Units that don't make for good competition.

[playa1]

We all have favorite units. And we sometimes try to build a competitive army around a certain character, but quickly find it becomes impossible. Which units do you feel don't make for good small army competitions? (I'm not saying they are not good characters or are not fun to play). I just mean which units do you tend to avoid when you really want to win?

While I'd like to think that every unit has its place and purpose, it seems like the Krav, Nakita, and Marro are all mentioned frequently and considered very competitive: I don't think I've ever seen

Dund
DW7000
or Morsbane

mentioned much in the competitive army section: Are these units poor competitors?

[monkeyfish]

Don't forget Spartacus, Khosumet, and Taelord. They also would seem like they wouldn't get picked.

[Aldin]

playa1,

All three are highly situational and require a fair bit of luck as well. Dund needs an opponent who will have multiple order markers on a card - typically a common army that bonds. Morsbane is the opposite, he needs figures with impressive special powers to negate. The DW7k needs a primarily ranged opponent, preferably with high-priced figures. And then each of them needs to roll well on a D20...

As counter drafts they could work really well. I don't want my Romans/Marcus/NGS/MBS army running up against Dund or my Braxas/Nilf army seeing Morsbane. If I had a 4th Mass army, DW7k could be a distinct problem. The flip side is that the 4th Mass laughs at Morsbane, the Romans don't care about DW7k and Braxas and Nilfheim won't even admit they're sharing a playing field with a Doggin.

All-in-all, I'm always looking for a way to include situational figures like them, but unless I can feel pretty confidant of facing a certain type of army in all or most rounds of a tourney, I couldn't include them for that purpose. DW7k would be a GREAT sideboard figure though (stupid 4th Mass...)

~Aldin

[Nwojedi]

Charos, Subakna, concan, and many others don't work well for tournies either. You need diversity. YOu talking about competative in general or competative for tourney?

[monkeyfish]

Also any tourney army with the Obsidians isn't going very far.

[Chimpy]

Most expensive luck based units do not go to far these days. While I love Dund, the probability of him paralyzing someone is not worth 100 points. Other expensive luck based units do not fare to well either.

[playa1]

I guess I was envisioning 400 or 500 point premade armies for a tourney. What Aldin said made a lot of sense; I think Aldin must be a very good player. Thanks for all the input guys.
I don't get the chance to do a lot of competitive play, and I've never drafted. Perhaps I'd see more of these units in a drafted game. I'll have to try that. It's just a shame that there are some units that are very hard to play in such an instance, while units that I really don't like to use (like the Krav) seem essential to any competitive army and are on the board in almost every game.
I am still wondering if others have felt that frustration.
Monkeyfish's point about the Obsidian Guards is an even better example. Unless we are playing a big Lava game, they are virtually useless pieces -- too easy to outrun and too easy to avoid.
Do any of you find yourself continually trying to build armies around these unpopular pieces and (like me) continually trying to find weaknesses in the popular figs?

[Chimpy]

Well the last couple of threads I have made in this forum were an attempt to bring some of the less popular figures to the forefront. I really like using these figs in my battles. You just have to be really creative to do it right.

[playa1]

Well the last couple of threads I have made in this forum were an attempt to bring some of the less popular figures to the forefront. I really like using these figs in my battles. You just have to be really creative to do it right.

Yes, I've been really enjoying those threads of yours. They have helped me see combinations that I would otherwise not have seen. It was a very good idea.

I also liked the draft/counterdraft thread. It has brought out the usefulness of some of the otherwise less competitive figures.

[Aldin]

playa1,

I appreciate the compliment. Thank you. I have learned a ton from people on this board. They are a great source of wisdom and knowledge.

~Aldin