Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Warmachine Battle Report: Vice Scrutator Vindictus versus Chief Madrak Ironhide

Friday night in my Troll friend’s basement … I was intrigued by a thread in the Menoth Community about Vice Scrutator Vindictus and an article from Muse on Minis linked within that thread. I put together a list and proxied in a small-base caster for Vindictus.

The scenario was Supply and Demand. As you will see below, it should probably have just been called Super Troll Menite Mosh Pit.

The Lists:
Vice Scrutator Vindictus (dressed like pSevvy today)
- Sanctifier
Exemplar Bastion Seneschal
- Repenter
- Repenter
Exemplar Bastions
Exemplar Bastions
Choir of Menoth (min)
Holy Zealots + UA
Reclaimer
Nicia, the Tear of Vengeance
Wrack
Allegiant of the Order of the Fist
Allegiant of the Order of the Fist

Chief Madrak Ironhide (pMadrak)
- Impaler
- Bomber
Krielstone Bearer and Stone Scribes
Fenblades
Boomhowlers
Trollkin Champs + UA (Skaldi)
Trollkin Champion Hero
Janissa Stonetide



Deployment

It almost looks like we aren’t going to both immediately brick up on turn 1.




TURN 1: Trolls

Trolls run and brick. The Fenblades and Boomhowlers form the front wave, the Champs form the Madrak wedge in the back.





TURN 1 Menoth

Vindictus allocates one to the Sanctifier and casts True Path. Everything runs with Pathfinder and it feel amazing. The monks are on either end. The Sanctifier is catching souls on the left flank and the Reclaimer is collecting souls on the right flank. Nicia was supposed to get Defender’s Ward but she deployed too far forward.




TURN 2 Trolls

Fenblades do not have distance for a charge and opt to run. Boomhowlers advance and shoot but only cause a few scratches to the right flank of Bastions. The rear troll wedge (wave 2) glides forward.




TURN 2 Menoth

The Zealots pray for Damage and throw bombs at the Fenblades doing some damage, killing a pair. A chunk of the Zealots are left in the back, jammed behind Bastions, but that is ok. Vindictus likes their company. He gets them. The right flank of Bastions charge the Boomhowlers and kill three. The left Bastions charge the Fenblades and kill several, forcing a command check … which the Fenblades fail. Vindictus activates, advances, feats, and casts Defender’s Ward on Nicia. Nicia charges a Boomhowler … it toughs both stabs. Nicia stays put. Sad Nicia. The Sanctifier and the Reclaimer remain patient. The Monks move forward aggressively.




TURN 3 Trolls

The Boomies attack and every one of them except Mr. Boomhowler himself die to Vindictus’s feat. The Fenblades fail command again. The brick advances and Janissa drops a wall. Through some miracle of Menoth (and Defender’s Ward), Nicia lives through the round. The Bomber lobs bombs which the Bastions absorb.





TURN 3 Menoth

The Zealots minifeat, which was a complete waste, and try to advance and jam. Too many Bastions get in the way again and they accomplish next to nothing. Several move out toward the right flank and prepare a screen for Vindictus. The Repenters advance and fire into the brick, lighting a pile of ARM 20 Trolls on Fire. wooo. Nicia charges Boomhowler and fails to kill twice. Again going nowhere. The right flank Bastions advance on the Champs behind the wall and flail around for a little damage. One of them smacks the objective for a bit. The right monk runs into the back field to threaten the Bomber. On the left side, the Bastions charge the Impaler and some Fenblades. A few Fenblades die and the Impaler takes a beating. The left monk loops around to stand next to the Impaler at DEF 17. The Reclaimer has two souls from Zealots dead on the last Troll turn. The Sanctifier is outside of Vindictus’s control range but is biding its time.




TURN 4 Trolls

pMadrak feats, but finds himself behind a wall of Champs. The other Trolls are going to have to do the heavy lifting. The Impaler attempts to disengage from the Bastions, but dies to the first free strike. The Champs overrun several Bastions (at this point nearly broken from Bombs and Trolls with two initials), but fail to kill Nicia again. However, the entire right unit of Bastions is now dead. Three souls of devout Bastions are collected and saved from the heathen Trolls. The Champs charge and put serious damage into the up-until-now unscathed left flank of Bastions. However, the Hero misses the monk and he advances into the Troll backfield. Most of the fire went out and what didn’t go out didn’t do anything against ARM 20 Trolls. The important element of the turn involved engaging the Repenters and doing a large chunk of damage to one of them.




TURN 4 Menoth

At this point the Reclaimer has five souls, the Sanctifier as none and is well outside of control. the Zealots are now ranged meat shields and the Repenters are heavily engaged. Nicia is engaged as well and facing the wrong direction. Menoth needs to spring the Repenters and spring Nicia. Also one of the Monks has a perfect shot at the back of Madrak … or the Krielstone. In review, the Monk should have attacked the Kreilstone. That thing is such an excellent support piece. Instead the Monk charges Madrak, misses once and hits once for a very small amount of damage. The Choir steps up and Battles all the jacks. The left side Bastions put hurt into the rallied Fenblades, one of them attempts to kill the problem Champ but fails. The Sanctifier manages to kill one … which enables their Vengeance ability. Fortunately the remainder are knocked down from tough checks from the Bastions. The Seneschal jams himself and blocks LOS to the problem Champ. The Zealots bomb away and manage to kill a couple Zealots and … Nicia. The Reclaimer advances and spends four of five souls putting the one problem Champ down. Now the Repenters activate, jostle for position and burn down Janissa and several Stone Scribes, setting Madrak on fire. The other Monk attacks and engages the Bomber. Vindictus camps and waits among his loyal followers.




TURN 5 Trolls

Fire burns some into Madrak and kills a troll. The Fenblades are all on their backs for their Vengeance move and spend their turn angry. They miss a lot. The Champs murder Bastions and hurt and jam the Sanctifier. The Krielstone guy turns around and starts heading for home (to get out of the way of Madrak). The Bomber takes a free strike from the Monk who misses. Then the bombs start falling and many Zealots are killed, but Vindictus remains unscathed. Madrak moves out and attempts to kill Vindictus, but a combination of Armor, health, and Zealot sacc’ing leaves him still alive.




Turn 5 Menoth

The Seneschal tries to win the day and fails, the Repenters close in for the kill and succeed in putting Madrak into the dirt. Victory for Menoth!





It was very fun to play a “low” focus caster for a change. It was also really cool to have what are essentially speed 5 pathfinder Bastions. I need to be less derpy with Nicia and I need to be much better about when I use my Zealot mini-feat. But if you are a Menoth player interested in Vindictus, give the recent threads a read and give him a chance. He will surprise you.

Thanks for reading.

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