I managed to get a Bank Holiday weekend game on Sunday down at the club. Sunday sessions are much more quieter than out regular Tuesday night sessions which means there are more tables free. After a few messages, I hooked up with a new Hordes player called Usman. He and I agreed on a 35 point game with my Menoth facing his Circle. For the afternoon, Usman used the following:
Kaya the Moonhunter & Laris (*3pts)
* Argus (4pts)
* Feral Warpwolf (9pts)
* Gnarlhorn Satyr (8pts)
Druids of Orboros (Leader and 5 Grunts) (7pts)
* Druid of Orboros Overseer (2pts)
Tharn Bloodtrackers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Blackclad Wayfarer (2pts)
Facing that I used:
The High Reclaimer (*6pts)
* Redeemer (6pts)
Avatar of Menoth (11pts)
Choir of Menoth (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Exemplar Errants (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Exemplar Errant Officer & Standard Bearer (2pts)
Holy Zealots (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
* Holy Zealot Monolith Bearer (2pts)
Knight Exemplar Seneschal (3pts)
Vassal Mechanik (1pts)
We chose not to play any scenario and just go for ‘caster kill (truth be told, I was not up to another scenario game after Scrap Metal – additionally, this would be my first game since the tourney). Usman set up first with the bulk of his force arranged in the centre of the table, while the Bloodtrackers set up to my left. To counter the Bloodtrackers, I put my trusty Zealots in their way. My ‘jacks, Choir, Mechanik, Senny and ‘caster all set up in the middle facing Usman’s main force. My Errants Advance Deployed to my right hoping to box them in.
A general advance was made by both sides in the first turn with the Redeemer taking first blood by aiming at the Gnarlhorn. The Avatar and Errants advanced in relative safety as they are both immune to spells. As the Druids couldn’t get at their most obvious target, they aimed for the Redeemer and started taking points from it and then went on to target the Senny and Mechanik (who both died without doing anything). The Bloodtrackers made a few hit and run attacks on the Zealots (taking a few down) before coming under heavy fire themselves. The Errants drew in on the Druids while the Avatar got smooshed by both the Gnarlhorn and Warpwolf. With not much else to go on, Usman went on an assassination run. Kaya appeared behind the High Reclaimer and proceeded to attack. Fortunately for me, she used up all of her Fury and managed to take the Reclaimer down to 3 points of damage. Before the Reclaimer hit back, the Zealots finished off the Bloodtrackers and Blackclad while the Errants finished off the Druids. The Reclaimer, with a full allocation of Focus plus a few more from Souls turned, ignoring the heavily wounded Gnarlhorn and Warpwolf, and struck out at Kaya. Two boosted hits was enough to finish her while having some Focus to spare.
Overall, my force felt good but it was a shame that I lost the Senny and Mechanik cheaply. I could have easily have used a Vassal and maybe the Covenant for the same points. The Covenant would have been really useful against the Druids. The positioning of the High Reclaimer could have been slightly better so as to prevent the assassination attempt, but his Burning Ash spell certainly came in handy. The Redeemer made an excellent debut by hitting the beasts hard. The Avatar didn’t manage to do much except draw unwanted to himself. The Errants and Zealots both did their job wonderfully, although if Usman had attacked them more with the Bloodtrackers I may have had a little more to worry about.
This was a very good game against a new player who looks to have grasped the game far quicker than I have. I’m looking forward to giving Usman a rematch sometime.
