Learning Curve Part II

Continuing from the previous post.

In my second game, I went up against Kim's Prime Vlad toting 2 Kodiaks, Beast and Drago. This was a 30 point game only so I just removed a Defiler from my previous list.

I won the toss and deployed. Kim placed his army and then I put down my cloud effects after which I moved my entire army up behind the clouds. Venethrax casts Lamentation and keeps the remaining focus. Kim having an entire army which could run, well...ran them all. Hehe.

Second turn I upkeep Lamentation and string out my McThralls. I move my Pistol Wraiths on opposite ends of the table. My Stalker and Seether are doing bodyguard duty for Venny.

Kim's second turn, he decides to pop his feat and then moves Vlad into cover, taking Beast and Drago along for bodyguard duty. Kodiaks attack, I will call one Kody which is on my left and the other one Diody which is to its right. Diody didn't reach his target McThralls and activation ends. Kody managed to reach his at which point it kills the McThralls in his melee range.

My third turn I assign 3 focus to the Seether, upkeep Lamentation, give a focus to the Defiler. Stalker activates first and I attack Kody with a Fist, Tusk, Fist attack. The fists having hit, I opted to try a 2 hand throw. I rolled low in my strength check and I was not able to throw it. The first squad McThralls finished it off. Second Mcthrall Squad damaged Diody by a third. I manuever the Pistol Wraith behind pVlad and the other Pistol Wraith stays put. Skarlock, Stalker and Defiler positions for possible attacks. Venny moves up a bit to catch pVlad under Lamentation.

In Kim's turn, Diody kills 1 McThrall, Drago kills 2 more and Beast runs up. Kim does something audacious, camping Vlad's focus and running Vlad up to Venny since he could not cast his more important spells under Lamentation.

Fourth turn and again, I give the Seether 2 focus and this time, not upkeep Lamentation. I move the McThralls in front of Vlad out and one eats a free strike. I then move up the Seether, spend a focus for a Power Attack 2 hand throw and boosted it for a successful attempt. I throw Vlad at Diody and do 10 points of damage as I boosted the damage rolling Str10+4D6 against Vlad's Arm 23. Once Vlad was knocked down, I sent some McThralls against him, plinking for some damage. I tried. At this point I also realized, I forgot to put a focus on my Stalker and I thought that was the game because the Stalker had the attacks which could kill Vlad this turn since it had Arcane Assassin which ignores focus adding to armor. The McThralls finished off Diody.

Venethrax tried to get into the act but I couldn't damage Vlad enough since I was hitting at P+S14. I though this was it unless I can get a Pistol Wraith to Death Chill Vlad. The other Pistol Wraith was too far. The other took me a few minutes to see where I should put it. I finally asked Kim if Vlad could be seen from the Pistol Wraith's perspective since Vlad was on higher elevation. Kim gave it to me and I maneuvered the Pistol Wraith. It was just enough base peeking past Beast's base and I managed to Death Chill pVlad.

Vlad's turn and he sacrifices movement to Death Chill and sacrifices action to stand up. Gives 3 focus to Beast and casts Signs and Portents. Beast tramples toward Venny and buys an attack. The first attack misses and the second hits dealing me 10 points of damage. Basically that was the game. Kim allows me to finish off Vlad come my turn.

Overview
This is my first time playing Cryx and throughout my 2 games, I was really busy with the learning curve. So much that I forgot to take pictures of both of my games. This is my first time to play with that many models even in a low points match and it can really tire the brain out.

I learned McThralls with Necrosurgeon are a bothersome tarpit. In my game with SJ, I was bringing a few of them back. I also learned my apprehension with Venethrax as a caster was overly pessimistic. I thought SJ's trolls could have easily rolled up my army and that I couldn't deal damage to Kim's Warjack Brick fast enough. I also found that Venethrax has an interesting feat, causing denial of charge lanes to Venethrax by creating clouds. Sure, a Mage Hunter Strike Force can still ignore the clouds to damage Venny but it stops Eyeless Sight cold.

I also like Venny's Tier benefits as those same characteristic clouds block the LoS to my army. 12" of fog are quite handy.

I look forward to playing with Venny some more in the near future. Overall an army which has still has a lot to teach me about Venny.

Now if only I can get pics. to put in the blogs...