Hordes Battle Report - Legion vs. Skorne - 35 pts

Back again with a new battle report featuring our first Legion representative, Sameer, squaring off against Jamar's Skorne. Jamar's List:

• PMorghoul
• Bronzeback Titan
• Titan Gladiator
• Cyclops Savage
• Cyclops Brute
• Min. Nihilators
• Min. Nihilators
• Max. Paingiver Beast Handlers
• Swamp Gobbers

Sameer's List:

• Saeryn
• Scythean
• Carnivean
• Shredder x 2
• Striders + UA
• Black Frost Shard
• Spell Martyr x 2

Deployment:  Jamar won the starting roll and chose to go first, deploying from top to bottom: Nihilators (the ones with bloody swords), Swamp Gobbers, Beast Handlers, Savage, Morghoul, Brute, Gladiator and the other Nihilators. From top to bottom Sameer deployed: AD'd Striders, Spell Martyr, Spell Martyr, Black Frost Shard, Shredder, Shredder, Carnivean, Saeryn and the Scythean.

The scenario for this report was Guidons, in which there are two 8" diameter zones, two objectives and while a player's warcaster/warlock is with 4" of an objective they can place it anywhere base-to-base with them. A player scores one control point if he has his objective in a zone he controls and his opponent doesn't OR two points for controlling both zones or his opponent's objective. The first to 3 points wins. Jamar recently made some colorful scenario pieces in the form of the large based rocks and 8" circles.

Skorne turn 1: Everything ran forward. Morghoul shed 4 fury and ran up behind the fence.

Legion turn 1: First off the Striders advanced and fired at the Nihilators and Swamp Gobbers, though didn't roll very well. The Cyclops Brute Shield Guarded the shot for one Nihilator and another one died, along with a Swamp Gobber. The remaining Gobber passed it's CMD check and the Striders then Reformed back 3".The Scythean ran up and Saeryn advanced, casting Tenacity (+1 DEF and ARM) on herself, Spiny Growth (+2 arm and does D3 damage to the attacker when hit in melee by a jack/beast) and Respawn (when disabled, target warbeast is placed within 3" of its current location with 1 health in each aspect) on the Scythean. The Carnivean advanced and used Spiny Growth on itself and the Shredders both ran up, as did the Spell Martyrs and the Black Frost Shard.

A Skorne perspective.

A Legion perspective.

Skorne turn 2: The Nihilators by the forest ran towards the zone closer to Searyn. Morghoul advanced in front of the fence, casting Abuse (target friendly warbeast gets +2 SPD and STR for 1 round, but takes D3 damage, 2 in this case) and Admonition (when an enemy model advances within 6" of target model, it can advance 3", ignoring free strikes) on the Bronzeback and activated the Guidon Bearer, placing it in front of himself. The Gladiator cast Rush (target warbeast gains +2 movement and Pathfinder for 1 turn) on the Bronzeback and charged a Strider and the spelled up Bronzeback ran 14", getting into the zone by the Striders. The remaining Swamp Gobber ran up into the zone, as did the Nihilators opposite the Striders. The Savage riled for 1, then it and the Brute both ran into the zone and the Beast Handlers advanced and removed the fury from the Gladiator.

Legion turn 2: Saeryn upkept Respawn. The turn started with the Shredder next to the Carnivean going Rabid (gains +2 SPD and boosted attack and damage rolls for 1 turn) and running into the midst of the nearby Nihilators, followed a few inches behind by a Spell Martyr. The Striders sacrificed their movement in part to aim and in part to avoid triggering Counter Charge via the Bronzeback. They shot and killed the remaining Swamp Gobber and 3 Nihilators (again one was Shield Guarded). They then Reformed and during this movement Jamar chose to trigger Admonition, moving the Bronzeback up a bit. The Black Frost Shard then advanced, one cast Kiss of Lyliss (for one round when target model/unit suffers damage rolls add +2) on the Bronzeback and the next hit it with an Ice Bolt (POW 12 magic attack with crit stationary) doing a few damage and prompting Jamar to advance the Bronzeback again, this time via Hyper Aggressive (when damaged by an attack it can make a full advance directly toward the attacker) and into combat with a Strider. The last BFS member tried to Ice Cage (target model suffers -2 DEF) the Bronzeback, but missed as it was in combat (and missed the Strider as well). The Carnivean then advanced, targeting the Bronzeback with its POW 14, 10" spray and caught the Bronzeback, 2 Striders and the leader of the Black Frost Shard under the template. It hit the Bronzeback for a few more damage, missed both Striders and boosted to hit and kill the BFS leader, making way for the Scythean to charge the Titan. It does so, but after all is said and done it leaves the Bronzeback with 1 health (also killing a Strider with the chain attack). The other Shredder then went Rabid and advanced over to the Bronzeback to finish it off. Saeryn activated last, advancing and placing the Guidon between her and the zone/Nihilators. She then arced Blight Bringer (center a 5" AOE on target friendly faction warbeast and all enemies underneath take a POW 12; stays in play for one round) through the Spell Martyr to her left, onto the Shredder between the Nihilators, catching and killing 3 (no tough checks were made).

Skorne turn 3: First off, the Nihilators upon which the blight was just brought got the charge order, with two running and one charging the Carnivean in the back, but rolling snake eyes. Morghoul then cast Rush and Abuse on the Gladiator, used his feat (enemy models in his CTRL area can't spend focus, be forced or have damage transferred to them) and then advanced to ensure the Gladiator would still be in his CTRL later this turn.The Beast Handlers advanced and used Enrage (target friendly faction warbeast gets +2 STR and must charge, slam or trample for free) on the remaining Titan, which then charged the Carnivean. Due to missing the charge attack it needed to buy a couple of additional attacks to finish off the Carnivean (and took minimal damage from Spiny Growth), but did so handily. Of the two remaining Nihilators near the top, one charged the Strider Musician (missing) and the other charged the Shredder that offed the Bronzeback (dealing 8 damage and taking out the mind and body). Lastly, the two Cyclops' ran to get between the Scythean's and Morghoul.

Legion turn 3: Saeryn didn't upkeep Respawn. The Shredder damaged by the Nihilator frenzied on him, killing him and forgetting to snack . The other Shredder (who was previously the blight target) turned around and killed a Nihilator. Saeryn went next, using her feat (models in her battlegroup can't be targeted by melee attacks for one round) and placed the Guidon to her right, so as to be able to target the remaining Nihilators. She sac'd her movement to aim with her throwing daggers (whose Grievous Wounds ability would ignore tough), hitting both Nihilators and boosting the damage rolls to kill them. She then cast Breath Stealer (target model/unit suffers -2 SPD and DEF for one round) on the Gladiator, followed by the Black Frost Shard advancing over and casting both Ice Cage and Kiss of Lyliss on it as well. The Scythean walked over to the Gladiator (ignoring free strikes via Saeryn's feat) and attacked with it's base attacks, effectively MAT 10, P+S 19. It hit with all attacks (including the chain attack), but couldn't buy more or boost due to Morghoul's feat and thus left it with 5 health. Some of the Striders aimed, but most moved, with one engaging the Brute and with two finishing off the nearby Nihilator unit. Three shot at Morghoul, with the two grunts with the back strike bonus missing and the leader (with no bonus) rolling and 11 to hit and doing 6 damage, which Jamar opted not to transfer. The remaining Spell Martyr charged the Brute (pretty much just to tie it up) and missed its attack.

Skorne turn 4: The Gladiator went first, casting Rush on itself and getting between Saeryn and the Scythean, engaging the Scythean. Morghoul went next, cast Abuse on both Cyclops', moved next to the zone and placed the Guidon in it. The Brute ran out of combat (the all powerful Spell Martyr missing its free strike) to occupy the BFS and the Savage charged the Striders in the zone, filling up on fury and killing them both. Lastly, the Beast Handlers ran to get in the way and at the end of the turn Jamar scored a control point.

Legion turn 4: The Shredder near the Beast Handlers walked into their midst, went Rabid, attacked one and missed. The Scythean then turned around and, filling up on fury, killed the Brute and the badly damaged Gladiator. Saeryn then cast Blight Bringer on the Shredder in the midst of the Beast Handlers, with 4 dying and the rest passing their CMD check. She then moved next to the nearby zone and placed her Guidon in it. Three Striders advanced into melee with a Beast Handler (killing it) and the fourth aimed to shoot the other one (killing it). They then Reformed into the zone to contest it, spread out. The BFS moved towards the zone, firing Ice Bolts at the Savage, doing 8 damage and critting to make it stationary for a round. At this point Jamat conceded, seeing no way to stop Sameer from killing or outscoring him.

Aftermath: This was the closest we've got so far to a battle report that might've come down to scenario victory, but alas it wasn't to be. Jamar's concession was understandable, as, at that point, there was little he could do to resist. The ranged and magic superiority of Sameer's list helped him a fair bit, but the real turning point of the game came when Jamar moved his Bronzeback a bit too close via out of turn movement and the Scythean was able to take it out. Sameer also slipped up a bit by not feating with Saeryn on the turn he killed the Bronzeback, as having the Carnivean still alive would've made his victory almost assured. As it went, he played well and came out on top. I questioned his lack of fury management (ie, no Shepards and/or Forsaken), but he said he didn't need them for the amount of beasts he brought. At any rate it was a good battle and there'll be more to come.