We had time for another game recently, and there isn't too much longer until we all switch to MK4 games, so I brought my favorite Rasheth list and took on Syvestro again, hoping that he wouldn't one-round my hydra this time.
Dominar Rasheth (Masters of War)
- Dominar Rasheth
- Aptimus Marketh
- Desert Hydra
- Basilisk Krea
- Agonizer
- Extoller Soulward
- Extoller Soulward
- The Wastelander
- Croak Raiders (min)
- Cataphract Incindiarii (max)
- Praetorian Keltarii (min)
Crucible Guard (Prima Materia)
- Aurum Adeptus Syvestro
- Toro
- Vindicator
- Trancer
- Trancer
- Trancer
- Prospero
- Suppressor
- Crucible Guard Rocketmen (min)
- Rocketman Gunner
- Rocketman Gunner
- Rocketman Gunner
- Crucible Guard Rocketmen Captain
- Containment Operatives
- Combat Alchemists
Deployment
The terrain for this game was placed using the Clashmachine method, and there was a lot of terrain. 12 pieces plus scatter. Two obstructions in the central zone, a lake touching it, and a nearby rubble terrain piece which ended up being very impactful. One rectangle zone contained a forest, and the other had a wall and a nearby long narrow tall grass piece. The scenario was King of the Hill 2021.
My opponent won the roll and chose the side with lots of cover - two walls and that rubble. I went first.
Skorne Turn 1
Skorne runs forward as far as possible, the croaks settling nicely in the water, the desert hydra behind the tall grass, Wastelander on the wall, and the incindiarii carefully staying out of range of Crucible Guard shooting.
Crucible Guard Turn 1
The containment operatives take the wall and shoot three incindiarii, corroding them and killing one. A trancer runs up, engaging an extoller soulward and a croak raider. Rocketmen hide above the rubble and Syvestro hides behind it. Prospero hides behind a small bush, reminding us all of the Monty Python sketch How Not To Be Seen.
Skorne Turn 2
The extoller soulward engaged by the trancer moves away, takes a free strike, and gets fatally slammed into an incindiarii, who is quite put off by the annoyance. One croak raider moves and dies to a trancer free strike, then the other croaks throw fire at the trancer and enjoy the explosion.
Two incindiarii launch a CRA at the suppressor, doing some damage, but the suppressor cannot catch on fire. Due to overwhelming distraction, I forget to have the other incindiarii throw fire at the combat alchemists. There were kids in the room and at least two other conversations, so it was difficult to focus.
The keltarii sneak around the side of the map and one gets a charge on a rocketman, whom he misses. The rocketman dodge-flies over and behind the keltarii before he can make a second attack. Dodge plus flight is a powerful combo.
Rasheth channels a Blood Mark onto the Toro. The hydra edges up an inch and a half, hoping to not get charged and one-rounded by the Toro like last time. The soulward is stupid and doesn't toe the zone.
Crucible Guard Turn 2
The combat alchemists move into the forest and throw acid bombs at the incindiarii, killing many. I am distracted and forget to roll tough checks. The suppressor moves up and sprays, killing the objective and more incindiarii. A trancer moves onto the flag.
Rocketmen kill all but two keltarii. Crucible guard scores four points. Two for zones, one for the flag, and one for the objective.
(Crucible Guard 4, Skorne 0)
Skorne Turn 3
Skorne's goal right now is to not lose on points. After a number of false starts in which I realize that the hydra cannot hurt Syvestro with corrosion sprays and that the incindiarii and croak raiders cannot hurt the combat alchemists or the suppressor with fire, I decide to send the hydra after the Toro. Damn Crucible Guard immunities.
Rasheth feats and hides behind the train, casting two breath of corruption spells to kill some rocketmen. The hydra walks up, spraying the Toro and the objective. I roll terribly, mostly ones and twos, and the Toro is left on about six boxes. Had I thought to boost damage, I could have gotten the job done.
Keltari charge and miss some more rocketmen. The incindiarii throw fire at the single rocketmen in the zone and miss. Then we realize that the rocketman is out of formation and can't contest anyway. Croaks run to contest zones.
Skorne scores two zones and one for the objective.
(Crucible Guard 4, Skorne 3)
Crucible Guard Turn 3
Syvestro feats. The containment operatives shoot weird healing bullets at the Toro, which then charges and leaves the hydra on one box. A rocketman gunner finishes it off. Skorne is sad.
The combat alchemists and the suppressor finish off the incindiarii (I forget tough again) and all but one croak raider.
Crucible Guard scores two zones.
(Crucible Guard 6, Skorne 3)
Skorne Turn 4
With few options and fewer models, Rasheth goes for the long-shot assassination. The krea boosts a paralysis gaze at Syvestro and misses. Rasheth walks up and channels a Blood Mark (miss), a double-boosted sunder spirit (hit), and an unboosted sunder spirit (miss) at Syvestro, doing some damage. The extoller soulward then misses with a boosted attack, and I've got nothing else.
(Crucible Guard 7, Skorne 3)
Crucible Guard Turn 4
Crucible Guard ends its turn and wins the game.
(Crucible Guard 8, Skorne 3)
(Crucible Guard Victory!)
Final Thoughts
- Bringing an army where my gargantuan has corrosion damage and two units have fire damage against an army with fire and corrosion immunity is really tough.
- I do have to fault myself rather than the lists for the loss. Despite my terrible rolls, had I only boosted damage on the Toro turn three, things would have been very different.
- I also forgot that the keltarii had parry, I never made any tough rolls for the incindiarii, and I forgot to reposition the keltarii most of the game. I'd have done a lot better had I been able to focus.
