EXTRA EXTRA! The Volningrad Times, Sports Page: Volningrad Snowmen’s Season Opener!

The Butcher didn't shy away from the front lines when he was needed.

Saturday, April 7 – Today the Volningrad Snowmen won their season opener against a team from the Legion of Everblight, 1 caster kill to none, although they were ahead on Scenario Control Points at the end of the first half as well.

A new trade made before the season, Orsus Zoktavir, who fans have affectionately dubbed “The Butcher”, was starting quarterback, while monstrosity Absylonia, was in for the Legion.  Absylonia led her side in a swift offensive in the beginning, taking half the field while the Butcher and his team struggled to match the pace set by the Dragonspawns. CONTINUED ON OPENER PAGE B5

Hot Khador 2 vs 2 action! [Huge Gallery]

White Khador vs. Red & Black Khador

See what I did there with the title?  HOT Khador action…but Khador is cold…and we played on a winter board…ehhhh, you don’t know funny.

The Gnarls league at Game Parlour wrapped up recently, I’ve just been slow to get you this battle report.  Chalk it up to one part laziness, one part busy-ness (?), one part ADD, one part…oooo what’s that over there!

…Where was I?  Oh yeah, so the Gnarls League focused on higher point games (think 50+ points) and team games (hence the Wartorn Alliances sub tag).  With that in mind on the last week of the league, the four Khador players decided to throw down in a major way.  2 vs. 2, 50 points each…but since that would have taken an eternity to get through, we scaled it down to 35 points each (70 points each side).

I played in my first ever Tournament! So, how’d I do?

Strakhov 25 point tournament list (missing Sylys in the pic)

Saturday I played in my first tournament and it was a blast! It was also my first time playing with clocks and timed turns were a bit unnerving.  Still an amazing time was had and it was a superb way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

But enough of my gushing, let’s get to the nitty gritty.  How’d I do?  Who’d I go up against? What did I run and why?

Beast-09 decided to make some friends with Bane Thralls…

"Get your hands off me, you damn, dirty Bane Thralls!"

…it did not go as he had hoped…

Vlad, Dark Prince vs. War Witch Deneghra

Last night I played a game against Mugu and his masterfully painted Cryx force.  I had played Mugu before when I was but a wee noob (now I’m a big noob) and it was a lot closer than it was this game. Sheesh.  Mugu, I think you’ll do just fine at Templecon! Good Luck!

I tried something new this time with pVlad and 3 warjacks.  It’s a list I had been wanting to try out for a while now.  I also proxied the Kayazy Eliminators (Eiyrss & Zerkova in the pics).  pVlad appears to be quite the straightforward caster from looking at his stats and spell list. Signs & Portents is just such an amazing spell.  Blood of Kings too.  But alas, it was not enough to beat Mugu.  As you can see from the pictures, he outnumbered my force by a good bit.  I attempted to barrel into his forces, hoping to weather my ‘jacks through the Thrall mass, while my Iron Fangs cleaned up on the right side.  Things went south quickly as I lost a good majority of my Pikemen very early in the game.

Where I was whittling his force Thrall by Thrall,  my force was getting carved.

Then Deneghra popped her feat…

…there was just no way I was going to pull it out now.  I conceded the game to Mugu.  Man, what a feat she has!

My initial thoughts on Vlad:  He’s alright.  I’m sure he is probably top-tier compared to Strakhov, but while playing him, he just didn’t excite me I guess.  Having 7 focus was a major boon though!  Despite only being one more than Strakhov’s, I felt like I had focus to burn each turn!  I was hoping to clear the way for a Blood of Kings fueled murder run, but it just didn’t happen. Mugu’s forces were just too much.  I really needed some AOEs.  Note to self…

Unrelated Sidenote!

Speaking of games…does anyone play Infinity?  I really like the models and was just curious on what peoples’ thoughts about the game were.  From talking to some people at various game shops, Malifaux is supposed to be the current hot shit, but I just can’t get behind the models outside of maybe 2 or 3 of them.  But Infinity looks pretty cheap and easy to pick up.  I may just pick up some models just to screw around with.

The “Spoken Word” Batrep: Kommander Strakhov vs Thyra, Flame of Sorrow

What’s a “spoken word” battle report?  Well, it’s one without pictures.  Sorry.

Man o man, was it good to get back to playing some Warmachine last Thursday.  Due to the holidays, I hadn’t played in about a month.  I got a chance to finally play one of our LGS’s newest recruits, Jeff.  I believe Warmachine is Jeff’s first tabletop wargame as well, maybe being at it 2-3 months, so we are about the same level.  Jeff is on the side of Menoth, and his friend Danny, who joined at the same time, decided to go Cryx.

I stuck with what is quickly becoming my bread-and-butter list:

Ron (me)

Kommander Strakhov (*6pts)
* Beast-09 (11pts)
* Torch (10pts)
* War dog (1pts)
Great Bears of Gallowswood (5pts)
Iron Fang Pikemen (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
* Iron Fang Pikemen Officer & Standard (2pts)
Widowmakers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (4pts)
Widowmaker Marksman (2pts)

I hope I remember Jeff’s list correctly.

Jeff:

Thyra, Flame of Sorrow (*6pts)
* Blood of Martyrs (9pts)
Avatar of Menoth (11pts)
Choir of Menoth (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Daughters of the Flame (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Exemplar Errants (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Exemplar Errant Officer & Standard Bearer (2pts)
Exemplar Errant Seneschal (2pts)
The Covenant of Menoth (2pts)

Kommander Strakhov vs. Master Tormentor Morghoul

I bring you a game that I played against Brendon (Plarzoid) and his Skorne a couple weeks back.

First let’s go to the lists!

Ron (me)

Points: 34/35
Kommander Strakhov (*6pts)
* Beast-09 (11pts)
* Torch (10pts)
* War dog (1pts)
Great Bears of Gallowswood (5pts)
Iron Fang Pikemen (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
* Iron Fang Pikemen Officer & Standard (2pts)
Widowmakers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (4pts)
Widowmaker Marksman (2pts)

Brendon (Plarzoid)

Points: 35/35
Master Tormentor Morghoul (*7pts)
* Cyclops Brute (5pts)
* Cyclops Savage (5pts)
* Bronzeback Titan (10pts)
* Titan Gladiator (8pts)
* Aptimus Marketh (3pts)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (3pts)
Praetorian Swordsmen (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
* Praetorian Swordsmen Officer & Standard (2pts)

Game time is GO!

Strakhov vs Vyros

 Sorry for the delay but I forgot about this battle I had on Thursday.  I came up against Rusty and his Retribution again.  If you recall I’ve faced Rusty before, but this time he brought Dawnlord Vyros and an all melee force.  I stuck with the force I used against Brendon, hoping to correct some of the grievous mistakes I made with under utilizing my Iron Fang Pikemen and Destroyer.

Spoiler alert: I didn’t.

Strakhov vs The Butcher

The Butcher had gone too far this time.  He had to be dealt with. The Empress knew there was only one man for the job: Shaft.

But since he wasn’t available, she went with Kommander Strakhov.

Last night was one of the final nights of the Slow Grow League and thus we found ourselves in 35 point games.  I came up against our Press Ganger, Brendon, and his tier 4 Butcher force, “The Black & Pinks.”  I went with a more “combined arms” approach for my Strakhov list.  TO THE ROSTERS!

Ron

Points: 35/35
Kommander Strakhov (*6pts)
* Destroyer (9pts)
* Torch (10pts)
* War dog (1pts)
Great Bears of Gallowswood (5pts)
Iron Fang Pikemen (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
* Iron Fang Pikemen Officer & Standard (2pts)
Widowmakers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (4pts)
Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios (3pts)
Widowmaker Marksman (2pts)

Brendon

Points: 35/35
Tiers: 4
The Butcher of Khardov (*6pts)
* Juggernaut (7pts)
* Juggernaut (7pts)
* Kodiak (8pts)
* War dog (1pts)
Man-o-war Demolition Corps (Leader and 2 Grunts) (6pts)
Man-o-war Shocktroopers (Leader and 2 Grunts) (5pts)
Manhunter (2pts)
Manhunter (2pts)
Yuri the Axe (3pts)

Will the Butcher be caught with a stray bullet?  Will Strakhov be boiled alive? Can’t we all just get along? 

Read on to find out!