Epic Makeda - update

I played my eMakeda list against Adam and his eSorscha list last Tuesday. I did very well actually, I got a off a successful assassination on the top of turn 3. Adam saw it coming and tried desperately to kill my Archidon. he removed all but 1 health box. (whew)

Adam had moved Sorscha up against a wall but there was JUST enough space to fit a large base in front of her.
I activated Tiberion, moved him forward, killed a Great Bear.
I then activated Makeda, she popped her feat, healed the Archidon for 2 points, moved forward to make sure that the Archidon would end up in her control area and cast Road to War.
I then activated the Gladiator, he put its Rush animus on the Archidon.
The paingiver beast handlers activated, enraging the Archidon.
So for those of you keeping track, the Archidon is now P+S 17 (that worked out to be dice +1 due to Sorscha's ARM 15 plus 1 camp), charges for free, immune to free strikes, all to hit rolls are boosted and has a 14" charge range. I gave him the extra range because - well, why wouldn't you?
The Archidon activated, charged Sorscha. Needing 10s to hit, the first strike missed. Bought a second: hit. Bought a third: missed. Bought a third: hit and dead.

I almost feel that the game was too short and that the rest of the army was just window dressing for the assassination, but a win is a win. Adam had alot of high DEF infantry on the table, I don't know how I would have dealt with that with the list I picked. I am going to attempt to create a couple other lists specifically for dealing with high armor and high DEF infantry. The latter may include eHexeris with an Aradus and some Incindiarii.

Curse you, caster ADD!!!!!

Quick post: The more I think about eMakeda, the more I want to play her. I think she may be better with the Immortals and the UA than even Epic Zaal. She can give them more SPD, no KD and immunity to free strikes as well as boosted attack rolls. Her Stay Death can even save the UA from an untimely demise. I'm planning on this list tomorrow:
Points: 50/50
Supreme Archdomina Makeda (*5pts)
* Archidon (7pts)
* Tiberion (11pts)
* Titan Gladiator (8pts)
Cataphract Cetrati (Leader and 5 Grunts) (11pts)
* Tyrant Vorkesh (3pts)
Nihilators (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Tyrant Commander & Standard Bearer (3pts)
Agonizer (2pts)

Stay tuned....

Reconsidering Runes of War

So it has come to this: after much consideration I have decided that it would be best for me not to purchase the models for Runes of War. I did not reach this decision lightly, I gave it lots of thought.

1. The list is very ridged, I would not be able to swap out elements like I can with other lists. I'm afraid that I'll play the list a couple of times, discover that it's not for me or it's not my play style and shelve it.
I like having a completely modular army list, having the freedom to swap out warbeasts, units, solos and even warcasters if I deem it fit. That's what I find fun about Warmachine: keeping things interesting by changing around your list now and again.

2. I'm really only interested in the models anyway. The thought of collecting the models, putting them together, mounting them on nice cork bases and painting them to the best of my ability is really what I'm after. It'll seem like a waste if all I end up doing is putting them on my shelf. I even had 2 nice foam trays all set aside for them. I planned out exactly how they would fit and how much space each model would take up.

Runes of War would be good to have if already played Trolls, a list that I could just slide into like it was for Fist of Halaak - I already owned most of the models.

I'm not saying that it's never going to happen, but I think that I'm planning this out for the wrong reasons. I may still collect elements of the list just to have and paint.

Epic Zaal List, Update

I did play my Epic Zaal list last weekend, with some unfavorable results. Lets just say that I'm no longer in a hurry to run out and buy 2 Aradus models.

I played against Adam and his pButcher list which included 3 heavy warjacks including Ruin, wardog, 2 units of MOW shocktroopers, Yuri the axe, manhunter and widowmakers.  Adam is no fool, he saw right through my plan. He moved Ruin forward and soon took out the extoller UA for the immortals. He moved Ruin a little bit further to threaten my caster. I made a feeble attempt to stop him with some nihilators and immortals, but the game was already over.

Some things I want to point out:
I have to do a better job of protecting the extoller, maybe not having him so far forward, maybe just keeping him in formation.

My theory on the Aradus' shooting was spot on, however I didn't factor in the lousy dice rolls. I landed an AOE on both of the MOW units but was only able to kill one model outright despite being poisonous and boosting damage. I'm sure the kill count would have been higher against light infantry.
I'm still not sure if I want to go with the dual Aradus battlegroup. I may stick with one and add a shaman for all its toolbox goodness. Adding range to Zaal's spells can't be a bad thing. I could have used a heavy to deal with Ruin, that would have at least bought me another turn or 2.

I think that this was just a bad match up. Having alot of those lately.....

Epic Zaal

I've finally decided to bite the bullet and start playing Epic Zaal. I was going to wait for the extoller advocate to come out but that's a long way off. So I figured I'd just proxy the models I needed.

Zaal, The Ancestral Advocate (*6pts)
* Cyclops Raider (5pts)
* Aradus Sentinel (8pts)
* Aradus Sentinel (8pts)
Immortals (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
*Extoller Advocate (2pts)
Nihilators (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Praetorian Swordsmen (Leader and 9 Grunts) (6pts)
* Praetorian Swordsmen Officer & Standard (2pts)
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew (Leader and 1 Grunt) (1pts)
Ancestral Guardian (3pts)
Ancestral Guardian (3pts)

Zaal is definitely a back line caster. His ARM is great but his DEF is only 10. A shooty battlegroup seemed the right way to go with his Magesight spell. With all that infantry, I fear that a melee beast like a gladiator wouldn't get a good charge lane and end up being 8 points wasted. The Aradus has arcing fire and can get up to RNG 14 with Far Strike. The fact that his AOE is POW 13 and poisonous is great; the model directly hit (if living) gets 3 dice of damage plus I can still boost.

The Swordsmen and the Nihilators are the first wave, obviously, doing as much damage as possible and providing souls to Zaal and the Ancestral Guardians. The Immortals will hopefully stay alive long enough to benefit from Zaal's FEAT, getting into position and staying safe through Incorporeal. Zaal is going to sit behind the 2 Aradus with the Raider closeby and the Ancestral Guardians close as well. The beast handlers are there to strip off any access FURY and to Enrage the Aradus just in case. The bellows crew's AOE will hopefully mitigate Zaal's horrible DEF.

I have high hopes for this list, no doubt I'll get beat around a bit but it'll be fun.