Team Tournament Prep: 50 points

I've certainly distracted this week from Warmachine/Hordes.  First, I've been distracted due to orientation week for work, with various meetings and classroom prep.  Secondly, I've been getting ramped up for Relic Knights since their Kickstarter has almost ended.  I've been trying to shift gears, though, since even when the Kickstarter ends, product isn't expected until May (yikes!).  Alright, so it's time to start preparing for Templecon in February and start getting into tournament prep and playtesting mode.  I had hoped that this summer I could get lots of practice in with my Cygnar as a potential option, but I've since decided that I should stick with what works: my Circle.  So today I revisit my Circle in preparation for the tournament.



I'll be making some assumptions, of course, because there's a lot of unknown information about what the tournament scene will look like at Templecon in February.  We don't know what SR 2013 will look like yet (although I've heard some rumors) and we don't know what some of the other details are like, but I'm going to assume a 50 points and 3 lists, just for the sake of preparation for now.  If they drop it to a 2-list tournament, then I will have to run through my options a bit better, but I think that the 50 point, 3-list format is ideal for the most balanced match-ups and allows players the most flexibility, as well as providing a more-balanced field for Colossals and Gargantuans - which will be out by Templecon (and people will want to use them!).

So here are the three lists I'm considering right now, and what I foresee using them against:

LIST A: Cassius + Woldwrath
Cassius the Oathkeeper (+6)
- Woldwrath (20)
- Gnarlhorn Satyr (8)
- Gorax (4)
Druids of Orboros (7)
Shifting Stones (2)
- Stone Keeper (1)
Tharn Ravagers (min, 6)
- Ravager Chieftain (2)
Wolves of Orboros (min, 4)
Gallows Grove (1)
Gallows Grove (1)
Reinforcements:
Blackclad Wayfarer (2)
Gnarlhorn Satyr (8)

LIST B: Mohsar Goat Force

Mohsar (+5)
- Gnarlhorn Satyr (8)
- Gnarlhorn Satyr (8)
- Shadowhorn Satyr (7)
- Gorax (4)
Druids of Orboros (7)
Tharn Bloodtrackers (max, 8)
- Nuala the Huntress (2)
Wolves of Orboros (min, 4)
Shifting Stones (2)
- Stone Keeper (1)
Druid Wilder (2)
Gallows Grove (1)
Gallows Grove (1)
Reinforcements:
Gnarlhorn Satyr (8)
Lanyssa Ryssyll (2)

LIST C: Epic Baldur Tier 4 Theme Force
eBaldur (+5)
- Megalith (11)
- Woldguardian (9)
- Woldwyrd (4*)
- Woldwatcher (4*)
Druids of Orboros (7)
- Druid Overseer (2)
Celestial Fulcrum (9)

Shifting Stones (2)
Shifting Stones (2)
- Stone Keeper (1)
Lord of the Feast (4)
Reinforcements:
Woldwarden (9)
Gallows Grove (1)

Without going into exhaustive detail regarding my justifications for each list, I'll just share a [general] breakdown of which list I'll be willing to take, based on the faction I see across the table.

Cygnar - A, C
Khador - A, C
Menoth - A, C
Cryx - B, C
Mercenaries - A, C
Retribution - A, C
Trollbloods - A, B
Circle - B, C
Skorne - A, B, C
Legion - B, C
Minions - B, C

Here are the optimal match-ups for me by list:
List A - 7
List B - 6
List C - 10

While it looks like list C is better than the rest by the numbers, it's more that I'll feel comfortable with the list, but it doesn't mean I'll have an optimal match-up.  Against most Hordes players, Mohsar is a complete jerk, but if I play against an infantry-heavy opponent, eBaldur might be a better option instead.  We'll see what playtesting brings, but I'm feeling pretty comfortable about all three lists.  I know some are probably bemoaning my choice of taking Cassius over pKrueger, but I think that the meta has shifted away from high-DEF and low-ARM and I think pKrueger will have a tougher time out there with POW 10s.  No, I think Cassius will be better at 50 points with the new addition of the Woldwrath.  Sure, he's not going to be great against Cryx or Legion, but who cares?  I'll just play another list against those bad match-ups instead!  I think he'll be better than people often give him credit for.  I guess we'll see.