Continuing to playtest Cathay. This week played against Barry Pittman (of Black Gate miniatures fame), who wanted to try out the new Wood Elf list using tokens. Explanatory photos below, but textual narrative as follows.
I set up the terrain (desert themed) with everything (apart from the hills) being impassable. Barry swapped 60 points worth of Wardancers and placed two 16x16cm square woods. I suppose I could have insisted on him trimming the corners, but even round woods with a 16cm diameter are still pretty big woods. Anyway, they started 12cm apart but later moved closer together due to the Tree-singing spell. He placed them next to the impassable terrain because the rule specifies dense terrain, ie. woods, village. But even if he had kept them away from the impassable terrain, it wouldn't have changed the basic dynamic of the game which was all his infantry with defended status and (spoiler alert) me unable to do anything about it.
Barry got first move and sent the Eternal Guard into one of the woods. Other units followed up. I got myself into a decent defensive stance with the hope that my artillery might be able to do something against his units in the woods. They managed to fire once but, hitting on 5+, they did nothing. Barry then sacrificed his Warhawk Riders to destroy my Rocket Launchers and Bolt Throwers. He also got his other units into the 'defended' safety of the woods.
I decided to send in my Orc Slaves (Dishonoured proxies) because at 5|3|0 they were my hardest hitters. But they just bounced off the brigade of four Treekin (4|4|5+), managing to only take one stand off him. The Treekin also can't be terrified (so no point in adding my dragon). In that defensive position I would fancy their chances even against Chaos Warriors.
Some small combats occurred between my chariots and his Wild Riders which had no great effect on the game other than to whittle down my break. But it was the first time I experienced the movement spell that prevented me from standing-and-shooting. No comment on that.
Tried a different route. Tiger Guards (4|3|4+) backed up by Dagger Axes (3|3|6+) marched round the back of the WEs. Three successful orders from a hero got them in! So far, so good. But WE general had already moved Glade Guard and Dryads to cover the rear (Cmd 9 because of the Dryads, but no woods penalty). GG had no armour, but stand-and-shoot at 3+, then trying to dislodge supported defended GG and Dryads (hitting on 5+). Bounced with the loss of two stands. He lost no stands. Suppose I could have put the dragon in, but used the Tiger-mounted hero instead because if I won, the character could pursue. Not sure the dragon would have changed the eventual outcome.
By this stage I was three-and-a-half away from my break of 12. Treekin got two orders from their general (Cmd 9 but no penalty for woods) and hit my Dagger Axes. Game over. My thoughts on the game? Nothing to add to my previous observations during the WE reform process. Will post further thoughts about Cathay after more playtests.
