Having been around as much as he had Hoarluk didn't mind the muck and mud in the swamp they were traversing. He had felt the lines of power and knew that an old Krielstone was nearby, every stone he found made him stronger for his revenge on the humans that had seemed to want nothing more than use his kin as labor animals in their farms and fodder in their wars. He had with him the young Earthborn that Grim had been working with. Hoarluk liked Grapeshot, well he liked all Dire Trolls, but Grapeshot was becoming dear to him. It seemed that his Dire Trolls filled a need in his heart that no other Trollkin could imagine. They were like his children, and this child was becoming special.
Barnabas didn't much like other species, in fact he could barely tolerate his own. But when word came to him that a famous old Troll was sticking his nose around in one of his Swamps he just grinned. While he didn't like others species much, he did quite enjoy removing their presence from his swamp. Gathering a handful of a Gatormen and a few beasts he set off to have some sport with this foolish old Troll.
We have been doing a slow grow league that started with all unpainted models. My choices were pretty limited since only a few of my casters and beasts were unpainted at the start of the league. This week is the last week of 15 points before we move up to 25 and I got a few good games in. Notably was the one against Barnabas last night. I played against a good friend of mine and a very awesome player who has been regularly thumping me with his Cygnar over the last few years and has just started working me over with his Minions.
Trollbloods
Standard Army
PCs: 15 / 15
13 models
[00] Hoarluk Doomshaper, Shaman of the Gnarls (0 / 7 WB)
[10] >> Earthborn Dire Troll
[04] >> Swamp Troll
[04] Kriel Warriors (5 grunts)
[02] >> Kriel Warrior Standard & Piper
[02] >> Kriel Warrior Caber Thrower (2 Caber Throwers)
Versus
Minions
Blindwater Congregation
PCs: 15 / 15
8 models
[00] Bloody Barnabas (0 / 6 WB)
[09] >> Blackhide Wrastler
[03] >> Bull Snapper
[09] Gatorman Posse (4 grunts)
The scenario was killbox and the board was even with a 3" blocking peice on each persons left side and a 4" forest on each persons right side with a trench through the middle of the board. Trolls won the roll so I went first.
Doomshaper just grinned, he supposed these Gators were used to sneaking up on their prey with ease. But sneaking up on Doomshaper proved more difficult than they anticipated. For one, Hoarluck could feel the power emanating from the Warlock leading them. Secondly, they barely noticed his own Swamp Troll as they moved to setup their ambush. Doomshaper was suprised though when the Gatormen Warlock looked in his direction and almost... smiled. As the Gatormen charged ahead of the warlock and his beasts Doomshaper sent his small band of Kriels up to take them on. He hated sacrificing his Dire Trolls if he could avoid it. Kriels on the other hand were often an acceptable loss.
Deployment
Trolls ~ I put the Earthborn so he could run to the rock (big suprise) and the Swamp Troll so he could get near the forest each of them at almost 11" away from Doomy who was right in the middle. The Kriels spread out between the beasts with the standard in the back.
Gators ~ He deployed the Wrastler across from the Earthborn with the Gatormen in the middle and heade the Snapper with them. He put Barnabas towards his own left side diagonally from the Earthborn.
Turn 1
Trolls ~ I ran up with the Kriels praying for movement leaving the standard back for buffs, Earthborn ran for the rock. Swamp Troll cast his animus and charged. Doomy put Fortune on the Swamp and Banishing Ward on the Kriels, he finished by casting the Swamp's animus and charged up the middle.
Gators ~ He moved up with his Gators keeping them just out of range for charging Kriels. The Wrastler moved up to take care of the Earthborn should I decide to move it up. The Snapper Moved to setup a possible lane to either Doomy or the Swamp Troll casting Spiny Growth. Barny Iron Fleshed the Gatormen and Spiny Growthed himself.
Turn 2
Trolls ~ Unable to charge his Gators I ran my Kriels putting three of the into melee with the Gatormen and leaving the rest back far enough to countercharge which didn't work as well as I hope when Barnabas countercharged one of them killing him. They were spread out pretty far. Earthborn repositioned a little to intercept anything big should he commit. Swamp Troll hit the Trench and cast his animus. Doomy moved up hoping to cast Rampager but the Snapper was just out of range so instead he used Purification and feated (yeah I know, got rid of my own animi too).
Gators ~ His Gatormen move in to kill some Kriels praying for defense and terror. Killing Kriels came easy to him and one of them got into the Eartborn's grill doing no damage. The Snapper moved in on the Swamp Troll taking him down to about half. Barnabas cast Iron Flesh and Spiny Growth again and the Wrastler moved over to him to get position on Doomy since my Earthborn was sufficiently tied up with Gators.
Barnabas almost smirked, these Trolls were barely a match for his Gatormen and while the gigantic Troll with him looked formadble it had no trouble at all swatting away the Gatorman that had charged into it. Watching the Trolls fall like grass almost saddened him. Barnabas was after all a Gator of action and killing his own Gatormen was becoming boring. The old Troll warlock was proving impressive inturrupting the flow of magic around him causing Barnabas to second guess using his own magic ability or even pushing his beasts too much. He did see the reason his ambush had failed though, the Swamp Troll stalked the edge of the Battlefield no doubt looking for an opportunity to drag one of his Gatormen down to the depths. As he mentally ordered the Snapper to engage the Swamp Troll, he wished in passing that they had figured out how to control these Swamp Trolls. The wish passed quckly though and he decided that killing it would be preferable anyway.
Turn 3
Trolls ~ Thinking to put some hurt on his Gators with some CMA and Caber Smash action I move my Kriels in for the kill, they all miss horribly. Doomshaper hits the Snapper with Rampager who promptly misses a Gator and the Swamp Troll moves up to lick the snapper and takes out its body. The Earthborn does take out the Gatormen in front of him so there is that.
Gators ~ He turns his snapper around and advances into the Swamp Troll taking him about 40% of the way down. His Gatormen go to town on the Kriels killing a handful of them still not wanting to take the Earthborn in the face he puts a Gatormen in harms way and he keeps Barny and the Wrastler back out of range.
Doomshaper wasn't saddened for his falling Kriels as the Gators moved them down. Actually he was angry that they seemed unable to do much at all to the Gators charging in at him. His frustration echoed in the minds of his beasts he muttered under his breath, "Dire Trolls are more relaible anyhow."
Turn 4
Trolls ~ I'm in trouble with my speedbump rapidly dieing to Gators and my Swamp Troll half dead and all my Trolls have to show for it is one dead Gatormen. I start with the Cabers thinking at least I'll kill a few more Gators which doesn't happen but I do knock one down. Swampy steps up and since I don't think I can kill the Snapper and live through the charge of two Gatormen I opt to toss the Snapper at the closest Gator killing the snapper and KDing the Gatormen. Only engaged with a single Gatormen the Earthborn picks him up and tosses him at the other Gators to follow the Swampy's example KDing them all and killing one more. Now he has Barny, Wrastler and Three KD Gatormen. Doomshaper Rampagers the Wrastler turning him away from the fight and missing a shot on Barnabas and then moves back a little.
Over his mental connection Grapeshot actually sent a suggestion to Hoarluk, Dires rarely responded in a way that wasn't more instictual and even those that did rarely had anything helpful to impart so Haorluk discouraged when they did that. But Doomy did the opposite with Grapeshot, he encouraged it, he found that this Dire in particular seemed to sense the best way to implement himself in battle. Doomshaper chuckled and decided the Swamp Troll should do the same as he saw Gators flying through the air used as missles at their own companions.
Gators ~ Barnabas casts Flesh Eater killing my Kriel leader leaving me with the Caber and the Standard depriving me of the prayers and he Iron Fleshs the Gatormen then moves the Wrastler up to take down Doomy on his next turn. He stands up his Gators and finds that one is in melee of the Swamp Troll so he attacks, killing Swampy outright. The other two are surrounding a Caber so they kill it four times but he toughs all four times (to this point I had rolled exactly 0 of 8 tough rolls). He seems confident that the Eartborn taking two free strikes from Gatormen would be enough to deter me from going after the wrastler with it.
Turn 5
Trolls ~ All I have left is the Earthborn, Doomy, a Caber and the Standard Bearer. Doomy goes first casting Rampager on the Wrastler boosting to hit, the wrastler moves over to attack a Gatormen but it out of range. Doomy then casts Purification moves to the back of the killbox hoping to not get charged to death. Caber Crosses his fingers and Smashes at one of the Gators not killing it but taking it out of the Earthborn's melee. Earthborn goes last and moves around the Gator to get into melee of both the Wrastler and the Gator then wails on the Wrastler and Gatormen killing them both but using all 5 fury to do so.
For the second time the old Troll warlock wrested temporary control of the Wrastler away from Barnabas. It was irritating that this old Troll seemed able to accomplish something that he should have been able to figure out a century ago. Seeing it get his Wrastler all turned around again seemed to turn Barnabas's vision Bloody Red, this old Troll would feel his bite...
Gators ~ Deciding Doomy is too far away he opts to kill the Caber and Earthborn thus securing the win. His Gatormen goes first standing up and killing the Caber, then Barnabas Charges the Earthborn Barnabas does well but misses on two of his attacks leaving the Earthborn with about 11 boxes (he forgot to feat here which may have finished off the Earthborn since he wouldn't have missed those two attacks).
Frustration echoed in Barnabas' mind as the Wrastler was put down by the big Troll beast. Seeing no alternative Barnabas decided to end the beast himself and charged into the fray. Hacking away at the Troll beast with ease Barnabas suddenly became aware of the fists of the thing shaping into a likeness of his own axe. For the first time in the fight he realized he may have bitten off more than he could chew.
Turn 6
Trolls ~ Doomy Charges Barny, spends 6 fury and does zero damage. Atta boy Doomy, way to keep my expectations of your melee cababilities low. Earthborn then starts in on Barnabas, 7 attacks laters Barnabas fails his tough roll and its game over. If he'd have made that tough roll I was probably a gonner since one shotting Doomy is something Barnabas has no problem pulling off.
Doomshaper was again reminded of why Dire Trolls were superior in almost every way to lesser Trollkin. If Grapeshot was any indication their biggest failing in low intelligence could be overcome. He walked up to the old Gator Warlock and realized it was still breathing. The Gator spoke to him in a old Mulgur-Trul dialect, "You will feel my bite old Troll, kill me now or I will persue you to your home and take away your family." Hoarluk just chuckled, "I have another idea, your Gators can help me rid the swamp of some meddlesome humans and I can let you live." Baranabas put his head back nearly overcome by his wounds but nodded in agreement, "While it is acceptable for now, there is no guarantee I will not come for you in the future." Doomy admired that quality in the Gator, though he deemed it an acceptable risk in exchange for the Gatormen and the Cygnarran's killing each other instead of Trolls...
All in all a fantastic game for one at such a low point level. Slug fest full of dice fail for both of us. One thing I re-learned tonight knocking a bunch of stuff down is a good alternative if you can't kill it all and it can't stand up for free.
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