Battle Report: eKaya vs. Kara Sloan

 The Lists (30 pts.):

Kaya the Moonhunter Laris Feral Warpwolf Pureblood Warpwolf Warpwolf Stalker Tharn Bloodtrackers	Captain Kara Sloan Triumph Charger Hunter The Black 13th Strike Team Major Katherine Laddermore Stormguards

Initial Thoughts:
Having played Jeff's Cygnar once before (and having had Kaya's battlegroup blown to smithereens that last time), I had a rough idea of what I would be facing. That said, I opted to play a list I thought would be fun,  deliberately trying to make certain I did not build a list to specifically counter him (I gave him the option of facing Kaya or Baldur - he didn't care which). I remembered from last time that I would have to run my models more aggressively instead of trying to hang back and try my usual hit-and-run tactics if I was to avoid absolute defeat... it only got me killed in bits and chunks last time. I debated whether to use the Bloodtrackers or a Blackclad Wayfarer and Shifting Stones + Stone Keeper.  While the latter seemed better focused to do what I wanted, I really wanted to run an offensive unit since I hadn't for the last few games I'd played... I just wasn't sure the Tharn would last long enough to be of any use - lately they seemed to act mostly as cannon fodder. Throwing caution to the wind, I took the "Chicks With Sticks" anyways, figuring they had an above-average Defense that should mean roughly a 50/50 survival rate and besides... I just find them fun to use. So I set to overriding my usual mindset of semi-defensive play and prepared to adopt an offensive style that would mean charging Jeff's gunlines so he'd only be able to get off a single volley, maybe two... I reckoned the Warpwolves were resilient enough to be able to take it to the face and survive to dish it out in return.
The Stormguards and Katherine were a slight surprise to see in his list... I'd soon see how I did.

This was a completely casual game, so we took a long time debating our choices and actions, there were a few takebacks, and I asked another player who stopped to watch to please refrain from giving me his possible tactical advice. Overall, it made for a very interesting (and fun!) game, with the tide of battle shifting back-and-forth several times. By the game's end, I no longer cared if I won or lost - at least I'd had a good time! 


Deployment:
Jeff won the roll and opted to take first deployment. Arrayed on the field were a hill in the center, two forests on both my sides of the board, and some ruins on either side of the table, one near the middle, the other just within Jeff's deployment zone to my left.
Jeff deployed his stormguards to my left, Kara and her 'Jacks in the center, and Katherine and the Black 13th on my right.
I deployed Kaya and my beasts in my center: Pureblood,  then Kaya, the Feral and Laris B2B, then the Stalker a tad off to the side.

Jeff AD'ed his Hunter to my far right in support of the Black 13th, and I placed my Bloodtrackers to my left near the forest and declared his stormguards to be their prey.


Round 1:
Jeff ran the Stormguards forward, advanced his 'jacks, Katherine, the Black 13th (with the Hunter hanging back behind them), and ran Kara as far forward as possible, getting her to the top of the far side of the hill for an excellent vantage point of the battlefield.

In response my Bloodtrackers ran into the forest to come out on the edge of the far side, hanging back in concealment and out of the Stormguards' charge range. The Stalker warped for Prowl, then ran forward into the forest on the other side, coming out on the edge so he had LOS, but stealth thanks to the forest.
Laris ran to the same forest, taking cover within the forest edge and behind a boulder. Kaya cast Shadow Pack, then cast Forced Evolution on the Feral Warpwolf, and used the last of her fury to Spirit Shift herself next to Laris and behind the cover of the boulder.
The Pureblood warped for Spell Ward and the Feral warped for Armor Spikes, and together both rushed the hill at a run, getting just to the edge so they had some cover behind it. I planned on making the Feral a target since it would be hard to hit, while I hoped to get the Pureblood into a perfect death howl position on the Stormguards, and if I was lucky, Kara.

Round 2:
Kara cast Refuge on herself. Taking aim at the Pureblood, she fired her magelock rifle and scored a nasty hit on the warpwolf, whereupon refuge activated and she raced off the hill and behind Triumph. Triumph aimed, negated the Pureblood's stealth from Shadow Pack and opened fire with a boosted attack, also striking the unfortunate warbeast. Katherine then charged forward, up over the hill, and unleashed a voltaic blast from her lance's accelerator into the Pureblood before finishing him off with her assault with her voltaic lance. Scratch one Pureblood.
The Black 13th advanced again. Lynch fired his beacon flare at the Stalker, illuminating the beast and negating his stealth. Ryan and Watts opened fire with their weapons set for Brutal Damage. One shot hit the Stalker, doing decent damage to him. The Hunter then charged and engaged the Stalker, but failed to hit.
The Stormguards, realizing they were likely to be within range of a gang of angry warrior-women, skirted from the left side to the middle to act as a barrier between my forces and Kara.

Kaya activated, upkept her two spells, then cast Lightning Strike via Laris on both the Feral Warpwolf and the Stalker. The Stalker then activated and proceeded to tear the Hunter to pieces with its great sword and claws. The 'jack finished, the Stalker leaped forward straight into the midst of the Black 13th via sprint.
The Feral, meanwhile, looked to avenge its fallen packmate. Skirting to the left side of Katherine, making certain to leave a clear charge lane for the Bloodtrackers if necessary, the Feral maintained its armor spikes and proceeded to rip Laddermore's mount to bloody gobbets. Katherine dismounted just out of range of the Feral's claws and bite.  Laris took the advantage to charge forward and bring Katherine down to 1 health box... dammit, so close! He then Spirit Shifted back to Kaya.
With nothing left to do, the Bloodtrackers advanced. One attacked Katherine and finished the dragoon off. The others were just within range to lob several spears at the Stormguard. Two men fell to the Tharn javelins. So far, I felt the exchange had worked somewhat in my favor, despite the loss of my Pureblood. But now I was worried what would come next...

Round 3:
Kara upkept refuge and distributed focus. Then she activated her feat, Firing Squad, and attacked. Boosted ranged attack rolls all-around. Ouch. A well-aimed shot from her rifle, Spitfire, tagged the Feral up on the hill and did significant damage. Triumph took the granted attack from her hit, but automatically missed due to Shadow Pack. The Charger moved up onto the hill and opened fire on the Feral, also landing another hit and wiping out the Warpwolf's Spirit spiral. Uh-oh. Triumph missed on the second granted attack as well (thank you, Stealth). Then the warjack activated, aimed, and fired... and thankfully, missed.  The Stormguards charged up the hill and engaged the Bloodtrackers. The Bloodtracker leader died in the attack, as did a second. The Stormguard leader fired a voltaic blast from his sword that thankfully missed the grouping of bloodtrackers and deviated off to the side, missing completely.
The Black 13th maneuvered to place all of them within Kara's control range and opened fire on the Stalker... somehow, I'd forgotten all 3 members had gunfighter. D'oh... With all weapons set for Brutal Damage, Ryan's shot hit, Lynch's hit but failed to penetrate the armor, and Watts connected with only one of her two pistols. The damage was still pretty bad on the Stalker, with his Body Spiral gone and other damage scattered over him. But... he was still alive!

My turn now came, and now the issue of too much fury came into play. Kaya leached all the fury from the two warpwolves, but left 1 pt on Laris, figuring he was least likely to frenzy... whereupon the dice gods decided to go for a laugh and I blew the threshold check by one lousy point. Laris frenzied and rushed the Feral, taking a good-sized bite out of the warpwolf's haunches. Damn!
Kaya upkept her two spells, then had to consider how this was going to work...
The Stalker activated, regenerated his body spiral, warped for Berserk and attacked the Black 13th. The result was brutal. The initial strike killed Watts, then moved onto Lynch, killed him, then got a third attack that missed Ryan. The rest of the initial attacks missed the surviving member of the team, and I opted not to run the Stalker hot for fear of another frenzy the following turn.
Kaya activated, and proceeded to heal the Feral and the Stalker, 2 pts. apiece, restoring the Feral's Spirit spiral. The Feral activated, regenerated more of his own damage, and I took stock of the situation.... I wanted the Charger dead, but the Stormguards were an immediate threat to my Bloodtrackers. I went for broke, The Feral warped for Strength, then leapt at the Charger, seized the warjack in both hands, and flung it at the three nearest Stormguards. All three were crushed under several tons of metal, and the Charger fell to the ground. The Bloodtrackers activated, killed the remaining Stormguard, changed the prey to the fallen Charger and one charged it, ramming her spear into the innards and doing some minimal damage.  It was getting close, now.

Round 4:
Kara let go of refuge. After taking some time to determine his actions, Jeff activated his forces. The Charger climbed to its feet. Ryan attacked the Stalker and winged him with a Brutal Shot for two damage, reversing the healing Kaya had promoted. Then Kara activated, took aim, and with a single boosted shot of her magelock rifle, put a final boosted spell-scribed shell in the warpwolf stalker's head, killing him. Jeff debated whether to have Triumph slam the Feral or not, before finally firing again on the Feral and injured him instead, but not enough to down the wolf... just make him very close to dead, with ruined Body and Spirit spirals...
The Charger advanced and attacked the nearest Bloodtracker. A backhanded swipe of its hammer easily killed her.

Kaya upkept her two spells. The surviving Bloodtrackers then activated. Out of the Charger's reach, they advanced as far forward as they could, targeting Kara and throwing their javelins. One managed a lucky strike and struck home for seven points.

Laris ran forward, around the hill. Kaya activated, moved up and out into the open, in clear view of Ryan. She healed the Feral's damage Spirit spiral, then channeled a Dogpile on Triumph, but missed by one point. Knowing that if this failed I probably wouldn't get a second chance, Kaya still held onto her last fury point for a transfer that might save her life if she needed it, but I hoped I wouldn't. Measuring Kaya's control range indicated Triumph was just within reach of the Feral's charge range...
The Feral activated, regenerated his damaged body spiral so he was running 'at full capability,' and going for broke, kept his warp for Strength and declared a slam on Triumph. Rushing forward he boosted his slam, and rammed full-tilt into the warjack, sending it flying backwards and right into Kara...
...Doing EXACTLY enough damage to finish her off with the collateral damage.

Whew!

Conclusion:
It was a long game since we were taking our time, but damn, it was fun. Jeff played very well, and it got iffy as to who was gonna survive, especially as he started doing lots of damage to my warpwolves. The Bloodtrackers pleasantly surprised me, which they seem to do whenever I seem to think it's a mistake taking them.
Off-hand, I don't think either of us made any real mistakes. Shadow Pack saved my rear several times, despite Jeff's ability to counter it since he generally had to stand still to get the benefit, which allowed me to continue to advance. Forced Evolution, Armor Spikes, and the hill made my Feral Warpwolf one tough cookie, which saved him just long enough to get the finishing slam. Jeff managed to still do a lot of damage, and had a couple rolls shifted in his favor, I would've very likely lost.

I have to admit that I really enjoy games like these. The outcome is always in doubt, and it doesn't feel like you made some sort of rookie mistake that results in you getting wiped out on the second turn. If the new Unbound rules promote this sort of feeling even more, then I can't wait for a chance to eventually try it.
Next week, a 50 pt. game against Tim...