NJ Civil War - Southern Theater - Game 1 & Game 2

So nearly a week later and I'm finally reporting my results on the tournament at All Things Fun in West Berlin, NJ. There was a record number of players (41 players in total, encompassing NJ SOBs, ATF local crowd, PA guys, and I believe some DC Big Guns). Faction spread as follows:
Cygnar - 1, Cryx - 8, Khador - 6, Menoth - 5, Retribution - 2, Mercenaries 2
Circle - 7, Legion - 2, Skorne - 4, Trolls - 4, Minions - 0

Just a refresher, Mercenaries beat Cryx out on my poll with 23 to 22. As such, my two Mercenary lists were:

Ashlynn
-Nomad
ATGM + UA
-Mule (Jackmarshalled)
Forgeguard (Max)
Vesh
Piper
Corbeau
Anastasia
Gorman
Reinholdt

eMagnus
-Renegade
-Mangler
Steelhead Halbrediers (Max)
Steelhead Cav (Max)
A&H
Gorman
Ragman
eEiryss

Game 1 - Diversion vs Scott (Khador)
My opponent's list was a nasty Irusk + Kayazy + Winter Guard Death Star or eVlad Tier. Given the scenario, I suspected he was going to reach for Irusk. With all of the high DEF, low ARM, I figured my best chance was to out-tough him and get a few early kills with the ATGM. I also needed to go first, to get my Forgeguard up there. So Ashlynn was picked...and I lost the turn roll.

I can easily summarize this game with the first wave of Iron Fleshed Kayazy overrunning my lines and stalling me completely. From there it was a defensive game. Piper + Forgeguard really shined, but the ATGMs hardly did a thing. I actually managed to kill quite a few of Kayazy on Irusk's feat turn, but given the objectives of the scenario, it was an easy win for him since all he had to do was contest the area and plink the flag. There really was no need to go into depth on this game, since he kept all my ranged troops tied up and effectively controlled the tempo of the game. I'm not sure eMagnus would have fared any better - eMagnus probably would have stalled the game for an extra turn.

(Off topic, later I got to see eVlad's Theme list beautifully played by Scott. An amazing player he is, and it was fascinating watching the much maligned cavalry win the game)

Game 2 - Capture the Flag vs Mike M (Legion)
Mike brought eLylyth theme list I believe and Saeryn (possibly theme list too). I know Legion to be fast and aggressive and with Bolt Throwers and other knock down potentials, I opted for the sturdier eMagnus. Plus I have had practice against similar lists with eMagnus back in Dallas. He nabbed Saeryn, which I was fine with. Lo and behold, I lost the roll but he opted to go second!

He had (from memory): Saeryn, 2x Angelli, Bolt Thrower, Soldier, and Protector, Shepard, and one of those arc spell solos (spellslaves?). Oh and the Nyss Sorceress on a Hellion.

Top Turn 1: I set up so the Cav would threaten the flag, warjacks behind a line of Steelheads. I have no intention of running my Steelheads in a line so they can die at the same time, but I make it appear like I was going to. A&H hold left flank, with eEiryss. Ragman and Gorman take up positions behind the Steelheads. I run everything first turn, creating more of a checker formation for the Steelheads, Cav swing slightly further left.
Bottom Turn 1: He advances everything normally. Advances?! Against eMagnus? At this point, I mentally note that I am in Assault range of on Angellius. Of course, eEiryss got a little too close to the 2nd one and pop goes eEiryss. Well damn, now Rebirth is going to be a problem. He throws Rebirth on the one in Assault range. He shoots at Ragman twice, before realizing how futile it is to shoot him and not the Steelheads.

Top Turn 2: I set the tempo of the game this turn and run three halberds up. Move Ragman up surround with the rest and pop Dark Shroud. Only one Halbred is in range, but this one happens to be the one engaging the Angellius. I run two so they are engaging the Soldier and Bolt Thrower. My cav then assault the Angellius and kill it - only to be reborn. I also kill the Shepard from the Assault. Sweet, I love it. Run Gorman up and I get eMagnus to behind a wall with Bullet Dodger up all the way up there with his Feat popped. Mangler is posed to do some terrible damage the following turn. I throw the Renegade's rocket up early, knocking down the Soldier & Boltthrower as well (my memory is hazy, I think I did this before I ran the Steelheads).
Bottom Turn 2: He performs damage control, begins killing Steelheads. Angelli attempts to attack the Mangler (which is really close to his front line) but forgot to mention to Armor Pierce attack until after he rolled the attack. He kills some Steelheads as I mentioned, but that's about it. Rebirth is back on the Angellius, which he used to die and reposition after I got a freestrike. I think he pops feat this turn.

Top Turn 3: Mangler goes in and kills the Sorceress dead. I mean DEAD. A&H perform some shooting, not a whole lot else. Ragman again pops Dark Shroud. Gorman blinds the Angellius (and Mangler incidentally). Cav repositions and starts shooting away after I bring in another Steelhead Halberd to die and kills the first Angelli. Steelheads kill also the Bolt Thrower. And that's it for me.
Bottom Turn 3: He kills the Mangler this turn. 2nd Angelli charges in and Armor Pierces the Mangler. Protector makes the Mangler into a wreck. Soldier kills one Steelhead a piece, leaving me with just one left. Miraculously, my lone trooper lives! Blights the Angellius and poof - Gorman AND Ragman are gone.

Top Turn 4: Well, the Mangler is gone, Ragman is dead, and Gorman is out of the picture. He could have made a break for the scenario but I'm pressing too hard on his flag with the cav (only one has damage) and I'm in his face that I know he has forgotten about his scenario win condition. I quickly check control and note that eMagnus is, with Mobility, in charge range of Saeryn. So I drop Bullet Dodger, cast Mobility, charge over the wall and wreck and thrust my fist into Saeryn's face. Because he wanted the Mangler dead, he never cast Safeguard on Saeryn, so she's knocked down. She transfers, but a couple of dates with Forecleaver X later, she's on the ground for good.


I'm going to be honest, Game 3 through 5 are not worth reporting at this point. Game 3 against Skorne I should have lost (with Ashlynn, but a win), Game 4 against Ashlynn was a Cryx attrition list (loss) and Game 5 with eMagnus I lost since it was 9 PM and I was tired.


Some observations with both lists. First - Ragman is a beautiful addition to the army, especially those with reach. The 3" bubble on paper sounds limited and it feels he has to be up there, and to an extent he does. However, he does NOT need to be in the thick of things. Small to large bases extend the bubble slightly and something like a Mangler extends it easily 3.5", so I was able to affect the Angelli from 6" away almost. That made my cav on the charge a POW 15 + 4d6, or POW 13 + 3d6 on the backswing. It was pretty amazing. I think the addition of A&H did little to help me, but Stannis on the other hand may have been a better choice.


As for the Highborne list, in the past I have ran it very successfully. I mixed it up this time for combination of assassination/scenario and honestly, it did not perform as well. I think I'm going to have to stick with strictly assassination and run the list from before. I'm iffy now on the ATGM. Most of the games they provided some ranged support, but nothing was game changing. For 16 point sink with the UA and Mule, I could have had better luck with other choices. I do really like Vesh though. Some more tinkering is required.