Broadsided: Trying Something Different

I mentioned in my very first post that I like trying new things. Every so often, changing the factions I play isn't enough. Previously I'd borrowed models from another faction once: since I'd painted up a Caine 2009 model, I wanted to run a list with him, so borrowed some 'jacks and gun mages from a friend and did. This past Saturday, I tried borrowing models again. This time, I had a different motive. Once May rolls around, my store's having a huge 150-point tourney. Thinking of combinations, I decided to go with pSorscha, Old Witch, and Bart. The problem? I don't own Bart. I have someone who's willing to loan him, so this isn't so much of a problem as having never used him before. So I borrowed a couple of 'jacks and played a quick 15-point game to get the hang of things.

I ran Bart, a Mule, a Nomad, a Buccaneer, and epic Eiryss against Ravyn, a Chimera, 10 Mage Hunters with the Commander, and Skeryth Issyen. First turn, Eiryss went to harass the Chimera, while the 'jacks ran into position. Hot Shot also went on the Mule. Then the shooting began. Sniped Mage Hunters quickly take out the Cortex on the Buccaneer, making it effectively worthless. Nomad takes a few points, but manages to stay functional. Issyen moves off to the side to flank.

Next turn, I start disrupting the Chimera, ensuring it does nothing for the rest of the game. I get a few good scatters on the Mule's normal shot and the resulting Broadside shot. Ravyn feats and manages to finish off the Buccaneer, do a point to Bart, and take out the Buckler on the Nomad. I get one more turn of shooting while the Nomad dismounts Skeryth, but gets wrecked the next turn. Bart charges a Mage Hunter after taking another Broadside shot, where the Mule's apparently gotten Not Shot upkept on him; the one good drift I get, I roll triple ones on the boosted damage roll, leaving a Mage Hunter alive! I feat after that to ensure I live one more turn, but my hopes were pretty thin from here. Ravyn has enough range to get Bart down to 7 pre-feat, then ran off to prevent the ever-present knockdown threat. I kill a couple of Mage Hunters who managed to flee afterward, and have to throw up Batten Down the Hatches, praying ARM 21 will survive the angry Fane Knight's charge. No such luck.

So I lost. But it was great to play with something new; I've never used a Merc army before, so that was an experience in itself. I'm pretty confident I can get something out of him in the tourney coming up, though. At the very least, I can hope to get a little more effectiveness out of the feat, especially with the larger model count. Typhoon isn't one of the most feared feats in the game for nothing... I'm also going to continue to occasionally try something new every once in a while. After all, I thrive on new experiences. What a better way than to try a completely different army?