Battle Report 69 - Kaya 3 vs. Amon Ad-Raza

Prologue:

I have beaten this Amon list exactly never, and I was excited to have a chance to tear through his Jacks as easily as he tears through my beasts.

Up until recently (Feb 22 to be exact), I don't think Circle even had a chance in this matchup. Loki completely changed that, since now I can force him to come to me and pick off heavies one at a time.

I am practicing my Kaya 3 list for ATC in this battle report:

Kaya 3
- Loki
- Stalker
- Pureblood
- Feral
- Argus

Blackclad x2
Gobber Chef

Sentry Stone x2
Shifting Stones

And minor point of pride - I was playing fully painted (if not quite fully based), aw yeah.

My opponent's list was:

Amon
- Heirophant
- Blood of Martyrs
- Hand of Judgment
- Reckoner x2
- Crusader

Punch Monk

Max Choir

I lost the roll off and had to go second.

I chose the side with the wall, since that was basically the make or break piece of terrain on the table.

Look at all the heavies....

Menoth turn 1:

My opponent's choir placement here cost him, as he had to keep the jacks from running full distance in order to get any songs the next turn.

Fortify goes on the Crusader, Synergy on Amon. Punch Monk does his thing, and everyone moves up.

Circle turn 1:

It is premeasured that the Punch Monk can't contest my flag and go Shifting Sands next turn, and that the Crusader can't charge anything on my side of the wall since his base would end up on the wall.

With that in mind I set up to murder it if it comes to contest.

Kaya puts Synergy up and moves to the flag. Feral and Argus go right, Pureblood and Loki go left.

The Stalker stays right in the middle.

Menoth turn 2:

My opponent thinks about his turn for a second, and then decides to jam two heavies down my throat and setup for the counterpunch. He upkeeps both spells.

He plans to charge Blood in, Side Step twice, kill a Sentry Stone, and make me deal with him.

He's also going to put his Crusader in contesting range of the Flag.

Blood charges in and...misses his first attack. He kills the Mannikin with his second, and then backs up a smidge.

Crusader and Punch Monk both come in, and his Jacks pile in behind. Hand sprays Loki for a few damage. All of the Jacks except the Crusader get "no spells" on them.

Circle turn 2:

Okay the plan is to....kill Blood with the Feral, kill Hand with Loki and Stalker, and kill the Crusader with the Pureblood under Kaya's feat.

I premeasure carefully to also ensure that I can get my Gobber Chef to pull off Hot Meal on two heavies at the beginning of my next turn.

I upkeep Synergy.

Gobber Chef runs into the middle, and the Blackclad moves into melee with the Crusader on the left, hitting it with Hunters Mark.

Kaya moves around the flag, dings the Crusader to start the Synergy Chain, and then Feats, casts Wraithbane on the Pureblood, and Repositions back to the Flag.

Synergy 1.

The Argus charges and Combo Strikes Blood for 8 or so damage. The Feral goes in and murders blood with initials. Both reposition back at end of their activations.

Synergy 3.

Loki gets ported up and hooks Hand of Judgment, killing him.

The Pureblood goes into the Crusader and....rolls 4 for damage four times in a row, leaving the Jack on life support. I try to kill it with Mannikin sprays, but it won't die, and I can't get the Stalker in to do anything, so he backs up.

I do kill the Vassal though!

No scenario points :(

The right side Blackclad contests the flag, taking a potshot at Amon and doing 5 damage.

Menoth turn 3:

Amon upkeeps Synergy but drops Fortify. He goes first, pops his Feat, Fortifies the right hand Reckoner, and charges the Blackclad, boosting to hit and killing it.

Synergy 1.

The left side Reckoner boosts a shot into the Feral, flaring him.

The Castigator charges Loki, but leaves him on one.

The Crusader does next to nothing, and the Right Reckoner fails to kill the Pureblood.

Circle turn 3:

I pull off Hot Meal on two of my beasts thanks to placing Mannikins, and nothing frenzies.

I put the Feral into the Castigator, but I forgot about Fortify so he ends his activation by putting Primal on the Stalker.

The Stalker gets ported up, kills the Castigator and...doesn't kill the Reckoner, but does cripple his club.

The Pureblood kills the Crusader easily.

Kaya heals Loki and moves to the right.

The Argus moves away from the Reckoner, and my opponent rolls the single dice hard six he needs and does a few damage into him.

The Argus moves up and casts Doppler Bark on Amon. He then Combo Strikes him, boosting damage at PS 19, and kills him, robbing Loki of his kill.

Victory for the Druids!

Post-Game Thoughts:

Not going first in this matchup sucks. 

I was lucky in two ways - 1) there was an awesome wall on my side of the table and 2) my opponent messed his deployment and first turn up by not running the choir full tilt at me so that his jacks could have been up the board. 

Very interesting game, I'm sure I'll be playing it again sometime soon.