Kings of War 3rd Edition: #099 Herd vs Abyssal Dwarfs in Seek and Destroy

Intro and Lists

I had some other events cancel on me, unexpectedly freeing me up for a wonderful weekend wargaming meetup in late November. I’ve been a little too busy recently for my own good, but I could not say no to this, and even got two games in! The first was against Will and his sturdy Abyssal Dwarfs. He brought the following:

I dig the repetition. Three Immortal Guard Regiments and three Lesser Obsidian Golems would be hard to crack, especially well supported by Iron Casters. Several units of Gargoyles are always nice to have, and it’s a strong, if slow core. I like most of his unique picks a lot as well. The Dragon Fire-Team seems like it can be a lot of fun, as do the Infernox, which I was really surprised to see were not updated to be Inspiring (like similar the Abyssal Despoiler Champion was). Having played with some Chariot troops recently, I appreciated the Taskmaster on Chariot pick. It lacks the Brutal the KoM chariot units have, but it should have similar damage output, and being Inspiring, might make it a better instigator.

Hot off a Herd defeat with Battle 098, I brought out the Herd again, wanting to wrap up my unwieldy list tests for the army. We’ve recently tried Triple Spears and Fliers, mass Centaurs and Hydras, and now we'll finish up with Triple Guardian Brutes. 

• Tribal Spears with Chalice. I need something to take up space and hold ground, so we’re going with a Spear horde, with the Chalice to hopefully help them stick around just a little longer.
• Tribal Trappers. I’ve liked these previously, and want to play around with them more. We’ll see what they end up doing.
• Harpies. Just one unit, as I felt it was better to take more Striders. We’ll try to hold onto these until the best possible point.
• Centaur Bray Strider Troops x3. They often block for the Guardian Brutes, as their heights are equal, and the Centaurs can block line of sight for dogs and such. Between the Trappers, Harpies and Striders, I’m arguably running a lot of chaff! This is a screening unit than can instigate and do other things besides just die for the cause.  
• Guardian Brutes x3. The big units to test! I like them generally, but they are only Defense 4, so they can definitely be shoot off and need to be protected. With three units, it could be a challenge to protect them, but I’m hoping for some good multi-charges.
• Greater Earth Elemental x2. High Defense, Phalanx, and Obstacles are all things that hampers the Herd, and the GEE helps against all of it. I think you need something like this (or a Tree Herder) to help deal with those things and give yourself a fighting chance.
• Druids with Bane Chant. My Default. I need sources of Inspiring, and they should keep pace with the Guardian Brutes well enough.
• Forest Wardens with items. I wanted to bring these to help with the GEE and Surge. I wanted them to do something besides that though, so one has the Lute for additional Bane Chant, and the other has the Trickster’s Wand.

Table and Terrain

We want to try Command Dice, and a new scenario. After some browsing, we decide to try out Seek and Destroy. This is a riff on Plunder, where 7 Loot Tokens are up for grabs. The twist is that if we fight a unit carrying a token and win, we can destroy the token instead of claiming it. 

The meetup was at Lake Geneva Games, as we were trying to entice a few Illinois players north for the meetup. I arrived a little later than I intended, but that meant that I got to leave my terrain in the car since things were already set up. We were using our typical terrain rules, running the building and bones as Height 9 blocking terrain, the forests as Height 6 Difficult Terrain, stone fences as Height 2 Obstacles, and Hills as Height 3, and the ponds as Height 0. 

We deployed our tokens, and then rolled a heck of a lot of matching 2’s, but I eventually end up with the choice of table sides, and lazy-gamer the situation. I had rolled up to the shop a little later than expected, and was a little flustered trying to set up. With sides determined, I unloaded my army into the center so I could go over units as I deployed, and could be transparent with my remaining drops since I had some extra units for a potential second list and second game. Unfortunately for the report, I forgot to take pictures until my first turn. 

The Abyssal Dwarfs largely ignore the left-most quarter of the table, leaving the Taskmaster on angled Chariot to monitor that section of the field while the rest of the army wants to push up the middle. 

Left-to-right for the main battle line we have Lesser Golems screening Gargoyles and a spellcaster, the Dragon Fire-Team, more Lesser Golems screening more Gargoyles, Lesser Golems screening a spellcaster, Immortals screening an Infernox, and then the last two Immortal units screening an Infernox and the Mastiffs way out on the right.

A shiny vision of the future, to show the approximate deployments.

Seeing so much of the Abyssal Dwarfs coming down centrally, one of my last drops were the Trappers on the far left. To fight for the center, I have angled Guardian Brutes, Druid in reserve, Greater Earth Elemental with baby-sitting Forest Warden (BC and Surge), Centaurs screening Guardian Brutes, the second Greater Earth Elemental, more Centaurs screening Brutes, then the Spear Horde and second Bane-Chant Druid. The second Warden (Hex and Surge) is nearby, behind the woods. Joining him are some angled Trappers eager to hop up to help screen for the Spears, and Harpies, in reserve. Out on the right, is a lone troop of Centaur Striders. Again, the first pictures here are during my turn, after the movement phase. 

We’re rolling off for turn order when I remember I have Scout moves, so I make some of those and then we return to rolling off.

For those scouting moves, the Trappers moved up, but I chose to have the Wardens stay put. They can Scout, but they are sources of Inspiring, and Surging, so I want them hanging back.

I then win the roll off, and opt to go first, as I am the Herd and want to be aggressive. 

Top of Round 1: Herd

I roll up 4 swords for my Command Dice… but can’t really do anything with them. 

Again, I was a little flustered, and in addition to spacing on the picture-taking, I forget that these are loot tokens until sometime in Round 2. I should be picking these up while I am walking right over them anyways. So, misplays from me there to kick things off.

On the far left, I had Scouted up, and think I just hold this turn, waiting to see what the Chariot does. 

View from the left. With some Command dice appearing.

The Brutes take the hill, sort of joined by the Greater Earth Elemental. The Centaurs move their speed forward, projecting threat. 

The other Greater Elemental, Centaurs and Brutes move similarly, moving up and looking to project threat around the woods. 

The Tribal Trappers were angled, and had scouted up to zone out this section. I think they advance a few inches and pivot, to let the Spears hop up. The Warden with Hex enters the Woods. 

View from the right.

My brain is calling these objectives this turn, so I eventually want the Spears charging past the token so the Warden can be left behind to guard it. The Harpies stay in reserve, because if I position smartly, the plan is to fly 20” to grab an objective token in the late game. I come to my senses next turn.

On the far-right, the lone Centaur Troop moves up and pivots. Even if I luck out with a flank-charge, there is no way I am moving either regiment of Immortals. This is just trying to apply a little pressure to slow down these units and their Ordered Marching.

Bottom of Round 1: Abyssal Dwarfs

Out on the right, this contingent of Abyssal Dwarfs move 8” up, with both regiments keeping my Centaurs in front-arc. I think they would be close enough to charge me, for sure they can throw dogs next turn, so I will need to do something.

A strong push up on my right.

The Immortals and Lesser Golems move up 5”, with the dwarfs marching a little bit to keep pace with the constructs. The Infernox here has a Tricksters Wand too, and hexes my Warden, breaking my Wand! I completely missed the potential for a Wand Fight. We’re both Height 3, so I definitely could have done this myself last turn if I was paying attention.

A great waver from the Abyssal Dwarfs.

Out on the right, things are more interesting. Golems shoot around the trees into the Centaur Strider Troop. The trees block a lot of my base, so there is a cover penalty, and they deal 2 damage. The Dragon Fire-Team shoots into the Centaurs as well, but the rolls are not great, and only 2 more damage connects. The Centaurs are wavered.

View from the hill. The Abyssal Dwarfs got some good damage in this turn.

Gargoyles hop up to screen a horde of Lesser Golems, who deftly shoot through the cluster to it the Guardian Brutes on the hill for 3 damage. Mindfog also hits them, which does no damage, but does add Shattering to the check since it hit. The Brutes hold firm.

The Taskmaster on Chariot moves up, staying 12” away from the Trappers.

Top of Round 2: Herd

I roll up 7 swords on the Command Dice, giving me a lot of options. I don’t remember what I spend them on. Fortunately, I remember these are tokens not objectives… 

Charges. The Guardian Brutes hold back for now.

On the left, I back up the Trappers, getting back on the token. They will loose into the Taskmaster, landing a hot 5 damage, and will get a waver.

The Brutes on the hill will get Endurance, going from 3 down to 2. We’re still finding our footing with Command Dice, and I will do the same to the wavering Centaurs. During my opponent’s turn, I’ll catch that a Command Order can only be used once a turn, and the Centaurs will go back up to 4.

Centrally, a Greater Earth Elemental will charge the Gargoyles. The wavering Centaur Striders do nothing, but the others nearby can draw line of sight to the Gargoyles, and will join in with a charge as well, and this should be a front charge, if memory serves. We are victorious, and for reforms, the Centaurs end up in front to help screen the Titan. 

The left Warden (Lute) will back up to pick up the token near my deployment zone. I should have picked this up last round, but forgot these were tokens. 

The Spears hold, the their Trappers hop up to screen. The Trappers can just draw line of sight to the Harpies, and so loose with a cover penalty, land 1 damage, and get a hot waver. The Trappers land touching the token, but do not pick it up. The Harpies hold. My opponent has also left tokens behind, so if I am patient, I might be able to hop the lines and snag something.

The Harpies hold back.

The Centaurs on the right no nothing. 

From my 7 Command Dice, I used 2 on Endurance, erroneously used 2 more on Endurance, which will be caught and corrected soon. With the 3 remaining, I know I considered backing up (Tactical Retreat), but I don’t have good notes. I think I considered Tactical Retreat on the Centaurs, measured, discovered three Throwing Mastiffs could still be coming my way, and ultimately forgot about them, and did nothing with them.

Bottom of Round 2: Abyssal Dwarfs

My opponent rolls up 3 Command Dice. I believe they are spent to boost a vicious Fireball.

The Immortals get wise to the delaying Centaurs, which I had apparently forgotten about. One presses the issued, moving up and throwing a Mastiff. The Mutated Mastiffs also throw into the Centaurs, since my unit is taller than the intervening Immortals. The dice are miserable though, and only 4 damage makes it in. Fortunately, my opponent measured, and I cannot shoot the gap between these Immortals and the skull terrain, which we were treating as a building.

More shooting from the Abyssal Dwarfs.

The other Immortals turn to face the Trappers. A Mastiff goes in, as do shots from the Infernox Ironmonger, and the nearby Golems, 9 damage is done, and the Trappers are routed. The other Infernox makes use of his height, to Hex the BC Druid supporting the Tribal Spears.

And more shooting.

Other shooting (both Lesser Golem Hordes and a boosted vicious Fireball) go into the Greater Earth Elemental, dealing 5 damage. The Lesser Golems on the left are then surged into the blocking Centaurs, but are blocked from sliding down much. They thump 8 onto the troop, rout them, and then victoriously back up, creating a curved line for the Herd to try and charge into.

The wavering Taskmaster nimbly moves backwards, getting behind the building for a breather.

Top of Round 3: Herd

I roll up 4 swords on my Command Dice. Another 2 are spent on Endurance to bring the Brutes on the hill from 2 down to 1, and the others are used on various rerolls.

The Trappers hop up a bit, trying to keep the Taskmaster on the run and zone things out, especially since he hasn’t picked up the other token way over here. We’re up against a wall on the left. Eyeballing things, I don't think I can see or reach the Taskmaster, so don't take any shots against him.

Post-combat reforms.

The Guardian Brutes finally get off the hill, charging into the Lesser Obsidian Golems. They should even catch a Bane Chant from the druid on the hill. They land 12, with the Greater Earth Elemental joining and contributing 5, and the Lesser Golems are trampled. The Guardian Brutes overrun 4 to threaten the Taskmaster, and the Golem pivots to spy the flank of the other Lesser Golems, as well as the Dragon Fire-Team.

The previously wavered and erroneously healed Centaurs are back on 4 damage, but otherwise fresh, and they charge in against the other Lesser Obsidian Golem Horde to gum them up. My second Greater Earth Elemental moves into the woods, and is then Surged in to join in. I think the Centaurs deal 3 and the Elemental 2? It’s not a great showing, but we do have a second horde disordered and gummed up.

Now holding a token, the Warden with the token moves up at the slowed double and the nearby Guardian Brutes had moved up to see where they would be needed against the Lesser Golems.

The Herd cautiously approaches.

The third unit of Guardian Brutes moves up to see a little around the woods, looking to support the Tribal Spears. 

The Warden over here is the one to cast Surge, nimbly stepping behind the Spears to get close enough. The Spears should be safe from charges this turn. The Harpies nimble move and pivot and move, ready to react later in the game, especially now that the Immortals on my right are coming through and pushing up.

Bottom of Round 3: Abyssal Dwarfs

My opponent rolls up 5 for his Command Dice.

Having dealt with my delating Centaur Troop, those Immortals make an Ordered Match, looking to swing around my lines. The Mastiffs are not nimble, so just change facing, looking to go pick up one of the tokens in the rear.

The Abyssal Dwarfs present another crescent of doom to try and engage.

My opponent tries to limit my options for my Spear Horde. The other Immortals align such that I cannot properly fit in against the angled one. The intent is to keep the Lesser Golems and other Immortals flush though. I can make a charge, but will likely get flanked.

The last Throwing Mastiff and the Charnox Cannon from the Lesser Golem’s hit the Tribal Spears, but the hits are atrocious, and only 4 damage in total is done. 

Shooting and charges for the Abyssal Dwarfs.

The other unit of Lesser Golems chooses to slide down against the Greater Earth Elemental, and it is just barely in the woods. 

The Dragon Fire-Team sprays into the Greater Elemental in front of them, with an extra-accurate Fireball coming in as well. The Greater Elemental is brought to 11 damage, and a 7 twice is enough to remove it.

More Command Dice is spent to boost the dice for Hex against a Druid, but the spell misses entirely.

The Harpies spy a flank charge, and take it, flapping menacingly into the Guardian Brutes. They are hindered though, and they deal a total of 3 to the Brutes, who hold.

A surprise charge.

In a surprise move, the Taskmaster on Chariot does have line of sight and range into the Tribal Trappers. I didn’t think I had shots into him last turn, so I must have goofed something up. He ends up touching the terrain, so is hindered, and I only take 2 damage, and miraculously, the uninspired troop holds strong.

Top of Round 4: Herd

I roll up for 4 swords for my Command Dice. On reflex I heal up the Guardian Brutes fighting the Gargoyles. Given the state of the game, I should have done something else; healing the injured GEE could have been a better call. I think the other two are spent on rerolls, but I don’t remember on what.

I was surprised by the Taskmaster, but since I held, I think this might go ok. I bring the Druid over for Inspiring and a Bane Chant, though the spell misses. I land another 3 damage on the counter-charge to bring the Taskmaster to 8 damage, but he is found to be quite insane. Yuck. I bounced around for rolling combats, and this was the last one I rolled, so I wasn't able to really react to this result.

The Guardian Brutes counter-charge the Gargoyles, pulping them and then overrun 1 inch towards the center. Thinking I had the Taskmaster on the ropes, I was leaving the token back here for the Trappers to pick up once they were done with him.

A big charge to remove another horde of Lesser Obsidian Golems.

With the Titan gone, the Forest Warden with the Lute charges the Dragon Fire Team, dealing 5. I believe I get a waver, as they don’t do anything next turn.

The Lesser Golems are touching the woods, and are Height 4, so can be seen by a lot. We talk out the charges here, even looping in another player to try and get some good consensus going. The Greater Earth Elemental, both Guardian Brutes and the Centaurs all declare a charge. The GEE is already aligned, so stays put. One unit of Brutes heads slots in to the right of the GEE. The Centaurs are in the flank since the Golems shuffled down on their previous counter-charge, and will smartly shuffle down to let the final group of Guardian Brutes in. This Bane Chant fails as well, but it’s still a lot of dice being thrown at a problem, and 21 damage makes it into the Def6 unit, which is devastated and routed, as is proper. 

Eh... two can play at this game.

Victorious, the Centaurs sidestep towards my opponent’s deployment zone. The GEE backs up, lands on the token, and picks it up. The Left Brutes change facing, and the right Brutes overrun. 

After some time, I decide I didn’t want to commit the Spears to anything crazy. The Mastiffs are going to grab that token in my opponent’s deployment zone, and I don’t think I can land 1” away from everything, so the Harpies hop up to block things up for the Abyssal Dwarfs now. The Spears inch up to grab the token.

Bottom of Round 4: Abyssal Dwarfs

My opponent rolls up 5 Command Dice. Something tweaks a Fireball somehow, but I don’t have exact notes.

The Immortals finally get around my lines on the far right, but are slowed by the woods. They are a threat but I have next turn to try and figure something out. The angled Immortals hold, still hoping for a flank. The Infernox heroes both shoot into the Spears, but it’s with cover and nothing connects in the end.

Charges and positioning.

More Immortals charge the Harpies, deal 9, rout the ladies and then overrun.

The Mutated Mastiffs run up at the double to grab a token.

The last Lesser Obsidian Golems shoot into the Centaurs to take them to 8 Damage, and the troop is indeed scattered.

The tweaked vicious Fireball goes into the Greater Earth Elemental, landing just 1.

The Dragon Fire-Team is wavered, and noes nothing, just hoping to tie things up for another turn.

The Insane Taskmaster fights on.

We forget about the Taskmaster fight, but catch it before I get into my turn. Luck is apparently with the Taskmaster today though, and even disordered, he lands a crazy 4 damage off 5 attacks onto the Trappers to bring them to 6, and he is then able to get the rout, steal their token, and pivots to threaten the Druid. 

Top of Round 5: Herd

I roll up 2 for my Command Dice, and I think spend it on Endurance to heal the GEE back down to 3.

The Brutes turn about to play for the token out here and fight the Taskmaster. I need to spin around completely, and it’s slightly out of charge range for a charge to it next turn.

I did not expect that these tokens would be so hotly contested. Well played to the Taskmaster.

The Forest Warden makes another charge into the Dragon Fire-Team, dealing 4, brining them to 9, and picking them up.

The last horde of Lesser Obsidian Golems are triple charged, brought to 21 damage, and are devastated and then routed, as is proper. All will victoriously position to face the Immortals.

The third horde of Lesser Obsidian Golems falls in as many turns of fighting.

I believe the Druid Bane Chants the Tribal Spears, who charge in and deal 10 damage to the Immortals, who are then found to be Insane. The other Warden, who has the broken Tricksters Wand, nimbly spins and gets in front of the outriding Immortals.

Bottom of Round 5: Abyssal Dwarfs

My opponent rolls up 4 swords for his Command Dice.

The outriding Immortals make a hindered charge into the Forest Warden, who holds.

The Command Dice are spent it to reroll the Regeneration rolls on the maimed Immortals fighting the Tribal Spears, who charge in, and are joined by the other unit. The quantity and quality of attacks into the Tribal Spears are both good, and the units deal a staggering 16 damage to the horde to bring them to 20 damage. And then the Spears are found to be Insane, and not devastated.

The Tribal Spears take some charges.

The stock Infernox makes a wild charge into some Guardian Brutes, dealing 4 damage in melee, and getting a shock Waver. I have Fury and support though, so I am ok with this.

An Iron-Caster lands 4 damage on another group of Brutes with a Fireball, to take them to 8 damage, and he gets a lucky waver here as well. 

Double wavers for these Guardian Brutes.

Mind Fog goes into against the Brutes chasing the Taskmaster, but those hold.

The Taskmaster is able to hop up to nimbly grab the other loot token on the left, touching the other side of it and so stay just out of charge range of the Guardian Brutes. 

The Taskmaster continues to make moves.

Ending the round, the Taskmaster has 2 tokens, and the Mutated Mastiffs have 1, bringing the total for the Abyssal Dwarfs to 3. The Herd has 4, spread among the Tribal Spears, a Warden, a GEE, and the Guardian Brutes trying to chase after the Taskmaster.

Top of Round 6: Herd

I roll up 6 for my Command Dice, and have some options.

Out on the left, the obstacle will slow me down, but the Brutes hop over the obstacle to try and threaten the Taskmaster. 

As-ever, obstacles trip up my Herd.

Brutes will catch a Bane Chant from the Forest Warden and his Lute, and will furiously countercharge the Infernox, deal 7 damage, and will pick the hero up and overrun.

A pivotal sidestep.

I spend 5 swords on Stubborn to remove the Wavering from my injured Guardian Brutes in the center, which allows them to sidestep. This creates the space for the GEE to flank charge some Immortals, with the Tribal Spears sliding down to help with a counter charge. The Druid lands a Bane Chant on the Spears. Each deals 7 damage to bring the Immortals to 17 damage total, and we get the rout, and reform as best we can. The Spears can’t really spin around, so they sidestep and the GEE overruns, boxing in the Immortals and upgraded inferno here.

The delaying Forest Warden fights the Immortals, landing 1. In retrospect, disengaging, withdrawing and backing up would have been a more clever play to buy time, as the Immortals still only had him to charge, and it would be disordered. Alas. I apparently want to fight with my 3 attack hero.

Bottom of Round 6: Abyssal Dwarfs

My opponent rolls up 4 swords for his Command Dice.

My opponent wants to go for the win, so we’re talking things through to give him the best chances. It's a friendly game, and we're always trying to learn and do things better.

The Mastiffs move to run, as does the Taskmaster on his Chariot, preserving all of those 3 points for the Abyssal Dwarfs.

The Taskmaster departs. I think his damage dice got bumped.

A Mind Fog goes into the Centaurs that bested the Infernox, but they shake off the magic. 

Now you see them...

The upgraded Infernox inches up to get Inspiring and the Elite aura onto the outriding Immortals, who crash back into the Warden but cannot break him. The hero has shots with cover into the injured Brutes nearby, but nothing connects.

...and now you don't

A boosted Fireball goes into my already damaged Brutes, to play for the win, removing them seems like a must. They have cover from the woods, and are Inspired. Still, 1 damage makes it through to bring them to 9 damage, and two good checks see the unit off the table. Ouch.

The Tribal Spears fall as well.

The other Immortals charge the Tribal Spears, dealing 4 damage and pick the unit up. Playing for the win, he picks up the token and then reforms, victoriously.

My opponent has the honors, and rolls up a Round 7 for us!

Top of Round 7: Herd

I’ve used up all my Command Dice from Round 6, and so have none to spend this turn.

The Taskmaster on Chariot is out of reach. The Mastiffs has likewise fled, again preserving the 3 points for the Abyssal Dwarfs. I chase after him with the Brutes anyways.

Both of these have Loot Tokens... it will be hard to catch up.

The remaining Brutes join the Greater Earth Elemental in a charge into the Immortals that bested the Spears and stole that token. The Druid backs up to try to Bane Chant the Brutes. I don’t think it connects. The Brutes deal 9, the Golem 4, and at 13 damage, I will pick up the Inspired unit. I put the token on the GEE, as it should be harder to break. The GEE sidesteps, and the Brutes pivot.

Charges from the Herd.

The Forest Warden with the Lute charges the Iron Caster with Fireball, and lands 1 to disorder them.

Reforms, with the GEE grabbing a second token. 

The Forest Warden with the broken wand swipes at the Immortals again. I don’t think any damages hits this time. Again, with the goal being to delay, just backing up and forcing hindered charges is probably a better idea than giving them cleaner counter charges.

Bottom of Round 7: Abyssal Dwarfs

The upgraded Infernox charges the Greater Earth Elemental in a play for the tokens. He lands a ridiculous 4 damage, but the GEE holds, keeping the game 4:3 in favor of the Herd.

Some hot dice from / for the Abyssal Dwarf heroes this game.

The Immortals hack through the Forest Warden and overrun, but that's it for the game.

A 4:3 victory to the Herd!

Game Conclusions

Most of the combats went really well for the Herd, especially ones involving the Brutes, but the scenario got away from me a bit. I did not play a clean or efficient game early on, but started correcting things quickly enough to keep myself in the game. 

My opponent was a bit anxious after losing horde after horde after horde of the Def6 Lesser Obsidian Golems, but got his luck this game where he needed really need it with the Taskmaster, allowing him and his Chariot to contribute a ton towards the scenario. Despite losing a ton of units, this was an easy tie for the Abyssal Dwarfs, and was only a loss because he chose to go for the win in Round 6, and then we got a Round 7. So, well played!

Testing Conclusions

• Tribal Spears with Chalice. Insanity certainly helped them, but these did alright. Dwarfs (and Abyssal Dwarfs) don’t typically have a lot that can get stuck up on the Spears, so they were around to take up space and did so. 
• Tribal Trappers. These continue to be immensely fun little pressure pieces, and I definitely did not use them well this game.
• Harpies. They were ultimately used as chaff, which was disappointing, but that seemed appropriate at the time. They did fine but did nothing exciting.
• Guardian Brutes x3. Checking the math here and there as I wrote up the report, they never rolled particularly well, but all of the multi-charges really swung the scales, allowing them to win the combats handily against all this Def6. Throwing an extra 30 dice at a given problem seemed to work ok, but they were still prone to wavering and shooting, which was a bummer. They are still a great unit for the Herd, but are still a little tricky to use.
• Centaur Bray Striders x3. I quite liked the approach here, and the with so little shooting opposing me, things worked out pretty well. So much of the Herd for me is a flat Speed 6, so the longer charge range to run out and instigate has been really beneficial for the Herd.
• Greater Earth Elemental x2. No tricky Surge charges, but I did use Surge once! These grabbed a lot of my opponent’s attention, allowing the Guardian Brutes to deal the damage. Part of me thinks it was a mistake to try and focus down the GEE when Brutes are in range, but there is a logic to committing harder to take off a damaged unit, and it worked out for my opponent here, and he was still able to shoot off some Brutes later.
• Druids with Bane Chant. They did well enough, and continue to be decent picks. I need to remember that the Spells can be influenced by Command Dice. That could help them out in the future.
• Forest Wardens with items. Playing a token scenario was amazing for them, and they got to do a lot. Despite being used poorly, I could see one with the Trickster’s Wand being a good take for the more “balanced” lists I want to try out next, as Hex on a Height 3 Scouting unit could be really frustrating for some of my opponents. Depending on the match-up, that pressure might be worth it even without Shambling units to surge around.

Will's Abyssal Dwarfs are neat to see in action, as he tends to be doing more unique things with them. I really dug the duplication and redundancy built throughout his list. He played a great game, and keeping the scenario top of mind really played out well for him... until he got greedy and went for the win! It was a fluffy game in that respect, and I had a fantastic time playing against him. Thanks for the game!