins) all ran, with the Journeyman and the Piper putting Arcane Shield and Heroic Call on the Storm Blades, respectively.

Menoth turn 1: Kreoss cast Involiable Resolve on the Castigator and Sacrosanct on the central Knights Exemplar and the two Knight units ran up. The Castigator advanced, with Vilmon and the Paladin moving in front of it and using Impervious Wall. The Reckoner and Dervish advanced, the Reckoner shooting the central Storm Smith (formerly in front of Thorn). The Seneshal advanced behind the central Knight unit and the Choir did Safe Passage (can't be targeted by ranged attacks) on the jacks.

Here's a Cygnar perspective.

A Menoth perspective.

Cygnar turn 2: Nemo upkept Fail Safe on the Centurion and Jr. upkept Arcane Shield on the Stormblades. Nemo cast Energizer for 3, Thorn and the Centurion advanced (the Centurion activating it's Polarity Field so as not to be charged) and the Storm Smith up by the woods ran. Full of focus, the Stormclad advanced into the Knights by the forest and killed four of them between a fist hit, two sword hits, two sword misses and a lightning bounce. The Charger and Jr. each shot a Knight in the central unit and the Stormblades assaulted them, killing two more.. The Piper, again, did Heroic Call on the Knights and the Storm Smith by the ruins (cut off in the pic) did a Storm Call on the Reckoner, disrupting it.

Menoth turn 2: Kreoss upkept Involiable Resolve on the Castigator, but not Sacrosanct. He then adjusted his position slightly and did his feat. The two Knights Exemplar that survived the Stormclads attack charged it and, the now p+s 15 weapon masters, scrapped it. The two remaining Knights from the central unit charged the Stormblades, killing 4. The Choir did Battle Hymn on the jacks and the Dervish charged a Stormblade, who passed his tough roll, but was killed by the second attack. The Dervish then sidestepped behind the Centurion, but the rest of his attacks did minimal damage. The disrupted Reckoner walked up and hit the Centurion a couple times for a bit more damage. The Paladin charged Stormblade, but he made both his tough rolls, though this knocked him down so that Vilmon was able to charge past him without being free struck and scrapped the Charger. Lastly, the Seneshal charged the knocked down Stormblade and finished him.

Cygnar turn 3: Nemo upkept nothing and Jr. upkept AS on the last couple Stormblades. Nemo advanced, and (through Thorn, allowing it to move 3" from Reaction Drive) cast Polarity Shield on Thorn, cast Lightning Shroud on the Centurion and used his feat. He then attempted to shoot the engaged Dervish in the back, but missed and hit the Centurion, tethering it and the three surrounding jacks to that area. The Centurion scrapped the Reckoner and Thorn moved infront of the Centurion. The remaining Stormblades killed the last two Knightsfrom the central unit (with rock bases). The Storm Smith by the forest ran around in hopes that he could do a Surge with the other Storm Smith, but they ended up more than 20" apart and thus could not. Jr shot at Vilmon with a boosted hand cannon shot, but missed and the Piper did Heroic Call again and charged Vilmon and missed as well.

Menoth turn 3: Kreoss upkept Inviolable Resolve on the Castigator and gave it three focus. Vilmon hit the Piper, who made his tough roll, but failed it when charged by the two remaining Knights. The Dervish combo struck the Centurion in the back, but only did a few damage. The Paladin turned around to kill the Stormblade Officer behind him, making room for the Seneshal to charge and kill the last Stormblade. The Choir advanced and sung Battle Hymn on the Castigator, who then charged and scrapped the Centurion. Lastly, Kreoss cast Chasten at the nearby Storm Smith, killing him.

Cygnar turn 4: Nemo upkept nothing. The Storm Smith Called Lightning on the Dervish, rolling box cars for damage and Nemo charged it and finished it off. Thorn interposed itself between Nemo and the Castigator and attacked the heavy, doing one point of cortex damage from the shock shield.  The Squire ran infront of Nemo. Finally, Jr moved away from the Menite weapon masters, missed a shot on the Seneshal and cast Arcane Shield on Nemo.

Menoth turn 4: Kreoss upkept Inviolable Resolve on the Castigator. The Choir used Battle Hymn on the Castigator, who then moved a couple iches towards Nemo and Combusted, destroying then Squire, doing some damage to Thorn, but no damage to Nemo (plus setting them on fire, of course). The Seneshal charged Thorn, hitting with all attacks and slamming it into the wall, but still doing minimal damage. The Paladin charged and took out Thorn's cortex. The last two Knights Exemplar ran and Vilmon advanced and used Impervious Wall. Lastly, Kreoss shuffled up slightly.

Cygnar turn 5: Fire wnet out on Nemo and did no damage to Thorn. Jr upkept AS on Nemo and charged Vilmon, but missed. Nemo then walked over and killed Vilmon and both Knights, sitting on a couple focus to be ARM 21. The Storm Smith Called Lightning on the Castigator and Thorn very ineffectually attacked the Paladin.

Menoth turn 5: Kreoss upket Inviolable Resolve and hid more near the woods. The Seneshal, now p+s 13, again hit Thorn with all attacks, finishing it off . The Choir did Battle Hymn again on the disrupted Castigator, who walked over to Nemo hit him once for 8 damage (lighting him on fire) and missed with his second attack. The Paladin walked over to attack Nemo, doing only 2 damage.

Cygnar turn 6: Fire on Nemo didn't go out this time, bringing him down to one health. Jr upkept AS on Nemo and then charged and killed the Paladin. The Storm Smith died to a freestrike from a Choir boy and Nemo used all his focus to beat on the Castigator, but even with powerful attack did very little damage.

Menoth turn 6: Choir Battle Hymned the Catigator, who proceeded to squash Nemo.

Aftermath: While both armies were pretty well matched in terms of being hard-hitting, John's great rolls probably swung things a bit in his favor. Conversely, Owen's dice could've been kinder, but either way it's tough to handle that much Menite beatdown. In the words of John, "You can't go wrong with epic Kreoss and weapon masters."