Irusk2 takes on Siege2

I do like your report style; it's concise and easy to read, and the pics are well placed.

And as to the battle report: if I've got the scales right from the pictures, I think you could have won that. Perhaps even won it easily. Here's some of my thoughts; feel free to call me up on anything I've got wrong

Turn 1: Artifice of Deviation is not a cloud, so you would have been better off plonking it over some of your models to give them cover. He's not the only one that can play the Dig In game, and whilst you only lost 3 Rifles, they were three Rifles you could have saved.

Also, Joe appears to have followed the right-hand unit of Rifles after giving them Tough? It's always better to keep someone like Joe central. His abilities are 'At any time', and he only needs one model from the unit to be in range to covey the benefit. So if he stays central he can reach either flank with his buffs, which is a massive deal.

Irusk can, and often should, cast Solid Ground, Artifice of Deviation and Fire For Effect on the first turn. Particularly when you are going first, as you'll get your focus back before your opponent can realistically attack you. Getting FFE out early is especially fantastic when you have things like the Mortars and Field Guns, as you can hot-swap it if the situation requires.

Turn 2: This is where Joe being central would have been amazing. You charge with the Rifle Corps, using the justification that trying to hit DEF17 with shooting was a bad time... but if you're in charge range, those Trenchers were within 9.5" of the Rifles. 12s to hit become 10 if you aim, and become 8s if Joe gives them a hand. That's a lot more managable. Same chance to hit as in melee, but you get more shots.

If there's some survivors, they're in range of the WGI, and if you use your minifeat they all get gunfighter sprays which ignore cover. You could almost mop up both flanks on that one turn.

Even without the Winter Guard Infantry pitching in, you would have been better shooting with the Rifles. Because you charged, you put the only thing on your left flank in range of his entire army, and he just mopped it up. You could have left them in an Artifice template; he'll struggle to hit DEF 16, and will struggle to charge/ run through the terrain to engage.

With the artillery, Fire For Effect is always great. A FFE Field Gun can knock a chunk off a jack, but the high knockdown chance is just as good really. A mortar doesn't really need help to hit a knocked down target! In the same vein, the Mortar doesn't need help to hit the Blockhouse, and the Blockhouse can't hide behind the trees because of the Massive rule. Likewise, the Rocket Turret is only DEF9 even when in the trench; with the Artillery Kaptain you hit on a 6 even if you don't get to aim.

After that:

The thing that mysteriously damaged your Spriggan was almost certainly Triumph. Not much you could have done there, as you needed the Spriggan to kill the Ironclad. Maybe Energiser around, perhaps?

Once it got to the endgame, I'm not sure that was winnable. But I'm reasonably confident it didn't need to get to that stage.

Thank you, I have been using Die Roll Stats, which I really like. But, Buy or Boost looks promising. I'll give it a try.

Thank you, I was kind of counting on that as well. But I think Irusk was led down by his puppeteer



This is a brilliant suggestion, why haven't I thought about that. I know the spell says cover, I have just never really paid much attention to it. I have been focused on the rough terrain part. I'll definitely use it.



Good point, it is now on my remember list for next time.



Excellent suggestion. That would probably have saved my left flank.



I am happy to hear that. Thank you for you comments. They have definitely given me food for thought.