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TAF's Customs AMON HEN BATTLE REPORT
I've done much complaining about customs on this here site for a long time now, but it's about time I put up some of my own Customs. These were mostly made on the fly and for fun, ever since I found a Card Creator that works on Macs here: Right Here. I doubt they're really all too balanced, but fun's fun, so here you guys go nonetheless: All feedback is greatly appreciated and keep in mind these are all first tries... can't go wrong with more Customs, right? ...right?
UPDATE: Weapon Mods for Mok: ANDROVIL KEGHEAD, MARBIS BENTHAMMER, MODORLOK SINGEDBEARD, REYAKI SINGEDBEARD Alphabetized Index of Customs:
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Alphabetized Index of Glyphs:
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~TAF |
Others, FAQ, Patch Notes
Lord of the Rings:
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NEW CONTENT:
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_____________________________________________________________________ Frequently Asked Questions: (FAQ) Some units have a touch of confusing wording with their powers. So here's the answers to some questions that may be confusing and require additional clarity. They're not particularly organized, but whatever. Units: (questions alphabetized by unit's name)
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Glyphs:
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Re: TheAverageFan's Customs
I didn't know there was a card creator for Mac, I'll have to try it sometime.
Anyway, your figureless cards really brought out some thinking. For the Marro Sentries, I just pictured my own 2 man Marro squad. You captured their feel much, much better though. I like all of 'em, you got a good nose for this. |
Unit Examination: Vel-Ra-Xi
I'm going for a closer examination on perhaps my favorite Custom so far: Vel-Ra-Xi. As a bonding option for the Groks and a powerful booster to Marro and Wilsinu Hunters, he's just what the Groks and Drudge were looking for.
Character Bio: When Utgar absolutely needs an important position taken, he sends in Vel-Ra-Xi. This Menacing Marro Warlord knows no master and knows no fear; rumors say even the Hivelords fear him. Riding in with his disgusting but brutal Grok Cavalry and Marrden Hounds, none survive his wrath. Most Marro Warlords are tricky and deceptive, but Vel-Ra-Xi is straightforward in his tact: destroy the enemy head on. His fearful presence empowers his loyal soldiers and sends all others running in fear, even some of those on his side. Vel-Ra-Xi pays mercenaries and deserters little heed, preferring to ride with his personally drafted troops only. Vel-Ra-Xi is an immensely expensive but powerful Warlord who can turn even the worst Marro into a battle-hardened steamroller. With 6 Life and 4 Defense, he's fairly durable, and 5 Attack is a nice plus as well. However, it's his Abilities that make him so threatening. Marro Pack Enhancement gives all Marro/Wilsinu Hunters an extra attack and defense die when they are within 4 spaces of Vel-Ra-Xi. With Mark of the Warlord, that can boost the Groks to a devastating 6 Attack/4 Defense! That's one attack of 5 and three attacks of 6 in a single OM! It also boosts the Marrden Hounds to a powerful 4 Attack/6 Defense, making them all the more difficult to kill. It also helps the Drudge out, since those guys are a bit less than stellar. Vel-Ra-Xi also has a second aura: Scatter the Weak. Vel-Ra-Xi couldn't care less for weaker soldiers, and all small and medium squaddies within 4 spaces suffer the opposite fate as the Marro Hunters! Under the right circumstances, that's 2 Positive effects and 2 Negative effects all in one Unit! This helps the Groks beat their way to Heroes, and since it doesn't affect Marro, the Drudge are still in the clear. To be honest, though, it's primary purpose is to make Vel-Ra-Xi less of a good Bonding Option for the Romans, who will suffer stat losses if they're too close to him. It's important to remember that, as good as Scatter the Weak is, it affects your own units as well. Vel-Ra-Xi makes the Groks a force to be reckoned with, boosting them, Hounds, and Drudge whilst also lowering everyone else's stats. He charges straight into the fray, mowing down Squads with Scatter the Weak and then getting his Mark of the Warlord onto a Hero as soon as possible. With him, the Groks and Drudge become much more powerful, able to take on other squads given the extra attack/defense and the opponent's reduced attack/defense. The Hounds benefit greatly as well, but since they can hurt your Marro, they might not want to stick so close. Vel-Ra-Xi's greatest weakness is long ranged Squads, particularly on Height. If they are more than 4 spaces away, his Aura won't hurt them. Microcorp Agents in particular have long range and can survive any attack no matter how great. A few rounds of Wait Then Fire can whittle him down as well. Lastly, the Templar Cavalry can face him head on, too big to be affected by Scatter the Weak and able to bring him down quickly with Righteous Smite. For 190 points plus 130 at least on Groks, losing Vel-Ra-Xi can be very crippling. Most other units he can steamroll through, however. I really like this guy, he may be my favorite Custom unit thus far. Expect more soon! ~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: VALKRILL AND ULLAR
In-Depth Unit of the Day: The Feylund Vanguard and Sylvis
https://www.heroscapers.com/communit...y_original.png https://www.heroscapers.com/communit...s_original.png Character Bio: Not all Elves are frail. The Feylund Vanguard are an elite battalion of Elves summoned from a Feylund long before the era of the Nine and Cyprien in a time when no Elf could afford the luxury of frailty or the calm studies of the Magic Arts. Trained to stand in formation around their leaders and each other, the Feylund Vanguard beat their enemies into submission, much akin to the Knights and Roman soldiers of Earth. Their commander, Sylvis, can issue them orders in the heat of battle. This Elf commander finds himself a worthy opponent and engages them relentlessly, never showing signs of stopping until one of them falls. The Feylund Vanguard are a powerful Elf soldier unit--a squad of 4--that when played correctly can easily transform into a fearsome steamroller unit. While they may not synergize great with the Elven Wizards (especially Jordawn), they can hold their own in battle against other powerful Melee foes. The idea of this Unit was to make a formation squad similar to the Romans AKA they gain bonuses from sticking together. Frontline Defense ensures that the Vanguard and any Elf Heroes near them will gain an extra defense die from adjacent attacks. This puts them at a much better 4 defense, and it's adjacency requirement means that they can't just stand around Ulginesh and friends while they sit on top of a hill with Haduc and throw fire at people. This power needs you to be in the action. Similarly, Aggressive Positioning means that Feylund Vanguard must attack in pairs to do their true damage potential. Keep in mind that the power states that any Vanguard may be used to activate this power, so Sylvis will work too, if there is only one Feylund Vanguard fighting. Additionally, with three Feylund Vanguard, an enemy may not escape, making it all that much easier to mow them down with ranged fire or beat them down with Sylvis. At 70 points, these guys are strong, but without bonding their competitive uses with similar units may be limited. Luckily, Sylvis gives them a bit of bonding, one way or another. With Quick Command, Sylvis may attack with all adjacent Elf Melee squads as he moves in--taking a quick turn with the Vanguard (or WoA) before he begins his assault. While a touch more difficult to set up, this can allow 5 Activations per OM if used correctly. Lastly, Sylvis' power Unyielding Duel enables him to cripple any unit he wounds, making it all the easier for him to finish them off next time. In a one-on-one fight to the death, this can be incredibly powerful. At 60 and 120 points, they make a somewhat tidy 180 point combo. They are quite powerful in a group against Melee foes. Ranged fire may be their undoing, however, as Frontline Defense only works against adjacent attacks. As such, these guys might not be the best for charging straight into the fray. They can be useful as a guard to your own ranged Elves, able to protect them and destroy any force that gets too close. Anyway, these guys are really cool I think. Feel free to leave feedback and stuff. ~TAF |
Unit Examination: Hurricane
Today's special unit is one who has some interesting abilities: the fearsome Hurricane.
Character Bio: In a war as diverse as the Valhallan Wellspring War, one must get used to fighting alongside soldiers they don't necessarily agree with. In the war against Utgar, Minutemen must fight alongside Brits, Knights must fight alongside Vikings, and Quasatch must fight alongside Soulborgs. Such is the case of the terrifying ice dragon Hurricane. This beast hails from the farthest reaches of the North, coming down from the mountains to fight Utgar and Valkrill's hordes. Becoming stronger with each wound he takes, Hurricane fights his way through entire armies, laying waste to all evil around him. This monster takes a cruel delight in the slaughter of his enemies, fighting with a brutal vigor that matches his foes and unnerves his allies. Battling alongside the dragon, the Valkyrie Einar reminisced of how it reminded him of fighting alongside Utgar's troops at the start of the war. Had he the luxury to be picky with his recruits, Jandar may have reconsidered the decision to summon Hurricane. As it stands now, however, the dragon has his place amongst the Allies' ranks so long as his wrath is directed only against the most evil of enemies. Hurricane is another ice Dragon for Jandar, albeit a bit different. Hurricane does not rely on Special Attacks like most dragons, but rather uses his normal attack (like Charos). With multiple wounds, however, he gains more and more attacks until he may attack 5 times in a single turn. With height, that is even stronger than a Fen Hydra! Rage Blizzard is essentially if Krug got more and more attacks in instead of more and more attack dice. With it, Hurricane may wipe out an unbelievable amount of foes in a single turn when he's at full steam. Without a height, it's not as good as Ice Shard Breath, but he can attack the same figure more than once, so there is that. That can also be better than Queglix Gun, but Hurricane needs wounds in order to utilize it fully, so that keeps it balanced. With the maximum 5 attacks, he'll only have 2 Life left (plus he has less defense than Q9). Luckily he has another ability, Monsoon. This is essentially a take on a glyph I made up, only turned into an ability here. With it, Hurricane can blast away foes before moving to guarantee no passing swipes. He may also use it to boost allies onto Height, giving great mobility. He can also use it at the end of his move to give him some space to attack at a Range, or even get some foes off of nearby allies. It has a great many uses, mostly keeping foes off of him so he may move freely or shoot freely. Since it can only be used once per round, it's not completely broken. Hurricane has two primary uses: Annihilate Squads and assassinate Heroes. Once he has 3-4 attacks per OM, he can start wiping squads per turn or attacking the same hero multiple times. This makes him very dangerous against pretty much everyone. With Monsoon, Hurricane should also be able to always secure a height advantage. He rarely needs to fear passing swipes, and can use this ability to push other squads off of a hill he's perched onto. From there, he's got 4 Attack, and now he's at his strongest. Hurricane's biggest weakness is his survivability. You'll likely need a couple of hits in order to be all that useful, and by the time you're at your sweet spot, you don't have much left to go off of. Until then, however, he can truly rampage through nearly any defense, shoving everyone out of the way and taking whatever position he so desires. As long as that 4 Defense holds true, he won't fall easily. Greenscales aren't the best with him, since he doesn't have too much variety like Nilfheim does. However, he can give them a bit of a berth with Monsoon, and even with Flying he's pretty slow so they can keep up. Plus 8 attacks per OM can be good. So there you have it! TAF's first Custom dragon! What do you guys think? Anyone? Hello? Oh well, there you have it--Hurricane's added to the OP along with all the other new guys. Check back often and you'll likely see new content. ~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: NAZI SPIDERS
Wow, you have a lot of stuff, over such a short period of time! I really like Vel-Ra-Xi, and he does. He's very powerful, and makes those around him very powerful, but for a lot of points. I don't really think he needs disengage, but rather an ability that makes you want to charge recklessly into the enemy and kill the crud out of him. As is, I would just play him carefully, like Raelin with bonding. Not necessarily a bad thing, but a bit of a theme break, I think. Still, I love him!
Hurricane is great too. The reuse of Zelrig is fun, especially cuz we all have 2 Zelrigs hanging around, right? ;) The reuse of Frostrager as a class is neato too. With the range glyph, this guy would be insane! Sure he has to get wounds, but then you demolish 5 figures a turn at a decent range. I might suggest lowering the range and possibly point a bit. This may make his abilities and stats contrast a bit better. Still I love him too! NAZI SPIDERS is a great title for your thread! A real eyed catcher. |
Unit Examination: Ancalagon
Thanks Maklar! I was split between Disengage and Ghost Walk for mobility skills, but his Groks needed to keep up, so Disengage is mostly there to avoid Rats and the like. Hurricane was made to be super-good because I didn't want his points to be too close to Nilfheim. Maybe I'll lower the range so he's a bit less campy. Now onto the next figure!
Character Bio: This terrible beast hails from the far reaches of Icaria, one of the oldest dragons alive. Exiled for a long forgotten crime and stripped of all titles, this monster had no name until Valhalla, where a soldier of Earth named it after the dreaded Ancalagon the Black from the War of Wrath. Here on Valhalla Ancalagon travels where he pleases, wreaking havoc wherever there are foes to fight. His flames are so hot and so bright that none can bear to look at them, making his attacks impossible to defend against. Paradoxically, the safest place by the beast is right next to him, for it would be easier to survive the attacks of his massive claws that it would be to stand up to his fire. When left alone or out of battle, Ancalagon is strangely quiet in contrast to the rest of Utgar's horde. Wandering alone for countless years on Icaria, the dragon keeps all thoughts to himself, no one capable of guessing what he might be thinking. To this day his true personality and history remain a complete mystery. Ancalagon is Utgar's answer to all those 185 and 210 point dragons the allies have summoned. Ancalagon may not be a King, but he commands the attention of all around him nonetheless. At a whopping 640 points, only the strongest of Superheroes can stand up to him. His powerful stats mirror Charos, only with more Attack, Defense, and Move. Plus 6 range. Felling this monster is no easy task indeed. Despite how good his powers are, his true fear factor lies in his incredible abilities. Hyper Beam can singlehandedly fell any foe given his 6 Attack. With it, none can approach the dragon all by themselves and hope to survive. Only the healthiest of Heroes can even make it to Ancalagon in a single piece. Luckily, once adjacent to the dragon, Hyper Beam will no longer apply. Wave of Fire will do the rest, however. Once per round Ancalagon may unleash his terrible Fiery breath upon all small, medium, and large units within 6 clear sight spaces. Only those managing to hide behind LoS-blockers can hope to survive this attack. Once triggered, however, Ancalagon is limited to one attack per OM. It also affects friendly units, so be careful! Lastly, Enormous Flying is a fun take on such a massive unit. Ancalagon may land on any small/medium Squad figures and stamp them out of existence. This means securing a Height can be easy even with ranged squads turtling up there. Ancalagon goes where he pleases. Such a unit seems unstoppable even for 640 points, and he nearly is. Even Q9 can be blasted out of existence in a single blow from this monster. Hyper Beam can take care of any Heroes, and Wave of Fire can take care of any Squads. Ancalagon's strategy is simple: fly around and kill all you see. However, there are some ways to counter him. Sergeant Drake Alexander can do fairly well against this beast. Thorian Speed is the only ability that can hope to defend against Hyper Beam, and once adjacent to Ancalagon, that ability will no longer work. For a little more than a third of the points, Cyprien can also do damage with Chilling Touch, the vampire able to fly in from outside Ancalagon's range. Morsbane, Atlaga, and Sudema can obviously do this dragon in as long as they can make it to him in one turn. Huge figures are immune to Hyper Beam, and can thus last a lot longer against this foe. Also surpringly useful are the Ashigaru with Kato. Wave of Fire may be able to wipe out many of them in one turn, but after that the dragon can only kill one of these swarmers a turn unless he takes passing swipes to move with Enormous Flying. Getting Ancalagon to waste Wave of Fire can make all the difference. Powerful as Hyper Beam is, it's still only one attack a turn. Greenscales don't pair well with this loner since he can kill them so easily. This exile does best alone, as any friendly units by him risk death as well. That ought to go without saying, though, given that his cost alone will take out a massive chunk of your army even on 1000 point games. He's immensely powerful, but also immensely expensive. Thanks for reading! The rest of the new units are in the OP. ~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs
I would tone Ancalagon down. He essentially cannot be stopped by any number of squads. I would bet that he could beat 800-900 points of stingers/4th/10th.
If you clump on top of Ancalagon, he can burn huge numbers of points with fire wave. If you don't swarm him, then he lands on you and Hyper beams you. Its hopeless. Against heroes, Ancalagon isn't quite as overpowered but he can still fairly easily earn his points. I'd say he's more like 650-700 points. Moreover, he looks like he was poorly tested. Ancalagon looks like he was tested against a higher Supers to Classic ratio than he should have been. Drake can do damage sure, but Drake won't be able to kill him. I'd say Drake has a decent chance of earning his points, but not much more. He is only inflicting 1 wound per turn on Ancalagon, while Analagon is inflicting 2. Not to mention that Ancalagon will usually get first strike with +1 move and flying. Also Fire Wave can be used against Drake if necessary. Plus, if you're committing Drake to Ancalagon, then you will have to put plenty of OMs on him. Ancalagon can use this to his advantage and use Fire Wave because he won't be threatened by squads that round. Plus, if I was Ancalagon I would disengage on non-thorian heroes just for the huge attack buff. I'd say cut all of his stats (except move and range) and specials by 33%. I would revise Hyper beam to make it a special attack with only 3 attack dice. I would eliminate Enormous Flying as well. It is really cool, but really OP. Basically, I'd say try get him to the 215-225 point range. I get that you want someone to outshine all other dragons, but in practicality, you can't. I tried it with making a Ultimate Braxas. The problem is, as soon as you do, you just made a super hero level unit, not a classic unit, and the game becomes a kill Ancalagon scenario, which gets old really fast. |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: CHAINSAW FANATIC
Oooooh I like your take on the super dragon of epic doom!
I like what I've read so far Taffy! Your recolored Sir Denrick is pretty neat too, and makes out to be another option for a Theracus Bomb. Cleaving through enemy squaddies simply cannot be ignored, and you can still move in Knights. If you really want to go awol, you can even use the MacDirks as his bonding squad. As the enemy attacks him, you fly him back out and let your MacDirks pummel whatever he didn't chop up. |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: CHAINSAW FANATIC
Maybe I will jack up his points--although none of these Customs are meant for anything other than just fun. Flameslayer's super-cool big dragon's around 600 points; maybe that's a better number. I couldn't resist the idea of having all of his stats (save life) be 6's. 650-700 points sounds more fair, but the threat of instant-kill abilities looms ever-present in the background--that's the risk you run I guess!
And yes, Sir Denrick was fun to recolor into Sir Clay. I try to have a lot of Special Marker abilities for Tenacity, and he's not a bad pick for the Macdirks. Those guys need the help. ~TAF *edited the points--Ancalagon is unusable for 500 point games now. If you'd ever like to try out these customs but don't necessarily agree with all their powers/points, feel free to edit them as you see fit for your own play. I'm just the idea guy. |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: THESK ARCHERS
I ain't got no big guide for today, but I will post the new units, save the MacDirks:
Laelia Moonrose is another take on the Cleric role similar to Scalron with the Paladin role. Laelia has a unique Barrier ability, able to give any Hero +1 Defense for the duration of the round. Her durability isn't great, but she can have 4 Defense if she keeps the Defense Marker on herself. She can also heal multiple units with Circle Spell, useful for healing several units at once (something no other official units can do). For 70 points, she's pretty cheap. Only problem is, you've gotta take turns with her, at least 1 turn a round if you want her Defense Barrier. Since Ana doesn't take turns to activate, she's probably better for the extra 30 points, but I digress. Named after a serpentine monster from an old favorite game of mine, Serris is a snake with a speed problem. As a Predator, it can bond with the Fylorag Spiders, but even they may have a hard time keeping up. With Sonic Dash, Serris can dash 12 whole spaces, albeit in a straight line and collide with any enemy with disastrous results. After every attack, it can move onward with Rapid Strike, avoiding passing swipes in this manner. Lurk in Water only makes it all the more dangerous. When Serris is by a pond, it can jump out and strike and then quickly retreat back into the water, making it difficult to fight at a distance. Don't stand in a straight line from this thing, and take it out with Melee Squads. These Death Chaser Archers can be ruthless. With 3 Attack and high mobility, they can destroy unsuspecting foes quite easily, especially the sleeping units with Ambush. Similar to the Death Chasers is Orc Battle Maneuver, with is similar except slower and for every turn. It's a decent take on the ability, but with passing swipes being a threat, it's not so useful later on. 1 Defense makes these things little glass cannons in their own right. They're probably better than the Roman Archers for the same price, but a screen of Roman Legionaries is a good defense to stand behind compared to Death Chasers. Maybe they should be 60, I don't know. |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: NICOLAS CAGE
Got a little something extra for you guys after experimenting with other pictures for these cards. First of all is the Chainsaw Fanatic, now with a picture:
I like the way he's turned out, I found a perfect picture for him, so I got off the hook! Next up for the real show: It's Nicolas Cage!! I don't know if we've ever had big name actors on Army Cards here, so here's a hypothetical first! Nicolas Cage is a very powerful figure; no small/medium figure can stand up to him or stop him from Stealing the Declaration of Independence. His only weakness is Bee Units. You could say that now an army of B-range units are draft-worthy! Get it!? B Units!! Ha! Too bad there are no Bees in Heroscape. I will likely create a new category for "new picture cards" in the OP. ~TAF, with more tomorrow, most likely (so long as ideas keep a comin') |
Unit Examinations: Aquilla Heroes
Once again, I'm not certain which unit to focus on, so I'll just roll with all the new units for today:
Aquilla could always use some more Heroes for bonding options and such. Recoloring a lot of guys, I made a few extra options for Aquilla Armies Character Bio: Bramm was renowned on Feylund for his unbelievable strength and spirit. Any Dwarf could follow him to victory fearlessly. However, the repeated use of his strength wore him down and slowed his advances in battle. It was during an extremely vital battle with the Undead that Bramm overextended one time too many, costing him his life. His life on Feylund, that is. Bramm Helmsgold was extremely difficult to price. On one hand, he's got crazy good Attack and Defense, along with some incredible damage and blocking potential with Reckless Powerhouse. His Attack or Defense value can basically be 10 (or 12 with Height)! On the other hand, he's got 4 Move and 3 Life, and he can hurt himself easily. At the very least, Dwarven Defensive Positioning makes him a good option for fighting other 4 man squads like the Knights, who already have 4 defense. The best way to play him is probably defensively, only using Reckless Powerhouse sparingly. He's got some incredible abilities, but man is he slow as heck. Character Bio: A second wave of Orcs fought their way up the hill, towards their target. The Monks had numbered so few, yet they would not be stopped on this position of theirs. But it was over now--the Orcs' numbered too many in their renewed assault. Morak led his battalion forward, seeing his comrades go flying back in the distance. Drawing his sword, Morak rushed into battle. A monk in red was right in front of him, already battling a Heavy Grut. Raising his weapon, Morak ordered his Orcs to charge and rushed into the fray. Paying them little heed, the monk kicked the Heavy back easily, the weighty foe colliding with Morak and his Orcs and sending them reeling all the way back down the hill. Master Juan hurts. With Knockback Kick 11, he can kick his opponents into each other and inflict additional damage (+1 Style Points). The fact that it sends foes flying in a straight line makes it fair, so lava throwing is difficult to accomplish. It's a wordy power, to be sure, but after looking at Master Woo's card again, I figured it was okay. Secondly, with Master's Assault, he can do that to everyone around him. The collateral is real. His greatest strength comes from being able to be powered up by Master Woo, giving him much more deadly stats. Ironically, even if Juan could jump, Master's Influence wouldn't help, as the Jumping bonus only applies to Squads, oddly enough. With fewer supportive powers and worse stats, I figured 120 was a fair price, even with all the destructive potential. With Woo, Juan, and x3 Monks, you've got a decent 500 point Melee Army right there. Character Bio: Wild Hunt is one of the most ferocious of the River Tribe. In battle, he races up to the first enemy he sees and hurls his mighty axe at them. Even should he miss and lose his weapon, he fights on, even with his bare hands if he has to. I'm not sure why there were never any more Indian Heroes--it really hurts the Mohicians to only get one bonding option, even if he is a good one. Thus I resolve to help them out with more good Heroes. *Looks at possible sculpts to recolor*... Oh... that's going to be difficult. Wild Hunt may not be as good as Brave Arrow, but he is still very strong for his points, similar to Arkmer at the very least. With a ranged attack of 4, he can do some damage with his Throwing Hatchet. Problem is, if he can't kill his prey, then he can't go retrieve his weapon. Even with his Attack Range reduced to 1, he can still lend a hand so long as the Mohicans are using their Bonding. Character Bio: "They're everywhere! Protect the convoy!" A Mariedian shouted amidst the gunfire. "Don't worry! I've got 'em!" Hogung Cide leapt into action, shooting down foe after foe. Rushing into battle fearlessly, the Fighter sprayed lead at every enemy he saw. The Deathwalkers hadn't been met with ferocity like this in a long time. "That's it! They're falling back! You did it!" The resistance fighters cheered, but Hogung was still in his element, all but deaf to them. "They're running away! After them, boys!" Hogung shot at a measly DeathReaver, giving chase as it scurried into a tiny tunnel. "No! What are you doing! Get back here!" Hogung would not listen. He chased down that Rat, diving into the tunnel and recklessly pursuing it. Climbing out into the open, the Mariedian found himself surrounded by DeathWalkers, red dots beginning to cover his body as they took aim, "Oops." Aquilla saved Hogung at the last minute, and in his gratitude he pledged service to her and her mission. Now he leads the Mariedians into a new conflict, still always searching for that Rat that got away. Hogung Cide is a new Mariedian Hero. For relatively cheap, he can pack a punch against more expensive foes with Bravery, giving him good ranged stats of 4/4 for only 70 points. Only problem is, he gets Tunnel Vision when he attacks an enemy, getting too focused on killing his target and forgetting about the battle around him. You definitely need to be picky about who you target, because if you get hung up on someone you just can't kill, then Hogung'll have to waste a lot of time and take a lot of Passing Swipes to get to that foe. Well, that's all for now! More to come in the OP to be sure! All feedback is appreciated, I guess. ~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: AQUILLA HEROES
I got The One Who Got Away by Katy Perry stuck in my head when reading the last sentence in Hogung's bio lol.
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Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: AQUILLA HEROES
I'd give wild hunt concealment to offset his defense of 1 to be honest.
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Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: AQUILLA HEROES
I enjoy his only having one power, so I opted to lower his point cost instead. 30 points reflects Marcu's 6 life/1 defense and 4 attack, although Wild Hunt is slower, has less life, can't heal, but has Range and Bonding options. Hopefully that works out fair enough given his incredibly poor survivability.
~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: VALKRILL AND ULLAR
These guys have a pretty good theme, makes me think of elven warriors on lord of the rings. The Feylund Vanguard abilities look pretty good, I think the price is just a little steep for a 3 attack 3 defense unit. sure they get 4 attack if they have more than one engaged, but I would drop them at least 10 points. Knights of weston have 3attack 4 defense and they bond with a hero. The abilities on your hero elf look pretty good, he is closer in on his points, I think at 120 he looks pretty good. I like the idea of Unyielding duel, wording on it could be a little better to grasp what he is trying to do. It made sense in your description. Overall very cool units, I am anxious to see what figures you use. Any word on what figures you will use?
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Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: AQUILLA HEROES
Thanks for the feedback, TREX. I'm not sure what figures to use for these guys, but I was influenced by elves from LotR and other fantasy worlds with Elven soldiers (so I guess anyone would work). I figured 80 was a good point value for the Vanguard since they can boost their stats to 4/4 pretty easily--perhaps I'll adjust it to match the Knights given the lack of bonding.
~TAF |
Unit Examination: Sir Vlad
Updated the Feylund Vanguard to 70 points and changed their class from Soldier to Vanguard (to help with Aggressive Positioning clarity). I'm not sure of the best way to reword Sylvis' power, but I digress. Onto the next unit of the day!
Character Bio: Sir Vlad does what he must to survive. This Blackgaard Captain carries an unusual sense of honor about him, whipping his men into shape and organizing them into a stronger battalion. This training comes from Sir Vlad's own extensive experience in countless European wars, years spent in peaceful meditation and in harsh physical conditions. Vlad has been a Knight of Weston, a Knight of Blackgaard, a chronicler, a pirate, and a monk. He has even dabbled in the dark arts. Yes, Vlad is a jack of many trades, and he knows many loyalties. Although Utgar summoned him as a Blackgaard knight, Sir Vlad does not hesitate to show allegiance to Jandar's own Weston knights when necessary. Vlad fights for Utgar in hope that he will be returned to Earth for his service, but his Earthly experiences have led him to have many different friends under many different flags. Sir Vlad is a good synergy option for the Knights of Weston, the Knights of Blackgaard, the Phantom Knights, and the Death Knights of Valkrill. I think the dumbest thing about the Blackgaard Knights (not that they're bad) is that they have absolutely no synergy with Sir Hawthorne. Heck, Sir Hawthorne is still best when paired with Knights of Weston, which is kind of dumb. This is still the case with Sir Vlad, a man of many uses, but he sort of helps them out too, if they can get their Blackgaard Surge working. Sir Vlad's stats are identical to Sir Hawthorne's, although he offers far more supportive abilities. First of all is Knight Leadership. Sir Vlad's intense training inspires Knights of all sorts to move faster into battle. With it, he helps out the Knights of Weston (although Gilbert can do that a bit better, but you could have both I suppose), and he bumps up Blackgaard and Valkrill Knights to a highly mobile move of 6. The Phantom Knights gain a move of 7, more akin to the Shades of Bleakwoode. All Leadership abilities are really good, and Sir Vlad's no exception, save for being the most expensive unit to offer this ability (tied with Morgoloth). With 6 move, the Blackgaard Knights are very effective with 4 attack/4 defense. Next up is another boosting ability: Surge Aura. All (Death) Knights next to Sir Vlad gain an extra attack and defense die, but only if you've won initiative. This can be extremely powerful, like all boosting abilities, but it's mighty flimsy, especially given the fact that it lasts the entire round (which is super-good if it works and super-bad if it doesn't). Obviously the Blackgaard Knights help this if they can get engaged, significantly improving your chances of winning initiative. This is their greatest asset with Sir Vlad, helping him so he can help them attain 5/5 Attack/Defense. Sir Vlad is an extremely versatile unit, another good bonding option for Knights of Weston and Death Knights, as well as a good booster to Phantom Knights, Templar Cavalry, and Knights of Blackgaard (that's a lot of knights). As such, he fits in quite nicely with a number of armies, although hopefully his greatest asset is to aid the Knights of Blackgaard. Obviously, Sir Vlad's biggest weakness is his expensive cost. 140 is more than any other bonding option for the Knights of Weston and Death Knights (save for Taelord). On top of that, the Blackgaard Knights are expensive already, and don't have any sort of bonding to move Vlad into position. The Phantom Knights and Templar Cavalry also don't quite need the extra movement. As such, can be pretty pricey for his abilities. His weaknesses are also the same as many similar units. Even with good life and defense, large amounts of Ranged fire can bring him down in time. He's also fairly expensive for a medium hero, and is susceptible to a number of insta-kill abilities possessed by less expensive units (one question you always have to ask when spending more than 120 points on a small/medium hero is "what if Grimnak"?). Without bonding, he's also only one attack a turn as well. Definitely bring some Death Knights if you can, but on an all-relentless army, he's stuck with one hit per OM. Even so, Sir Vlad can be useful for any number of armies, and isn't a bad choice for any of them if you can spare the points. Versatility is his forte, and as such his uses are many. ~TAF |
Unit Examination: Renis Assassin
Today we're looking at a wicked-cool repaint (photoshop) of Arkmer, trading out his staff for Emiroon's sword to become a deadly Renais Assassin.
Character Bio: Einar's deadly Assassins keep careful watch over all of his cities, finding and executing spies with devastating precision. Outside Einar's domain, these stealthy warriors lay low and wait for the right opportunity to find high-priority targets. Once one of Utgar's ranking officers is nearby, they rush in for the kill. Although this open display ruins their cover, any good Renais Assassin manages to blend back into the crowd before Utgar's men even know what was going on. The Renais Assassin is a relatively cheap means of killing off enemies that are just too much trouble.When played correctly, they can infiltrate enemy ranks with ease or simply protect your own units from the shadows. With Discreet, they are impossible to find amongst swarms of soldiers--even your opponent's. With this, they can move alongside large groups of enemies and allies and avoid ranged fire. Phantom Walk ensures that they get away easily. Once the target is within range, it's time to Assassinate them. With Assassinate, the small/medium target is deprived of any defense dice when attacked, ensuring that squishier units (aka low life) are killed easily. With 6 move and Phantom Walk, an Assassin can reach his target easily enough. The tradeoff is that once Assassinate has been used, all of the Renais Assassin's abilities are negated for the duration of the round. This means that Assassinating a well protected unit is suicide. You'll be susceptible to Passing Swipes and will no longer be safe from Ranged Fire. The Assassin must time his kill close to the end of the round, or make his escape smoothly enough to ensure that he will survive long enough to regain his abilities. This means that killing a foe on OM 3 is the best idea, or simply using Assassinate on units that are less guarded overall. Renais Assassins are quite handy to have around when dealing with Commanders and Cheerleaders. They may only have one attack per OM, but they can easily infiltrate enemy ranks and kill their target. Played correctly, they can even escape afterwards. Your enemy will have to be very careful if they want to protect their MVP units, because Renais Assassins are far more deadly than Siiv and Isamu. The biggest weakness of the Renais Assassins is Large and Huge units. They cannot use Discreet amongst bigger units and they cannot Assassinate larger foes. If unable to use Discreet, Assassins are quite susceptible to Ranged Fire as well. Sometimes Squads of 2 can be useful, as they will not trigger Discreet should an Assassin be all alone. 4 Blade Gruts will only protect the Assassin from ranged fire, but 2 Death Knights will not trigger his abilities. Lastly, just plain old protection can help out. Make sure that if the Assassin wants to live through his kill, he cannot target your Raelin. He is still more expensive than her, after all. An Assassin is best used on units that are alone or not properly defended. So there you have it: the Renais Assassin. I think he's very thematic and cool, but any other feedback is greatly appreciated! More in the OP! ~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: ASSASSIN'S CREED???
The Renais Assassin hits pretty hard, though has some strange quirks, very nice.
How about you drop his move to 5 when Discreet is active? No normal person is going to super dash at the speed of Viper. It will also make it considerably easier for fornation armies to actually counter him, because he can't outrun them. You could always give him an extra +1 move when he moves in for the kill if you can pull it off. I have a bunch of extra wizards so I may just try to make a copy for myself lol. |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: ASSASSIN'S CREED???
That's very true, perhaps he is a bit too hard to catch for someone who can avoid ranged fire. To avoid confusing wording, I may just drop his Move to 6--lots of other Humans have 6 Move, except the Kozuke Samurai, who can be faster than Vipers.
~TAF P.S. I'd be mighty impressed to actually see this sculpt come to life, especially with the sword. For an Elf repaint, Laelia (Jordawn) and Jarvais (Sonlen) would probably be a lot easier. I've some extra Elven Wizards of my own, but I already repainted them as Drow. |
New stuff
Nothing in particular to focus on today. Check out the OP for newer units.
Well, that's all for now folks. I'll be back with more eventually. Until then. ~TAF |
Unit Examination: Agamemnon and Captain
Sorry for missing a day, folks. I'm back, and I've got some good things on sale, stranger. You know who sucks!? The Sacred Band. You can argue for their tiny pluses over the Romans, but at the end of the day the fact of the matter is that they simply fail to live up to expectations. Parmenio is even worse--you'd really have to be strapped for Warlords to draft him. Thus I give you guys some Sacred Band heroes, complete with not being as good for Romans!
First is the Sacred Captain: Character Bio: The Sacred Captains lived in secrecy until called upon in the times of utmost need. They rose up above and beyond the expectations of normal men and assumed command of the Sacred Band, turning into powerful Warlords in their own right. They lead the front lines or inspire from behind--either way, no foe should underestimate their strengths. Sacred Captains are easy bonding choices for Sacred Band. They can only be Warlords when you've got the Sacred Band in your army, so no Roman bonuses! Sacred Loyalty does require one squad of Sacred Band per Sacred Captain, however, so you'll need at least one squad for each. Sacred Band Defense Aura further helps the SB, giving nearby members +1 defense (that's 4 with the Defense Bonus from Disciplined figures). Although they need to stick together for this to work, it still helps significantly, plus it can help if Parmenio is nearby as well, given 4 defense and Defy Death. Speaking of which, Defiant Supremacy boosts Defy Death as well. With it, these guys can help Parmenio (and Agamemnon) with their flimsy powers. Take that, useless hero! Sacred Captains generally move around the battlefield, making up the bread and butter of SB armies. They don't have great survivability, but certainly enough to keep up. They help out Parmenio, Agamemnon, and the Sacred Band in a number of ways, so there's little reason not to draft them. Next up is a superhuman named after a Greek hero: Agamemnon: Character Bio: "The Champion of Einar" is what they call him. Agamemnon is the commander of Einar's elite forces, specifically the Sacred Band. He rushes into battle without fear, vanquishing foes with Lightning and with his deadly blade. They say Agamemnon cannot die in battle. Shot through the head, Acid breathed to death, crushed underfoot, many have confirmed a kill against this legend, only to see him fight on as if it never happened. When fighting alongside his loyal soldiers, immortality comes naturally to Agamemnon. This juggernaut is the Sacred Band's best friend. Even for 190 points, he packs a wallop. He's got the stats to justify the price, but it's his powers that really do the trick. God Thunder is essentially Dragon Swoop if it were an explosion attack. The odds of working are a bit worse, but some Sacred Captains can fix that for you. Since it can hurt allies, it is best saved for an opening attack against a fortified group of foes before rushing in. Close up, you might fry some of your own Sacred Band, so be careful. Good as he is, he is still Medium 5, so the classic insta-kills are a threat. Agamemnon has a trump card however: Defy Death 20. He can survive anything so long as he rolls a 20, ignoring any and all wounds and destruction. That's easier said than done, though, but he can add 1 for every Sacred Captain you've got as well as another 1 for every SB next to him (maximum of 6 for those guys). By then you're looking at closer to 14 or higher to survive anything. With a hot 20d, he really is immortal. Agamemnon will likely lead the charge, unable to die from any means but bad luck. With enough suppressive fire on his Sacred Band, however, he will lose more and more bonuses. Eventually he's looking at a 17 or higher even with 3 Sacred Captains, and by then he will likely fall eventually. Even so 190 points is a bargain for that much potential, and he's not so great with the Romans since they can't aid his Defy Death. I hope these two boost the SB enough into being more of a threat. Maybe then they'll see some play at the ol' TAF household. What do you guys think? A good booster to the SB? A bit too much? Army ideas with these guys? Post whatever below. ~TAF, with more new cards in the OP! |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: SACRED HEROES AND MOAR NAZI SPIDER
I don't know what the heck makes a spider a Nazi spider, but Oh! Em! Gee! that has to be about my favorite faction ever. :rofl:
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Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: SACRED HEROES AND MOAR NAZI SPIDER
NEW UPDATE: Added Alphabetized List of Customs Index for easier navigation.
~TAF |
New Units
Not much to say today, so here's a quick look at one of today's new units:
Character Bio: When Einar witnessed Captain Reginald's ingenious tact in battle, he knew to quickly summon the British Commander as soon as he was able. Reginald makes a fine Captain amongst Einar's ranks, able to quickly command all sorts of Soldiers in the heat of battle. Standing firm against any assault, few can break his battalion's strategic defenses, and fewer still can survive its pinpoint assaults. Captain Reginald is a 10th Regiment Hero designed to assist them in Melee Combat. Since On My Command can basically give you Bonding (with the 5 Activations per turn), it is definitely worth using under the right circumstances. With Defense Enhancement, Reginald can further boost the Regiment's defenses in melee combat. Not only that, but he can help Romans, Sacred Band, and Einar Imperium as well. It only works on unengaged figures, however, so it's a bit of a one-time thing for the first strike. The Einar Imperium also greatly benefit from Reginald, with 4 Imperium going in a single turn, 140 points a squad sounds a lot more reasonable. He can give them a defense boost as well, making their survivability significantly better. Reginald can stand atop a hill amongst his fellow Englishmen, sending down bullets from the height whilst sending out wave after wave of melee soldiers to tie up the enemy below. So long as there are reserve troops to activate with On My Command, there is little the Captain can't do. With this in mind, he is particularly useful on larger games. The trickiest thing about Reginald is OM placement, especially when using him with Romans or other bonding soldiers. Once all your troops are tied up, Reginald resorts to being a single activation a turn again. Keeping reserve soldiers aside can help, but caution should be taken nonetheless. For 125 points, he's very good I think. With the ability to use several soldiers at once, he can really power up the 10th and the Imperium. What do you guys think? Is he too good? Too expensive? Feel free to comment or whatever. ~TAF, with more in the OP. |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: CAPTAINS AND SUPPORTERS
I think this one may be a touch too powerful. Maybe you can tone down his On My Command power to require LOS, as Kato does. He still might need a price bump. 150-200 is a better guess here.
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Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: CAPTAINS AND SUPPORTERS
True, don't want him commanding people from miles away on huge maps for 2-front wars. Added LoS requirement and Range to On My Command so it's much more localized now.
~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: CAPTAINS AND SUPPORTERS
I think he's priced pretty decently, he's not quite Kato. Kato can comand any troops anytime, where as this guy can only get unengaged troops engaged, and it's also locked in at 4 move. He might need to be boosted up to 140ish, but I'd say that's the highest.
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The Birds
Well, while we're at it, I may as well post the new content for today: The Birds. Unfortunately, there aren't many Raptorian sculpts to choose from, so no pictures for these guys.
Character Bio: Icarus is a Raptorian Captain, although many would call him a scout, and many more would call him a Vulture. He flies around the battlefield, watching for weaker targets to show themselves. Once he's found his prey, he swoops down and harasses them to no end. None can escape from Icarus once he's found his prize. Icarus is a fast and powerful ally to have on the battlefield. He can divide his attack up when needed against weaker foes, and with Pursuit, none can escape him. 90 points is a good deal for him, but without much synergy like others like Ne-Gok-Sa and Crixus, he's not too bad. Character Bio: A lone Raptorian stands upon a hill, awaiting the troops marching towards him. His wings stand on edge, loose feathers blowing in the wind. As his foes approach, he holds forth two longswords in both arms. He grips a third blade tightly in his foot, the talons squeezing the handle as he stands on one leg. The enemy nears him. Then, a blur of steel. Acilino can take and hold a Melee position very efficiently. With Hard Landing, he can force others off of a height and take it for himself. Once he's found a suitable perch, Crane Stance gives him Triple Attack. Obviously, the best way to deal with him is ranged fire, or figures with Disengage who can stay away from him. And of course, Large and Huge figures. I forgot to put it on the card, so I'll just clarify here that figures moved by Hard Landing will not receive any leaving engagement attacks. Character Bio: Cockatiels are household pets. They are the smallest kind of parrot. Their bites are inconsequential, but they sure are loud. On Valhalla, a flock of these birds were accidentally summoned by Ullar when he was trying to summon another dragon. Couldn't be content with already having the most expensive figure in the game? It's what you deserve! These 1 point birds aren't really meant to be played, I just like birds. Birds... Well, that's all for today. ~TAF |
Unit Examination: XI Legion War Elephant
Today's unit is the ever-popular Roman War Elephant.
Character Bio: These beasts roam the battlefield, crushing and goring anything in their path. All the while, Roman Archers sit atop its mount, taking quick shots at every foe in range, or combining their attacks against a larger foe. It takes no small amount of effort to fell one of these monsters. Not that Roman War Elephants are anything new when it comes to highly demanded Heroscape releases, but here's TAF's take on the matter. XI Legion War Elephants are Uncommon Heroes that are basically mini Moks. With Archer Mounts, Roman Archers can climb up inside the Elephant and stay safe on its Army Card. While there, the Romans can attack and are considered adjacent, so Arrow Volley is also an option. This helps the Archers stay safe from their own 1 Defense as well as stay on a level space wile on the Elephant, making Arrow Volleys significantly easier. I didn't have room for Archer Casualties on the card, so they just all die at once. The Elephant doesn't exactly have as much survivability as Mok though, so it's not as bad. Secondly, the Elephant has Charging Stampede. This is basically Trample Stomp only not nearly as good. An Elephant can inflict a wound on a small or medium figure as it passes by, clearing a path or just simply offing a nearby foe. It helps the elephant not get bogged down with the single attack, since the Archers must wait until after the Elephant's turn before attacking. An Elephant is immensely powerful on the battlefield, capable of killing 5 different figures in a single turn, or attacking the same foe for 5 and then 6 with Arrow Volley. With a combined cost of 225 with the Roman Archers, these are extremely expensive Uncommon heroes, and as such they won't be too common save for huge battles. Even so, they have a great deal of destructive capabilities. They are not without weaknesses, however. With only 5 move, they are quite slow and cumbersome. A squad of Krav could give these things the runaround with ease so long as Stealth Dodge continues to work. Elephants also don't have fantastic survivability. Even with 7 life, 3 defense will make them easy to wound as they make their slow advance towards their target. A few rounds of Wait Then Fire can do them in quite easily. As such, they should try to avoid extremely protected areas of the battlefield, sticking to the even-playing field on even ground with Melee foes. Well, that's the XI Legion War Elephant for you. What do you guys think? Cool? Dumb? Too good? Too expensive? Feel free to comment and whatever. ~TAF, with more in the OP. |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: WAR ELEPHANT
The War Elephant is great help for those poor Roman Archers. I'm glad you decided to give them some help here.
As for pricing, 225 for a loaded Elephant is perfect. Round it out with some Legos and Marcus, and you'll have a fun thematic army. |
New Units
Just updating the new guys for today:
Character Bio: "Too many to deal with!" Thorgrim grunts, swinging away at Drone after Drone. His accompanying knights had fallen, leaving the Viking all alone against such numbers. His defenses could not hold forever, the Marro swarming all around. "Fear not! I'm coming!" Yuliy throws himself into the fray, taking Thorgrim's place amongst the Marro. The Viking is pushed out of combat, backing off to ensure his survival. But now Yuliy is the one surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered. But the Fighter only looks enthralled. "Now these are odds I can live with!" He shouts, fighting off the Drones without so much as a nick on his armor all the while. For Yuliy, nine versus one is most certainly fair. Yuliy Diress is another take on the D&D Tank/Fighter role. He's essentially Melee Attack, Melee Defense, and Barge into Battle all rolled up into one. He can save any wounded ally, moving himself into engagement at the same time. Once he's engaged with 3+ enemies, Underdog kicks in, and suddenly he's tankier than Siege. Character Bio: These summoned rogues live out in the desert, charging out to raid any who near their outposts. Einar decided to form an "alliance" with these deserters, letting their positioning in the desert form a natural barrier between himself and Utgar's territory. It would take a massive army to uproot all of them, given their fondness of the desert's harsh terrain. These guys defend desert outposts, hiding away and forcing the enemy to come to them. Once within range, they're a powerful 4-man squad with decent stats in their own right. Their only weakness is being map-dependent and Special Attacks. That being said, they might be better saved for special scenarios and what-not. Well that's all for today, what do you guys think? ~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: DRAGON & DROW
Just some simple new guys for today: won't expect much since it's Super Bowl Sunday. I've got a real treat for you guys tomorrow though... :D
Character Bio: Charax-Na commands legions of Arachnids and Constructs into battle. With his steely silver scales, few can puncture his hide. Charax-Na is an old custom of mine back at the TAF household, so I don't know how good of a price 190 is. Regardless, he's essentially Mimring with better survivability and Lava Resistance, only much more expensive. As a bonding option for Spiders, he could compete with Quahon somewhat, although that dragon is far more precise. Character Bio: Katarae sneaks forward silently and looks up. For anyone else, this castle wall would be impossible to scale. But not for her. Spotting a guard all by his lonesome, the assassin channels the midnight darkness and vanishes, appearing by his side. Slitting his throat, she works her way further into the fortress, the shadows hiding her completely. Her prize lies further inside. Got a few Swarms of the Marro? Probably? Well then you can repaint Shiori into Katarae, a useful human assassin who can target and eliminate lonely foes all by herself. With Shadow Step, she can teleport to friends or foes easily, getting up onto walls or teleporting back to friends without a second thought. Unfortunately, her survivability's not stellar for a 90 point figure, unless you can find a Shadow space to activate her Darkness Cloak ability to bump her defense to 5. Obviously the best way to counter her is by sticking together. Well that's all for today: check back tomorrow for more. ~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: DRAGON & DROW
Cool. when I get more time I will look at these closely to give feedback and add to my Customs using Master Set Figures (RotV, SotM, BftU) thread.
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Even moar nazi spiders!
Lots of new units for the Nazi Spider faction today: let's check them out.
Sgt. Drake struggled against his bonds. He was tied up in some sort of underground bunker--he shouldn't have let his guard down so easily. The rusty door in the corner creaked open and a large hideous spider strolled in, its eight boots tapping the concrete. "Vhere is the supply line for Jandar's army? You know all their secrets." Drake spat, "Like I'd ever tell you that. Tell Utgar I don't talk with cheap underlings." "Tisk tisk." The Spider stroked its mandibles, "You Americans think you're so great. Soon you vill learn to appreciate our hospitality." Turning to unseen allies in the hallway, the arachnid spoke again, "Take this American dog away. He won't hang onto those secrets for long. He'll be... hanging by a thread, you could say! A thread of web, hmm?" "Oh, Jesus... that was awful." Drake rolled his eyes. "Silence! The Eighth Fuhrer vill rise! And then, at the end, all of you vill see the error of your ways! Take him away!" More spiders crawled in and seized the Sergeant, taking him from the room. The Spider sat alone, slowly taking off its gloves, reaching over to a record player in the corner and putting on Ride of the Valkyries. As the music filled the chamber, he could not help but to start laughing maniacally. "Ha ha ha ha ha!!!" Kommandant Acht Beine is a powerful yet expensive Spider hero. He weaves traps on the battlefield that are essentially Air Elementals. On maps with chokepoints and tight corners, these webs can be absolutely ruinous for some armies. Leutnaut Infizieren is a quick and skittery Spider hero who moves around the battlefield, searching for heroes to poison. With Deadly Venom 13, he can poison a hero so that they take damage over time with each passing turn. The earlier in the round he poisons a unit, the more damage they will take. Skittery Movement helps with unengaged movement bonding and keeps him safe from abilities that require engagement--very useful. These automated Spider Tanks are powerful ranged units for a variety of uses. Nazi Spider Strategic Movement can assist with getting the big heroes into position, and with AA Turrets, they can target units above them with ease. The perfect mini-panzers for the Nazi Spider faction. The SS Zehenglied is a spider tank cannon that packs a punch. Although slow, it has 8 range and a wide variety of ways to boost its attack. With height and both bonuses from Long-Ranged Fire, it can have a range 8 attack 7 shot per turn. Spider Climb helps it get around with only 4 move. It's only weakness is a limitation to 2 attacks maximum at close range, so make sure to keep swarms away! What do you guys think? Too good? Too bad? Want more? All feedback is appreciated. ~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: EVEN MOAR NAZI SPIDERS!
It's great to see another member starting to share on the custom forums. You've been producing so much lately that it's a little daunting to keep up. I try to provide what comments I can but I guess I'll try to start small and see if I can ever work my way back.
Kommandant Acht Beine First of all, I think the idea of nazi spiders is wonderfully absurd and a really cool faction for Heroscape. In any case, this is a powerful and speedy hero to try so cool things. It seems a little challenging to properly set up his web traps but I suppose his move and life are both high enough that he should be able to lay a few down early on. You'll definitely want to keep him clear of getting tied down in melee since he won't last forever if swarmed, but those webs probably go a long way in keeping the rabble off of him (and can set him up for an immediate attack of 7). He has a nasty pairing with ranged spiders: Set up some web bottle necks and then pick them off as they come in with the attack bonus no less. Leutnaut Infizieran This guy is pretty interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about the Deadly Venom ability. In one way, I like that it damages over time but you then get the marker back and they stop taking damage. Depending on when you land it, it can be a real do-nothing power. Furthermore, he gets 3 markers but gets them back every time as well. The odds of burning through 3 alone is already pretty stacked against you so the concept of swapping them back and forth feels a little fiddly and odd to me. I do think the concept is interesting, it's just not sitting well. He is otherwise a decent, if vulnerable, assassin for some key figures. Der Spine Panzers These guys are powerful. Their range is quite limited but those stats are nothing to shy away from for a 3 figure common squad. They're probably priced about right for the value. I find the AA Turret aspect to them quite interesting where their attack scales with the opponent's defense on height (making it better for the spiders). I like the theme of their anti aircraft weaponry being more effective pointing up. Moving up your heroes for free seems like a nice bonus early on but I doubt how much you'll use it with such a solid ranged squad. Forget about it if you pair these guys with Estivara. SS Zehenglied This guy has quite the price tag on him. Even if he does get swarmed 8 life and 4 defense with two attacks per round could hold up decently enough. Many times you'd want the extra instead of higher attacks when dealing with squads anyway. Spider Climb is an interesting power that definitely helps mitigate his abysmal move, but so does having 8 range. It is unclear from Long-Ranged Fire that you can stack both bonuses although I do see that is your intent. That kind of attack at range 8 can definitely help pick off most any unit you point the cannon at. Pairing him with the Panzers seems optimal to get some extra move out of it. A really interesting faction overall and they look like fun to give a go. They all run on the expensive side but the cost feels justified for what they could do. 500-ish armies of the Kommandant and Panzersx3 sounds plenty powerful, or drop a squad of spiders and pick up some rats to tie things down further. Adding a cheap and large attack boost with Estivara can be particularly deadly. She really wasn't priced with guys like this in mind ;). I'll see if I can work through your backlog but thanks for sharing all of these customs with us! |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: EVEN MOAR NAZI SPIDERS!
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~TAF |
New Units
I'm back! Let's look at the new units for today. I've got lots of good things on sale, stranger!
Character Bio: When battling dreaded Blood Elementals, your own flesh is against you. The more you bleed, the more the Blood Elementals will inevitably come for you. Able to leap through other bodies' flesh, there's not much keeping Blood Elementals from their prey. Blood Elementals seek out heroes to kill on the battlefield. They go into a frenzy at the sight of blood, and once it's on their minds there's no escaping from it. A Blood Elemental can Body Traverse through figures that stand in it's way, jumping from one to the next until it reaches it's target--Arcane Bolt style. Character Bio: "I just have one, very important question for you..." "What?" "You got a smoke?" "I got gum." Leon comes prepared to every fight. With Specialized Weapons Special Attack, he can use range to his advantage and attack with either his Shotgun, TMP, or Sniper Rifle respectively. Up close he can kill of weak foes with Suplex Kick, making him quite the variable. Low survivability keeps him in check, however. Bring herbs. Character Bio: Arnold! Gnarh! Get to the choppa! Go on! Kill me! Do it! I'll be back! Shut up! Shut up!! Put that cookie down! Gnargh blah bleh! Arnold comes in guns ablazing. He's part man, part machine, and all American. As he shoots his Gatling Gun, Arnold yells at his foes, crippling their willpower with his shouts and destroying morale with his one-liners. Well, that's all for today. Let me know what you guys think. ~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: ARNOLD SCHWARZENNEGER!!!
Interesting units. Some quick feedback:
Blood Elemental: I like this unit and think the points should be about right. I have a little trouble on the wording of Blood traverse as it seems confusing. Maybe "... To Body Travers, you may traverse through any adjacent figure and continue moving through another figure adjacent to one you traversed through and place this Blood Elemental on any unoccupied space adjacent to a figure you traversed through." Also I suggest you add, "Blood Elemental will not take any leaving engagement attacks when using Body Traverse." As technically you would otherwise get a disengagement swipe from almost every figure you traverse through and any other adjacent figures. Major MH7: Seems really powerful. Serious playtesting needed to no only figure points out but if D20 minimums are good. I wonder how any playtesting went? Leon Scott Kennedy: Had to google him as unfamiliar with Resident Evil games and don't remember movies that well. Seems pretty cool. Bonus powers in specialized powers might be too much IMHO, but I get the idea of him running and gunning by keeping 4-6 spaces away, or running and kicking. Arnold: Just change to "The Terminator" And the Arnold Bellow to "Comeback attack". or instead you could add power, "Who's your Daddy: Look at your opponents order markers" or "Twins: At the start of the game, choose a unique hero you control and take the best attributes of its army card and give him the worst attributes of Arnold Schwarzenegger." |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: ARNOLD SCHWARZENNEGER!!!
Leon is great. I approve of the theme 100%
~~loved RE4 so much he has bought it at least 3 times. |
Mind flayer & uncommons
Sorry for the delay: school's been hectic and I got a flat tire and there was a terrible flood and I'm running out of excuses. Here's the next batch of units for today: Utgar brings more heat with this Mind Flayer hero and some more uncommons:
Character Bio: Xythe'nem is a powerful Psychic Overlord who can seriously mess people up. He can mix up their greatest strengths with their greatest weaknesses, and those who aren't paying attention when he's around will often have their minds melted if they're not careful. A mysterious sorcerer indeed, Xythe'nem beckons any foolish enough to take him on into the infinite darkness. Let it be no secret that I don't like Cxurg'gyath very much. Xythe'nem is another Mind Flayer hero capable of inflicting immense damage. With Power Swap, he can switch a unique ally or enemy's attack and defense values for a round, setting up for endless possibilities unless you're Raelin or Kaemon or Siege or an Iron Golem etc. But that's not all. With Psionic Beam Special Attack, he can attack for 6 provided there are no order markers on his target (it's a measly 2 if they've got all 4 on them). With some successful Psionic Blasts, Mind Flayer Masterminds can set up for Psionic Beam's full potential. Character Bio: Only the most elite of the Minions of Utgar complete the training to become the dreaded Sapphire Devils. Extensive survival in the mountains alone, relentless training for months on end, and the strength to hurl boulders and smash castle walls in... all of these are the marks of the Sapphire Devils. Bodies painted blue in their rite of passage, these monsters can literally destroy any hero in a single blow. Sapphire Devils are another option for Utgar's Orders: powerful Minions in their own right, they have a 25% chance of inflicting 6 skulls with Obliterating Strike. No hero stands a chance, especially if Taelord is around. Obviously being reduced to one activation per OM instead of 3 with regular Minions is a downfall against Squads, but with Utgar's Orders your options are open. They make great guards for Taelord, and if you've got Atlaga for the movement boost, then you're pretty much all set. Character Bio: "Keep that thing busy while I defend the convoy!" Sir Gilbert barks to his loyal knights as they struggle with this new Ogre threat. Their Jandarian caravan travelled the dangerous paths near the canyons, and now they were paying the price. As the Thesk Death Chasers dashed on ahead and grappled with Sir Gilbert, the Knights of Weston kept their Taskmaster tied up. Roaring with rage, the Ogre lifted both arms up into the air and brought them slamming down in an instant. Immediately most knights were flung back and the Ogre dashed forward, unrestrained by its attackers. Barreling straight for Gilbert, the monster swung with all its might. This was the end? Thinking quickly, the knight leader dove to the ground and rolled over, the Ogre overstepping as it struck nothing and tumbling forward. With one step too far, the beast slipped and fell off the nearby cliff, doomed to its own attack. The Ogre Crusher is another Taskmaster for the Death Chasers. It has a powerful ability to be sure in Thrashing Charge, able to wound every figure next to it and temporarily grant itself Disengage. With Orc Battle Rush, you won't need to worry about wounding your own. However, Stumble Swipe can backfire quite a bit, a successful block giving your opponent movement control over your Ogre. If there's a cliff or lava, you're in trouble. Worse yet, they can move your Ogre next to friendlies, and before you know it you risk hurting them on your next turn with Thrashing Charge all over again. High risk indeed. Well, that's all for today. Hopefully I'll have more soon! Until then feel free to post any comments and what not here on this page. Be back soon! ~TAF |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: MIND FLAYER & UNCOMMONS
Xythe'nem
I appreciate that illithids and weird aberrations have strange names but I must admit I don't even really attempt to pronounce them when I read them. Power Swap seems to be an interesting power, although it does lead to weird "order of operations" questions. Do you take it as swapping the printed value on the card and then applying whatever relevant bonuses, or do you calculate that out and then switch? Would Raelin effectively add 2 attack to a swapped figure, for instance? I would suggest making it the former and using a term like base value to make that more clear. It can otherwise lead to a lot of really odd corner cases. Also, you choose the target for the power, not Xythe'nem (unless he's already taken control of you ;)). I do like the subtle synergy between his Psionic Beam and the Mind Flayers. His move of 6 feels a little high for him. Sapphire Devil This is an interesting and swingy hero. Attacking can be feast or famine, and while you're probably overall better with the minions it is a cool way to see them condensed into this powerhouse. Additional attack bonuses can charge this guy up to something scary against heroes, although his low movement and only moderate survivability should stop things from getting out of hand. Ogre Crusher Successful defense is a little ambiguous, but I take it you mean that they are attacked and receive no wounds. Otherwise the play between Thrashing Charge and Stumble Swing is interesting where you can try to pass him back and forth so he can hurt someone else's troops. He's pretty spot on for a Heroscape ogre in having an upside that is sometimes a downside. Is he single or double based? I'd be wary of using him on lava heavy maps, especially if he's only single based. Blood Elemental I really like the theme of these guys. The wording on Body Traverse is a little odd but I think the theme comes through in making it clear what happens. Otherwise blood frenzy is a spot-on reuse, making these guys a cool anti-hero addition to a mixed elemental army. Major MH17 Hard Reset is a very interesting power that you are certainly paying for with his cost. It can potentially set up some powerful plays (resetting on your opponents OM when you have an initiative bonus like Dagmar to keep ahead on turns, rolling when they have a dead order marker on a destroyed unit, etc) but it is only usable once a normal round and is sub-reliant enough that you can't really count on it. I don't think I would pretty much ever try this power on my own turn, so much so that the option feels out of place. Position Hack feels a little clunky that it can be used between movement and being attacked. I think the circumstances that you'd use this when moving are pretty narrow since I've pretty much lost if I'm putting anything but the X on this guy. Maybe have it just work on defense, like @Maklar the Silver Prince 's Cormin the Dark. |
Re: TAF's Customs UPDATE: MIND FLAYER & UNCOMMONS
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Position Hack gives MH7 crazy mobility when used with his Move, jumping past figures and then moving for 6 to stay alive and reverse attacks. There is one reason to take turns with him--he bonds via Melee Soulborg Bonding with the Hopiltrons, so come end-game he can move around whilst those guys keep him safe and do the fighting should he need to stay away from foes. ~TAF, grateful for the feedback |
Dark daimyo & glyphs
I've got some experimental new units today, along with an entirely new kind of custom for this page: Glyphs!!
Character Bio: The Marro Sentries stood guard by their hive, dutifully watching the surrounding jungle for any sign of movement. Even this deep in the Jungle, an ambush by Aquilla's army was always possible. But her soldiers were no match for the Marro Sentries--any hive guarded by them was impregnable. No battle need take place, however. A tiny dart whizzed through the air, striking one Marro through the neck. As the two Guards turned to face the attacker, a second miniature bolt shot out of the bushes and struck the other. A second later, both Sentries fell to the ground, fast asleep. It was safe for the Mohicans to come out and destroy the unguarded abomination before them. Pallaton Darkriver is a South American Indian capable of knocking of OMs for relatively cheap with his Sleep Dart Special Attack. Once the enemy is literally a sleeping unit he can move in with the Mohicans and attack for a proper 4. Concealment 10 is icing on the cake, and far more valuable for a unit with Range. I figured that because of this 50 points sounded fair despite his poor survivability. NEW GLYPHS: I finally was able to make my Mac Card creator Glyph-compatable, so now I can make cards for all my wonderful Glyph Ideas. The Glyph of Augers turns your normal ranged attacks into piercing bolts of energy that can pass through walls. With no line of sight required, it has countless uses on obstacle-heavy maps. On top of that, it turns all your attacks into Special Attacks, which is a bit of a double-edged sword. Good against Tough, bad against Iron Tough. Plus you'll lose heights, but the general consensus from playing with this thing is that it's worth it. The household favorite for years now, the Throwing Knife can be used instead of attacking to essentially become a Pounce attack. If it kills the enemy, you can go over and pick it up again for future use--if not, then it's gone. Obviously good for taking down weak squaddies or finishing off heroes, the Throwing Knife is perfect in a pinch for units with low attack such as Kelda or Ana. The Glyph of Tridar grants 3 bonus dice upon your immediate next Attack, defend, or passing swipe. A great deal, right? Well, since you have to use it next time no matter what, the choice isn't entirely up to you. It's all too easy for the enemy to trip it with a quick Rat attack, so it's hard to use the way you want. Well that's all for today! I'll be back with more eventually! Today's units were particularly experimental, so all feedback is appreciated. ~TAF |
Royalty and warforged
New units of the day:
I've seen a lot of King/Queen etc. Customs on this site, so how about a Squad to go with them? The Royal Guard Knights bond with any small or medium King, Queen, or Prince you've got. With Swift Aid, they'll be able to keep up easily enough, and they can even rush to the aid of friendly Royalty, even the big Dragons. Here's a King to go with the Royal Guard Knights for starters. King Kenelm powers up all Loyal figures around him, further enabling the RGK to do better. King's Smite gives him 6 Attack against all Utgar and Valkrill units, turning him into a real powerhouse. On top of that, once per round he may use Mark of Kenelm: powering up a small/medium Knight figure and taking a turn with them. Its most obvious use right now is for the Knight Squads, but to clarify if you use it on a Squad figure, then only that single Marked figure may take a turn, not the whole Squad. 185 sounded fair, on par with Nilfheim, who always has 6 attack and his own bonuses. Ironically, apparently the king who's sculpt I used isn't such a nice guy after all, but a figure's a figure. Warforged Phalanx is a common hero capable of spearing and shoving enemies away from it, enabling further uses of his Braced Spear 16. Of course, his uses are limited being a common, but Vain can help these guys move out in full force, enabling up to 3 move and Tactical Shove. Remember that Shove is 3 spaces in a straight line specifically away from the Phalanx, so there's not much freedom in what direction you're shoving an enemy. Vain is a powerful Warforged Captain, leading his soldiers into battle to seize victory. I found his wicked-cool sculpt on Google and gave it a recolor treatment. With Warforged Advance, he can move up 3 Warforged Soldiers with him (to clarify, that's Warforged (species) and Soldiers (class), not the unit). Once he's on his high ground, he gains Super Advantage, becoming near invincible. With an army of tactical swapping and shoving allies, no one can get him off his height. New Glyphs: This Ancient Artifact can momentarily eliminate all defense from a foe, possibly destroying them in one hit if they have little life to spare. Since it's so good in that aspect, you're only allowed one. Combined with other Attack-boosting glyphs and/or the Whetstone of Venom, this can really do some damage. The Glyph of Survivability ensures that your Hero will never die in one hit. If they are destroyed, they'll live with one life remaining. Once they're fully healed, this glyph can be used again, making it great on low-life units. Some have asked me why the reuse mechanic is in there and why this isn't a temporary Glyph. Well, I wanted it to not be too much like the Scarab of Invulnerability, plus this way it has further uses as more of a bonus power rather than a one-time bailout. Provided you have a healer or heal wounds between D&D rooms, this will keep you alive for a long time. Well that's all for today! Leave some feedback or something maybe. I'll be back sooner or later with some more! ~TAF |
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