A Minions Ways to Lose: Ep.6 The Slaughter Intensifies

I played two games on my Wednesday with my almost fully painted Gatormen Posse, I went straight to write the 2nd game as it was so action-packed I was affraid I'd forget details.
I will write my first game versus David W. and his ''War of the Worlds'' convergence of Cryriss tonight or tomorrow with more games as I got my Thursday night free.
For now, enjoy a Cryx vs Gatormen Battle-Report.

-2nd Game -vs Jonathan "Joe Swag'' B (aka John). -faction: Cryx (caster swap: Pirate Queen Skarre)

Here comes the most intense game played so far, two extra people watched this match and stayed until the end: that is how crazy the action was.
Warning: Get ready for A LOT of reading as this is a long 6 turn action-packed game!

Those who follow the ''A Minions Ways to Lose'' know that I've already faced Jonathan earlier in this Journeyman League and he taught me two precious lesson that ''Crippling Grasp a wrastler in a 15pts game is basically doing a one-shot kill of that heavy warbeast for 2 focus'' as well as ''Gators are not that great splitting up to control little flags''.
So I had a revenge to get from his Cryx army, unable to face him earlier than on the fourth week, I had now a fully deployed 25pts Cryx army with A TON of infantry...Oh and Deneghra left her spot to Pirate Queen Skarre.

The Lists:

Definitely a lot of models for 25pts

John's list (from memory, I might be wrong on the type of light jacks or forgetting something)
Pirate Queen Skarre
Deathripper
Deathripper
Nightwretch
Slayer
Skarlock Thrall
Mechanithralls (full unit)
Necrosurgeon and 3 Stitch Thralls
Bloat Thrall
Necrotech and 1 Scrap Thrall

-----

A lot less models...

My 25pts list:
Bloody Barnabas
Blackhide Wrastler
Ironback Spitter
Bull Snapper
Gatormen Posse (full unit)
Croak Hunter

As you can see, I've got a much lower body count, thankfully my last two league games plus another one played outside of the league have shown me that Gatormen Posse can absorb hits and under the right conditions will be a total pain to deal with for my opponents.

We roll for the scenario: No Man's Land = Great!! It is much much more easier for my list to fight this scenario than to automatically lose to Bonejacks capping the flags (see my previous game with John ;)).
We roll to see who goes first: I let John go first.

Turn 1

His first turn he runs everything to the No Man's Land.
My first turn, I do pretty much the same except for Barnabas and the Bull Snapper who together cast ''Spiny Growth'' on both of my heavies, ''Iron flesh'' my Gatormen Posse and cast ''Warpath''.
The Croak Hunter ran in a corner of the map to get into the No Man's Land.

Turn 2:

This obscene amount of focus is the equivalent of Skarre saying ''I feel like playing to turns right now''

The action really began turn two: advancing Pirate Queen Skarre, John popped his feat taking 5 damage on Skarre and giving a nice +5 Strenght and +5 armour to all her friendly models, allowed three focus to the slayer and did some other shenanigans (namely: ''Dark Guidance'' giving an additional dice on melee attack rolls).
Then, half a squad of Mechanithralls came crashing into my Iron Fleshed Gatormen (the rest ran to engage them), I was pretty confident of my defense 16 (+1 from my prayer, +3 from Ironflesh) and armour 18 (unyielding giving them a bonus 2 armour when engaged in melee), even more so when the first batch of Thralls missed their attacks...And then suddenly realized I was totally overconfident when the second thrall attacking hit with his attack and rolled 3 dice +2 for damage on my Gatorman, beating the poor reptile to a pulp in one single punch. Thankfully he missed another one and only killed one more. Fearless avoided me a command check for massive casualties. Some thralls ran to engage my Ironback Spitter in melee. (Note: I forgot to countercharge with Barnabas one of the Thrall that came close enough)

Iiiiiinnnnccooooomiiiing!

Now the more demoralizing part: a fully focused Slayer charged the Blackhide Wrastler, hit it with the first fist, did a combo strike and crippled the alligator to a couple of damage boxes (I think it was something like 3-4 left) he then proceeded to backhand it into death.
The rest of his army moved and he ended his turn, fully placed in the No Man's Land and wih most of his army blocking me access to it.

At this point, Guillaume and David watching the game (and I'm pretty sure John too) saw that I had lost this: -2 Gatormen and more important than anything: the loss of my only heavy hitter in the list. As if this wasn't enough, I was kept outside of the No Man's Land by models benefiting from a huge amour bonus.
Personally, I was in a dire situation but hellbent on making him pay for his cryxian sins and confident in the quality of both Bloody Barnabas as an ultimate pain-dishing heavy-warjack-destroying warlock and in my Gatormen Posse to kill 6 Mechanithralls to greatly reduce his list hitting power.

On the other hand, I needed another model than my Croak Hunter to be in the No Man's Land just in case a Bonejack decided to take a trip to it and make me lose on scenario, that and my Ironback Spitter was between the Slayer and a very vengeful Barnabas, this left me no choice: I activated my Ironback Spitter and did a trample power attack on three Mechanithralls.

Trample Power Attack!! Roaaar!!

This is the second time I'm doing trample power attacks and I must say I love them!! Even more with the Ironback Spitter as its ''Back Plates'' rule kills automatically most infantry choosing to do a free strike against it. I miss my first thrall, he chooses to do a free strike while benefiting from the feat and deal a couple of damage, nothing too critical. I chose to boost both to hit and damage the other two thralls, stampeding them into oblivion.
Barnabas' appetite for destruction prompted me into charging the Slayer, using the feat to knock down absolutely every enemy model other than Skarre and then attack the slayer again and again with my reach weapon... After three attacks, I realized the armour 21 was quite problematic (I think two attacks completely bounced on the Slayer's metal plating) so I decided to instead cast the Snapper's animus on Barnabas and sit with one fury.
I had a half-damaged but fully operational slayer in my face and a mechanithrall next to me with only one fury on my warlock...No doubt my opponent's next turn would be incredibly painful.
On the left side, the Gatormen activated and finished all but one of the knocked down mechanithralls.
My Bull Snapper put his animus on my Ironback Spitter and charged a Mechanithrall and proceeded to eat it whole.
The Croak Hunter did not realize what was happening further down on the battlefield, too busy building his tent and getting his sleeping bag out of his camping backpack. Turn end.

Skarre, you 're next on my list!

Turn 3

John did the logical allocation of three focus to his knocked down Slayer, allocated some to some Bonejacks and used Skarre to cast Dark Guidance.
Two Bonejacks charged my Ironback Spitter and dealt some damage to it while taking minor damage from the ''Spiny Growth'' on it.
The Bloat Thrall shot and finished one of the three Gatormen while putting corrosion on the other two.
The Mechanithrall next to Barnabas activated but couldn't attack as he had been promoted to leader of the squad. He was obviously too busy pinning his newly acquired medals to his undead flesh (hey it's hard to pin stuff when you have huge metallic gloves where your hands used to be!)
The Necrotech repaired one point on the Slayer.
Now for the painful part: The Slayer spent a focus and got back on its feet, he then walked to Barnabas (the cunning gator warlock had used the reach combined with his feat to avoid tragedy in case everything went wrong) and proceeded to combo strike him benefitting from Dark Guidance, the roll was average and Barnabas took it, despite having a fury on him, he couldn't transfer as both of his remaining beasts were full on fury. Spiny Growth triggered and did some minor damage to the Slayer.
The Second attack struck, but sitting now with armor 21, Barnabas only took very minor damage. Spiny Growth triggered again.
A Nightwretch ran to Barnabas and tried something, hit him and then realized it was futile as it got -14 on two dice. Spiny Growth did cause it some minor damage to add insult to injury.
His turn ended, Barnabas had weathered the cryxian storm

My turn, for the first time since I started getting back in Warmachine/Hordes, I had an excess fury on my beasts that required me to do a Frenzy check. Hopeful the Ironback Spitter might trash one of the two Bonejacks engaging it I chose to risk the Bull Snapper frenzying.
...Which it did!!!

Oupsies...

The little warbeast escaping momentarily to my Warlock's control charged my Ironback Spitter in the back and

...did nothing.(Never been so happy to roll a triple one) But due to a rule misinterpretation took 3 damage from a still active Spiny Growth. Ouch!
I activated the Ironback, tried to attack the Bonejacks and damaged one while missing most of my attacks.
Barnabas went all out on the Slayer crippling all of the 'jack' systems except an arm and leaving the machine at two damage boxes remaining. With no fury to transfer, no Spiny Growth and no Ironflesh, he was now even more vulnerable.
The Gatormen finished the mechanithralls.
The Croak Hunter started a fire in his corner and opened the bag of marshmallows.

What do you mean that Slayer is still operational??!!!

Turn 4:

With the Slayer's cortex gone, John assigned most of Skarre's focus to his Bonejacks.
The Necrotech decided to disappoint John by failing to repair the Slayer.
The Slayer then in turn missed an attack on Barnabas and dealt only minor damage, Barnabas was now close to 7 boxes left or something like that.
The Bonejack next to Barnabas decided he could be inefficient too and did nothing to Barnabas.
But on the other side of the map the two Deathripper meant to show 'how it 's done' and playing as a tag-team slaughtered the poor Ironback Spitter. Too bad I messed up my fury management and couldn't get a Spiny Growth on it.

Snapper: "Turtly? Turtly?! Where are you my friend??!!?''

The Bloat Thrall charged my Bull Snapper and missed his attack.
For those wondering: there was not much left of the Necrosurgeon, I think her and the Stitch Thralls had became ''focus'' in the eyes of the Skarlock since turn two. (turn one was the Scrap Thrall coming with the Necrotech)
He ended his turn, Barnabas was still alive but down one heavy and with one damaged light beast remaining to generate fury.

This game is all about payback and ''an eye for an eye'' actions. It is with this spirit that my two last remaining Gatormen charged the Bonejacks that had killed my Ironback Spitter, crippling the movement system of one and destroying the other one.

''For Turtly!!''

Bloody Barnabas, finally brought the Slayer to its much deserved death. In order to avoid a charge from Skarre, he created a swamp right between the Pirate Queen and himself.
The Bull Snapper moved, tried to attack the Necrotech, but because I forgot to heal its mind, missed miserably, he then casted his Animus on Barnabas.

Turn 5: 

Skarre sacrificed the Necrosurgeon remaining and boosted to hit my Barnabas who was still engaged with a Mechanithrall and a Nightwretch. She hit, boosted the damage, rolled well and left my warlock at 3 life.
The Nightwretch attacked, hit and hurt itself while Barnabas' armour absorbed the hit. The Mechanithrall did nothing relevant.
The one Bonejack ate one of the two Gatormen remaining. The Skarlock casted a wicked spell and killed the last of the Gatormen.
The Bloat Thrall missed his melee attack against my Bull Snapper.
The Necrotech, in what seemed like a trend, failed to create scrap thralls with the remnants of the Slayer.

Barnabas, unhappy with the lack of edible meat on these opponents, cut himself for two fury, going down to one life, destroyed both the Mechanithrall and Nightwretch, losing the bonus +2 armor from being engaged...Oups! He casted another swamp between Skarre and himself and healed the mind of the Bull Snapper. He kept one fury.

Kossk bless the swamps!

Although I knew I shouldn't, I ran forward my Croak Hunter to make it see some action.
My Bull Snapper moved to engage the Necrotech but did his one attack against the Bloat Thrall, bringing the wrecthed thing to one life, he then he casted again his animus on Barnabas to get a much needed boost to the armor from 'Spiny Growth', with this action he became full on fury, good for my next turn if I got to get one but making Barnabas unable to transfer.

Turn 6:

Last turn of the Grindfest this game was. John very cleverly saw the flaw into running my Croak Hunter and made me pay by sending a fully focused surviving Death Ripper against it. Killing it in one blow.
Now all he had to do was to charge and kill my Bull Snapper and he would win with scenario as my only other model remaining was Bloody Barnabas not fully within the No Man's Land.
The Bloat Thrall, having been mostly useless the moment he decided to go into melee tried to finish the Bull Snapper, in vain.
With only Skarre and her Skarlock left, Jonathan decided it was time the Pirate Queen charged into the action...and as she engaged my Bull Snapper, a nasty surprise awaited her...

COUNTERCHARGE!!!!

A game-changing ability

An ability almost impossible to use (as most of the time, the stuff you'd like to Countercharge is actually going straight to your caster to kill it) but this time all the conditions were perfect: a slight space between the Bloat Thrall's base and the Bull Snapper's gave line of sight to Barnabas, who wasn't engaged by anything anymore and had nothing between charging Skarre and him.

Barnabas charged and reached with Bonecleaver. Landing a serious hit and removing a good chunk of the Pirate Queen's life (I forgot to mention it but she had healed all the damage from her feat from the Necrosurgeon).
The Pirate Queen definitely did not expect that. She killed the Bull Snapper, but now, thanks to Countercharge, Bloody Barnabas was in the No Man's Land, allowing me to avoid a scenario loss.
Desperate, the Skarlock casted one of Skarre's spell on my one-life-remaining Barnabas, he managed to hit my incredible defense in melee but did not pierce through my now boosted armour (Unyielding from engaging Skarre and the Bloat Thrall + the Bull Snapper's Spiny Growth)...What he did do though...was catch his own Bloat Thrall in the AoE...a Bloat Thrall that had been brought to one life by my deceased Bull Snapper...The Bloat Thrall exploded, the explosion dealing no damage to Barnabas but catching Skarre badly and leaving the Pirate Queen at 4 damage box despite the two focus she had left on her.

And it was now my turn.

Barnabas, having leached the three fury of my dead Bull Snapper, moved base to base with Skarre and finished her with one shot of Bonecleaver in what is my most intense and longest game of Warmachine in this league. (And longest battle report!)

Taste my blade you Cryxian witch!

Conclusion:

The game was so back and forth with every turn having its decisive moments and failures that nobody could have predicted such an end. Until Skarre charged my Bull Snapper, I really thought I was in for a turn 6 tie that would be resolved by the amount of points destroyed by each player.
I did a huge mistake in running that Croak Hunter...But then again, maybe it is what brought Skarre to deal with the Bull Snapper herself instead of sending the Deathripper to do the job...

Thanks Jonathan for that amazing game!