The Book of Varkaanan Blade Dancers

[Filthy the Clown]

The Book of Varkaanan Blade Dancers

C3V Wave 1 – "Thormun's Reprieve"

VARKAANAN BLADE DEFENSE
A Varkaanan Blade Dancer rolls one additional defense die for each opponent's figure she is engaged to.

DEFENSIVE VAULT
After a Varkaanan Blade Dancer rolls defense dice against a normal attack from an adjacent opponent's figure, if she is still adjacent to the attacking figure, you may place that Varkaanan Blade Dancer on any other space adjacent to the attacking figure, if possible. A Varkaanan Blade Dancer does not take any leaving engagement attacks when using Defensive Vault.


Figures to use for this unit:

1. Confrontation figures from the Wolfen of Yllia set (Wolfen of Yllia Sacred Vestals Attachment Box).

The PDF for this card can be downloaded here.

Character Bio:

Spoiler Alert!

Of the many military traditions cherished by the Varkaanans, Blade Dancing is the only one that is over a thousand years old. A Blade Dancer is taught that she must always be moving, always piercing and slashing with the massive swords she wields in each hand. Lightly armored but fast and deadly, the Varkaanan Blade Dancers deliver the first strike, and, in many cases, the only one necesssary in the battles against their historic enemy, the Orcs.

In past eras, the Orcs, much smaller in physical stature, had been no match for the Varkaanans in military might. Numerous and bloodthirsty, the Orcs had squabbled in small tribes, fighting against themselves, too disorganized and fearful to meet the strength of the ancient Varkaanans. But lately something has changed. Orc champions, riding dinosaurs, have united the Orcs into an organized horde. Incursions have been made into once sacred, safe, and fertile lands, and many wolves have been lost.

The relentless Orcs are now massing, pressing into Varkaanan holdings. The seers and shamans had seen it, but few believed those prophesies. Now, the disparate tribes of the Varkaanan, the wolf people of Grut, must unite against this common foe.

The Blade Dancers, a sword in each hand, will be the vanguard. As always.

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-Rulings and Clarifications-

Defensive Vault:
Q: Can a Varkaanan Blade Dancer end her movement on a ladder or on a glyph?
A: Yes, that's why we avoided the more common "empty space" wording, exactly so the Dancers could vault onto a glyph.
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-Combinations and Synergies-

Synergy Benefits Offered

• KNIGHTS OF BLACKGAARD : Relentless Army Attack Bonus
  Having a Relentless personality, Varkaanan Blade Dancers may be in the same army as Knights of Blackgaard without negating their attack bonus.

Synergy Benefits Received

• - KHOSUMET THE DARKLORD : Relentless Assault
  Having a Relentless personality, the Varkaanan Blade Dancers may benefit from Khosumet the Darklord’s RELENTLESS ASSAULT attack bonus.

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-Strategy, Tactics and Tips-
- TBA
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-Heroscapers Community Contributions-


Power Ranking and Master Index

Do well when they can get blade defense working, but high price and relative weakness against range makes them tricky to play. B

Unit Strategy Review
- TBA

[Filthy the Clown]

These large ladies obviously love engagement, but they could suffer from the Badru's weakness of being mowed down when sprinting into said engagement...Which is never good for an expensive squad.

So, why not bring the fight to them, with some Krav Maga fishing?
At 500 points:
Blade Dancers x 5 400
Krav 100
18 spaces

Send the Krav out early to bring your opponent into wolf range. If your opponent leads with rats? No worries, as the not-so-tiny Dancers appreciate the engagement; turn your Dancers into a screen while you fall back with the Agents.

[ElvenEnvy]

Originally Posted by Filthy the Clown

These large ladies obviously love engagement, but they could suffer from the Badru's weakness of being mowed down when sprinting into said engagement...Which is never good for an expensive squad.

So, why not bring the fight to them, with some Krav Maga fishing?
At 500 points:
Blade Dancers x 5 400
Krav 100
18 spaces

Send the Krav out early to bring your opponent into wolf range. If your opponent leads with rats? No worries, as the not-so-tiny Dancers appreciate the engagement; turn your Dancers into a screen while you fall back with the Agents.

I think that strategy would peak at 520 with this build
Blade Dancers x4 320
Krav 100
Kaemon Awa 120
16 spaces

Awa's special would be useful, and against Braxas and the like you can have the fallback of drawing in the opponent with Awa.

[boromir96]

Originally Posted by ElvenEnvy

I think that strategy would peak at 520 with this build
Blade Dancers x4 320
Krav 100
Kaemon Awa 120
16 spaces

Awa's special would be useful, and against Braxas and the like you can have the fallback of drawing in the opponent with Awa.

Thats 540 points.

[Filthy the Clown]

Originally Posted by ElvenEnvy

I think that strategy would peak at 540 with this build
Blade Dancers x4 320
Krav 100
Kaemon Awa 120
16 spaces

Awa's special would be useful, and against Braxas and the like you can have the fallback of drawing in the opponent with Awa.

Corrected in Red.

Or Raelin v2.0 instead of Kaemon. Kaemon's special is nice, but you don't need to fear rats as much with the Dancers...Hence a special attack is not as important (although it would definitely help against the likes of Cutters).

Another option at 540, which includes a Large figure:

Dancers x4 320
Gurei-Oni 420
Raelin 540
15 spaces.

Slow-roll the big Guard down the field, mainly as a LOS blocker for Raelin. Then, charge out with your Dancers once Gurei/Raelin have made it to mid-field. Against the right builds, it could prove to be formidable.


Poor Khosumet, again stymied by the lack of bonding (Anubians seem like better, non-bonding options, if you want to run Khosumet).

[dok]

VBDx4/Raelin/Krav seemed like the go-to build in testing. PKs+VBDs was fun, too.

[nyys]

Krav Fishing... love it!

[Seb from space]

"Place that Varkaanan Blade Dancer on any other space adjacent to the attacking figure" : can she end this mouvement on a ladder or on a glyph ?


Varkaanan 4X80 320 points
Deathreavers X2 80 points
Good army for 400 points ? (deathreavers can stop ranged attacks)

[BurnyFlame]

I am not usually one to complain (although this is debatable), but the grammar in this sentence has a horrendous error:

A Varkaanan Blade Dancer rolls one additional defense die for each opponent's figure she is engaged to.

Never end a sentence with "to." I would correct this to be:

A Varkaanan Blade Dancer rolls one additional defense die for each opponent's figure with whom she is engaged.

Please consider revising it!

[quozl]

Originally Posted by Seb from space

"Place that Varkaanan Blade Dancer on any other space adjacent to the attacking figure" : can she end this mouvement on a ladder or on a glyph ?

Yes and yes.

[Xotli]

Originally Posted by Seb from space

"Place that Varkaanan Blade Dancer on any other space adjacent to the attacking figure" : can she end this mouvement on a ladder or on a glyph ?

Yes, that's why we avoided the more common "empty space" wording, exactly so the Dancers could vault onto a glyph.

Originally Posted by BurnyFlame

I am not usually one to complain (although this is debatable), but the grammar in this sentence has a horrendous error:

A Varkaanan Blade Dancer rolls one additional defense die for each opponent's figure she is engaged to.

Never end a sentence with "to." I would correct this to be:

A Varkaanan Blade Dancer rolls one additional defense die for each opponent's figure with whom she is engaged.

Please consider revising it!

You know, my grandfather told me that Winston Churchill was once criticized for ending a sentence with a preposition. His response: "That, sir, is a slur up with which I shall not put."

I don't think I have anything to add to that.

[dok]

Originally Posted by BurnyFlame

I am not usually one to complain (although this is debatable)

Bravo for the (parenthetical) self-awareness, sir.

Originally Posted by BurnyFlame

this sentence has a horrendous error:

Originally Posted by BurnyFlame

Never end a sentence with "to."

I agree, that sentence does contain an error, although it's pretty common and not that horrendous.

Originally Posted by BurnyFlame

Please consider revising it!

OK, how about:

"Ending a sentence with "to" is completely acceptable usage."

Does that work?