Unit Debate #15 -- Nilfheim Vs. Braxas

[MegaSilver]

The spray of a thousand, sub-zero, rock-hard ice shards versus miniscule, flesh-burning, venomous acid breath. Which dragon's breath, Nilfheim or Braxas, sounds nicer to you?



This debate was submitted my Einar's puppy.

1. Stats/Special Powers

2. Playability

3. Overall Usefulness

4. Who Would Win Head-To-Head

5. Army Builds

6. Best Strategic Use

Next week:

Spoiler Alert!

Marrvelous Leaders.

MegaSilver, Unit Debate Master

[Knight of Feylund]

I picked Nilf because I don't like to rely on the 20 sider that much and Nilf's attack could kill Braxas. Plus he is less points.

[tubafication]

I really like Nilf better. He seems like more of a front line dragon then Braxas does. I think Nilf can kill squads almost better than Braxas can. I can add a Dumutef guard to my army if I choose Nilf. Also, he has a special attack that bypasses my defenses.

[Warlord Alpha]

Both are great, but at the end of the day Braxas is much more specialized than Nilfheim. That versatility is, in general, much more useful. Of course, there are some very good reasons to chose Braxas, like high cost squads, squads with really tough defenses, even against special attacks (like the Sentinels).

But at the end of the day, Nilfheim does more for less. He doesn't do some things quite as well, but he has a ranged special attack, has some serious hero killing abilities with his 6 attack dice, and he can take a pretty decent beating with the magic 4 defense at 6 life.

[MegaSilver]

To let you guys know....

I use Nilfhiem often to take on Braxas. And he decimates her nearly all the time, or at least causes enough wounds to allow secondary figures to take her down. And my brother is the one with Braxas...

MegaSilver, Unit Debate Master

[SuperEsenwein]

I like Nilfheim better than Braxas. He can attack 3 times with 4 attack, which is powerful. Also, he can attack multiple large or huge figures, or 1 huge hero and 2 squads. Braxas has a harder time destroying heroes, and against a squad with 4 defense, both Nilfheim and braxas will kill two. Against a squad with less defense, Nilfheim might kill more. Plus, Nilfheim has 6 normal attack dice instead of Braxas' 5.

Finally, Nilfheim is less points.

[IAmBatman]

Though I would take Nilf in this matchup as well (mostly due to the point differential), one edge I don't see mentioned here is that Nilf only gets to use his full special attack (as in all three shots) if he doesn't have someone engaging him and locking him down. He's decently easy to limit to one attack a turn for this reason. Locking down Braxas does nothing to limit the usefulness of her Acid Breath.

[rednax]

Good job with this debate Megasilver, I mean EP . This is probably the most even dragon debate. Nilfheim/Braxas is greater than Zelrig, who is greater than Charos, who is greater than Mimring.

I went Nilfheim because 1. He's cheaper. 2. He has more defense. 3. Has a better sculpt 4. Follows Jandar.

Who submitted the next debate, Megasilver?

[IAmBatman]

I'm not sold on Zelrig and Charos being greater than Mimring, but that's a debate for another time ...

[rednax]

Originally Posted by IAmBatman

I'm not sold on Zelrig and Charos being greater than Mimring, but that's a debate for another time ...

...or right now . Zelrig is better than Mimring because of better survivability, an easier way to target multiple figures, and the bonus against common squads. Mimring has him only beat by bonding, +1 range, point cost, and +1 attack.

Charos is better than Mimring because of, well, you know: life, defense, attack, and Counterstrike. Mimring only has beat by 1 move value, point cost, and bonding.

And just so this debate remains morre about Nilfheim/Braxas I'm done, and so is everyone else!

[IAmBatman]

Zelrig's way of targeting multiple figures is just as easy to avoid as Mimring's, and Mimring's can target more figures. Also, it's much less predictable when Mimring's special will be in play, since he's not activated via his own OMs as much as he is through the Arrow Gruts - thus he can sneak his attack on to large groups more than Zelrig can.
That +1 range gives Mimring an incredible threat range. Yes the bonus against commons is nice for Zelrig, but I don't think it's enough to beat out Mimring's bonding, range boost, and better attack when you account for Zelrig's higher cost and odd point configuration (that 5 at the end of 185 makes him harder to fit into armies than Mimring's nice even 150).
Charos is a much greater point investment than Mimring and he's frankly a lot easier to beat in anything but all melee battles (where Mimring's disallowed anyway). Charos can only attack one figure per turn ever and he doesn't have the range to complement his flying. One extra move value and 7 extra range gives Mimring a threat range of 14 compared to Charos' threat range of 6. Huge difference there. Also, Mimring has a special attack which can bypass all sorts of nice things (like Counter Strike, for instance. ). Yes, Charos has greater survivability once he's engaged, but Mimring can avoid engagement a lot better and can be a lot more effective without being engaged. Charos is better, but not 60 points better, IMO.

[Xn F M]

Originally Posted by rednax

...or right now . Zelrig is better than Mimring because of better survivability, an easier way to target multiple figures, and the bonus against common squads. Mimring has him only beat by bonding, +1 range, point cost, and +1 attack.

Charos is better than Mimring because of, well, you know: life, defense, attack, and Counterstrike. Mimring only has beat by 1 move value, point cost, and bonding.

And just so this debate remains morre about Nilfheim/Braxas I'm done, and so is everyone else!

And he has a ranged special attack that's arguably more useful than Zelrig's.

Mimring > Charos.

On topic, I almost want to vote for Braxas just because I get more graons and dirty looks when I draft her.