Unit Strategy Review: How to use Spartacus - Page 2

ThrasherDarkrai · #1 September 15th, 2007, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theats

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bloody the Marro Stinger

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tai-Pan

I used the gladiator trio once in an every man for himself game. After the rest of my army was gone then my enemy just ignored the Gladiators, even though there was a massive point investment in them. They were able to decide when, where, and how they were going to go into battle, and when they did, they wiped the board. Unless you've fought all three before, they just don't look terribly threatening.

What idiots have you been facing? No smart player is going to pass up the chance to kill 3 380 point sitting ducks, especially if they have the Arrow Gruts.
Speaking of Arrow Gruts, I think they should go in the "Units to be avoided" section. They are almost always accompied by Swogs, and if the Glads try to engage them, they recieve a Swog to the face while the Arrow Gruts shoot them to smithereens.

Yep, that 1 attack die is murder.

Correction.
1 attack die plus however many swogs you have plus Krug.
You lose.

Tai-Pan · #2 September 15th, 2007, 11:09 AM

I don't mean in terms of abilities and cards and such. Just that three guys in loinclothes don't look nearly as dangerous as say three minions of Utgar, or a dragon. It helps sometimes to not appear dangerous.

ThrasherDarkrai · #3 September 15th, 2007, 11:10 AM

If your opponents rate how dangerous an enemy is by looks, you need new opponents.

Fezzikthedoor · #4 September 15th, 2007, 11:22 AM

I generally don't get involved in my own guide threads, but I've got to agree with Threats here, Bloody. The 1 attack is not a big deal, especially if, as you said, the gladiator in question already has "a Swog in the face". Of course, said Swog is unlikely to last more than a round against any of the gladiators, who, also, may move to the rear end of said Grut to be closer to the rest of the pack before they pulp him. Even assuming multiple Swog Riders, and the most realistic arrangement is that you will have no more than 2 Riders adjacent to the same Orc at any one time, although 3 is possible, it won't be enough to kill the Gladiator before he or one of his companions reaches them.

Now, even assuming you have Krug you have now invested a minimum of 235 points (3 Swog Riders, Krug, and a squad of Arrow Gruts). If this is the case, the smart player will simply ignore Krug, wipe out the gruts and the Swog Riders, and then gang tackle the big green sap. Or, if the player feels like "humoring" you, he'll tie Krug up with Crixus and then not attack you. Even if your Arrow Gruts shoot him full of holes and you're rolling 7 attack dice, all it takes is one shield to block all but one die of damage and--oh no--you're stuck trying to kill him for 5 rounds. Of course, if you're rolling that high said player will just use his 6 attack against Krugs pathetic defense to put him out of the game...then he'll go help his fellows in slaughtering the orcs, provided that isn't already finished.

So, in short, I have every confidence that anyone who would consider the AGs and Swog Riders, in and of themselves, to be a viable threat to the 3 Gladiator combo--or even Spartacus alone--is worrying needlessly.

ThrasherDarkrai · #5 September 15th, 2007, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fezzikthedoor

I generally don't get involved in my own guide threads, but I've got to agree with Threats here, Bloody. The 1 attack is not a big deal, especially if, as you said, the gladiator in question already has "a Swog in the face". Of course, said Swog is unlikely to last more than a round against any of the gladiators, who, also, may move to the rear end of said Grut to be closer to the rest of the pack before they pulp him. Even assuming multiple Swog Riders, and the most realistic arrangement is that you will have no more than 2 Riders adjacent to the same Orc at any one time, although 3 is possible, it won't be enough to kill the Gladiator before he or one of his companions reaches them.

Now, even assuming you have Krug--which you didn't mention the first time--you have now invested a minimum of 235 points (3 Swog Riders, Krug, and a squad of Arrow Gruts). If this is the case, the smart player will simply ignore Krug, wipe out the gruts and the Swog Riders, and then gang tackle the big green sap. Or, if the player feels like "humoring" you, he'll tie Krug up with Crixus and then not attack you. Even if your Arrow Gruts shoot him full of holes and you're rolling 7 attack dice, all it takes is one shield to block all but one die of damage and--oh no--you're stuck trying to kill him for 5 rounds. Of course, if you're rolling that high said player will just use his 6 attack against Krugs pathetic defense to put him out of the game...then he'll go help his fellows in slaughtering the orcs, provided that isn't already finished.

So, in short, I have every confidence that anyone who would consider the AGs and Swog Riders, in and of themselves, to be a viable threat to the 3 Gladiator combo--or even Spartacus alone--is worrying needlessly.

Problem is there are sooo many swogs in a Arrow Grut Army. Take this army...
5 Swogs
4 Arrow Gruts
Krug
Raelin
And you get a bunch of dead Glads. They don't even have to use Swogs to block, just Krug. Plus, while one Swog is adjacent to the Glads, who says the rest aren't? And who says they have to attack Crixus? There's three of them, so they can deal 3 wounds, while the glads can only kill one at a time, meaning with that many, a dead Crixus. Plus, Krug has double attack, and like said, who says he has to attack Crixus? For all you know, he could become unadjacent to Crixus and not take a wound, and murder Retarius.
Edit: Also, you are assuming the Glads get to choose who to attack. This is wrong, as most likely, the Gruts will, due to half of them having Disengage.
Edit 2: And another. Since they can only attack one at a time, with so many gruts, they really don't have much to worry about. That's the problem. You assume they have some kind of "Kill every single grut within 5 spaces" attack. They don't. Also, who says they can just ignore Krug? What if he decides to block them before the Glads can decide? Again, the Gruts can decide everything in the battle between them.

theats · #6 September 15th, 2007, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bloody the Marro Stinger

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fezzikthedoor

I generally don't get involved in my own guide threads, but I've got to agree with Threats here, Bloody. The 1 attack is not a big deal, especially if, as you said, the gladiator in question already has "a Swog in the face". Of course, said Swog is unlikely to last more than a round against any of the gladiators, who, also, may move to the rear end of said Grut to be closer to the rest of the pack before they pulp him. Even assuming multiple Swog Riders, and the most realistic arrangement is that you will have no more than 2 Riders adjacent to the same Orc at any one time, although 3 is possible, it won't be enough to kill the Gladiator before he or one of his companions reaches them.

Now, even assuming you have Krug--which you didn't mention the first time--you have now invested a minimum of 235 points (3 Swog Riders, Krug, and a squad of Arrow Gruts). If this is the case, the smart player will simply ignore Krug, wipe out the gruts and the Swog Riders, and then gang tackle the big green sap. Or, if the player feels like "humoring" you, he'll tie Krug up with Crixus and then not attack you. Even if your Arrow Gruts shoot him full of holes and you're rolling 7 attack dice, all it takes is one shield to block all but one die of damage and--oh no--you're stuck trying to kill him for 5 rounds. Of course, if you're rolling that high said player will just use his 6 attack against Krugs pathetic defense to put him out of the game...then he'll go help his fellows in slaughtering the orcs, provided that isn't already finished.

So, in short, I have every confidence that anyone who would consider the AGs and Swog Riders, in and of themselves, to be a viable threat to the 3 Gladiator combo--or even Spartacus alone--is worrying needlessly.

Problem is there are sooo many swogs in a Arrow Grut Army. Take this army...
5 Swogs
4 Arrow Gruts
Krug
Raelin
And you get a bunch of dead Glads. They don't even have to use Swogs to block, just Krug. Plus, while one Swog is adjacent to the Glads, who says the rest aren't? And who says they have to attack Crixus? There's three of them, so they can deal 3 wounds, while the glads can only kill one at a time, meaning with that many, a dead Crixus. Plus, Krug has double attack, and like said, who says he has to attack Crixus? For all you know, he could become unadjacent to Crixus and not take a wound, and murder Retarius.
Edit: Also, you are assuming the Glads get to choose who to attack. This is wrong, as most likely, the Gruts will, due to half of them having Disengage.

Using said scenario, Let us say that the glads are thre spaces apart each. Crixus moves up to krug, 6 attack versus 2, or is it three, defense. Only one sqog can attack at a time, followed by 3 attacks of, probably two. I am not sure how you space out 4 arrow gruts and 5 swogs, but that there is 22 hexes. heck, the glads could add in DW 9000 and blow that to smitherines.

Fezzikthedoor · #7 September 15th, 2007, 11:33 AM

As you wish, sir. I would argue that you have performed the death of a thousand cuts by continually modifying your original statement, but I will let the esteemed readers of the guide be the judge as to who would prevail in such a contest.

In any case, thanks for reading it.

ThrasherDarkrai · #8 September 15th, 2007, 11:35 AM

Again, who says that Krug or the Swogs have to attack? If the Three Arrow Gruts behind them attack, Crixus is royally boned, as chances are he's going to take 2 wounds AT LEAST, due to the high buffed attack of the Arrow Gruts when they have Swogs around.

theats · #9 September 15th, 2007, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bloody the Marro Stinger

Again, who says that Krug or the Swogs have to attack? If the Three Arrow Gruts behind them attack, Crixus is royally boned, as chances are he's going to take 2 wounds AT LEAST, due to the high buffed attack of the Arrow Gruts when they have Swogs around.

okay, you can have seven attack, but wait, you only have five swogs.

So the most attack you could have is ONE attack of six. That would not enable you to get more than 2 bonuses on any other arrow grut. What is the point cost for that army?

ThrasherDarkrai · #10 September 15th, 2007, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theats

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bloody the Marro Stinger

Again, who says that Krug or the Swogs have to attack? If the Three Arrow Gruts behind them attack, Crixus is royally boned, as chances are he's going to take 2 wounds AT LEAST, due to the high buffed attack of the Arrow Gruts when they have Swogs around.

okay, you can have seven attack, but wait, you only have five swogs.

So the most attack you could have is ONE attack of six. That would not enable you to get more than 2 bonuses on any other arrow grut. What is the point cost for that army?

500. And plus, let's say KRUG attacks instead. If he dies and Crixus gets 4 wounds on him, then that's okay with me. I'll just finish him off with My Arrow Gruts, and then slaughter Sparactus or Retarius with the Arrow Gruts plus Swogs. Plus, I have Raelin, so the Glads aren't nessecarily going to get tons of wounds on my Krug.

theats · #11 September 15th, 2007, 11:47 AM

four wounds off one attack?

he as pretty high chance of rolling one shield with four defense. thats only one wound, TOPS Also, you have to keep krug within FOUR spaces of raelin. The new raeling costs more, and offsets your point cost. And How d you propose "slaughtering" three figures with four and five defense? If you really wanted that defense aura, then you would have to keep all of those 22 hexes of orcs within that aura, giving you at maximum 3 attacks of 3. Once gain, I would sacrifice the points on retarius to get DW 9000 and blow the crap out of that army, but given the parameters, swogs fall fast, gruts fall fast, and I HIGHLY doubt that realin could see ALL of those figures. Remember, CLEAR sight spaces.

rai12 · #12 September 15th, 2007, 11:47 AM

I played a couple games with the following army last night:

Spartacus
Crixus
Retiarius
Sonlen
Eldgrim
2 - Tagawa Archers

They faired well in both games. I won the first games. Retiarius was the first casualty. He was eliminated by a rogue group of Ninjas who sprinted across the field while I was setting up my archers. Sonlen turned out to be pretty effective against Ninjas. One automatic damage with Dragon Swoop and a ranged attack of four works well. After the Ninjas were taken care of I advance the two remaining Gladiators across the field to take out the remaining Samurais and heroes. The Samurai Archers worked well in this battle to.

It came down to Spartacus and Cyprien in the last game. Chilling Touch prevailed. Sonlen was the first character to fall to the Ninja assault. The Sonlen/ Gladiator combo is great. When you are grouped together the enemy targets Sonlen. This gives the Gladiators time to hack through your opponent. Then you have to forgo the Gladiator Inspiration to heal and attack with Sonlen for a round. Without Sonlen the Gladiators are less effective as I found it in the second game.

There is no doubt that the Gladiators are a melee force that can cause substantial damage. If your opponent is fielding a large force of ranged units the Gladiator will have their problems. I think the key to winning with Spartacus is to give your opponent another primary target. If you act like Spartacus is your Queen in the battle so will your opponent. If you have a false Queen in the battle you will give your Gladiators a better shot at surviving.