The Book of Haduc

[Dad_Scaper]

Originally Posted by Grungebob

This card is superb! I just love it!

I just came back from Staples, where I had them print up a bunch of the C3V pdfs.

They are all really, really good. People who are enjoying these customs but not printing and using the pdfs are missing out.

Public tip o' the hat to our fine Art Department...

Thanks, Filthy, for setting up the Book and for attaching the Bio. I did like this bio particularly...

[tcglkn]

This design is so much fun to play! I had the pleasure of running the initial playtest for this guy and that was the first time I played the Elven Wizards. Playing OM 1 on him and 2 and 3 on Uglinesh is by far one of the best strategies for him.

[dalu]

Haduc is Valiant, you should add the following in "Synergy Benefits Offered".

-4th MASSACHUSETTS LINE: Valiant Army Defense Bonus
Having a Valiant personality, Haduc may aid the 4th Massachusetts Line with their VALIANT ARMY DEFENSE BONUS.

[Dad_Scaper]

Originally Posted by dalu

Haduc is Valiant, you should add the following in "Synergy Benefits Offered".

-4th MASSACHUSETTS LINE: Valiant Army Defense Bonus
Having a Valiant personality, Haduc may aid the 4th Massachusetts Line with their VALIANT ARMY DEFENSE BONUS.

Good idea. PM Filthy.

[Scaper Nerd]

I really like Haduc. He can last a little bit longer than Syvarris, can hold his own once the going gets tough with the Crimson Sigil, and can help the Aubriens, Acolargh, and even Morsbane... hmmm. I see a 19 on a d20 to kill the opponent's big gun in the near future.

OM1 on Haduc
OM2 on Morsbane to move into range of the target, and Boom! Either negation on a 15 or a kill on 19... Sounds like fun... I'll have to try it out once I get the card and figure.

[BrandonD]

I love this guy. My only complaint is that there aren't MORE elf wizards. Elf wizards are my favorite characters thematically, but for me they've never stood up well against opposition.

[caps]

Originally Posted by BrandonD

I love this guy. My only complaint is that there aren't MORE elf wizards. Elf wizards are my favorite characters thematically, but for me they've never stood up well against opposition.

The Elf-Wizard army is typically very fragile. You have to adopt a very agile strategy to keep them around and still get hits in. Adopting the WoA as a screen can prolong their life a little bit, but I think they're most effective in team games where other players can provide a strong screen and/or diversion to let the Elves move more freely.

[Major Q23]

I'm not a big fan of him in the conventional elf wizard army with Ulginesh because you have to use a order marker on Haduc to activate Crimson Sigil. He is however THE BEST clean up figure the the game, by order marker 2-3 he is impenetrable. Initiative is key when it comes to using Haduc.
An army that went 6-1(I think) played by NecroBlade was very successful and won the Louisville monthly tournament is:
Aubrien Archer x4
Venoc Warlord
Haduc
Isamu
With Frenzy on a 14 or higher NecroBlade's frenzy count on a few games were rediculus, something like 20 extra turns. He was able to pull out Haduc at the ends of his games and sweep the leftover pieces.
I'm a big fan of Haduc, only not in the conventional elf army, I love him as a clean up figure however.

[infectedsloth]

Originally Posted by Major Q23

I'm not a big fan of him in the conventional elf wizard army with Ulginesh because you have to use a order marker on Haduc to activate Crimson Sigil. He is however THE BEST clean up figure the the game, by order marker 2-3 he is impenetrable. Initiative is key when it comes to using Haduc.

I disagree, I think Haduc is part of the best 500 point Elf Wizard army. In my opinion the best non C3V Elf Wizard army is.

Ulginesh
Arkmer
Emirroon
Chardris
Jorhdawn
Kyntela Gwyn
Isamu

If you remove Isamu and Chardris and add Haduc, it makes that army significantly better. It is true that you have to sacrifice you first order marker to activate Crimson Sigel, but it's definitely worth it especial if you win initiative. Two of the biggest weakness of the typical elf wizard army (besides there low defense which Crimson Sigel obviously solves) are Ulginesh vulnerability, and once your army core falls they become weak and fall one by one. Haduc solves both these problems, if you win initiative and activate Crimson Sigel, your opponent will probably not want to target Ulginesh because he as higher defense then the other Wizards and with the automatic shield becomes extremely hard to kill. That forces your opponent to try to kill your other less significant parts of your army. You said if yourself that Haduc is the best clean up figure in the game (I'm not sure if I agree with that), that alone solves the second problem of there weakness once there army core falls, you still have Haduc to pick up the slack, and keep you in the game.

[NamibianScaper]

Well, the family is getting back into Heroscape (on again, off again) and I'm logging onto the forum for the first time in a long time.

When I first saw Haduc, my reaction was negative and someone at the time commented that I should try to improve on the design. It looks like those comments are down now... I guess they didn't want public invitations to mod 'new' units, which I understand. I like the concept of new community tested and approved units and random comments shouldn't hurt the momentum. Some I like. Some I don't like. Same with official units. But this one in particular is obviously more meaningful to me than others as an indispensable (there are only 9) part of my favorite army.

Let me roll out the evidence of my thoughtful dedication to this group of units:
a.) Very thorough analysis of what the Elf Wizard Army has and needs

b.) Elf Wizard Army, A House of Cards?

c.) and here I went toe-to-toe with Aldin about the power of Elves multiple ranged special attacks.

So, where am I now, 9 months after Haduc was revealed?

First of all I want to start shopping for many of the CV units y'all have made. Great work overall. I will even be looking to get the Haduc figure... I will even try him as made... and I will KEEP the D20 Bonus to Elves--good idea, one thing I did not cover in my articles. (BTW, I think some responders here are using his bonus for all Ullar figures, not just Elves.) BUT I just know that it's not going to work giving up double-turns with Ulginesh. * Double-turns = multiple turns over multiple rounds, one double-turn per round. One normal attack of 3 does not a Chardris or Johrdawn attack make.

So here are some other ideas I'm going to try out:

1. When a friendly Elf within 3 clear sight spaces of Haduc rolls defense dice, any shields rolled above the number of skulls rolled in the attack remove one wound from the Elf.
-- I think this is just cool and different and not overpowered considering your Elf Wizards have such low defense. It punishes mostly armies of squads with low attacks (Squadscape) which almost everyone wants to counter anyway. They whiff their attack, you roll shields and heal up. Won't work too well against Krug but that's okay.

2. After taking a turn with Haduc, roll the D20 for every Elf within 3 clear sight spaces. 17 or higher, remove a wound from that Elf.
-- Kinda boring I know

3. Subtract 1 from all opponent's D20 rolls
-- D20 protection!

[awesomeunleashed]

Originally Posted by NamibianScaper

BUT I just know that it's not going to work giving up double-turns with Ulginesh.

I think you're thinking about it wrong. Haduc should get the first OM, but Ulginesh should get the other two. You only give up one of your six turns, and you get (basically) +3 defense for Elves adjacent to Haduc. I'll make that trade any day. Piling your OMs on Haduc obviously isn't going to work, unless Ulginesh is dead, in which case it will make him an awesome cleanup figure.

[caps]

Originally Posted by awesomeunleashed

I think you're thinking about it wrong. Haduc should get the first OM, and Ulginesh should get the other two. You only give up onetwo of your six turns, and you get (basically) +3 defense for Elves adjacent to Haduc. I'll make that trade any day.

Fixed. Taking a turn with Haduc sacrifices the flexibility to take a turn with any of the other elves on that OM.

Where are you getting +3? I'm not sure the probabilities fall out exactly that way.

I'll give it to you, NamibianScaper, that Haduc is very tricky to use. You should try him as a cleanup figure independent of the Elf Wizards sometime.