• Mercs challenged Trolls at 750 and Lost
• Khador challenged Cryx at 350 and won
• Everblight challenged Skorne at 500 and won

The friendly match saw Cyrx and Everblight fight out a 350 featured 10 Shredders and a Harrier. In which a rules error and Wuffy forgetting his feat effects helped Everblightto victory.

• 350 : Everblight (Chris) Thagrosh challenged and beat Mercenaries (Kris) Gorten, Victory Points
• 350 : Khador  (Chris) Scorcha challenged and lost to Trolls (Kobby) Grissel , Caster Kill.
• 750 : Trolls (Kobby) Grissel challenged and beat to  Khador  (Chris) Vlad, Caster Kill.
• 500 : Mercenaries (Kris) Gorten challenged and beat to  Skorne (Wuffy) Hexeris, Caster Kill.

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FIona’s spells proved to be marginal in the battle other than her pow 12 strike that should have won the game when Vlad was left exposed but crappy dice saved Khador.  Vlad on the other hand used his Wind spells and Impalor to great effect, shutting down the Mule until it was engaged and using his wicked frost spell to cause the Behemoth’s armour piercing attacks to do horrific damage.

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Once the mercs were enagged the battle was never really going to go the mercs way, though after the Beserket killed the Mule and then Blew up, there was a moment when it looked like they had a chance, then the Behemoth killed another Jack to put the melee battle beyond dispute.

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At that moment though Vlad was left exposed with no focus left and no BoK running, hit twice by Fiona’s pow 12 spell, once with a boosted damage, he was very lucky to be still standing. Turn 5 Khador he returned the favour to Fiona, charing up and impaling her with his first attack.

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Another battle that I could have lost,  bad roll on Fiona’s attack saved my over confident arse from being defeated.  350 battles are really becoming very fast, I remember reading the rules when we first got them and thinking “15 Minutes!! are they insane!” . Now if only I can beat those bloody trolls at 350… then I will be happy!

• 500 Khador Vlad (Chris) vs Trolls Grissel (Kobby) : Victory to Trolls Caster Kill
• 350 Everblight Thagrosh(Chris) vs Pirates Shae (Russ ) : Victory to Everblight Caster Kill
• 350 Cygnar Darius (Kris) vs 350 Cygnar Haley (Kobby) : Victory to Cygnar (Kris) Caster Kill
• 350 Cygnar Darius (Kobby) vs 350 Pirates Bart (Russ ) : Victory to Cygnar  Caster Kill
• 350 Everblight Thagrosh(Chris) vs Cygnar Haley (Kris) : Victory to Everblight Caster Kill

Thought I believe these battles might have used a mix of Mark 1 and Mark 2 Cygnar cards, we need to check and clear out all the old cards Worthy of note is that this was Kris’ first ladder win! I think we’ll see more Cygnar and less mercenaries from Kris for a while! At least till he gets that second Mule!

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Round 3 “What!” cries the Cygnar player, demands to see card. Cygnar retreat… Haley activates Temporal Barrier , trundle trundle.  Everblight activate, shuffle around a bit, Saeryn discovers Breath Stealer… zap zap and the Cygnar Jacks are reduced to shuffling too…skip to round 5 Everblight, the past rounds being very much the same thing and the only thing to die was a Shredder that get too close to Haley’s gun.

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Round 5. Raek had ShadowStalk active on a Jack, as it shuffles around, he moves 3″ to get a nice line on  Haley. Haley keeps one focus, not expecting too much trouble with Temporal Barrier running but does want to stop all her Jacks being slowed by Breath Stealer, so has a focus handy for blocking at least one spell.  Everblight have other ideas… Saeryn targets Haley,  first attack blocked, second boosted and hits. The Raek then advances and latches on to Haley hits with his jaw, and strikes twice with his tail, hitting twice and getting just enough penetration with the last attack to bring Haley to her knees coughing up blood.

350 Rage and Rivets

1. Wuffy – Cryx
2. Kobby – Trolls (P5 /W 4 / L 1 / D 0 ) : Last Caster : Angus
3. Chris – Khador (P4 / W 2 / L 2 / D 0 ) : Last Caster : Butcher
4. Steve – Khador (P2 / W 1 / L 1 / D 0 ) : Last Caster : Scorcha
5. Kris – Mercenaries (P3 /W 0 / L 3 / D 0 ) : Last Caster : Bart
6. Canadian Chris – Menoth
7. Kris – Cygnar
8. Kobby – Cygnar
9. Chris – Everblight

350 Rage and Rivets

1. Wuffy – Cryx
2. Chris – Khador (P3 / W 2 / L 1 / D 0 )
3. Kobby – Trolls (P4 /W 3 / L 1 / D 0 )
4. Steve – Khador (P1 / W 0 / L 1 / D 0 )
5. Kris – Mercenaries (P2 /W 0 / L 2 / D 0 )
6. Kris – Cygnar
7. Kobby – Cygnar
8. Chris – Everblight

There were about 5 other friendly matches played in the 350 area too.

1. Wuffy – Cryx
2. Chris – Khador (P2 / W 2 / L 0 / D 0 )
3. Steve – Khador (P1 / W 0 / L 1 / D 0 )
4. Kobby – Trolls (P2 /W 1 / L 1 / D 0 )
5. Kris – Mercenaries (P1 /W 0 / L 1 / D 0 )

Steve Khador

• Vlad
• Jugernaut
• Kodia

Chris Khador

• Butcher
• Behemoth
• Beserker

With no range capability Vlad’s boys ran up the table, taking a few scratches from the Behemoths pot shots on the way up.  The Jugernaut then took a nasty strike to the arm just before the forces clashed which ripped of its’ arm. Not a great start to the battle.  The Kodia charged in ripped up the Beserker and the damaged Jug moved in as support, unfortunately leaving them both as prime targets for the Butcher. Butcher popped his feat charged in and 3 hits later the Jugernaut and Kodiak were smoking wrecks. Behmoth fired at Vlad, scratched him. Last round Vlad needed to cast Boundless charge to get to the Butcher, which proved critical as he ran out of attacks as he tried to take out the Butcher in hand to hand. Last turn for Butcher he deciced to be ultra cruel, casting killing blow and then laying into Vlad. And that was the end of Vlad.

Updated Ladder.

1. Wuffy – Cryx
2. Chris – Khador  (P2 / W 2 / L 0 / D 0 )
3. Steve – Khador (P1 / W 0 / L 1 / D 0 )
4. Kobby – Trolls (P1 /W 0 / L 1 / D 0 )
5. Kris – Mercenaries

• Grim Angus
• Earthborn Dire Troll
• Axer
• Winter Troll

Chris Khador

• Butcher
• Behemoth
• Beserker

Terrain : Featured a lot of shallow water that was centered near a forest in the center of the map, other terrain (Ruins and Water) was to the Khador Left of the battle field.

Deployment : Trolls won the deployment roll and opted to allow Khador to set up and move first. The Butcher deployed far left away from the forest and water to avoid giving Angus free fire through the Forest. The Trolls set up opposit Khador.

Turn 1 - Both : Khador advanced up the table, Butcher cast two upkeep spells and stayed behind the Behemoth. Trolls ran up the table to just under half way.

Turn 2 – Khador : Butcher upkeeps spells and assigns focus to the Behemoth. The Behemoth fires at the Earthborn hitting once for minimal damage and missing with the second shot, Beserker advances, Butcher keeps the Behemoth between himself and Angus.

Turn 2 – Trolls: First of three tactical blunders sees Angus forget to leach his fury, and while this does not lead to any Frenzied beasts, it does mean that he has no focus and his beasts all have some fury on them, and his upkeep spells all expire. Second blunder comes shortly afterwards as the Earthborne using the rought terrain speed increase and the Axer Animus charges to attack the Behemoth, three attacks leaves some minor paint damage . The other Trolls have advanced to where the Earthborne was.

Turn 3 – Khador : Butcher upkeeps his spells, keeps all his focus. Activates pops his feat, steps up to within 2″ of the Earthborne and proceeds to decapitate it in two blows. Fury is lost as Angus forgets to reave in a fit of anguish. The Besrker charges the distant Axer to get itself between the Troll forces and the Butcher. The Behemoth fires at Angus and hits! Additional damage for the active feat, it could have been all over but the damage roll was feeble

Turn 3 – Trolls: Angus moves up into the cover of the ruins, fires at The Burtcher causing a minimal damage, then pops his feat to prevent the Khador forces moving away from a central point positioned 2 inches in front of The Butcher (which was to proove to be the third tactical error). Axer and charges the Beserker and damages it badly, Winter Troll charges and finishes it off.

Turn 4 – Khador : Unable to move far, but far enough, The Butcher charges the Axer directly across the teether point, and with his reach manages to reach the Axer, he’s made of tougher stuff than the Earthborne and it takes 4 hits to kill him. Behemoth fires at the winter Troll, taking out it’s Spirit

Turn 4 – Trolls: Angus moves Deeper into the ruins, shoots Butcher with a spell but fails to damage him. The Winter troll charges in, misses, hits with a follow up and the is forced to use Rime. Remaining engaged with The Butcher. Angus is looking a little desperate now as he is down to one Fury 3 beast!

Turn 5 – Khador : The Butcher keeps all his focus, casts his double up strength spell and goes for the all  in one kill on the Winter Troll, boosts the damage on the easy hit and turns the beast into a pile of blood and melting frost. The Behemoth doesn’t move (not moved since turn 2) and fires at Angus, missing twice

Turn 5 – Trolls: Angus has three fury and so cuts himself for another 3, he fires a spell at The Butcher , hitting him and knocking him down, shoots his gun hits but the damage barely reduces The Butcher to half hits. Angus sits behind the ruins, wondering if the Butcher can reach him

Turn 6 – Khador : While killing Angus would have been hugely satisfying, the reality was that it was an un-necessary risk. So The Butcher camped his focus. Then activating he stood up and moved away, The Behemoth finally moves and positions itself inbetween Angus and its warcaster. With Armour 24 and 11 wounds left, it’s looking good.

Turn 6 – Trolls : Angus cuts himself for 5, leaving him with 2 wounds. Moving out of the ruins and getting an angle on The Butcher, fires his gun , boosted shot, hits, boosted damage, just 5 wounds…The Butcher lives, Angus casts a final spell, misses and it’s all over.

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Post battle thoughts : This was my first victory over Angus, and it was hugely helped by some very uncharacteristic errors by Kobby, most of all his attempt to charge the Behemoth and both failing and ending up in The Butchers kill range. It was also nice to have the Butcher in the thick of combat, with him killing all three enemy beasts in melee.