Legion Redux

I played another game against that same Legion player with the same Thagrosh list. I had swapped Thor and some Blasters into my previous list:

Harkevich
-Black Ivan
-Spriggan
-Decimator
-Sylyss
Koldun Lord
Mechanics (min) with Officer
Nyss Hunters
Thor Steinhammer
-Blaster
-Blaster

I didn't take any photos and I'm not going to try to describe the whole game, but I will say that Thor and the Blasters didn't actually do anything. Well, other than tie up a Scythean for a couple of rounds, which I suppose is more than a single heavy normally manages. At one point Thor got four models under his spray template and missed every single one... The Nyss actually performed pretty well this time, killing a bunch of legionnaires and knocking the Scythean down to a single box left. The Decimator was killed before he could do anything, the Spriggan took out the Angelius (which is harder than it sounds as it has defense 14), Black Ivan took out the Carnivean or the Ravagore, and with the extra shot from Broadside it finished off the Scythean.Had I remembered to feat when I planned to (I moved Harkevich then forgot to feat!) the Spriggan would most likely have survived at least one more turn thanks to the armour buff, and Black Ivan probably would have killed the Scythean (who had a single damage box left) a turn earlier with the free shot before charging over - meaning I think Thor and one of the Blasters would have survived - and might even have been able to finish off the Warbeast he charged with the extra focus point thanks to the free charge. In other words, if I had remembered to feat when I meant to, I might even have had a chance of winning the game! Not much of a chance, but still. As it was it was an interesting game right till the end, I managed to take out three of his heavy Warbeasts, he spawned five(!) little critters - those things punch above their weight! - and Black Ivan had two turns of wailing on Thagrosh. Unfortunately on the last turn Ivan had only a single damage box left; luckily it was a cortex box so I could allocate him focus, but unfortunately my single remaining mechanic failed a terror test and wasn't able to repair his claw, so I had to spend focus to boost attack rolls just to have a chance of hitting Thagrosh.

So yeah, it was great fun, and I did better than last time. I'm not convinced about Thor's group; while I think blasters sound great while run by a Warcaster, I'm not sure it's worth it to Jack-marshall them into my list, not when I could buy a Juggernaut or Kodiac or a Man-O-War unit instead. Actually, I really want to try Man-O-War Bombardiers; the templates sound good against infantry and useable against Jacks/Beasts. I think I'll give them another go for now.

The Decimator kept dying before he could do anything, so maybe it's not fair to judge him on that, but I'm really starting to think he just doesn't work as well as he sound like he should. On paper he sounds great: two power 15 ranged attacks, a power 18 Sustained Attack melee weapon? Sounds like a beast, right? But the problem is RAT 4 and RNG 10: I have to boost attack rolls to hit, then I can't boost damage. Or I can use fortune, but then I'm still spending four focus on two power 15 hits - it's just not focus-efficient. And by the time he's close enough to shoot something, he's usually going to get charged next turn. So... I don't know, I think the extra range of a Destroyer and the fact that they shoot AOEs makes a big difference, especially with Harkevich, and they just use less focus.

I'm wondering if I need to use the Nyss to support my Jacks in some way rather than running them up alone; either by screening them or advancing behind them and charging up when needed. I just don't know the best way to use them I guess. If I wanted to screen my Jacks I should probably use cheaper and tougher infantry, and if I'm hiding behind my Jacks then the expensive Jacks are taking the brunt of any charges. Still, they did well today, in fact I'm considering trading the Blasters for some more weapon-masters; Doom Reavers perhaps, even though I don't like the fluff or the models? Hell, I'm halfway tempted to just take a couple of Man-O-War Kovniks, I love those guys.