MAJOR Q9 : Analysis

[Faartknocker]

Greetings, everyone.

Yesterday, I took part in the first Canadian Heroscape Tournament in Bramalea which was hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Atmospro. Suffice it to say it could not have been better prepared/organized in my opinion. A big thanks to both of you. I dedicate this post to Mr. and Mrs. Atmospro.

During the tournament, one unit seemed to be universally dreaded, namely Major Q9. Those who had this unit in their armies (I believe three or four of us did) found that it often netted wins for us. It may currently be simply the best unit in the game for its price. What makes it so good (at this time)? Well, let's examine it carefully.


It's a Soulborg

As such, it cannot be plagued by the Marrden Hounds.


It's a Unique Hero

As such, it cannot be targeted by attacks/ablilities that can only affect COMMON heroes/squads. Even those attacks that DO affect it are greatly reduced (Sudema's "Stare of Stone", etc.). It DOES benefit from BONUSES given to unique heroes/squads (Finn's Warrior Spirit, etc.).


It's a Large (7) Unit

As such, it cannot be targeted by attacks/abilities that affect only medium or small figures (Grimnak's Chomp, Me-Burq-Sa's Paralyzing Stare, etc.). I think it is important to add here that it has a large BASE as well. Unlike other soulborgs, it can cross narrow and shallow rivers without stopping. This can greatly increase its effectiveness as it can allow Major Q9 to close range to target enemies, or ford rivers to escape them.


It's Got 4 Life Points

Unlike other Soulborgs that have only one life point, Major Q9 cannot be easily eliminated by one wiffed (0 shields) defensive roll. It also has the luxury of being able to take some disengagement hits, lava field damage, etc..


It Has a Normal Attack of 4 and a Range of 8

This good attack allows Major Q9 to hit (pretty hard) important targets from a relatively safe distance (few melee units can close on it in one turn). If coupled with the attack glyph and a height advantage, the attack becomes almost unstoppable and, because of the range, unavoidable for most units.


It Has a Defense of 7

A great defense to be sure. However, if coupled with Raelin and (as is often the case) a height advantage, and (with some luck) a defense +2 glyph...yeah, you get the picture.


Queglix Gun SPECIAL Attack

This special attack, because it so neatly complements it's normal attack, makes Q9 the outstanding unit that many consider it to be. Since it is a special attack, it punches through the defenses of many units which are usually protected from normal attacks, whether adjacent or not. Here's a (short) list:

Charros......................can't counterstrike, ditto Samurai.
Nikita Agents...............can't use "Smoke Powder 13".
Sgt. Drake Alexander...his "Thorian Speed" just ain't speedy enough.
Death Reavers.............can't scatter.
Ninjas of the N. Wind....can't disappear.
Gladiatrons/Major X17..get no melee defense +1/+4.

Get the picture? Even the castle door loses it's "Reinforced Defense"! It's not that the attack itself is great, but rather that so many units' special defenses are bypassed by it. Let's now look at the optimal use of the Queglix Gun.

In general, if an opponent's unit has a defense of only 0, 1 or 2, it is best to roll a single die at a time. That way, you don't "waste" hits and have more left over for other targets (assuming there are other targets). If the targeted unit has a defense of 3 or more, it is best to use three attack dice at a time. If possible, ALWAYS AVOID USING TWO ATTACK DICE. I won't do the math here, but, if you do/can, you'll see that it's a bad idea.

Exceptions: Units such as the Krav Maga and Sentinels, even though they have a defense of more than two, should be attacked with only one die at a time. It's because one hit will do, and because more would be a waste.


Drawbacks

Although it costs 180 points, you really get (more than?)what you pay for: I would hardly call such a good/reasonable price a drawback. Being a large-based figure with obstructive shoulder pannels does sometimes make Major Q9 difficult to move/position in order to be able to target units, especially from bridges. This is sometimes made worse by Major Q9's slow movement (5). That said, however, in my opinion, the advantages FAR outweigh the drawbacks.

I hope this Analysis has helped you to better understand Major Q9. If you think I've overlooked something, please post it on the thread. Constructive point-outs make us better players. Cheers!