nyys' Battle Reports **new report 9/22/23**

[A_Train]

Very nice battle. Gruts vs gruts is a unique one.

[killercactus]

Dah... Runa gets a taste of her own medicine. When I was reading that, I saw Runa in the fray, and then the "20! 20!" I got all excited, but then I realized that she was the one dying. Ahh well, she'll have her day again.

However, did you see how her death inspired your troops? See, she's not worthless!

[nyys]

Originally Posted by A_Train

Very nice battle. Gruts vs gruts is a unique one.

Yeah, and they look great on this particular map, was fun to play it.

Originally Posted by killercactus

Dah... Runa gets a taste of her own medicine. When I was reading that, I saw Runa in the fray, and then the "20! 20!" I got all excited, but then I realized that she was the one dying. Ahh well, she'll have her day again.

However, did you see how her death inspired your troops? See, she's not worthless!

I was so disapointed that I didn't even get to try out her special power. When I moved her from the start zone I was just out of range of that nice cluster of Gruts on the dune and needed on more turn to get her close enough. My son, seeing this, immediately moved in with Braxas, you should have seen the shock on my face when he rolled his own 20 and ruined my plan (along with the other two OMs I had on Runa that round).

I should have seen it coming though, if you've read any of my other BRs against my son you'll see that I've done a fair amount of rolling a 20 to mindshackle or destory his big baddies... fortunes were bound to turn eventually, figures it was against Runa.

[killercactus]

Originally Posted by nyys

Yeah, and they look great on this particular map, was fun to play it.

I was so disapointed that I didn't even get to try out her special power. When I moved her from the start zone I was just out of range of that nice cluster of Gruts on the dune and needed on more turn to get her close enough. My son, seeing this, immediately moved in with Braxas, you should have seen the shock on my face when he rolled his own 20 and ruined my plan (along with the other two OMs I had on Runa that round).

I should have seen it coming though, if you've read any of my other BRs against my son you'll see that I've done a fair amount of rolling a 20 to mindshackle or destory his big baddies... fortunes were bound to turn eventually, figures it was against Runa.

For future reference, don't use her Helm to try and kill squads. You don't get any bang for your buck. It's far better to take one roll at a big hero than to take 10 at squad figures.

I love using her against Vydar Range and Elves. All those important heroes clumped so close together...

[nyys]

I figured if I killed anything it would be a small victory. To be out 20ed though, that was just too much.

Suddenly I'm finding my son (he's 6) making some good strategic decisions. Still makes poor ones more than good, but he's now gone from all bad, to some good, which is obviously an improvement.

This was no more obvious than in the next BR that is coming. No pics, but a battle definitely worth mentioning considering what I was wiped out with. Stay tuned.

[nyys]

nyys
Gorillinators x3
Nakitas
Q9
Theracus
610

little nyys
Braxas
Groks x2
MBS
NGS
610



Before this match started I had to shake my head in shame a little when I realized what had been selected for armies. I had Q9, and the little guy had Groks, that's all that really needs to be said. But I let it go, figured everyone needs to go through it themselves with the fragile Marro riders.

Fast forward to the end of the game and lets just say my son was enjoying fried Gorillinator, sprinkled with Nakita, in a pan made from spare Q9 parts.

I played the map like I would in a tourney setting since A Chill in the Air is up for BoV review. My son, well, I was expecting more of the same, bad OM management, and agressively sending out units to have them get cut down from range. Um no... that's not exactly how it went.

It was actually quite enjoyable to watch, as tactically, he made sound move after sound move. He bonded MBS with the Groks the first couple turns, and went after the Nakitas, paralyzing and then killing two right away (so much for my Gorillinator meat shield).

While I'm recovering from that (trying to get OMs on the Nators to start choppin gup Groks), he sends Braxas right at Q9 (this was after he whiffed on all three rolls - twice - on MBS and the Groks), and engages him. Now my best figure has to cut through an 8-life Dragon before he can set-up a protective line of fire for the Nators.

So Q9 and Braxas exchange blows for a few OMs, all while the Groks, backed by MBS crash into the nators with thier attack bonus (that bumps them to five). Even with Tough, the Nators fell often and quickly. I managed to put a little hurt on MBS, and took down two Groks, but the damage had been done.

Q9 put a lot of hurt on Braxas, but the big beastie was able to take down the Major in the end. Now it was time for Braxas to party as she made quick work of what was left of the Nators.

When the dust had settled...

nyys' army - all dead
little nyys' army - lost two groks

Oh yeah, and did I forget to mention that I had control of both the move +2 and defense +1 glyph for almost the entire game?

It was a flat out woopin', nothing else to be said for it. So now I'm not sure if I should be upset since I was so handily defeated by a six year old, or if I should be proud that the little guy is starting to make good decisions? Probably the most telling will be how he plays in the next game, as I suppose it's possible that some of the great moves my son made during the game were coincidental.

[A_Train]

I'd say be proud. It is fun when your children can play at a competitive level, and will make it more fun for you both.

[ElvenEnvy]

On the right map against the right army I've had the Groks be downright amazing. Overall though I find them underwhelming and definetly support another Warlord coming out soon.

[nyys]

So the tides are starting to turn a bit with the ole D20 rolls against little nyys.

Last night we played on Viper Valley.



nyys
Mohicans x3
Brave Arrow
Venocs x3
Venoc Warlord
500 - 20 hexes

little nyys
Grimnak
Blade Gruts x4
Ne-Gok-Sa
Kee-Mo-Shi
500 - 20 hexes

With the small footprint on this map I decided to strike first with the Mohicans. I figured with the Gruts move of six they'd be on top of me before I knew it and I would only benefit from ranged attacks for a brief time.

I was right, the Gruts charged up the hill (on the right) along with Grimnak and started bludgeoning then Mohicans. It was a pretty even battle, we were basically going figure for figure as far as kills were concerned. The key to my continued survival was placement of figures such that Grimnak couldn't move up the hill and make it to the other side (and in turn no Chomp). Double spacers can get to all points of the map, but they can be blocked with proper placement.

So instead of taking the long way around, little nyys decides to park the big dino on the defense glyph in the middle of the map. Great...

As predicted, the Gruts suddenly got a lot harder to kill. All while I was focused on the Gruts with the Mohicans, my son snuck a single Grut to the opposite side of the map and engaged the pack of Vipers I was holding in reserve.

In hindsight I probably should have charged them (the Vipers) out first. With a move of nine they would have been in the opposite start zone in two turns. Instead, one by one they were hacked apart. Unable to disengage (without a swipe) I had no choice but to leave them where they were. It also didn't help that their attacks were feable at best and I didn't roll a single Frenzy the whole game.

So basically what happens is the game comes down to a full life VW, a twice wounded Brave Arrow, and one Tribemans against the tank, Ne-Gok-Sa (no wounds).

The VW and NGS engage on some open ground and start pounding. They exchange wounds and eventually the VW is down to one wound with NGS having three remaining (with all Mindshakle rolls failing). Figuring the VW won't last three OMs I decide to put OM #3 on Brave Arrow and move him adjacent.

So my son says: "well, since the VW has one wound left and Brave Arrow has two, I'm going to Mindshackle Brave Arrow." Rolls the D20 and... 20!

So suddenly my army is cut in half as far as wounds remaining is concerned. NGS attacks the VW... dead! Brave Arrow (in the next round) turns on his own brother and cuts down The Last Mohican.

Curse you Mindshakle... and the D20!!!!!

[ABOMINATION]

Wow, sounds like little nyys is quite the strategist. Were you going easy on him, or can he hold his own in a battle without help?

[nyys]

Originally Posted by ABOMINATION

Wow, sounds like little nyys is quite the strategist. Were you going easy on him, or can he hold his own in a battle without help?

He's getting better, but I have to hold back a bit (sometimes less than others). With the army he picked last night it was pretty easy from him to realize that the bulk of his OMs should go on the Gruts until they were exhausted.

After he parked Grimnak on the Defense glyph, I explained to him how it would have been better to go with a unti like Tornak in his army instead of Kee-Mo-Shi. This way the bonding option would be even more useful. He's still learning, but has come a long way since his first game a couple years ago (he's six).

[nyys]

In the dozen or so games that I've played with Zelrig, Big Z has been all hit or all miss, with the latter being the usual of late. Yesterday those tides turned significantly...

nyys
Zelrig
Legion x5
Marcus
marcu
555 - 24 hexes

little nyys
Dzu-Teh x2
Dwarves x3
Migol
Ne-Gok-Sa
560 - 20 hexes

This was one of those games that I'll have to call a learning experience for the little guy.

We played on a new snow map that I created (not posted anywhere yet), that stayed within the confines of the recent GenCon Map Contest restrictions, though it was just long enough to prevent a 1st turn strike by the Z-man.

I get initiative and send Z out first, but still too far away to shoot anything. Unfortuantely little nyys' 1st OMs were on the Dzu-Teh and their measley move of 5, which wasn't enough to get them engaged to Zelrig.

My next OM, I fire into the center of his Dwarf Pack and roll three skulls for Majestic Fires... five dead Dwarves.

Next OM he glacier traverses and gets a Dzu-Teh adjacent to Z, and puts two wounds on him. I disengage (missed swipe) and roll three skulls again with MF... four more dead Dwarves.

A couple more wounds and a disengagement later, big Z is down to one life, but does not succumb to the Dzu-Teh onslaught before taking out the rest of the Dwarves and one snow man.

From there I still have 20 Legionnaires and Marcus up against Migol, Ne-Gok-Sa, and a couple straggling commons. Not even a NGS mindshackle would turn this tide. We played it out, but in the end the Legion decimated what was left.

The game was so lopsided, even a little nyys had to laugh, just one of those games the Dice Gods hate you (or love you depending on your PoV).

What happened in this game is exactly what makes the Z-man so scary. But I've also played games where he's done next to nothing due to wiffing the MF roll a couple times, or plain ole good play from my opponent.

This particular day was the Day of the Dragon.