2000pt Skittari vs Steel Legion

Skittari: Chem Lab Rho Militia
=======================
475pts - Demi-Cent + CAP Minori + Hydra
450pts - Demi-Cent + Plasma Destructor Minori

500pts - Ordinati Mars

250pts - Collossus
375pts - Praetorians + CAP Minori

Horatio's Scratch Guard, 2000 POINTS
Steel Legion (Epic UK v15022013)
==================================================

INFANTRY COMPANY [250]
Commander, 12 Infantry

MECHANISED INFANTRY COMPANY [400]
Commander, 12 Infantry, 7 Chimera

ARTILLERY BATTERY [250]
3 Basilisks

ROUGH RIDER PLATOON [150]
6 Rough Riders

SUPER-HEAVY TANK PLATOON [200]
Shadowsword

SUPER-HEAVY TANK PLATOON [200]
Shadowsword

WARHOUND TITAN [275]

WARHOUND TITAN [275]


Performance by Formation:

Collossus:

Only formation available to garrison, so they do so, starting on Overwatch. In the 2nd turn they move forward, aiming to damage the Shadow-sword. After a lucky critical, it blows up. Later that turn (after the Inf company and artillery both prep them) the Rough Riders slam into them, cutting two down in return for two losses. The robots loose the combat and are hacked down.
(Should a clarifying note that Automaton doesn’t apply to hackdowns be added to rule?)

Would I take them again? - Yes, maybe 2 formations as garrisons and source of supporting fire (stompas lite)


Praetorians:

First turn activation failed, regrouped. Second turn activation failed, but moved up the field a little. Third turn the rough riders slam into their transport, destroying it. The Praetorians dismount before the combat starts, and slaughter the rough riders in turn. The combat appears to clear their mind-lock and they finally activate successfully. Without a means of reaching anyone, they march up the board edge to try and deny two objectives and TSNP. The remaining shadow-sword snipess one, breaking them. Fearlessly, they flee deeper into enemy territory but are unable to rally at the game’s end.

Would I take them again? Yes, but need to use them much more aggressively. Possibly even do without the CAP, garrison them up board and dare the enemy to shift them.


Demi-Century + Hydra + CAP

They pushed forward aggressively in the first turn, soon being pulled apart by fire from the Warhound and the mechanized company. They accomplished nothing.
I should have used the CAP to move them up the board less and got them into cover. The key role of the Secutors is commander and pulling in support formations and I didn’t play to this role.

Would I take them again? Possibly, but the list needs far more close support units for them to really shine.


Demi-Century + Plasma Destructor Minoris

Chosen simply to round out the points, using the models I’d at least partially painted. They moved forward slowly, hugging cover. The Minoris dueled with the Shadowsowrd the first turn (to mutually little effect), was unable to fire the 2nd turn and suppressed by the time of the third turn. The formation spent most of the game under threat from a combined assault from the mechanized company and a Warhound, and was never strong enough to push back these threats to retake the center of the table.

Would I take them again? Not in this format. The 200pt on the Minoris could have been another formation. A Missile would have worked better and been cheaper than the Plasma Destructor, and the Laser Blaster would have better synergy with the Hyapists. A Laser Burner might have worked for formations hunting assaults.

Ordinatus Mars:

A last minute addition to the list, to bulk it out to 2000pts. Chosen to paper over the weakness the other formations have with cover and range. Spent the game moving slowly from fire lane to fire lane. First turn opened fire on the infantry company in the ruins, 2nd and 3rd turn moved to target the warhound moving up to the mechanized company, rupturing ears and shattering bowels as splash damage. The automatic three blast markers on all formations affected + damage+ disrupt prevented the Guard from sweeping down in a mass engagement, but ultimately left them in control of two objectives.

Would I take it again?
It’s pricy, and contributed to my deficit of activations. It pulled its weight though, and I suspect I would have lost to that sweeping assault had I taken another Demi-Cent and a formation of Colossi. The question is will I be able to win a game with it weighing the list down?

_________________
My shifting projects

Thanks for the report!



Automaton isn't supposed to be used for hackdowns. I'm not sure how that could be pulled from the rule since the only sentence that grants them their armor save is pretty specific. They are robots but they can still be over run and wiped out up close.



I probably wouldn't bother with this. Demi-centuries should go with the pricy chimedon option if you use them offensively and just garrison otherwise. I find they work well paired with colossus or Praetorians in that role. Tough to shift. Use the cap minorus with Rapier Sagitarii.

Sames goes for the plasma destructor. A single doesn't do a whole lot, use them with minorus companies were you get constant firepower.

_________________
-Vaaish