Ten Tons of Assassination

Ten Tons of Assassination

Thursday March 18,

@ Phoenix Games and Comics.

72 West Center Street

Logan, Utah 84321 6pm to 9pm MST

We will be playing 25 point games in the Mangled Metal/Tooth & Claw format.

(Warcaster & Warjacks or

Warlock & Warbeasts only)

Sign up at Phoenix Games. 

$3.00 entry fee.

 

Grim Angus vs Mohsar

Grim had grown fond of the Earthborn he had named Cannonball.  Though most of the Dires that Hoarluk had brought were somewhat unpredictable and hard to control, Cannonball seemed to be more intelligent and intuitive than normal.  He hoped Cannonball would return soon, at least his Impaler and Alten were still with him.  As Grim scanned the landscape through his scope and warlock enhanced senses,  he noticed two things.  First off was the familiar twinge of another warlock nearby, the second was a small tribe of yellow skinned pygmies rushing around excitedly preparing for a fight, and it looked like one of them had learned how to ride a Dire Troll.  His Impaler put his hand on Grim's shoulder, and through the link they both shared the same thought... these little guys might be in trouble.  As the three of them walked past the Swamp Gobbers he had hired, Grim tossed a small bag of coin their way, "Extra payment for your trouble," was all Grim said.  Without complaint, the Gobbers followed and started prepping their tank with fog juice.

Hoarluk Doomshaper, Rage of Dhunia vs Kommandant Irusk

Mulg was certain he was smarter than most other Dire Trolls, he was also certain he could kill and eat pretty much whatever he wanted..  Krol sat in front of him though, flexing his new hand again, for some reason it made Mulg's stomach churn a little and his appetite wane... a little. 

My buddy texted me for a quick 25pt game and I accepted.  Usually he plays Khador with a bunch of heavy jacks and the Butcher or Karchev.  I figured we'd do a battle of the bigs so I brought some heavies of my own.

My List

Hoarluk Doomshaper, Rage of Dhunia -6

Dire Troll Mauler +9

Earthborn Dire Troll +10

Mulg the Ancient +12

He decided to throw me a curve though and he went infantry heavy.

His List

Kommandant Irusk -6

Kodiak +8

Great Bears of Gallowswood+5

Iron Fang Pikemen (Leader and 9 Grunts) +8

Iron Fang Pikemen Officer & Standard +2

Winter Guard Rifle Corps (Leader and 9 Grunts) +5

Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich +2

Sevwall reporting in with Templecon experiences:

I came in 8th out of 8 in the finals, so take any experiences I give with a grain of salt. I’m just some dude who got lucky enough to qualify.

But first, I have to qualify. I was planning on playing in 3 tournies, starting with Midnight madness 75 points two caster. I would stop playing tournaments when I qualified.

So, I've played maybe, just maybe, 3 or so 2 caster games ever. I was thinking I was trolls, and that while we may be tough, nothing is tougher than a two caster feat turn the likes of say Irusk1/Butcher1 combined feats.

So I'm thinking that the format would be dominated and won by the list with the most reliable kill condition. Once you kill one caster, the game is easy, especially if your kill condition is not a caster of your own (sorry epic stryker).

Two casters in the trollblood arsenal facilitate the assassination better than most (without risking themselves, sorry Grim). The first is obviously eHoarluk. Wild aggression is just amazing, Goad lets you move two inches when you kill a model, even your own, and the feat lets you strike far, for free. Calandra makes sure that your run doesn't suffer any of the foibles of cold dice, and that you can get higher than average rolls with the feat and fate bound.

After that, it was simply adding things that work easily for tired people (midnight madness is held at midnight and runs until about 10 am, so as little tricks as possible are good).

The final list was as follows:

Calandra

Bring the Pain!

So here is my shortlist of my new favorites in MKII. Yeah there are some other good and awesome things, Borka and Fenn Blades I'm looking at you two.

rMadrak - I have always loved him and his surefoot defense buffing goodness. Add in some Carnage and Snap fire and good gravy he is better than usual.

Grim Angus - A feat that is to die for, this Troll controls the battlefield better than he ever did in MKI. Now with the ability to grant hunter, a gun that will blow your shorts off, and a netgun that will make you wish you didn't get too close this Troll is the complete package for scenario play.

Borka MKII Game Experience

This post was copied from Sevall at the PP forums HERE, his reference to posting should be done on the PP forums.

Post your thoughts based from in game experiences here. Lets make a nice repository of informed comments. There is a place for theorymachine, but with all the emotions we should really have a place dedicated to actual gaming knowledge.

Played two games with the following 50 point list.

Borka
Keggy
EBDT
Slag
10 Fennblades
10 Bushwhackers
5 Champs
6 Kriels + UA
Fellcaller
Chronicler

Mark Two: Squee Post

So, the Mark Two revised post-field test rules things are out, and that means it's time for someone who hasn't played Trollbloods since before Metamorphosis to give his ill-formed opinions on the whole shebang. I'm not just going to talk about the changes between the end of the Field Test and now, because I wasn't really paying enough attention TO the Field Test owing to having a) no Hordes models during it and b) only one guaranteed opponent, who I'm still training.

Madrak - Snap Fire excellent. Feat wording is all arse-about-face and busyfied - Overtake could be an Advantage and text eliminated for more better clarity. Scroll still not as stupid good as I remember it being. Battering Ram looks like it could be fun (lots of effects like that, with pushes and places and moves you abouts, which I like even if it's not very good. It's just funny.).
eMadrak - Snap Fire excellent. Feat still a curious beast that I see much potential in, but also many ways to mess up. Killing Ground is very nice. I like the look of him but he's definitely more complex than the original.
Hoarluk - Banishing Ward change excellent, exactly what I was hoping for. Stranglehold looks interesting but necessitates playing him closer to the front than I'd like. Nothing I'm madly excited about but I'd play him.eHoarluk - Whoa there feat turn. Interesting arc-node-esque mechanic in Primal Shock and interesting capacity to withdraw himself from danger with Refuge (shame it's not on the other one, but I suppose that's the point). I like that his melee potential has been concentrated on the Epic version, makes more sense that way. Wild Aggression woo yay. Cunning little beast.
Grissel - Who needs a hand cannon? Critical Smite looks like fun (again, it doesn't have to be good, but look at the model - it fits!). Damn it, I tore up my Rift marker. Still my preference in warlock, I think, with both Madraks and Grim both making a very strong case.
Grim - Feat turn whoa. Return Fire on an Impaler looks like fun. Wish he worked better with Minions, would love to do a list with him and a bunch of Farrow and Gatormens based on his mercenary days. Do ze goggles do enough? I'll have to check the Legion rules.
Borka - Better, but I've always been indifferent towards Borka. Wind Wall and Iron Flesh give him an interesting dynamic, and I like that the Keg Bearer serves some worthwhile purpose again (though Top Off needs proofreading, it's rambly and there are bits missing, much like this post).
Calandra - Still good, don't care, never liked her. Sorry folks. She and Borka are the kind of Trolllblood model I can't bring myself to own.
Pyre - fun, no longer competing with the Mauler for animus effect, nice cheap AOE, like it a lot.
Slag - Word of God proof that Fire > Corrosion, would like +2 to damage rolls on all Cryx attacks with Corrosion to maintain parity. (I'M JOKING.) Seriously, this troll hates Cryx. That's fine, I hate it too. Fugly model. Needs resculpt before purchase. Potentially useful for 'jack battering though.
Axer - targeting limitation on Rush makes me sad. Rush still clearer than it used to be though (I played it wrong from Primal's release up until, ooh, late 2007?). Still solid. Wouldn't want two now.
Bouncer - WANT. Shield Guard nice. Bump nice. Chain weapon situational but nice.
Impaler - targeting freedom on Far Strike makes me happy. Still good. Take two all the time? Maybe not.
Winter - nice touch on the animus. Not sure I'd need it with all the Bumps and Smites and stuff about but it could be useful, 'specially since I fight Khador a lot (Immunity = good). Still like the non-elementals more.
Blitzer - GUNFIGHTER! Whee! Repulsion another one of those effects I really like, and is now actually effective. Virtuoso potentially hilarious. Someone remind me, do you forfeit all your initial attacks to make a power attack? You do, don't you? Pity. Throw + Strafe = good times. Curse you, balance.
Mauler - like Seether on steroids. Not as exciting, to me, as the Blitzer; much much better model though, and as good a utility beast as always.
Earthborn - tough as old boots but Elemental Communion a bit situational for my tastes. Would rather have either of the other Dires.
Mulg - expensive and slow. Would rather have lights. Colour me indifferent.
Kriel Warriors - not totally awful, but almost totally outclassed by Fennblades. CMA not as good as Reach in faction that throws +2 to melee attack rolls around like it's going out of fashion. Caber still nice but needs Fortune to qualify for 'awesome'. UA is counterintuitive, extending formation space for a unit that likes to clump (CMA, Take Up). Could help with engaging multiple targets, I suppose, but could Fennblades do the same thing better, and do I have the patience to work out that many formation issues? Steady not bad, admittedly, but not worth it on this unit and certainly not when Fell Callers are about.
Krielstone Bearer - still not an anchor. This alone makes me interested in Trollbloods again. Glad to see it's maintained its competitive costing niche, stops Elder being a must-take, but would love Elder in ranged lists.
Thumper - there, are the Khador players happy now? Still hitting reliably, still good, still competitively costed.
Champions - still not a must-take, but appealing with increased utility (three semi-solos? would work well with Borka, knocking down on the first hit and finishing off on the second), capacity to spread out and flexible sizes. Like them now, rather than feeling bound to them.
Fennblades - good, they're more expensive than Kriels. They are still better than Kriels - more aggressive and Vengeance + Reach = Good. Reach makes me happy about working more mileage out of Madrak and Grissel's extra attacks.
Long Riders - Three seem good, five seem too many. Might need Fortune to work those criticals and ensure knockdowns, otherwise need Horthol to really shine (Bull Rush risks slamming things too far to capitalise effectively), but I play Cryx, I'm used to cavalry coming with a patch solo to work with more than one 'caster. What would I do with them, without him? Not sure.
Runeshapers - why must they be stupid comedy hand models? I like them but I cannot purchase, for lo! they look shoddy. Tremor on the charge, followed up with a buffed hit from the axe? One Tremors, others bludgeon target? I like these guys. Curse their stupid hands.
Scattergunners - nice figures but colour me distinctly underwhelmed about their rules. Not bad, but in same bracket as Fennblades so outshone horribly. Needs more UA with Granted: Something Interesting.
Burrowers - BLARG. I understand that they can't have the Helldiver's invulnra-Burrow, but they're too fussy in their implementation for me to bother with. Trolls is for not complicated time.
Bushwhackers - proof that sometimes you can do something interesting without unit-specific rules, much as Scattergunners are proof that sometimes you can't. Fun and flexible ranged option. Would like.
Fell Caller Hero - well, that's one way of making the Champion Hero feel less inadequate. Opening up Hero as a designated type? Very good, potentially a bit too good for that all-important 3 point bracket?
Chronicler - henceforth to be known as the Fennblade UA. VERY good. Now works the way I thought he did all along.
Champion Hero - still not convinced he does as much good as the Fell Caller, might still be the dud of the bracket, but he's not bad. Did you buy ten Champions in Mark One? Rejoice, then, for an interesting list is still accessible to you.
Whelps - do more to enable alternative playstyles than anything but the changes to the Krielstone Bearer. Practically a must-take - it remains only to choose how many.
Horthol - if fielding Long Riders and not Hoarluk, must-take: makes Critical Knockdown and Bull Rush worth bothering with. Interesting denial capacity with Stagger and Line Breaker, but ultimately you take him for the Long Riders. He and Darragh should form a support solo support group.

Conclusion - Overall, happy. Long Riders still represent significant investment, especially given must-field patch solo. Disappointed in Scattergunners and Burrowers. Praying for Blitzer and Runeshaper resculpts - they are good but their models represent Trends I Do Not Like and cannot bring myself to encourage with purchases. Skorne will have much work to do to persuade me that getting into them's a better call; Trollbloods excite me and make me clap my hands and bounce like a schoolgirl in a way that Skorne simply haven't, to date.

MKII Homebrew League Standouts.

It's midseason here in Phoenix Games Homebrew League and we have some good looking standouts at the moment.

Brian Cygnar started slow with a painful loss but has picked up the pace.  Last week in the brawl after barely escaping with his life Caine finally scared Grim away.  When he was done with that the other five in the brawl had reduced themselves to just Mortenebra with whom Caine had no problems dealing with.   This week Brian pulls out another victory and scores a bond with the Lancer, who needs Thorn when you have a cheaper Thorn... I mean Lancer.

Cryx Mike has also been doing well but is getting outshone just a little by Khador Dustin.  Mike cleared the board in his brawl only to be mercilessly put down by Dustin at the end of the game.  Dustin's Khador on the other hand taking a big win last week in the brawl almost got taken to school by Blah and his Trolls, only to pull a victory from the clutches of defeat by killing Doomshaper.

McCryx started big in his first game grabbing the special objective and winning handily only to go down in flames in the brawl the next week dieing after only taking a single turn.  He paid Mike back for that last night with a sidestep and a pirouette by the Deathstalker to wreck Mike's night.

Menoth Jon has, as always had solid performances.  Those stinking flamers just wont die.  I coun't him as the sleeper in this League as he has consistently been near the top.  That and his second unit of Bastions are hitting the table.

KhadorAdam was a late comer in the League and has had a slow start.  He is looking to boost his wins and his ego by teaming up with McCryx in next weeks Teams Game.

The rest of us will have to beat some face next week in the teams game and claw our way back ahead of our leaders.

Bouncer takes one over Mortenebra.

With the MKII rules almost becoming final, I remain a bit underwhemled by most the Trollblood lights.  PS13 just seems a little wimpy.  But I digress, played a 35 point game last night against Mortenebra and who was the shining game winner... The Bouncer.  At Dice minus 5 for Damage and needing to roll 11s to hit the old boy came through with a couple of face smashing blows to her face winning the game for me.  I have to say this about him.  Its the first time he has EVER killed anything for me ever!  Granted I have only brought him a handful of times, but most often he gets in the way and softens stuff up before he dies horribly.

Christmas Figurine Exchange

In my local LGS we did a Christmas figurine exchange.  We paired up guys based on what they had and wanted and they all painted a figure for each other $15.00 or less.  Here are most of what appeared a few days before when we had our Christmas Brawl.