My partner Stella and I had a 1,100-ish point game yesterday, Devanu versus Delgon. Massed Grishak and Devanu might clashed against the armoured strikeforce of the Delgon Empire. The scenario was simple - Arak Kaitan (regular Kopa for this game) had conducted a raid on a Priest's convoy recently, slaying the Priest Gorkal's favourite bodyguard and stealing his sword, a relic from a prized bodyguard generations past. Incensed by rage, Gorkal has ordered a strike back against a splinter of Arak's forces, led to the Devanu terror by the efforts of several Dhogu scouts. Marshalling his forces and demanding as many Striders as he can, Gorkal sets out to pin down Arak and end his menace once and for all.
Devanu Objective - Slay Priest Gorkal and finish the matter of the earlier raid once and for all.
Delgon Objective - Slay Arak Kaitan and recover the Bodyguard relic blade.
Devanu Forces -Arak Kaitan, Kopa
Sempa Packmaster
Sempa Packmaster
Sempa Matriarch
Jenta
16 Grishak
Here's a picture of all the painted Devanu, as I managed to finish Arak, a Sempa and a Jenta before the game.
Delgon Forces - Priest Gorkal
Acolyte Morkar
10 Delgon Derakeers
6 Delgon Soldiers
12 Striders
3 Experimental Strider Derakeers. (These has the same Deraks as Delgon Derakeers, cost 10 more, and had 1 less combat.)
Initial set up -
Turn 1With the hiss of escapting steam and clank of metal, 8 Striders and 2 Strider Derakeers advanced through the river on the left, concern upon their faces at the streaming water slowing their movements. Regardless, they could see the Devanu massing in the distance, and so forged on.
Hearing the Striders and spotting them fording fording through the water across from them, a Sempa ranged forwards, her shrill cries herding a mass of 8 Grishak before her.
The remaining 4 Striders and Strider Derakeer also waded through the river on the right, aiming to get through it as quickly as possible, barely seeing the Grishak bounding towards their brothers in arms at alarming speed.
The other Sempa packmaster heard her fellow Sempa's cries and also ran fowards, her 8 Grishak charges loping along with her, their beaks snapping open and shut in anticipation for fresh food.
Priest Gorkal, his fury mounting as he saw the wall of Grishak rapid closing, ordered the mass of soldiers to wade through the river. Ever-prudent, even in a rage, as the soldiers moved forwards a few noticed that Gorkal was rather close to the back of his formation, behind his trusty Acolyte.
The remaining Sempa cried out to her child, and the pair moved forwards to try and set up a flanking move on the large group of Striders advancing towards them.
Turn 2Seeing the enemies approaching, the larger group of Striders forged through the river, several finally coming to the other side and more stable ground. Knowing the enemy were close, they readied themselves to face Grishak at close quarters.
The smaller group of Striders, already mostly on solid ground, consolidated their position, advancing to cover the sides of the small marshland infront of them.
Inspired by the mechanical troopers either side of him, Priest Gorkal seized the initiative and ordered his soldiers forwards once again, to try and leave the river behind them.
A Sempa, seeing the massed danger, moved up with her 8 beasts, preparing for a devastating charge, closing to near point blank range.
Turn 3Preparing for bloodshed, a single Delgon Derakeer decided to earn some glory, and shuffled forwards, unleashing his Derak with a ferocious blast. The shots struck 4 Grishak, but after the smoke had cleared only a single one had fallen. The Derakeer turned slightly pale...
Screeching with rage that one of her charges had been killed, the Sempa snapped commands, her Grishak leaping forwards. To the Derakeer's amazement, the Grishak rushed to his side, slamming in to the Striders advancing close to him. With the sounds of tearing flesh and metal, the massed Grishak brought 2 of the 5 Striders down, the sheer savagery more than a match for the strong armour. The Sempa however, spying several gunners, circled around the marsh to flank the Striders and avoid the guns.
Hearing the sounds of the Delgon dying, the other sempa also charged forwards with her 8 Grishak, the little hunting creatures slamming in to the larger group of Striders. Thankfully the Striders' preparations saved most of their lives, a mere single Strider Derakeer brought down by 4 charging Grishak due to his unwieldy gun and lack of a melee weapon.
Gorkal, seeing a chance, bellowed for his soldiers to unleash their fury, as well as a few choice reprimands for the lone gunner who acted with initiative. Stepping forwards, the first gunner squared his gun and barked a cry of victory as his blast engulfed 6 Grishak. The close range blast was devastating, 4 Grishak falling to the first gunner as he looked at his wayward peer, a smug expression on his face. In no short order the remaining 8 guns stepped forwards, their massed shots obliterating 11 Grishak. The Sempa simply dodged around the shots, the pellets never coming even close to their agile forms. Chuckling with pleasure, Gorkal clapped as the massacre was made clear.
The larger unit of Striders, seeing nearly all of their foes disappearing in to a bloody ruins amidst the cracks and booms of the Deraks, threw caution to the wind and charged forwards the reamining Sempa and Grishak to finish them off. With a blaze of glory and a savage war cry, the first Strider ran in to the Sempa, using his fuel to attack and boost his combat prowess as far as he could. There was no thought of defence for himself and, though the sempa was more cautious and also inflicted several hits, the large metal mass of the Strider crushed it to death. His victory was short lived however, his comrades noticing the Sempa's hand fully through his chest. Screaming vengeance, another Strider charged the Grishak, but before he could lower his lance the Grishak was at his throat, ripping it apart. As he collapsed in death and the grishak began to feed, berefit of a leader, another Strider pinned it to the ground and trampled it to death.
Turn 3 kill count -16 Grishak
Sempa
2 Strider Derakeers
3 Striders
Turn 4 -The remaining Sempa packmaster, hearing her sister's death cry, flew in to a rage and charged the small cadre of Striders, her claws tearing through his chest. Her cry of victory was cut short as she was crushed, the dying Strider Derakeer's bulk falling upon her in death.
Strider Derakeer saves against Sempa hits -
Pleased with their victory, the large cadre of Striders ranged forwards again, spying a Sempa and Jenta in the distance.
The Matriarch and Jenta also ran forwards, eager to exact revenge for their slain family.
Seeing the battle going badly, Arak finally had a chance to move for the first time, and decided to lope forwards, ready to hunt down and kill the impudent Priest.
Spotting the oncoming Arak Kaitan, Priest Gorkal ordered his troops in to a firing line, making sure he was aptly covered by soldiers on all sides.
The remaining 2 Striders on the right simply circled, aiming to either distract Arak or provide a decisive blow.
Turn 4 kill count - Sempa
Strider Derakeer
Turn 5 -Closing upon the Sempa Matriarch, the massed Striders charged with righteous fury. As the first ran in he was raked by her claws, falling to the ground as she danced aside. The second met with a similar fate, his corpse joining his comrade. The third, learning from the witnessed deaths, came in low and speared upwards, piercing the Devanu's chest. Ready to cry out in triumph, his expression fell to grave fear as the dying Matriarch lashed out in spite, ending his life too. Seeing 3 of the comrades killed by a single Matriarch, the remaining 4 Striders simply advanced in silence, their grim countenances searching for Arak.
The Jenta, seeing it's mother die before it's eyes, and confronted with 4 Striders, simply chose to flee back towards it's home.
Arak, hearing and seeing his family falling around him, screeched with vengeance and charged forwards, leaping through the air and pushing himself to strike at the pair of Striders clanking towards him.
His claws were a blur, striking the Strider several times. However, the Strider knowing he was utterly outclassed, threw himself in to the attack. (5 Eracs, 1 miss). Arak, feinted to avoid as much damage as possible. (Reroll was 5 Eracs, 1 miss). Seeing his own life cut shot, Arak made a desperate last feint. (Reroll was 3 Eracs, 2 miss.) Knowing his was to sell his own life dearly, the Strider drew upon all his training in combat to land even one more hit. (Rerolled 2 misses in to 2 Eracs! 3 sets of 5 Erac in a row!) The Strider fell back, his armour torn to pieces by Arak's claws, but though he died he did so with a smile, 3 of his own strikes making their way through Arak Kaitan;s guard to strike him down, his flesh no match for pure Delgon weaponry.
Priest Gorkal raised his arms and cried out praise to the Gods for the victory, witnessing Arak's defeat by the courageous Strider across the marsh.
Final kill count -16 Grishak.
2 Sempa Packmasters.
Sempa Matriarch.
Arak Kaitan.
3 Strider Derakeers.
7 Striders.
Delgon victory!
End board -
The poor Jenta, his family slaughtered, and overlooked by the joyous Gorkal, has vowed to return soon with his own force, to revenge his family and feed well upon the Delgon Empire....
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Stella and I had a great fun game, much larger than our previous ones. Stella learnt very, very quickly that massed Deraks are absolutely murderous when all the grishak are bunched up, and reflected that moving all those not in charge range up behind those who had got to close combat was a bad idea. Next time I fully foresee not having as easy a time exterminating Grishak, as if the guns had been charged, they would have run amok and very, very likely eaten poor Gorkal. Next time promises to be much more lethal for any poor Delgon religious leaders... Having 10 of 15 Striders killed has seriously impressed upon me how lethal Grishak are on the charge, and that Sempas really aren't to be underestimated. Blimey. That minus to armour saves really hurts, and with Grishaks' longer range, 12" to the Strider's 8", I need a lot of luck with activations to charge them first. In larger point games I'll probably rely on a wall of soldiers in front to absorb the charge, unless the grishak simply charge around....
We're already looking forward to the next game in a week or two!
No doubt that little jenta will have his revenge.
