This Thursday Alister and I managed to meet up for another round of Warmachine.
I had finally got round to buying a couple of bits of scenery and some flock mats so the table looked better then normal.
Once again it would be a contest between the freedom fighters of the High Covenant and the scoundrel that is Magnus.
I went Jack heavy for this one as they were painted and Al was kind enough to lend me his Steelheads.
Reinholdt was an impulse buy on the way home from Dark Sphere after I ended up catching a flying 12 year old at my school as he was jumping out the window of a moving vehicle. I then had to firemen carry him into the unit as he was kicking and screaming (and it was not even 9:10am yet!).
Anyway back to the battle.
I went Jack heavy down my left flank with 3 jacks which Al countered with a Mangler and a unit of Skorne praetorians.
The Talon stalled out the mangler and the Nomad got choppy on the Skorne. Once again "Jack the Jibber" took a kicking but the scrappy little sod went back for more. Al took great delight showing me the Praetorians "penetrating strike" ability as he nicked away at my Nomad with two attacks per praetorian!
Unfortunately we did not realise Praetorians did not get reach or ranked attacks without an officer (not a leader) so he got 12 attacks in for free!
I run my Steelheads forward with the intention of tying up Als Renegades and Mariner but bottled it at the last second and hid them behind cover ready to jump out next turn.
With a renegade closing in and the nomad in trouble I popped my feat. Al confessed he has never really got his head round "feats" but I think I was about to show him that he needed to and soon.
I cast distraction on the closest Renagade to stop it shooting (with the four die it was an easy hit), the Nomad cleared his arc of Praetorians and the Mangler was left hanging by a thread.
"Old Smokey" opens up with his steam lobber which is boosted and with the extra die from the feat pretty much ensures the critical!
Unfortunately the "Lash" ability of the Mariner stops it and Magnus being knocked over which means I lose the chance to finish Magnus off with the Halberdiers.
It slowly dawns on Al that my Feat is just as effective in defence as I pick out his two highest die from all his attacks and suddenly his Praetorians can't hit the side of a barn. Al is forced to boost the Mariners attack which is just enough to finish off the Mule and give Al the win in a narrow points victory after 3 turns.
Al and I shake hands on a close fought battle.
LESSONS LEARNT
SO MANY MISTAKES WERE MADE THIS GAME!!!! Where do I start?
1) What was the point of running 3 Jacks off down the flank?
They should have been charged up the middle, tying up the Mariner, stopping the ranged attacks and stopping the free roaming of the Renegades. This would have put Al truly on the back foot and with the surprise of my feat surely secured the game!
2) Why on Earth am I saving a unit worth 4 points from destruction!
The whole point of Steelhead halbediers is they are cheap and cheerful, used to screen more expensive and useful units from the enemies attentions.
Running them into cover left the Mule open to the Mariner and cost me the game
3) Leaving Ashlynn guarded by just a Mule vs 2 renegades and a Mariner was a ridiculas gamble which thankfully Al did not punish me for.
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