Starting a Warmachine League

A pretty ambitious Warmachine/Hordes league is starting up here locally, with games spanning over an entire year. We start at 25 points and move up 5 points every two months. They seem to have found a balance with how to handle the games as your 'score' is based on your win/loss ratio for the month. I have been disappointed in the past with some people gaming a league to max out their games when others cannot; not necessarily leading to the better players getting up to the top.

This is being hosted at the best gamestore in town, Thunderground Comics, if you are in the area, it is definitely worth checking out. Probably the best Privateer Press selection in town and Roy Kim, the owner, always bends over backward to help out the community hosting large events.

So, what will I be bringing? My Cryx (which will be shockingly under-represented by just myself). Here are the lists I am looking at with a little explanation of their playstyle:

Lich Lord Asphyxious (AKA Epic Asphyxious (AKA eGaspy))

This guy promoted himself by turning his old boss into his new weapon.

Lich Lord Asphyxious (*6pts)
* Nightwretch (4pts)
Bane Knights (Leader and 9 Grunts) (10pts)
Bane Thralls (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
* Bane Thrall Officer & Standard (3pts)
Bane Lord Tartarus (4pts)
General Gerlak Slaughterborn (3pts)



Pretty standard really. You have to get in your Bane Thralls unit attachment, Tartarus, and access to about 8 more Bane Knights. With this, his feat move is full powered allowing a pretty impressive launching of up to ten previously killed models at the opponent for one turn. Nightwretch is along to give his spells a little range and to keep him in safety, and Gerlak joins the team as a sweeper for screening infantry if this is needed. This is primarily my 'anti-Hordes' list as the 19 Weapons Masters tend to make short work of warbeasts (which is usually hard to do when they outnumber your warjacks).

Skarre, Queen of the Broken Coast (AKA eSkarre)

Still the best Warcaster in the game

Skarre, Queen of the Broken Coast (*6pts)
* Defiler (5pts)
* Deathjack (12pts)
* Seether (9pts)
* Skarlock Thrall (2pts)
Pistol Wraith (3pts)

This list is something I have 'teched' out for this points limit and style of league. Skarre has an ability called Seas of Fate which basically grants Future Sight (can choose to boost after initial roll) to her entire battlegroup. This makes her and her warjacks extremely efficient. Since it is costly, I included two heavies that produce their own Focus. Between her and her Skarlock, Perdition will be used heavily to slingshot Deathjack forward. The Pistol Wraith is there to take advantage of her Black Spot spell, along with a fantastic ability to Solo hunt, because I figure a lot of players will be including very few but clutch Solos in their lists. Oh, and her feat lets her stop all targeting on up to five friendly models for a turn; kind of nice when you can cover nearly your whole army in a bubble.

I plan to write some more in depth articles about how this Warcasters work, especially at 50 points, at a later date.

Anyone want to weigh in on how these lists could be done better?