I've finally gotten a hold of what possible theme to paint the cryx in. I had decided to paint my Khador in ice white or winter white. This then adds to the list of unlikely color themes for me to make. So far I've painted:
Rusting metal/ shiny roach (necrons)
Powder blue/ fluffy clouds (eldar)
Blue and blue green/ Scaled vehicles (eldar)
Dusty brown/ rising from sand (khemri)
Red and green/ basic solid colors (alchemist of dirz)
With what experience I have had with the eldar vehicle scales and runes freehand I'm pretty confident that I could actually pull off another relatively easy stunt like that, making a mediocre paint job a great one. The fact that most themes for cryx have already been done by other cryxian players (standard black, green and gold; ghostly white and blue-green; black and gunbolt; bone), it became apparent to me that I had to find inspiration somewhere.
I had gone through all the high scoring cryxian paint themes on cool mini or not, and I've found that the best came from those painted in the standard color palette. i don't want to do that.
So I ended up looking at something that had always fascinated me: masques. The entire concept of masques as used in the venetian carnival was the most coherent theme I could think of, especially since deneghra wears one. This flight of fancy too a downward spiral immediately when I realized I actually had to sculpt over 200 masques for the rest of the models I had owned.
Then it hit me, why not just make a circus act? Have someone play as clowns, mimes and others would be magicians and trapeze artists. Basically have some sort of color scheme brought together by the circus.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Sorscha Woosh, part 1
In the attempt to be able to at least control the Sorscha Woosh or at least limit it's propagation, I am going to attempt translate and put into writing something that comes to me intuitively while playing the Sorscha Woosh.
It strangely happens at anytime that I see the opportunity to do an assured caster kill with the Woosh. I wish I could do something similar with Deneghra, but it's just not yet hardwired into my brain (in fact I have yet to figure it out).
The Sorscha Woosh can be done easily by any new player to the game and it leads to an easier entry into the game, even against veteran players. Sorscha is given relatively decent stats and has become the standard stat line for warcasters. But what makes her work best is that she has a set of spells that make for great synergy. She is indeed the best warcaster made. Menoth might have the best units, but Sorscha will always be the most powerful and flexible caster.
basics
The important thing to realize with her is that she has a very extended threat range. She has a charge range of 17 inch charge range, 24 inch feat range, 24 inch shot range and basically a 22 inch ranges attack range.
This means that far extended targets at range 24 would need other ways of getting damage unto the target. But you have to realize that the effect playing field on a regular gaming table is less than 20 inches in diameter. Basically we would commonly see the first 2 shorter range assassination runs over the extended one, which can be relatively risky with the changes in prime:remix.
Each run also has a corresponding damage potential which decrease the farther you go. Given that the remaining 4 focus is used for extra melee attacks, boosting shots and razor wind.
The melee run gives us an average of three pow 12 + 11 (3d6) attacks. Computations should show that on average you would kill off all focusless prime warcasters save the butcher on the feat turn. You have to remember that you actually get an extra turn of conking the warcaster the turn after. It seems reasonable to think that any run made in that 17inch ensures an autokill.
The razor wind option gives two pow 12 + 11. This makes a lot of casters still able to survive a bit. And if they actually hold on to a little focus, they will survive. Lucky rolls however can get to a lot, which happened to my game last tourney.
The last option will only happen as a last ditch effort, or when the rest of the army is actually in a position to take out the caster, or it seems a good time to ruin the opponents changes for a scenario objective win. Damage is negligible.
Frostfang
range 17 damge 23 x 3
Razorwind + Hand Cannon
range 22 damge 23 x 2
Hand Cannon
range 24 damge 23
It strangely happens at anytime that I see the opportunity to do an assured caster kill with the Woosh. I wish I could do something similar with Deneghra, but it's just not yet hardwired into my brain (in fact I have yet to figure it out).
The Sorscha Woosh can be done easily by any new player to the game and it leads to an easier entry into the game, even against veteran players. Sorscha is given relatively decent stats and has become the standard stat line for warcasters. But what makes her work best is that she has a set of spells that make for great synergy. She is indeed the best warcaster made. Menoth might have the best units, but Sorscha will always be the most powerful and flexible caster.
basics
The important thing to realize with her is that she has a very extended threat range. She has a charge range of 17 inch charge range, 24 inch feat range, 24 inch shot range and basically a 22 inch ranges attack range.
This means that far extended targets at range 24 would need other ways of getting damage unto the target. But you have to realize that the effect playing field on a regular gaming table is less than 20 inches in diameter. Basically we would commonly see the first 2 shorter range assassination runs over the extended one, which can be relatively risky with the changes in prime:remix.
Each run also has a corresponding damage potential which decrease the farther you go. Given that the remaining 4 focus is used for extra melee attacks, boosting shots and razor wind.
The melee run gives us an average of three pow 12 + 11 (3d6) attacks. Computations should show that on average you would kill off all focusless prime warcasters save the butcher on the feat turn. You have to remember that you actually get an extra turn of conking the warcaster the turn after. It seems reasonable to think that any run made in that 17inch ensures an autokill.
The razor wind option gives two pow 12 + 11. This makes a lot of casters still able to survive a bit. And if they actually hold on to a little focus, they will survive. Lucky rolls however can get to a lot, which happened to my game last tourney.
The last option will only happen as a last ditch effort, or when the rest of the army is actually in a position to take out the caster, or it seems a good time to ruin the opponents changes for a scenario objective win. Damage is negligible.
Frostfang
range 17 damge 23 x 3
Razorwind + Hand Cannon
range 22 damge 23 x 2
Hand Cannon
range 24 damge 23
Monday, June 18, 2007
Totalled at Total War 4
I expected a better showing this time around as I opted to use the skarre list for the whole 4 games.
The first three games had my opponents concede their games after being swarmed by 16 bane knights. Nothing much to note except I think the bane knights are actually great with any warcaster, and if they are to be fielded, must be at least 8 in a unit, more would be better. Tartarus is optional. I feel that I only got to use Tartar sauce in my game against Chris' Baldur during the feat turn for beckon.
I did get wooshed on the second turn by Kim.
Now I know how it feels.
You actually suddenly feel all those rushing thoughts:
...if only I left one more focus
...if only I was a quarter of an inch back
...if only I had not moved that bane knight
Oh well, I gained and lost nothing from the battle, except perhaps the lesson that I should really learn to play deneghra.
The first three games had my opponents concede their games after being swarmed by 16 bane knights. Nothing much to note except I think the bane knights are actually great with any warcaster, and if they are to be fielded, must be at least 8 in a unit, more would be better. Tartarus is optional. I feel that I only got to use Tartar sauce in my game against Chris' Baldur during the feat turn for beckon.
I did get wooshed on the second turn by Kim.
Now I know how it feels.
You actually suddenly feel all those rushing thoughts:
...if only I left one more focus
...if only I was a quarter of an inch back
...if only I had not moved that bane knight
Oh well, I gained and lost nothing from the battle, except perhaps the lesson that I should really learn to play deneghra.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
RHGC Gamesday
June 11 found us with a moved holiday. Sending the RHGC sponsor and founder Oberon to give us a successful gamesday. It seems that warmachine is getting a pretty large player base and is actually getting more people into the game.
It is, after all, a game so much better than any in it's genre. So much similar to the much maligned mageknight and yet unlimited in it's complexity.
We had 12 players joining the tournament. Sadly we didn't have a showing of the top menoth player.
The game was pegged for duels (350 points) which made it really unbalanced for a majority of the players. Knowing that our scenarios won't be the usual SR tournament format, and wouldn't be having caster kill by any long shot, it was quite clear to me that we would be handling scenarios from either the hordes book or the prime: remix book.
I had a choice of fielding either a cryxian assassination with Deneghra or the usual Sorscha list.
I'm stuck with playing cryx for the current tournament league for the coin series. And had a relatively bad showing with the cryx, given my major inexperience with assassination spell runs.
The cryxian list was:
Deneghra
Deathripper
Defiler x2
Nightwretch x2
Skarlock
Necrotech
Pistol Wraith
It would have been a good list, given that there were limited threats on the table and this list could easily bypass most, if not handle all, possible lists. It would work great if we had caster kill and it wouldn't suck as much in a mangled metal scenario.
The khador list:
Sorscha
Drakhun + unmounted option
Mortar x2
Manhunter
Widowmakers
Eiryss
Alexia Ciannor
This list would be unbeatable in 350. It simply had too many threats. It would just steamroll the cryxian list. It would be sick. It would be something I wouldn't be calling a game, but a hustle.
But considerations were thrown out the window when I realized, I got my butt kicked by a scenario win the first tournament, a missed VP from a double critical miss the second tournament.
By god I think it's time to remind people why Sorscha is broken.
First Round:
Pendulum - hordes book
vs Ashlynn (Pork)
The game was held in 40k terrain, which meant it would greatly reduce the possibility of freezing the entire army. Pork did bring a decent list, with a single warjack which meant losing a caster could actually mean little. I just could not agree on the choice of bringing 2 bokurs over taking a squad of stealheads + rhupert. List was:
Ashlynn
Mule
Eiryss
Alexia
Ogrun Bokur x2
He deployed first placing eiryss far down the left side, with the bulk of all the other troops on the right. The game broke down when I was moving my entire army forward towards the right flank with Alexia heading left to support the manhunter that was watching over his eiryss. He had made the mistake of trying to gun down my eiryss running on the right flank with ashlynn herself. It left her in LOS. I figured he might opt to use risen to shield her from LOS and the woosh. Lucky me I guess. Next turn woosh. Game ended with ashlynn getting razor winded by sorscha (after charging a bokur), disrupted by eiryss, bombed by a mortar, and shot by widowmakers. Alexia went down next turn. Pretty much nothing else left.
Second Round:
Killing fields - hordes book
vs Makeda (ronald)
My condolences go out to my opponent. I got first turn in this broken scenario.
Makeda
Cannoneer
Krea
Drake
Paingivers (4)
He shot my drakhun so I ended up charging it. Went for an early woosh as the terrain was bad, and it found him with most of his models still in the deployment zone. He tend to play defensively, hence the ease with which the scenario win was pulled off. Over in the usual 3 turns.
Third Round:
Domination - warmachine remix
vs Baldur?! (chris)
For some weird reason he didn't use kreuger. Actually I think baldur was actually a better option for the 350 games, with the expectation of some people opting for the I-big-and-no-touch-me option.
Baldur
Woldwarden x2
Shifting Stones x2
Strange enough the scenario called for 8 rounds. I've never had a game last that long-EVER. so the scenario will never come into play for this scenario. For some strange reason, chris prefers to bunch up his woldwardens together with his caster near the forest edges. I assume he likes the concealment it provides while pathfinder and all terrain gives him more options than I would ever have. What he didn't know about was what sorscha was capable of doing. He was pretty much distracted by the large model drakhun. He spent much of his fury points trying to block charge lanes from it. Critical to the pre-woosh turn was he had decided to cast stone skin on a woldwarden. It left him with only 2 fury left after casting that and the I-make-forests spell. the big light bulb just went on in my head and I just had to do the run. One boosted shot, boosted razor wind, 2 mortar hits and paralytic fear later, baldur was sent to his tomb of foam. The elemental constructs had sustain enough damage from the transfer to make them pretty easy to take out with a drakhun and a crazy manhunter.
Round Four:
Domination
vs thagrosh (Dan) - of course, who else was much more of a cheater than I there?
For some unfortunate reason, he had to roll domination. Nine points on the table--he had four models. I had more risen than his entire model count, that was pretty much it.
Thagrosh
Carnivean x2
Shredder
Problem with playing sorscha is that it pretty much leaves a bitter aftertaste to anyone who faces it or uses it. I'm pretty much sick of the woosh (and the frowns it causes) and I'm so used to seeing the paths to assassination with a woosh measure that it is nearly automatic. It makes me suck when I try cryxian runs. I cannot adjust to the limited range of deneghra's feat. I simply cannot time deneghra's withering. Sorscha has made me stupid. She's a crutch, I think anyone can actually try her and win the first time around. Just that do not expect anyone else to want to play you again.
It is, after all, a game so much better than any in it's genre. So much similar to the much maligned mageknight and yet unlimited in it's complexity.
We had 12 players joining the tournament. Sadly we didn't have a showing of the top menoth player.
The game was pegged for duels (350 points) which made it really unbalanced for a majority of the players. Knowing that our scenarios won't be the usual SR tournament format, and wouldn't be having caster kill by any long shot, it was quite clear to me that we would be handling scenarios from either the hordes book or the prime: remix book.
I had a choice of fielding either a cryxian assassination with Deneghra or the usual Sorscha list.
I'm stuck with playing cryx for the current tournament league for the coin series. And had a relatively bad showing with the cryx, given my major inexperience with assassination spell runs.
The cryxian list was:
Deneghra
Deathripper
Defiler x2
Nightwretch x2
Skarlock
Necrotech
Pistol Wraith
It would have been a good list, given that there were limited threats on the table and this list could easily bypass most, if not handle all, possible lists. It would work great if we had caster kill and it wouldn't suck as much in a mangled metal scenario.
The khador list:
Sorscha
Drakhun + unmounted option
Mortar x2
Manhunter
Widowmakers
Eiryss
Alexia Ciannor
This list would be unbeatable in 350. It simply had too many threats. It would just steamroll the cryxian list. It would be sick. It would be something I wouldn't be calling a game, but a hustle.
But considerations were thrown out the window when I realized, I got my butt kicked by a scenario win the first tournament, a missed VP from a double critical miss the second tournament.
By god I think it's time to remind people why Sorscha is broken.
First Round:
Pendulum - hordes book
vs Ashlynn (Pork)
The game was held in 40k terrain, which meant it would greatly reduce the possibility of freezing the entire army. Pork did bring a decent list, with a single warjack which meant losing a caster could actually mean little. I just could not agree on the choice of bringing 2 bokurs over taking a squad of stealheads + rhupert. List was:
Ashlynn
Mule
Eiryss
Alexia
Ogrun Bokur x2
He deployed first placing eiryss far down the left side, with the bulk of all the other troops on the right. The game broke down when I was moving my entire army forward towards the right flank with Alexia heading left to support the manhunter that was watching over his eiryss. He had made the mistake of trying to gun down my eiryss running on the right flank with ashlynn herself. It left her in LOS. I figured he might opt to use risen to shield her from LOS and the woosh. Lucky me I guess. Next turn woosh. Game ended with ashlynn getting razor winded by sorscha (after charging a bokur), disrupted by eiryss, bombed by a mortar, and shot by widowmakers. Alexia went down next turn. Pretty much nothing else left.
Second Round:
Killing fields - hordes book
vs Makeda (ronald)
My condolences go out to my opponent. I got first turn in this broken scenario.
Makeda
Cannoneer
Krea
Drake
Paingivers (4)
He shot my drakhun so I ended up charging it. Went for an early woosh as the terrain was bad, and it found him with most of his models still in the deployment zone. He tend to play defensively, hence the ease with which the scenario win was pulled off. Over in the usual 3 turns.
Third Round:
Domination - warmachine remix
vs Baldur?! (chris)
For some weird reason he didn't use kreuger. Actually I think baldur was actually a better option for the 350 games, with the expectation of some people opting for the I-big-and-no-touch-me option.
Baldur
Woldwarden x2
Shifting Stones x2
Strange enough the scenario called for 8 rounds. I've never had a game last that long-EVER. so the scenario will never come into play for this scenario. For some strange reason, chris prefers to bunch up his woldwardens together with his caster near the forest edges. I assume he likes the concealment it provides while pathfinder and all terrain gives him more options than I would ever have. What he didn't know about was what sorscha was capable of doing. He was pretty much distracted by the large model drakhun. He spent much of his fury points trying to block charge lanes from it. Critical to the pre-woosh turn was he had decided to cast stone skin on a woldwarden. It left him with only 2 fury left after casting that and the I-make-forests spell. the big light bulb just went on in my head and I just had to do the run. One boosted shot, boosted razor wind, 2 mortar hits and paralytic fear later, baldur was sent to his tomb of foam. The elemental constructs had sustain enough damage from the transfer to make them pretty easy to take out with a drakhun and a crazy manhunter.
Round Four:
Domination
vs thagrosh (Dan) - of course, who else was much more of a cheater than I there?
For some unfortunate reason, he had to roll domination. Nine points on the table--he had four models. I had more risen than his entire model count, that was pretty much it.
Thagrosh
Carnivean x2
Shredder
Problem with playing sorscha is that it pretty much leaves a bitter aftertaste to anyone who faces it or uses it. I'm pretty much sick of the woosh (and the frowns it causes) and I'm so used to seeing the paths to assassination with a woosh measure that it is nearly automatic. It makes me suck when I try cryxian runs. I cannot adjust to the limited range of deneghra's feat. I simply cannot time deneghra's withering. Sorscha has made me stupid. She's a crutch, I think anyone can actually try her and win the first time around. Just that do not expect anyone else to want to play you again.
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