NHSD--Utah 2009 Battle Report

[Tiranx]

Another great NHSD event has come and gone in Utah. Thanks again Scott, you are the man. Well this is a bittersweet post because that was the last time my wife and I will be able to attend the Utah Heroscape tournament scene. Student teaching will be taking us to Mesa, AR and after that, who knows. (Sorry didn't get any pictures it was too busy to take any.)

My army consisted of:

2X Swog Riders
2X Arrow Gruts
2X Heavy Gruts
Krug
Grimnak
Isamu
520 Points/23 hexes

My first game, on Invasion, was against Nichole a first time player who was ready to learn and kick trash,

Her army consisted of:

1X Minions
1X Stingers
Deathwalker 9000
Deathwalker 8000
Zetian Guards
510 Points/ 10 Hexes

With 90% of her army ranged, I was a little worried that my orc army wasn't going to make it to her before they could do some damage. I won initiative (Which would be one of the two times for the whole game!) and led with a Swog and Arrow Gruts. Stingers came next and with a successful pump blew away two gruts and my swog. I kept bringing arrow gruts up to engage and plug up the stingers while Krug came following after.

Meanwhile, Nichole's minions were creeping forward. I caught those minions without a turn marker and chomped one with Grimnak and took another out with a heavy. Thank goodness they did not come back and take out Grimnak.

While my army was plugged up with Nichole's squades, Deathwalker 8000 came forward and started rapid firing on my squads. Two more gruts bit the dust. Luckily, Krug had gotten angry and she was down to one stinger. The last stinger got his revenge by taking out my last swog rider before he died though.

For the rest of the game it turned into Krug Vs. the machine. Krug with Heavies and Arrows surrounded 8000 but his defense was stopping everyone. 15 Minutes left was announced and Nichole was winning points wise as 8000 continued to take out squad figures.

Finally, Krug punched through and destroyed 8000. Deathwalker 9000 came forward to take his place and prove that it was 8000's upgrade. An explosive blast took out more gruts and wounded Krug. The game ended with a clash of titans between Krug and 9000 for two rounds until Krug won and time ran out. I have to say I was very impressed with how Nichole played with the Deathwalkers, I'm not gutsy enough to play with them and she almost won with points at the end.

Record 1-0

The second round, on Can't See the Jungle, was against Logan, who had just stomped my wife. When I say stomped you better believe he had Tor-Kul-Na.

Logan's consisted of:

Tor-Kul-Na
1X Marrden Nagrubs
Agent Carr
Sonlen
Isamu
520 Points/8 hexes

I don't care what army you have, Tor-Kul-Na is intimidating. The map also had two glyphs on it. The first one was quickly snagged by one of Logan's nagrubs on his first turn. It was the defense + 1 glyph and was not going to let him keep that. I brought up my heavy gruts who were led by Grimnak. That nagrub quickly turned into a snack for Grimnak.

Tor-Kul-Na and and Sonlen captured the second glyph which was movement + 2. Sonlen was dragon swooping and blasting arrow gruts so Krug came out to make things a little more even.

At this point, I think that Logan and I were equally apprehensive. He was worried about an angry Krug and I was worried that his hivelord was going to pound Krug too much. So the slug fest began and krug got pretty beat up. Luckily he stayed alive and returned the hurt taking out the big marro in two turn markers.

On the other side of the board Carr was trying to take back his lost glyph. Slicing through Heavies he took the high ground. Grimnak engaged hoping for another chomp but failed. This went back and forth until Carr toppled Grimnak and was left to fight it out with four championless heavies.

Krug finished off Sonlen and started trying to take out the last nagrubs and a pesky Isamu. It was pretty touch and go for two rounds as Isamu kept comming back and wounding Krug until he only had one life left! Carr was actually winning against the heavies, until reinforcements came and he eventually fell.

The game ended with Krug finally catching Isamu and gaining my second win. I was really lucky in this game if Tor-Kul-Na had taken out Krug the game could have gone the other way very easily.

Record 2-0

After my first two wins I was feeling pretty good. Then I played Greg. We played on Embattled Fen.

Greg's army consisted of:

2X 4th Mass.
2X Knights of Weston
Sir Gilbert
Alastair Macdirk
495 points/18 hexes

Now I play tested several times on Embattled Fen and felt like I knew how to play the map fairly well. I was wrong. I entrenched a squad of arrow gruts and a swog at the start of the road tiles on my side of the board. I failed one of the basic rules of Heroscape, get height.

One squad of 4th took out most of my army. I tried to hold the wound glyph with Grimnak and heavies, but we got blasted. My arrow gruts and swogs fell like lambs to the slaughter, and I bairly pulled out 70 points as my second squad of heavy gruts attacked a group of knights.

Most of Greg's army didnt even leave the start zone. I started putting order markers on Isamu, hoping to get lucky, but he failed as well after only killing two 4th Mass. I was blasted and cut down without Greg even breaking a sweat. He even spared my last heavy grut from musket fire. Then my last lowly grut fell to the wound glyph ending the game and my winning streak. Great game Greg you deserved that win 100%. (Greg went on to win the tournament really helping my strength of schedule)

Record 2-1

After losing to one Valiant army I was facing another right after it. Kristen, a fellow Rexburg player, was set to play me on Sidewinder.

Kristen's army consisted of:

2X 4th Mass.
2X Knights of Weston
Eldgrim the Viking Champion
Sir Denrick
Sir Gilbert

The game started with an epic fight between Sir Denrick and Krug both backed by their supporting squads. Denrick won the right to attack first but just failed finishing off Krug. Krug did not make the same mistake. However, the knights finished off Krug easily and then wiped out the arrow gruts.

The whole game went back and forth. Arrow Gruts slew knights and 4th Mass killed heavies. Grimnack chomped about four characters, Sir Gilbert and killed Eldrim with his two dice attack before the 4th finished him off. It was down to a battle of partial squads and both armies had a just as a good of a chance as the other. Finally, the last 4th took out my last Heavy and a lone arrow grut is no match for two Knights of Weston.

I thought I had this game but Kristen got me in the end. I really enjoyed playing Grimnack in this game and he definitely performed well, killing more than anything else in my army. The might of the 4th Mass. was too much for my army.

Record 2-2

My last game was against Brad, on Sidewinder. I was really cocky on this one. That is what cost me the game.

Brad's army consisted of:

Su-Bak-Na
Brunak
Raelin V.1
Sargent Drake V.2

520 points/ 6 hexes

Four heroes against my massive army. I really thought I would win this one. So I started off risky thinking to make a quick landslide. Grimnak had done wonders in my last game, so I shot him forward to chomp Sargent Drake. He failed and fell in one shot from Drake's Katana, having whiffed his defense roll.

I wasn't too worried yet because I still had number on my side and most of his character only had one attack. Everyone that is except Brunak. I have never seen this guy's Bood Hungry attack go off before. He killed 4-6 figures almost every time Brad activated him. I tried to get him with Krug, but Brad only attacked my squads ignoring Krug and my two attacks of two dice just were not getting through.

While Brunak was killing my entire army I thought I would risk some order markers on Isamu to assassinate Raelin. As he ran past Drake he was sliced in half and vanished for the last time. In a desperate attempt to pick up the pace I surrounded Brunak with Heavy Gruts and finally brought him down.

A fresh Krug attacked Su-Bak-Na and was finally attacked by the bony dragon. This gave Krug enough force to bring him down and also brought his life down enough to be taken out by Drake. The last of my Heavy and Arrow gruts ran past Drake to kill Raelin. She tried to escape but was caught by a group of gruts. Drake continued to cut them down one by one but they overwhelmed her and all that was left was Drake.

Hits went back and forth again and again. Finally it was down to one minute and all that was on the board was a one life Drake versus two arrow gruts and one heavy. I put two order markers on my heavy praying to get a lucky roll. My first attack was two skulls and I thought I had him, but he rolled enough defense. Then, Drake finished off the Heavy on the next turn and I lost turn two. My arrow gruts didn't stand a chance and a victorious Drake stood alone on a blood swathed battlefield.

Final Record 2-3

So my last tournament in Utah wasn't a huge success but I had a blast. It was so fun to see people from last year and get to talk with them again. I really enjoyed my two tournament in Utah and hope that the turnout continues to grow like it did this year. Thanks everyone for a fun time.

--Tiranx (Tyrel)

[rednax]

Thanks for the Battle Report!

[wjscaper]

Great battle report. Sorry to hear you won't be coming down anymore. It has always been fun seeing you and your wife. Good luck in the future.