Overview
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Hi everyone,
traditionally, Dennis (Discord name: cameron1411) with his Wadrhun awaited me for the next game. So far, he has played against me in every tournament he participated in, and his motivation, to put it mildly, was low. Fortunately, someone was willing to challenge me, and the nice Nauth then stepped in. Spire, that made me cringe inwardly. Still, better than Old Dominion, but Nauth knows what he's doing and is currently one of the best Spire players we have. However, we had never played together before, so overall, it sounded promising.
Here is my list again. I explained my detailed thoughts on it in the first match report. The link is provided above.
Sorcerer Kings [2000/2000]
- Raj [160]: Shu'laat, Bound to the Elements
- Efreet Sword Dancers (5) [270]
- Ghols (3) [110]
- Steelheart Djinn (3) [190]
- Steelheart Djinn (3) [190]
- (Warlord) Maharajah [120]: Court of Fire
- Rajakur (3) [120]
- Sorcerer [130]: Eye of the Blazing Tempest, Court of Fire
- Efreet Flamecasters (3) [160]
- Efreet Sword Dancers (3) [170]
- Rajakur (3) [120]
- Rakshasa Bakasura (1) [260]
Nauth played a variation of the Las Vegas Open list because he really likes it and didn't have time to test anything else.
The Spires - The Sovereign Lineage [1995/2000]
- (Warlord) Lineage Highborne [120]: Cascading Degeneration, Command Pheromones, Pheromantic Override
- Avatara (3) [180]: Superior Creations
- Avatara (3) [180]: Superior Creations
- Incarnate Sentinels (4) [280]:
- High Clone Executor [185]: Biotic Hive, Infiltrator Variant, Adaptive
Evolution, Overtax Nervous System, Disperse, Additional Neural
Receptors
- Vanguard Clones (3) [150]:Superior Creations
- Vanguard Clone Infiltrators (3) [185]:
- Bound Clones (3) [120]:
- Brute Drones (3) [185]: Superior Creations
- Pheromancer [120]: Avatar Projection, Attracting Pheromones
- Stryx (3) [120]:
- Brute Drones (3) [170]:
I'd call it more or less standard Spire schmock. Aura of Death with 4 Incarnates, the extra Clash or Move from the Highborne, and a lot of other good stuff. The Bound Clones seemed a bit lost, but apparently they were just there to hold zones. While I did notice the Superior Creations when looking at the list, I always struggle to keep Vanguard Clones in mind. According to Lt. Nick, they're rubbish. That would come back to bite me later.
We played the "Declined Flank" scenario. We adjusted the existing terrain slightly to make it relevant. We treated the central object as a house to divide the battlefield. Additionally, we decided to use the fog as a forest. We roughly placed a forest in the middle of both halves of the game board. The wall and the water had no effect since we didn't engage in combat there.
In round 1, we both drew all of our cards. I deployed my solitary Ghols on the left flank. Perhaps Nauth won't see that I can use the reinforcement line on the right to run into the zone and secure two zones. Meanwhile, Nauth deployed the Stryx opposite my Ghols. The VCI went to the other flank. Initially, I thought this was good because it meant my Ghols would likely survive into the next round.
In round 2, I drew the three regiments with the wizards, while Nauth got both Brute Drones, the Avatara, and the Vanguard Clones. He chose the far right zone because he knew I might come from the side. It was worth a try. Initially, I wanted to choose his left zone to avoid falling behind, but I also decided on his far right zone. I hoped to draw most, if not all, of his regiments to the left flank, and that the Incarnates would later be forced to the right side or I would be able to push through there alone.
Nauth placed everything on the left flank except for one regiment of Avatara. The Avatara were just there to hold the objective and with D4 R4, they were very sturdy. Essentially, the whole turn was just positioning and starting three rituals. Thanks to the Sorcerer, the Ghols scored points for me, so the deficit was minimal. Score was 2:4.
Round 3 began, and I received everything. Nauth had a similar setup, except his Bound Clones were missing. This opened up some options, and after a brief hesitation, I placed all the new cards on top, followed by the Raj and the cards for the left flank. Finally, I positioned the Ghols, the Sorcerer (Eye), the Maharajah (Burn to Cinders), and the Sword Dancer. We rolled dice, and Nauth got to start. He chose my far left zone, while I chose his upper right zone.
Naturally, there was no charge from the Stryx because he didn't want to exchange them for Ghols, if he would even consider that trade. Instead, there were token activations and movements on both sides. It was pleasant and relaxed playing against someone skilled, likeable, and who plays quickly. If only he would finish painting his Hundred Kingdoms army, he'd be even more likeable.
On the far right, I positioned a regiment of Windmaidens into the zone. The other Windmaidens activated obediently after the VCI did nothing, and moved towards my central zone. The rest advanced on the left, and two characters squeezed into the zone because I needed the tokens for the rituals. Then the Stryx felt secure and attacked the Ghols. They dealt 5 damage, and then three heals followed. Excellent. So, Burn to Cinders for the Stryx, and the Sword Dancer cleaned up the rest.
On the left flank, the Incarnates also marched forward, all the way to the far left where Bakasura and the large Sword Dancer block were located. In the center, his second Avatara was positioned, leaving a MSU Avatara and VCI on the right flank against two MSU Windmaidens and a regiment of Sword Dancers. Overall, I had four rituals with 4, 4, 1, 1, and considered whether I should use my two tokens from the zone to complete two rituals. I didn't really need them yet, but maybe I could get rid of the VCI. And if Bakasura lays down the Highborne in a duel, the Incarnates block will be much easier to handle. There were many considerations, and I decided to add Conflagration to my deck twice. Score was 4:8.
In round 4, I was worried that the Incarnates block with Pheromantic Override + follow-up activation would penetrate into my Sword Dancers, so I placed the Ghols at the very top of the deck. After that, I placed the Raj, the Sword Dancers, the Sorcerer, and the other stuff. The two rituals were quite far down and were meant to give a third action to a regiment of Windmaidens and the Bakasura.
I began positioning the Ghols, but I didn't do it well. I hadn't perceived the Vanguard Clones as a threat. Therefore, I didn't pay attention to the fact that they might fit into the gap after all. Nauth's first card was the Vanguard Clones, and he tried to measure if they could fit through. The terrain piece was oddly shaped, and I didn't care. He found it fair, rolled the dice, and with the charge, he reached the four. Initially, I didn't see a problem, but when 19 attacks with Clash 4 came down on me, it wasn't cool anymore. Exactly 4 stands were lost, and we were both stunned. That changed a lot. My Raj quickly started a ritual and rallied the regiment. Then the Vanguard Clones inflicted three damage on the Clones, and the VCI tried to maneuver into fire range somehow. They only managed it with one stand and the Executor. Six hits, no successful armor saves, and the game slipped away from me. It was such a stupid mistake on my part, and I was harshly punished for it. Nino always jokes that I must have made at least one, if not several dark pacts, given the luck I occasionally have. But now my patron Arioch, "Knight of Swords," "Lord of the Higher Hell," and "Lord of the Seven Darknesses," had withdrawn his favor. Obviously, I had displeased him by not playing Hundred Kingdoms.
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Round 5 didn't look good, but perhaps I could delay enough on the left flank to secure two safe zones on the right side. However, there was so much to consider, and starting would be good. So, I had Windmaidens, Sword Dancer, Conflagration, Flamecaster, Bakasura, Ghols, Windmaidens, Rajakur, Maharajah, Rajakur, Sorcerer – and I didn't start. Nauth, as always, chose the far left zone with my Sorcerer, and I chose his middle zone. The Brute Drones with the Pheromancer, now better positioned, went into the forest and inflicted 9 damage without impacts and inspire.
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The Windmaidens inflicted the same amount of damage against the Infiltrators. I forgot what Nauth did in between, but with Conflagration, the Vanguard Clones were hit by a sandstorm, and then the Flamecasters obliterated them from 7" away. Surprisingly, the Incarnates then appeared, but with the Brute Drones still in the way, they couldn't do anything. That was interesting and just what I needed. The Bakasura charged the Infiltrators, causing them to burst on the impacts, and with the second action, he moved back a bit – snug and cozy in Nauth's middle zone. Avatara number 2 left the zone and attacked the first Windmaidens, only to be hit in the flank by the Sword Dancers. We traded 1 Windmaiden for two Avatara – that was good, I stood firmly in his far right zone. Then the Highborne arrived, and at some point later, I decided to kill the Brute Drones and attack the Incarnates with the Rajakur. I just had to keep them there for another round, and besides, he was only left with three stands in the zone. The Sorcerer said my Command Stand was worth two more, and presto, Nauth had no zone, and I had three. Additionally, the Ghols were healed back to 6 lives. Then the Bound Clones attempted and succeeded in charging the Bakasura, inflicting some damage on him. Since I hadn't completed a new ritual, both Intrusive Thoughts now went back into my deck. Final score: 14:12.
Round 6, and I had two rituals. I prioritized the Maharajah to set up the next ritual. The Windmaidens attacked the Avatara, along with the Sorcerer, Bakasura, Rajakur, Intrusive Thoughts, Flamecaster, and the rest. For the zone, I chose the far right on my side because it was neutral, and Nauth chose my far left. The Maharajah started, initiating the "Intrusive Thoughts" ritual and decided on "Burn to Cinders". One of the Incarnates died, and Nauth had the Brute Drones. They slaughtered the Ghols but couldn't reach the Bakasura or the Flamecaster without impacts, so they remained stationary. I failed to kill the last Avatara and lost almost the entire unit when the second Avatara attacked my flank.
The Sorcerer used Sandstorm on the Brute Drones, and with a prayer to Arioch, it barely succeeded. Apparently, this pleased my patron, because the Highborne used her draw event and without Inspire, she only inflicted 5 damage on me. In the follow-up activation, there was another clash without Inspire because he desperately wanted to move forward. I survived with one life. Brave souls, indeed. They later died to the Aura of Death, but the Incarnates wouldn't move and couldn't score due to Intrusive Thoughts. Then his army died. The Bakasura slew the Bound Clones, the Rajakur attacked the Brute Drones, and together with the Flamecasters, they wiped them out. After that, one of the Avatara fell to the Sword Dancers, and I held two zones. Final score: 18:12.
In round 7, I chose my left zone because the Incarnates would turn there once they attacked the Sorcerer. Then I started, and the Bakasura went into the back of the Avatara, who later died to the Aura of Death. My two regiments of Windmaidens and the Sword Dancers took care of the zones, and the game was decided. We played a bit more back and forth, but Nauth couldn't score any more points. The Incarnates continued to rampage, partly because I positioned the Flamecasters and the Bakasura in their path to prevent him from reaching another scoring zone.
Essentially, I won the game because Nauth blocked with the Incarnates and didn't withdraw the Brute Drones. This gave me enough time to eliminate other units. Additionally, my cards often came at just the right time, which was unfavorable for him. He also wasn't exactly sure what would happen. The combination of rituals and the Elemental special rule introduces many tactical options into the game, and if one is not familiar with them, they may overlook some of the possibilities.
If Benjamin is reading this: I still maintain that I don't think the Flamecasters are good. They deserve V3 and 18". Next Game 3
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