Solo Warmachine 2: Start Game Overview

I'm using a group of 4 Bursters, 1 Defiler, and 1 Corpseeater (A Corpseeater is as a Defiler, but costs 10, and living enemies killed by the spray explode in a 3" AOE) for the Cryx, and 4 Repenters, 1 Redeemer, 1 Crusader, and a minimum strength Choir of Menoth for the Protectorate forces. The Cryx are behind a set of walls, which provide a natural chokepoint, and the Protectorate forces are grouped around it, preparing to attack.

Solo Warmachine Part 3: Third Mid Game Report

And once more continuing on from where we left off:

Tynnwr Pell ((Tin-wer Pell) One of the Reapers, it's Welsh for Far Puller), shot Lektrik with a harpoon. Since the damage roll was a 5, and he had 2 boxes left, Lektrik became the 2nd casualty for the Swans. The rest of the Cygnaran reinforcements arrived. One of the Whirlwinds moved forward to get a better view, but the wrecks still kept him from getting a clear line of sight. The Tremor (named Richter) was deployed at a carefully chosen spot, so that he doesn't end up knocking down any friendly units as he went around, and the new Whirlwind joined the other one that was hanging back. There was an attack made by Lektra but it missed the Skarlock. The 5th Sartalis received the next part of their group. Pladur Defnyddiwr ((Pla-dur Deaf-ny-widder) The other Reaper - the name is Welsh for Scythe User) shot at Lektra, and hit for 3 damage. There was a slight problem at this point, namely that Lektra's damage sheet had been misplaced, but it was resolved at the next attack, as I knew she didn't have enough to soak up the extra 4. Third casualty for the Swans. Slayer advances into the wreck of B2. Richter moves further around - he'll be able to get close to the 5th Sartalis next turn, assuming that they don't move away. Next, all the Whirlwinds attacked the Slayer. They got twenty attacks. The first did 2 boxes, the 2nd missed, the 3rd did 5. Yikes. Fortunately, the 4th hit, but it bounced off the Slayer's armor. Anyway, a bunch of hits later, and the Slayer goes down. I doubt I'll try moving on them again any time soon. Maybe with Reapers. Anyway, moving on past the digression... One Reaper harpooned Richter, and dragged him into melee range. Using both attacks, I was able to hurt him pretty badly. The second Reaper did the same, which resulted in fresh raw materials for House of Paincakes. Richter then retaliated by hitting the one on the left (His right), and beating him up some. The two Whirlwinds who'd been hanging back moved into line with the third. Then the rightmost Reaper repeated what he'd done before, and destroyed Richter. At this point the game is likely to end in a stalemate, as the Whirlwinds couldn't survive ending their turn in range of the Reapers, and the Reapers couldn't stand up to the barrage of fire if they end their turn in in sight of the Whirlwinds. As such, the next post will likely take place in the Bloodstone Marches, especially a Cygnaran factory that has been nabbed by the Cryx.

Solo Warmachine Part 2: Second Mid Game Report

This was going to be the end battle report. But, since I decided to test out a houserule for reinforcements, and I didn't get around to playing yesterday, it's still going.

Quick goal overview:

Have at least 1 model left alive when the other side is gone, or have no models of either side remaining.

Picking up where we left off:

B2 moved forward and left and hit Lektra, doing 6 points of damage. He didn't quite move into her back arc, which meant she couldn't use her hooks on him. The damage she took crippled her left arm , and she fled 6" forward, over the wreck of B1. Lektrik continued his missing streak (Although that's not really fair to him. This had only been going for two rounds). L2 (Storm, another Leaper) moved 6" around the large elevation (He was on a lamp where I'd set him a while before starting. As you can see, I wasn't really prepared for this battle) he was on, so that he was closer to the ground, and could hopefully survive the fall. B2 went for Lektrik and, I'm fairly sure, missed. Storm jumped down at this point, taking 18 boxes. He tried to hit B2, but, again, missed. Lektrik took a shot at B2, and actually managed to hit this time. I think that he did 2 points of damage, but it was a while ago. There's something to be said for writing these sooner. B2 counterattacked Lektrik, and did 7, crippling his right arm., and beating up his left one pretty badly. Storm and Lektrik both fled. B2 used his free strikes on each, but didn't manage to damage either one. B2 moved after them, and was able to destroy Storm. (Here's where houserules start coming into play - there aren't any rules for getting reinforced, so I made some) Here, since both sides were down by one third (Actually, I rolled because I was getting desperate for some help on the Cryx side - I still had a leaper to take care of, and Lektra wasn't going to stay out forever, but it turned out that the Cryx were at half strength, and the Cygnar 2/3rds, so that became the rule). As it turned out they would have been better off with out it! The Cygnar got 3 Whirlwinds (d6 for rapid fire, but they cost 12), and a Tremor (An Ironclad, but just moving about causes the ground to shake for 1" around them, and they cost 10), while the Cryx rolled low and got nothing. This led to further adaptation of my house rule, specifically that any reinforcements above Light Warjacks enter the turn after they're rolled, and that you can only place half of any Heavy Warjacks you get as reinforcements then, though the next half come on at their next turn (Yeah, I was favoring the Cryx. Still, it's a fair rule outside of this specific spot). Lektra moved up, turned her back to B2, and put him in a headlock with the hooks. Lektrik then moved in and did a few damage. I broke free of the lock, then rolled for reinforcements again, and got 2 Reapers, a Slayer, and a Skarlock. Since I really needed to get someone who wasn't likely to get blown up in the next round onto the table now, I converted one of the Reapers to a Defiler. Not a bad trade at that point, as it allowed me to Burst my Burster, and cripple just about everything on Lektrik. As this was now the Cygnar turn, I brought two of the Whirlwinds into play, and was beaten pretty badly by them. Having, in effect, d24 shots taken at you with metal storms will put some serious injuries onto a Warjack. I took a shot at the Whirlwinds, but didn't realize what the SP in front of the range meant, and I forgot that it had an ongoing corrosion effect, so it wasn't as effective as it could have been. I then fled, taking the damage from the free strikes (Yeah, I know those shouldn't have been done for a ranged attack.) to my head somehow, and having it crippled as a result. Lektrik couldn't attack, and Llysnafedd (No clue how that's pronounced, but it means Slime in Welsh) wasn't in range of Lektra. The Whirlwinds didn't have line of site either. Next turn I brought on a Reaper and the Skarlock. That's where I'm at right now.

Solo Warmachine Part 1: Mid Game Report

Just to get a feel for the combat rules, and my army I'm playing a game against myself. I'm using two modified Deathrippers (They have the bomb attack of a Scrap Thrall, and cost 8) versus 3 2 Lancers (Well Pseudo-lancers. They don't have the Shock Shield, but they only cost 4, and can pass over any obstruction less than 4" in height) and one Snag (Snags look like Leapers, except the last bit of their tail divides into two hooks. They can lock two weapons, but only in their back arc. They can only get over obstructions 2" or less in height. They cost 6) I'll post more once I've finished the game, but I realized halfway through I should post something on here about it.

Anyway, here's the mid-game battle report:

Play is on an open field. My Bursters (See above) are placed so that one is facing the two Leapers and Snag that are on the field (S1 and L1. (Lektra and Lektrik respectively. It seems appropriate given the heavy electrical theme of the Cygnar) At this point it doesn't really matter so much though) head-on (B1. Normally I'd name them, but, y'know, they explode, so...), and the other is going to come at them from the side (B2). Cryx went first. I held B2 in reserve (Said like that it sounds well... Tactical. What actually happened was I forgot I had the thing until after I'd already engaged them.), and sent B1 towards the Cygnar to engage them. I was able to hit Lektra and deal damage. The problem was that she (Yep. It's anthropomorphic. This game these weirdos have pilots instead of being controlled by Warcasters, as I want to learn these things slowly, and it's the gender of the pilot in question) was able to hit me on her turn, though Lektrik wasn't. At this point two things happened. One, I showed my ignorance of the damage system - each of us only took 1 box of damage on our grids because I didn't realize that damage taken was determined by how much over the armor it was. Two, I realized that I couldn't keep trading blows - Leapers have more boxes than I do, and even if Lektrik kept missing I'd be down. As such I used Burst (Effects are the same as the Scrap Thrall ability mentioned above). I was able to deal am additional 9 points of damage to Lektra. She now had all of 6 smashed, as well as all of 1, and the first two of 2. In addition she had the wound from the previous turn in the first space of 3. Lektric is apparently extremely lucky about not getting hit, as he took no damage from the secondary blast. I replaced B1 with the first Wreck Marker I made, and moved in B2 from the side. That's where I'm at right now.

Oh, by the way: I'm using models I made for these, which is another reason why I don't have a warcaster - I like the way they look, and want to wait until I get the minis to use them.