I wanted to play something different tonight. I looked at some off the wall ideas, i even built a Balor band that had -8 to Morale Saves for his Enslave. Instead i opted to give the Forgepriest a new friend and test my luck without a commander.
Fire Giant Forgepriest, Steel Predator, 3x Goblin Skirmisher, Greenspawn Sneak, Hobgoblin Warrior, Dire Rat; 200/8
Matchup 1 (win): Tyler - Archmage, Xeph Warrior x2, Wild Elf Raider, War Chanter, Half-Ogre Barbarian, Timber Wolf, Renegade Warlock
Map: Hailstorm Tower (my win, my choice)
Side: B (his win, he chose A)
I feared those swords greatly, and did what i could to get into turtle position (up against the wall in the tower) while maintaining either no LoS or screeners. I made a mistake and forgot a screener for my Pred, taking early damage from the auto spells. This caused me to gamble and try to take out his collected forces (everybody but archmage and warlock) with my cone, leaving myself even more open for him to force morale. I got lucky and passed morale and finally cleaned up his barbarian. Warchanter rallied, so i had him, warlock and archmage ... i missed a killing AoO on the warlock so it could move away and kill my pred. Thus i had to use the giant to kill the chanter, letting him double sword me and move out of reach. In the end, i finally based the archmage with my giant and hit, making it 5 away from morale, with only one activation (swords) and a spell before he died. Taking the AoO to cast that spell, the archmage was hit by the giant, and then also by a goblin skirmisher, crit even, to kill the archmage. Had the goblin not killed it, it would have been sitting on the exit, not off it, and the giant would not have been able to reach it, and i would have lost. Crazy game, 8 rounds of play, well played by both, and very enjoyable.
Matchup 2 (win): Will - Free League Ranger, Valenar Nomad Charger x2, Phoera x2, Gnome Trickster, Storm Archer, Wolf
Map: Hailstorm Tower (my choice - he didn't have one)
Side: B (my win, my choice)
This bands main trick is invisible approach, then wreak havoc. I was expecting Shadow Dancers; which is why i brought the Pred with Blindsight.
Matchup 3 (loss): Mike (Loyce) - Pit Fiend, Zakya Rakshasa x2, Greenspawn Sneak x2, Goblin Skirmisher x2, Azer Raider
Map: Frostfell Rift (his win, his choice)
Side: B (his win, my choice)
My main worry was catching both the Zaks in the breath weapon, maybe some fodder. He first turn suicide fireballed one of his sneaks, to remove 4 of my 6 fodder pieces. Round 2, i was able to remove the Zaks from play (one dead, the other routing), and round 3 i engaged his Pit Fiend. Pounced him, even pushed him into a pit (he saved, of course). Because i was based, and hurt from Zaks, he forced morale which i failed. I then forced morale with my Giant, which he passed. Round 5, he won init, force morale on my Giant, i failed, game over. This was the risk i knew i was taking, and here it showed its ugly head.
All in all, i am very surprised at how well the band did. If you approach like a normal LE band, slow and cautious, it makes it easier to capitalize on the pounce/breath and follow with a giant's move, attack, cleave. No commander does suck, so just hope you don't need it or you roll well!
