For those of you familiar with my previous antics Octoskull, Snig's Zombie Horde, and Epic Firestorm, here is yet another tale of Themed Warband Daring (tm).

We ran a 100pt night last night. I have been on a streak of winning the themed band prize at our store the last few times i played, so i wanted to keep it up. This time though, i was able to put some effort into a viable band. I tested two bands, and chose to go with the Wall of 25: Battle Plate Marshal, Dwarf Phalanx Soldier x4, Tordek, Dwarf Fighter, and Hill Dwarf Warrior. The goal is simple: Form a line, and watch them crash into it. Then attack.

1st Matchup (loss) - Warden of the Wood, Steelheart Archer x2, Hunting Cougar x2, Twig Blight x2.
Map: Keep of the Fallen Kings.
We manuevered for 3 rounds before there was any true engagement, and 5 rounds before a casualty. His archers couldn't hit the Wall, and i was able to keep his targeting for FlameStrike less than optimal for most of the combat. When time was called, i had his Warden surrounded and ready to die, but he was up on points. All i needed was another round. I made some minor mistakes: BPM took too long joining the fight (paranoid of flamestrike) and i kept a Phalanx trying to kill a Twig on Victory after BPM was out of range. Other than that, we both played a little slow in the beginning, which would have giving me another round to kill his commander and go up on points.

2nd Matchup (win) - Dragon Totem Hero, Small Copper Dragon, Small Black Dragon x2, Timber Wolf.
Map: Keep of the Fallen Kings.
New player. He played well, but made some moves that showed he was new. Even with good play, his breath weapon DCs weren't high enough for the Dwarves, and their attacks (although 3 each) can't hit 25 very often (if at all). Once he ran out of breath weapons, it was just a matter of time to march over his figs.

3rd Matchup (win) - Tiefling Blademaster, Ogre Ravager, Abyssal Maw, Quaggoth Slave, Gnoll, Hunting Hyena x2, Bugbear.
Map: Forest Cliff Lair
His band is goofy, but they can put down some pain. He chose inside the cave, and promptly moved to his victory area, keeping weaker figs in the waterfall to block off my victory area. I started marching into the cliff via the bottom route, until he emerged and went to victory. I decided to just go for the kill. I slowly marched my way to him and engaged. He had a string of 20s (Ravager, Maw, Hunting Hyena) in one round that i thought was going to clean me up pretty quick, but that was about it. The Wall of 25 prevailed again, as the Ravager only hit three times the entire combat (and 2 were 4 and 5 point figs). When the BPM joined the fight against the ogre with only his commander as support, it took only one round to clean him up, and he gave up.

One of my favorite things about 100pt play is that if you don't mind taking a loss to the cheese winning bands, a themed band can do reasonably well. The Phalanx Soldiers rule for blocking, but their damage output sucks. The only way to play them is with the BPM (IMO). Oh yeah, and I won the themed band prize, as well as 4th place. Until next time ...

I wish I had more time and more players to do this sort of thing. Thanks for the tales, I can play vicariously.

Dave

That's fun. It took me a minute to realize what the 'Wall of 25' was, mind. Still funny as hell. Have you considered Quint-Wizened Elder Watcher or a 100 point version thereof? It'd be unbrockabow!

Jai, good job! Next time do a Undead theme! We tried that a couple weeks ago and it was a lot fun!
Cheers,
MAINEiac

Awesome Jai, sorry I missed it. I've wanted to run an all dwarf band for a long time. The only time I tried it, I palyed an Elf Ranged band that I never got near that peppered me with arrows. I got killed without ever reaching them! LOL!!!

What were the top three bands?

I really enjoy your right up's on the Mon. night turney's.

Even better I get to call my friend JP and ask him which of the bands was his. He barely held on with the Warden.

Keep the write-ups coming!

Sounds fun! Hope you don't mind if I steal the idea. Might try that sometime in 100 pt. Thanks for the report.

I always thought Phalanx Fighting was an ability that stacked. Is this incorrect?

Before WotC changed the rules, we used to laugh about a warband with 9 DPS, Dwarf Artificer, Dwarf Sergeant, and Eberk battling 4 Ettin Skirmishers

x x x
x X x
x x x

Based on spells, commander effects, and special abilities, the DPS in the middle would have AC 50.

Base AC 23
+16 for Phalanx fighting = 39
+2 from the Dwarf Artificer = 41
+1 from Eberk = 42
+4 from Dwarf Sergeant commander effect = 46
+4 cover = 50.

I thought I remembered reading somewhere that the Phalanx Ability stacked.

Hmmm.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't stack. The ability pretty clearly says +2 to AC when adjacent to a creature with phalanx fighting. No matter how many DPS you have, you still only get +2 for having an adjacent creature with phalanx fighting.

We just had this discussion last time we played. We played it does NOT stack, otherwise card should read when adjacent to creatureS. The card says A creature.
Still not 100% sure though!

Cheers,
MAINEiac

Abilities of the same name never stack unless it is explicitly stated that they do (such as Mordenkainen's Sword).

All I have to say about this warband is that Tordek sucks and he should be banned. I mean come on making morale checks out of command left and right. Taking fireballs to the dome and laughing them off. I swear I think he is broken and needs to be banned.

On a side note Ed the top warbands where Golden Protectors x2, Sacred Watchers x4, and a Large Blue Dragon with Ochre Jelly and Half-Illithid Lizardfolk.

All I have to say about this warband is that Tordek sucks and he should be banned. I mean come on making morale checks out of command left and right. Taking fireballs to the dome and laughing them off. I swear I think he is broken and needs to be banned.

Uhh... you seem to be thinking of the wrong Tordek. The 5 point Tordek in this 100 point warband isn't going to laugh anything off...

All I have to say about this warband is that Tordek sucks and he should be banned. I mean come on making morale checks out of command left and right. Taking fireballs to the dome and laughing them off. I swear I think he is broken and needs to be banned.

Uhh... you seem to be thinking of the wrong Tordek. The 5 point Tordek in this 100 point warband isn't going to laugh anything off...

No, that is his complaint. The 5 point Tordek ran the distance for me. Against Loyce in a practice game, he saved against a fireball and passed the following morale check, all while out of command. During the Monday night's play, he only died once i think, and it was as a sacrifice (again after passing morale).