Tournament Battlereport from Victorum Liubice V Game 3 W'adrhŭn against Hundred Kingdoms

Overview
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3

Hello,

welcome to the third report of the Lübeck tournament. This time, I had the pleasure of playing against Marcus, better known as "Bremer1701" on Discord or as "Pommesmann" on T3. Marcus is my main sparring partner, and we meet almost every week for two games. This matchup and his list are therefore ones we've tested multiple times. Marcus knows my playstyle inside and out and even contributed directly to the development of my tournament list.

Here's a reminder of my list:

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"Bringer of Most Massive Destruction"

The W'adrhŭn [2000/2000]

== (Warlord) Chieftain Lord Snipie, BMMD [130]: Conquest, Vision

• Veterans (3) [170]
• Veterans (3) [170]
• Slingers (3) [150]

== Predator [100]: Famine

• Braves (3) [130]
• Hunting Pack (3) [120]
• Apex Predator Bob (1) [190]
• Slingers (3) [150]

== Predator [100]: Famine

• Braves (3) [130]
• Hunting Pack (3) [120]
• Apex Predator Bobs Freund (1) [190]
• Slingers (3) [150]

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Since the recent changes to the Ashen Dawn, Marcus' list has evolved. At the Kelpie Con, he had completely skipped the Ashen Dawn, but here he brought a regiment of them back. Joining them was a large block of Crimson Tower and a Priory Commander in the Sealed Temple, who can dish out serious damage with his 8 attacks.

Personally, I tend to favor lists with a bit more infantry, but Marcus is a staunch veteran of Bretonnian-style armies. If there were a way to fit even more cavalry into his list, he would undoubtedly do so, fully embracing the motto: "On foot, you're doomed; in the saddle, you're unstoppable." Though, knowing Marcus, he'd probably phrase it more bluntly as: "Infantry sucks."

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The Hundred Kingdoms [2000/2000]

== (Warlord) Mounted Noble Lord [145]: Olefant's Roar, Weapon Master

•  Militia Bowmen (3) [75]:
•  Militia Bowmen (3) [75]:
•  Household Knights (3) [140]: Standard Bearer
•  Household Knights (6) [370]: Veterans, +1 Clash, Standard Bearer, Tourney Champion

== (Warlord) Priory Commander (Sealed Temple) [150]: The Flesh Cleaver, Eccentric Fighting Style

•  Order of the Sealed Temple (3) [205]: Standard Bearer
•  Order of the Sealed Temple (3) [205]: Standard Bearer
•  Order of the Crimson Tower (5) [375]: Standard Bearer
•  Order of the Ashen Dawn (3) [260]:

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The scenario played was Forlorn Hope, and the anticipation for the match was rather muted on both sides, as we had faced each other many times before. Marcus had shown a strong performance with two undefeated rounds and would have preferred to play against Uziel's Nords. This preference was largely due to the terrain: the only large forest was centrally located, hindering his cavalry, while the blocking mountains didn't unnecessarily split the battlefield into unfavorable zones. This was a definite positive for his cavalry charge, especially compared to our usual practice terrains, where we often divide the table into smaller sections to reduce open space and clear corridors.

However, these open maps also meant that I had clear lines of sight for my ranged units, something Marcus was all too familiar with. As a result, he decided to try a new tactic, one that I had often used with Hundred Kingdoms in the past.

~~~ Round 1 ~~~

The first round begins with Marcus activating a regiment of Bowmen, while I place two Slingers and the Predators' Hunting Packs into the deck. Marcus gets the first turn and moves his Bowmen only slightly onto the table, ensuring that my Hunting Pack wouldn't have a good charge opportunity, even with their Vanguard move. I had anticipated this and placed both Hunting Packs in the center, within or near the large forest.

I positioned my two Slingers on each flank so they could target the objective near Marcus' side with Chant on two in the second round. My plan was to destroy the markers, hold the zones as long as possible, and secure the game through an early lead.

~~~ Round 2 ~~~

I chose the Braves and added my Veterans with Flank, as well as the last Slinger unit. Marcus opted for the Sealed Temple and rolled successfully for his second unit, along with the large block of Household Knights. This left me with 10 cards to Marcus 6, not quite the advantage I was hoping for, but still a solid position to start from. I decided to place my Slingers at the top of my deck to make use of Chant, while also clearing space for the Braves to move into the right zone. After them, I queued two Predator cards to buy time, followed by more Slingers, the Veterans, my leader, and the last Hunting Pack in case Marcus made a positioning error.

To my satisfaction, Marcus began again and predictably activated two character cards at the top. I inflicted damage on the objective while he marked threat ranges and decided to place only one Sealed Temple unit into a zone on the right. The other two regiments he positioned on the outer flanks, waiting for the rest of his forces to arrive.

Usually, Marcus positions his Sealed Temple aggressively to hunt down my Slingers. Anticipating this, my Slingers dutifully retreated after shooting at the objective, ensuring I scored early points and maintained distance. The Veterans on the left advanced to cover the Slingers, while the last Slinger unit deployed in the middle, joining the Hunting Pack to inflict further damage on the objective. Meanwhile, the other objective on Marcus' side was already under fire and had been destroyed earlier by the first Hunting Pack.

I also held both zones, earning a modest lead of 7:2. During our quick discussion of his plan, I pointed out that his positioning was too spread out and that I could effectively box him in during the next round or the one after if he continued this way. However, since this strategy had brought him two wins earlier in the tournament, Marcus was determined to test it against me.

That was fine by me. I had no intention of playing a hard attrition game, as I knew I would likely lose in such a scenario. My strategy was to maintain my lead through objective control and positioning.

~~~ Round 3 ~~~

Marcus chose the Ashen Dawn and successfully rolled the rest of his army onto the field. I, in turn, received everything except one Apex, which was a loss I could live with. Secretly, I had hoped that the Crimson Tower would only arrive in round 4, but Marcus was still far away, so little was likely to happen this turn. One Hunting Pack was technically in range of the Sealed Temple, but they wisely chose not to move into the threat range of three Slinger units. It was clear to me that Marcus was likely positioning for a First Blessing charge in the next round.

I had three more cards than Marcus, but the Slingers were consuming Chant tokens at an alarming rate. I decided to focus token usage on only one Slinger regiment for efficiency. I stacked all newly arriving units at the top of my deck, followed by a Hunting Pack, the Slingers, and, at the bottom, another Hunting Pack along with the Veterans and Braves. This wasn't my usual deck order, but after many games against Marcus, we know each other's deck structures very well. I was confident I could steal a zone from him.

The round unfolded as expected: Marcus pulled back his Sealed Temple, positioning his flank for optimal move-charge range. My Slingers on that side could have advanced over the Braves, but I wasn’t in a hurry and didn’t want to give him a reason to charge early. Instead, I positioned new Braves and Veterans on the right side, securing my flank. I invited Marcus to contest the right zone next round, but only if he could survive a flank charge and the shooting from two fresh Slinger units. Marcus didn’t look thrilled, knowing that few knights would survive such a setup. Consequently, he also held his small Household Knights regiment far back—too far, in my opinion, but Marcus seemed confident in his plan. I stayed cautious nonetheless.

On the other flank, Marcus placed his Crimson Tower behind his second regiment of Bowmen. Nearby, he positioned the Ashen Dawn and Sealed Temple, careful not to advance too close. Without a banner, the Ashen Dawn couldn’t enter the zone, and everything remained a considerable distance from my forces.

I destroyed the second objective and placed my Warlord in Marcus’ zone to threaten the Sealed Temple and score more points. He would likely tie up Marcus’ forces for one or two rounds. Meanwhile, Bob, my trusty Apex, held my zone firmly. This brought me to a commanding lead of 19:2. I remarked that Marcus likely couldn’t seriously disrupt my scoring before round 5. Marcus, however, remained confident in his plan, convinced that it would lead to my downfall.

~~~ Round 4 ~~~

In Forlorn Hope, points accumulate quickly, and my lead could evaporate in two strong rounds from Marcus. However, I couldn’t see how he planned to effectively displace me. I was positioned too far for meaningful charges, and any attempt at a move-charge would be severely punished. Additionally, I had more cards in my deck and control over the zones on my side. The Hunting Packs in the forest remained a constant threat, forcing Marcus to tread carefully. To maximize their impact, I placed them at the bottom of my deck, hoping to activate them late and capitalize on any positional errors.

We rolled for the starting player, and I won. Marcus decided against using First Blessing. I hesitated. Without First Blessing, my Veterans, led by my Warlord, had a chance to eliminate the Sealed Temple with some luck. But my original plan was to retreat, and Marcus expected that move. He knew I rarely attempt charges on a 4+ unless absolutely necessary and likely felt secure in his positioning.

We locked eyes for a moment before I let the war song rise. The Veterans charged, re-rolling their charge roll to make it. Marcus was visibly surprised. With Impact and Cleave 1, the Sealed Temple fell, their destruction almost precisely calculated. The Priory Commander managed to take one Stand with him, but without Supremacy abilities to fall back on, Marcus now found himself in a tactically awkward position.

This unexpected move put him on the back foot, giving me an opportunity to dictate the flow of the game even further.

The Ashen Dawn later attempted a move-charge to eliminate the Veterans, dealing eight damage in the process. In response, I positioned my Apex for an auto-charge and targeted the Ashen Dawn with my Slingers. The shooting managed to take out exactly one model. Naturally, Marcus chose the one closest to my Apex, denying me the charge opportunity.

This was a classic Marcus move, showcasing his attention to detail and his ability to disrupt my plans even under pressure. It was a frustrating but smart play, forcing me to adjust my strategy yet again.

On the other side of the battlefield, I brought in my second Apex as Marcus advanced significantly. My shooting opportunities weren’t optimal, and I needed the Chants for Conquest, so I opted for unsung shots. Even so, I managed to take out a knight from the smaller Household Knights regiment.

The significant disparity in card counts, now nearly double in my favor, was starting to punish Marcus. I could afford to be patient. My infantry executed a move-charge, engaging the already-activated Sealed Temple and blocking the Household Knights directly behind them. Since the knights hadn’t yet activated, they were left with nothing meaningful to do this round.

I pushed the rest of my forces forward, advancing them into Marcus' zone. His final unit to deploy, the Crimson Tower, used their Bowmen as flank protection and positioned themselves for an auto move-charge against my Apex on the left flank. However, my Hunting Packs were queued to activate last. They obliterated both Bowmen regiments, leaving the Crimson Tower's flank exposed to the Hunting Pack.

I couldn’t have asked for a better position. To top it off, I extended my lead to a commanding 30:2, putting immense pressure on Marcus to find a way back into the game.

~~~ Round 5 ~~~

Marcus had to start the next round, or he would face some severe consequences. It was clear that his Crimson Tower was at the top of his deck, while I had a Hunting Pack ready to act. My deck was designed to gather as many tokens as possible for the Slingers and to eliminate the remaining Sealed Temple units as late as possible.

As the name of the scenario suggested, the game unfolded accordingly, and I began my turn. The Hunting Pack, which had been desperately trying to break through the D3R3 chariots, inflicted 14 damage on the Crimson Tower. This was the fatal blow for Marcus. The Crimson Tower turned to face the threat and destroyed the Hunting Pack, but in the meantime, my other Hunting Pack wiped out the remnants of the small Household Knights regiment.

Marcus got a few mercy points when his Ashen Dawn killed my Warlord, but as the Slingers fired on the Ashen Dawn, the dice failed him miserably. Five sixes against the Predator caused ten damage, and the remaining protection rolls were equally poor. The Ashen Dawn were wiped out, and my second Slinger unit now turned its sights on the Crimson Tower, preparing to break them as well.

The momentum was clearly in my favor, and Marcus was struggling to recover from a series of devastating blows.

On the other flank, I took my time, brought my second Apex into position, and proceeded to eliminate everything there in the following round. The game ended after nearly sixty minutes with a final score of 83:4. Despite this loss, Marcus still managed to secure 3rd place, while I clinched the tournament victory.

It had been a hard-fought match, but in the end, my strategy of positioning, patience, and timely activation of key units paid off. The result gave me the edge, but Marcus solid play throughout the tournament meant that he wasn’t far behind, securing his well-deserved spot on the podium.

Final Thoughts on the Army List

Overall, the list has proven to be useful and flexible, especially with the Vanguard ability present across many units, it’s just incredibly strong. The list plays similarly to my old Goblin list, except now I have dinosaurs and greenskins instead of brave men with sticks. I don’t currently believe this list is at the top of the food chain, though, it’s not quite smooth enough to reach that level. Still, it was fun to push a green wave across the table. Okay, that joke was terrible.

Chieftain (Conquest, Vision): Right now, the Chieftain is the strongest warband option we have. Even when not played as the Warlord, he provides Vanguard to all Braves, Slingers, and Veterans in his warband, which is just absurdly good. The ability to cause Impacts makes him even more versatile. For me, there’s no reason not to include him every time. Even when paired with the Quatls, I always found the warband to be solid.

Cult of Conquest Warlord: I chose this because it's flexible and didn’t have any real downsides. I also wanted Flank, as I’m not a fan of rolling for Reinforcements. That didn't come into play much, but as always, it's better to have it and not need it. It felt like only the Veterans were chanting things that weren’t +1 to hold objectives, while the rest was focused on Slingers.

Predator: The two Predators were included mainly because I’m missing the models for three Quatls. The Flank they provide to the Slingers was invaluable, and their shooting for 100 points is fairly solid. I know that some players, like Finster and a few Americans, prefer playing four Slingers plus a Predator. I find that less attractive, though, because in my test games, a 5-man regiment was often tied up in combat. But their damage output and ability to generate markers definitely make them worth considering if played more efficiently.

Braves: The Braves were mainly there to hold zones, but with their 16 attacks, they can definitely throw down when needed. For 130 points with Vanguard, they are an absolute bargain. They are perfect for holding zones without being completely defenseless. With D2 + Shield, W5, and R3, they’re surprisingly tough for their price and don’t die easily.

Veterans: The Veterans with Flurry and Vanguard from the Chieftain were fantastic. They get to the right place quickly, are relatively sturdy for W'adrhŭn standards, and can reliably dish out a high number of hits. Particularly valuable is that they generate two markers on activation, which helps with planning Chants, especially for the Slingers. At 170 points, they’re not cheap, but their value is more than justified.

Hunting Pack: The Hunting Packs are among the better Light Regiments, and in my opinion, they rank up there with the top options like Moroi and Stryx. If the opponent doesn't control them in time, they can deal relentless damage. For their absurdly low point cost, they offer excellent stats, though they are correspondingly fragile. After the update to Raptors and the entire faction, I wouldn’t say that one always needs to include a unit, but when you have enough other units to score points, they’re a solid choice.

Apex Predator: I chose the Apex Predators because of their movement (8) and ability to score points. Originally, I was planning to use two Quatls, which had always impressed me in test games. However, the Apex often disappoints me. So, I was pleasantly surprised that one of them performed well in the game against the City States. Don’t get me wrong, they are great for their points, and Quatls are cheeky, but they just don’t always do what I want them to.

Slingers: I went with MSU Slingers (3-man regiments) and found the choice to be "okayish." It wasn’t outstanding, but it wasn’t bad either. However, with two regiments, the Predator was also along for the ride. Currently, I’m testing 4-man regiments with the Chieftain, and I’m happy with the results. Three regiments in the tournament often didn’t offer me the option to shoot effectively, so I’d lean away from that in the future.

Last Thoughts

In essence, I have nothing to complain about right now. The faction is still very strong and has retained its character after the update. There’s a lot of fun and flexibility in the list, and I’m enjoying how it plays. It may not be the most optimized version, but it gets the job done while being enjoyable to play.