Tour de Cryx – The Lock and Load ’17 Plan!

This week, I’ll be heading to Lock and Load, out in Seattle. I’ll be hanging out and playing games in the Iron Arena all weekend, with the exception of making a farce of myself playing in the Masters. Whats the plan with those games, eh? 

As I’ve talked about before when it comes to Lock and Load, I like to alternate my schedule between tournament and Iron Arena. this year, though, I’m combining them, mostly because there is only a single day tournament that can be played, and the other two days are just Iron Arena. 

I’ve also got to be careful this year with my spending, so I won’t likely be standing in lines for any sort of pre-releases or other models, I’ll simply be trying to get the most games in. That also means that I’ll be being careful with my food spending. This is the first year I’m packing a whole bushell of food. Coming with me? 12 things of Iced tea, Trail mix, uncrustables sandwiches, protein bars and a others. I both want to not spend money and make sure I don’t starve to death. 

Right! back to the Con! This years schedule means that I’ll be getting int a veritable ton of Tour de Cryx games! The goal this year is it stack up 4 casters and just knock em out over the course of the weekend. I have to pack them all, too, so we will see how it end up panning out. 

Who’s the lucky Casters, you ask? This is going to be a really fast overview, and I’ll likely right a standard overview later, but I wanted to think about the lists now and get a bit written up to prepare me. 

Captain Aiakos

First up is Aiakos 2. I’ve gotten a pair of games in with him, and he’s doing pretty well, despite my inability to build a good list for him. I hope to be able to use the newest list I’ve written. I was stuck thinking in a certain manner (for Infernal Machines) and the list building just kept taking me to the same spot I was unhappy with. Now, I’ve gotten a list that stacks all the things I want for him into a list. 

 

Captain Aiakos [+29]
– Corruptor [16]
– Defiler [8]
– Inflictor [13]
– Stalker [8]
Satyxis Raider Captain [4]
Satyxis Raider Captain [4]
Soul Trapper [1]
Warwitch Siren [4]
Blackbane’s Ghost Raiders (max) [17]
Carrion Thralls (max) [10]
Satyxis Raiders (max) [16]
– Satyxis Raider Sea Witch [3]

The big thing, here, is that I have targets for all my spells, reasons to cast all of them, and ways to capitalize on different aspects of the game. My favorite revelation is that the Warwitch Sirens and Satyxis Raider Captains are amazing Scything Touch targets. Both are speed 7, and have 2″ reach, meaning they can get extremely far into the enemy lines to delivery the desired debuff. Both also have on-hit effects for their weapons, meaning that carnage becomes that much scarier, or completely unnecessary, depending on the circumstances. The War Witch Siren has the better delivery method with Parry and Stealth, but the On-Hit effect is much worse. Its not bad, mind you, but Knock down is just amazing. The Raider Captain has reposition, so she can potentially debuff two models at once, and against a caster would likely be crippling. The list bounces between two Captains, and two Sirens, and I can’t really figure out which is the best option. 

Master Necrotech Mortenebra

This caster, I have two lists for. She won the next caster poll, and I’m going to honor it. Thankfully, that is an easy task because she is a caster I’ve been looking forward to trying out. Her list leans me toward playing Infernal Machines, because I want to toss you into her jacks and make your positioning untenable. Ambushing is a huge help, in that regard. I have two lists I’m itching to try, and I don’t know which one is stronger. We’ll try the Sepulcher list first, and see where it goes from there. 

List 1

Infernal Machines
Master Necrotech Mortenebra [+24]
– Deathripper [6]
– Deathripper [6]
– Scavenger [7]
– Scavenger [7]
– Shrike [6]
– Shrike [6]
– Stalker [8]
– Stalker [8]
– Stalker [8]
– Stalker [8]
Necrotech [2]
Necrotech [2]
Necrotech [2]
Scrap Thrall [2]
Soul Trapper [1]
Warwitch Siren [0(4)]
Warwitch Siren [4]
Mechanithralls (min) [6]
– Brute Thrall (3) [6]
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls [4]

This list is trying to deliver a bunch of lights, with Necrotechs picking up the bodies and turning them into scrap thalls to flood the field with death bombs that can eliminate troops. With a ton of ways to set off jump, a million targets for Sacrifical Lamb, and a bunch of empower, I think this list could cause a fair bit of problems, but it can be super-super difficult to play into a ranged game that can ignore stealth. I’ve also got ambushing thralls, though I could keep them back to protect Morty in a pinch. 

List 2

Infernal Machines
Master Necrotech Mortenebra [+24]
– Sepulcher [36]
– Stalker [8]
– Stalker [8]
– Stalker [8]
Necrotech [2]
Necrotech [2]
Necrotech [2]
Soul Trapper [1]
Warwitch Siren [0(4)]
Warwitch Siren [4]
Mechanithralls (min) [6]
– Brute Thrall (3) [6]
Mechanithralls (min) [6]
– Brute Thrall (3) [6]
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls [4]

This list is a simple concept: I think the Sepulcher is great with Mortenebra. I could be wrong, but its something I want to test. Spam Overrun, shoot everything with the Sepulcher and get stalkers into position. Ambush will help with both Stalkers and the Sepulcher. The Sepulcher also has arm 21 and a possible 3d6+d3+3 repair a turn. I’m not sold that its a good list, but its a list I do want to try. 

Lich Lord Venethrax

Coming in second in the most recent poll, I needed a second caster to bring in case I run out of games with the first, which I hope happens. I have two lists, one which I hope works, and another which I expect to work in case the first fails. 

List 1

Infernal Machines
Lich Lord Venethrax [+26]
– Kraken [36]
– Scavenger [7]
– Scavenger [7]
– Shrike [6]
– Shrike [6]
– Shrike [6]
– Shrike [6]
– Shrike [6]
– Skarlock Thrall [0(4)]
Soul Trapper [1]
Carrion Thralls (max) [10]
Carrion Thralls (max) [10]

I call this list “The Birds” and its pretty obvious why. Its just got a whole bunch of flying, countercharging, trampling, repositioning madness. A single Soul trapper just in case, and the Kraken to act as the hammer to shatter the opponent. I think its got game, but I’m not really convinced. 

 

List 2

Infernal Machines

Lich Lord Venethrax [+26]
– Deathjack [23]
– Desecrator [14]
– Desecrator [14]
– Inflictor [13]
– Inflictor [13]
Soul Trapper [1]
Soul Trapper [1]
Warwitch Siren [0(4)]
Warwitch Siren [4]
Mechanithralls (max) [9]
– Brute Thrall (3) [6]
– Skarlock Commander [3]

This list is based on getting the most out of Venethrax’s spells and a few other key components. I don’t have an arc node in either list, but I don’t expect to do much except cast Terminal Velocity or Lamentation. Its just going to work out that way. I’m ok with that. Desecrator brings AOE, crowd control, POW 17 weapons, crit shred, pathfinder and a bevy of other useful abilities to the list, even without accumulator: Bane. Ambushing Mechanithralls push you towards the big jacks, which will hopefully last long enough. Countercharge and Hyper aggressive seem good with this bunch of jacks, and deathjack tossing out mortality is likely my favorite. Both Warwitch sirens can help fully fuel a jack, if needed, and can bind a target for -3 def if needed. I think this list has legs. I won’t get to use it, though, if the birds is doing well, because that list is damned hilarious. 

Warwitch Deneghra

The Ghost Fleet
Warwitch Deneghra [+28]
– Deathripper [6]
– Deathripper [6]
– Stalker [8]
– Stalker [8]
Captain Rengrave [0(5)]
Hellslinger Phantom [0(7)]
Pistol Wraith [0(5)]
Blackbane’s Ghost Raiders (max) [17]
Revenant Crew of the Atramentous (min) [9]
– Revenant Crew Rifleman (3) [6]
Revenant Crew of the Atramentous (min) [9]
– Revenant Crew Rifleman (3) [6]
Revenant Crew of the Atramentous (min) [9]
– Revenant Crew Rifleman (2) [4]
Wraith Engine [15]

What? When I was playing masters, you thought I meant that I was going to play something that didn’t have a chance? Ha! Not on your life! Seeing as its time will have to fade, and this is likely the turning point, I felt that it was the best possibility I had to play the list, even though everyone and their brother will be teching for it. 

To LOCK and LOAD

So, that’s it! Lock and load is in just a few days, and I am looking forward to trying to get in 18 games

Aiakos 2: 3
Mortenebra 1:5
Venethrax: 5
Deneghra 1: 5

I’ll also be tagging along with Skarre 2, just in case I somehow hit 18 games early and need a few more, though I expect I’ll be beat by then. If you’re planning on going, let me know and we can get a game in! I’ll be Using Facebook/Twitter/Instagram to track my games! 

Hope to see you there!