Lady Harrow's Mournflight

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Hello, my name is Jonathan Grant, and I live in the South East of England. I've been playing Games Workshop's games since 1990. I initially started with Warhammer Fantasy Battle back in the 3rd edition and continued playing until the game concluded a few years ago. After that, I ventured into Age of Sigmar, but due to time constraints compared to my younger years, I played very little. Nevertheless, I did manage to assemble a couple of armies, including a sizable Nighthaunt force.

Eventually, Warhammer Underworlds was released, and I purchased the game primarily for painting the miniatures. I distinctly remember being impressed with the initial Sepulchral Guard miniatures.

I started actively playing the game after searching YouTube for videos on 'How to play Warhammer Underworlds.' By this point, we were in the later stages of the Nightvault season. During this period, I came across the Agents of Sigmar's YouTube channel. Joining their Discord, I discovered that Pete and Robin were also in the area. Since then, I have been playing the game more regularly and have had the opportunity to meet other players in the South East at various tournaments.

What’s the warband/deck/pairing you love, and how did you two sweethearts meet?

Lady Harrow's Mournflight painted by me!

I've never had much luck with dice, and it's frustrating given that all Games Workshop games rely on them. During my days playing Warhammer Fantasy Battle in the 1990s and early 2000s with various Undead armies, I learned how to secure victories even when the dice were not in my favor. This involved taking control of the battlefield and not letting my opponent dictate the terms of the game.

After extensive online research, I realized I wanted to play a warband with a flexible control playstyle. While I had previously attempted Aggro with the Truthseekers, the dice often worked against me. So, I delved into all the warbands within the Death Grand Alliance (I figured returning to my Glory days was a good idea), searching for one that matched my desired playstyle. Eventually, I settled on Lady Harrow's Mournflight.

My decision solidified when I sought objective cards that didn't rely on dice rolls for scoring. In the end, Surge cards such as "Fleeting Memories", "Inescapable Hunger", and "One Will" were the ones that drew me to this warband as they provided the seed glory to get my game rolling.

You should aim to have at least one of these three in your opening hand.

The Mournflight also boasts some impressive Gambit and Upgrade cards. These include in-faction push cards like "Call of the Grave" and "Frightful Aspect," along with defensive options such as "Dissipate" and "Debilitating Aura." I find the Mournflight Rivals deck to be excellent, utilizing approximately 75% of its cards in all my games. However, to play Nemesis, I need to blend the Mournflight's cards with a Universal Rivals deck.

While I've had some success with "Tooth and Claw," "Paths of Prophecy," and "Daring Delvers," these decks tend to be too aggressive for my liking, given the challenges I face with dice rolls. Currently, I've been using "Force of Frost" with my Banshees. Although "Force of Frost" is primarily designed for magic users, and the Mournflight doesn't employ magic, this pairing might seem unconventional. However, a couple of useful objectives ("Frozen Fates") and upgrades ("Frostwyrm Cloak" and "Frozen Heart") from this deck significantly benefit my ladies.

Some cool cards for the Mournflight to use.

The deck list can be found over on my Nemesis Deck Library.

What makes the deck so fun to play in your experience?

The Mournflight warband showcases a plethora of tricks, especially when inspired. When facing horde warbands, I can adopt an offensive approach, while against more elite fighters, I have the flexibility to hang back. This versatility provides me with numerous options and presents an engaging thinking challenge that I thoroughly enjoy.

One aspect I appreciate is how the Mournflight's Rivals deck complements the desired playstyle with these fighters. The deck's utility allows for a deeper understanding of the warband's mechanics. Additionally, incorporating cards from other Rivals decks introduces subtle yet significant changes to the overall playstyle.

In my primary gameplay strategy, I focus on scoring objectives such as "Fleeting Memories", "One Will", and/or "Inescapable Hunger" in the first round. Simultaneously, I aim to inspire at least two fighters without exposing any of them to a particularly precarious position. Positioning becomes paramount in the first and second rounds—strategically placing my fighters to make it challenging for my opponent to gain Glory, all while utilizing Objective cards to score from Objective tokens and Blocked Hexes. Once my fighters are inspired and equipped with a couple of upgrades, it's time to transition into an offensive stance. 

How have you found success and/or fun with the deck?

I've experienced a fair amount of success, at least by my standards, with this warband. In two local tournament (Agent's Clash - November 23 and Agent's Clash- February 24) I managed to secure 5th place in both. The deck performs admirably in the early game, swiftly getting the Glory train rolling. As expected, with increased Glory, the warband becomes progressively deadlier, often able to score most, if not all, of its objectives.

However, it's crucial to note the fragility of the ladies. While they all have a two-dodge characteristic, only Lady Harrow starts with four wounds. If the opponent manages to breach their defense, the banshees can fall swiftly. To maximize scoring potential from end-phase objectives, it's imperative to keep at least two of the ghosts "alive." This dynamic adds an element of fun for me—positioning my fighters strategically to mitigate damage while still achieving my objective scoring.

As mentioned earlier, the enjoyment I derive from this faction lies in the intricate thinking game it presents.

What advice do you have for other players who might want to try your warband on for size?

This warband heavily relies on inspiration. Uninspired, the banshees possess fewer wounds, and their accuracy is generally limited to two swords. The entire focus of your first turn must be dedicated to inspiring your fighters. While scoring objectives or making attacks during this phase are welcomed bonuses, achieving inspiration is absolutely key. 

She gets scary when inspired

Upon inspiration, the warband undergoes a significant transformation—moving faster, hitting harder, gaining wounds, and acquiring bonus reactions. This is when the banshees truly become formidable. In my view, no individual banshee is indispensable to the warband's success. Losing Lady Harrow doesn't necessarily spell defeat, but sacrificing fighters for marginal gains is a luxury the warband cannot afford.

Mastering and consistently utilizing the additional reactions and abilities gained upon inspiration significantly enhance the warband's effectiveness. It took me some time to grasp these reactions, given the multitude of factors at play during a game. However, once mastered, these abilities, particularly Lady Harrow's free push, prove to be potent assets.

Blocked hexes hold paramount importance for the Mournflight, allowing for battlefield control, especially against Aggro warbands, and shielding fighters from ranged attacks. However, it's crucial to ensure sufficient space is available to place two objective tokens in the back half of your board—three hexes apart—not just for scoring your own objectives but also to thwart opponents from scoring theirs. Personally, I prefer a board with at least two blocked hexes.

One of my favourite defensive boards for the Mournflight.

Finally, consider labeling the bases of your fighters with their names (I used an initial). This simple step ensures that both you and, importantly, your opponent can easily identify each fighter during the game.

What threats do you find most challenging to face? Are there any warbands or strategies that others can use to beat this warband or pairing?

The most challenging opponents I've encountered are magic-heavy warbands that adopt a defensive strategy, sitting back and steadily chipping away at the ghosts with ranged attacks. This passive approach not only hampers my ability to inspire but also makes it challenging to neutralize the threat quickly, if at all. As highlighted earlier, the banshees are indeed quite fragile, requiring minimal effort to remove one from play. Once two of the ghosts are eliminated, scoring many of my objectives becomes notably difficult.

Fast-moving Aggro warbands also pose a significant challenge for the Banshees. These warbands engage the ghosts before I can inspire and upgrade them, essentially striking when they are at their weakest. This challenge is exacerbated when the boards are placed flush with the maximum number of hexes in No Man's Land, leaving the ghosts with nowhere to hide. However, unlike magic-heavy factions, there is at least a chance of inspiring and retaliating against Aggro warbands.

To secure a victory, the banshees must adhere to their own game plan. Applying enough pressure through damage or possibly objective control can divert their attention from their primary goals.

Anything else you’d like to tell the community?

Thank you for reading and please leave a comment below.  hope you pop back to my blog at some point soon, bye for now.

 
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