Intro and Lists
I was fortunate enough to fit in a weekend wargaming meetup a few weeks back, getting two great games in back in late-ish November. The second game for the day was against Grant Fetter, a masters-level player from Illinois, who we have been luring northwards here and there for game days as our Wisconsin community grows. This was our first time really meeting and playing one another, and he brought some Abyssal Dwarfs:
I've played the Abyssal Dwarfs a bunch lately, but this was probably the scariest list so far. We've got a bevy of supporting spellcasters, with ample Hex and Weakness, a Decimator Horde, two units of Gargoyles, two hordes of Lesser Obsidian Golems, and two hordes of Abyssal Grotesques, which I know hit hard but I have yet to really play against. He's also got the unique spellcaster Dravak Dalkan and his special construct, which lets the spellcaster cast spells through the titan, which is neat. I did see this dup once before, but it was quite some time ago.
I brought the Herd, looking to wrap up my "unwieldy" test lists and explore the triple Guardian Brutes again, this time with some Tree Herders. Up to test and comment on are:
- Tribal Spears with Chalice. I need something to hold ground, so we’re going with the Tribal Spears. I felt like they were likely to get charged, so went with a more defensive Chalice of Wrath as their item.
- Tribal Trappers. I’ve quite liked them previously, and we’ll see how they do with the Tree Herders scouting up alongside them.
- Harpies. Just one unit, as I felt it was better to take more Striders to (hopefully) better protect the Guardian Brutes. We’ll see if they can snag a token or something this game, or if they will die for the cause.
- Centaur Bray Striders x3. Taking 3 units to help screen for the Guardian Brutes. Most of the rest of my army is Speed 6, so these have been good instigators
- Guardian Brutes x3. The stars of the show for testing today! We’ll see what they are able to punch through this time.
- Druids with Bane Chant. My Default. I need sources of Inspiring, and they should keep pace with the Guardian Brutes well enough.
- Gladewalker Druid with Celestial Restoration. I’ve tried them a few times, but they’ve only really done well with the Undead so far. We’ll try them again here and see what can be learned.
- Tree Herder x2. They are expensive, but cover a lot of the pain points for the Herd, dealing with Phalanx, Obstacles, and high defense. These are up to test as well, as I feel like I need 2, but they are just so expensive. We’ll see how they do here.
I've never encountered a real Weakness build before, and the Herd already struggle against high defense lists. Add to that concern that his striding hammers easily outclass my pathfinding Brutes, and overall, I felt like this was going to be a tough game! I felt like the the Tree Herder list here was probably better than the Greater Earth Elemental list that I had just played though, so we'll do our best!
Table and Terrain
We want to try Command Dice, and one of the new scenarios. After some browsing, we decide on Compass Points. We’ve got four Objective Tokens to fight over, and they are placed along the center axes of the table. The flanks are worth 1 point, our “home” objective is worth 2 Points, and the “away” objective will be worth 3 points, and this all matters at the end of the game.
We were still at Lake Geneva Games, using our local Pathfinder's normal assortment of gaming terrain. 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.
Grant won the roll for sides, and lazy-gamered it. Left-to-right we have the Infernok, Lesser Obsidian Golems, some caster, Grotesques with Gargoyles in reserve, I believe the legendary Dravak nestled in, more Grotesques with more Gargoyles, I think another Hexcaster out here, then the other Lesser Golems and Infernal Guard out blocking for the Decimator horde.
 |
| Battlefield overview. |
Unlike the more uniform deployment from the previous game, I decided to switch things up a bit for this game. The goal was to delay a bit in the center, and push really hard from the right with multiple Guardian Brute hordes.
Left-to-right for the Herd is a Tree Herder, Trappers, Centaur Striders and Harpies, Tribal Spears supported by a Druid, the second Tree Herder, angled Trappers, Striders screening Brutes, and then out on the flank was a troop of Striders, a Druid, and two angled Brute hordes, ready to move up.
I remember my Scout moves, which we will count as a win. The Trappers scout up to secure my home token. With all the high defense opposing me, the plan is to just park these here. The Tree Herder nearby (I think) scouts up to get his leader point into the woods.
 |
| Scouting on the left. |
The Trappers on the left scout up, ready to zone out and try to fight for the token on the left, and that Tree Herder opts to Scout up to pressure the unique, empowered Infernox.
 |
| Scouting around the center. |
I win the roll for turn order, and opt to go first. I’m the Herd and I want to be pressuring things.
Top of Round 1: Herd
I generate 1 sword on my Command Dice, and don’t use it.
On the left, my Tree Herder moves up and pivots, staying a bit out of charge range of the Infernox.
 |
| Movement on the left. |
The Centaur Striders take the hill to project threat and get TC on their attacks when they charge off, and the Harpies pull up behind them, ready to be deployed against the Grotesques.
 |
| Movement to the left of the woods. |
Thinking the Tree Herder is zoning out the woods successfully already, he does nothing. While the Grotesques have a longer charge range, I do still have at least an inch to play with, so I should have double-checked this.
 |
| Movement to the right of the woods. |
Again, thinking the Herder is helping zone things out, the Spear Horde moves up to take up space and support.
The Herd needs to be aggressive, but I’m worried about these vectors now. Centrally, the Striders hop up to project threat, and with the Brutes pulling up behind them. I think fighting is going to be strongest around the Brutes, so I start moving the Gladestalker towards my right so she can help with Celestial Restoration, and hopefully keep my furious hordes swinging for longer.
 |
| Movement on the far right. |
On the right, the Centaurs hop up 8 inches and pivot. The angled Brutes each march up to match.
Bottom of Round 1: Abyssal Dwarfs
My opponent generates 3 swords with his Command Dice. I don’t think he uses them at all. He doesn’t need to drastically move anything back or around, doesn’t need to heal anything with Endurance, and doesn’t need any rerolls since it is just turn spent jockeying for positioning.
The Abyssal Dwarfs move out with confidence. And who can blame them with that paintjob!
 |
| Moving up on the right. |
On the right, the Infernal Guard moves up daring a charge from the Centaurs. The Decimators take the hill but have no shots. A Hexcaster lands Weakness on the Centaurs on the right. Due to the Abyssal Dwarf special rules, it can deal damage, but does not.
We discover another reason for their confidence: my poor positioning of the central Tree Herder. With his leader point not in the woods to see out, both Grotesque hordes move up with impunity, as I can't see them to threaten them. I measured and such thinking he was right where I wanted him, with his leader point sneakily in, but as you can plainly see in all the previous pictures... he's not, and I never vocalized any of this with my opponent, so I cannot contest this now in good conscience.
 |
| Lots of pressure coming through the center suddenly. |
The Gargoyles and characters pull up behind the Grotesques, and Lesser Golems move up to protect the flanks of the gross hordes.
The Infernox respects the Tree herder, moving half an inch forward, but staying out of range.
Top of Round 2: Herd
I roll up 5 swords on my Command Dice. I think I use Endurance on something, both rerolls, and the last one goes to waste.
Suddenly staring down two striding hordes of Grotesques, I am not liking my position, and try to mitigate things.
 |
| The Tree Herder wanders forward on the left. |
I took pictures of it, but I didn’t have a copy of his list. I didn't remember much about the Infernox, but I remember it hits on 4’s and I hit on 3’s, so I move the Tree Herder up to instigate. I thought this was a Greater Earth Elemental equivalent, but it is more like a Def6 Giant, and looking at the stats now… the Herder is going to clearly be outclassed without more units charging in to support. This is a big mistake, and I should have stayed put to just threaten things instead of committing. Getting the first charge is important in a monster-fight. Additionally fighting behind the building prevents the Gladestalker from assisting with magic, which was the whole point of the list. So, a big mistake from me just not knowing what I was gearing up to fight here.
 |
| Movement in the center. |
The Centaur are Weakened, but I charge them off the hill into the Lesser Obsidian Golems. They roll ridiculously and deal 4 damage.
Having donked up, I need to get the Tree Herder out of the woods, and sidestep him in behind the Tribal Spears as they move up. I think the Druid needs to get over to help the center-right, Guardian Brutes and she starts to head out that way.
 |
| A surprisingly strong charge from a weakened unit. |
That group moves up, but I can’t really charge anything yet. I opt to move the Centaurs up to screen, and uninspired, they will likely die. and the Brutes should have a charge next turn.
On the right, the other weakened Centaurs charge in, dealing a hot 3 damage. The Druid moved at the double, and could not contribute a Bane Chant. With the Immortals disordered, both hordes of Guardian Brutes advance, eager to get charges in next turn.
Bottom of Round 2: Abyssal Dwarfs
My opponent rolls up 3 swords for his Command Dice, eventually using Accuracy on a Heal into the Lesser Golems. I think the other two go to waste. It’s hard to track all the little ones, and if they even matter.
 |
| The Decimators move off the hill to get into range. |
Weakness gets tossed onto the Guardian Brutes on the far right, and 2 damage lands. The Decimators pivot and move, and will shoot off a Guardian Brute Horde. With 15 hits, 13 of them turn into damage, and at 15 damage, the Brutes are easily shot off.
 |
| And my right flank immediately comes undone. |
The Immortals regenerate 1 to get down to 2 damage, and they countercharge the Centaurs and pick them up.
On the center right, some Gargoyles charge Centaurs, instead of the Golems going in, and they deal 2 damage. The uninspired troop holds.
The Grotesques are really a modest, height 4, so another Hexcaster is able to land the spell on the taller Tree Herder, and slip a point of damage in as well, thanks to their special rules.
 |
| A devastating flank charge. The Grotesques are in a league of their own. |
I had the slimmest amount of foresight to not put the Spears in the woods. However, I should have pivoted them. The spears are long, and the one horde is able to draw line of sight to them around the forest to the far corner, and given the positioning, will be able to make it in for a flank charge. The other horde goes in as well, but we don’t make it through the combat, as the flanker is able to devastate the Spears with just its attacks.
The injured Golems thump their Centaurs and overrun. I was hoping for a unit of Grotesques to charge my Spears – in the front. With them getting multi-charged, nothing is even delaying well.
The Infernox lands 5 damage onto the Tree Herder in their scuffle behind the cabin, and I realize the gravity of my mistake here as well now.
Top of Round 3: Herd
Seems like I am in for a rough learning game here. I’m against a masters-level player, so I suppose that checks out. I generate two swords on my Command Dice. I don’t remember what I spent it on.
 |
| Harpies fly up to delay. |
The Tree Herder gets a tiny heal from Radiance of Life, and I land 4 damage back against the titan, but this doesn’t portent well.
The Trappers on the left back up, but keep their leader-point on the hill to see.
 |
| The Tree Herder tries his best. |
I commit the Harpies to stall up a Grotesque horde, while the Weakened Tree Herder goes into the other, catching a Bane Chant to bring him back up to normal strength. He does 6 to the horde.
The Guardian Brutes weren’t expecting the Grotesques to flank the spears, and so they don’t have a charge this turn, as I can’t see over the still-blocking Centaurs. The Centaurs counter-charge the Gargoyles and will surprisingly win and overrun, and the Brutes pivot to try and save the Tree Herder in the coming turn.
Due to poor positioning, the Gladewalker and Celestial Restoration can’t do much. There is no way to draw line of sight to the isolated Tree Herder, and everything else got routed. The best option is healing the 2-Damage Centaurs fighting the Gargoyles, and I am just able to move enough to target them, and remove their damage.
 |
| The Centaur troop prevails over the Gargoyles. And the Brutes best the Immortals! |
On the right, I’ve lost the screening Centaurs, and a horde of Brutes already. My only charge is into the Immortals, so I take it. They start the turn on 2 damage. Bane Chant fails, but these Brutes are not weakened. I deal 9 damage, and will pick the immortals up with a hot check as they are uninspired. I’ve got charges into the flank of the Lesser Golems, or the Decimators, if I can survive.
Bottom of Round 3: Abyssal Dwarfs
The isolated Brutes get his with Weakness, which lands 1 damage as well. The Decimators move and shoot to land 10 more, and the Inspired Brutes get a supremely lucky 3 on the Nerve check to just barely hang around.
 |
| So... you're telling me there's a chance? |
The nearby Lesser Golems thump the Centaur Striders, and will then victoriously pivot to help the Decimators. I pivoted 90 with the Guardian Brutes to face the flank of the Grotesques, so can’t really threaten them. My opponent is in full clean-up mode.
 |
| Charges from the Grotesques, after Weakness hits the Herder. |
The Grotesques have the Brew of Sharpness, and land 5 into the Tree Herder, who is also hit with Weakness, and takes a damage from that.
The other Grotesques easily beat the Harpies, and turn to face the Tree Herder.
 |
| The Infernox emerges victorious from behind the cabin. |
The healed Infernox lands some more damage onto my isolated Tree Herder, and picks the tree up on the second round. Besting a Tree Herder in two rounds... I definitely underestimated him and should have checked the stats.
Top of Round 4: Herd
It’s do-or-die time, and I’m almost certainly doing the latter. I choose to try though. I Roll up 4 swords for my Command Dice.
 |
| The Herd takes some flank charges. |
The Grotesques are flanked by the Trappers peering out over the hill. I get a pitiful 6 hits, and just 2 eventual damage against the horde. I believe these are even uninspired, but with this damage, there is no chance of moving them.
 |
| And even wins a combat! Too bad about the other three. |
The Tree Herder is indeed saved by the flanking Guardian Brutes, with the Brutes getting a Bane Chant and dealing 21 to the Grotesques, and the weakened Herder doesn’t need to swing.
I toss Regeneration on the remaining Guardian Brutes, healing 2, and then hit them with a Celestial Restoration for 3 to bring them down to 6 damage, and give them a bit of a fighting chance. They had been Weakened, so I try a Bane Chant to negate it, but miss. I’m on 4’s and 3’s against the Decimators. I only hit 12 times, and only deal 9 damage. It’s a horde, and with not spiking any dice, I am not going to move them.
Bottom of Round 4: Abyssal Dwarfs
My opponent rolls up another 3 for the Command Dice, but doesn’t use them. He’s got the game in the bag. It is a bit of a neat Rube-Goldberg-like way to wrap things up though!
 |
| Starting positioning, measuring it all out... |
On the left, the Grotesques ignore the flanking Trappers. They are disordered, but can cleanly charge the Guardian Brutes, who get hit with a weakness for 2 damage, and then picked up in the Melee Phase.
 |
| Lots and lots of charges. |
The Lesser Golems nearby cross paths into the Tree Herder. They are hindered, but don’t seem to care. They hit with 10 attacks, and land 7 damage. The Herder is maimed, but miraculously holds, due to his own Inspiring.
The Trappers on the left, unengaged are hit with a boosted fancy Fireball, with the legendary Abyssal Dwarf throwing the Fireball through the eyes of his legendary construct for show.
The Gargoyles make a rear charge into the Trappers rear-charging the Lesser Golems, and will pick them up.
Meanwhile the Lesser Golems charge out into the flank of the Guardian Brutes struggling against the Decimators, and will be obliterated.
I’m down to my two Druids, the Gladewalker, and a very hurt Tree Herder. I concede.
Game Conclusions
Grant couldn’t recall playing against the Herd before, and I had to explain every unit besides the Tree Herder. It's not a popular army, and I am sorry to say I didn’t give a better showing! A positioning error with the zoning Tree Herder got me off to a miserable start, leading to another error with the Tribal Spears. Finally, a lapse in judgement with the other Herder and the wheels came off the race car even earlier than normal for a Herd game. The errors here are clearly my own, and I did not give my opponent a good game.
Even if I did not make those particular errors, this was going to be a touch match-up. High Defense is one of the many things that can cause trouble for the Herd, and Weakness greatly exacerbated things for me. Playing these games back-to-back was insightful though! The Masters-level player didn’t break a sweat essentially tabling me, and despite me doing likewise in the previous game, I still nearly lost that one. Even when things are going well for the Herd, it often feels like a tenuous lead.
I have played a heckuva lot of games with the Herd this year. They are a very fun but extremely unforgiving army, and they really didn’t get any help at all with the new Command Orders. With these “unwieldy” tests done though, we’ll hop back to trying out slightly more balanced and slightly more thoughtful lists for them in the future, and see what we can do.
Testing Conclusions
- Tribal Spears with Chalice. I had the right idea with taking them, but the line of sight error cost them dearly. Routed in one go, neither the Chalice of Wrath nor Celestial Restoration could help them.
- Tribal Trappers. Still very fun positional pieces! Scout and charging are still the big things with them, and their Bows are not useful in either game.
- Harpies. They died holding up a horde of Grotesques, so I guess that was a decent use of them, but it was reactive and staunching the bleeding rather that a sacrifice to put me in a good position, which is not, ideally, how one wants to use chaff.
- Guardian Brutes x3. I tried something different with them this time, but especially against shooting, I think each horde needs its own escort and screening unit. I greatly preferred my approach in the previous game.
- Centaur Bray Striders x3. Being able to threaten their longer charge range seems essential for the Herd, as so much of the army is a flat Speed 6. They did ok in this regard, but I did not have the oomph behind them to actually do things this game.
- Druids with Bane Chant. They survived the game, but that’s not high praise this time around! Bane Chant was hit-and-miss, but I didn’t have the Command Dice to spare to help out with any rerolls.
- Gladewalker Druid with Celestial Restoration. Against a strong list like this, my Defense 4 hordes just melted. I had a few connections this game, but mostly my units just routed, and I did not have good targets for healing this game. The spell is finicky, and while I like it, it just does not fit the Herd and my generally low defense. I'm not going to grind anything out, so I should be putting points towards fighting more effectively instead of trying to heal.
- Tree Herder x2. Obviously neither were used well this game! It happens. They can do good for the army, and while I want to run two, I think that's just too many points, and I need more units instead. If I'm not taking healing, I think a solitary Wiltfather becomes more attractive, so we'll see what I come up with in my future Herd lists.
No comments:
Post a Comment