Geek Day Diary Entry #4: "A Khadorean Warcaster From the North"

Dear Diary,

The original plan was to start and finish the epic boardgame Twilight Imperium. Chris E. (who owns the game) had to cancel, so we decided to play Warmachine instead. However, Chris H., (our regular Khador player) had to cancel as well, leaving only three players. In a fateful move, Keir called from the west coast of the province and announced that he would be making the day-long drive to the city with his Khador army in tow. Although the others were missed, it was great to have the four original players together again.

We decided against a tournament format this time, as Keir hadn't played in many months, and had never played Mk II. We managed to play three games at a leisurely pace, each of us taking on each of the other three a players.

Table One: the forested hills are impassable.


Table two: more terrain-heavy with ruins on a hill.

Game One: Cygnar vs. Cryx (loss)

My game against Marc's Cryx force was the classic "one bad choice and it's all over" kinda game. I advanced carefully in the beginning of the game, dealing with threats from a distance where possible. I had caused serious damage on Marc's helljacks, and had survived Asphyxious's feat turn. However, I kept Epic Haley a little too close to the lich lord and in his line of sight. He moved in, and thanks to sustained attack, took her out.

Epic Haley & company ready to face Asphyxious.


I advanced the battlegroup carefully, taking whatever shots were available.


The two forces wound around the ruins, delaying the engagement.


Cygnar jacks prepare to engage.


Haley stayed behind the forest while the warjacks advanced on the enemy.


A Time Bomb spell slowed down the Deathjack and Gaspy.


The Cygnar forces crested the hill and engaged the enemy.


The Deathjack learned that he wasn't the only scary thing on Immoren.


In spite of bashing up his forces, Haley found herself face to face with Asphyxious.


Haley made a good effort, but failed to kill him. Gaspy retaliated
with a couple of sustained attacks and put her out of her misery.

Game Two: Cygnar vs. Menoth (win)

Ken played a pKreoss game and started off by marching fast toward my line. My plan was fairly simple - Ken kept using the choir to protect his warjacks from magic, so I used eHaley's spells against Ken's infantry and my shooting against his warjacks. As the game progressed, I kept moving my force back out of Kreoss's control area. By the time Kreoss got in range to threaten Haley, most of his force had been destroyed, and Haley and her warjacks finished the job.

The army... the T-shirt... that's not a coincidence.


Cygnar deployment.


The Menoth force advances and the Cygnar warjacks move up to retaliate.


A Time Bomb spell messes with the Temple Flameguard
while the Hunter lays the hurt on the Reckoner.


The battlefield mid-game. The Cygnar force kept pulling back.


One of Haley's Lancers finds itself in inevitable melee.


The Centurion rushes in to help the assaulted Lancer.


Major Haley oversees the battle.


The Hunter and the second Lancer continue to keep their distance.


Kreoss feats and causes mass knock-down.


Kreoss fails an attempted a charge on the Charger. Haley, with
the help of her Charger, finishes the job on the next turn.

Game Three: Cygnar vs. Khador

Keir fielded Epic Vlad, a caster he had never played before and a caster I had never played against. He advanced the Khadoreans quickly in two groups. Through a series of shooting and magic the Khadorean force was more or less decimated, leaving Vlad to do the killing himself. He failed, and Haley, with the assistance of her battlegroup took Vlad out.

The Khadoreans deployed.


The battlefield.


The Great Bears advanced through the snipers along with a Kovnik.


The Lancer ran out so Haley could arc the spell Time Bomb on the
Kayazy Assassins. However, the Drakun counter-charged and tied it up in combat.


The rest of the Cygnar force advanced carefully.


The unfortunate Lancer was set upon by the enemy.


Right before this moment, Beast'09 had been standing next to the
lake. Haley cast Telekinisis and dumped him in the lake.


Cygnar pressed the advantage.


A Lancer arced Time Bomb.


A Kovnik wrecked the Lancer and then found bigger fish to fry.


After a swirling melee, the Great Bears and the red Kovnik were dead.


Vlad crossed the river, determined to do the job himself.


Despite his best efforts, Haley survived and took the Khadorean down on the next turn.

Aftermath:

It was great to get out again and play Warmachine all day. The four of us nipped out to Wendy's for a greasy lunch and had the opportunity to chat and shoot the crap in between the games. As usual, everyone had fun at Geek Day, and I was glad that Keir had the chance to take part.

My opponents three.


A great shot of Ken's and Marc's game. I believe this was
the moment when Kreoss was arced to death.

After geeking all day, Keir came to my house for supper, and then, he and I retired to the geekroom for Keir's first game of Impetus while Marc looked-on. Keir is a great painter, a great opponent, and a great friend, and frankly speaking, his moving away just as I developed the hunger for historical gaming has been the great tragedy of my geeking career thus far. With any luck, he'll find a way to justify another trip before Xmas. and who knows - 15mm medieval Impetus may be the order of the day.

Thanks for reading,
JET