The Book of Omnicron Snipers

[killercactus]

Maybe they are, but we just can't tell...? They could be attached to their hands, and a hit there could cause a short circuit that shuts down their entire system. Who knows?

In other news, I'd really like to try something like this:

Omnicrons x3
Rats x3
Deathwalker 8000

Total = 550

All Soulborg, all machines of death. 8K is great against squads, and the Omnicrons can do well against both.

At 500 points, I've thought about replacing 8K with Raelin, and just relying solely on the 'Crons for killin'. With 5 defense, 7 range and a meat shield, I think they can last a long time.

[dok]

Originally Posted by killercactus

In other news, I'd really like to try something like this:

Omnicrons x3
Rats x3
Deathwalker 8000

Total = 550

All Soulborg, all machines of death. 8K is great against squads, and the Omnicrons can do well against both.

At 500 points, I've thought about replacing 8K with Raelin, and just relying solely on the 'Crons for killin'. With 5 defense, 7 range and a meat shield, I think they can last a long time.

It looks like a perfectly playable army, but if you don't have Taelord in the army, Omnicrons seem sort of like Microcorps without water suits or stealth armour. After all, both are move 5, range 7, squad size 3, and averaging one skull on flat ground and two on height.

Of course, it's awfully hard to manage Taelord and Omnicrons at a low point level:

200 Omnicron Snipers x2
80 Deathreavers x2
80 Raelin RotV
180 Taelord
540, 16 hexes

That's probably the basement-level army. With only 6 life worth of offensive figures, it's going to struggle, even if they're rolling 5 defensive dice and 3 double-skull offensive dice.

[killercactus]

but I think the Omnis get much more benefit from glyphs (especially Crevcor / Astrid) and I trust them to kill Q9 much more than the Agents. I also feel like they have a better chance to kill what they shoot at, and Thwy don't fear Cyprien or Hounds.

[cartographer of valhalla]

yes. I guess so.
Oh and by the way, some day that will be a famous quote.

[dok]

Originally Posted by killercactus

but I think the Omnis get much more benefit from glyphs (especially Crevcor / Astrid)

Absolutely Crevcor/Astrid, but I'm not sure they get much more benefit out of other glyphs than the Microcorp do. They get slightly more benefit out of Gerda, but it's marginal. Microcorp get more benefit out of Lodin. All others are equivalent, I think.

Originally Posted by killercactus

and I trust them to kill Q9 much more than the Agents.

True, snipers do about 50% more average damage against 7-defense heroes than Microcorp, whether on flat ground or on height. High variance is good in that case.

Originally Posted by killercactus

I also feel like they have a better chance to kill what they shoot at

If you mean against squad figures, then I disagree. Microcorp on height are more consistent killers of all but the highest-defense squad figures than snipers. This is the flip side of high variance. (The difference is very marginal, admittedly).

Originally Posted by killercactus

and They don't fear Cyprien or Hounds.

True. All in all, I'd rather have the stealth armor and water suits, though.

---

Since Taelord costs too much for typical tournament play, has anyone tried teaming the Omnicrons with Captain America in stead?

200 Omnicron Snipers x2
80 Raelin RotV
220 Captain America
500, 8 hexes

Now, in stead of 180 points of cheerleader, you have 220 points of cheerleader that doubles as an awesome offensive/defensive unit in its own right. The range 1 tactician bonus is annoying to use, but it gives Omnicrons on height 7 defense dice.

[killercactus]

Originally Posted by dok

If you mean against squad figures, then I disagree. Microcorp on height are more consistent killers of all but the highest-defense squad figures than snipers. This is the flip side of high variance. (The difference is very marginal, admittedly).

Yeah, the numbers are pretty close. However, for some reason I just feel like the Omni's kill more squad figures, even if its even / adv. Micros. I don't know why I feel that way, but it will change my strategy mid-game when I decide what to shoot.

Also, the Micro's get the Laglor boost. Much better than Jandar's Dispatch helping the Snipers, I think.

Originally Posted by dok

Since Taelord costs too much for typical tournament play, has anyone tried teaming the Omnicrons with Captain America in stead?

200 Omnicron Snipers x2
80 Raelin RotV
220 Captain America
500, 8 hexes

Now, in stead of 180 points of cheerleader, you have 220 points of cheerleader that doubles as an awesome offensive/defensive unit in its own right. The range 1 tactician bonus is annoying to use, but it gives Omnicrons on height 7 defense dice.

Most tourney's I've played in disallow Marvel, but I really like this idea. However, I'd think about Rats x2 over Raelin here. You have the hexes available , the Rats will help keep Cap unengaged, so his Shield Throw is doing maximum damage, and I still have all of that stuff in my head from the "Overrated" thread. Of course, she does help Cap a lot, Cap is already promoting closeness, and the Omni's have better than average range....

[Hogg]

I've successfully used the Omnis with Taelord a couple of times in tournaments.

500 points:
2X Omnis
3X Deathreavers
Taelord

540 points:
2x Omnis
2x Deathreavers
Taelord
Raelin (RotV)

These armies take down Braxas, Q9, Glads/blasts armies, Kato armies, whatever you put in front of them. Admittedly I have a pretty good handle on how to use this army . The only things I have had problems with are Zombies and Airborne Elite, though I know how to correct the problem with the AE in the future.

[MegaSilver]

The Snipers could probably bring a physological effect to the battlefields nowadays, as the Microcorps are around. More people may underestimate them, as I believe a few of you guys are suggesting.

Thus, the enemy may not take them as much as a problem as the Microcorps, and leave them alone. Us both in an army, The Micros to distract your opponent, while the Snipers do bad damage before your oppenent can react.

What do you think?

MegaSilver

[killercactus]

Originally Posted by MegaSilver

Thus, the enemy may not take them as much as a problem as the Microcorps, and leave them alone. Us both in an army, The Micros to distract your oppenent, while the Snipers do bad damage before your oppenent can react.

What do you think?

MegaSilver

I would hesitate to use both in the same army, because they do roughly the same thing, and you're bringing Order Marker issues onto yourself that you probably don't need. In a 500 point army, I would much rather play Omnicrons x5, or Microcorp x5 than some mix, because then I could just set all of my OM's down on one card and never lose a turn.

Omni's x5.... hmmmm

[dok]

Originally Posted by Hogg

I've successfully used the Omnis with Taelord a couple of times in tournaments.

500 points:
2X Omnis
3X Deathreavers
Taelord

540 points:
2x Omnis
2x Deathreavers
Taelord
Raelin (RotV)

These armies take down Braxas, Q9, Glads/blasts armies, Kato armies, whatever you put in front of them. Admittedly I have a pretty good handle on how to use this army . The only things I have had problems with are Zombies and Airborne Elite, though I know how to correct the problem with the AE in the future.

Yea, that's the 540 point army I mentioned as the basement level Omnicron army. That 500 point army could work too.

The army has several things going for it:

• The tried and true rats+range formula
• Good glyph grabbing and map control
• Relatively easy OM management, at least once you get set up.
• Plenty of hitting power against both squads and heroes as long as you have a full squad of Omnis.

The big weakness of this army, without question, is that you are four or five squad figure deaths from being crippled and having basically no strong offensive options left.

It's interesting that you mention Braxas as a figure that you can handle well, as she's one of three or four threats that immediately come to mind when I consider this army. She can fly in over the rat screen and melt snipers down. If she's tied up with rats and sniped from 7 hexes away, she's effectively neutralized, but it takes pretty poor play from the Braxas owner for that to happen.

I would list the obvious threats to this army as zombies, orcs, and Braxas. Any army with a good rat-eraser can also probably beat this army. For instance, if I faced this army with Nilfheim, knights, and champions, I'd make myself content with killing rats with Nilfheim, knowing that the Snipers would probably bring him down and he would fail to "kill his points". But once the path is clear of rats, I'd be pretty confident that the knights could stream in and take care of things.

[KCU Master 2007]

I like you 540 army and have used the same thing a lot, thought not in a tournament...yet.

I don't understand why the Omnis have a bad rep. Oh well, maybe after the repulsers come out people will play them more.

[Hogg]

Braxas goes down easy under concentrated Omni fire. Especially when you are rolling 3-4 attack dice.

My strategy is to use the first 2 or 3 markers to deploy the rats and grab glyphs, use the next marker to move Taelord, then use all the rest on the Omnis unless something needs to be moved.