The Book of Protectors of Ullar

[Cavalier]

Originally Posted by Orcs Blade

I agree. I don't want to, as I'm the only one in my area with Protectors, but you are right.

I disagree.

By that reasoning, the Zetian Guards could not use Zettian Targetting on the door, either:



And Carr wouldn't get his adjacent bonus either:


From the FAQ (also found in The Book of the Fortress Door )

Which Special Powers and Attacks can target the door or other Destructible Objects?
Per the Fortress instructions: The Door may be attacked by a normal attack, a special attack, or by special powers that only cause wounds. The Door cannot be targeted or attacked by special powers that may “destroy” it in one attack.

Remember, that the Door is not a figure, but it can be targeted and attacked much the same way a figure is targeted and attacked, with some exceptions.

The Door does not have a size. Special Powers/Special Attacks that target or enhance the attacking figure if the defending “figure” is a certain size will not work. Examples: Deadeye Dan’s Ullar Enhanced Rifle Special Attack, Jotun’s Throw, Sir Denrick’s Giant Killer, & Gladiatron’s Cyberclaw.
The Door cannot be destroyed. Special Powers/Special attacks that even mention “destroy” as one of the effects cannot be used against the Door. Examples: Deadeye Dan’s Sharpshooter & Grimnak’s Chomp.
The Door is not a figure. Special Powers that are not necessarily an attack cannot affect the door. Examples: Morsbane’s Rod of Negation, Ne-Gok-Sa’s Mind Shackle, & Agent Carr’s Ghost Walk. Also, the door is not affected by Raelin’s Defensive Aura.

Do enhancements work on the attacking figure when attacking the door?
Yes, but only if they do not specify anything about the size of the defending figure. Sir Denrick’s Giant Killer for example, cannot affect Sir Denrick because the Door doesn’t have a size. Normal enhancements like Taelord’s Attack Aura, Omnicron Sniper’s Deadly Shot, Agent Carr’s Sword of Reckoning 4, and Valguard’s First Assault 3, and effects like those will all work when those figures attack the door. See the previous question for more detail on which Special Powers/Special Attacks can affect the door.

[NightSwipe]

I love these guys! I was playing a game against one of my friends who had Jotun and 2x PoU. I had 3x PoU, Atlaga, and Guilty. Jotun, thanks to Combined Arbalest, fell in two turns. He only killed 1 Protector. His other Protecters fell quickly, as well. I love them. Like others, their wings are the only thing I don't like.

[cosmosis]

Well now that their wings aren't hit zones...

If you're playing a large enough point game...

Consider using Taelord with these guys.

We were playing a 700 pt game and Taelord + the protectors are so scary for any hero....

Let us salvage Taelord's name!

[Rich10]

I did some playtesting of the Protectors against ranged squads. First I tried 3 squads of Protectors against 5 squads of Stingers. If the Protectors don't get height, they get killed by the Stingers. This is really no surprise as they both have the same stats and the Protectors are almost twice as expensive (per figure).

If we assume that the Protectors can get height against the Stingers (a reasonable assumption with flying), I split 2 games. In each case, it was very close.

I then tried the Protectors vs valiant 4th Mass. I used 3 squads of Protectors and 4.5 squads (18 figures) of 4th Mass (I was trying to make the point totals roughly equal). I assumed that the Protectors always had height. This battle ended with a full squad of 4th Mass surviving.

Finally, I tried the 10th Reg vs the Protectors. I used 3 squads of Protectors and 4.25 squads (17 figures) of 4th Mass (I was trying to make the point totals roughly equal). Again the Protectors always had height. This was a close battle, but the Protectors won with 2 figures remaining. I tried the same battle without height and the 10th Reg won convincingly (8 figures remaining). Without height, the 10th Reg could decide to use WTF or close the distance and use bayonette.

In my limited testing, the Protectors did poorly against good ranged squads unless they had a height advantage. With a height advantage, they were competitive (but not dominant) against good squads.

[killercactus]

Originally Posted by Rich10

I did some playtesting of the Protectors against ranged squads. First I tried 3 squads of Protectors against 5 squads of Stingers. If the Protectors don't get height, they get killed by the Stingers. This is really no surprise as they both have the same stats and the Protectors are almost twice as expensive (per figure).

If we assume that the Protectors can get height against the Stingers (a reasonable assumption with flying), I split 2 games. In each case, it was very close.

I then tried the Protectors vs valiant 4th Mass. I used 3 squads of Protectors and 4.5 squads (18 figures) of 4th Mass (I was trying to make the point totals roughly equal). I assumed that the Protectors always had height. This battle ended with a full squad of 4th Mass surviving.

Finally, I tried the 10th Reg vs the Protectors. I used 3 squads of Protectors and 4.25 squads (17 figures) of 4th Mass (I was trying to make the point totals roughly equal). Again the Protectors always had height. This was a close battle, but the Protectors won with 2 figures remaining. I tried the same battle without height and the 10th Reg won convincingly (8 figures remaining). Without height, the 10th Reg could decide to use WTF or close the distance and use bayonette.

In my limited testing, the Protectors did poorly against good ranged squads unless they had a height advantage. With a height advantage, they were competitive (but not dominant) against good squads.

This is why I think they need Deathreavers. Even with height advantage, they probably aren't going to survive a shootout with most top ranged squads (most of which outrange them). They need to force the ranged units to shoot at 10 point Rats, plus it gives them some time to get into position.

[Hogg]

Originally Posted by Rich10

I did some playtesting of the Protectors against ranged squads...
In my limited testing, the Protectors did poorly against good ranged squads unless they had a height advantage. With a height advantage, they were competitive (but not dominant) against good squads.

The protectors will not be strong against squads. They are hero killers. They don't get to use their combined arablast attack against one life figures and that attack is one of the reasons their cost is high.

Try pricing them lower if you are going to habdicap them by using only squad figures. Or try using them against large heroes. 2 squads of PoU matched against Jotun or Tor-Kul-Na should do very well, even without using ranged attacks.

[Rich10]

Originally Posted by Hogg

The protectors will not be strong against squads. They are hero killers. They don't get to use their combined arablast attack against one life figures and that attack is one of the reasons their cost is high.

I agree with what you are saying with respect to the Protectors against heros. It is also fairly evident that the Protectors would lose to a good ranged squad on even ground. What I didn't know before the testing is that even with a height advantage (which as a flying squad the Protectors should be able to get a reasonable percentage of the time), they were merely competitive with some good ranged squads. With height, they beat the 10th Reg, essentially tied the Stingers and lost to the 4th Reg. I fully recognize that this is only a limited test and that they might do better with a Deathreaver screen (most ranged squads do).

[Orcs Blade]

I've played the PoU three times. All three were against the Gladiators. It was pretty embarasing. They aren't good at all against squads. Especially the Gladiators.

[killercactus]

Originally Posted by Orcs Blade

I've played the PoU three times. All three were against the Gladiators. It was pretty embarasing. They aren't good at all against squads. Especially the Gladiators.

I would take Protectors + Deathreavers any day of the week against Gladiators, and twice on Saturday AND Sunday.

Without Deathreavers though, I can see how it would be pretty tough. Though, I really don't think Protectors should even be talked about without Deathreavers.

[spiteofthedice]

Originally Posted by Orcs Blade

I've played the PoU three times. All three were against the Gladiators. It was pretty embarasing. They aren't good at all against squads. Especially the Gladiators.

The PoU are ranged fliers. Everything about them screams "Should never be going toe-to-toe with strong melee figures." If you can put them out of the CG's reach, great. Otherwise, not worth it.

[spiteofthedice]

Originally Posted by Orcs Blade

I know, but I really wanted to play them, and my brother wanted to play his CGs. He got valda and ran me down before I reached height.

Oh, believe me, I understand. When we were proxying everything, we played a Protectors vs. Gladiators map also. The map was essentially a thin, flat expanse with a 6-height barricade across the narrow middle. There were ledges on the barricade, so the gladiators could climb up and over.

And that was all it took. An army of ranged fliers fell to an army of melee beatsticks, simply because there was nowhere the Protectors could go that the Capuan could not eventually follow. It was a close game. I think I only had Spartacus by the end, but he could have taken more of a beating. Never had to.

[The Orange Mailman]

I've got a question, which I think I know the answer to, but wanted to check. With Combined Arbalest, does it work when wounds have been received in cases where Stealth Armor, Cell Divide, and Sacred Band Death Defy spare the life of the figure? The card for Protectors of Ullar states "for every wound that has been inflicted". The cards for Microcorp Agents, Marro Dividers, and Parmenio state "when... receives one or more wounds". So there seems to be a difference between receiving a wound and the wound actually being inflicted.

My answer is that the wound is received, but not inflicted and therefore does not add to the Combined Arbalest power. Is that correct?