eMakeda vs. Barnabas

Thursday night was Warmachine/Hordes this week, which meant I got a game arranged against my good friend Bjarke.

I was away from home both Wednesday and Thursday during the day, and really didn't have time to repackage my figure case since my eMakeda vs. Morvahna fight Monday.

My list was:

Supreme Archdomina Makeda
Gladiator
Molik Karn

Praetorian Swordsmen (10) /w UA
Tyrant Commander and Standard Bearer
Totem Hunter
Tyrant Rhadeim
Paingiver Beasthandlers (4)

Bjarke has recently picked up WM/H again, and was caught up in the Blindwater Congregation. He fielded Bloody Barnabas like this:

Bloody Barnabas
Blackhide Wrastler
Ironback Spitter
2x Bull Snapper

Gatorman Posse (3)
Gatorman Posse (5)
Thrullg

We rolled a scenario in SR2011 and got the "Revelation" scenario involving two flags at the center of the board.

I went first, and set up at flag #1. He deployed his forces more even but with most of his infantry near flag #2.

I moved up first turn, under Road to War and Leash on Molik, as expected. Passed the turn to Bjarke.

He predictably moved up a bit, ran with beasts and so on. He also buffed up his Gatormen with Iron Flesh and their own +1 DEF ability for some crazy resilience.

Then, turn two, I moved my people up a bit further, ran Tyrant Rhadeim up the right flank for threatening Thrullg - not that he's a threat, but I didn't want him in my ranks later. The Totem hunter took left flank, with the small unit of Gatormen as prey.

I tried to lure his guys a bit, and moved up to the 'middle' fence on the board. Also, my Gladiator moved up in B2B with flag #1.

Really, just set up everything for a next turn charge under my feat to mitigate Barnabas' feat.

Bjarke's next turn went as expected, he engaged a couple of my guys on the forefront, but didn't really kill them good. Vengeance next turn, woo! He forgot to move into B2B with flag #2, which meant that I took a point and he didn't on turn 2, and really sealed the fate for him in going for a scenario win.

Next turn was spent cleaning up the gators in front, and charging forward under every buff possible, really. Rhadeim killed the Thrullg, and I did some pretty decent hits on the three-man Gator team. My swordsmen charged forward under feat but didn't really do much, except they held up the Wrastler next turn.

His next turn went as expected, he pretty much killed all the Swordsmen but couldn't really get to move anywhere, which meant I was all set up for my charge next turn. He didn't feat at that point, which really did confuse me a bit - I'd probably done that, to mitigate the next-turn charge.

My next turn, the Tyrant charged 15" under Road to War on the Wrastler, along with the Gladiator. They killed it good, and Molik wandered up a bit and killed all but the last remaining Gatorman on the board. He even Fate Walke'd back home again.

Next turn was his final. He feated, and proceeded to destroy the Gladiator. Barnabas ended up in the middle of the board, ready for anything with Iron Flesh and a full selection of Fury. No way I could kill him next turn.

Instead, I noticed that the surviving Standard Bearer of the TyCom unit actually has a melee weapon, meaning he could move up and engage Barnabas, thereby enabling Karn to charge past Barnabas without retaliation (outside of his reach of course) and kill both a Bull Snapper and the last Gatorman at flag #2, ending in B2B with it and with no enemies within 4", taking a point home and ending the game, 3-0 to me on scenario win.

Sorry man, there's more than 4" between Barnabas and the flag!

All in all, a good game. I'm a bit sad to say that I didn't tailor my list to meet Barnabas, although it might look like that - both the TyCom and my feat, as well as Rhadeim being steady, really is a great counter to his feat. Also, me being able to hold up the wrastler for one turn and thereafter destroying it ruined his hopes of doing the flying gator-move.

I know he's still a bit new to Mark II and everything, but being and avid player in Mark I he's bound to get the Mark II feel soon enough. It's not that he played badly, he was just a bit outmatched. Definitely some stuff to work with. And I got a lot of respect for the fully buffed Gatormen - crazy stuff with DEF16 ARM16 +2 ARM if engaged, and they're still pretty mean in CC.

And...once again I really would like to get my hands on the Cetrati at some point!

Thanks for the battle mate!