Rise of the Archeoptadon

Hi all,

So, the last couple of weeks have been a cup-runneth-over stretch, in that not only did I manage to get down to the GW for a game with Chris (see last post), I also managed to get out for my first game of Warmahordes in a year and a half; also, my first here in sunny Halifax.

Newly painted Rhinodon (aka the eponymous) front right.  Needs to be painted Aptimus back left.

I had made contact, via the PP forums, with the local Pressganger / volunteer cat-herder, Gareth, but as it turned out, my work schedule conflicted with the local game night, and with one thing and another, I never really got my act together.  With term over, and time commitments much more flexible, I made contact again, was recruited into the local Facebook group, and went down to one of the local geek temples, the Monster Comic Lounge, for a game.  The group was super-friendly, made a new guy and rather rusty player feel welcome.  I got in a 25 point game against a nice fellow named Pete, who cheerfully took me apart, a not unexpected outcome ;)

Engaging the Bastions.  If I'd thought through the Gladiator charge, more bastions would have died.  If I'd thought to use the Krea's animus, more of my stuff would have lived.

We played straight-up assassination to keep it simple, and I ran pHexeris, a Gladiator, a Savage, a Krea, my newly painted Rhinodon, plus an extoller, min. Paingivers, and Aptimus Marketh, against Pete's Menoth - he had a newer caster with which I was unfamiliar, two units of Bastions, a 'jack that shot and dropped defence if it hit, and some utility solos plus choir.  I deployed in a brick, he in line, and off we went.

The game was pretty straightforward.  I baited with my Savage, he came up short on a Bastion charge, I sent in my heavies, and proceeded to make a pile of mistakes Pete was able to convert to advantage.  I forgot how "thinky" the game was, and my mistakes ranged from forgetting to use the Krea's animus (a spell-like ability that protects nearby things against shooting) to not placing the Gladiator effectively on the charge, thus missing out on a number of attacks.

Gladiator down, Savage thrown in as a speedbump, Rhinodon threw the unpainted Bastion to clog charge lanes, but it died.

The Bastions impressed me to no end.  Multi-wound weapon-masters (extra damage dice) that can "share" damage around or concentrate it on the target, they're a terrific tarpit that can dish out some damage; Pete used them to good effect.



My instincts for the game weren't totally shot, I tried some fun stuff like having the Rhinodon toss a bastion to block a charge lane (it died, unfortunately), and got some decent attack vectors in, but in the end, I'm out of practice, and Pete played a terrific attrition game, grinding me down to my Warlock and utility pieces.

A last-ditch attempt at spell assassination failed, and Hexeris went down under a hail of blows.

Last chance, Hexeris on the left.  He's not going to pull this off.

The game was a blast; I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed playing Warmahordes.  They play Wednesdays, and seem to finish earlyish.  I can see getting down for a game, then heading over to Games People Play for some Commander afterwards.  Fingers crossed.  In the meantime, my painting juices are fired up, and I'm putting together Skorne (and other models) in a happy glow.

FMB