Battle Report #82: Maddox vs Zerkova1

Finally, I will get my first Mk3 game against Leif, the man, the myth, the guy who got me into WARMACHINE 6 years ago.

Major Beth Maddox (75 points)

Objective: Bunker
Theme: Storm Division

Major Beth Maddox (Maddox1)
* Squire
* 2x Charger
* Ironclad
Journeyman Warcaster
* Firefly
Captain Arlan Strangewayes
Major Katherine Laddermore
Stormblade Captain
5+5 Storm Lances
6 Stormblades
* Stormblade Infantry Officer & Standard

Leif hits me with an ancient Khadoran curse

Koldun Kommander Aleksandra Zerkova (75 points)

Objective: Bunker

Koldun Kommander Aleksandra Zerkova (Zerkova1)

* 2x Juggernaut

* Marauder

Kovnik Jozed Grigorovich

Kovnik Andrei Malakov

* Ruin

Koldun Lord

10 Winter Guard Rifle Corps

* 3x Rocketeer

5 Iron Fang Uhlans

Deployment

Cygnar wins the die roll. I put my battlegroup in the centre and flank with the horses, as usual. I have not played against Zerkova before, and her tricksy abilities have me worried.

Round 1

I move up, too passively. I had mainly thought about her spell slinging and kept a bit back to not get hit. This allowed Leif to place a 4-cloud wide wall in the next turn.

Clouds up!

Round 2

Playing against clouds with a list that has no true Sight and really wants to charge is hard. But, it does not get easier if you wait. I therefore accept getting a subpar feat and go for the aggressive play. I feat, charging with what can get in. The Marauder dies and I do some damage to the left Juggernaut.

I have already lost 5 Lances, this is not looking to good. Zerkova feats, catching pretty much everything.

Round 3

I just have to back up, really, to not get everything wiped on the next turn. Chargers shoot away an Uhlan.

I am out of range of most of his stuff. The battlegroup pushes forward but now everything is not behind clouds.

Round 4

Chargers, Laddermore and Lances finish of both the exposed Juggernauts.

I am in a bit of luck and my Ironclad lives.

Round 5

Ruin is smashed to bits and the Lances finally get into the juicy Winter Guard. The Chargers kill the remaining Uhlans.

Zerkova is feeling lonely now.

Cygnar wins by attrition!

Post Mortem

I was in trouble the entire game. My passive first round prevented me from pressuring scenario and allowed him to just cloud wall. If Leif had kept up that wall and simply pushed the scenario and chipped away at my forces, I think I would have lost. As it went I was able to get a slight attrition advantage.