lördag 20 juni 2015

Masters of the Universe (and Westridge) 2015

Each year my gaming club organise a big national tournament with good turnout, and this year was no different. We decided early on that we wanted to try out the new Masters rules this year, mostly so we had an excuse to use the awesome name Masters of the Universe (and Westridge) for the tournament. :p
We ended up getting 43 attending players and everybody had a blast!
I ended up winning the whole event which felt really great. This was my first big tournament win, I've gotten some decent results before but never a win of this size, so that was awesome. :)
Since the tournament happened a week ago I don't remember enough of my games to write any detailed battle reports, but I'll write some quick summaries and thoughts.

I played the following two lists:

List 1
Points: 50/50
Tiers: 4 - Winter Storm
Vayl, Disciple of Everblight (*6pts)
* Succubus (2pts)
* Shredder (2pts)
* Ravagore (10pts)
* Ravagore (10pts)
* Scythean (9pts)
* Seraph (8pts)
Blighted Nyss Hex Hunters (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
* Bayal, Hound of Everblight (0pts*)
Blighted Nyss Hex Hunters (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Spawning Vessel (Leader and 5 Grunts) (3pts)
Blighted Nyss Shepherd (1pts)
Blighted Nyss Shepherd (1pts)
Objective: Fuel cache


Theme force benefits:
Tier 1: Blighted Nyss Hex Hunter units become FA U.
Tier 2: Add Bayal, Hound of Everblight to one Blighted Nyss Hex Hunter unit free of cost (included above).
Tier 3: Warbeasts in Vayl’s battlegroup gain +2 SPD during your first turn of the game.
Tier 4: The LOS of models without Eyeless Sight is reduced to 8˝ during the first round of the game.


List 2
Points: 50/50
Tiers: 4 - Machinations of Shadow
Vayl, Consul of Everblight (*6pts)
* Harrier (2pts)
* Angelius (8pts*)
* Angelius (8pts*)
* Ravagore (9pts*)
* Ravagore (9pts*)
* Scythean (8pts*)
Blighted Nyss Legionnaires (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
Spawning Vessel (Leader and 5 Grunts) (3pts)
Blighted Nyss Shepherd (1pts)
Blighted Nyss Shepherd (1pts)
Spell Martyr (1pts)
Objective: Fuel cache
 

Theme force benefits:
Tier 1: Non-character solos in this army gain Advance Deployment.
Tier 2: You gain +1 on your starting roll for the game.
Tier 3: Warbeasts with Flight gain +2 SPD during your first turn of the game.
Tier 4: Reduce the cost of heavy warbeasts in this army by 1 (included above).


Game 1 - Oskar Kinding with Trollbloods - Destruction

Oskar was pretty new to Warmachine, this was his first big tournament and we were both excited to get started.
Oskar played ADR and brought Jarl Skuld and Grim2. He dropped Jarl and I dropped Vayl1, since I was facing Trollbloods.



List 1
Points: 50/50
Jarl Skuld, Devil Of Thornwood (*6pts)
* Troll Axer (6pts)
* Troll Impaler (5pts)
* Mulg the Ancient (12pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
War Wagon (9pts)
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew (Leader and 1 Grunt) (1pts)
Trollkin Scattergunners (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Trollkin Scattergunner Officer & Drummer (2pts)
Trollkin Warders (Leader and 4 Grunts) (8pts)
Feralgeist (1pts)
Stone Scribe Chronicler (2pts)
Objective: Stockpile
 

Specialists:
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
Trollkin Warders (Leader and 4 Grunts) (8pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)


I won the roll-off for first turn which is huge when you're playing Winter storm, so I went first. I ran all my stuff full steam ahead, except for the Hex hunters who only ran far enough to not be within threat range of the Scattergunners. He killed nothing on his turn and jammed me up a little with the Scattergunners. After that I managed to clear a path for my Scythean to Mulg, and killed him without problems. After then the game kind of lost steam for Oskar, and I ground him down over a couple of turns, finally winning on scenario with 5-0 CP.

Game 2 - Mathias Malte Johansson with Khador - Close quarters

I was really happy after having won my first game (I always get such tournament nerves before the first game of a tournament) but not so happy about having to face off against Butcher3 in my second game.

List 2
Points: 50/50
Kommander Zoktavir, The Butcher Unleashed (*4pts)
* Juggernaut (7pts)
* Juggernaut (7pts)
* Spriggan (10pts)
Iron Fang Pikemen (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Black Dragon Officer & Standard (2pts)
Widowmakers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (4pts)
Eiryss, Angel of Retribution (3pts)
Iron Fang Kovnik (2pts)
Koldun Lord (2pts)
Ragman (2pts)
Raluk Moorclaw (2pts)
* Vanguard (5pts)
Objective: Fuel cache


I chose to go with Vayl2 since she has more tools to deal with Khador overall, and she can always pull out an assassination if things start to go south. I was lucky enough that there was a sizeable forest in the middle of the table, so I could park my beasts on the other side of the forest from the Butcher, meaning I could get to him but he couldn't get to me.
He played the entire game very cautiously, slowly advancing with Butcher and the jacks on one side of the forest and the Pikemen on the other side. My Ravagores plus an Angelius controlled the Pikemen through Scathers and Refuge shenanigans, and after Mathias felt he had to get into the thick of it with the Butcher himself the Butcher was left on 4 focus, and I had two Ravagores, an Angelius shot, a Scythean charge and Vayl's feat to deal with him. He died after two Obliterations and a Ravagore shot.

Game 3 - Joakim Langebäck with Trollbloods - Fire support

I've played against Joakim before with my Retribution and only just managed to pull off a lucky assassination in that game, and this would end up in a similar situation. Joakim brought two Grissel meat mountains, and dropped Grissel1 on me. As usual vs Trolls I dropped Vayl1.

List 1
Points: 50/50
Grissel Bloodsong (*5pts)
* Pyre Troll (5pts)
* Mulg the Ancient (12pts)
Krielstone Bearer and 5 Stone Scribes (4pts)
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder (1pts)
Northkin Fire Eaters (Leader, Grunt and Pyg buddy) (4pts)
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 4 Grunts) (10pts)
Trollkin Warders (Leader and 4 Grunts) (8pts)
Trollkin Warders (Leader and 4 Grunts) (8pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)
Objective: Bunker


Once again I had the fortune of going first, so I rushed up as far as I could. Joakim surprised me with being able to get a Fire eater spray onto Vayl which I had to transfer, leaving her on fire and me feeling stressed out already at turn 1. :p
I managed to get his Mulg on my turn 2 though (what is it with Troll players and giving up Mulg so easily? :p ) and I also got a couple of Warders. This is the end of my second turn, after feat moves:



He ended up not being able to kill the Scythean, who could then kill 4 Warders before finally dying. We ground on fairly long but in the end he had to commit Grissel to kill my final Ravagore, and I then had Vayl, the Seraph, a full Spawning vessel and a Shepherd left to do the job. Obviously the Shepherd delivered the final blow!

Game 4 - Niklas Bergmark with Mercenaries - Recon

Niklas was a new opponent for me. I've seen him doing pretty well at tournaments over the last year or so, so I was happy to finally get to play against him and see how I would do. He dropped Bartolo on me and I dropped Vayl2. I was a little afraid that he would drop Thexus since that guy can pull off so much shit, but he was too afraid of the Vayl2 assassination.

List 2
Mercenaries - Four Star
Captain Bartolo Montador (*5pts)
* Galleon (18pts)
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt (4pts)
Alexia, Mistress of the Witchfire (4pts)
Gorman di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist (2pts)
Master Gunner Dougal MacNaile (2pts)
Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor (2pts)
Ragman (2pts)
Rorsh & Brine (9pts)
Wrong Eye & Snapjaw (9pts)
* Bull Snapper (3pts)
Objective: Fuel cache


I think I won the starting roll once again, but I elected to go second so that he wouldn't get the side with the hill, because Colossals on hills is the dumbest thing ever. As an added bonus that gave me some extra protection against all his shooting.
He ran all his stuff up, and in a move that I'm especially proud of, I calculated the distance to his Gorman and realised that I could get a spawned Harrier into him on my turn one, and that was too good an opportunity to pass up. With Gorman dead all my beasts were very happy.
He then ran his stuff up, the Galleon almost halfway into the zone. He then considered feating, but decided not to, since he forgot that my proxy base was a Scythean. The end result was that the Angels plus the Scythean took out 1½ side of the Galleon and from there on the game was pretty much mine. I ended up killing every single model in his army and getting 5 CP. Niklas was a great opponent and I hope I'll get to play against him again in the future!

Game 5 - Gustav Berggren with Legion of Everblight - Two fronts

So now there were only 3 undefeated players left and the pressure was really on. Gustav is a very good player who I've played against before, that time with my Skorne and he won that game, so I was itching for revenge. Gustav is kinda famous in the Swedish tournament scene for bringing unusual lists, and this time was no different. I chose Vayl1 since she is great vs Hordes in general, and Gustav dropped Thagrosh1 with his New blood theme force. Exciting!

List 1
Points: 50/50
Tiers: 4 - New Blood
Thagrosh, Prophet of Everblight (*5pts)
* Naga Nightlurker (5pts)
* Ravagore (10pts)
* Ravagore (10pts)
Spawning Vessel (Leader and 5 Grunts) (3pts)
Spawning Vessel (Leader and 5 Grunts) (3pts)
Spawning Vessel (Leader and 5 Grunts) (3pts)
Beast Mistress (3pts)
* Harrier (0pts)
* Harrier (2pts)
Beast Mistress (3pts)
* Harrier (0pts)
* Harrier (2pts)
Beast Mistress (3pts)
* Stinger (0pts)
* Stinger (2pts)
Beast Mistress (3pts)
* Shredder (0pts)
* Stinger (2pts)
Shepherd (1pts)
Objective: Armory

Theme force benefits:
Tier 1: Increase the FA of Spawning Vessels and Beast Mistresses by 2
Tier 2: Each Spawning Vessel in the army begins the game with one corpse token.
Tier 3: Add one warbeast to each Beast Mistress’ battlegroup free of cost.
Tier 4: Beast Mistresses and warbeasts in their battlegroups gain Advance Deployment.

That's a lot of free points!

I finally lost the starting roll here, but since I was facing off vs Legion the theme bonus when going first wouldn't have been important anyway.
We both started off cautiously, him walking his lessers forward and Digging in the Stingers. I managed to kill a Harrier and a Stinger on my first turn, and then Slip streaming my Ravagores back out of threat range of the remaining Stingers. The game was a real nailbiter and we both grinded for quite a while, but I managed to take out two of his Vessels fairly early and neither of them could even spawn beasts when they died (one wasn't full and the other died to a Continuous fire roll) which was huge. I could then contest a lot of corpses with my own Spawning vessel, and since I was able to Rampager his Ravagore and take it out with my Scythean he had little in the way of dealing with my Vessel.
I ended up winning the game on scenario, with Bayal being a total boss and clearing my zone twice. That guy might be too expensive for normal lists but damn is he good when he's free. ;)


Game 6 - Stefan Benediktsson with Cryx - Outflank

Stefan is from my gaming club and I've faced off against him many times in the past. Last time was at another tournament a month ago which he ended up winning. I had brought Lylyth2 as my Cryx drop in that game but he recommended I try Vayl2 instead since he feared her a lot more. So I did!
He had played Goreshade3 in all his previous games and so he was list-locked, which was great for me since his Goreshade list is his usual Legion drop. I of course dropped Vayl2.


List 1
Points: 50/50
Lord Exhumator Scaverous (*5pts)
* Helldiver (3pts)
* Nightwretch (4pts)
* Skarlock Thrall (2pts)
Bane Thralls (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Bane Thrall Officer & Standard (3pts)
Bile Thralls (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters (Cylena and 9 Grunts) (10pts)
Mechanithralls (Leader and 9 Grunts) (5pts)
The Withershadow Combine (5pts)
Bane Lord Tartarus (4pts)
Gorman di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist (2pts)
Warwitch Siren (2pts)
Warwitch Siren (2pts)
Objective: Armory


I won the roll-off and chose to go first, so I could get the side with a hill touching one of the zones.
I moved up cautiously, except for with my Refuging Angelius who was going to fly up, shoot a Mechthrall and then Refuge back. Except he missed the boosted shot at the Mechthrall...
This gave Stefan an opportunity to take out my Angelius on his turn 1, but thankfully his Mechies rolled bad and the Angelius lived. After that we both fought well, but he only had the Nyss hunters, Gorman and a Warwitch siren in the right zone, which meant it was fairly easy to clear it and start scoring. He could clear out his zone as well though but I had a bunch of beasts to contest with and after a very intense game I ended up taking it on scenario, 5-4 was the final CP score.


This was a really great tournament, it felt amazing to finally win an event and I played against 6 great opponents who all offered fun and challenging games. I'm very happy with this pairing and will definitely be using it for future events. Both Vayls are incredibly strong and they both have fantastic theme forces.
I also ended up winning the Executioner trophy for most army points killed over the tournament, and I got a Best painted trophy for my Hyperion.


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