Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince (Vlad1) vs. The Harbinger of Menoth (Harbinger1)

The Harbinger again. She seems incapable of learning a lesson. Vlad will have to move his Winter Guards once again. This is a recurring match where the Harbinger list changes a little bit each time. Vlad’s stay the same. I think we are roughly 50-50 against each other. So it is really a grudge match. However, Vlad comes out on top. One should never underestimate Marauders charging 14″. 

The Harbinger is back again with her Faithful Masses. This is the third time I am up against her, but the first time post-Oblivion. The first time Irusk2 brought his Winter Guards Kommand (for battle report, see here), the second time Vlad1 was dispatched, also bringing his Winter Guard Kommand (for battle report, see here). This time Vlad1 is dispatched once more, bringing a new post-Oblivion version of his Winter Guard Kommand list. Actually, not a lot have changed. There is one more Artillery Kapitan (for free), that’s it (for a list description, see here).

Protectorate [Theme] The Faithful Masses [Harbinger 1] The Harbinger of Menoth [+27] – Indictor [14] – Indictor [14] – Judicator [35] Allegiant of the Order of the Fist [3] Allegiant of the Order of the Fist [3] Champion of the Order of the Wall [8]        Champion of the Order of the Wall [8] Hand of Silence [7] The Covenant of Menoth [4] Vassal Mechanik [1] Vassal Mechanik [1] Choir of Menoth (min) [4] Initiates of the Wall [0(7)] Initiates of the Wall [0(7)] Initiates of the Wall [0(7)]

Khador [Theme] Winter Guard Kommand [Vladimir 1] Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince [+28] – Marauder [11] – Marauder [11] – Marauder [11] Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich [0(4)] Winter Guard Artillery Kapitan [0(3)] Winter Guard Artillery Kapitan [0(3)] Winter Guard Field Gun Crew [4] Winter Guard Field Gun Crew [4] Winter Guard Mortar Crew [0(5)] Winter Guard Rifle Corps (min) [8] – Winter Guard Rocketeer (3) [6] Winter Guard Rifle Corps (min) [8] – Winter Guard Rocketeer (3) [6] Winter Guard Gun Carriage [17] Winter Guard Gun Carriage [17]

The Harbinger of Menoth has a tremendous amount of focus, 10 to be precise! This also means that she has a huge Control Area, a massive 20″. She packs the spell Purification, which normally is to be feared. However, Vlad does not have any upkeep spells, so he is not bothered. She can cast Crusader’s call, which give +2″ move to her models charging in her Control Area. She also has a Command range of 12″. Again, a considerable area. Inside this area she automatically give a -2 to hit to enemy models through Awe (living that is, so ‘jacks and Carriages are OK); she can also use Martyrdom, where she can remove 1 hp of damage from a disabled model. Though, she does suffer 1d3 damage. Finally, her feat deals a POW 14 damage roll and continuous fire to enemy models that end their movement within 12″ of her. Oh, and she can’t be blinded, knockdown or be affected by back strike. The theme The Faithful Masses, makes ‘jacks angry. If a friendly warrior is killed within 5″ the ‘jack gets +2 to melee attack and damage rolls.

She brings the ubiquitous Judicator and as something new two Indictors. The Judicator brings, besides the standard colossal POW 21 fists, a lot of shooting. It has two 10″ POW 12 sprays and two 14″ POW 14 AOE 3″ rockets, which are inaccurate. Both of these weapons are proper infantry killers. Since it is equipped with Reliquary (which is basically Hand of Fate: roll one extra dice, drop the lowest), it is rather accurate with the sprays. It can hit DEF 14 on the average, which gives it a 80% probability to hit a Winter Guard. It is less dangerous with the rockets, they only have a 20% probability to hit a Winter Guard. They do however kill them even under the AOE 3″ blast. On the bright side, two Marauders can trivially kill it. Actually, one Marauder can kill it if something else can remove 11 points from it first.

The two Indictors are heavy ‘jacks with a shield (P+S 13) and a Blessed sword (P+S 17). We can’t target them with spells (Sacred Ward), neither cast spells when within 6″ of one (Consecration). In this battle, they are basically just half decent beat-stick. All the spell stuff doesn’t really do anything here. Despite being heavily armed, in this case they have no arms (see pictures below).

Harbinger brings only four units, three of which are for free. She brings three units of Initiates of the Wall (for free!). They are all Shield Guards, they have Set Defence, have five boxes, and Unbreakable Wall. The lattes makes them immune to knockdown and all sorts of moves. All of this basically make them ARM 21 (effective ARM 23 against charge attacks), they can Shield Guard each other, and if everything else fails, Harbinger can martyr them. They can really mess up a Gun Carriage’s day. On the bright side, their damage output is surprisingly low. Did I mention they are free?

The ubiquitous Choir of Menoth is obviously present. They are there to boost ‘jacks, either by giving out +2 to damage rolls, immunity to targeting by non-magical ranged attacks, or immunity to be targeting by spells. This is bad news for a list full of shooty stuff.

Where Harbinger is low on unit count, she brings and impressive eight solos. The two Champion of the Order of the Wall are some pretty hefty Dragoons comparable to our own Man-O-War Dragoons. They are Steady and Sturdy, so no Field Gun fun, and have Retaliatory Strike. Actually, they are quite dangerous, and somewhat difficult to remove. They can also charge stuff 15″ away (assuming Crusader’s call). They are really difficult when either claiming a flag or contesting a zone. Speaking of scenario solos, Harbinger also brings two really irritating fighting monk, or Allegiant of the Order of the Fist. These monks are annoying, flag capturing, tough, and hard to remove speed bumps. The will most likely be at DEF 18, and move about if an attack misses them.

The Covenant of Menoth is basically a huge book being dragged around. Despite only having five boxes, it actually takes five attacks to get rid off. It only suffers one point of damage irregardless of how much a roll exceeds its ARM. It can cast three spells: Flames of Wrath, which makes enemy models hit by an attack suffer continuous fire; Lawgiver’s Creed, which hinders enemy models from casting spells within 10″; and Power of Faith, which stops friendly faction models from being knocked down or made stationary within 5″. All of these three abilities are actually bad for Vlad and his troops; the latter probably going to be the most used.

To supplement the Choir in keeping the ‘jacks running, Harbinger also brought two Vassal Mechaniks. They are basically what it says on the tin.

The final solo is the Hand of Silence, aka the guy on my little pony. He is yet another soul manipulator. He can collect souls from dead Protectorate models or route them to somebody else within 10″. When he uses them himself, he can either give a focus to a nearby ‘jack, buy additional attacks, or boost. He has a 2″ POW 14 weapon, but perhaps even more important he can spray fire 8″ at POW 12, and have Assault. Finally he has build in Ashen Veil and the obligatory 3″ Reposition. All in all, he is a pretty annoying support and infantry remover.

We are playing post-Oblivion Steamroller 2019 Anarchy. Harbinger picked the Stockpile objective (remove d3 point of damage within 4″), Vlad finally remembered to pick Observatory (one friendly model gets Eyeless Sight within 4″). Protectorate wants to go first, so Vlad chooses side. There is a tasty trench where Vlad can spend the afternoon, so he chooses that side.

Harbinger deploys a Champion, an Indicator (the two ‘jacks who can’t have cookies), and a unit of Initiates. Harbinger goes slightly to the left along with the book, my little pony, a unit of Initiates, and the Choir. The Judicator goes in the middle, with the Vassals hiding behind it. The two monks deploy in front, ready to contest the two zones.

Vlad deploys more or less in the standard manner. A Carriage and a Field Gun on each flank. The two Rifle Corps in the middle, with Vlad smack in the middle. As a new approach, the Marauders deploy behind the Rifle Corps. Based on earlier experiences with, in particular Harbinger, the Marauders need to stay alive a lure the Judicator within charge range. The picture above depicts the end of deployment. 

Turn one of round one is always a bit boring. 

Harbinger advances everything. The two flanks run towards the zones, and a monk stands in the left zone and goes into Shifting Sands Stand — inside a cloud! That is DEF 20 against shooting and DEF 18 against melee. They are annoying. All the rest basically just advance. Harbinger hides behind the Judicator and the Hand of Silence. The picture above shows the end of Harbinger’s turn.

End of round 1

Vlad starts by looking at the trench, and goes: “that objective looks much more promising“. He moves up behind the objective. Admiring the view of the battle field from behind an objective is always very nice. He then casts S&P, and Wind Wall. On the left flank everything moves forward. The Carriage fires a cannon at the Initiates, but misses. The AOE drifts towards Vlad’s line; which is fine. The Protectorate doesn’t really have any good ways of dealing with rough terrain. Same procedure on the right flank. The Carriage takes a shot at the Champion and dismounts him. Unfortunately, the monk is immune to blast when base to base with the Champion. Another cannon shot misses the monk and drifts to the left. The Rifle Corps makes a slightly fast advance to get into the zone. The Champion has been dismounted, so it is somewhat safer on this flank. The picture above depicts the end of round 1.

So far, so good. Nothing really new here. The classic contest move on both flank from Harbinger. We are getting close to actually hurting each other.

On the left flank the Champion charges the Carriage, not so much to hurt it, but rather to lock it in place. The Initiates move into the zone to start scoring, and the monk moves along, does his little dance and moves base-to-base with the Initiates. The Indictor moves into the cloud.

On the right flank, the Initiates also move into the zone along with the monk. As the Champion has already been dismounted he just stands there. The Indictor moves in behind.

In the middle, the Judicator moves up and shoots a few rockets. It manages to take out six Winter Guards and one of the grunts from both Field Guns. Not too bad. Winter Guards expect to die. Unfortunately one of them was a Rocketeer, and it also manages to remove the rightmost Kapitan. The book moves up and goes “no knockdown”. The Choir moves up and goes “you can’t shoot the ‘jacks”. Harbinger actually makes an advance! The picture above shows the end of Harbinger’s turn. 

So, red ones go faster. Vlad allocates one focus to the middle ‘jack. He activates, casts S&P and Boundless Charge on the allocated ‘jack. He then feats. This is a gamble. There is no way a single Marauder with only two focus can deal with a judicator. But to keep pressure on Harbinger and the scenario I think a quick feat might do the trick.

On the left flank, the Carriage moves around the Champion and hits it, two Initiates and the monk with its Impact Attacks. It only manages to dismount the Champion as Harbinger really likes to Martyr. It does, however manage to hoof the zone. It shoots it cannons at the middle Initiates and the Objective. One Initiate goes down along with a choirboy.

In the middle, the last Kapitan says Fire & Displace to the Mortar, which then proceeds to do a bit of book shooting. The Field gun follows up. Joe shouts For the Motherland to the Rifle Corps on the right, and moves forward. The Rifle Corps moves up and finish off the book. Grenades goes into the Initiates in the middle, whom Harbinger martyrs. Finally, the Marauder charges and put a few dents into the Judicator.

On the right flank, the Carriage charges the Initiates and kills two of them. It the proceeds to shoot the Champion to death and drop two Mechaniks and a choirboy behind the Judicator. The two last Marauders runs forward. The picture above shows the end of round two.

So, this is where the fanatics hit the fan. The main question is whether my early feat is a gamble I ‘m going to loose.

The Harbinger allocates to the ‘jacks. She then does a classic Cygnar-advance and moves behind the objective. She then feats. On the left flank, the Initiates and the Champion grinds away at the Carriage with no crucial effect. The two remaining Initiates in the middle and the Indictor charges the Marauder. Fortunately, Initiates doesn’t really do a lot of damage, and a single Indictor is not enough to takeout anything serious.

On the right flank, the Indictor charges the Carriage and is supported by the remaining Initiate. Same story as on the left. The Carriage is still fit for fight. The monk moves left to score the flag. In the middle, the Judicator dispatches the Marauder without any real effort. The Hand of Faith moves in front and does something with two souls. That was it. The picture above depicts the end of a  surprisingly non-lethal turn. 

Vlad starts by allocating to the rightmost Marauder. Under Boundless Charge it can reach the Judicator. He activates and casts Boundless Charge on the rightmost Marauder and S&P.

On the left flank, the Carriage wiggles about a bit a does some Impacts. Most importantly, it knocks down the Indictor. All available artillery shoots moves in and shoots and the downed Indictor. The leftmost Marauder them Tramples over the two Initiates, removes them and is now in a beautiful position to charge either the objective or Harbinger next turn.

That’s all folks. The rightmost Marauder can now charge the Judicator and trivially remove it. That leaves Harbinger with one Indictor on the right flank, which is tied down by the Carriage. The second Indictor is damaged so the armless model actually is a faithfully depiction of reality. She is staring at two Marauders with clear charge paths. She surrenders. The picture above shows the situation as she surrenders.

This went pretty well. I think Vlad now has honed his Harbinger-removal abilities. This WGK list is surprisingly strong against Harbinger. It is not a blindfolded win, but I think he is in a good shape. Also, the early feat gamble payed off.

Until next time.

For the Motherland!