We all knew it was a matter of time. I caved. My plan to play nothing but Legion of Everblight until the America’s Team Championship in 2019 has failed. I did get 40 total games in of Legion, which is virtually a new record for me in terms of keeping with one faction. But I went back to Protectorate, at least for a couple of games. As the image above shows: I’ve got the streak of flame and faith to me.

I’m going to keep working on my Legion project and keep practicing with those models, but I just needed a bit of a break. A little vacation into the faithful was fun, and a good way to shake up some of the games for our Permanent Death League that is going on. After this post, it’ll be back to Legion games for a while yet. They’re still the thing I think I feel most comfortable with, and have the strongest drive to paint and play overall.

I messed around with a few casters at first (clockwise from left). Tried a Severius2 list into Larry’s Madrak1 infantry list. Didn’t go so well, as Madrak1 has some pretty solid answers to everything I was trying to leverage. Lost on scenario pretty handily. Second game was Feora3 vs Rob’s Kraye, which I won just by an oversight in positioning. He even checked the distances, but then left a chargeable-model too close to a zero-camp Kraye (behind a forest even). Feat, charge, flame step, and finished. Lucky too, as the hurt that Kraye list can put out is serious to be sure. Finally, I played a game with Testament versus Andy’s Vlad1. Went the way of many Testament games. Exemplars took out some heavies, his remaining stuff killed a whole bunch of them, Testament sets up the assassination with ample damage on Vlad1 to burn focus and it finished with a charging errant who kills him. 

I kept riding (pun intended?) Feora3 for a couple more games after that first set. I’ve really liked her fire mechanism and ability for Daughters to be effective contesting pieces (I need to sort out better contesting pieces with my Legion forces). On the left, was Feora3 vs Steve’s Garryth list. She managed to kill a lot with fire, survive the assassination attempt from Garryth, and then finished him off herself. Steve had a line on a better kill of her with a throw, but he moved in a different direction so I got lucky–Garryth missed 2 of his attacks that would have hit if she were knocked down, which still were unlikely to have killed her but would have made it much closer. Finally, a game against Chris’ Naaresh Skorne beast brick with the Hydra. Was a fast game, as he rushed up the board and threw all his beasts directly into my face. Feora3 and a charging Flame Bringer both managed to have an angle on him, and he was running on empty to accept all the beasts’ Fury, which ended him quicker than he expected. 

Well, a little palette cleanser into Protectorate never hurt anyone too much. Now to get back into the swing of Legion things. Next on my painting table is a Hellmouth, and then more pieces of my Kallus1 Primal Terrors list that I’m enjoying.

365 Points Challenge Progress (2018):

183/365

Battles (Privateer Press):

Overall Totals 2018: 57 (Win/Loss 35/22); 2017: 120 (Win/Loss 86/34): 2016: 123 (Win/Loss: 74/49); 2015: 43 (Win/Loss: 29/14)

Legion of Everblight:

26 Wins (Denny1, Scaverous x2, Issyria, Wanderer, Skarre1, Sloan, Naaresh, Gaspy2, Madrak1 x2, Strakov2, Kaya3 x2, Helynna x2, Sorscha2, Kaelyssa, Dreamer, Jaga-Jaga, Denny3, Elara2 x2, Thexus, Sorscha1, Maelok) / 14 Losses (Denny1, Krueger2, Dreamer, Sorscha1, Jaga-Jaga, Old Witch3, Caine1, Issyria, Child, Helynna, Gaspy3 x2, Karchev, Vlad1)

Protectorate of Menoth:

8 Wins (Gaspy2, Helynna, Vlad2, Sorscha1, Vlad1, Kraye, Garryth, Naaresh) / 1 Loss (Madrak1)

Convergence of Cyriss:

1 Win (Haley3) / 7 Losses (Heretic, Rask, Kaelyssa, Xerxis, Siege2, Testament, Bradigus)

So following my first trip to the Warmachine ATC (America’s Team Championship), I resolved to play a single faction more consistently. Given what my interests are in the game, I evaluated the factions at my disposal and I’m leaning toward the Protectorate of Menoth. I want to focus for the year on a single faction, and right now I’m leaning this way. However, I reserve my right to change my mind. February 3rd is my deadline to have decided on the faction to focus upon for this year: my teammate Ryan has ensured that he will mock me mercilessly if I swap at all after that point.

To that end, my painting focus started on things that I can use with my Protectorate army that I was already working on. So here is Eilish Garrity, all done up in my Protectorate color scheme and ready to hit the table (and be painting progress for this update). I’m going to dive into some Protectorate troops next, but he was already in progress so I got him done and out of the way.

I had been leaning toward Protectorate prior to the ATC anyhow, and had already gotten together and assembled an Exemplar Interdiction list that I wanted to run. I didn’t take them to the ATC simply because they were unpainted, so I’m relaxing that rule this year and allowing myself some unpainted play–just going to try and make sure I make progress between each gaming excursion.

Focus also means picking Warcasters and practicing them in repeated fashion. I looked first at the ADR casters selection that will run from January to July, but only one of them really appealed to me (Thyra). The others are not exactly in my interests to play. I love Durst, but I fear he’s got a fundamental flaw in his play style. Though I did laugh that all three “big armor” warcasters made the list… Made me think of a comparison:

Also, after making that I have been listening pretty much non-stop to the Fat Boys, now realizing that now as an adult I really like their music.

With the decision to just skip ADR concerns, I started with a Warcaster that had some sort of question they could ask an opponent. I’ve never had one that posed the “can you handle this many weaponmasters?” question, and that’s what Protectorate does very well (prob only second to Cryx). So I decided on my first Warcaster experiment with in leading my forces: the Testament of Menoth.

I’m not doing anything particularly special with him–there are a number of lists out there that combine him with Exemplars in interesting ways, leveraging his ability to return them and their ability to hit hard without buffs and get where they need to go on Feat turn.

Played a few games so far, and enjoyed them. Spacing is something I need to watch, as is my clock. I lost a few too many in my game against Retribution by being clumped up and suffering an AOE. And same with Kodiak clouds against Khador. I think these are things I’ll learn as I play them more on the table.

Not the best picture because of the sunlight streaming in, but took on Ryan’s Gaspy2 list. The clouds were difficult to deal with, but there were so many banes he couldn’t cover all of them so I still was able to leverage my attacks for a win. 

Second game against Steve’s Helynna and Ret. They definitely tested my recursion on one turn, taking out a lot of models when they committed the turn after Feat (as I mostly hung back to wait out the Feat). The Helios is a pain to be sure, but I managed to finally fell it with enough charges. 

Next up I faced Justin’s Vlad2 list. This was a heck of a grind of a game, as working through his high defense solos and all that armor was a pain. I finally managed to get a point where I could get charges onto Vlad himself as my opponent worked to get ahead in points. It took Elias Gade, Rhoven’s Honor Guard Gius and Cassian, and Testament himself down to the last bought attack to finish him. 

Justin and I played a second game, and he swapped over to Sorscha1. Again, a grind of a game (I’m starting to see that’s a thing with Testament). He went for an assassination with Sorscha, and even though I was stationary from her Feat his damage rolls were just too poor to get through my stack of focus. Another win for Testament, and it taught me even more about running this list (which is more fiddly than it looks). 

So four games in and four victories. Should I take that as an omen? I’m looking forward to getting a second and third list up-and-running, so I can have some options–and I may experiment just a bit with a Hordes option as well. About three weeks until I need to be sure. I can do this!

365 Points Challenge Progress (2018):

69/365

Battles (Privateer Press):

Overall Totals 2018: 12 (Win/Loss 5/7); 2017: 120 (Win/Loss 86/34): 2016: 123 (Win/Loss: 74/49); 2015: 43 (Win/Loss: 29/14)

Protectorate of Menoth:

4 Wins (Gaspy2, Helynna, Vlad2, Sorscha1) / 0 Losses

Convergence of Cyriss:

1 Win (Haley3) / 7 Losses (Heretic, Rask, Kaelyssa, Xerxis, Siege2, Testament, Bradigus)

So I started this week by reading the great new novel set in the Iron Kingdoms: Godless, by Orrin Grey. It tells the story of Sovereign Tristan Durant (Durant2), and it’s a great piece of fiction that focuses on the Protectorate. I got so wrapped up in the story that I thought: I’ve got to paint this model. I had picked him up a long time ago (yay for friends who went to GenCon 2016), so it was good to paint him up to get him onto the table.

Sovereign Tristan Durant. I’m pleased with the look of him, as I am with all of my Protectorate. He’s an intriguing Warcaster, so I was pumped to get him onto the field of battle. 

I also finished up Eyriss1 this week, as I needed her for my Kreoss1 that I’m working on. His Feat enables assassinations. If Eyriss1 can then get a shot on the knocked-down Warcaster or Warlock, then it’s surely game over. 

First up, I got in a couple of games with Sovereign Tristan Durant to see if I wanted to run him in the upcoming Steamroller tournament.

His first outing as a painted Warcaster was against Ryan’s Cryx and Asphyxious3. In the battle of Warjacks, the fight goes to the squad that can gain souls/focus for Focus spent by models. Tristan got a little too close to Gaspy3, and paid for it with a nasty melee loss. It was certainly a fun game, as Ryan is a great opponent, but Tristan hit the dirt hard. 

My second test of Tristan Durant2 was against Savage’s Mercenaries led by Fiona the Black. Again, I am blessed to be in a fun meta with such great players. This was a great slug-fest. He finally managed to finish off Tristan with a few shots and a spell from his Warcaster. Was super-fun and I learned a lot about my list. Durant2 can be defensive if he’s camping enough, but he’s still vulnerable in ways as his survivability tends to come from what surrounds him. 

These games convinced me that I was nowhere near ready for a tournament with Durant2. I like what he does, but finding a way to not be punished due to the slow speed seems critical. So for the tournament, I took my Kreoss1 list (now with the finished Eyriss1). I planned to play it for most match-ups, except those where I felt like there was some manner of assassination vector. I decided to pair him with Feora2. I like her abilities somewhat, and with the right support she can be definitely defensive. She at least seemed like a good look into infantry lists or lists that would be safe from Kreoss1’s knockdown shenanigans.

So what did I face in all three games? Two lists that were safe from knockdown shenanigans and one that was infantry-heavy. I ended up dropping Feora2 all three games. Which was hardly my plan nor my preferred option. Still, she worked okay in a few matches. I’ll discuss each below in slightly more depth.

First game I was paired against Charles’ Kryssa list. I had to drop Feora2 because I knew he would be taking this option full of battle engines and serpentine models (maybe four models can be knocked down in the whole force?). I bumbled more than a few things in the game and he very effectively picked apart my force. I scared him with a Flame Step assassination attempt, but Feora2 didn’t have the focus nor the dice to finish his Warlock off, and I was crushed in return. 

Second game I laughed because I got paired against Savage. His first question: “did you bring Durant2?” Nope! With two lists that carried more muscle than Kreoss1’s list and ways to avoid knockdown in both, it had to be Feora2 again. This one went much the same as the last one, if not even worse. I was jammed into my initial spot and coping with the fast loss of my stuff. All I could do was light most of his force on fire and then watch him take out my models. With pretty much only Feora2 left, I had to use a desperation play–Flame Step and then try to spell Magnus2 to death. Luckily he had left Magnus2 without Focus, spending it to help take out my collossal with Calamity. I managed to hit with the spells and flamethrower, and that spelled the end of Magnus2. 

Third game was against Bill’s Cryx army. It was the new Ghost Fleet theme list with Skarre1 as the Warcaster. Because of the numbers and the incorporeal volume, I figured that the Judicator getting magic weapon from the Armory objective would have to be my play. Turned out that I had all the wrong tools except for Feora2. He did a great job dismantling my army. But Feora2 is just hard to kill–and she managed to set up in a spot of danger that still had a threat on Skarre1. 

Bill brought his whole force against Feora2, and totally should have killed her. His dice went completely sour on him, which is saying something under Skarre’s dark guidance. Feora2 managed to survive two warjacks and about six ghost pirates. Then it was a simple flame step, charge, and kill Skarre1 in melee. 

I ended 2-1 for the Tournament, which I was very pleased about. That record left me in the top half of finishers, which seemed great to me given that I was stuck playing Feora2 in all three matches. All-in-all a good event and a good learning experience with my Protectorate.

365 Points Challenge Progress (2017):

223/365

Battles (Privateer Press):

Overall Totals 2017: 57 (Win/Loss 38/19/0); 2016: 123 (Win/Loss: 74/49/0); 2015: 43 (Win/Loss: 29/14/0)

Trollbloods:

5 Wins (Gaspy1, Terminus, Barnabas, Gunnbjorn, Kaya2) / 1 Loss (Feora3)

Convergence of Cyriss:

9 Wins (Maddox, Haley2, Rask, Helynna, Makeda1, Gorten, Kaelyssa, Vayl2, Gaspy1) / 2 Losses (Venethrax, Helynna)

Protectorate of Menoth:

3 Wins (Kaelyssa, Magnus2, Skarre1) / 7 Losses (Makeda1, Deneghra1, Thyron, Kozlov, Kryssa, Fiona, Gaspy3)

Skorne:

8 Wins (Kaelyssa, Nemo3, Zaadesh2, Makeda1 x2, Kaya3, Grayle, MacBain) / 4 Losses (Makeda2, Venethrax, Grayle, Horgle2)

Retribution of Scyrah:

13 Wins (Tanith x2, Venethrax x2, Malekus, Gaspy1, Ragnor, Zaadesh2 x2, Grayle, Borka1, Makeda1, Strakov) / 5 Losses (Zaadesh2, Thyra, Xekaar, Tanith, Gaspy1)

Ah, the complicated existence of someone who cannot settle in and paint just one type of model over and over. Just as I’m getting started with Convergence of Cyriss, I start to feel like I want to paint something else. Of course, that means my plan to play only one Warmachine faction and one Hordes faction in 2017 has been long-since lost (this week’s games makes 3 different Warmachine factions and two Hordes).

I figured that if I wanted a change in painting I’d better do something worth my time. So I finally painted up a model that’s been intimidating me for a while: The Harbinger of Menoth. I assembled her last September or October, and got some initial colors on to her model before I stopped. It was time to get going and get her completed. That led to even more model completion from amid some of the Protectorate stuff I have acquired.

I’m pretty pleased with how the model turned out. I honestly like the scheme for the penitents who are towing her along maybe more than Harbinger–I definitely need to complete my Choir and add some Zealots and the Covenant to my painting queue. That said, I also like how Harbinger turned out. The red armor is something that I’m really getting comfortable with, and I think it works well on the tabletop.

I also painted up a Mercenary model: Rhupert Carvolo, the Piper of Ord. As I will never, ever play Cygnar, he really is only for my Protectorate force. So I made sure that some elements of his clothes and armor matched with the look of my Protectorate force. But I still wanted him to be a bit different, so I made the odd orange color that I use for occasional sashes on Protectorate models the dominant color on him. It also gave me a chance to explore some rudimentary plaid patterns on the bag pipes. 

On the gaming side of things, well… if I’ve got new models painted I want to play them. So out came my Protectorate for a few games–all using Harbinger as my Warcaster.

First up, a match against Ryan’s classic-scheme Skorne, led by Makeda1. This game would have ended in a win for me, but it was his first time fielding Molik Karn and he messed up a bit of the order of activation in going for the long-distance kill run. I was happy to let Ryan sort it out, and Molik did indeed finish off the Harbinger. Was a fun game, and taught me that I need more bodies in the force. Even if I’m planning on only using Martyrdom on a few, I need to have that stand-off space in the army. 

Second game I played against Larry’s Cryx, led by Deneghra1. The bulk of the force was two units of Satyxis Raiders and a unit of Satyxis Witches. It was a fun game, it was a curious puzzle for how engagement would go for both of us. I ended up losing thanks in large part to feedback damage from the Raiders’ whips. I definitely need to be ready for that in future games, and have more of an answer for infantry than I did. Of course, I also forgot to set my unit of Flamebringers on the table, and that really hurt my ability to be anti-infantry. Hopefully I can get a rematch in sometime against this force, as I think I’d like to see how I can go about the puzzle of stopping all those high-defense models a second time. 

My third game was against Steve’s Retribution, led by Kaelyssa. This was an odd battle–his warjacks were definitely ahead in attrition, but they were all clusters on one end of the battlefield–while the critical action was taking place elsewhere. Eventually the Flamebringers closed their way in on Kaelyssa and managed to kill her in a round of swirling melee.

Followed those games with a game against Dan’s Retribution of Scyrah. Was glad to see him back into the hobby after a break, but less glad to see the one Mage Hunter Assassin that managed to slip past my back line. I presumed it would go for support staff, as I had 15 hit points and only 2 damage on Harbinger. But he went for her instead, cranked the damage roll, and killed her in a single hit. Bad risk-taking on my part to be sure. Still a very fun game, as Harbinger’s feat and Protectorate shenanigans posed a tough puzzle for his infantry-heavy force. 

Next took my Protectorate against a newer player in our meta–yet another Andy. He’s working on a Cygnar force, but also had some Khador. He took Kozlov, and as Harbinger is kind of wonky for newer players to face, I took Feora2. While the first-starting Redeemer did amazing work, and she had a silly amount of focus on her feat turn, she couldn’t pull off a personal assassination. Kozlov’s defense gets powerfully high with any sort of buff to increase it, and my dice went cold in the game. Feora2 suffered a Juggernaut to the back as a result of the failed assassination run, and that was that. 

365 Points Challenge Progress (2017):

199/365

Battles (Privateer Press):

Overall Totals 2017: 49 (Win/Loss 33/16/0); 2016: 123 (Win/Loss: 74/49/0); 2015: 43 (Win/Loss: 29/14/0)

Protectorate of Menoth:

1 Win (Kaelyssa) / 4 Losses (Makeda1, Deneghra1, Thyron, Kozlov)

Trollbloods:

5 Wins (Gaspy1, Terminus, Barnabas, Gunnbjorn, Kaya2) / 1 Loss (Feora3)

Skorne:

8 Wins (Kaelyssa, Nemo3, Zaadesh2, Makeda1 x2, Kaya3, Grayle, MacBain) / 4 Losses (Makeda2, Venethrax, Grayle, Horgle2)

Convergence of Cyriss:

6 Wins (Maddox, Haley2, Rask, Helynna, Makeda1, Gorten) / 2 Losses (Venethrax, Helynna)

Retribution of Scyrah:

13 Wins (Tanith x2, Venethrax x2, Malekus, Gaspy1, Ragnor, Zaadesh2 x2, Grayle, Borka1, Makeda1, Strakov) / 5 Losses (Zaadesh2, Thyra, Xekaar, Tanith, Gaspy1)