The Book of Shades of Bleakewoode

[Hex_Enduction_Hour]

I was replying on a Mind Shackle thread and figured what I was writing would be more appropriate for the Books.

Originally Posted by greenelvineyes from the [url=http://www.heroscapers.com/community/showthread.php?t=13696&highlight=

Mind Shackle Count[/url] Thread]Those powers (the roll a 19-20 powers) are the ones that make me the most angry though. Its one thing to lose an equal army battle with dignity, but it’s completely different when someone takes my Jotun and proceeds to crush the ever loving life out of my whole army. I may be a little bitter.

For me, that's become an immense draw for drafting the Shades.
If I field 6-9 Shades and can get most of them in on one hero or several heroes, there's a more believable chance of rolling for the possession.

Things look especially tempting if there are heroes clumped together (Kyntela with Ullar's other Elven heroes...).
If I can just get one hero to control, things change significantly.
Big deal if I might not get a chance to activate that hero.
What makes for a wonderfully wicked monkey wrench is now my opponent has to think about where to attack next - The shades, my newly acquired hero, or any other part of my army.

And the whole mindscrew and scare factor of the mere presense of Sould Devouring Shades on a map is worth a good portion of those 100 points!

The Shades're most likely my current very favorite common squad to draft. I'm urging those of you have not tried the Shades very much to spend several games fielding them against armies that have a couple Unique heroes. Even if the army may have some commons - barring Cyber Claw - the Shades can be a great melee factor.

There's a good hauntin's worth of fun to be had with them.

[Tiberius]

I used three squads of shades just recently with Q10 as a backup in a 465 point game (I had 450). I was against a samuri group of 2xsamuri archers, Kaemon awa, Hamato Toro and the Izumi. I possessed Kaemon, shortly followed by Hamato. He managed to kill both of them, but not without losses and he was already fairly decimated from losing his major heroes. Then Q10 stormed the battlefield for cleanup duty after the remaining shades proved to be ineffective against good counterstrike rolls. The shades are very scary to any army using unique heroes.

[Hex_Enduction_Hour]

Originally Posted by Tiberius

I used three squads of shades just recently with Q10 as a backup in a 465 point game (I had 450). I was against a samuri group of 2xsamuri archers, Kaemon awa, Hamato Toro and the Izumi. I possessed Kaemon, shortly followed by Hamato. He managed to kill both of them, but not without losses and he was already fairly decimated from losing his major heroes. Then Q10 stormed the battlefield for cleanup duty after the remaining shades proved to be ineffective against good counterstrike rolls. The shades are very scary to any army using unique heroes.

How similar.

In 600 points, I've used
Q10
Guilty
Shades x3
Reavers x 3
or
Q9
Shades x3
Reavers x3

I've also tried 6 shades with Kee-Mo-Shi, Ne-Gok-Sa, Ornak, and Blade gruts for D20-rolling good time of an army.

Good point about the counterstrike and the Shades' 2 attack. Let Reavers tie up the Counterstrike and Q10 to blast 'em to heck!

I've noticed although the Shades have just a 2 Attack, the 4 Defense allows them some durability to hang in there and attempt a couple of 2 attacks and hopefully get past an average or low-defensive figure.

[Roland]

My stepdad and I were playing and I surprised him when I drafted 3 squads of shades, then told him their awesome powers as I succesfully took Braxas, Sgt. Drake, Deadeye, and Syvarris [It was a 3000 point game].

So on our next battle he drafted the 3 sets and managed to soul devour a Q10 that I had previously Mind Shackled and killed 6 shades with.

The roll of the dice can turn the tides of a battle quickly.

[Shades fan]

The Shades are my Favorite for a reason.I don't think they are as useless as spider poison said yes they can't win a game for you single handedly but they can turn the game in your favor by taking one of their unique Heros. Since t all the shades can use Soul Devour before moving they have the unique Ability that fellow mindshackelers don't even though they cost more than Ne-Gok-Sa [10 points] They can all Soul Devour that turn, and flea with Stealth flying.

[Hex_Enduction_Hour]

Initially, I was at an indecisive point knowing when and if I should attack a hero I may eventually Possess. But I've reasoned I should attempt Devour and attack. As long as I'm either taking the figure out of the game or making it mine, it's going to a good cause.
In this frame of mind, the 2 Attack is not such a bad option. It's possible to whittle the hero down gently as you spend time trying to find their soul's pink slip.

I don't call it sound advice to tackle those multiple-attacking heroes, but the 4 Defense gives just that little bit more insurance the ghosts may survive a turn if initiative is lost or the Devour roll has failed.

At same time, the before moving clause of Soul Devour allows the options to fly away with Shades or bring in more to surround a hero.

Originally Posted by Shades fan

The Shades are my Favorite for a reason.I don't think they are as useless as spider poison said

Shades fan, I have to admit as I've been drafting these Shades, I've thought of you, your pink feline avatar, and come to understand the praise you extoll for the way fun ghosts!

[Revdyer]

On the other hand, at the last GenCon, in the Heat of Battle tournament, I tried nineteen (count 'em!) times to Soul Devour Krug and failed every time. I lost that game rather badly.

[Hex_Enduction_Hour]

Originally Posted by Revdyer

On the other hand, at the last GenCon, in the Heat of Battle tournament, I tried nineteen (count 'em!) times to Soul Devour Krug and failed every time. I lost that game rather badly.

That's rough. especially with a beefy, double-attacking hero like Krug smacking the shades left and right.
I had a similar game where I rolled about 16 times (with usually four shades rolling on each activation) with no Possession in sight. When I did succeed, Morsbane wasn't the exact one I wanted (I also had choices of Syvarris and Sonlen).
But when considering when to draft Shades, heavy, single hitting heroes like Drake, Thanos, and the like are excellent targets for several shades.

Revdyer, I love to see the rest of your army composition.
How many Shades did you have?

[Revdyer]

It wasn't a great army at all -- 3 x Shades, Tarns, & Marro Warriors. (400 point armies). I don't remember, exactly what the opponent's army was. I do remember that the first game I faced Agent Carr, Crixus, Alistair McDirk and one other single hero. At the end of the first round of that one I had both Carr and Crixus in my army and the game was pretty much over. That was the way I intended for my army to work; but it usually didn't. I think I went 1 and 4 in that tourney.

[Hex_Enduction_Hour]

Originally Posted by Revdyer

It wasn't a great army at all -- 3 x Shades, Tarns, & Marro Warriors. (400 point armies)...

Ah.

Originally Posted by Revdyer

...That was the way I intended for my army to work; but it usually didn't. I think I went 1 and 4 in that tourney.

I've gone to a tournament with a Fenzy army. It's tough relying on those D20 rolls, huh?

Thanks for sharing your army composition.

[Tiranx]

last night I played a six way mixed Marvel/Classic scape battle. It was amazing how huge hitters like Captain America, Venom, and both versions of Drake were hampered by trying to stay away from the Shades. There was only one squad out on the board but everyone was freaked out. Incidently Drake(RotV) was soul devoured and quickly decapitated by his prior teamate Captain America. With Marvel Scape in the mix I will be drafting the Shades a lot more.

We have never played a game with the Shades were they didnt steal at least one character.

[Hex_Enduction_Hour]

Originally Posted by Tiranx

last night I played a six way mixed Marvel/Classic scape battle. It was amazing how huge hitters like Captain America, Venom, and both versions of Drake were hampered by trying to stay away from the Shades. There was only one squad out on the board but everyone was freaked out. Incidently Drake(RotV) was soul devoured and quickly decapitated by his prior teamate Captain America. With Marvel Scape in the mix I will be drafting the Shades a lot more.

We have never played a game with the Shades were they didnt steal at least one character.

The Bleakewoode Shades consider the non-multiple attack heroes to have the juiciest souls.

Originally Posted by Revdyer

But they will, sooner or later, disappoint. At GenCon, in the Heat of Battle, I rolled nineteen times to soul devour Krug and failed every time.

You probably weren't attacking the Troll either, huh?
I'll always attack the hero unless there's a Counterstrike or a Wounded Smash to boost.

The 19 or 20 rolled is the precious moment a drafter is waiting for, but the pyschological factor of the Shades and their decent melee-ness still make them a very cool common unit to draft.