500 Point Unique Hero Army (for GenCon sim)

I've been contemplating Cyprien/Nilfheim armies for a little while, but with Kelda rather than Raelin. The mobility of the heroes gets hampered by staying in Raelin's range (or you don't get the most out of the aura), but they (Cyprien particularly) can go out and cause some havoc and then return fro some healing.

I like the Brunak/Thorgrim pairing. I had fun at NHSD with

Brunak: 110
Thorgrim: 80
Braxas: 210
Tarn Vikings: 50
Total: 450pts, 9 hexes.

In an all-hero environment, Charos would probably be better than Braxas as a recipient of Thorgrim's spirit and that leaves 100pts for a hero instead of the Tarns. Agent Carr? Crixus and Isamu? I could see either doing well. Even Finn and Marcu to further improve Charos.

I'm not sure I like Cyprien in a unique hero environment, though it is a bit of rock paper scissors in my mind:

Cyprien>Agent Skahen>Q9>Cyprien

Tempting to take all three with Sonya.

The biggest trend I saw last year was people playing strong multiattackers: Major Q9, Major Q10, Nilfheim, Kaemon Awa, Krug, and I guess Agent Skahen. About the only matchups in that list that Cyprien is favored would be Skahen and Kaemon.

That's strange, Jexik, I'd've expected the exact opposite (well, not the exact opposite which would be weak single-attackers).

In an all-hero environment, I'd be picking the strong single-attackers. That's why I suggested Charos over Braxas.

What am I missing?

Risk aversion?

A lot of the 'top' players are afraid of dice.

Also, with the exception of Krug, all of those heroes have range, which is useful for obvious reasons.

Heh, scaredy-cats. When I next have some time to kill I might fiddle around with the match-up calculator and see if I can either back-up or refute my hunch of the better course.

Theoretically, Jotun should dominate. I'm pretty sure that Mattser brought him, but I don't think he made the top 4. (Meanwhile I was something like 15th with my Q9/Q10/Kelda/Raelin/Isamu army so...)

Yeah, I suppose thinking in terms of the strongest ranged attackers, you usually get multiple attacks thrown in anyway. New Drake is the most expensive ranged single-attacker and he is arguably best thought of as melee.

After that, there are just Sonlen, Mimring, DW9K, DW8K, and Laglor in the over-100pts category and all could (should?) be considered multiple attackers.

Have we found a hole in unit options? An expensive ranged single-attacker could be interesting.

There's Zetacron, but he's not exactly expensive.

Chardris? Ulginesh? Marvel has several.

I missed Ulginesh, thanks. He isn't the sort of unit I'm imagining though---you draft him for mind link, not for his attacking ability. Once you you get down to 100pts and lower there are more choices (Warden 816 and Carr for example) but just don't hit hard enough to do the job I want (and nor should they at their price). I guess what I think we're missing in Classic is a ranged version of Charos or Jotun where most of the value is in the raw power of the stats rather than the text on the left.

Marvel is a great point. Dr Doom and Silver Surfer are exactly the sort of units I'm imagining. A unit like Doom with slightly weaker stats, and maybe non-flying, in the 150-200pt range would be perfect for this format I think.

If (they aren't right) Marvel Units were fair game Red Skull would be a definite. His manipulator ability makes order markers a whole lot simpler and he's decent if you get stuck with the marker on him. The only drawback is that he's a big target if on the first turn your opponent instantly destroys or mindshackles him you're done for that round.

With unique hero face-offs, Krug and Crixus are the first two that come to mind for me.

120 Krug
90 Crixus
210 Charos
80 Raelin

I think that would make for some serious unique hero beatdown...

Here are the top finishers from last year's event. I finished 3rd, but my game with Jexik came down to a coin flip. I played Q-9, Nilf, Krug, & Isamu. In the game against Jexik, it was my Isamu against his Isamu....I just got luckier.

Kaharma 5-0
MainTrainChooChoo 4-1
Lonewolf 4-1
Killer Cactus 4-1
Ninth Doc 4-1
Mattster Truck Rally 4-1
Robbdaman 4-1
Buddy Lee 4-1

Just re-hashing what I posted in the 500 point thread:

I really like MTCC's army from last year:

80 Raelin RotV
180 Q9
120 Skahen
110 Laglor
10 Otonashi
500

I also think combining Ornak with all the A- or better Utgar heroes could be effective:

100 Ornak
150 Cyprien
45 Sonya
120 Krug
50 Me-Burq-Sa
20 Marcu
10 Isamu
495

And I don't think it would win, but going at it with the elf wizards would be pretty cool:

150 Ulginesh
50 Arkmer
80 Emirroon
20 Kyntela Gwyn
100 Morsbane
100 Jorhdawn/Chardris+Otonashi
500

With no squads to pick off, Johrdawn may actually be the weakest of the Morsbane/Chardris/Jorhdawn set.

I agree that this might be the place where Kelda is effective, although Sonlen seems like a safer bet for a healer.