The Book of Cathar Spearmen

[Serenity]

Originally Posted by Arch-vile

Hey all, Miniaturemarket is selling boxes of the very-soon-to-be-released Cathar Spearmen (8 figures = 2 squads) for $9.00!

I fought the urge to buy them, but you don't have to! Only 55 left!

Thanks, I picked up a box!

What's the best way to deal with their low speed (and short range) when dealing with opponent's range? Marcus seems like a costly addition since he doesn't bond.

[awesomeunleashed]

Originally Posted by Serenity

What's the best way to deal with their low speed (and short range) when dealing with opponent's range? Marcus seems like a costly addition since he doesn't bond.

Wait until they get a hero that goes well with them.

[Arch-vile]

Marcus isn't a bad pick, but the Cathar are sturdy enough 4 move is enough at times. Especially against melee, when you want the opponent to bring the fight to you anyway. The 4 move is crippling versus strong range like Stingers, though.

[dok]

It can work either way. If you play the Spearmen without Marcus or Raymond, then you really need a powerful ranged component to bring their opponent to them. In that context, Raelin works really well with them because you are keeping them in tight and using them as a screen until your opponent is in range of the pointy sticks. Something like Spearmen x3 + Raelin + Krav is an effective formula.

Adding Marcus to the above or a similar build is truly nasty against melee, because against melee you can actually get Marcus's attack bonus going. But against ranged builds, Raymond is basically a discount Marcus, and he also gives you some more tactical flexibility against things like Dragon+Greenscales or rats+range.

I've never tried using Raymond and Marcus at the same time but unless you were short on startzone spaces I doubt it would be a strong option.

[Serenity]

Thanks for the feedback!

[Tai-Pan]

I like the idea of a massive melee-based or range-limited battle with 800-1200 points per team, general-based. Einar shows up with Romans and Marcus, Sacred Band and Parmenio, the Cathars and Raymond, and goes crazy, disciplined-style. Cathars running across the field (6 move!) with their long spears, Greeks working their way through enemy figures without worrying so much about disengaging, Romans moving up in clumps. In the middle of the battlefield the Romans form up a shield wall, the Cathars stick their spears out from behind them, Marcus supports.

I like it.

[superfrog]

Updated with Count Raymond synergies, I think that's all of them. I'll link to his book once it's up.

[wriggz]

Would Finn's aura affect reach here? The card says all Friendly figures with a range of 1, techincally The Spearmen have a range of 1 listed on their card so it should apply.

[vegietarian18]

Nope. They add one to their range, so they no longer have a range of one. However, if they attack an adjacent figure, the bonus does apply.

Originally Posted by Book of Fen Hydra

REACH = Ranged Attack
Q: If the Fen Hydra Attacks a figure 2 spaces away using its REACH Special Ability, does the Reach-ed figure receive the Defense Bonus from Jungle Trees and Brush?
A: Yes. REACH gives the Hydra a normal ranged Attack with vertical limitations. A Reach-ed figure Defends against a normal ranged Attack, including any bonuses to its Defense which it would normally get under those circumstances. This also means that melee Attack-bonuses (such as those offered by Finn the Viking Champion and Sir Gilbert) cannot modify an Attack made using REACH.

[MegaSilver]

Originally Posted by wriggz

Would Finn's aura affect reach here? The card says all Friendly figures with a range of 1, techincally The Spearmen have a range of 1 listed on their card so it should apply.

It should already be in the OP. You can also look in Fen Hydra's book.

If they do a melee attack, they get the bonus, but if they use Reach they cannot.

[wriggz]

You know I read that a couple of times but overlooked the last sentence. Go figure.

[Red Eyed Jedi]

Played these guys a few weekends ago, and wanted to say I had a blast with them, but the figures themselves are pretty fragile.

2 of the figures hands came off (the ones holding the spears) and one of the heads came off at some point, and is still lost.

Play yours with care fellow Scapers, and when in doubt, glue them.