Battle Report!

The Cygnar facebook group picked Kraye as my next caster! As you will see below this game did not go well for Cygnar’s favorite Cavalry-Caster. It was a fun game and really showcases Kraye’s ability to run a battlegroup. It also shows why Kraye is not a caster to use in Melee.

It is also my third Battle Report in a row where I have lost. Yikes.

Lists, Turns, Pictures, and Afterthoughts to follow…

Lists

Cygnar – Kraye’s Electric Hellride

[Theme] Heavy Metal

[Kraye 1] Captain Jeremiah Kraye [+28]

– Centurion [17]

– Ironclad [12]

– Stormclad [17]

– Thunderhead [20]

– Squire [0(5)]

Anastasia di Bray [3]

Captain Arlan Strangewayes [0(4)]

Journeyman Warcaster [0(4)]

– Firefly [8]

Sword Knights (min) [8]

Storm Strider [18]

Minions – Croak Hit Squad

[Theme] The Blindwater Congregation

[Rask 1] Rask [+27]

– Blackhide Wrastler [16]

– Bull Snapper [5]

– Ironback Spitter [14]

– Ironback Spitter [14]

– Gatorman Soul Slave [0(5)]

Croak Hunter [3]

Croak Hunter [3]

Croak Hunter [3]

Kwaak Slickspine & Gub, Croak Sorcerers [4]

Longchops [0(5)]

Thrullg [0(5)]

Bog Trog Ambushers (min) [8]

Gatorman Posse (max) [16]

Gatorman Posse (max) [16]

Terrain/Scenario

Scenario: Anarchy (SR 2019 Rules)

Terrain:

Cottage (LOS Blocking);

Forest;

Rough Terrain patch;

Crater;

Small Pond (because Gators LOVE Water);

Three Walls.

Deployment

Cygnar wins the roll and goes first. I’m not too concerned about choosing side in Kraye games. Kraye has a lot of Pathfinder and typically any side will work. Also, I like setting Kraye up for bullying opponents early with his Feat.

Cygnar deploys with Sword Knights on the left (to exploit the wall near the circle zone), Non-Electro ‘Jacks stay in the middle with Kraye, and Electro ‘Jacks (Stormclad, Firefly, Thunderhead) deploy on the right with the Storm Strider. Intention is to control the middle/right with lightning.

Anastasia stays in Ambush.

Minions deploy with Rask and the Beasts central. Flanks are taken by the Gatormen. Longchops and the Croak Hunters AD to to approach the Forest-side Circle.

Bog Trogs Ambush…because it is in their name and is basically their schtick.

Gameplay

Turn1A (Cygnar)

Heavies all Trample + Repo 5 forward. Firefly runs to take a good position to apply a +2 buff for the Strider/Thunderhead.

Sword Knights advance on the circle zone.

Largely uneventful turn.

Turn1B (Minions)

Minion units advance. Veil of Mists get the spitters over the crater, and Longchops is able to kill a Sword Knight to place a trap (left of the Cottage). At this point, my opponent does some pre-measuring and determines that his battleline is within 14-15″ of my heavies. Kraye’s heavies would be able to charge in with Feat + Horsepower. As a result, Rask decides to feat.

Did you know that Rask’s feat denies targeting for attacks, charges, slams, etc. outside of 5″? If you are playing a gunline, or outside walk+smack range, this Feat might as well be called “You Lose a Turn”. (I did know about the Feat in advance, and Rask’s spells – wording here is rhetorical/dramatic/comedic)

Turn 2A (Cygnar)

Everything is basically in Rask’s feat except for the Croak Hunters on the flank (and maybe Longchops). In any event, Feating doesn’t seem worth it, and I really want to get the alpha strike if I can.

As a result, Cygnar’s forces basically reposition around to take advantage of terrain. Stormclad hides behind the LOS blocking Terrain to support the Ironclad. Centurion positions in the circle zones and uses Polarity Field to deny Gators/Spitters charging forward.

Sword Knights split up. Some hide behind a wall, and two go into the left circle to contest. In hindsight, this was essentially throwing two Sword Knights away.

Thunderhead and Firefly hide behind a wall to avoid Ironback Spit.

Only kill of this turn: Anastasia ambushes in to kill a Croak Hunter. She has now made up her point value. Whoo!

Turn 2B (Minions)

My opponent needs to capitalize on this turn as he has denied my feat temporarily. Everythings walks/runs up and lines of Gators form. Longchops kills Anastasia. Ironback Spitters put some chip damage on the Centurion.

Rask launches a Disruptor Bolt at the Stormclad. It lands, chips damage, but ultimately leaves the Stormclad crippled for a turn. Admonition also should have been stripped off it, but I think we forgot this.

Wrastler gets admonition from Rask.

Sword Knights in the zone are killed to leave the left circle open.

Minions end turn and score 1 on the left.

Score: 1:0 (Minions Favor)

Turn 3A (Cygnar)

It’s now or never! FEAT.

Ultimately, I think this turns out to be a mistake. After I feat, the Storm Strider, Kraye, and Thunderhead shoot targets to apply Beacon (Spitters, Gator, and Wrastler). However, only the Ironclad and the Centurion end up charging. Horsepower was not needed. Focus went to fueling the Ironclad, Thunderhead, and Centurion. Firefly walks forward to give +2 Dmg buff to Thundehead and Strider shots during all this, and also puts his Pow 12 shot into a spitter – with lightning arcing into the Gators.

Ironclad charges some Gators and kills two. Repositions forward to deny Gators to opportunity to get a charge bonus. Wrastler admonitions forward to engage the Stormclad to deny his free-charge.

Stormclad puts some hurt on the Wrastler, but is unable to seal the deal with no focus. Sword Knights walk up and hurt the Wrastler. Each attack is a 3d6 (Flank Bonus) Pow 10 against Arm 19. Each one does about 1 to 3 damage. I believe it was at about half health as this point, but I could be wrong. The Stormclad’s main attack whiffled badly on damage dice if memory serves.

Centurion charges a weakened Spitter while staying at max melee range. Centurion Kills the Spitter, and Repositions backwards. Centurion is unable to activate Polarity Field as it is out of focus. I was really hoping to get the Spitter with one focus remaining on the Centurion for its imprint.

Other Spitter is weakened from Thunderhead and Strider shots. Strider E-leaps go into the solos behind the spitter and put down a few damage.

Feat turn was nerfed pretty badly. I was able to kill Two Gators, a Spitter, and put damage down on everything else. My hope for this turn was to remove at least two heavies, but the Stormclad’s disruption really crippled this turn.

Nobody scores.

Score: 1:0 (Minions Favor)

Turn 3B (Minions)

I believe my opponent was feeling pretty good at this point. Kraye’s big threat is his Alpha, and in this game it did not work as planned.

Left to Right…

Left: Gators (with Fury) engage and kill the Ironclad with Longchops assisting.

Center: Wrastler attempts to kill the Stormclad and leaves it with boxes(with Cortex remaining operational). Thrullg walks forward, smacks the Stormclad, and disrupts it. Stormclad has three boxes remaining and suffers from Disruption (again).

Right: Spitter charges and kills the Firefly. Solos move to score the flag. Gators charge the Centurion, but only two are able to get all their attacks and one is left with just its reach. Gators chip away at the Centurion but take out no systems.

Rask hides himself by the Objective, and was cycling Fury around.

Minions end turn and score 2 (Flag and Left Zone).

Score: 3:0 (Minions Favor)

Turn 4A (Cygnar)

At this point, I had to notify my opponent that I was running low on time (I had a family engagement to get to) and we both started Speed-Playing.

Again – Left to Right:

Left: Sword Knights whack away at the Wrastler trying to kill it to free up the Stormclad (one also positions to contest the left zone). No Dice. Wrastler’s hide is too thick. Stormclad tries as well, fails due to downed systems, and has to repo out to make room for the Thunderhead (Stormclad dies to a free strike). Thunderhead charges in and kills the Wrastler. Arlan moves to score the flag.

Center: Kraye stays puts (Again – Hindsight – he could have shot something and repo’d back). Strider charges the Spitter and is hoping to remove it with the Charge + Ranged Attacks. No Dice. However, the Lightning Generators kill the two solos behind the Strider and free up the back flag.

Right: Centurion attacks Gators. It kills one and puts up Polarity Field to avoid charges. JR. puts Arcane Shield on the Centurion anticipating that Thunderhead will simply get upkeeps removed by Rask.

Cygnar ends turn. Scoring 1 and denying the Minions any points

Score: 3:1 (Minions Favor)

Turn 4B (Minions)

Opponent is continuing to Speed-Play due to my time constraints.

Bog Trogs ambush in on the far right. (Or was this last turn?…In any event, they never come into play really)

Left: Gators charge Thunderhead and put some damage down. Croak Hunters, Longchops – kill Arlan and a few Sword Knights. Thunderhead also gets disruption thanks to Rask!

Center: Spitter kills the Strider. Spitter had Fury is memory serves.

Right: Gators continue to bash away at the Centurion with little effect, but are continuing to chip away. Two Gators stay back and wait to engage alongside the Bog Trogs on their next turn.

Minions end turn. Nobody Scores (Left Circle has no units within)

Score: 3:1 (Minions Favor)

Turn 5A (Cygnar)

Ok. Confession Time.

When I get into a time-crunch (or low on clock) I tend to make incredibly rash decisions. See where Kraye is in the above photo? Yeah…..

My logic is this – Scenario is all but lost in the long-term. (Bog Trogs/Gators get the Centurion down, or the Spitter helps…Gators on left cycle back into the zone…Rask scores the back flag). As a result, I need to pressure an Assassination opportunity.

Big issue with that is the Spitter in my way. As a result, I need to remove it, while maintaining the Centurion to keep the right zone in check.

Kraye decides to charge the Spitter. Goal is to kill it, hopefully with focus to spare, and then reposition either forward or backwards depending on my defensive position.

Left to Right…

Left: Thunderhead attempts to whack a few Gators. Disruption means it is largely ineffective. One Gator is killed between Thunderhead and the last Sword Knight.

Center: Kraye charges the Spitter with full focus. Spitter is already weakened from Strider/Thunderhead, and I am confident it will go down while leaving me with a few focus.

Nope.

Kraye whifs the damage on his PS 15 Charge (thanks to Brutal Charge), and then uses ALL of his focus failing to kill the Spitter(I think Kraye needed to do 17 damage and ended up doing maybe half or a bit over half). Spitter was crippled but still on the table. Kraye wanted to Repo…but I forgot about Parry and left him there. Realistically – Even if he had Repo’d the Spitter would have just charged him anyhow. My opponent also forgot that the Spitter has Retaliatory Strike at this point. We were playing super speedily and all sorts of corners were being cut.

Right: Centurion removes the Gators engaging it and repositions forward. In hindsight – he should have turned to face the Spitter and then Kraye would have been protected by the Centurion engaging the Spitter (If Kraye had Repo’d away). Speed-Play does not always make for good decision making.

JR. runs away from the Bog Trogs and positions for the flag.

Squire runs up to body-block between Rask and Kraye. At least he can block a charge….?

Cygnar ends turn. Nobody scores.

Score: 3:1 (Minion Favor)

Turn 5B (Minions)

Rask heals the Spitter and puts Fury on the Spitter (if it wasn’t there already).

Spitter pummels Kraye to death. First attack hits for 12 Damage, Second attack misses, and third attack puts Kraye down.

The End.

Minions Assassination Victory

Afterthoughts

My thoughts – In a Haiku:

Warjacks Disrupted.

Something that I hate a lot.

Plentiful Sadness.

Both the Stormclad and Thunderhead felt Disruption-Pain. Situation demonstrates how Thrullg and Rask make for a mean combo against a Battlegroup-Heavy Warmachine list. It also did not help that Arlan was never where he needed to be, or at least that I never had the foresight to use him to remove Disruption.

Also – Kraye – lets talk about that Charge. PS 15 is respectable, but PS 13 on the other attacks is…Unfortunate. Kraye is not a melee powerhouse by any means (especially into an ARM 18 Turtle).

Rask is also an excellent counter to Kraye. Rask’s feat negates Kraye’s if you use it right and Admonition further assists. Fury is also an excellent spell on just about anything. Fury on those Gators gets a lot of mileage.

If Kraye had successfully killed the Spitter, and survived one more turn, this game may have been different. But with the Minion’s Scenario lead it would have been a tough sell by any stretch if Kraye had survived. My opponent did an excellent job controlling the Scenario and playing around Kraye’s movement gimmicks.

Game was fun.

MVPs (in my opinion) were…

Cygnar MVPs: Thunderhead, Lightning Generators, and Reposition.

Minions MVPs: Thrullg, Rask, Fury, and Disruption.

Also: This is another game where Anastasia proved her value (+1 Starting Roll and removed a 3pt Solo). Anastasia is quickly becoming my favorite mercenary solo to take in Heavy Metal.

Let me know what you thought about this game and Battle Report!

J

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