Inaugural McCabery
So, if you're reading this I'm going to assume you're familiar with the whole premise of how all this came about and why. On the off chance you've no idea what I'm talking about: bet made, bet lost, nightmare edition crew from Gencon for UK Nationals, won't be duel faction, totallly is though bro, best get some practice in.
Clear? Marvellous.
So yesterday saw my first outing for McCabe against a local opponent with whom I have a split 50/50 record. Seemed an excellent opportunity for a first game, knew I'd be facing Arcanists but largely I ignored that in crew selection because I'm Guild now goddamit and it is therefore all about me clearly!
Game 1: Extraction
Normally I'd like to have throw something nice and survivable, a summoner or a very killy master into the middle here. McCabe kind of fits, kind of doesn't fit that description, in much the same way he kinda fits lots of descriptions. But McCabe it is! We knew that much going in so it's hardly a surprise!
Luna and the Hounds (not a punk band) would make Convict Labour simple enough, equally the Death Marshal/Executioner combo should let me threaten early game enough for Quick Murder. Pale Rider being survivable enough if played cautiously early game to hold the extraction marker.
My opponent put down Toni Ironsides, fire starter, 2 gunsmiths, Johan, arcane effigy and a couple of molemen. With 4 7ss models to choose between I plumped for the reckless 7wd fire starter.
Game went roughly to plan, Luna and the hounds had Convict Labour sewn up by the start of turn 2 and with a relatively slow opposition that had committed to the centre it seemed he had resigned to not being able to remove any markers. I over extended the death marshal early game (with boxed executioner inside), however my opponent did the same with fire starter using reckless to get him up the board to get burning on the Death Marshal so that the Gunsmith could light him up, which they most certainly did! Fortunately this popped the Executioner out within charge range of his target. Through judicious use of Soulstones and flipping the Fire Starter stayed alive but with only 1wd remaining. I forget who killed him, but he didn't last long. Admittedly neither did the Executioner, a fair model trade all in all and I got my 3vp from it critically.
I was now reasonably assured of at least 6vp, a good place to be end of turn 2. So now it became a case of throwing everything to the centre, whilst Luna ramn home to keep the hounds significant (this was probably a mistake). Pale rider, armed with the Glowing Sabre, was sat at min dmg 4 ignoring most everything, so went off to make friends with the molemen and effigy, the Wastrel strutted about throwing out an armour aura whilst McCabe himself got stuck in taking advantage of that df7. He would eventually get pull off his horse and murdered (being marked for death each time! Must keep an eye out for that in the future!) and both he and the pale rider gave up exhaust their forces.
In the end the game ended 9-9, last flip of the game killed a hound denying me that 4th Extraction point. If only Luna had hung around!
Lessons learned in short, the crew scores points but isn't great at denial. The dm/executioner combo will kill things but will die in return. Pale Rider with Glowing Sabre is hilarious. Need to find a use for dogs once they've scored points other than activations.
Game 2: Headhunter
Both feeling pretty good about the draw, me because of it being the first time using McCabe and my opponent because of the Ironsides handicap.
Clear? Marvellous.
So yesterday saw my first outing for McCabe against a local opponent with whom I have a split 50/50 record. Seemed an excellent opportunity for a first game, knew I'd be facing Arcanists but largely I ignored that in crew selection because I'm Guild now goddamit and it is therefore all about me clearly!
Game 1: Extraction
Normally I'd like to have throw something nice and survivable, a summoner or a very killy master into the middle here. McCabe kind of fits, kind of doesn't fit that description, in much the same way he kinda fits lots of descriptions. But McCabe it is! We knew that much going in so it's hardly a surprise!
- Convict labour on a flank board? Always a fan of that. Definitely one for the maybe pile.
- Show of force, usually a favourite no longer has the same appeal. McCabes upgrades naturally don't count and aren't cheap, so I suspected I wouldn't have a lot to go around in that regard.
- Exhaust their forces. Not a fan personally a savvy opponent can deny by either sacrificing their own models or frankly by running away.
- Mark for death. Do I try and live the dream? The Death Marshal constant boxing dream? No, probably not.
- Quick murder. There we go, there's something to get my teeth into.
With the above considered I went with:
Whilst I want to try Promises out on McCabe, I also REALY want to fully understand his upgrade/loan system, that being his core mechanic and all. The three upgrades seemed to give me a nice spread of defensive, offensive and maneuverability.
Whilst I want to try Promises out on McCabe, I also REALY want to fully understand his upgrade/loan system, that being his core mechanic and all. The three upgrades seemed to give me a nice spread of defensive, offensive and maneuverability.
Luna and the Hounds (not a punk band) would make Convict Labour simple enough, equally the Death Marshal/Executioner combo should let me threaten early game enough for Quick Murder. Pale Rider being survivable enough if played cautiously early game to hold the extraction marker.
My opponent put down Toni Ironsides, fire starter, 2 gunsmiths, Johan, arcane effigy and a couple of molemen. With 4 7ss models to choose between I plumped for the reckless 7wd fire starter.
Game went roughly to plan, Luna and the hounds had Convict Labour sewn up by the start of turn 2 and with a relatively slow opposition that had committed to the centre it seemed he had resigned to not being able to remove any markers. I over extended the death marshal early game (with boxed executioner inside), however my opponent did the same with fire starter using reckless to get him up the board to get burning on the Death Marshal so that the Gunsmith could light him up, which they most certainly did! Fortunately this popped the Executioner out within charge range of his target. Through judicious use of Soulstones and flipping the Fire Starter stayed alive but with only 1wd remaining. I forget who killed him, but he didn't last long. Admittedly neither did the Executioner, a fair model trade all in all and I got my 3vp from it critically.
I was now reasonably assured of at least 6vp, a good place to be end of turn 2. So now it became a case of throwing everything to the centre, whilst Luna ramn home to keep the hounds significant (this was probably a mistake). Pale rider, armed with the Glowing Sabre, was sat at min dmg 4 ignoring most everything, so went off to make friends with the molemen and effigy, the Wastrel strutted about throwing out an armour aura whilst McCabe himself got stuck in taking advantage of that df7. He would eventually get pull off his horse and murdered (being marked for death each time! Must keep an eye out for that in the future!) and both he and the pale rider gave up exhaust their forces.
In the end the game ended 9-9, last flip of the game killed a hound denying me that 4th Extraction point. If only Luna had hung around!
Lessons learned in short, the crew scores points but isn't great at denial. The dm/executioner combo will kill things but will die in return. Pale Rider with Glowing Sabre is hilarious. Need to find a use for dogs once they've scored points other than activations.
Game 2: Headhunter
Both feeling pretty good about the draw, me because of it being the first time using McCabe and my opponent because of the Ironsides handicap.- Convict Labour worked so well last time, I wonder if I can do it again on a standard board. Having a good Convict Labour tactic is golden I find.
- Show of force? Still nope.
- Hunting party? Maybe, definitely a maybe.
- Search the ruins, this one struck me as a challenge. More importantly, a challenge I could do!
- Quick murder I'm now reasonably confident I can pull off as before, all about that trade though.
In the end I went for Convict Labour (could I do it on a standard board?) and Search the Ruins, could I do it all?
In a shock move that will surprise anyone I have ever games with ever, I took exactly the same crew. No really, I really did. I have witnesses and everything. Opponent went for Colette, Cassandra, 2 Molemen, 2 Coryphee and Envy.
Once more Luna and the hounds had Convict Labour sorted by Turn 2, by turn 3 had made significant contributions to Search the Ruins. They then promptly haven my opponents Hunting Party. Whoops.
A reactivating nimble Death Marshal charging and Pine Boxing Colette made me laugh, the taxi'd Executioner promptly ate Envy, taking out scheme markers in the process for the extra attacks. Colette a standard acknowledged next turn but thanks to an amazing control hand and equally great flipping by the Death Marshal it took his entire crew. The Executioner tore lumps out of Colette before she sensibly teleported away.
Pale Rider did his thing, killed lots and pushed around placing scheme markers for Search the Ruins which combined with the Death Marshals finish the job got me Search the ruins.
It all came down to the last flips of the game where I moved the Rider to block line of sight to Cassandra so she couldn't be prompted to pick up a head. 9-8 victory to McCabe!
Great couple of first games and I've learned one very important details: I enjoy McCabe massively and that alone is enough to make me very happy right now!
Next week Guild McCabe Vs Ten Thunders McCabe
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