Battle Report #3 - Minions (Maelok) vs. Khador (Irusk2)

So, this game was played last Saturday - sorry for the slow report. It's been a rough week. Also, you will notice several "mistakes" - my opponent was playing Mk III for the first time (he was a fairly consistent Mk II player), as well as playing Khador for the first time (he was a Minions player in Mk II - I actually got about half of my Minions from him).

So I was really wanting to play my dojo'd Barnabas list, to see if my theories were correct. However, my opponent had either Butcher1 or Irusk2 available, and there's no way I was going to take the chance that he'd put Irusk2 down (I've already run into Solid Ground with Barnabas, and it's not fun). So, I swapped out the Barnabas list for Maelok (it's actually fairly similar) and sure enough, my opponent played Irusk2.

My list:
The Blindwater Congregation theme
Maelok the Dreadbound [+28]
- Blackhide Wrastler [16]
- Blackhide Wrastler [16]
Gatorman Witch Doctor [0]
Gatorman Witch Doctor [0]
Wrong Eye [17]
- Snapjaw [0]
Gatorman Posse [17]
Gatorman Posse [17]
Gatorman Posse [17]
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew [2]

It's pretty straightforward - Witch Docs keep Zombify on two Posse, until it's time to Sacrificial Strike one of them (probably after being Revived by Maelok). Maelok makes the other Undead with Death Pact. This limits souls harvested (which doesn't matter against Irusk) and gives a huge ARM swing during Maelok's Feat turn. I have three heavies for dealing with my opponent's armor, but realistically, if he's going warjack heavy, this list will have to rely on Gatormen Posse and Mortality to get work done.

My opponent's list:
Supreme Kommandant Irusk
- War Dog
- Kodiak
- Kodiak
- Destroyer
Man-o-War Drakhun
Man-o-War Kovnik
Widowmaker Marksman
Doom Reaver Swordsmen
- Greylord Escort
Man-o-War Shocktroopers
Widowmaker Scouts

We were playing the Incursion scenario with three obstructions (the two buildings and the large hill) and two forests. Two walls were placed on one table edge. I won the roll, and elected to go second, choosing the side without the walls.

My opponent's deployment, after Advance Deploy placements:

I deployed my three Posse at the edge of my deployment zone. The left side - red Posse (behind the large hill) - was supported by Wrong Eye, the right side - blue Posse (which I assumed was only going to have Widowmakers close) - had the Swamp Gobbers (which I placed REALLY poorly - they should have been in front) and the central - green Posse - had Maelok and his Wrastlers. This would allow me to put pressure on all three flags during my second turn.

Khador - Turn 1:
Irusk activates, casts Energizer, casts Fire For Effect on the Destroyer, and casts Solid Ground. Then advances behind the wall. Both Kodiaks run, filling the hole between the central building and the forest. Doom Reavers run, filling the hole between the two buildings. Drakhun runs up behind the Doom Reavers. Shocktroopers and Kovnik run. Destroyer runs up behind the central building. He forgot to move the Widowmakers and the Marksman, but I let him move them into the forest before I did anything.

Minions - Turn 1:
Well, dang - he's a lot further across the board than I thought he would be. After some measuring, and realizing I was going to get charged no matter what on the left side, I charged the red Posse into the Doom Reavers. Only one makes it (after praying for 2" extra), and he whacked a Doom Reaver. However, the homicidal maniac rolled his Tough check, getting knocked down (he was just out of Irusk's Solid Ground). The Gators' supporting Witch Doc moves up and Zombifies them. On the right flank, I realize my mistake after advancing the Posse - the Gobbers are not going to be able to advance and put down the cloud in front of them. So, they pray for concealment, and the Gobbers move up and put down a cloud anyway. The Witch Doc moves up in the middle of the Gators (don't ask why, total brain fart) and Zombifies them. In retrospect - I should have just run the Gators, but I was worried about the Kodiaks. The green Posse advances cautiously, looking to support either side in anticipation of getting charged. Snapjaw advances, and casts Submerge and riles for three. Wrong Eye moves up, casts Star Crossed and Submerge. Both Wrastlers run (though really I just needed the fury) and Maelok moves up behind them and puts Death Pact on the green Posse.

Khador - Turn 2:
So, the knocked down Doom Reaver rises (didn't see that coming) and the unit charges into the Posse. Thanks to Star Crossed and eight damage boxes, only one dies (though another had to Tough to stay). Irusk moves up behind the building (he had upkept Fire For Effect and Solid Ground), and casts Energizer, moving up next to the building and out of sight. The Destroyer walks around the building and takes a shot at the green Posse. The shot misses (thanks to Dirge of Mists), but scatters into s position to still kill one and wound another. The Widomakers plus Marksmen move to the edge of the forest and take shots at the blue Posse, after killing their supporting Witch Doc (why did I move that guy there?). A Kodiak charges the blue Posse as well, curb stomping the poor guy that he contacts. The second Kodiak charges the green Posse, killing another Gatorman. Drakhun and accompanying Man-o-Wars advance further, and he passes turn.

Minions - Turn 2:
Mistakes are made - that's the theme.

First, before I go into the mistakes made, a little background on me. I have a neurological condition that really affects my ability to concentrate and stay focused. This also affects my memory, and ranges anywhere from really annoying to completely disrupting. While not an excuse for the mistakes made, it does contribute. So if you're reading this (and you don't know me), realize two things - #1 I'm not a hard-core tournament player. Don't get me wrong, I like to win, but this is a social game for me (and it's important). It's one of the few opportunities I have to interact with friends, and I relish every chance I get. #2 I have a hard time remembering everything MY army can do (and frequently forget things many times) - there's no way I'm going to know what my opponent's army does.

So, the Doom Reavers having Rise was a little surprising, as was losing two Posse members from the middle. And the stupid positioning on the Witch Doc AND the Gobbers cost me. Oh well, hopefully I remember better next time. Time to get some work done.

The painted Wrastler charges the Kodiak and proceeds to pound on it. However, I forget to cast Rage (that's the whole reason I bring these guys!) first, so he leaves the Kodiak on a few boxes. Not good, I don't want that guy alive. So the blue Posse charges, praying for distance. I get to the Widowmakers and their Marksman with two of them, and the other two hit the Kodiak. This was unnecessary, one of them put the big guy down. This also ended up being a cheating moment (sorry) as I completely misread the command range on the Posse (I thought it was 8, not 7). Those two guys way out there on the Widowmakers are out of command. :( They kill one of the Widowmakers (I never did realize they were out of command) but whiff on the Marksman.

I'm really wanting to get into the back arcs of those Doom Reavers (and maybe even into the Destroyer) so Maelok moves up, Revives two Gatorman (one in the green Posse, one in the blue) and pops his Feat. The green Posse get ready to move past the Doom Reavers, clearing the way for the Wrastler to the second Kodiak and engaging the Drakhun and Destroyer, when my opponent informs me that Doom Reavers have magical weapons. Ah crap! Ok, change of plans - red Posse activates, moves up and starts whacking Doom Reavers. Half-way through my slaughterfest, my opponent remembers he has Solid Ground up, which means the Tough Doom Reavers aren't getting knocked down. I let him take back the auto-kills and the Posse doesn't do near as well as the first run-through. However, I forgot their prayers - all those misses that could have been hits if I had remembered! Needless to say, the red Posse didn't kill the Doom Reavers, so the green Posse comes in to help. One of the green Posse (the one Revived) engages the Destroyer - which triggers counter-charge on the Drakhun. He can't hurt it, but he can get closer.

The Doom Reavers still survive, so Wrong Eye moves up (this was a bad decision!!). He takes a whack, but the Doom Reaver Toughs. The second Wrastler charges the second Drakhun (I remember Rage this time), but leaves him on just a couple boxes. Snapjaw activates, charges the Kodiak, and puts it down.

Khador - Turn 3:
My opponent wanted to concede here, as he thought he had nothing left, but I talked him into playing it out. He had a lot more left than he realized.

Needing to get shots off, the Widowmakers move away from the Posse engaging them. Both get hit by the free strikes, but the standard Widowmaker makes his Tough roll. What happens here? He can't be knocked down, but he should have been. We played that he stopped moving as soon as he left the front arc of the Gatorman. The Marksman died a horrible, horrible death. The remaining Widowmakers shoot at the blue Posse, killing the Revived one and doing a damage point to the leader.

Irusk dropped Solid Ground, puts Battle Lust on the Man-o-Wars, and pops Feat. Doom Reavers activate, whacking some Posse - including poor Wrong Eye :( However, Wrong Eye Toughs his death roll, keeping him (and Snapjaw) on the table. The Greylord Escort charges the Gator engaging the Destroyer, whacking him (I mismanaged this, I thought I was in the back arc of the Escort) and he Toughs. The Drakhun turns around, rides up, and lays the smackdown onto Snapjaw. The Man-o-Wars activate and charge, doing horrendous damage to the Posse, and more damage onto Snapjaw.

Minions - Turn 3:
Hmm, SPD 2 across the board. That isn't good. The painted Wrastler activates and charges the Drakhun, unhorsing him. The blue Posse get the Press Forward order (run/charge) - two charge the dismounted Drakhun, two run to the flag. It takes both Posse on the Drakhun to kill him, but they get the job done. Snapjaw advances and munches on a Man-o-War and a Doom Reaver, healing Wrong Eye both times. The green Posse activates, whacking a Doom Reaver and the Greylord Escort (the knocked down one stands up and gets his retribution).

Wrong Eye stands up, and whacks at a Man-o-War, doing nothing. I didn't remember to load Snapjaw up on Fury the previous turn, so he only had one. He kept it for transfers. The Witch Doc charges the Man-o-War, killing him. Red Posse members move in to engage the Man-o-Wars, but whiff (I forget to pray again, dang it!). Gobbers run to base the flag, and the silver Wrastler moves 2" towards the Man-o-Wars. Maelok moves up, puts Death Pact on Wrong Eye, and I pass turn.

My opponent concedes again, and this time I don't try to talk him out of it. His army is fairly depleted and Irusk really isn't going to get an assassination (Maelok is sitting on two Fury). He's only got five models left, with a good chunk of my army looking down his throat. And he was clearly frustrated with how things turned out.

Minions victory!

Lessons learned:
- Remember the frickin' prayers!! Gatorman Posse are very versatile, and can do amazing things - but only when you remember their abilities! I think I forgot Snacking half the time, as well. Very frustrating on my part. Also, they are only Command 7 - not 8 like I was playing the whole game.
- I think one of the best features of the new theme list is the +2" deployment. Don't get me wrong, I love 8-box Posse, but being 2" further up the field is really good, too!
- I really like running Wrong Eye. Several times Star Crossed saved Posse members and Snapjaw did good work as well. It would probably be a good idea to drop a Posse in the Barnabas list and add him there as well, but I want to try it with four Posse first.
- Irusk2's Tactician only affects Command range, not Control range - this is much different than we were playing it. Same with Total Obedience. And while his command is 10", that's a lot less than 14" and would have changed several outcomes. But as I said, I have a hard time remembering what my army can do, I depend on my opponent to understand theirs.

Thanks for reading!