07.08.2020
I’ve been eager to test out if the addition of Resolutes would improve Fiona’s game into Infernals. I have a horrible track record against them so I feel that warrants some specific counter tech. I do like the added ARM and damage against infernals(/soulless/undead), but fear that they will fall a bit short in other matchups. Alchemical masks are a good addition to the army, not only because of summoned Desolators but also with the abundance of Gaspy4 slinging out random clouds these days.
https://conflictchamber.com/?c6201b_-1HoH9b9blLpboToRoKoKoUoUoMoMoWp2oYp0
Mercenaries
[Theme] Flame in the Darkness
[Fiona 1] Fiona the Black [+27]
– Charger [9]
– Charger [9]
– Toro [13]
Alexia, Mistress of the Witchfire [7]
Grand Master Gabriel Throne [7]
Hermit of Henge Hold [0(5)]
Morrowan Archon [8]
Morrowan Archon [8]
Thamarite Advocate [0(3)]
Thamarite Advocate [0(3)]
Thamarite Archon [8]
Thamarite Archon [8]
Order of Illumination Resolutes (max) [13]
– Morrowan Battle Priest (3) [0(6)]
Order of Illumination Vigilants (max) [10]
– Morrowan Battle Priest (1) [2]
https://conflictchamber.com/?cg201b_-1yo8oeoaoaoaoaolosonoSotoqopogovogou
Infernals
[Theme] Dark Legacy
[Zaateroth 1] Zaateroth, The Weaver of Shadows [+26]
– Foreboder [4]
– Tormentor [12]
– Tormentor [12]
– Tormentor [12]
– Tormentor [12]
– Lord Roget d’Vyaros [4]
Alain Runewood, Lord of Ash [0(5)]
Great Princess Regna Gravnoy [0(6)]
Hermit of Henge Hold [0(5)]
Nicia, Hound of the Abyss [4]
The Wretch [4]
Valin Hauke, The Fallen Knight [7]
Cultist Band (max) [7]
– Master Preceptor Orin Midwinter [4]
Cultist Band (max) [7]
Infernal Gate [12]
Deployment
Dice grant me first turn. I forgot to ask why my opponent chose the side that he did because on paper it looks like my side has more defendable scenario elements. But on the other hand with access to Ghost Walk and Ghost shot from the gate he may not be as concerned about these things and wanted to go for the safety of the central forest.
Turn 1A
In an attempt to deny Rites of Torment I put up Occultation on the Resolutes and Roth’s Mercy on the Vigilants. This also has the side benefit of stopping any early Rebuke on the Resolutes though I doubt that my opponent would be willing to sacrifice his Foreboder for that when I have access to easy dispel by just Chastening a Battle Priest. Ultimately I want Roth’s mercy to be on the Resolutes, and in hindsight I think it would have been better to just put that up right away since Fiona will be too busy on later turns to swap it around. Besides, I don’t think Rites is a concern for me this turn anyway.
Turn 1B
Opponent puts up Rites and Decel and spawns a Desolator in front of the forest. Cultists whack each other to fuel Orin who camps 3” behind the two Tormentors on the Right. All Heavies run to just outside my base charge threat ranges.
Turn 2A
I am hoping to fish out one Tormentor and hold my feat for one more turn. I was hoping to be able to Befuddle the central Tormentor 3” out of the forest, but my opponent reminded me that they do not actually have pathfinder – just access to Ghost walk. This means that I need to go 1.5” further forward in order to shoot and combined with Long Shadows that meant that my Chargers and Thamarite archons ended up much closer to the enemy lines than I had intended. To make matters worse it also meant that I had no range with the Resolutes. At this point I should probably have feated and switched plans to go for a more aggressive positioning play.
It turns out that I had over estimated my shooting damage potential a bit too and rolling slightly below average the Tormentor comes quite close to surviving. It boils down to Gabriel Throne finishing it off with a pistol shot, but putting himself in harm’s way in the process.
Turn 2B
Cultists ambush in and kill the Thamarite advocate on the right to claim the zone. The advocate on my flag is killed by blast damage. A combination of Desolator sprays, shots from Zaateroth and a charging Tormentor clears out the left hand side Charger, Thamarite archon and Gabriel Throne. Zaateroth also summons a new Desolator and feats. The red thamarite archon gets to live partly because my opponent doesn’t want to commit any resources to it at this stage, and partly because Infernals don’t really have any expendable solos to come forward and grab the flag.
I regret not having put more in the left hand zone and not having all the Vigilants inside the right hand zone. Not that my opponent wouldn’t have been able to deal with it, but it would have forced him to reallocate some more resources or send a Tormentor out of position to contest.
Score 0-1
Turn 3A
Vigilants and the blue morrowan clear out the Tormentor who is up in my face. I contest the left zone with a Battle priest. I try to clear out Orin with ranged attacks, but the feat is making it hard to get any headway. Vigilants claim the right zone and Fiona feats.
I regret not putting Fiona in a more aggressive position. I don’t think I had any rational reasoning for not advancing further forward and where I have left her means that my to archons on the right are in danger of being hit from outside the feat.
Score 2-1
Turn 3B
This Infernals army is capable of putting out some decent ranged firepower and even through my feat my opponent is able to whittle down my army. All my archons have taken significant damage, but fortunately for me he is unable to finish off any of them. In particular the red Thamarite gets a lucky dodge to save it from a hungry Tormentor.
Score 2-2
Turn 4A
I need to do my Vengeance moves on the Resolutes and it is time for the biggest blunder of the game. I measure up so that the Tormentor will be blocked between the two Desolators if it counter charges. I commit, asking my opponent if he wants to counter charge anyway. He says yes and I immediately realise my mistake as I remember that he has Tactician. What a ridiculous mistake to make! On the bright side this counter charge takes the Tormentor out of contest range of the flag.
I try to go for a three point play this turn by Befuddling the left side Tormentor away from the flag and one of the Cultists out of his zone. This means that I just need to kill the Tormentor in my zone and the Desolator contesting the flag. I remove the Tormentor quite easily, but the Toro completely whiffs and when everything is said and done I leave the Desolator on a couple of boxes. On the bright side the red Thamarite is a boss and removes the entire unit of Orin’s Cultists. There was also a Foreboder somewhere in the mix which I believe I one-shot with a Resolute.
Score 4-2
Turn 4B
My opponent finds a way to clear a path for the Tormentor who charges Fiona and one shots her. In the process he manages to kill the Toro and a bunch of Vigilants, though he is a bit all in due to Zaateroth’s position.
Sadly, a loss for the Mercenaries
:: Evaluation ::
Going for the turn 2A play without feating was a clear mistake and ended up costing me three valuable pieces which probably cost me the game. That being said I had some decent luck later on in the game, particularly on my opponent’s turn after I had feated which allowed me to potentially come back in the game. Had I managed to kill the Desolator and score three point in my turn 4 and stayed alive I believe I would have had a decent chance to ride the lead out to a turn 7 lead even though was quite a bit behind on attrition.
I generally find it difficult to trade effectively against Infernals, and especially into Zaateroth due to Long Shadows and her feat. Their Tormentors always seem to be full fuelled on essence and it is really hard to commit any pieces without immediately losing them in return. The Resolutes soaked up a surprising amount of damage. I didn’t manage to get a lot of work out them this game, but I think that was more due to poor playing (such as getting one killed through counter charge) than anything else.