Castle Black - The Old Witch Of Khador vs Pirate Queen Skarre

The cawing of the numerous crows was maddening as they circled Zevanna Agha's hut. While directing the construction of a Necrofactorium Spire in Castle Black, Pirate Queen Skarre was called to battle not only as the old hut's mechanikal legs came to a stop beyond some snow-crested hills, but with the trembling of the earth as Khador brought one of its colossals to bear.

Since it's the 10th anniversary of WMH Philippines, I'll be hosting Reckoning Pilipinas on the last Saturday of the month. I figured I'll try playtesting several things at once - try out the Demolition Run Reckoning scenario, try out the Old Witch's Invisible Army theme list, and try out Skarre1 and whatever Cryx models I have at home; plus I get to try out the new hills I made for my table.

The Old Witch of Khador's battlegroup consisted of the Scrapjack, a Conquest and a Kodiak. The rest of her force comprised of Yuri the Axe, a Manhunter, a Widowmaker Marksman, a unit of Widowmakers, two units of Greylord Ternion, and a minimum unit and a maximum unit of Kossite Woodmen.

Pirate Queen Skarre's battlegroup is made up of a Slayer and two Deathrippers. The Cryx force consisted of the Withershadow Combine, Bane Lord Tartarus, two Pistol Wraiths, a Skarlock Thrall, a minimum unit of Bile Thralls and a maximum unit of Bane Thralls. For additional support, Pirate Queen Skarre hired an Ogrun Bokur, and Greygore Boomhowler & Co.

Pirate Queen Skarre's deployment

The Old Witch of Khador's Invisible Army deployment

Cryx vs Khador

Pirate Queen Skarre - Turn 1

Pirate Queen Skarre allocated one focus to each of her warjacks

Greygore Boomhowler & Co. run up the battlefield with Call of Defiance

One Pistol Wraith advanced up into the tree line

Cryxian warjacks run up the battlefield

The Skarlock Thrall moved up and cast Ritual Sacrifice

The rest of the Cryxian force advance up along with their warcaster

The Old Witch of Khador - Turn 1

The Old Witch of Khador allocated one focus to the Scrapjack and the Conquest. With Invisible Army, she started with Iron Flesh on herself, Avatar of Slaughter on the Scrapjack and Weald Secrets on one of the Greylord Ternion.

The Widowmakers and Widowmaker Marksman make quick work on the Bile Thralls and back track to safety with Swift Hunter

The Scrapjack runs forward and takes the center of the battlefield

The Old Witch of Khador casted Unseen Path and placed herself aggressively in front of the Scrapjack

The Khador warcaster cast Murder of Crows in front of her. With Prowl, she gained Stealth while being in the AOE. She then called up Field of Talons.

Yuri the Axe and the Manhunter run up the field

The rest of the Khadoran force advance up to provide support

Pirate Queen Skarre - Turn 2

With Ritual Sacrifice, Pirate Queen Skarre gained an additional two focus. She allocated three focus to the Slayer.

Maelovus and Admonia of the Withershadow Combine advanced outside the area of the Old Witch of Khador's Field of Talons

Tremulus stayed behind, hoping to cast Puppet Master on the Slayer, but suffered mortal damage from the Old Witch of Khador's feat

Bane Lord Tartarus advanced closer to the Old Witch of Khador, taking damage from the Field of Talons

Pirate Queen Skarre advanced through the Field of Talons unharmed because of her overboosted armor. With four focus, she casted Dark Guidance.

The Cryxian warcaster called up Blood Magic, inflicting five damage on herself but increasing the strength and armor of Cryxian models in her control area. Pirate Queen Skarre then used boosted damage Sacrificial Strike, targeting the Old Witch of Khador and using Bane Lord Tartarus to power it.

Pirate Queen Skarre's Sacrificial Strike did fourteen damage to the Khadoran warcaster. It was here that I realized that it was an illegal move, since Bane Lord Tartarus is not a trooper but a solo.

The Slayer advanced towards the Old Witch of Khador, taking some damage from the Field of Talons

With its initial attacks under Dark Guidance, even her high defense from Iron Flesh was not enough to save the Khadoran warcaster

With Dark Guidance and Blood magic powering its Death Claws, the Cryxian helljack brings down the Old Witch of Khador

Pirate Queen Skarre stands victorious

50PC Demolition Run; Pirate Queen Skarre victorious over the Old Witch of Khador, via casterkill from Blood Magic and Dark Guidance Slayer

"The ancient one has fallen," the Kossite Woodsmen kept their voices hushed as they were yet unseen by their foes. The Cryxian helljack raised its wicked claws, Skarre's dire blood magic and guidance swirling about the Slayer's black hull, ready to rip apart the Old Witch of Khador. 

"We must rescue the ancient one!" the woodsmen were about to spring forward, but large talons of rock erupted from the earth, impeding their advance. Through the swirling mass of crows, Zevanna Agha glared at her countrymen. 

"Ancient one." Their whispers were filled with awe. The entire battlefield now thick with crows, Wraithlock pistol and bile cannon shots muffled by the cawing of thousands of black birds. Yuri the Axe roughly picked up Zevanna, and signaled their retreat.

Thanks for reading and in advance for the +1! For any comments and questions, please feel free to do so on the Comments section of this post. Good luck, have fun and always bring your ace game!

Castle Black - Karchev The Terrible vs Kommander Strakhov

Kommander Strakhov vs Karchev the Terrible

So it's one of those days where the whole crew got to game this weekend and I didn't. They got to go do the Demo Day at Hobbyland, while I was stuck at home because of a personal medical condition. I was figuring out what kind of Solitairemachine game to do, then I remembered the current storyline, where Strakhov rescued Karchev from the Cephalyx tunnels. So that was that - it'll be Strakhov vs Karchev!

Karchev the Terrible's battlegroup included the Behemoth, Beast-09 and a Devastator. The rest of the force is comprised of the Great Bears of Gallowswood, a unit of Greylord Ternion, Yuri the Axe and two Manhunters. For Mercenaries, Karchev the Terrible retained the services of Eiryss, Angel of Retribution; Sylys Wyshnalyrr , the Seeker; and a Goblin Tinker.

Kommander Strakhov's battlegroup included a Conquest and a Spriggan. The rest of his force is made up of two units of Doom Reavers, a Gun Carriage battle engine and a War Dog. For Mercenaries, Kommander Strakhov hired Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios; and Master Gunner Dougal Macnaile.

50PC Recon

The battlefield

Karchev the Terrible's deployment

Kommander Strakhov's deployment

Yuri the Axe leading the vanguard of Karchev the Terrible's force

A Conquest and Gun Carriage stand beside Kommander Strakov's line

Karchev the Terrible - Turn 1

Karchev the Terrible allocates one focus to the Devastator

The Greylord Ternion advance up field and cast Blizzard on the two Manhunters and Yuri the Axe

Yuri the Axe and the two Manhunters cautiously advance up the board, the Blizzard clouds blocking line of sight to the warjacks stomping up behind them

Karchev uses his Arcantrik Turbine for extra movement, casts Tow, and advances up behind the Greylord clouds. The Behemoth and the Devastator are placed alongside him via Tow.

The Behemoth advances, and takes a shot a unit of Doom Reavers. The shot was too wide, caught Master Gunner Dougal Macnaile in a blast, but failed to harm him.

The Behemoth's second Bombard drifted and dropped half of the Doom Reaver unit.

The rest of Karchev's battlegroup advances on the right side of the Blizzard clouds

Kommander Strakhov - Turn 1

Kommander Strakhov views the incoming enemy force

Kommander Strakhov allocates one focus on the Spriggan

The Conquest advanced forward and aimed its Main Guns at the centrally located Manhunter. The shot was short and exploded harmlessly at the center of the battlefield. The Conquest also laid down Creeping Barrage in front of the Manhunters and Yuri the Axe.

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios, wanted to shut down the Behemoth with a Disruptor Bolt, but was short

The Doom Reavers cautiously advanced behind the Conquest's Creeping Barrage

The Gun Carriage rumbled up the field

Kommander Strakhov cast Superiority on the Spriggan, cast Sentry on the Conquest, and took position on top of the hill

Master Gunner Dougal Macnaile advances up the field

Karchev the Terrible - Turn 2 

Yuri the Axe skirted up and around the Conquest's Creeping Barrage and used Thresher with his Great Axe to eliminate two Doom Reavers

The Great Bears of Gallowswood charge the Gun Carriage, but fail to wreck it

One Manhunter charged through the Creeping Barrage, took one damage, and smashes the Gun Carriage to the ground

The other Manhunter runs up and engages Master Gunner Dougal Macnaile, and contesting a flag

The Behemoth advances up and takes a shot at Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios. Since she has Stealth, the shot drifted over Master Gunner Dougal Macnaile and caused one damage to the privateer.

The Behemoth's second shot also drifted off because of her Stealth, but not too far. Caught in the blast, she took two damage from the warjack's Bombard.

With Tow upkept and his Arcantrik Turbine used for extra movement, Karchev the Terrible advanced up, placing Beast-09 and the Devastator with him.

With Sentry, the Conquest fired off its Main Guns, but was utterly ineffective against the enemy's high armor

Karchev the Terrible cast Unearthly Rage

After casting Unearthly Rage, Karchev the Terrible called up Total War

With Total War, Beast-09 charges through the Creeping Barrage at the enemy Spriggan! Using Thresher with its Ice Axe, the warjack slays three of the four nearby Doom Reavers.

Beast-09 got an amazing roll for damage on the Spriggan! 

The Devastator advances up the field, the enemy Creeping Barrage not even scratching its armor

The Greylord Ternion advanced up behind the Devastator, getting advantageous angles for their Frostbite spells

Casting Frostbite at their own Devastator, the spray kills a Doom Reaver

The other Frostbite slays another Doom Reaver

The remaining Greylord casted Blizzard on Karchev the Terrible

Syslys Wyshnalyrr and the Goblin Tinker advance up as well

Kommander Strakhov - Turn 2

Kommander Strakhov upkeeps Superiority and allocates two focus on the Spriggan 

Master Gunner Dougal Macnaile used Double Powder Ration on Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios, and sliced at the Manhunter with his Cutlass, causing two damage

Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios, took aim, and shot the Behemoth with her Disruptor Bolt. 

With Double Powder Ration, the Iosan's ranged atatck reached the enemy warjack

Kommander Strakhov steps down the hill and casted Battering Ram on the enemy Beast-09, successfully pushing the warjack away

With his Riot Gun, the Khador warcaster brings down Yuri the Axe

Kommander Strakhov then calls up Iron Fist

With Iron Fist up and Beast-09 not engaging it, the Superiority Spriggan charges Karchev the Terrible!

The Spriggan's War Lance deals considerable damage to the Man In The Machine!

The Doom Reavers delcare a charge on Karchev the Terrible!

With Iron Fist, the two Doom Reavers succeed their charge!

The first Doom Reaver's Fellblade was more than enough to bring down the enemy warcaster!

Kommander Strakhov victorious!

50PC Recon, Kommander Strakhov victorious over Karchev the Terrible via casterkill on feat turn with Superiority Spriggan and two Doom Reavers!

Thanks for reading and in advance for the +1! For any comments and questions, please feel free to do so on the Comments section of this post. Good luck, have fun and always bring your ace game!