HoME Playtesting Thread

[caps]

Originally Posted by White Knight

You can post a playtest even if you've only done 1 playtest. Every battle report helps.

Yes, better one than none, but if you have time to do the second test then go ahead and do it so you can post them both together.

In general, the more playtests you can get in before submitting the form, the more reliable and informed your opinions will be on the unit. Of course, you could submit the reports before the form, but its nicer to have them altogether so that its easy to see what game experiences your opinions are based off of.

[OEAO]

Gandalf with the current form:
Theme: Pass
Fun: Pass
Fun Opposition: Pass
Usage: Pass
Strategy: Pass
Bonding: Pass
Synergy: Not sure due to Raelin
Power Check: Pass
Drafting: Fail because he is way too fragile
Mirror: Pass

Army Test 1:
Gandalf, Raelin, Kaemon Awa, and 3x Rats vs. 3x Gladiatrons, 3x Blastatrons, and Raelin on Quasatch Valley

The Trons won with 1 Glad and 8 Blasts left, after dropping one Blast. It was a decent game, but Gandalf was too easy to kill. Once the Rats died, it was all over.

My thoughts on this game: Gandalf is way too fragile and not worth his points. If we want a B- or C+, leave him the way he is. I suggest 1 more die on his SA, 1 more range, and 1 more defense to keep him alive. Even with those changes, I would rather have a dragon, hydra, Krav, Q9, or Q10, so he still won't be overpowered. I think he would probably fall into the B+ range.

[caps]

Hm... I'd like to see you submit more tests before making such sweeping statements.

Good thing he lost against a Tier 1+ army though.

[OEAO]

OK, I'll do another one.

[OEAO]

Gandalf with the current form:
Theme: Pass
Fun: Pass
Fun Opposition: Pass
Usage: Pass
Strategy: Pass
Bonding: Pass
Synergies: Pass- Raelin isn't a problem
Power: Pass
Drafting: Fail see below
Mirror: Pass

Army Test 2:
Gandalf, Raelin, Kaemon Awa, and 3x Rats vs. 5x Roman Legos, Me-Burq-Sa, Ne-Gok-Sa, and Marcus on Black Root

The Roman army won with 10 Romans and Marcus with 2 life left. Gandalf doesn't have the firepower to take down a Tier 2 army. He should have 1 more range, 1 more die with his SA, and 1 more defense. Right now he is way overpriced.

[caps]

Originally Posted by OrcElfArmyOne

Gandalf with the current form:
Theme: Pass
Fun: Pass
Fun Opposition: Pass
Usage: Pass
Strategy: Pass
Bonding: Pass
Synergies: Pass- Raelin isn't a problem
Power: Pass
Drafting: Fail see below
Mirror: Pass

Army Test 2:
Gandalf, Raelin, Kaemon Awa, and 3x Rats vs. 5x Roman Legos, Me-Burq-Sa, Ne-Gok-Sa, and Marcus on Black Root

The Roman army won with 10 Romans and Marcus with 2 life left. Gandalf doesn't have the firepower to take down a Tier 2 army. He should have 1 more range, 1 more die with his SA, and 1 more defense. Right now he is way overpriced.

Hm. Have you considered trying Gandalf with more Heroes and less (or no) rats?

[OEAO]

Originally Posted by capsocrates

Hm. Have you considered trying Gandalf with more Heroes and less (or no) rats?

I can try it, however, I thought Gandalf-Rats would be a good combo. Run out with Gandalf, SA, run back, while Raelin protects the army and Kaemon provides more offense. What would you suggest are good heroes other than Raelin, Kaemon, and Syvarris?

[caps]

Originally Posted by OrcElfArmyOne

I can try it, however, I thought Gandalf-Rats would be a good combo. Run out with Gandalf, SA, run back, while Raelin protects the army and Kaemon provides more offense. What would you suggest are good heroes other than Raelin, Kaemon, and Syvarris?

Tandros Kreel, Evar Scarcarver, Eltahale, Ana Karithon, Agent Car, Crixus, Martial La Hire...

Gandalf should not necessarily be the one doing most of the fighting. His SA is powerful, and his ranged attack is on par with the strongest in the game (albeit with a shorter range), but I would try to use him to help with positioning, take an opportunistic attack with him now and then, and mostly try to save him for cleanup.

Rats are not a good combo for Gandalf specifically--they are good for characters with lots of range, which Gandalf does not have. In your build, I would spend a round or so getting my rats out in position, then use Gandalf to move Raelin and Kaemon simultaneously. Once they were in position I would do most of my fighting with Kaemon himself, putting OMs on him to move him around within Raelin's aura behind the rat screen.

Ana Karithon + Raelin + Kaemon Awa + Gandalf would create a nice core for a pod, and then you could fill the rest of your army with Warriors of Ashra, Deathreavers, or whatever seemed appropriate for the map and matchup.

Gandalf + Raelin + Eltahale + Tandros Kreel + Kaemon Awa/Syvarris looks like fun to me--use Gandalf to move three of the heroes to a good spot, then spend an OM or two to move the last hero (Raelin, if the spot is close enough that she can get there in one turn, or Kaemon Awa, if the spot is further) into position.

You might also consider throwing Haduc in there--he can be pretty tough when you put an OM or two on him, and he has decent range and attack.

Anyone else have strategy suggestions?

[faure]

I've run Gandalf with Raelin, Syvarris, and I think Agent Carr previously.
More recently (and still need to write up) a test of Gandalf with Shotgun Sullivan, Eldgrim, Sir Gilbert, and Knights x2 (vs. Romans, 10th Regiment, Marcus, Parmenio, and Raelin).

[OEAO]

Ok, next I'll try:
180 Gandalf
100 Ana Karithon
80 Raelin
120 Kaemon Awa
20 Marcu

[White Knight]

Originally Posted by capsocrates

Ana Karithon + Raelin + Kaemon Awa + Gandalf would create a nice core for a pod

That's 480 points.

Originally Posted by capsocrates

Gandalf + Raelin + Eltahale + Tandros Kreel + Kaemon Awa/Syvarris looks like fun to me

640 points with Kaemon
620 points with Syvarris

Unfortunately the "core" of any Gandalf army is so expensive that it becomes the whole army.

[caps]

Originally Posted by White Knight

Unfortunately the "core" of any Gandalf army is so expensive that it becomes the whole army.

That's unfortunate?

It looks like our tests are showing Raelin to be a mostly futile addition to Gandalf-based armies. We'll need some more tests to be sure, but maybe then we should move on to non-Raelin tests. With that said, I imagine that Ana Karithon might be a little more useable with Gandalf--if he can keep her nearby so she can use her healing power.