The Road to War Pt 2: Assembling on the Field of Battle

My word... Its been a few weeks since my last article in the Road to War series. So, last time I discussed my list and my intents for each, and the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the lists. This time around I wanted to talk about some of the developments in using those lists, and talk a bit more about how we've been developing as a team in preparation for the OTC tournament.

Prepare for Combat!

So, we've been running our lists as tirelessly as we can based on our availability. I've been freeing up my Thursday nights for game play with the team, and so far its been moderately successful. Two of our team mates have been out regularly, with the other ones understandably busy with important matters such as family, work, etc., so we make do on our Thursday rows. We've only been playing each other and a handful of folks in our regular meta, so we haven't had a lot of experience, but the experience that we have been getting has been pretty good, and a lot of fun. This is the most amount of time I've committed to the use of any single caster over the past few months, so its interesting actually developing a strategy with a caster you're building tenure with. The Xerxis Fist of Halaak tier is kind of self explanatory but still needs work just to get the "feel" for it, but so far I haven't lost a game with it. So as we plug along, it's been cool watching the strategy unfold as we play.


What has been a question since we've started practising, is what are we going there for? Are we going there to carve names into our bats, or are we there to have a good time, meet new people. etc? Initially, with this being my first tournament, I was keen on the first impression and kicking some ass. But as we got further down the rabbit hole, I've realised that we don't necessarily have the mindset to be a competitive force. We don't have the resources to be constantly challenged with new armies, as we have a smaller meta and we like the lists we have. There's nothing particularly wrong with that, because we're all casual gamers, but as we have been gearing up, I think some of us have it in our heads that we're going to really beat down our opposition. As I've carried on, I've realized that this is less an opportunity for me specifically, to get some beats down, but rather to meet some of the folks in our wider-reaching Ontario Provincial Meta. Folks that have been rolling out for a while and have a larger group of people and better resources to support the hobby. My game has lightened up since realizing this, and while I have every intention to play a good game, It's all about meeting our boys and girls holding down the western front. I think the guys have come to this realization as well. I've noticed that our practice games have taken more of a Beermachine feel and less a grueling knuckle dragging brute force to win sort of vibe. The tournament is only a few weeks away, so I think now the focus is more about just figuring out the mechanics of our own lists and let the games play themselves.

I know, its not a very exciting entry, but the middle volume of every trilogy is a little dry....

 - S

The Road to War I: Marching Orders

And so here we are...


I've been thinking, over these past few days... The path to the OTC is becoming an interesting one. Having never done *any* competitive circuit, this has been an exciting experience. I've finally found myself hosting games at my own home, playing on average twice a week, and determining that one of the most powerful and popular lists in the meta right now is actually kind of easy for me, based on one of my lists (I do say that with a sense of reserved trepidation for obvious reasons. I've only played one person with the list, and while he seems to have a good handle on the strategy, I don't know how long he's been playing it for, but Bradigus has been known to the public since I think,July or August so really it could be anywhere between the two. I've been playing at least twice a week now (which is to say, I've been doing two nights a week, not two games a week ;)) so there's been a lot of experience gained in preparation of this event, and we six players seem to be getting pretty close to sorting our armies out. I've even been able to use this tournament as an opportunity to buy some new models, and try out some new strategies.

So I want to open by talking about my lists. 

My first list, which is kind of obvious when playing Skorne is the Fist of Halaak, Prime Xerxis list, but mine is a little different than most

Xerxis
Bronzeback Titan
Archidon
Cataphract Cetrati min
        Tyrant Vorkesh
Cataphract Cetrati Min
Cataphract Incindiarii Min
Cataphract Incindiarii Min
Tyrant Commander and Standard Bearer
Venator Catapult
Venator Catapult
Pain Giver Beast Handler Min

The oddity in this is the usage of catapults whereas the 6 points could've covered a bigger cataphract presence. The intent was to have an immediate answer to low armor infantry with a range 18 catapult with Advance Deploy under Xerxis' tier 3 benefit (All Venator light artillery gets advance deploy). Thats a threat range of 24 inches at deployment (21 if you go first). 

The second list is a bit more mechanically odd. This was developed almost exclusively as an Assassination list designed with Circle's Bradigus Wold War tier in mind, but I realized later on in the game that i had missed an opportunity to make it really awesome by not adding 2 Extoller Soulwards to deny cocealment, Camoflage and blocking LOS benefits for Brad's usage of Manakins for popping forests. It's still a pretty good list, but the extollers would've really made it shine. However, in usage, it still proved to be pretty solid. It sucks for taking objectives becasue it has only a handful of models, but each model does something specific.

Makeda and the Exalted Court
Aptimus Marketh
Reptile hound
Cyclops Shaman
Bronzeback Titan
Molik Karn

Tyrant Zaadesh
Reptile Hound
Reptile Hound
Reptile Hound
Cataphract Arcuarii Max
PainGiver Beast handlers Max

In Hindsight, I think the Arcuarii could've been removed for something a little more versatile. Initially they were meant to be a grab and grind for the manakins or any other small or medium based model to get ripped apart by a bunch of pow 11 Weapon masters after being dragged into the maw of the beast. Problem is that they're really only effective on round 2 due to the short range of their Harpoons. I think that the points would've been more effective, say with Nihilators or Incindiarii... The idea of having continuous fire as a potential threat while holding an objective may not necessarily be a bad idea, and is a bit more flexible in dealing damage... Meanwhile,  the concept behind this was the idea that three reptile hounds with Tyrant Zaadesh is a really scary thought. with Tag Team, and one of them having grievous wounds up and all of them within .5 inches of each other means that they are mat 7 and P+S 10 with 5 dice damage on the charge. Anyone who knows this knows that this combo in combat range is a guaranteed killer of almost anything, except maybe a colossal or gargantuan, and with Grievous wounds, Tough doesn't exist. so this serves as a strike force...except it doesn't. This is meant to draw fire and divert attention from the bigger threat which is the collection of the rest of the stuff coming along the warpath. It draws attention because it moves fast, so it buys a round of movement, and can likely take out something substantial. Why do I use it to divert attention instead of attaching it to the main force? Because I can't think of any other way to get them into combat to be honest. I figured that if I can't throw them at something, then I can at least bring them within range of an assault and try to leave a solid mark. To date they have killed one Bane Rider and one Troll Axer. Not much...but hey...

Before I forget, the Arcuarii Serve a second purpose... They can drag small and medium models with their harpoons. While this brings the models over to get slaughtered, they also remove obstructions to a charge lane for Molik Karn or Makeda. So far this has gotten both up close and personal with Bradigus, but has been just shy of taking his head in a manner most foul. Of course, Its a tricky list to play and I'm not comfortable with her yet, but I'm looking forward to getting the kinks out and showing what she can do.

Of course... I've focused on my Assassination list... Why Fist of Halaak for my other? Well to put it succinctly it works. If you look a the list of any Skorne player in the tournament list, you'll notice that all but one uses the Fist of Halaak tier with Xerxis. The tier gets shit done. the weapons deal out a lot of damage, and they are awesome at holding objectives and "the Line", especially on Xerxis' feat turn. This list, I don't think will get old for a while, as I'm curious as to how the different applications would apply. It's definetly not as interesting as its sister list, but it still does some cool stuff, and if you tweak it certain ways, it gets even more intriguing (Like with the Catapults). This is serving as my go to, acting as my security blanket if i need to cower behind an armor line at the tournament. Which is extremely likely to happen, being the twinky little runt in the tournament lol.

Of course, you'd have to ask, why am I doing this? Moreover, why am I making such a display of a simple tournament. Well, basically...

this is my very first tournament for any competitive game I have ever played. I've never been to a M:TG tournament, nor have I been to one for the old Star Wars CCG. I've never been to a 40K tournament either (A game that I never felt wholly comfortable with, but enjoyed for the short time I played it) so this is a bit of a big deal for me. I'm also hoping that some of the younger (or older) players who are just cutting their teeth on this game can get a taste of what to expect in the tournament scene. I think a part of me never having gone to one of these is due to me being nervous about not having the skill necessary to compete with better players... I've always played against people who had a much higher skill level and because of that, I've always been reserved about it. I'm hoping that through the "Road to War" Segments which will be in three parts (maybe more) will inspire players to consider the tournament scene to see what they can learn and what to do to prepare. 

The other reason, Well, I'm also looking forward to reaching out and shaking the hands with other members of the gaming community. As I understand, a large number of the bgger names in the Ontario meta are coming out. Teams like "Combo Smite", "Syndicate of Gaming" and "Chain Attack" are going to be coming out, (the event is being hosted by the Party Foul guys) and so this will give us a chance to meet these guys and pick their brains a bit and hopefully make some new friends. For me, specifically, I've been a Press Ganger for 6 months now and am pumped at the opportunity to meet some of my fellow Press Gangers from all around Ontario and some from Buffalo on the stateside. Theres a hell of a network out there, and its about time we became a part of it. 

In any event, thats it for me tonight. Part two will likely be about some of the practice that we're hoping to get in over the next few weeks and see how we are, and how sick we're going to be with our lists. 

*A Note By the way...Yes this article is dated almost a week after the OTC, but the Road to War was composed in its real time. I just got wrapped up with a bunch of things and wanted to edit the entire series prior to publication. This article was originally written on February 21,2015.*

The Road To War Prelude

So, as I've mentioned, myself and a few of my fellow Warmachine and Hordes players have enrolled in the Ontario Team Championships being hosted by the guys from Party Foul (Great guys by the way... check out their web page at http://partyfoulwmh.com/wp/ ) The road to get there ahs been interesting and has been quite the journey. I plan on documenting it in this little "Road To War" series which will likely be 2-4 entries long.

So, really, why am I documenting this? Its just a tournament..What's so special about that? The truth of it is manifold. I'm hoping that ambitious new players who are a little hesitant about jumping into competitive play have a bit of a primer, and are aware that they're not alone. Also, I will admit, a bit of it is self discovery. Never having played in anything outside of my local stores and "Basement-Machine", this has become a neat opportunity to see the game in a wider spectrum. There are a plethora of reasons, including some I probably haven't realised yet. but, onwards and upwards, as they say!!!

So, A long time ago, a friend of mine introduced me to Miniature wargaming. As I started to get into it, we got into a discussion about the competitive circuit, and he told me that it was a completely different animal from casual play. The folks there are more cutthroat and aggressive. I suspect its because in the competitive circuit, there is a goal that extends beyond the parameters of the game. Some folks take it in stride, and some throw themselves right into it. Of course, in light of this, I have upped my approach to my game. Those that know me know that I tend to play with a bit of a flight of fancy. I've played this game for about two years now, and I've never been particular about who I use. Hell I've been known to ad lib lists at the drop of a hat with very little structure and theme. Of course as we've joined the OTC, that game has changed significantly. Since we've joined, I've played two lists exclusively (If you're curious to see, go to the Ontario Team championships section of Party Foul's web page and look for the Motor City Maniacs Team roster and lists. I'm the Skorne player). It's been extremely rewarding playing these two lists repeatedly. I was worried that they would get tedious and boring, but I've found that discovering your own weaknesses is just as intriguing as finding your opponents', and really opns you up to the experience of the game. I guess its this sort of thing that drives people to play at this level because the level of game experience is a whole new level. I have every pretense that my ass will be handed to me at almost every game but i'm looking forward to getting all the dishing available. But what I really like is that its a team championship. It' not just you vs them, but rather your crack team of players against other crack teams. One of the things I've really enjoyed has been the discussions we've had at "team meetings" (which is a tight term for a loose get together of whoevers available) where we look at the tactica or each list. I was uber excited when I realized that I have a list that can easily break one of the most sought after Circle of Orboros' lists (even though the unlocking key to this was discovered by me after my list had been submitted).  Also learning about other army strengths based on list build has been really cool as we've discussed how each of our builds is in terms of what we have to offer and what to look out for. I'm finding some solid rewards in preparing for the OTC, and some cool ideas have come to mind when it comes to preparation, and i'd like to share them...

A) Have a rudimentary idea of what you want to play: Do you want to play a beast rush/Jack rush? Are you a "Dude-spammer" (Do you prefer to run infantry heavy)? Are you a synergist? Know what and how you want to play.

B) Think of a list that caters to your playstyle. Then think about what breaks it. Then play against the crap that breaks it to see how well you can hold up against it.


C) Play a list thats out of your comfort zone. My second list for OTC is an Assassination Run list and I have never run assassination Run...the idea scares the shit out of me, but i run it anyway. I suggest this becuase as you see how other models work, you nay see a pattern or ability that you may not have considered that complements your list. (As a point of reference, by doing this, I was able to figure out how to beat that circle list by doing this, and was amazed at what I discovered)

D) Play Play Play! rack up experience. Play different people playing different armies. you don't necessarily need to eat sleep and shit Warmahordes (depending on your goals) but if you hope to do well, sitting on your ass reading Time Life Magazine is not going to pay dividends in victory (unless you plan on distracting your opponents with current events discussion).

E) If you're playing on a team, communicate with your membership. see what they're playing and what challenges they are prepared for and which ones are truly difficult for them. If you're not on a team, talk to other players about their lists and factions. Become knowledgeable in how they work. It gives you a distinct advantage.

Once you have this on deck...You're ready to start working! Eyes open kids, The Road to War begins here!

A haunting short...

Good evening,  Viewers (in my best Hitchcock voice)

The following was a short written by Jason Mallory, one of the Cygnar players in our fold. Jason has a knack of turning battle reports into really well-put together narratives that really capture the essence of the played factions. While the following is not based on a battle report, it certainly gives you a taste of his style...

Enjoy!

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The acrid stench of mud, burning coal and gunpowder filled Kieran's nostrils.  He absently wiped his forehead with back of his hand, merely streaking the mud that was there with more mud from his hand.  His regiment had been stationed on Cygnar's eastern borders for weeks.  While they had been moved here to counter the Skorne menace, it was now incursions by the Menites that had seen him calling these muddy trenches home for the past three days.

“How's it looking out there?”

Kieran slid back down into the trench and shook his head.  “Can't see much out there between the darkness and the smoke.  No signs of any of those damned Menites.”

A fellow Trencher, James strode over to Kieran and pulled his helmet off.  Breathing a sigh of relief, he absent his stubble-covered jaw with his hand and reached into a pocket, pulling out a hand-rolled cigarette.  Using flint from his jacket James lit his cigarette and took a long drag.  The cigarette accented his sunken features and scars that showed just how long James had fought in the trenches.

“I guess we've earned a break,” James said.  “Bout time.  Was starting to think that they emptied their precious Protectorate...”

Plucking the cigarette from James' lips, Kieran took a long pull before handing it back to its owner.  “Break or no break, I'm leaving the helmet on.  You think they've retreated?”

“Not likely.  Probably just redeploying.  Enjoy the silence while it lasts, my friend.  Morrow only knows when they'll push in again.”

“Ever the optimist, huh?  I hope that they've had enough for...”

The ground shook beneath their feet, subtly at first, but each tremor was heavier and louder than the last.  James threw his helmet back on and readied his rifle.  “Incoming warjack!” he called out.  “Any idea whose it is?”

Kieran stepped up to the trench's edge and peered out over the darkened landscape.  He made out the eyes burning in the distance first, but couldn't make out any other details.  “It's a heavy jack... can't tell anything yet...”

The smell reached him first... coal, oil and the nearly saccharine sweetness of incense that clung to all things Menite.  “It's a Menoth jack!  Take up defensive positions!”

Striding out of the smoke and darkness was a Crusader.  It had seen battle already, but its Inferno Mace was still tightly clenched in its hand as it neared the trenches.

“We can't take down something like that,” James said under his breath.  “We need to get out of here.”

Kieran was realizing the same thing and was about to give the order to withdraw when another large shadow barrelled out of the smoke and through a blue armored shoulder into the Crusader.  The trenchers cheered as the Ironclad knocked the Crusader off balance and kept up its momentum with a swing of the Quake Hammer.  The air filled with a shockwave as the hammer let out a seismic blast that knocked the Cygnaran soldiers back into the trench and drove the Crusader to its knee.  With a massive overhead swing, the hammer fell again, tearing off the boiler on the back of the warjack and sending it face down into the dirt.

A cheer of victory rose from the filthy men and women in the mud as the Ironclad scanned the horizon and moved off to engage other threats.

“Never been so glad to see one of those hunks-of-junk,” James said with a lopsided grin.

Kieran smiled and nodded, but paused and turned back toward the field of battle.  He could see less now than before with the smoldering wreck of the Crusader not far away, but he felt he could see something out in the darkness beyond.

“Something up?” James asked, the celebration instantly dropped from his voice.

“Not sure.  I think there's more inbound.”

Cheers turned to cries of agony to Kieran's right and he instantly shouldered his rifle.  Pouring over the edge of the trench came the Knights Exemplar.  The white armor was streaked with dirt and the blood of previous opponents as they came down on the Cynaran line.  There was no war cry, only the sound of death wrought by the enforcers of their merciless God.

Kieran side stepped the knight that came down on him blade first and struck the Menite with the butt of his rifle, pushing him away just far enough to bring the gun up and get a shot off, sending the Menoth soldier into the dirt.

Readying his rifle, he tried to quickly reload as James struggled with another Exemplar.  James was driven to the ground, using his rifle to parry the incoming swings.  The relic blade spit the barrel in half in one swing and with another swing, the sword came down on James' chest.

“James!” Kieran yelled, forgetting trying to reload his rifle.  He charged in, raising his bayonet.  The knight turned, with his blade at the ready.  The relic blade came around and Kieran attempted to dodge.    The two soldiers collided and Kieran felt a smug satisfaction as he saw his bayonet slide under the helmet of the knight, puncturing the Menite's neck, but felt the sharp bite of the Exemplar's sword cutting his flesh.  They collapsed to the floor of the trench and Kieran passed out from the pain, listening to the Menoth soldier's gurgling last breath.

***

Kieran came to to find the field of battle silent.  He was cold and weak and his uniform clung to him like a second skin, thanks to the drying blood clinging to his injury.  The bodies of Cygnarans and Mintes alike lined the trench.  It was unclear by the body count whether either side could have claimed victory.

Cluthing his side where the Exemplar cut him, Kieran limped to the side of the trench and tried to climb out of the damp hole in the ground.  He could see dawn's light over the edge and he was eager to get out of the wet earth.  As he pulled himself up onto the grass, he felt even colder than when he had been standing ankle deep in rainwater.  Standing at the center of the battlefield, as a figured wrapped in tattered robes, his iron skeleton standing with arms wide.  A green glow seemed to ooze from his frame, as the souls of the fallen were extracted and absorbed by the lich lord that had found his way to the bloodstained ground.

Kieran's eyes shot open, as he felt the cold steel of a bayonet pierce his back.  Gasping for air, he fell to his knees.  He turned back to see James looming overhead, his intestines visible through the slash in his body, his eyes glowing with a dull green light, as he was puppeted by his new Cryxian masters.  James wrenched the bayonet free and Kieran fell onto the grass.  The pain he had felt a moment before was rapidly fading away to numbness and cold.

As the daylight faded from his eyes, he was filled with new purpose.  No longer encumbered by something as mortal as pain, Kieran stood and turned to his new master, ready to serve.

Much ado about much...

So, its been an interesting time since my last post. I tried to use a different medium for a time which dissipated like a fart in the wind, so im back to using ol'' reliable: Blogger.

I did a re-read of some of my last posts and it has been many months since my last post and there has been a great deal happening around the meta. We've had a few snags offset by really cool moments and changes.

A) The Meat and Metal group facebook name has been changed to "Durham Region Ontario Warmachine and Hordes" due to a change in our meta, highlited in"B". The point is to ensure that we are an official group rather than a bunch of people with some "Group name". This has created a sense of authenticity. While, internally, we are the Meat and Metal group of Durham, the DROWoH moniker seems more...legit...

B) Durham region now has a Press Ganger, and you're currently reading his Meta blog. In September, I was officially inducted into the Press Gang for PP. (For those not in the know, a Press Ganger is the official volunteer representative of Privateer Press. the position generally means that I can run Privateer Press events under the sanction of PP directly, and serve as a sort of focal point between Privateer Press and the meta of my region.) So far, as a PG, Not much has happened as my PG status came in just at the cusp of the start of my busy season, which came in handy for both Phantasm, and the Exigence release event. (I'll have a separate entry for Phantasm a little later. If any locals are reading this,  Phantasm is definitely worth checking out...). But the 2015 year holds a LOT of promise...

C) Holy hell have I done a lot of painting...and have gotten much better for it. I had to pass up a weekend course with Meg Maples because I couldn't afford it nor could I get the time off work, but I did manage to have a few brief conversations with her online and got some good tips for priming and basing. If any of you get the chance, check out her Arcane Paintworks Blog and gallery. she's damned good. It's no wonder PP picked her up for her mad skillz. Shes quite easy to talk to, and doesn't mind talking shop if shes not busy. Some of my headline projects this year have been Tyrant Zaadesh from the Exigence release; My Cygnar battlebox jacks; the two Khador Heavies from the starter box (Juggernaut and Destroyer); Most of my Four Star Battlebox (With Magnus); and most recently, my entry for the Press Gang Secret Santa, Thrullg. Also, over the years that i have been doing phantasm, I have had some support from some great people, and for their help, I have offered to paint minis as a thanks. This year, I have opted to do a battle box for my friends Circle of Orboros army, and have further offered to help her paint the rest of her army to build up my portfolio (I mean, its not like I don't have models...HAH!). Its fallen a bit on the backburner, but with the start of 2015, I aim to pick it back up and hopefully have the BB done by end of january to mid February. Some of my work will likely get posted in the next few days as I try to play pick up with some of the articles I've been meaning to write over the past few months. I've gotten far enough in my painting to start offering a bit of commission work to help pay for this crack addiction that is Miniature war gaming. 

Most interestingly, though, is the stepping up of our game. Recently I was asked to participate in the Ontario Team Championships by some friends in my meta. Never having really participated in a large tournament like this, I am, understandably, in a combined state of panic and delight. I'm primarily excited because I'll finally get to shake hands with some of my fellow Press Gangers who have been around for years. there's a lot of experience to draw upon, and some new friends to be made, and for that I am absolutely excited, and looking forward to really jumping into the pool that is this community. Now I just have to play like I know the game...HAH! I've spent so much time organizing lately that I haven't played in months. its taken me forever to generate my lists for the tournament, but I think I'll be ready at least enough to know my game and hopefully score a few wins. I'm also going to try and get some time in working at the Southern Ontario Open, one of the biggest tournaments in Ontario, and usually the priming grounds for the Masters and the World Champion Circuit. That is sure to be one hell of an experience, and one I can't wait for.

And so as I've been bantering about the bigger news, time to retract and discuss the more domestic.I am aiming to host a few hobby nights this month to kind of reacquaint others with the hobby, and drum up some interest. If all works out, then this will hopefully be the lead in for the first Journeyman league this coming February. I just need to clear it with the store.If I time it right, the journeyman will link right into the 2015 league story arc and allow players to jump right into league play, and roll each other out on the tarmac. From there, hopefully, we'll get some new players and some interesting new meta opportunities...and from there..who knows?

I am more than sure that 2015 will yield some amazing opportunities. The real question is to you: Are you going to sit on the sidelines, or are you going to carve your name into the plaque of challengers?

Hoep to see you there ;)

- Shawn aka PG_Keldin

Ashen Fields - A Magnus the Traitor Short

             So, the following is a short story about Magnus the Traitor. I wrote this almost a year ago when I first started looking at Mercs as my first Warmachine Army. I had already been playing Skorne for a few months and had understood a good portion of the fluff surrounding Magnus' allegiance to the deposed king Vinter Raelthorne IV, and his devotion to returning his former King to the Cygnaran throne. the following story involves Magnus in combat against an unnamed Cygnaran Warcaster and his allegiances with Skorne as they were at the time of the writing. I apologize, by the way as my knowledge of the Iron Kingdoms' geography was not known to me at the time, so some of the geographic mentions are not going to be accurate, and i'm too damn lazy to fix it. Otherwise, Enjoy!!!!!

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Ashen Fields - A Magnus the Traitor short

     As arcing missiles flew overhead, he breathed in the smoke, air and exhaust. Almost as if it were sustenance, Magnus felt at home on this battlefield. Dubbed "The Traitor" by Cygnarians loyal to Leto Raelthorne, Magnus was a loyal servant and war caster to Leto's deposed brother, Vinter Raelthorne IV.  Having spent a large part of Vinter's exile in hiding, Magnus chose this as his time to strike in the name of his fallen sovereign leader. This  outpost along the Moran road bordering Ord and Cygnar proper was an outpost that had see little action, and with the diplomatic breakdown between Ord and Cygnar due to the Cryxian landing on Ordian shores, this was sure to escalate the issue further. Donning Cygnarian uniforms, Magnus took advantage of the current political upheaval to stage an assault on the outpost, relating the illusion that Cygnar was mobilizing against Ord after a threat of invasion to bolster its holdings and weaken Cynar after its unwillingness to support them against the Cryxian forces moving inland. Magnus needed to exercise caution, for while the advantage was his, he knew that Cygnar had resorted to the use of mercenaries to patrol the outlands of Cygnar. To make matters worse, he had recently been informed that the Inquisitor Non Grata, Harlan Versh, had been in the area recently. While he and Versh were on fairly neutral terms, he did not want to give him a reason to turn his resources against him. While he was Non Grata with the Inquisition, he still commanded a strong component of their resources and had entry taken company with Rutger Shaw and Taryn di la Rovissi during the Rise of the Convergence of Cyriss. It was safe to assume that if he kept the company of those two, then they could potentially be a threat. While it was known that they served no other than their pockets, Shaw was a former Trencher and Taryn a Former Llaese noble, might still have some tenuous allegiance to their respective homes and rally forces to Ord's defence. While a threat looming in the back of his mind, Magnus couldn't care less at this moment. This was where he was master. This was when he was truly in his element, and he would not be stopped. Ushering a mental command to the Mule 'Jack, the coal furnace roared to life and it began to groan and shake as it built up pressure in its lobbing gun arm as it pressurized the cannon to fire. He casually glanced back at the machine and waved his finger in a forward motion. With a loud crack , the missile took off into the air and sailed toward a group of gun mages laying down fire, occupying Magnus' own Trencher battalion. As the missile nosed down towards the Gun Casters, it landed dead on in the fray, and detonated in a massive explosion, throwing them in all directions, most of them landing, dead before they even hit the ground.  One lone and valiant gunman dared to get up and managed to squeeze off one last round before being sent to his doom by the sound of rifle fire. The battle was going well, but he knew that Ord would send a horse for reinforcements. While this was exactly what he hoped for, he hoped to leave very little and needed this fight to be over quick. He had arranged for his Skorne allies to send reinforcements just in case an additional patrol would show and there had been no sign of the support. He didn't suspect they needed it but if they could inflict a maximum amount of damage in a minimal amount of time, then they'd be able to bolster some of their arms and armor before leaving the battlefield. As the thought finished in his mind, a large mechanical monster came into view, bearing the mark of the Steelhead legion. "Shit" thought Magnus. " I had expected to have a bit more time". As the mechanical jack loomed into view, Magnus' face drew a more exaggerated frown, when he enlisted that he was not face to face to a standard Jack, but realized with sudden awe, that he was witnessing the fielding of a Wroughtiron Rockram. Very few of these machines existed, and were either in the enlistment of well-to-do mining companies or extremely well off mercenary companies. Even still, they weren't heavily manufactured, as there were only maybe about forty known Rockram jacks between Ord, Llael and Cygnar. Rumour had it that the Khadorans had acquired one, but all that meant was that there was one less in the immediate fielding range. Making this destroyer his primary target, he mentally commanded the jack to focus all fire on the Rockram, and as he did so, he began to internally focus his abilities as he reached deep within himself to draw upon his caster abilities for one of his most devastating weapons. A spell that rent earth and iron apart like so much. Weak tin. As he found his focus, his mechanical right arm raised and pointed at the jack. As the mule. Built up pressure to open fire on the Rockram, the air around Magnus began to hum and crackle as a ring of light began to engulf that which was once his right arm. At the apex of growing power Magnus roared as he let loose his spell and seemingly out of nowhere a massive explosion threw the Rockram backwards. Magnus had forced himself to the edge of his limits to make this spell as devastating as possible to make this spell truly destructive. And while the spell was heavily taxing, it's dividends truly seemed to pay off as the Rockram sailed through the air. Scorched and blackened, the jack appeared a wreck, and almost turned his back until he noticed the machine landing on its feet, and leveled its sledge cannon towards the mule jack. With a roaring discharge, the Rockram fired what appeared to be physical Armageddon, and when the mule was struck, the air was filled with a sound that could only be described as the jack screaming in utter pain for about three seconds. Magnus wasted no time in diving to his right, and when the screaming stopped, the air was eerily quiet for a moment. Once Magnus had gained his senses from the concussive he stood up and looked over the smoke rich battlefield. He looked to where his trusty mule stood, and found a heap of slag, the only thing identifying the jack was the two legs that stood malformed in the place where the mule once supported its caster. Magnus looked a t the massive construct and saw that while it still had major potential to devastate the battlefield, it was heavily damaged. He suddenly smiled as opportunity made itself known to him. A weapon that powerful would go great lengths in helping Master Raelthorne retake his throne. While the jack was clearly damaged, Magnus had enlisted the services of a young mechanic named Calin Dronward, and had no doubts that the obviously foreign mechanics of a Rockram would in no time reveal its servers to Calin. Magnus began running to the perhaps where his riflemen were perched. In a matter of moments he found the commanding officer of the rifle crew and stumbled towards him. Knowing Magnus to be a man lost to the throngs of battle Varius Ness found it strange to find his general to be so far back from the lines.

"Sir, to which do we owe the honor on the field of battle?" Magnus growled through the pain in his leg " dispense with the formalities Varius." He said curtly. "We be got a jack down there with some devastating firepower. Tell your riflemen and long gunners to with for their war caster. If we don't take him out now then the fight is lost". Varius replied "why not take out the jack? It's likely that the war caster is behind the lines manipulating the thing. My guns are good, but they aren't that good. To take out the aster puts the rifles well within the range of their support jacks and guns, not to mention closing distance for their militia". Magnus angrily replied " don't dispute me Varius, I want that weapon, and your rifles are the key to obtaining it. Take out their caster. I will deal with the militia." As the riflemen began their motion towards their position, a squad of Ord Trenchers broke through the smoke and charged Magnus. Drawing his hand cannon, he leveled it and fired two shots, each one taking a trencher in the face. As the Trenchers closed, Magnus holstered his gun and drew his sword, Foecleaver, and prepared for melee. Magnus would be surprised again today, for as the Trenchers closed the gap, seemingly out of nowhere, a number of hooded men in red cloaks materialized and with murderous grace, carved up the Trenchers with disturbing and unrestricted ease. The fabled Skorne Bloodrunners were not unknown to Magnus, but to see them performing their craft was both beautiful and mind-numbingly vicious to behold. As the Bloodrunners finished their bloody work, another explosion ripped through the air, as the Rockram was ripped apart with another explosion just like the one Magnus had created not moments before. The Rockram fell to the ground, but fell less ceremoniously as it crumpled to the ashes. Still somewhat intact, the machine was out of the fight. Magnus turned back to find a familiar face standing  a few feet from where the Bloodrunners seemingly came out of thin air. Holding his double bladed spear, Magnus wasn't sure if he should be elated or concerned at the arrival of Lord Tyrant Hexeris. A noble among the houses of the Skorne, he was a loyal supporter of Archdomina Makeda, ruler of the Skorne forces in Eastern Immoren. She had united an entire caste of people under one ruler ship and was rumoured to be a master of the use of the sword. While happy at the arrival of The Lord tyrant, Magnus kept his composure. He strode to Hexeris and stared him up. " a little late, aren't you" Magnus mused. Clearly not taken to humour, Hexeris leveled Magnus with a harsh and uncompromising stare. Had Magnus not known better he might have expected that Hexeris might have leveled his staff as well and destroy him without a second thought. "You have done well, human, but do not think that because we share a battlefield that we are friends. You are here to serve a purpose as am I, and it would be best that we saw those purposes to the same end. Save your musings for your inferior men". Not being one to miss a queue, Magnus brought Hexeris up to speed on the situation. Hexeris was already aware of the situation as he and his Bloodrunners had been watching the battle for some time, and were aware of the plan Magnus had to re-purpose the Rockram. While this machine would be a devastating weapon, Hexeris had no fear of this human using it against him and his kin. He knew he could level both man and machine with a single thought, and, if he really wanted to, make him serve willingly after his death. After the update, Hexeris nodded towards his Bloodrunners and they vanished. Hexeris would claim this victory, not Magnus, but he would let the human keep his toy.  A Magnus surveyed the field once again, he saw the Bloodrunners perform their dirty work on dozens of Trenchers and militia. Eventually, the Bloodrunners fell, one at a time, but this did not deter them from their art. By the time the last of them had been killed by gunfire, or a lucky swing with a sword or an axe, the Ordic militia was but a handful of soldiers and their caster. The caster had begun to make way for the stables, and Magnus was not going to let this jack commander flee the field. He took to the field, running like a man whose life was n the line. He didn't seem to notice, but the fallen soldiers that had been cut apart by the Bloodrunners had begun to stand up on their own and by the time Magnus was a mere few feet from the stable, a small army had gathered behind him. Having heard the commotion behind him, he turned to see a trencher militia a mere twenty feet behind him. Fearing a betrayal, he drew his Foecleaver and leveled it to cut the Trenchers down, but was stunned when they walked right past him. Magnus turned about far and found the stable surrounded by undead Ordic militia and two trencher Crews with the mark of the Steelheads clamoring to stop the war aster from fleeing he battlefield. The doors blasted open as a horse burst forth from the stable and began to flee to the road. As the lynch mob of mercenaries and Ordic militia closed in on the horse, escape very quickly became untenable as hands reached to pull the rider from the horse. As a crowd of hands reached up, the unfortunate caster was unhorsed and buried under a flurry of heavy punches and stab wounds. As Magnus closed the distance, the crowd of undead began to part as Hexeris made his way towards the battered and bleeding caster. As Hexeris came up to the mutilated but still conscious and living body, he looked upon the Mage, a look of unimpressed disappointment, and unceremoniously thrust his spear into the casters chest, ending his life on the spot. As life left the casters body the army of undead collapsed as if on queue. Hexeris looked at Magnus and gave him an evil grin. Without breaking his gaze, he lowered his rot hand and wagged his index finger in a summoning motion. The caster's eyes flared open, and he rose. Hexeris muttered something in a foreign language, and the warcaster moved to the fallen Rockram. There was still some part of the warcasters spirit left, as the body was resisting The Lord Tyrant's command, but the Skorne warlock was more than the caster could resist. The caster knelt down over the Rockram and began chanting. As he continued, his body began to glow and the glow extended to the jack. As the radiant light became brighter, the jack began to move. At the apex of light, the caster screamed as if his very soul was being burned to its core and after a moment of tormenting screams a bright flash emitted from the caster and it was suddenly very quiet. When the light had subsided, the jack began to writhe and then it began to stand up. The motions were laboured and bordering on impossible, but the machine did it. Once it had stood on its feet, the machine simply stood there, with its head bowed, but its cortex fully restored. It was still very badly damaged, but nothing that Calin couldn't fix. Magnus stood dumbfounded, and looked to where Hexeris stood to find the warlock standing next to him. The suddenness of his appearance startled Magnus, and almost missed what he had said. Without looking at the Traitor, Hexeris spoke "I told you when you came to Immoren that betrayal would be met with an eternity of torment beyond imagining. I also told you that serving us loyally would show you rewards. Consider this a mutual understanding of our cause, and an uncharacteristic act of goodwill. You willingly led your men into combat, led your men to die for the benefit of our agenda. As it would be a waste for such a weapon to be left behind, consider this a gift. Pray that you're ever aware of your loyalties" he then leaned in "because my power is beyond that of a simple machine, regardless of its firepower." With that statement, Hexeris turned back to the woods and strode off. Magnus glanced back at the Rockram and then back at Hexeris only to find the warlock had disappeared. Wearing a look of suspicion and delight. He sarcastically replied to the open air "thanks". After marveling at the machine one more, he tapped into the cortex of the jack and commanded it forward as he met up with the riflemen. As he debriefed them, he knew that at this point, there was no turning back.

This was only the beginning...

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I hope you enjoyed it! :)

~ Shawn

Welcome aboard, ye salty dogs...

As some of you may know, Durham region (Thats Durham Region ONTARIO, not UK) has been on the rise with a flourishing Warmachine and Hordes community. The problem is that nobody talks, and nobody walks. the pockets of people that play tend to be small and exclusive. 

One night, over several rounds of Somersby at Riley's Pub in Oshawa, a number of us decided it was time to take the exclusivity out of the hobby and make it more communal. It began with the establishment of the Durham Meat and Metal Facebook Page (which is generally admin'ed by myself and a handful of others). Since the facebook page went live, we now boast a membership of 19 like minded folks who play a variety of factions. I, myself play primarily Skorne and Mercs. I also have a Legion of Everblight Starter army with Ogrun Spears and my hope of starting a Cygnar army was recently realized when I finally found the starter, and also bought Arlen Strangewayes and Commander Adept Nemo (P-Nemo). 

So this is what we're doing here... We're starting shit. We're bringing the game to the internet and getting you to get excited; we're here to get you thinking, tinkering and tweaking. We're here to give you ideas and to get ideas from you. As this blog starts to roll forward, other members may begin to add to this page, giving painting tips, tactica, battle reports, and even fan fiction, because...well, lets be honest, those who play this game really really get into it. Hell, even I've written a short Magnus the Warlord fiction where he has teamed up with Lord Tyrant Hexeris taking on a poor hapless Journeyman Warcaster working for Cygnar, which takes place just after the wrap-up of the Convergence of Cyriss reveal. 

So, with all of that being said, and so much more yet to say, bring your interests, questions and thoughts. if you want in on this community, all you need to do is visit Meat and Metal Durham Region. The only prerequisites are to be interested in the games and not to be a dick. Otherwise, you'll fit in just fine!

- Shawn