Greg Smith
Mongoose
Clanger and I had a 1000 point game tonight.
Vuldrok
2 Myrkwyrm explorers
2 Darraor frigates
2 Froljir galliots
3 Langskip destroyers
plus 5 elite troops
Hazat
1 Canai cruiser
1 Manticore destroyer
3 Scorpion frigates
2 Stalker scouts
The Vuldrok lost initiative for set up. And set up with three destroyers centrally, the galliots on one flank and the lighter faster frigates and explorers on the other. Hazat set up at an angle, towards one corner, closest to the galliots.
On turn one, Hazat could only target one of the Galliots, mostly with turret firepower. They crippled it.
On turn 2, the second galliot closed behind a dust cloud looking for a boarding opportunity. The Vuldrok destroyers came into range. The Vuldrok frigates and explorers chased the Hazat fleet in a wide curve, staying out of range. The first volley of slug gun shells bounced off the Hazat destroyer. While the Hazat fleet blasted apart a Vuldrok destroyer, the barbarians only did a handful of points in return.
On turn 3, the Vuldrok galliot grappled the Canai. The frigates and explorers came into range of the Hazat fleet but not yet in range themselves. The Vuldrok armour and blast doors came into play, as the Hazat fleet blasted away at the galliot and one of the frigates, but armour and blast doors held up amazingly well. The two Vuldrok destroyers were now close enough to make good use of slug shells and blasted apart a Scorpion between them. The Vuldrok troops began their long bloody fight against the Hazat marauders.
On turn 4 a Myrkwyrm joined the boarding frenzy. The Darraor frigates finally came into range. A Hazat scorpion grappled the empty Vuldrok galliot, but concentrated fire from the Vuldrok fleet destroyed it before it could unload troops. Hazat fire couldn’t kill the grappling Myrkwyrm and more troops joined the bloody boarding action.
On turn 5, the Myrkwyrm ungrappled and rammed into the final Scorpion. A 4 on the dice – 12 damage plus a crit. A shield crit – at level 5. Boom! The rest of the Vuldrok fleet followed the Canai, blasting away. Hazat shooting was doing plenty of crits, but little damage.
In the following turns the Hazat marauders cleared the cruiser of boarders. But with only three marauders left, I risked boarding with a Darraor and claimed it a couple of turns later. It was down to 5 damage, with multiple crits.
The Hazat destroyer crippled then destroyed one Langskip, and before the Canai fell it claimed a Darraor. The boarding almost cost me the second Darraor, but it survived to unload its troops then died a turn later.
The Canai fired on the Manticore a couple of times and was then destroyed by its fellow Hazat. The last Langskip saw the opportunity and captured a Stalker. At last the Langskip destroyed the Manticore, but not before it was crippled itself.
All in all, a very close game. The Vuldrok extremely robust, even against the scores of dice the Hazat could throw at them. In one example 15 blaster hits became just 3 damage after a Langskips armour. Yet in return, the Vuldrok could fire 5 dice of slug guns only to have them bounce off.
Armour probably made it a longer game than normal. But it was certainly not overpowered.
Despite my initial judgement, I found the Armour 1 on the Darraor to be ok - mainly because of the 4+ blast doors.
The 3 ramming score on the Myrkwyrm was very good. Possibly too good.
I deliberately chose my fleet without a Runecaster, mainly because I just wanted to try out the armour rule.
Vuldrok
2 Myrkwyrm explorers
2 Darraor frigates
2 Froljir galliots
3 Langskip destroyers
plus 5 elite troops
Hazat
1 Canai cruiser
1 Manticore destroyer
3 Scorpion frigates
2 Stalker scouts
The Vuldrok lost initiative for set up. And set up with three destroyers centrally, the galliots on one flank and the lighter faster frigates and explorers on the other. Hazat set up at an angle, towards one corner, closest to the galliots.
On turn one, Hazat could only target one of the Galliots, mostly with turret firepower. They crippled it.
On turn 2, the second galliot closed behind a dust cloud looking for a boarding opportunity. The Vuldrok destroyers came into range. The Vuldrok frigates and explorers chased the Hazat fleet in a wide curve, staying out of range. The first volley of slug gun shells bounced off the Hazat destroyer. While the Hazat fleet blasted apart a Vuldrok destroyer, the barbarians only did a handful of points in return.
On turn 3, the Vuldrok galliot grappled the Canai. The frigates and explorers came into range of the Hazat fleet but not yet in range themselves. The Vuldrok armour and blast doors came into play, as the Hazat fleet blasted away at the galliot and one of the frigates, but armour and blast doors held up amazingly well. The two Vuldrok destroyers were now close enough to make good use of slug shells and blasted apart a Scorpion between them. The Vuldrok troops began their long bloody fight against the Hazat marauders.
On turn 4 a Myrkwyrm joined the boarding frenzy. The Darraor frigates finally came into range. A Hazat scorpion grappled the empty Vuldrok galliot, but concentrated fire from the Vuldrok fleet destroyed it before it could unload troops. Hazat fire couldn’t kill the grappling Myrkwyrm and more troops joined the bloody boarding action.
On turn 5, the Myrkwyrm ungrappled and rammed into the final Scorpion. A 4 on the dice – 12 damage plus a crit. A shield crit – at level 5. Boom! The rest of the Vuldrok fleet followed the Canai, blasting away. Hazat shooting was doing plenty of crits, but little damage.
In the following turns the Hazat marauders cleared the cruiser of boarders. But with only three marauders left, I risked boarding with a Darraor and claimed it a couple of turns later. It was down to 5 damage, with multiple crits.
The Hazat destroyer crippled then destroyed one Langskip, and before the Canai fell it claimed a Darraor. The boarding almost cost me the second Darraor, but it survived to unload its troops then died a turn later.
The Canai fired on the Manticore a couple of times and was then destroyed by its fellow Hazat. The last Langskip saw the opportunity and captured a Stalker. At last the Langskip destroyed the Manticore, but not before it was crippled itself.
All in all, a very close game. The Vuldrok extremely robust, even against the scores of dice the Hazat could throw at them. In one example 15 blaster hits became just 3 damage after a Langskips armour. Yet in return, the Vuldrok could fire 5 dice of slug guns only to have them bounce off.
Armour probably made it a longer game than normal. But it was certainly not overpowered.
Despite my initial judgement, I found the Armour 1 on the Darraor to be ok - mainly because of the 4+ blast doors.
The 3 ramming score on the Myrkwyrm was very good. Possibly too good.
I deliberately chose my fleet without a Runecaster, mainly because I just wanted to try out the armour rule.
