First off:
They've finished a new colossal. I assume they are saving showing it to the public for adepticon which is a month away but they had to put this up on their site because they hate me.
Not going to be at the next club. The area we are going to is fine, apparently it's in the ACT now (I probably should have attended a few of the meetings when they were organising it).
Just quickly I want to put down some thoughts about high DEF models.
Abby's main trick is to get a DEF 17 Angelius (it's serpentine so it can't be knocked down) and that becomes an issue. It is however not the only high DEF thing in the game, Kayazy with iron flesh have stealth and DEF 19 when engaged (still 17 otherwise). Winter guard with bob and weave and iron flesh have DEF 18 and tough (from Kovnik Joe). Daughters of the flame with defenders or holy ward and the piper of Ord are DEF 18, Circle can put out a DEF 16 pure blood with stealth who cannot be targeted by spells (and druids can centre an AOE around them that gives enemy models -2 to hit, so you can put some druids next to it and cause even more problems). That's off the top of my head, I've faced most of these and if you don't have the tools you'll just get walked over. It makes a difference what you are dealing with too.
The key is to avoid rolling dice, at least to avoid rolling dice against the high DEF model. The easiest thing to do is knock them down, if you have an AOE with knockdown (like Stykers earthquake or the Revengers obliterator shot) move your own model up so they will catch the target in the AOE and then shoot your own model in the back for +2 to hit. The other option with AOEs is to advance to the point where the AOE will still hit even if you miss. For example Gorman Di Wulfe has a black oil grenade attack which is a 3" AOE, throw it at a large base (2") and you have to scatter half the base width + half the AOE width before you are off the base so if you get within 5" you automatically hit the model (max scatter is half the distance between the attacker and target) it gets -4 DEF and has to forfeit its movement or attack.
You can also slam your own model into their model, the model slammed has to be the same base size but the slammer does not (people always seem surprised when the cryx death-chickens go for a slam). Against units you can slam a medium or large base through several models (the trollblood long riders are excellent for this). Trolls also have the ability to give a model immunity to fire (through the pyre trolls animus) and then hit that model with an AOE (most useful if you have been charged by a lot of high DEF models so you can catch 3-5 in the AOE). There are also spells that allow you to place AOEs or who hit a model and then 1d6 models within 5" but these spells with only help against units (though with units the slam isn't much of an option outside of trolls).
Lastly you have spells that modify your dice rolls (never my favourite option). Purification or other upkeep removal spells will get rid of the DEF buff spells and purification does not require a target so again no dice needed. Next there are MAT buffs or DEF debuffs that go on your own models. Spells like Malediction or Chiller that cause your opponents defence to drop when they are close to your own model mean that you don't need to target the high DEF model and don't risk wasting the focus. For these high DEF models one buff will still leave them in a position where most of your attacks are missing, you really want multiple buffs (aiming and deadeye, primal and wild aggression, chiller and incite, war cry and carnage etc.). As a last resort you can use the offensive DEF debuffs, boost to hit and hope for a good roll. Not something you generally want to do. Models with Blessed are in the same catagory, Harlan Versh is quite good as he has blessed and purgitation so he ignores the DEF increase from spells and gets an additional dice to hit and damage. Eiryss is the standard upkeep removal for the warmachine factions that aren't cryx but she still needs to hit and she will still miss most shots against DEF 18.
