Unit Strategy Review: How to use Spartacus

[Jexik]

The first time I faced the gladiators, I had believed all of the board hype about them being terrible. A friend who I don't play all that often had just bought the Gladiators and Nakitas and insisted on playing with all of them for an even 500 points to try them out.

I had a Krug army, and I forget what the other guy had. (It was a 1v1v1.)

Anyway, to make a long story short, they wiped the board. I wasn't sure which gladiator to go after first, and Crixus and Spartacus massacred Krug and all of my 'swogs to the face.'

The terrain wasn't very forgiving to putting many gruts next to swogs, so I wasn't really able to hurt them very much at range. A melee fight with the gladiators is no picnic.

[Boozehammer]

Originally Posted by Aldin

Well...

I tried a gladiator army the other night:

Spartacus
Crixus
Retarius
Kaemon Awa

...and had my head handed to me by a Cyprien-led Grut Orc army. The number of points tied up in units that only get one attack per turn marker is awfully difficult to overcome.

~Aldin, disappointedly

Exactly. Worth != Number of Attacks per Turn Marker / Cost.

IMO Best Strategy on How to Use Spartacus: Don't.

[Finrod]

Great article, Fezzik. I'm especially intrigued by the Death and Undeath optional concept. I need to try that one...

[Riptide]

Originally Posted by Finrod

Great article, Fezzik. I'm especially intrigued by the Death and Undeath optional concept. I need to try that one...

As am I.

Great Article, Fezzik.

[War Solves Everything]

Awesome! What I don't understand is why Bloody is saying an Arrow Grut could wound Crixus. I don't think there would ever be a time I didn't have my X order marker on Spartacus. Two attack against four defense.

[Bloody the Marro Stinger]

Originally Posted by War Solves Everything

Awesome! What I don't understand is why Bloody is saying an Arrow Grut could wound Crixus. I don't think there would ever be a time I didn't have my X order marker on Spartacus. Two attack against four defense.

You're assuming that the Swog abilities don't stack. They do. Optimally, I should have two swogs adjacent to my Arrows, so that's 3 attack dice. Yeah, Crixus has a chance of being wounded. My main problem with the glads is the fact they can't kill multiple units at once, but the units they are trying to kill can often kill them in sheer number alone.

[eveningdrive]

At 200 points he has the same value as Kato Katsuro. With the impending release of the daimyo, I sense that Spartacus will very likely receive his gladiator squad and in the end, he will be played like Kato, a general commanding his troops.

[Riggler]

A glad squad should be common, cost 60 pts. Att: 2; Def 3; Move: 5 Have Glad bonding and this ability:

I Am Spartacus!
Any time an attack would destroy Sparticus, you may instead destroy any one (insert name of common gladiators).

(Previously mentioned in the Book of Spaticus, by ME)

[Bloody the Marro Stinger]

Originally Posted by Riggler

A glad squad should be common, cost 60 pts. Att: 2; Def 3; Move: 5 Have Glad bonding and this ability:

I Am Spartacus!
Any time an attack would destroy Sparticus, you may instead destroy any one (insert name of common gladiators).

(Previously mentioned in the Book of Spartacus, by ME)

It wouldn't make much sense if a Gladiator all the way back in a corner yells "I AM SPARACTUS!" and dies instead of Sparactus. If that was a custom, have it require to be within range of the attacking unit as an additional requirement.

[Taeblewalker]

Originally Posted by Bloody the Marro Stinger

It wouldn't make much sense if a Gladiator all the way back in a corner yells "I AM SPARACTUS!" and dies instead of Sparactus. If that was a custom, have it require to be within range of the attacking unit as an additional requirement.

Adjacent works even better. I am thinking of version of Death Defy, but in reverse. Sort of like Hivelord Life Bonding meets Adjacent Tough, maybe.

[Chimpy]

I like the emphasis put on using Spart as a melee unit. It seems that most people forget that he is as strong stats wise as Drake No. 1

[Riggler]

Originally Posted by Taeblewalker

Adjacent works even better. I am thinking of version of Death Defy, but in reverse. Sort of like Hivelord Life Bonding meets Adjacent Tough, maybe.

You may be right. Adjacent probably would keep that power from being too strong.