Update: note that these lists were built prior to the errata release for Warcry on May 09, 2024. As such, the points values here have changed and these lists would have to be modified to be played within the current rules and meta.
Today, we’ll be taking a closer and more in-depth look at the battle report for my first game at the Golden Troll Warcry Tournament over the weekend of March 2nd in Montreal. I’ll list out the details for the setup, the warbands, and do my best to reconstruct how the action went down on each of the turns.
The short and sweet of it: this was a re-match of sorts between myself and my opponent (I lost the first time, a few weeks back). In that first matchup, his team simply overpowered me with their high durability and always surprising damage (Vindictors who never dealt less than 7 damage an attack activation…). Fortunately for me, this time around I came out victorious and decisively so by battle round 4.
Quick note – if you’re looking for more content about this tournament, be sure to check out some other pieces on it:
- I’ve previously written about the Scions of the Flame warband I used in more detail, which you can refer to for some more of the thoughts that went into it.
- I also wrote about the Golden Troll Warcry Tournament overall, along with a recap of its results.
Game Setup
Victory Conditions and Map: My first game objective was Power Struggle, a scenario taken from the Rumble Pack with one slight alteration. Rather than score the number of victory points based off the round, it remained 1 victory point per objective at the end of each round.
This setup gave us even deployments and 4 objectives to fight over.
Map and Terrain: The game was played out using a mix of terrain ruins pieces from the from the original starter box set and the more recent crypt set.
It wasn’t using an “official” terrain configuration but one that the organizer thought would make for an interesting battle. (He adjusted most of the boards for some symmetry, and to make them generally engaging).
I was fortunate that some people at the event were taking photos, so here’s a rough look at how the terrain was setup for our brawl:
The Warband Rosters and Unit Lists
My List: I was playing my 8-unit Scions of the Flame warband called the Azure Arsonists, named after their slightly (and definitely quite Azure) blue colour scheme. (They were previously red, but after a couple of years I decided it was time for a refresh.)
Here’s what the warband was composed of:
----------
Warband Roster
955pts | 8 fighters
- Blazing Lord (200pts, Hero)
- Lord of Plagues (170pts, Hero)
- Fomoroid Crusher (260pts, Ally)
- Initiate with Morning Star (65pts)
- Initiate with Morning Star (65pts)
- Initiate with Morning Star (65pts)
- Initiate with Morning Star (65pts)
- Initiate with Morning Star (65pts)
----------
Generated on Warcrier.netAnd here’s a grainy cell phone image of them:
My Divine Blessings: As blessings were allowed, I took the following:
- Fortitude (15 points): Given to my Blazing Lord for +4 HP
- Ferocity (30 points): Given to my Fomoroid Crusher for +1 attack dice
My Deployment Split: I aimed to split my beefy guys with supporting chaff as equally as possible, so that every battle group had some versatility (and I didn’t end up with a chaff-only one).
- Hammer: Fomoroid Crusher, 1x Initiate
- Shield: Blazing Lord, 2x Initiates
- Dagger: Lord of Plagues, 2x Initiates
Opponent List: My opponent was playing a 7 unit SCE Thunderstrike warband that he called, rather affectionately, “The Tin Cans” for their metallic look (and the overall can-like bulkiness of the Annihilators).
Here’s what the list looked like when generated from Warcrier:
----------
Warband Roster
1,000pts | 7 fighters
- Vindictor-Prime (170pts, Hero)
- Annihilator with Grandhammer (145pts)
- Annihilator with Grandhammer (145pts)
- Vindictor (135pts)
- Vindictor (135pts)
- Vindictor (135pts)
- Vindictor (135pts)
----------
Generated on Warcrier.netI unfortunately do not have a picture of his warband. The best I can do is show some of them waiting to be deployed alongside my own.
Opponent Divine Blessings: None. His warband was a cool 1000 points.
Opponent Deployment Split: He set up his deployments in the following manner:
- Hammer: 2x Vindictor
- Shield: 1x, Annihilator with Grandhammer, 1x Vindictor
- Dagger: 1x Vindictor Prime, 1x, Annihilator with Grandhammer, 1x Vindictor
While there was only so much he could do with 7 units, he nevertheless “power loaded” his dagger with not only the most units but also his prime.
Game Start and Round 1
We rolled off and it settled where I was Red and he was Blue. We each had a single deployment on the board (hammer).
Round 1 Ability Rolls: When we rolled the ability dice, my opponent ended up with 3 singles and a Triple while I had 4 singles and a double.
I took the somewhat unusual step of creating a second double using my available Wild Die. While this isn’t something I usually do, I wanted to make sure I could use the universal Rush ability to give my units some extra movement right off the bat.
In effect, because the objectives were worth just as much early as later on, it gave me a strong incentive to get my pieces on at least 2 objectives that were not adjacent to my starting location.
Round 1 Events: I was lucky in a sense as I had more units on the board who could also go faster, further than his own.
Over the course of this round I used 1x Initiate to seize the objective near my deployment. I used my double to get my second initiate to the North (top of the map) objective, and the other double to get my Blazing Lord to the South point. With this, I had three objectives.
My opponent, unfortunately, couldn’t quite get his Vindictor to the top point as there was some terrain in the way (my run was a straight shot) and he fell just outside the capture radius. For his Annilator, he had him consolidate at the closest point.
Round 1 Score: The round ended with 3-1 in my favour.
Round 2
We both brought in the rest of our deployments this time around. While we had the options to start anywhere along the edges, we all pretty much chose the middles as they had the most direct routes to the objectives.
The only nuance was that my opponent started his Dagger deployment slightly staggered to avoid some terrain when his pieces clumped up in their deployment.
Round 2 Ability Rolls: If I recall correctly, my opponent had 2 doubles and I again had only a single double. I made another double while my opponent saved his dice.
Round 2 Events: I went first again, even though I would have preferred not to (I held more points than my opponent and really wanted to wait him out).
I ended up waiting with my initiate who just spawned above the North point, forcing my opponent to move one of his Dagger units closer. I then did a slow shuffled from my own Dagger, getting units on the board while my opponent moved up his own.
After a few activations like this, he was now on the Southern Point but my Blazing Lord was in range of one opponent if I moved up. I spent a double for Fiery Might, hoping I my strength boost would give me an edge over his 6 Toughness Vindictor Prime. However, I completely whiffed.
For the rest of the round, I did my best to wait out his Annihilator on the Western point before I moved up my Fomoroid Crusher into engagement range. As I used a double to give him +1 movement, I made it into range with 1 activation left, but nearly whiffed again and only did 4 damage to him. Fortunately, with my Initiate who spawned there, I was able to get two bodies onto the objective to his one.
Elsewhere, his Vindictor was now up at the Northern point threatening me there, but not being able to take it from me. On the East, he had 2 units come in who crowded me out of that point.
Round 2 Score: 5-3
Round 3
Round 3 Ability Rolls: This round was shaping up to be the first combat heavy one of the game. I really wanted priority and to my surprise, rolled 4 singles and a double for the third time in a row. My opponent again had two doubles.
Round 3 Events: The first thing I did was test the waters to see if my Blazing Lord with a double for Onslaught could deal some real damage to the South deployment. I had him attack the Vindictor Prime once, hoping for some crits, but did a paltry 2 damage. Realizing it was a losing battle, I then had him flee back towards the East point (as he was not engaged due to his 2″ range).
The next thing to happen was my opponent using Onslaught on his Annihilator tangled up with my Fomoroid Crusher. He rolled heavy and dealt me something like 21 damage. It was a good smash, but not enough to take me down.
Elsewhere, my Lord of Plagues and a supporting Initiate engaged the Northern Vindictor and managed to take him down while only sustaining a couple of scratches to my Nurgle ally.
In the West, I crowded 3 chaff pieces onto the point while also slashing at the SCE units there, managing to get off a couple of crits and somewhat whittling them down while my opponent didn’t removed one chaff, he couldn’t get another of them off the board (though two of my units had 2 and 3 health respectively by the end of the round). That left that point tied.
The Southern Vindictor Prime and Vindictor both chased my Blazing Lord and gave him a good beating, but he survived. Thankfully, they had to leave the beefy Annihilator behind because he was too slow to chase and he couldn’t afford to lose the point.
Lastly, when it was finally time for my Fomoroid to return the favour to his earlier beating, I only did 12 damage, leaving the Annihilator with 4 health. Fortunately, I had a chaff piece there who managed to deal 5 damage (more than needed to remove the opposing piece). This allowed me to reclaim that point.
Round 3 Score: 7-4
Round 4
By this point, we both looked over the map and pretty much agreed that it wasn’t possible for my opponent to seize the lead in terms of victory points. His units were too slow and he didn’t have the bodies to take enough points to either tie or draw the match. Nevertheless, we played out the last round for the kill points as those would be used (in theory) to help decide a tie breaker at the end of the tournament.
Round 4 Abilities: I rolled and received 2 doubles while my opponent had a triple and a double. He built a quad to be used for rampage, while I used my remaining dice to build a triple and another double.
Round 4 Events: I again went first and used my triple with my Blazing Lord to use Ignited Fury giving him and the nearby chaff +1 attack dice. I then went to town and nearly killed off the Annihilator Prime.
However, on the following action, my opponent used his quad for rampage with the Prime and removed both my Blazing Lord and one of my Initiates from the Eastern brawl. My remaining Initiate was able to remove the Prime, but was taken down immediately after.
After that, there wasn’t any more combat that could be reached and we ended the game.
Round 4 (Final) Score: 9-6
Wrap-Up
That wraps up the main battle report. With the first game concluded, this is what points we were each awarded:
Tournament Points:
- 5 for me (Win)
- 1 for opponent (Loss)
Total Kill Points:
- 415 for me
- 395 for opponent
Overall, our game went the fastest at the tournament. It helped that we were both experienced Warcry players and we each had the rosters with the smallest number of units. In total, our match lasted no more than 40 minutes (and maybe even 35).
That gave us plenty us time to have a beer and go see what the other tables were up to (some of whom wouldn’t be done for another hour…)
