Gen Con 2010 Main Event Armies

[killercactus]

That's a lot of points to leave on the table and try to make Day 2, though I agree it could be done in the hands of a skilled player. Brownsfan82 might need to be feared this year....

EDIT: I posted this somewhere else, but the reinforcements are really cool even if might not be the most competitive build:

Venoc Warlord - 120
Venoc Vipers x5 - 320
Major Q9 - 500, 18 hexes

600 - Zetacron + Venoc Vipers, 23
620 - Raelin + Venoc Vipers, 22 (this one is particularly awesome)
640 - Raelin + Zetacron, 21

[dok]

Originally Posted by killercactus

I actually thought 4th x4 + Tor-Kul-Na could be pretty interesting. I think TKN is fast enough to catch the Krav, can stomp on Rats and ignore Raelin in the process, and is tough enough to go toe-to-toe with Q9.

The terrain could hurt, though. I haven't examined the maps for GenCon well enough to know just how Stomp-Friendly they are.

I just can't stomach playing TKN without the grubs. So much of his power (and his cost) is in his ability to heal each turn and force your opponent to take him out quickly or get crushed.

4thx4 + Jotun?? OK, this is getting to be crazy-talk.

[killercactus]

Originally Posted by dok

I just can't stomach playing TKN without the grubs. So much of his power (and his cost) is in his ability to heal each turn and force your opponent to take him out quickly or get crushed.

4thx4 + Jotun?? OK, this is getting to be crazy-talk.

I mentioned that somehwere else and mused for a little while about how it might actually work - but I doubt it.

I like 5x Mass and Q10 for a suicide mass strategy, or 4x Mass, Q10 and Raelin

[Matthias Maccabeus]

The 4th certainly have been tough in play-testing.

A few more armies I've been messing with -
Dividers x 7 / Q10
Dividers x 6 / Krav / Laglor
Dividers x 7 / Raelin / Kumiko
Dividers x 6 / Raelin / KA
I have decided that I'm officially a sucker for the Dividers. Thanks Ry...
But I really think you need at least 6 squads to get their full potential.

I also really like Knights x 5 / Gilbert / Eldgrim
It's 25 points short, but the upgrades are sweet!
I'm comfortable against anything with this except rats (and WoA, but since Killercactus isn't coming to Gen Con I'm not worried that anybody will play them). So the question becomes, will the rats be prevalent? Do the PKs knock them out? My gut is no since the repulsors really didn't slow them down last year.

[killercactus]

Originally Posted by Matthias Maccabeus

(and WoA, but since Killercactus isn't coming to Gen Con I'm not worried that anybody will play them).

Even I wouldn't be brave enough to play WoA in the Main Event. HoB or Lightweight, maybe, but probably not.

Originally Posted by Matthias

So the question becomes, will the rats be prevalent? Do the PKs knock them out? My gut is no since the repulsors really didn't slow them down last year.

I don't think you can compare PK's to Repulsors in that regard. It was a pretty sure thing that no one was going to bring Repulsors on Day 1. I can't say the same thing about PK's, though I don't think they will be enough to keep Rats out of the field.

[fomox]

Originally Posted by killercactus

I don't think you can compare PK's to Repulsors in that regard. It was a pretty sure thing that no one was going to bring Repulsors on Day 1. I can't say the same thing about PK's, though I don't think they will be enough to keep Rats out of the field.

I feel like rats are often guarding things with special attacks anyway, and PK's are less of a concern in that case.

[Kaemon Awasome]

Originally Posted by Matthias Maccabeus

I also really like Knights x 5 / Gilbert / Eldgrim
It's 25 points short, but the upgrades are sweet!
I'm comfortable against anything with this except rats (and WoA, but since Killercactus isn't coming to Gen Con I'm not worried that anybody will play them). So the question becomes, will the rats be prevalent? Do the PKs knock them out? My gut is no since the repulsors really didn't slow them down last year.

Nothing knocks rats out. Nothing. They always show up. That's why I like this army of yours:

Dividers x 6 / Raelin / KA

But I can't imagine you having a ranged character in your army, so this, to me, seems more likely for you; but probably less effective:

Dividers x 7 / Raelin / Kumiko

If I were going (and I really wish I were), I would consider this, although I would be laughed at, and hated:

Victory by Attrition

Rats x5 - 200
Nilfheim - 385
Raelin (SoTM) - 485

Day 2 - I would pray for a blank and add Q10, sit a rat. However, KA or Hydra with shield. And Brunak with a skull (or whoever meets my fancy at the time.)

[dok]

Originally Posted by Kaemon Awasome

Nothing knocks rats out. Nothing. They always show up. That's why I like this army of yours:

But I can't imagine you having a ranged character in your army, so this, to me, seems more likely for you; but probably less effective:

I still think this is the best Divider option:

Originally Posted by dok

80 Raelin RotV
180 Major Q9
250 Marro Dividers x5
510, 18 hexes

@600, add Marro Dividers/Warriors + Filler (~24ish)
@620, add Dividersx2+Isamu (25, drop Isamu/Divider) or Airborne (22) or KMA+Isamu (22).
@640, add Airborne+Marcu (23) or KMA+Marcu+Isamu (23) or Kaemon+Isamu (20) or Fen Hydra+Isamu (21).

The 40 points of filler at 600 is less than ideal, but I think the base army is pretty powerful. You could drop the 5th squad of Dividers on day one for Marro Warriors if you want a bit more range - it doesn't limit your day 2 options very much. Personally I think you're better off with more Dividers, though.

You don't fear rats, and you're decent against a stinger-horde, which is a good baseline to work from.

Originally Posted by Kaemon Awasome

If I were going (and I really wish I were), I would consider this, although I would be laughed at, and hated:

Victory by Attrition

Rats x5 - 200
Nilfheim - 385
Raelin (SoTM) - 485

Day 2 - I would pray for a blank and add Q10, sit a rat. However, KA or Hydra with shield. And Brunak with a skull (or whoever meets my fancy at the time.)

I think this is just too little offense to be reliable. One good chilling touch roll from Cyprien and you're done. Anything with a reliable way to avoid scatter can take you out with relative ease.

[Gulp]

This might have already been pointed out, but Zelrig will probably be absent for most playtested armies at the championship. Only one of the maps at the championship has the classic 24-hex clumping, and that map has a lava field in it.

[damja]

Originally Posted by Gulp

This might have already been pointed out, but Zelrig will probably be absent for most playtested armies at the championship. Only one of the maps at the championship has the classic 24-hex clumping, and that map has a lava field in it.

My first thought was "Wow, Gulp is right." Now, after thinking about it for a few minutes, I'm not so sure about that.

In every map there are places to affect at least 5 figures with Magestic Fires. Even if there were not, Zelrig is fast, flying, and has a ranged special attack, and has above average life and defense. It is just gravy that his special is particularly effective when opposing armies are clumped and full of common squads.

He is a beast that has to be considered for sure, at least for starting zone allocations of armies that are less than 24 hexes.

[dok]

Originally Posted by Gulp

This might have already been pointed out, but Zelrig will probably be absent for most playtested armies at the championship. Only one of the maps at the championship has the classic 24-hex clumping, and that map has a lava field in it.

"Invasion" and "Jotun's Gap" both also have a 24-hexer startzone, although on Invasion they are too far apart for an OM-1 bomb. However, that's one of only two maps in the pool (Elswin Plateau being the other) where Zelrig can't OM-1 bomb. And there are several maps where Zelrig can hit a 7-hex area in the startzone from height, and then move and hit a different 7-hex cluster from height.

I don't think this is a bad map set for Zelrig at all!

[Brownsfan82]

Originally Posted by dok

"Invasion" and "Jotun's Gap" both also have a 24-hexer startzone, although on Invasion they are too far apart for an OM-1 bomb. However, that's one of only two maps in the pool (Elswin Plateau being the other) where Zelrig can't OM-1 bomb. And there are several maps where Zelrig can hit a 7-hex area in the startzone from height, and then move and hit a different 7-hex cluster from height.

I don't think this is a bad map set for Zelrig at all!

Zelrig
Just a little story
I've found that trying to bomb a starting zone with Zelrig is very risky. It could pay off but it could kill the dragon without much benefit. 2 years ago I played Hendal and his 7StingersRaelin team on Fire Isle:
Perfect map for me, I could reach the 2nd or 3rd hex in his starting zone in one move. I won initiative. Yes! "Go in there Zelrig." I even found stingers without raelin's help in his starting zone. I rolled a BLANK! Next turn: 1 skull, 2 or 3 kills. THEN DEATH. This happened again in that tourney.

This doesn't always happen but:
In saying this Zelrig is still a solid figure to add to a team. But sacrificing him early isn't always smart. It might pay off, but even if i would have killed 7 stingers, thats less than 185 points worth of stingers.

I did get a risk reward against Damja at a michigan tourney when he had a omnicron sniper army. But I pulled Zelrig back when his team was more spread out.

Zelrig would be great for the main tournament if played right. I guess you could say that for a lot of figures though. I had more to say about Zelrig but forgot.

Airborne Elite
I agree with what has been said.

yagyuninja
I like your first army and the Charos army with 3 greenscales. Bonding with charos may be the new steamroller and with a good backup, hey why not? Krav, Raelin, and any screen is good.

In conclusion, I am really impressed with the quality of discussion in this thread.