The Thursday Knights have gathered once again and tonight it was standing room only. We had a total of 11 players show up along with a couple others who simply dropped off some trades and played some fun games. Due to time constraints, we only played 3 rounds and ended with two players still undefeated. Against my better judgement, I decided to be rather uncreative and play the same warband I had played the previous week. I was just so impressed with the mobility and damage output I wanted to see if it could stand up to more of the field. I had seriously considered playing something with multiple Helmed Horrors since they would be immune or highly resistant to much of what I was expecting to see.

My warband:

Cleric of Sune
Frenzied Berserker
Gnome Trickster
Xen'drik Champion x3
Wild Elf Warsinger
Bat Familiar
Xeph Warrior
Map: Dragonshrine

Round 1 vs Tomcat

Red Hand War Sorcerer
Beholder Lich
Bluespawn Stormlizard x2
Acheron Goblin x3
Map: Broken Demongate

Tomcat is a fairly new player who just started playing in sanctioned tournaments with the Unhallowed pre-release. This was almost an exact rematch of the one we played the previous Saturday. Again he won map and played from the "good" side of Broken Demongate. Much like our previous game, I advanced slowly taking cover where I could. In the second round, I was able to make it to my sacred circle victory area while he organized his pieces to completely block off all access to the Lich and his commander. I finally took a chance and based one of his lead bluespawns at the end of the round with my FB. After winning the next initiative, I dropped it with a full attack. I then moved a Xendrik up through the hole to hit is commander for 20 damage and cause a morale save, which he passed. His beholder lich only managed to put 10 damage into the Xendrik and even when his commander tried to get away, the AoO brought him down to 5hp. I quickly swarmed his other bluespawn and dropped it by the end of the following round with the help of Sune's castigate which also put some damage into nearby Acheron goblins. After the short and brutal attack, he was left with only his beholder lich at the end of the end of round 5 with my band fairly intact. He conceded at this point to put me 1-0.


Round 2 vs Bonelock

Storm Silverhand
Large Astral Construct x2
Half Ogre Barbarian
Aasimar Favored Soul
Bat Familiar
Xeph Warrior x2
Map: King's Road

This was probably one of the most interesting warbands I've ever seen Bonelock play, but I think a couple tactical errors cost him the game. As usual, I lost map initiative so we played on King's Road. Since I had no elemental resistances, he opted to do +5 fire damage with both LACs. I think that given the large base creatures and forest terrain, I would have given them F10 instead. Anyway - he spent the first couple rounds buffing with MWs, bless and flight while keeping Storm relatively safe. He used Silver fire at the end of the second round (targetting his own HOB) to catch Sune, a Xendrik and my FB. With the Aasimar around, it was difficult to get to Storm without taking a lot of AoOs and despite becoming visible by being too close to him, I doubled moved everyone again so that I was basing Storm with my FB at the end of round 2. I ended up losing initiative in round 3, but even if he hits with everything he's got, baring any crits, the FB would be left with 10 hp. As it turns out, he opted to hit a number times and when it was my turn, a Xendrik moved into a flanking position to deal 20 damage and the FB unloaded a full attack for another 70. Once Storm was down, the LACs went with her and the game was conceded. Result - win (2-0)

Round 3 vs. Orcdoubleax

Red Hand War Sorcerer
Bone Naga
Ice Elemental x3
Dark Moon Monk
Timber Wolf
Map: Broken Demongate

For the third round, I got paired down while the other two 2-0 players duked it out for first place. This was a pretty scary band to look at once I had lost map initiative and had to start from the "evil" side of Broken Demongate. By the end of the second round, he had completely plugged the gate with his Elementals and I took a couple ranged shots at them so that I would be visible for charges in round 3. Since I had him out-activated I charged with one of the Xendrik at the end of the round to put 20 damage into the lead elemental causing a morale save which he made. I then moved the FB into a position where I could attack a different elemental and cause another morale save (which he passed). In round 3, I won initiative and activated the same two figs and managed to deal enough damage to kill both of the elementals which had previously made their morale saves. Of course, in retaliation, the bone naga attempted to turn my FB to stone but I passed the save. The RHWS managed to place a tricky line to catch 4 figs including my gnome, two xendriks and my wild elf warsinger who was the only one to die. Now the rest of my Xendriks charged into battle causing a morale save on the last elemental who also fell fairly quickly. Following this, I was hit by a cone of cold that routed both my gnome and one xendrik. My remaining forces, however, managed to swarm and kill the bone naga before it could get any more spells off. This was more than enough to put me over 200 for the win.

This gave me a 3-0 record, but due to tie-breakers, I placed 2nd behind Zuran Alda's Drow Cleric of Lolth, dual-black dragon, dual-orc wizard band. Other notable bands for the night included BunnyPuncher's SWarm, Pumpkin King's Van Richten dual-Shield Guardian band and Zak X's Lyrandar, Sune, FB band.

Overall, I'm very impressed with how the Cleric of Sune performs in constructed. I think I'll try something else next time around, but going 6-0 after losing map initiative all 6 times is something you can't just ignore.