My list:
Supreme Archdomina Makeda WB+24
- Titan Gladiator - 14
- Titan Sentry - 15
Tyrant Radheim - 9
Morthieurge Willbreaker - 4
Morthieurge Willbreaker - 4
Tyrant Commander and Standard - 6
min Paingiver Beasthandlers - 5
Max Praetorian Ferox - 21
Max Praetorian Ferox - 21
His list:
Wurmwwod, Tree of fate & Cassius WB+27
- Cassius - 0
- Feral Warpwolf - 18
- Ghetorix - 21
- Megalith - 20
- Pureblood Warpwolf - 17
Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress - 3
Shifting Stones - 3
Shifting Stones - 3
Sentry Stone & Mannikins - 5
Sentry Stone & Mannikins - 5
Wolves of Orboros min - 7
Pre Battle Thoughts and Deployment:
So, the Tree of Fate. I've been down this road before, and it really is a match that it's easier to win than to lose. There's generally not enough tools or attacks to chew through the Ferox wall. And with me out-threatening everything he have, and ignoring his strongest stratagem (The Feat) completelly, it's really hard for him to do anything. It might be playable, but nine out of ten times this should be easy pickings for Makeda.
Scenario was Take and Hold, and i yet again got to go first. Circle chose a side with a large obstruction to hide the Tree behind. I deployed centrally so that i could make a straight push down the middle to force him back. The plan was simple enough. Run up everything to block him out from scoring/Contesting, and start grabbing points as early as possible. He can hide the Tree as much as he'd like, but sooner or later he have to come out of hiding or just loose on Scenario.
Circle deploys everything in the middle behind the AD'ing Wurmwood and Sentry stones.
I Run everything up.
The reason behind his very offensive deployment of Wurmwood becomes clear as he runs Cassius towards my left Ferox unit, Teleports Wurmwood behind the House with Stones, then channel Curse of Shadows onto the Ferox, before Dark Pathing Cassius back to safety. Mannikins make their shenanigans, but fail to hit with their sprays. A few runs up to try and jam Ferox. The rest just runs straight down the middle (Except for Pureblood who takes the long way around the house instead.)
Ferox kill both Sentry stones, a few Shifting stones and 50%-ish of the Wolves. They also put a bit of damage on Ghetorix, but there's not much since he Spiny Growth'ed himself. Makeda Runs up to the flag and makes sure she's within Stay Death range of all the Ferox. Same goes for Radheim. The beasts and Tyrant just lumber behind, waiting for their turn to get into the fray.
I have made a blunder though. In my rush to put the hurt on Circle, i have clumped my Ferox up in a big messy pile in the centre. Which means he can go to town on several of them at once, getting them down to one box on by one. This may not seem like much, but when you force Tough/Stay Death, on nearly every hit in the later game, it can become a real problem. I should have been much more careful when commiting, to make sure that he can only get to a few at a time. When he's placed as narrowly as he is, that shouldn't be too much of a problem.
Anyways, his beasts all start to go to town on the poor Ferox, and a lot of Tough Checks and attacks later i'm down to a single FURY. The Pureblood walks around the house to Spray, but luckilly for me he misses all the Ferox within range. He then tries to land a few Hellmouths through Cassius, but due to me being engaged, he just can't land that all important hit! Megalith casts Stranglehold on Glad, taking him out of the game for a round.
He does not manage to contest me, so i move to 1-0.
Okay, so, crisis averted for now. Now i have to hit back! Unfortunatelly, Glad is useless this turn due to Stranglehold, or else i would probably remove at least two beasts. Ferox still do a ton of work though, leaving Ghetorix on a single box before the Sentry even gets to engage him. Radheim and Tyrant hits like gods as well, singlehandedly getting the Pureblood down to 3 boxes on their charges. (I've never seen so many box cars at once). Feral also takes a few hits and I remove the rest of the Wolves. Move to 2-0.
The tree tries to hit back once again, but he lacks the power. He manage to kill a Ferox or two, and finally lands a Hellmouth, but i tough like a god and has plenty of Fury left to survive it. Ty com is outside of Stay Death, so he goes down after the Pureblood is healed, but he miss Radheim, allowing me to dodge to safety with him. He manages to teleport a few stones within 4" of my flag to contest me. But, since Cassius is engaged by a Ferox, and have no way to get away without tanking a Free strike under Makeda's Feat ( i Feated last turn) He had to teleport the Tree next to me to try and land the all important Hellmouth, He did camp 4 Fury though...
(Forgot to take a picture after his turn..)
But only the Pureblood left standing on 7 boxes is a viable Transfer target as both the Feral and Megalith is maxed out on Fury.
Ferox remove the Contesting Stones, Sentry flubs a bit on his damage rolls, but the Pureblood goes down in the end, leaving Wurmwood with no protection of a Storm Ragered Radheim charging in to land the Killing blow! Then reposition over to his flag to move me to 4-0 as well. (Got to remember the Tie breakers!)
Victory to the Tyrants!
Post battle thoughts:
My views on this match up haven't changed a bit after this game. Wurmwood into Ferox spam is pretty much unplayable for Circle. Granted, i got lucky my overcomitment in the centre didn't cost me more, but even if it had it wouldn't change too much. Makeda would still be safe, and i would eventually win out the Grind. All the moving around, teleporting and Hellmouthing takes a lot of time as well, especially when you add in thinking time, and just the amount of time you have to roll the dice against the Ferox.
When Circle cloked over to me after his T3 he had about 10 minutes left on his clock to my 25 -ish. So the clock would have become a real issue for him if he hadn't comitted the Tree like he did.
Anyways. Another great game, another great opponent, and another win. My morale was peaking! That was until i figured out what i was paired into next..
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