Blood and Glory - Mostly Grots II - Battle Reports

[Thomas Lyons]

I'm loving the overviews.  I'm glad this list seems to have done its job.  Looking forward to the last game summary :-)

[Nico]

Thanks Tom!

It definitely works as a list - particularly the first time around - people learn how to deploy against it (just like they learn to deploy against the Bloodletter bomb or refuse to learn how to deploy against the Stormfiend bomb - hint - don't sit on the 12 inch line). I think there are lots of fun combos with Gordrakk with a non-Ironjawz battalion (Spiderfang Battalion doesn't quite fit and wastes 3 spells) or just a big deathstar unit from one of the other Destruction armies - 30 Spider Riders or 30 Wolf Riders with Sneaky Stabbing. That said, the difficulty in getting value out of Gordrakk himself is concerning.

Two games to go!

[tolstedt]

53 minutes ago, Nico said:

Thanks Tom!

It definitely works as a list - particularly the first time around - people learn how to deploy against it (just like they learn to deploy against the Bloodletter bomb or refuse to learn how to deploy against the Stormfiend bomb - hint - don't sit on the 12 inch line). I think there are lots of fun combos with Gordrakk with a non-Ironjawz battalion (Spiderfang Battalion doesn't quite fit and wastes 3 spells) or just a big deathstar unit from one of the other Destruction armies - 30 Spider Riders or 30 Wolf Riders with Sneaky Stabbing. That said, the difficulty in getting value out of Gordrakk himself is concerning.

Two games to go!

I bought some ebay orcs at a screaming deal and am looking to do this list

5 attacks on each of the orruks if you pop both the gordrakk and battalion abilities.  d6 move in the hero phase, d6 run.  

The idea would be that if your opponent let's one unit of orruks get out of hand they can be in trouble.  But only one wound per model is scary.

[Nico]

Yeah - that's a good list and does what an Ironjawz army should do.

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But only one wound per model is scary.

Not as scary as Bravery 6 on 3 wound models (Brutes).

[Nico]

Day 2 - Game 5 - The Grot-Off

As a reminder, the GCKI stood at a pitiful 300 points:

Gordrakk Cumulative Kill Index = 300 points

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The Livestream was definitely out of the window for Battleround 5, but surely I was due a softer game when I could get a major and some kill points in the bag. Perhaps some Stormcast to teleport into Nasty Skulker to the face....

 

I have to admit my heart sank a little when I read the name of my opponent - Darran Palmer @Darran (@darranpalmer on Twitter). I'd met him the day before and he'd been a great opponent and a true gentleman and we'd had a good chat, however, (*spoilers*) he got a major within about 12 minutes in the AoS 500 the day before against my plucky Fyreslayers - I maintain that my only chance of winning was to walk backwards and hope I won one of two initiative rolls - which didn't happen - his list was simply a lot better for 500 - at least I had the sense to know that).

My main knowledge of Darran was from watching the final game at SCGT 2016 (my easiest game was my final game, where the matchup and battleplan was horrendous for my opponent's list), where Rufio/Rob Symes had narrowly defeated his Clan Skryre List (which he pioneered in the UK) and a general reputation of being a truly formidable opponent and list builder. I was surprised that he wasn't up on a higher table (I think we were on 13). So any chance of an easier 5th game and then a long shot towards the podium (since kill points were only a tie break) were gone.

Lists and Battleplan

Ominous rapidly turned to dismal. I found out that we were playing Take and Hold (the hardest battleplan to get a major victory on) and Darran had 160 models or so to my 110 models.  A  Grot-Off, with 270 models to get through on Take and Hold where a single model could deny a major victory. At least they weren't all metal. How was I going to get a major victory? I did cheer up when I spotted a Sylvaneth-off on the next table (I wonder if either of them had Spite Revenants which shine in that match up).

Darran's list was strong and incredibly cost efficient:

• A Stonelord with Battlebrew.
• A Huskhorn
• The Moonclan Shaman
• The Gitmob Shaman
• 60 Moonclan Grots (the General was one of them).
• 60 Gitmob Archers
• 60 Gitmob Grots with Spears.
• 2 Snotlings to Grab Objectives.
• 6 Fanatics
• 1 Fanatic
• 1 Fanatic

One plus side was that without a battalion, he didn't have a Talisman of Protection on the Huskhorn and I would be able to dictate who would go first.

Luckily given my list and having played alongside the Hooded Villain himself (@at Firestorm Fours 2016 I knew to fear the Grot, I was well aware of what Sneaky Stabbing would do if cast on the 60 Arrer Grots - they might as well have been 60 Judicators if that happened - let alone if Damned or Mystical Terrain came into it. The casting roll is appropriately on a 7.

I was also well aware of how clever putting his general as one of the Grots was (frankly this is now essential for a Grot army - unless you take Gordrakk. I've previously recommended doing this for FEC (1 of 12 Crypt Horrors), since their command abilities are essentially useless in my eyes. We are in the era of Thundertusks, Kurnoth Hunters and (even) Judicators who can all but guarantee that any normal hero bites the dust within battleround 1 - let alone a 4 wound Grot hero.

By putting Darran's general as one Grot, only targeted instant death mechanics (which probably does include the Wyldwood and Deadly Terrain (these aren't the same) rules as you roll for each model and kill them, rather than dealing and then allocating wounds - discuss) like Hand of Derp and Giant's magical Bag (still hoping for points for the Thunderfist Battleforce incidentally) can get rid of him before the unit bites the dust. The loss of a command ability is made up for by Bellowing Shout and the Inspiring Presence Command Ability. Given that Moonclan Grots are both 4+ save vs shooting AND effective bravery 6 vs shooting thanks to the FAQ (incredibly broken) - I'll be copying Darran's type of list (with different monsters perhaps) one day soon, while Gordrakk goes on an extended vacation to a squig farm.

Deployment

We started deploying.

Darran deployed fairly conventionally. the terrain piece may have been Mystical.

All of these needed to die for a Major Victory - sigh....

I decided on a dummy bunker as had worked well previously in the games against Paul Whitehead @Soup Dragon and less well against club mate Alex Clark from the South London Legion.

I thought about whether I could obliterate the Moonclan Grots before the inspiring presence came down like a hammer in Darran's first turn and the answer was a conspicuous no! All of my combos relied on outnumbering the opponent, so the only target I could do much damage to would be the monsters. One option that I considered would have been to have had Gordrakk use his command ability on himself and then sit out at around 12 inches from the Moonclan and hope that he failed his charge (with the 6 Fanatics congaing into me) and that I made mine on 3 dice (this would have been a reckless gamble). Between impact hits and his other attacks with 2 attacks extra each. I could quite easily kill 35 5+ save models (even with the -1 to hit), leaving say 25, so that Bravery would be only effective 6 (or 8 if he killed the models nearest to Gordrakk). That would be say 27 models fleeing plus a dice, which meant the unit and the general would pop. 

This would also require the Wolfriders to run out and dump a line of Nasty Skulkers vaguely in front of the Stonelord, to stop Darran from killing Gordrakk with it. If I lose the initiative roll or if I failed mystic shield of Gordrakk and he cast Sneaky Stabbing, then it would of course, be curtains anyway. 

There was also the possibility of staying well back and hoping to grind out a minor victory, for example by getting Sneaky Stabbing off on the Wolf Riders and then killing the Huskhorn and then running away and leaving cheap chaff screens to get in the way of the Stonelord.

I decided to form a defensive bulwark within the Wood, particularly using the Wolfboss, who would have a 4+ rerollable save in cover and was worth precisely zip in this battleplan except as a distraction.

I popped down the Wolves on the right, laded with their deadly cargo - Green inside the Wolves, Blue inside Green and Red inside the Wolves - what I was tending to do normally.  

After pondering it for a while I put down Gordrakkmore or less opposite the Grots but well back - ultimately his base is so wide that he cannot hide anywhere else from the Thundertusk - I would not be going for the YOLO strategy this time.

Then something miraculous happened.

[Nico]

Darran put down his Stonelord and Huskhorn by themselves out to one side and directly opposite my Wolves - undefended and isolated. I went silent, but my hand started shaking with disbelief/excitement.

"I'll take the first turn" I nervously spluttered out. 

[Nico]

Battleround 1

Darran had gifted me his two monsters and I had only one chance to get this right. Before anything else, Gordrakk roared "Fist of Croydron" to give my battalion a 3 D6 charge and +2 attacks each in melee. I wasn't going to wait and see what I rolled for the Rampaging Destroyers move. To save time we agreed that we would both add the Rampage move to the regular move for the units. I rolled meh for the Wolves but off they went. Given that Darran had deployed on the 12 inch line (presumably expecting I would give himt he first turn and that I would use the Nasty Skulkers defensively like Fanatics), I still had a very good chance of making it in with the 3D6 charge. However, I did get Sneaky Stabbing to cast (Arcane scenery to the rescue) as well as Mystic Shield, which boded well.

The rest of the army waddled forward into the forest as planned. Gordrakk moved up in line with my Grots (and diagonally opposite Darran's Arrer Grots - wary of what arrows had done to him previously. The Shamen bounded forward towards yet more arcane scenery.

The big action was on the right flank. I split my pew pew between the two monsters, with the hope of causing either one or two wounds to chip one off the Stonelord and then as much as possible off the Thundertusk. In the event, I took 1 and 3 off respectively. So far - so good.

Start of the Charge Phase

Despite being some distance from the Wolves (and with an intervening Mystical hill). Darran popped out his 6 Fanatics, congaed them towards my Wolves and rolled the 7 charge he needed to make it in. Not ideal, but I knew how this story had panned out in the game against Alex, so I was still hopeful:

Dented monsters hiding behind some Fungus-drunk Grots.

Start of the Combat Phase

I further explained the Nasty Skulkers throughout this turn. As per the contingency plan in case my charge failed, 12 Nasty Skulkers (Green) popped out and went for the Stonelord (it absolutely had to die in the circumstances). I conga deployed them and then piled in towards the nearest models, which got 9 out of the 12 into the Stonelord.

A flurry of Stabbing and the Stonelord was down to 4 wounds remaining.

 Stab, stab, stab, stab....stab, stab...stab stab....

I deployed Blue out of Green and split their attacks between the Stonelord and the softer Huskhorn. I knew that I could deploy Red (out of the Wolves) as well to finish the job if necessary.

Blue did their job (even against -1 to hit on the Thundertusk against itself) and nothing was left bar a bloody pile of torn flesh and horns.

I should have deployed Red just to complete the heart shape!

 

Combat Phase Proper

Between Green and the Wolves (which I could activate first as it was my turn, the Fanatics melted.

There was no Battleshock.

Gordrakk surveyed the scene - carnage on the right as Kunnin had predicted there would be!

After my turn one, I'd lost zero models and taken zero wounds, Darran hadn't been able to swing a single wrecking ball. Darran had lost 980 points of his army:

• A Stonelord with Battlebrew (460)
• A Husktusk (340)
• 6 Fanatics (180)

While the combo had been executed to perfection this time (unlike games 1 where it underperformed due to a memory fail on my part regarding the Mourngul; and games 2 and 3 where it underperformed due to dice rolls), this was no time for celebrating. Darran would still be able to hit back pretty hard with a possible double turn to come.

I'd used my once per game ability and deployed 24 of the Skulkers (thankfully Darran didn't know where the final unit of Nasty Skulkers would be (although he probably guessed). My whole army was feeble except for Gordrakk and the Wolves. I figured that I couldn't have done much better, but that there was still some way to go before I could get the Major victory.

Full kudos to Darran who took a crushing blow with the utmost calm.

Score - There is no score - only Grots!.

Gordrakk Cumulative Kill Index = 300 points

Darran's response was to surge forward on every flank. Inspiring Presence and Bellowing Shout and Mystic Shield went onto the Moonclan Grots, while I think Darran may have failed the Sneaky Stabbing cast on the Arrer Boyz, but passed the Mystical test. They still made hard work out of crossing a building in their way (one of Darran's pieces of scenery).

The 60 Moonclan Grots charged two of my units of Grots, the Wolfboss and the Wolves. Darran activated them first. I declined to activate the Nasty Skulkers (pointless given they outnumbered me and would just get melted after attacking). I pondered whether Darran would attack Gordrakk as well (without mystic shield), but he wisely chose not to).

Darran starts to grind me down in the middle. 

While only one wolf died, I seem to recall rolling a painful 6 for the Battleshock test, which thinned them down somewhat. The Moonclan lost about 10 models (mostly from the Wolves who had rend). My Warboss held his own and wished he had a Meteoric Hammerblade instead of a Talisman (originally I had though to use that artefact, but opted for the Talisman after playing against @grunnlock with his 3 Huskhorns on the basis that an opponent might put undue effort into killing the Wolfboss with mortal wounds especially on 3 Places of Power). My own Grot units started crumbling fast, especially my Archers on my left. I had left a further unit of 20 to hold my objective, but I was increasingly worried about it now. 

Darran's Gitmob Spears took out Green, but not before they had chopped down a few Grots. Blue were largely out of his range, but able to pile in and do some more damage. 

Score - There is no score - only Grots!.

Gordrakk Cumulative Kill Index = 300 points

 

Darran won the initiative roll.

[Nico]

Battleround 2

Darran probably needed to win the initiative to hang on to the game. However, he followed that up by failing his case roll for Sneaky Stabbing, so no ignominious crushing of Gordrakk this turn at least.

Darran basically repeated what he had done in the previous turn. The Moonclan Grots kept grinding in the middle. His Archers may have failed a mystical test, if they didn't then they just pew pewed away at my thinning line of Grots 

The Gitmob Spears cleared off the Blue Nasty Skulkers as well.

The Wolves continued to whittle down the Moonclan Grots, but Inspiring Presence and Mystic Shield made them a tough nut to crack. The same was true the other way around, since I still had Mystic Shield on.

Score - There is no score - only Grots!.

Gordrakk Cumulative Kill Index = 300 points

In my turn, I rolled Gordrakk's hero move and pondered out loud what to do for a couple of minutes with Darran. It was clear that I could win the Minor Victory simply by retreating, kiting and chipping away (with 700 points locked up in Gordrakk, Darran would never be able to claw back the kill point lead I'd already established. The Wolves are also sensational at kiting.

It was equally clear that Gordrakk could never get to attack the Moonclan Grots in time, since they were all but guaranteed to make the charge and block him (and as a single model, you cannot pile in and get into 3 inches of the target (assuming that Darran would touch bases with the charge from the Fanatic). To be fair, I'd long forgotten that if the charge roll for a Fanatic unit is a double then it takes a single mortal wound, so there was a 1/6 chance of that happening and a 1/36 chance of the charge failing. However, there were also 2 Fanatics left as singles. 

Darran could set up the Fanatic within 3 of Gordrakk and not charge, but then I could pile into the Fanatic and get within range of the Moonclan Grots, whereupon the melt is real even with their -1 to hit debuff. On the other hand, the only remaining threats to Gordrakk were the Arrer Grots (or possibly the Gitmob Spears with Sneaky Stabbing). Neither of these units had inspiring presence.  

On a side note, while taking 50% Netters initially seems like an aggressive approach to "a few", the amount of time not wasted in working out which models are within and not within the 2 inch range makes this strongly preferable to the opponent as well. I'll be doing this too.

Since Darran had won the initiative, I had a potential to win a double turn back. Perhaps I could throw Gordrakk over the thin line of Grots and win the double turn, get out of Fanatic Range and then take out a 4 wound Shaman with either pew pew (actually pretty reliable but still need to get lucky on the damage roll) or Bulk (average), then the other Shaman with Bulk (average), then crush into the Gitmob Archers and make them pop (a virtual certainty with a 6+ save and Bravery 4). Then his unbuffed Gitmob Grots would have a tough time against a 2+ save Gordrakk (since I had Arcane Terrain for my Shamen).

The Derp is real

Pre-measuring it out led to a grim realization - Gordrakk's base is so long that he can never move 12" and fly over a line of models since you need to be outside of 3" on both sides. I realised that the only option was to move and run while flying to clear the Moonclan Grots (so no charge and no pew pew).

I thought about it again. While avenging the Fyreslayers of Friday; and getting an improbable minor victory over Darran would have been satisfying. Ultimately I still had that long shot at a Major Victory and with another Major in the last round I would be on 5 Majors and a chance of a podium spot. That's what I was ultimately here for.

YOLO! 

I failed the Mystic Shield cast on Gordrakk, but got Sneaky Stabbing off on the Wolves. Gordrakk Inspired the Wolves. 

Smasha, superheated with energy, yanked Gordrakk forward, soaring over the Grots. He landed without the aid of a helipad. 

I made a mistake at this point. Whether I was going with the YOLO approach of playing for the double turn or the retreat strategy, I probably should have retreated and run with the Wolves. since I was YOLOing I could have threaded them between the right flank of the Moonclan and the block of Gitmob Grots near the back board edge. Then I would have been able to disgorge the Nasty Skulkers to threaten the Shamen and the Snotlings who were closest to the objectives. Even if I lost the initiative roll and Darran went next, the Moonclan Grots would have been left stranded on Mystical Terrain and pinned in combat with my Grot remnants, so that they couldn't help against Gordrakk.

Start of the Charge Phase

As I recall, Darran may have popped out the Fanatics at this point towards Gordrakk. I responded by popping 12 Skulkers out and killing them.

Combat Phase Proper

The Wolves continued to melt against the Moonclan as did the two blocks of Grots in the middle.

So it would all come down to an initiative roll. 

Score - There is no score - only Grots!.

Gordrakk Cumulative Kill Index = 300 points

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Nico]

Battleround 3

Darran won the initiative.

Things looked bleak - but I retained some hope.

The Gitmob Arrers passed their Mystical test and Darran cast Sneaky Stabbing at last. Since we were running out of time, the focus was on the main event. Darran wouldn't be able to kill every last model, and I would be retreating and kiting my way to my home objective if Gordrakk went down to hold it to a minor. 

Conversely if Gordrakk survived, he is barely weaker even with 1 wound remaining. He would crush anything in melee and then it would be my turn.

The Gitmob Arrers fired away and the wounds started coming off. That mystic shield fail in my turn was massive. It's so important to have a reliable caster for this sole purpose.

The Gitmob charged in and made their charge. They rolled well and completely enveloped Gordrakk. Even though they only had bows, I knew they would be hitting very reliably. Many dice were rolled.

Darran handed me a pile of dice to make 4+ saves with. I failed plenty. "Take it off."  Gordrakk died again, having not even scratched a Snotling. 

Darran also melted the Wolves and 2 of my units of Gitmob Grots. 

My Shamen did some Arcane Bolting and Curse of Da Bad Mooning in an attempt to claw back some points.

Darran had the minor victory. Well done sir! What a comeback!

What a magical game AoS is!

 

The Ring of Grots around Gordrakk to match the Heart of Grots around the Stonelord and Husktusk.

 

Final Score - There is no score - only fewer Grots!.

Minor Victory to Darran Palmer

Gordrakk Cumulative Kill Index = 300 points

[Nico]

Thoughts

What a game! Definitely in my top three with the games vs Dan Ford's Tomb Kings (for opening my eyes to the power of Settra alpha strike cannonballs at Firestorm Fours) and the game against Paul Whitehead's Six Thundertusks and Stonehorns at SCGT (a true pioneer well before BCR even existed - that was also an improbable come back after I killed 3.5 of those monsters turn one by applying what Dan had taught me earlier) at SCGT.  

As so often, it would have been great to rerun the final Battleround with me winning the initiative and see what would have happened. It was always a tall order to wipe every last Grot off the table. Gordrakk might have been pinned by the Fanatics or might have derped his Bulk attacks. I cannot recall if I could have found a spot to split the Kunnin' attacks into the Shamen and everything else into the Grots. That said, I certainly don't regret going for the Major, rather than retreating with Gordrakk for the second game in a row to ensure a Minor Victory. As Rob Symes would say it was "50-50 to work, it either does or it doesn't".

Darran played it very well and made a phenomenal recovery. We both really enjoyed the game and chatted about it afterwards. 

Despite still not having recovered 50% of his cost over 5 games cumulatively, Gordrakk is surely by some margin the most fun Warscroll in the game.

This firmly demonstrated that Nasty Skulkers are a hard counter to Fanatics (helpful that both are in the same Grand Alliance). Gryph Hounds are another one of course.

Darran's margin of victory on Kill Points? 

 

[Nico]

700 on the nose.

[Bjarni St.]

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I went silent, but my hand started shaking with disbelief/excitement.

Oh I know this feeling. Fumbling around, unable to pick up my movement trays without 10 seconds of faffing and perilously wobbling 30 metal models over the table. Not the coolest I've looked.

Great reports, nice to see douchebag Fanatics get their comeuppance. They always end up with the most frustrating rules, they're like the Lizardmen of armies that aren't Lizardmen.

[tolstedt]

Will Nico's Nasties appear again after the nerf?  

I think that fanatics and nasties are both still strong.

[tolstedt]

Also my greenskinz list doesn't work anymore.  Wasted money (for now, and probably a while, if they ever get a battletome).

I'll have to proxy them as Savage Orruks.

[Nico]

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Also my greenskinz list doesn't work anymore.  Wasted money (for now, and probably a while, if they ever get a battletome).

I'm in the same boat.

That said, Greenskinz are probably still better than Ironjawz even without the Battalion. I suggest a Wyvern Warboss with Shield and the Warboss on pig with a banner (could convert from a Gore Grunta).

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Will Nico's Nasties appear again after the nerf?  

They will do - possibly proxied as other types of Grots or as a defensive unit. The loss of the battalion is pretty major though on top of the deployment nerf (I had an argument as to why the wording means units within 1 inch of each other based on the Hammerstrike Force wording - obviously the FAQ goes the other way). Most Destruction players were congaing Fanatics or had played against that.

Darran's block of 60 Grots with a Grot as a general seems to be the main path left for Grots now. Just need to get really good at casting Sneaky Stabbing. The Wolves are also amazing in large units. Chariots aren't bad either.

One day, they will get something new! Battletome Grots I would be all over!

#LongLiveTheHoodedVillain

[tolstedt]

I have both (painting at the moment).  I'll start a thread and post a picture after christmas.  I built my own banner using a tomato paste metal tube.

I'll still play casually with the hundred point batallion to get the Gordrakk ability.  350 attacks 4/4/-1.

[Nico]

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I'll still play casually with the hundred point batallion to get the Gordrakk ability.  350 attacks 4/4/-1.

Yep!