Battle report 35 points Strakhov Vs pSeverious

Welcome to my first battle report, unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me last night other wise I'd have pictures to illustrate my commentary so that it actually makes some form of sense. To start here is the list I took

pStrakhov + 6WJPs

Torch 10Pts

Widowmakers 4 Pts
Kayazy Assassins (Max) 8 Pts
Kayazy Underboss 2 Pts
Kayazy Eliminators 3 Pts
Kayazy Eliminators 3 Pts
Great Bears of Gallowswood 5 Pts
Greylord Ternions 4 Pts

Widowmaker Marksman 2 Pts

And my opponents list (Roughly)

pSeverious

Blessing of Vengance
Repenter
Vanquisher

Deliverers (min)
Errants (min)
Cinerators (max)

Heirophant
Paladin of the wall



Having won the roll for deployment I had chosen to deploy first, also being this is my first game using  infantry which comes in unit bigger than 5 models, I found my deployment was far from great. I deployed  with a squad of eliminators on either flank, the right group supported by Torch and Strakhov behind a forest with my Assassins spread into a rough line of five, two deep, Great bears behind them and the Greylords deploying slightly spread so to see past the Bears.

My Opponent then deployed with his Errants deploying on my right flank, Deliverers hidden in a forest to my left flank supported by his light jack and Paladin. The Cinerators and heavy jack forming a wall in front of Severious with the hierophant further back and Blessing off to Severious' left near the errants.  Seeing this I than deployed all my Widowmakers and Marksman in a forest just a few inches up from my deployment zone and just across from one to my right.

Turn 1 Khador

One focus on Torch, followed by casting Superiority, then Strakhov walked forward towards the forest. The Assassins then ran towards the gap between the two forests in front of them. The Eliminators on the left flank then ran as far forward and left as they could ending up behind another forest (Didn't properly get to set up terrain, so all the terrain were forests). The widowmakers then walked forward slightly to try and get in range of the Deliverers falling short by about three inches, the Marksman then ran to the forest to the left, hoping to next turn start hurting the Paladin. Torch, followed by the right Kayazy eliminator unit then moved round the edge of the righter most forest, whist the Bears ran up behind the Kayazy with the Greylords flinging Blizzards at the nearest Kayazys

Turn 1 Menoth

Each jack recieved a focus, then Severious threw up Eye of Menoth, having had the hierophant use his ability to make the spell one focus cheaper, and put down Defenders ward on the Deliverers. The Errants then ran towards the board edge attempting to stay away from the Eliminators and Torch. The Vanquisher then walked forward, taking a pot shot at the Assassins, missing and scattering off harmlessly. The Repenter started making a move towards the forest where the widowmakers were hiding, only to flame the Marksman to death, allowing the Paladin to walk and Stone and Mortar stance towards the Widowmakers.

Turn 2 Khador

Strakhov, upkept Superiority on Torch and camped the rest, moving forwards through the forest and cast rift at the nearest Cinerator, causing 3 damage. The eliminators on the right flank attempted and failed to charge the errants being about 2 inches out. Torch advanced through the woods, with a view of next turn bursting out of the forest to either kill Blessing (which I was convinced was going to be sent to support the Errants) or protect Strakhov from the Cinerators who could possibly charge him. The Assassins chose to walk (This in hindsight was a big mistake as even if I had run I would have had a chance to tie up both the Repenter and Vanquisher) the Bears peeled off to cover Strakhov better (Three Backswinging weapon masters with Relentless charge just to serve as my wardog replacement for a turn ;)). Once again the Greylords threw Blizzards on the lead Assassins, the widowmakers took three health off the Paladin and found yet again that the deliverers were not as easy to hit as I'd hoped (even with RAT 9 ¬¬). The remaining Eliminator squad ran round the edge of the forest (which at the time I considered a bad move give what had happened to the Marksman, but I decided to risk it.)

Turn 2 Menoth

The deliverers opened up killing all bar 2 Assassins and the Underboss (Thank Morrow for Tough rolls), the Repenter also decided the Assassins were to die and opened up killing a further Assassin and the under boss (Rolled a 1 for Tough...). Whilst over on the right flank the errants walked into combat with the elimnators and took 5 attacks to kill 1 eliminator (DEF 17 in combat :)) while Blessing walked towards the ensuing melee just falling short. Severious having upkept both Eye of Menoth and Defenders Ward, stepped back from the Cinterators and did very little otherwise. The Cinerators moved towards Strakhov's hiding place in the forest hampered by the terrain however not much happened from it, the Paladin again walked and Stone and Mortar stanced to within an inch of the widowmakers (now down by a man from a stray blast).

Turn 3 Khador Feat Turn

After up keeping Superiority on Torch, Strakhov charged the already damaged Cinerator, popping his feat just before attacking. Upon killing the Cinerator he sprinted back to the safety of the forest and the fun began. The Eliminators who'd spent the game running around forests charged the Repenter, combo striking it's Flamethrower off (from 13 inches away! Love Strakhov's feat), the Great Bears charged the Vanquisher, reducing it to two boxes on it's flail arm (Completely forgot prescion strike otherwise that wouldn't have happened). Torch charged the Cinerators, killing two, leaving him to try to roast Sevvy (Who had been my original target until I realised that he didn't quite have the charge range) and singed him a little. The Greylords started flinging Frostbite at the Paladin, killing him and the errants, who had managed to stay close enough to the forest for a well spread unit to truly wreak havoc, whilst the last Greylord cast Ice cage on the Vanquisher (A little wasted but I felt it was the best use of him at the time). The last Assassin started moving, having failed his command check, roughly towards the Deliverers, who were as yet unmolested, and the widowamkers moved further to try and get closer to the Deliverers while maintaining cover.

Turn 3 Menoth Feat Turn 

Having destroyed two warjacks cortexes last turn my opponent was left with one jack capable of taking focus, and fortunately for me he was out of range, although this led to Severious' feat popping. The remaining 2 Cinerators charged Strakhov, only one making it in, doing 3 damage. The errants kept trying and missed the last eliminator on my right flank, until Blessing walked over and stuck his halberd in. The Repenter attempted to hit the remaining Eliminator squad, failing to connect. The deliverers took another widowmaker down, as the Vanquisher took out Volokov, leaving the remaining bears still in bases to base,(fortunately as Arm 16 and tough really helped in this game).

Turn 4 Khador

Focus starved, I faced a choice walk Torch towards Severious and risk losing Strakhov to the remaining Cinerators or do what I did and move Torch so that having killed the one Cinerator in range the other risked a free strike from Torch if he chose to take the fight to Strakhov. My remaining Assassin charged the deliverers, who had finally been whittled down by the remaining 2 Widowmakers and killed another forcing a command check, which they failed. The Eliminators and Bears both wrecked the Repenter and Vanquisher respectively, setting the stage for a mass charge next turn, despite having no focus I think I did well until the next turn came around.

Turn 4 Menoth

Severious activated and like an angry pensioner who's just had his bus pass revoked, took his staff to Torch, taking 3 columns off him with 7 focus (Shame I'd lost Superiority last turn or that would've gone far better for me). Blessing followed up swiftly taking the rest of Torch's boxs, with a little help from what was left of the errants and the last remaining Cinerator, who managed to get a strike in against Strakhov, taking him down to 10 health. The Deliverers continued running through their forest away from the last assassin taking a free strike taking them down to 2 men, setting up what looked to be the last turn.

Turn 5 Khador

Had this been a tournament situation, I would've won this turn. However, given the utter eradication of my Assassins, I decided to go for maximum damage to my opponents army, taking out two errants with two Greylords' Frostbite, the third just moved, having been in a poor position having had to take out the Paladin. Again my lone Assassin charged the last two Deliverers, killing another. The Eliminators, ran flat out towards Severious, hoping to apply the pressure. The Great Bears also charged, splitting up between the last Cinerator and Blessing (Another mistake as this lead to them not being B2B so losing their armour bonus), Killing the Cinerator and dealing a hefty amount of damage to Blessing. Strakhov being in melee cast Battering ram on the Errant who was in combat with him, (with the aim of just pushing him away) killing him, before walking out towards Severious and throwing a Cinder bomb at him (I realise I should've used the Riot gun, but I was just trying to be clever, using the smoke to block any possible counter charges) taking him down to 3 health. The widowmakers attempted a potshot at Severious both missing.

Turn 5 Menoth

Blessing activated and charged Strakhov, taking a free strike from Kolsk, (losing another column) dealing 6 damage to Strakhov. The remaining errants attacked the Great Bears, taking down Kolsk, allowing Severious to move back and attempt to cast a spell (Not sure which one exactly, I just remember Severious had no focus at the end of the turn). The last Deliverer tried to move away from the last Assassin and took a free strike, killing him. the Hierophant moved to provide some form of road block between Severious and what was massing of the remains of my army.

Turn 6 Khador

Strakhov activated, once again casting Battering ram this time on Blessing, knocking him out of his melee range, but this still left Strakhov at risk from free strikes. The lone Assassin started running towards the melee that was ensuing on the other side of the table and whilst the Greylords killed another Errant, the last Great Bear charged Blessing, crippling his Halberd and killed the Heirophant with his backswing. Finally the Eliminators (Who had by now run two lengths of the width of the board), charged Severious using Acrobatics to avoid Blessing and landed a killing combo strike to finally settle the game.

Aftermath Khador Victory

This was my first time playing using Strakhov, having mainly used pButcher or Harkevich, with Man o Wars, so the speed difference was immense, being able to run 14" was invaluable especially as my normally excellent Widowmakers really struggled to bring their guns to bear when faced by 16" range AOEs. The Assassins were disappointing, but given my opponent's  list the fact that any survived the barrage from the deliverers is amazing and one lone Assassin made it across to get his own back. The Eliminators were quite honestly the star unit of the list, had the unit on my right charged the Errants they'd have easily have created enough problems to make my opponent consider sending Cinerators after them, however if you field them, field 2 pairs, as if 1 of the unit fall their effectiveness drops quite alot, also two units forces your opponent to choose whether to focus on one or both units while leaving the majority of your army untouched. Torch was a little underwhelming, not because of anything he did but because I allowed Severious to hurt him so much that he only got one effective round of combat, although if you see Menoth or Cryx set up across from you count you blessings, the amount of times my opponent cursed their immunities was beyond my counting. As for Strakhov himself, I found him to be an excellent warcaster, especially his feat which makes friendly faction models super fast on the charge and only the target has to be in his control area, not the model charging. His Spell list is excellent and though I didn't fully utilise it, I see great potential with Superiority, Overrun and his feat combined for the ultimate assassination charge, preferably with a Spriggan, given Reach and Bulldoze as well as Powerful Charge.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading the battle report, I apologise for not having pictures again, next match I shall try to have a camera handy so I can actually show what happened rather than vaguely describing it, especially the massive melee at the end, it was somewhat reminiscent of what I imagined when I read the fluff in the books, which is great 'cause that is what the game is all about. So thanks for reading, hopefully next week I'll have a new battle report, with pictures and I may do a more in depth analysis of Strakhov, once I have more games under my belt with him, as he seems to be a brilliant, if somewhat squishy, caster.