I had founded my War Bear Posse. Depending on army size 2 or 3 ** War Bears and 2 Elven Acolytes to provide LOS blocking to the Bears. Each bear was 4 damage and 10 or 11 attack. They could hit just about anything and ruin it in two attacks. Those were the days.

And I thought I was a 1.0 enthusiast. At least I use Unlimited-era rules and figs!

I remember when my friend pulled his new nice and shiny Storm Golem and used it in a death star formation. In the first game following he promptly rolled three critical misses in a row with it, including one push. A totally epic fail :p
One of many great memories.

With out seeing the match I would say he was playing Magus wrong. one of the nastier parts of ML was using it defensively. What ever a melee fig chooses to base just takes a free swing and then gets lev'ed to safety out of base.

Something like from your example:
2-3 gunners
Magus
Blade golem

would be able to wait until Vladd and troops moved and then moved into range 11.9 inches away. With their 10" move you can either push to move close and not end up in base or flee. both are bad news. You should take some damage just trying to get into base and then they swing and get lev'ed to safety. melee vrs lev + range is really tough prior to limited invis and chargers.

At least Vlad is pretty tough enough not to get captured except for his final click. A lot of the big uniques look pretty embarrassing in rebellion only when they get taken down by a capture formation or a lev'ed red nightstalker

My opponent that game staked out a spot behind blocking terrain for cover and some MB goodness. I had Vladd surrounded by 4 figures and marched the formation up behind the blocking. A couple blade golems were flung and a gunner, (I admit, I was lucky that the gunner missed its shot at Vladd) but none could get into b2b with Vladd. The following turn I flew Vladd into Magus. MI pretty much neutered ML and MB. Magus got the first shot in, but he is pretty much a howitzer in a glass shell, so when the Order of Vladd hit back, it really hurt the Magus. All in all it was a fun game.

So it sounds like you out played him. Being the ranged band with 12"+ range he had no reason to be the one engaging by flinging things and he left Magus exposes to a strong figure with Magic immunity. Once Vlad gets into base the entire match up changes! :D

It was a fun game. I think my opponent got frustrated and impatient with the terrain dance. Flinging his big guns at my formation left him without the support he needed to adequately defend the Magus. Once Vladd made b2b, it was almost all over. He got flamed by the two Amotep gunners once the Magus was down. I brought him back with a grave robber the following turn.

is it sad for me to say i don't even remember how to play this game anymore? I mean, i really want to play, but anyone i played with is long gone and my two brothers just kinda look at me silly when i even mention it (though one of them is interested in the boardgame).

I should really break this out again for my boys...they are getting old enough to play it....

I think you're on the cusp of being able to have a lot of fun, actually. A little patience and you'll be there.

You could always just play by yourself and control both armies.

MKD:O, best of both worlds.
It's also more challenging since your "opponent" is completely aware of your strategy.

I... have thought about doing that ;___;

There's no shame in it. If you want to play the game, just play it.

Well, it would be much better to have actual folks to play with is all. The few guys I know who are interested are really busy though.

Sure, but it can be difficult to get a game going these days if you don't know many other MKers.