Vassal Escalation Campaign

Trying out something different on Vassal; an escalation campaign with Rob. I wanted to give Skorne a break, been playing p and e Hexeris on the tabletop and Zaal on Vassal almost exclusively. I decided to play Midas, the new(er) Thornfall caster. No real reason, he just caught my eye. I've been painting Adam's Thornfall army and they grew on me after a while.
We decided to start with 15 points and move to 25, 35 and eventually 50, possibly beyond.

GAME 1:
Thornfall
Points: 15/15
Tiers: 2
Midas (*5pts)
* Road Hog (9pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
Farrow Bone Grinders (Leader and 5 Grunts) (3pts)


Trollbloods
Points: 15/15
Borka Kegslayer (*5pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 2 Grunts) (6pts)
* Skaldi Bonehammer (3pts)
Trollblood Skinner (2pts)

Battle was short and to the point. Midas got capped. I blame my lack of experience with such a small list. I deployed the bone grinders too far away to really be effective. Too late I realized that only the leader can cast spells. After a short break, we decided to play another game. Rob suggested that I change my list a bit, I agreed. 


GAME 2:
Thornfall
Points: 15/15
Tiers: 3
Midas (*5pts)
* Bone Swarm (4pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
Farrow Bone Grinders (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Farrow Slaughterhousers (Leader and 5 Grunt) (6pts)

Trollbloods
Points: 15/15
Borka Kegslayer (*5pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 2 Grunts) (6pts)
* Skaldi Bonehammer (3pts)
Trollblood Skinner (2pts)

I deployed in a classic brick; line of slaughterhausers in the front, Midas and the bone grinders behind and the warbeasts on the flanks. Because I was at Tier 3, the War Hog got advance move and the bone swarm received 3 bone tokens. This battle was a bit more intense, as smaller games tend to be. The War Hog failed to kill the Mauler by 1 hit box. Battle Lust on the slaughterhousers is nice as is Bad Blood on the Mauler. Midas fell to the might of the Trolls once again. 
I may have to rethink my strategy a bit before the next game. Kind of odd that Midas' affinity with the bone grinders gives them a combat bonus considering that they aren't all that great in melee and are more of a support unit. Their arcane bolt would get a bonus to hit but only the leader can cast it.