1,000 Kharadron Overlords vs. Ossiarch Bonereapers: Path to GloryThe fourth meeting of the Path to Glory Wyddr, McComas, another friend and myself took place a little over a month ago. McComas and I played another Open Play Path to Glory game while Wyddr and our other friend played a friendly game of Beasts of Chaos vs. Nighthaunts to help out new friend learn to play.
This was the first battle with the new Bonereaper Battletome so the Petrifex Elite have a new, leaner, meaner look. My army reinforced the Endrinriggers and added an Aetheric Navigator to the roster.
McComas' BonereapersPetrifex Elite
Mortisan Boneshaper w/Artisan's Key, Empower Nadrite Weapons, Aura of Sterility
3 Immortis Guard
3 Immortis Guard
3 Necropolis Stalkers
2 Mortghast Harbingers
Riprock's RangersArkanaut Admiral Ragnar Riprock (Trait: Cunning Fleetmaster, Artifact: Celestium Burst-grenade)
Aetheric Navigator
10 Arkanaut Company (Skyhook, Skypike, & Volley Gun)
10 Arkanaut Company (Skyhook, Skypike, & Volley Gun)
6 Endrinriggers (Rivet-Guns & Saws)
Arkanaut Frigate Grand Endeavor (Sky Cannon, Great Endrinwork: 'Khazzar Farewell' Scuttling Fail-Safe)
Artycle: Honour is Everything (Rally 4+)
Amendment: Always Take What you are Owed (Each Unit in one Arkanaut Company each round counts as 2 for objective control for one round)
Footnote: There's No Reward Without Risk (1/Battle 1 Unit can roll 3d6 and charge 18")
Mission, Terrain & DeploymentWe set up terrain on a 44"x44" table, a Sinister Church in the Southeast, Damned Gateways to the Southwest, an Arcane Ruin to the Northwest and a Sinister Bridge to the North East. Deployment zones were along the northern edge and southern edges of the table. We rolled for mission and got War of Attrition. At the end of play, we tally the points of the units destroyed and if one player had double the points of the other, they would win a major victory.
I place my Frigate near the edge of my deployment area, flanked by an Arkanaut Company on each side of it. McComas deploys one unit of Guard at the southern edge of his deployment zone and the rest of the Repaers form a Phalanx near the Arcane Ruin in the northeast corner.
Battlelines are Drawn
Top of Turn 1I won the roll-off to deply first, so take the first turn. I decided to stay put and let the Bonereapers get closer. My new Aetheric Navigator Read the Winds and called down a Aetherstorm on the Western Unit of Immortis Guard and the Necropolis Stalkers, doing 3 Mortal Wounds to each unit.
Bottom of Turn 1At the bottom of turn one, McComas uses his Boneshaper to repair the damage done by the Aetherstorm to both of his units. He then moves his entire army forward to join ranks with the southern unit of Guard to form a bone phalanx with his entire army. I use my Admiral's Trait, Cunning Fleetmaster, to my Frigate closer to the Bonereapers, hoping that they will attempt to charge it, moving units away from the Boneshaper, and its Aura of Sterility that will make all my guns -1 to hit and wound units within 12" of the warlord. Alas, the bait is not taken. The air is tense, as somebody has to make the first move.
Battlelines Getting Closer
Top of Turn 2I win priority and the Arkanaut Companies crawl forward to get the Bonereapers in range of their longer range weapons. The Aetheric Navigator fails to Read the Winds this round, neither damaging he bonereapers or moving the Frigate. The frigate moves, passing over the western unit of Guard to drop bombs on them, dealing 4 mortal wounds to one Guard. In the shooting phase, the Frigate and all aboard unload on that unit of Guard. Thanks to a combination of Aura of Sterility, All-Out Defense, and Impenetrable Ranks I only do a total of 8 wounds to the Unit, killing the injured one, one more and 2 wounds off the final unit. In the Combat Phase, I charge the last Guard with my Frigate, dealing enough Mortal Wounds to kill it, then unload the Endrinriggers to strike first on the Necropolis Stalkers. Again, the defensive capabilities of the Bonereapers are on display as the Endrinriggers only kill one and take two wounds of a second stalker. The Stalkers retaliate and slice the riggers to pieces, killing all six! The Boneshaper takes 6 Wounds off of the Frigate as well. That did not go as planned.
Bombing Run!
Ram the last One!Balloon Boys Unleashed!We Only Killed One?The Stalkers wiped out the Endrinriggers!Bottom of Turn 2The Boneshaper returns the one fallen Stalker and the Stalkers, Harbingers and other unit of Guard surround the Frigate, ready to charge it with everything they've got, which is a lot! The boat attempts to unleash hell on the charging Bonereapers,but are unable to do any meaningful damage to the attacker. In a flurry of Nadirite Weapons, the Frigate goes down. Due to the ammount of enemies surrounding the frigate, Admiral Riprock and his Aetheric Navigator are unable to escape the vessel. In a fit of spite, Admiral Riprock activates the 'Khazzar Farewell' Scuttling Fail-Safe, dealing multiple mortal wounds to each enemy surrounding the Frigate, but not enough to kill any enemy unit.
The Frigate Endeavor is Surrounded!
One Large Crater for the Frigate, Two Smaller Ones for the Admiral and Navigator.
Top of Turn 3I again take priority this turn and having lost all units that could do meaningful damage to the Bonereapers, the Arkanaut Companies decide to withdraw from the field of battle. The Bonereapers fall back to the Arcane Ruin to complete their Quest to find a new Endless Spell and withdraw from the field of battle as victors.
Final ScoreOverlords: 220, Bonereapers: 750 (Major Victory)
Post MortemWell, that didn't go according to plan.
After the battle, McComas and I agreed that this mission was well suited for his army. He could keep his units together to maximize their buffs and survivability. The Aura of Sterility really pulled it's weight, making it hard for my Overlords to excel where they're supposed to excel, in the shooting phase. It won't help him against the Beasts of Chaos or the Nighthaunt, but that probably won't be a problem.
The fight first ability given to units that disembark after the Frigate Charges did not do as much as I hoped it would when I used it on the Endrinriggers. I also did not kill as much as I hoped I would in the shooting and fight phase of my second turn. This was the first time playing against the 3rd Edition rules for the Bonereapers, so I was not sure what to expect. And I learned a lot, don't engage the Bonereapers when they're grouped up. Hopefully in future games, with objectives and a larger board, his units will become vulnerable as the game will force units to separate to score.
We all agreed afterward, it was time to start playing Matched Play missions now that we've played a few games of Open Play to get familiar with the game and our armies.
Post Post MortemAfter the Bonereapers leave the field of battle, the Endrins on the Frigate Endeavor come humming back to life. The Admiral and Navigator, both wounded from the battle, limp along the deck as the Endeavor takes flight. It will take more than that to bring down this old girl.
In the aftermath phase of the Path to Glory battle, I rolled to see what happened to my Frigate and got a 12, meaning the Frigate took no damage to be carried over to the next fight, gained addition renown, and would have a 6+ ward save for the next Path of Glory Battle.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the report as much as I had playing. And as always, thanks again to my opponent.
