Me and my mate Ivo (Iff on the forum) played our very first game of Warzone Resurrection yesterday...finally! We both had assembled a good starting force and would be fielding a 750 points force. Before Ivo arrived, I took a picture of the table without any miniatures on it:
So we played in a Venusian jungle, complete with old and mystical ruins, hypnotizing crystals and huge gnarly trees. There are lots of trees on the table, so plenty of cover.
Ivo arrived and we decided to play a basic game (I didn't buy the Cybertronic starter so don't have any Strategy/Gear/Tactical cards from the starter deck) with a Priority mission. We rolled and it was the mission where one player had to control 4 of the 5 table areas. Damn, that sounded very hard to accomplish, but we would see. Our forces:
Marijn's Cybertronic (749 pts)Everassur
6 Armoured Chasseurs
6 Armoured Chasseurs
6 Chasseurs + PR4000 + Weapon Cyber Link (I totally forgot about the Weapon Cyber Link though...)
2 Machinators + SSW4200P + Weapon's Overhaul
Ivo's CapitolBig Bob Watts
6 Heavy Infantry
10 Light Infantry
5 Martian Banshees
2 Purple Sharks
(Ivo chose the doctrine where his Banshees count as Troops)
So we both have 3+3=6 Resources.
We rolled for Initiative and Ivo won the roll. His deployment:
His Purple Sharks deployed to the left behind the large mesa, the heavy infantry next to them with a good firing lane in front of them. Watts deployed in the center so he could use his guns to engage stuff on all sides. The Light Infantry deployed next to Watts behind the old temple and finally the Banshees deployed behind the mysterious Easter Island statues and rock spires.
My deployment:
One squad of Armoured Chasseurs deployed on the left flank behind a large rock formation. The Chasseurs deployed in the center, so their long range guns could be used against any threat. The Everassur went a bit to the right with the second squad of Armoured Chasseurs behind the ziggurat.
Finally, the Enhanced Machinators deployed centrally in the forest about 12" in front of my other models. I didn't really know where I should deploy them. They would probably get hit by firepower, no matter where I deploy them. So I chose the central position so they could be used against any threat.
Turn 1Ivo activates the Martian Banshees who switch on their jump packs. With a roar they fly forwards, keeping to cover and ending up quite close to my force. I respond by activating the Armoured Chasseurs on the right flank. They Blink forwards and let rip with their Nailguns. Two of the Banshees are shot down by the firepower, first blood, including a Squad Commander! I did manage to fumble the activations, having moved all models first and then remembering I need to activate everything model by model. Having played Warmachine extensively for 8 years, this will happen a lot I think
. Two of the Chasseurs go on Sentry (but that was rather pointless with an 18" range).
Ivo activates the Light Infantry and they run and take cover. One goes on Sentry. The Machinators see them coming and they shuffle a bit through the woods. The HMG spins up and the hail of lead kills two Light Infantry models. So far, so good! The Purple Sharks see a good target and one moves up around the mesa and shoots the LMG at the Machinator. Even Camouflage and Cover can't save him and he takes 2 wounds and bites the dust. The last one fails his Pinning check and is Pinned. At that time I was rather surprised the Machinators don't have Fearless...but they are Pure Machine? That's rather odd. Feels strange to have a machine hunkering down in fear. Oh well. By then I was also quite afraid of the Purple Sharks. With a ROF6 they are positively insane! Even with a lowish RS, they are bound to get some hits in and with their immense speed they can attack almost any model.
The Armoured Chasseurs on the left decide to burn some Resources. They all run and open fire with their nailguns at the Purple Shark. The rider takes a hit and I hit two other systems for 3 more points but the Shark is still flying! Damn, vehicles are nasty. Randomising your hits means it's quite hard to take them out with some shots. You either need to aim or need some devastating firepower. Ivo was a bit lucky with the shark, saving a lot of armour checks. Bob Watts moves a bit to the left and has sight to the Armoured Chasseurs. He fires the Atlas Megacannon and targets four of the Armoured Chasseurs. Ivo burns a Resource for one more shot. One of the Armoured Chasseurs is shot down while the other shots either miss or are deflected by the armour. Next up are the Chasseurs. They move forwards and take potshots at the Purple Shark. With cover and some intervening models, not a lot of shots hit and Ivo saves them all. Curses! One does manage to kill a Banshee which landed on the big hill in front of him. The Heavy Infantry decide to take on the Armoured Chasseurs. They lumber forwards and unload their guns. Reading their stats in the book I was afraid...seeing them in the game they seemed even more scary! Their RS, ROF and ST is crazy and they easily kill one of the lefthand Armoured Chasseurs. Finally, my Everassur runs forwards to get closer to the action, so he can use his big gun.
(the Armoured Chasseurs on the left after having run and fired and losing two of their squad)
(the Heavy Infantry is on the left, while the Light Infantry all cling to cover. On the lower right you can see the last two of the Banshees)
(on the left side the damaged Purple Shark. You can see where his nose is pointing at...the pinned Machinator in the forest. In the back are the Heavy Infantry and Bob Watts...aka some of the scariest firepower possible!)
(the Armoured Chasseurs on the right, standing in and around the Ziggurat. I think they spotted a Xenomorph sneaking away into the catacombs though...)
Turn 2I still have my Squad Commanders so gain 6 Resources. Ivo lost his Martian Banshee Squad Commander so has 5 Resources. I win Initiative and activate the Everassur. He lumbers forwards into the forest, aims and Burns a Resource to fire at the Heavy Infantry hiding behind the rock. The plasma shot hits and melts two Heavy Infantry models and Bob Watts also loses a wound. Nice! Bob didn't like that one though and activates the Chopper. He places the counter close to the Everassur so he can try to hit him later on in the turn with other stuff. The Atlas manages to hit the Everassur three times and I save two of the hits. I Burn a Resource for a better Heal skill, but I fail.
I activate the Armoured Chasseurs on the left. They all Blink forwards and unload their SMG on the Purple Shark but Ivo saves all hits. ARGH! The Purple Shark seems immortal! The Purple Sharks activate and their LMG's rip through the Armoured Chasseurs. Two are killed by the LMG firepower, but I pass the Pinned test. The Chasseurs activate, run or move forwards and unload on the damaged Purple Shark (costing me some Resources). Finally, I manage to roll a 1 and do a headshot on the driver. Yes, the Shark is down and the second one failed his Pinning check! They also manage to take down one of the Heavy Infantry models, taking the unit down to three members. The Heavy Infantry respond and the Squad Commander runs forwards behind the big rock. The other two advance and one fires at the Armoured Chasseurs. One more is shot down and the last one takes a Broken check. He fails and runs back to my deployment zone, where he hides behind some dense foliage.
The Armoured Chasseurs on the right Blink and one Power Blinks into Ivo's lines. The Power Blinker rolls an 18 for the feedback, but saves the hit. With the shotgun I shoot down one of the Banshees while the last is shot down by a SMG. I also kill one Light Infantry model (the Squad Commander IIRC). The Light Infantry responds by taking up positions, aiming and firing (using some Resources). One loads Fragfmentation ammunition and fires at one model who is standing next to the Squad Commander. They shoot down three of the Armoured Chasseurs, including the Squad Commander and I fail my Pinning check. Darn!
Finally I activate the Machinator. He makes his pinning check and uses his second action to fire at the Purple Shark, doing no damage. Having lost his Banshees, Ivo also has no activations left.
(the broken Chasseur is hiding behind a tree. The smoking wreck of the Purple Shark is next to his pinned buddy. In the back you see the Heavy Infantry. My Chasseurs are around the large rock and the Machinator is inside the forest)
(the Everassur and Watts in their mexican standoff. The Machinator and Chasseurs take cover in the jungle)
(both Banshees are shot down and the Light Infantry are all in cover. The Armoured Chasseurs are pinned down after having suffered a hail of firepower)
Turn 3We both get four Resources as we both lost 2 Squad Commanders. Ivo wins Initiative and shows the power of a flamethrower. The Heavy Infantry Squad Commander runs forwards and Burns a Resource to unload his flamer on the Machinator and a Chasseur. Having no Impenetrable Armour and standing in cover, it means that both models burn to a crisp. Flamethrowers are NASTY! Especially when combined with a Run action. We did wonder how they worked with Armour. Having ST13 and halving armour against models in cover...is it (A/2)-3 for the check? That is sick! In the end I just rolled the dice and they all were on the high side so they died. The other two Heavy Infantry models lumbered forwards and fired their guns, killing another Chasseur in the forest. The Chasseurs activated, advanced and fired their guns at the Heavy Infantry Squad Commander. Three hits later, he was still standing. ARGH! The Plasma rail shot missed the Heavy Infantry behind him. Alas. The Chasseur leader also popped his Mirage Generator, so both him and the Everassur benefitted from it.
Bob Watts fired again at the Everassur and he Burned a Resource to get another shot (ROF5 is scary). 4 shots hit and due to the Mirage Generator the Everassur suffered one more wound. I Burned to increase my chances of healing, but it didn't work. The Everassur responded by moving behind the rock and firing his plasma shot at the Light Infantry. The shot transfers to two more models and two models are liquified by the shot. Good. The Light Infantry advances and fires at the Everassur and the Armoured Chasseurs and they manage to kill another Armoured Chasseur. The righthand Armoured Chasseur spend both of their actions to get rid of pinning. Then it's back to the Purple Shark who races around the jungle and fires his LMG. AFAIK he does no damage. My lefthand Armoured Chasseur fails to rally from his broken status.
(the Light Infantrymen lost two soldiers due to a big plasma shot while they shot down one more Chasseur)
(the Heavy Infantry Squad Commander with his flamer of DOOM burned the Machinator and Chasseur. Bob Watts wounded the Everassur, while the Everassur plasmafied two Light Infantry soldiers. The soldiers all fired at the Heavy Infantry Squad Commander but his armour was uber)
(my Armoured Chasseur is still hiding behind some flowers while the Purple Shark zipped a bit around the forest)
To be continued in the next post...