So a few practice games in and this seems to be doing the work against Uthuk and Waiqar. Latari are still TBC but here is one battle report.
Daqan - Hawthorne's Heroes:
3 x 2 Spearman
Lance Corporal
Eagle-Banner Bearer
3 x 1 Heavy Crossbowmen
Rank Discipline
Tempered Steel
2 x 1 Rune Golems
Visored Helms
2 x 2 Oathsworn Cavalry
Bull Pennon
Lord Hawthorne
Shield of Margath
Might of Daqan
Terrain Cards
4 x Rocky Outcrops / Spikes
Uthuk - The Ynnferrnal Horde
Ravos:
Insatiable Hunger
Keth'ra
Shield of Margath
Kingsbone Armour
2 x 2 Flesh Rippers
Dead Sprint
Rank Discipline
2 x 1 Spined Threshers
Scuttling Horror
2 x 1 Spined Threshers
Scuttling Horror
Terrain Card:
2 x Raider's Camp / Desecrated Chapel
2 x Bone Totem / Over turned Cart
Deployment:
Standoff
Demoralise Their Forces
Being at 200 points means that Daqan never have initiative. Most lists these days hover around 196 - 199 but that's OK.
In the practice games, the start has always been the same. Hawthorne deploys within range of the Spearman and Crossbowmen and uses his ability for two turns. The Spearman and Crossbowmen also Rally the first turn. Some times even twice, depends on the opponent.
Now in the two games against Uthuk, Raider's Tent was deployed. We also had one Rocky Outcrop (surprise!) and one Bone Totem. The Crossbowmen deployed within range 5 of the Raider's tent which was on the right side of the board and the Rune Golems managed to squeeze in at an angle just in front of the Crossbowmen to stop the Flesh Ripper dive and my Lord did it work . .
Flesh Rippers dived into the tent and then took damage from the Crossbowmen. Next turn the Rippers dived out and charged the Rune Golems. Now with Visored Helms, they took only a single wound. The Flesh Rippers however got shot again by the Crossbowmen, taking nine damage and then the Rune Golems got a nice natural roll and done another eight damage. The Flesh Rippers were dead. . . by turn two. The moral test came up with an immobilize token which given the state of the board, actually contributed to the Rune Golems never engaging again.
Meanwhile, Ravos and Keth'ra moved up with two 2 x 1 Spined Threshers roughly in the centre. The Oathsworn danced about and delayed an engagement with one of the Spined Thresher units on the left side for three turns, which helped but it was the Spearman and Crossbowmen that did all the work.
On turn three, the Spined Threshers were at range 2 of the Spearman, Ravos was close by and Keth'ra was with the other Spined Thresher unit, about to eat the Oathsworn.
The Spined Thresher's charged and luckily (or unlucky, depending on who you are rooting for) only managed three damage on the Spearman. The Crossbowmen fired into the Spined Threshers for a whooping nine damage, (Morale test came up Severity two so nought happened) Ravos slammed into the back of the Spined Threshers (Scuttling Horror didn't move them enough out of the way) and a late, REALLY LATE melee activation from the Spearman wrecked the Spined Threshers. With a Red/Hit and a Blue/Hit showing after re-rolls (the blue was originally double surge) + the hit modifier, that was yet another nine damage. One Spined Thresher died and the other had two wounds left. Eagle Banner then spent two Inspiration tokens and the entire unit was struck down. . .
Lord Hawthorne used his ability again this turn, essentially being the world's highest point cheerleader . . .
The Oathsworn charged into the Spined Threshers with an early charge, managing two wounds but the Spined Threshers were smart, revealed a melee action with hit + surge and essentially killing four Oathsworn in return.
Ravos used Hunger to collide with the Spearman and kill the last Spearman, reducing the back rank and their re-rolls to partial.
Now this was my favorite turn.
Spearman dialed in a yellow stance melee + Lance Corp hit modifier. . as Daqan had initiative this round, this happened before Ravos could swing. After the partial re-roll . . . . . twelve damage ! (Red/Double hit + Blue/Hit + white hit enhance modifier). Ravos couldn't believe it. . . Hawthorne couldn't believe it, my cats couldn't believe it . . and then the Eagle Banner spent the Inspiration for the mortal.
Ravos. Had. Died.
The Spined Threshers killed the Oathsworn in retaliation, but not before taking another two wounds. Keth'ra reformed, ready to join the fray and the Rune Golems tried to do the same but found themselves immobilized.
The crossbowmen fired at nothing as they expected there to be a smiling, man-bag wearing bloated Obscene still standing . .
Lord Hawthorne however, reformed, dropped his pom-poms and pointed his noble steed at the Spined Threshers.
Next turn, the Spined Threshers Scuttled into Hawthorne, denying him an objective token. Hawthorne revealed a yellow melee action however and armored up, dealing two more damage. They then reformed to deny any further flank bonus and also blocked Keth'ra from Hawthorne (or Hawthorne from Keth'ra, again, matter of perspective.) due to Scuttling to avoid Hawthorne's charge. The Crossbowmen and Spearman reformed to try and join the fight but at this stage, the Spearman would not be contributing any thing further to the fight.
Now with Hawthorne engaged with the Spined Threshers, naturally he swung with the yellow melee action and armored up to five again. He managed two wounds, which was about as good as Hawthorne could hope for. Keth'ra moved and used her ability to wound both the Spined Thresher and Hawthorne but was now in a position to flank Hawthorne. The Spined Thresher then swung at Hawthorne and got an excellent roll, Red/Hit + Hit, Red/Hit + hit modifier dealing a whooping eight damage. Hawthorne took a wound and the Spined Thresher fell to the Shield of Margath.
With exceptional luck, the Crossbowmen were just, JUST in range of Keth'ra . . nine damage later . Keth'ra was down to one wound. . . .
Last turn and it was a hero face off. Hawthorne swung at thin air at I2 but armored up once more and Keth'ra charged at I4 into Hawthorne, the first flank of the game. KingsBone bounced off and Keth'ra only managed a single wound against against the Hero of Seragart who proceeded to smash her skull in with the Shield of Margath. The Lance Corporal, seeing the brutality that Hawthorne was administering to the now lifeless body of the Blood Queen, turned his men around and left him to it. . . ordering his men to collect the bodies of the valiant Oathsworn or what was left of them.
Daqan win - MOV = 143 points.