Saturday, June 4, 2011

Khador vs Retribution 15 pts


15 pts lunch game with Jay. 
Khador (me)
pButcher
Juggernaut
Marauder
Doggy
Widowmakers
Mechaniks (4)
Ret (Jay)
Ravyn
Hydra
Mage Hunter Strike Force (max)
Mage Hunter Commander
Mage Hunter Assassin
Off the bat I learn that his Mage Hunters can ignore LOS and basically shoot through anything and has stealth.  This could be really bad.  I win the roll and elect to go first thinking that if I go second I might get destroyed on turn 1. 
We played on two square tables so the field was a little bit smaller than normal but a good size for 15 points.  Terrain has three ruined buildings in the center of the board and we each have a stone wall near our deployment zones.  I deploy with my guys stacking the right side.  Butcher and the Dog have the middle with the Juggernaut and Marauder to his right.  Mechaniks are on the right of the jacks.  
Jay deploys Rayvn in the FAR opposite corner with the Hydra nearby.
Widowmakers deploy next to Butcher.  Didn't know quite where to put them as they won't have cover from the Mage Hunters and won't be able to hit anything because of stealth. 
Jay advance deploys the Mage Hunters behind his wall directly in front of my guys. 
After deployment I get a big lump in my throat.  My warjacks have so far to run to reach the Ret force.  My widowmakers can't hit anything and my army has nowhere to hide.  My plan is to run and hopefully survive the hail of gunfire that is coming and reach their lines.
Turn 1 everyone runs.  The widowmakers could have gone far ahead but I keep them next to Butcher.  Subconsiously I didn't want them out in the open and I'm thinking they will draw some of the fire away from the rest of the army.
Jay concentrates fire on the Juggernaut blowing its movement and doing quite a bit of damage.  He sends his Assassin down my left flank.  Widowmakers get taken out leaving only 1 or 2 left.
Butcher gives a nod to the Mechaniks, "you know what to do."  They activate and run to the Juggernaut desperately needing to fix his movement.  Can't stay out in the open!  In my games so far, the mechaniks have only managed to do repairs for 1 point each but this time they repair for 11 points total!  Movement is repaired and also some boxes near the cortex.  Juggernaut and Marauder run forward about halfway now to the Mage Hunter gunline.  Butcher, his Dog, and the lone Widowmaker run up.
Rayvn pops feat and the Hydra closes in.  The Assassin runs to within striking distance of Butcher.  My last widowmaker falls and more concentrated fire on the Juggernaut.  Jay needing to roll 11's on three dice with the Mage Hunters is having trouble and my jacks soak up A LOT of hits.  It's amazing.  Still, the Juggernaut gets his open fist blown off.  Mechaniks are trying to catch up.
Butcher charges the Assassin and kills him but he's now in the open.  His dog runs to his side.  My jacks reach the wall protecting the Mage Hunters.  Picture this: Juggernaut going left, Marauder going right, both trying to get around the wall.  They reach the outer edge of the gunline running into melee with some Mage Hunters.  Next turn I'm all set with some NASTY trample angles!
But everything unloads on the Juggernaut which was already severly damaged.  My loyal warjack finally crumbles to the ground.  A lone Mage Hunter that was engaged with the Marauder advances around him and goes for a Mechanik but misses. 
The Mage Hunters take aim at the Dog.  He dodges two attacks and takes a massive hit bringing him down to one box.  Another hit and the Dog makes his tough roll!!  The dog gets hit again but is unable to tough it out. 
Mage hunters fall back from the Marauder and Jay goes for the assaassination.  Rayvn casts Vortex of Destruction and charges in with Reach and unloads on the Butcher sitting at something like 21 armor.  After all her attacks, he escapes with minimal damage.  The Hydra charges Butcher with 3 focus.  Hydras gotta finish it.  Jay buys attacks and damage but leaves the Butcher with half life.  Turn goes to me and Jay realizes he made a critical error.  He forgot that the Hydra's damage could've been boosted with Vortex of Destruction. 
Butcher already in melee with Rayvn sits with 6 focus and uses it all to hit hard and win the game.  Had Jay used Vortex of Destruction with his Hydra, we both felt it would have been enough to bring down the Butcher. 
A very entertaining and dramatic game and as always I learned a lot:
-against that particular list, widowmakers... yikes.  They can't hit anything really because of stealth and they have no cover from the Mage Hunters.  I hear that a Spriggan might be able to give them targets with the flare? 
-Jacks running at the Mage Hunters can soak up A LOT of damage.  With POW 10 Jay needed 11s on three dice to do damage and it was hard to come by.  Mechaniks behind the jacks helped a lot too.
-In this situation, better to deploy in the center then on the flanks.  Shorter distance to run and get into melee.
-next time I'm thinking of Assassins of my own ^^.  Kayazy have stealth, are fast, with high DEF and can hopefully tie up the enemy until my jacks and Butcher reach them.
-Beast 09 would be sick too.  His ability to advance after getting shot plus Thresher would be good against all that infantry.  But for now I'm going to stick with my three-- Juggernaut, Kodiak, and Marauder; still want to get a feel for what they can do.  I want my Kodiak to throw something so badly. 

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