Kinseth
3-Time Online HS Champion & Diplomacy Winner of La
I think I am basically in the same boat as Foudzing on this one.
(Ut oh, did I just say that aloud ?)
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Soldiers of Valhalla - nominations and discussion
- Thread starter Scytale
- Start date
I think I am basically in the same boat as Foudzing on this one.
(Ut oh, did I just say that aloud ?)
Warden 722 has received 5 Yea votes to review (Scytale, Soundwarp SG-1, capsocrates, superfrog, and vegietarian18) and moves forward in the process.
After a period of reflection, I vote 
to review the Knights of Aundair.
to review the Knights of Aundair.
The Knights of Aundair have received 5 Yea votes to review (Scytale, Son of Arathorn, capsocrates, hivelord, and vegietarian18 ) and moves forward in the process.
Warden 722 has passed Unified Fanscape Review and moves forward in the process.
The Knights of Aundair did not pass Unified Fanscape Review and is removed from the process.
There was not a single glaring problem that led to the Knights failing UF Review, but rather what some referred to as a "death by a thousand cuts." Some of the specific things that were disliked were the Honorable personality, the power names, and Aquilla as the general. The part that most voters took issue with was the figures, both the sculpts chosen (particularly the Dragon Rider) and their cost.
The Knights of Aundair did not pass Unified Fanscape Review and is removed from the process.
There was not a single glaring problem that led to the Knights failing UF Review, but rather what some referred to as a "death by a thousand cuts." Some of the specific things that were disliked were the Honorable personality, the power names, and Aquilla as the general. The part that most voters took issue with was the figures, both the sculpts chosen (particularly the Dragon Rider) and their cost.
Son of Arathorn
Middle Earth's Saddest Plumber
Sundol by vegetarian18
Jotun. Shurrak. Mok. These are the towering warriors who would welcome Sundol into their ranks, should he prove fit to fight in Valhalla. So, can Sundol overcome his reduced stature, and prove his worthiness to join the Giants of HeroScape?
Balance
All on his own, Sundol rarely does enough damage to justify his substantial price tag of 130 points. As a single-attack hero with low defense dice and an unreliable special power, Sundol simply cannot hold his own against a well-built army like the other giants can. Sundol’s cost can only be recouped by backing him up with Dreadgul Raiders. Outside of this build, he is decidedly impotent, severely limiting a player’s options if they decide to try their hand at Sundol. While Sundol is able to affect more figures with Blaze of Glory than Deathwalker 7000 can with Self-Destruct Special Attack, his chances of actually inflicting a wound are unreliable. It’s not quite a wash, but it’s near enough.
Theme
One area Sundol really shines is thematic element of his sculpt; with a blazing mane of fire and bright brass armor, he looks the part of fire giant perhaps better than Shurrak, whose full plate and yellow beard leave something to be desired. His special powers complement his sculpt nicely, and his status as a Wild Giant is both appropriate and necessary.
Creativity
Sundol gives the Dreadguls a new bonding option, and an entirely new set of tactics to employ. This mutually beneficial relationship allows the Dreadguls to harness Sundol’s ability to inspire apprehension in an opponent while Sundol receives the much-needed benefits of a bonding hero (frontline support, simple order marker management, etc.). Sundol’s signature power, Blaze of Glory, is an exciting new take on the idea of a walking bomb, and lucky for Sundol, Deathwalker 7000 is an easy act to follow. The new ideas presented in the unit are appealing, though Sundol can’t ride on a pleasant image alone.
Playability
Sundol’s special powers are well-written and display a singular focus on the theme of a fire giant bent on wholesale destruction. His Life and Attack values are appropriate for a giant, though his Move and Defense values are lacking. Sundol’s lower Move value compared to the other giants (who all possess, or can attain, a base Move of 6) is acceptable due to the stature of the sculpt. The lower defense value does Sundol no favors in a melee, but it does let him build Blaze of Glory into quite a lovely fireball. Sundol’s base (large D3) does allow him greater maneuverability than double-spaced figures, but with his average Move of 5, it accentuates his divergence from other giants.
As I said, Sundol’s uses are generally confined to a Dreadgul army. In that army, he can serve as a scare tactic, warning away large numbers of enemy squad figures with the threat of Blaze of Glory. This allows him to pick off the outliers with his 5 attack dice while the Dreadguls charge the main force. This is, however, an tactic easily disrupted, as sending a strong hero after Sundol, or even diverting ranged firepower towards him for a turn or two, can bring him down.
Alternatively, Sundol can follow the Dreadguls into the melee. Here, I found that Sundol remains effective only if the Dreadguls can keep the majority of figures off his back. Grinding through the melee with Sundol and the Raiders allows Sundol to slowly accumulate wounds. Once he’s reached an acceptable number, he can charge past the Dreadguls, perhaps taking another wound or two from leaving engagement attacks, and set off Blaze of Glory for maximum effectiveness.
No tactic which has Sundol in the mix is reliable, ever. It’s simply the nature of the unit. Choosing Sundol is always a gamble, but Blaze of Glory can pay off big; I’ve seen it happen (3 Armoc Vipers and 2 Elite Onyx Vipers can attest to it). The key to maximizing his payoff is to closely monitor the rate at which he accumulates wounds, and to put his normal attack to good use in the meantime.
Summary
Sundol’s thematic elegance and the obvious creative effort poured into the unit make Sundol appealing at first glance. However, his weak base stats and general ineffectiveness on the battlefield prevent him from living up to his image. With some minor tweaks (raising the stats to match the cost, or lowering the cost to match the stats), I would gladly see him back here. As he stands now, I can’t approve the unit.
I vote
to induct Sundol into the Soldiers of Valhalla.
Jotun. Shurrak. Mok. These are the towering warriors who would welcome Sundol into their ranks, should he prove fit to fight in Valhalla. So, can Sundol overcome his reduced stature, and prove his worthiness to join the Giants of HeroScape?
Balance
All on his own, Sundol rarely does enough damage to justify his substantial price tag of 130 points. As a single-attack hero with low defense dice and an unreliable special power, Sundol simply cannot hold his own against a well-built army like the other giants can. Sundol’s cost can only be recouped by backing him up with Dreadgul Raiders. Outside of this build, he is decidedly impotent, severely limiting a player’s options if they decide to try their hand at Sundol. While Sundol is able to affect more figures with Blaze of Glory than Deathwalker 7000 can with Self-Destruct Special Attack, his chances of actually inflicting a wound are unreliable. It’s not quite a wash, but it’s near enough.
Theme
One area Sundol really shines is thematic element of his sculpt; with a blazing mane of fire and bright brass armor, he looks the part of fire giant perhaps better than Shurrak, whose full plate and yellow beard leave something to be desired. His special powers complement his sculpt nicely, and his status as a Wild Giant is both appropriate and necessary.
Creativity
Sundol gives the Dreadguls a new bonding option, and an entirely new set of tactics to employ. This mutually beneficial relationship allows the Dreadguls to harness Sundol’s ability to inspire apprehension in an opponent while Sundol receives the much-needed benefits of a bonding hero (frontline support, simple order marker management, etc.). Sundol’s signature power, Blaze of Glory, is an exciting new take on the idea of a walking bomb, and lucky for Sundol, Deathwalker 7000 is an easy act to follow. The new ideas presented in the unit are appealing, though Sundol can’t ride on a pleasant image alone.
Playability
Sundol’s special powers are well-written and display a singular focus on the theme of a fire giant bent on wholesale destruction. His Life and Attack values are appropriate for a giant, though his Move and Defense values are lacking. Sundol’s lower Move value compared to the other giants (who all possess, or can attain, a base Move of 6) is acceptable due to the stature of the sculpt. The lower defense value does Sundol no favors in a melee, but it does let him build Blaze of Glory into quite a lovely fireball. Sundol’s base (large D3) does allow him greater maneuverability than double-spaced figures, but with his average Move of 5, it accentuates his divergence from other giants.
As I said, Sundol’s uses are generally confined to a Dreadgul army. In that army, he can serve as a scare tactic, warning away large numbers of enemy squad figures with the threat of Blaze of Glory. This allows him to pick off the outliers with his 5 attack dice while the Dreadguls charge the main force. This is, however, an tactic easily disrupted, as sending a strong hero after Sundol, or even diverting ranged firepower towards him for a turn or two, can bring him down.
Alternatively, Sundol can follow the Dreadguls into the melee. Here, I found that Sundol remains effective only if the Dreadguls can keep the majority of figures off his back. Grinding through the melee with Sundol and the Raiders allows Sundol to slowly accumulate wounds. Once he’s reached an acceptable number, he can charge past the Dreadguls, perhaps taking another wound or two from leaving engagement attacks, and set off Blaze of Glory for maximum effectiveness.
No tactic which has Sundol in the mix is reliable, ever. It’s simply the nature of the unit. Choosing Sundol is always a gamble, but Blaze of Glory can pay off big; I’ve seen it happen (3 Armoc Vipers and 2 Elite Onyx Vipers can attest to it). The key to maximizing his payoff is to closely monitor the rate at which he accumulates wounds, and to put his normal attack to good use in the meantime.
Summary
Sundol’s thematic elegance and the obvious creative effort poured into the unit make Sundol appealing at first glance. However, his weak base stats and general ineffectiveness on the battlefield prevent him from living up to his image. With some minor tweaks (raising the stats to match the cost, or lowering the cost to match the stats), I would gladly see him back here. As he stands now, I can’t approve the unit.
I vote
to induct Sundol into the Soldiers of Valhalla.
Dad_Scaper
Enjoy the Sausage
. . . and one voter
Spoiler Alert!
Spoiler Alert!
Those creators who would like an extra pair of eyes editing their cards - spelling, word usage, parallel structures - are welcome to bring their customs to Help With Wurdz.
Scy, I hope I am not overstepping boundaries with this post.
Kinseth
3-Time Online HS Champion & Diplomacy Winner of La
In all honesty I thought I had you look at the whole card @Dad_Scaper, but apparently I had you just look at the first power.
Dad_Scaper
Enjoy the Sausage
My comments were not really intended for you, Kinseth, but for the larger community. Also, I'm always gratified when people share their customs with us, whatever the outcome.
Shame on us Judges for letting an obvious typo through without at least mentioning it. That is a bad mark on the SoV, not the submitter.
That said, we do not expect submitters to have the skills of the C3V Editing team. Once a unit has passed review the wording of the powers is altered and the card artwork updated. The card will remain the same, but will be up to United Fanscape standards.
That said, we do not expect submitters to have the skills of the C3V Editing team. Once a unit has passed review the wording of the powers is altered and the card artwork updated. The card will remain the same, but will be up to United Fanscape standards.
Sundol has received to Nay votes to induct (superfrog and Son of Arathorn) and is removed from the process.
Prince Al'kahora by capsocrates
Prince Al- fabulous he- Al'kahora. Genuflect, show some respect: down on one knee. But is he fabulous enough to join the spectacular coterie of the Soldiers of Valhalla?
Balance
There's certainly a lot of competition in the 80 point hero slot, though there's no real sense comparing him to the number of support Heroes in that range, as the Prince is a pure beater with no particularly meaningful boosts to offer anyone. Against the other stand alone Heroes he compares reasonably well, he doesn’t fill the quite the same role as any of the other options and doesn't stand out as being vastly better or worse than any of them.
Theme
To be honest, I find the Prince rather bland. There's nothing really wrong with his 'generic fantasy warrior' theme, but it doesn't particularly pop for me either. I love when a unit's theme shines through so well you can picture them in action just by reading the card or playing a game with them, and I never got that feeling with the Prince.
I think part of the problem is it feels like Al is drawing from too many places at once. He's a Prince, but also a Knight. He has a vaguely Arabic sounding name, but a rather European looking mini with a sword that looks more like a Katanna than anything else to me. He's Loyal... to something, but you certainly don't get that feeling from his play-style. He's apparently familiar with Pumas, which is a bit odd to me whether he's from Earth (as Pumas are native to the Americas) or Artorus. Overall, I just can't get a feel as to were this guy is coming from.
Granted, some of my concerns could be explained by his being from Artorus, as the planet is almost a blank slate at the moment. However, I don't think 'Oh he's from Artorus' should be an excuse to have carte blanche on a wonky theme. Too many submissions that run on that concept and Artorus stops being a planet and instead becomes a bargain bin of random miniatures. That's not necessarily the case here, but it's a slippery slope.
Creativity
The idea of having two mutually exclusive attack bonus powers is quite interesting. At least they're supposed to be mutually exclusive, there are actually a few ways to trigger both powers in the same turn. Still, game not simulation and all that, and overall the Prince's powers are interesting and unique pair.
Playability
The Prince is pretty much just a beat-stick, though one that can be somewhat tricky to play. He has no real synergies to speak of, leaving him as a filler option for the most part, but at 80 points you typically want filler that serves a more useful role than just offering a decent melee normal attack (or two). Still, between his two special powers often at least one can help out in an army. Strike of the Puma can neutralize counterstrike, defensive agility, and other such powers to some degree, while Razorpetal Stance just offers up some plain old hitting power, both can be useful for the right team.
The push-pull nature of his twin powers can make the Prince a bit more interesting to play than your average beat-stick. Often you can find yourself having to pick between gaining height or getting the double attack after the initial Puma rush, and sometimes it's worth forgoing both to get another Strike of the Puma on a different target. Depending on who he is facing and other conditions, the Prince has a lot more options than just 'punch the nearest bad guy'. I may not care for the Prince's theme, but I do like what he brings to the table in terms of tactical decisions.
Summary
The Prince isn't going to light the metagame on fire and he doesn't do much for me theme-wise, but he's a solid hero that can give you some interesting choices during the game. Not the SoV entry I'm most excited about, but he has a place here.
I vote to induct Prince Al'kahora to the SoV.
Prince Al- fabulous he- Al'kahora. Genuflect, show some respect: down on one knee. But is he fabulous enough to join the spectacular coterie of the Soldiers of Valhalla?
Balance
There's certainly a lot of competition in the 80 point hero slot, though there's no real sense comparing him to the number of support Heroes in that range, as the Prince is a pure beater with no particularly meaningful boosts to offer anyone. Against the other stand alone Heroes he compares reasonably well, he doesn’t fill the quite the same role as any of the other options and doesn't stand out as being vastly better or worse than any of them.
Theme
To be honest, I find the Prince rather bland. There's nothing really wrong with his 'generic fantasy warrior' theme, but it doesn't particularly pop for me either. I love when a unit's theme shines through so well you can picture them in action just by reading the card or playing a game with them, and I never got that feeling with the Prince.
I think part of the problem is it feels like Al is drawing from too many places at once. He's a Prince, but also a Knight. He has a vaguely Arabic sounding name, but a rather European looking mini with a sword that looks more like a Katanna than anything else to me. He's Loyal... to something, but you certainly don't get that feeling from his play-style. He's apparently familiar with Pumas, which is a bit odd to me whether he's from Earth (as Pumas are native to the Americas) or Artorus. Overall, I just can't get a feel as to were this guy is coming from.
Granted, some of my concerns could be explained by his being from Artorus, as the planet is almost a blank slate at the moment. However, I don't think 'Oh he's from Artorus' should be an excuse to have carte blanche on a wonky theme. Too many submissions that run on that concept and Artorus stops being a planet and instead becomes a bargain bin of random miniatures. That's not necessarily the case here, but it's a slippery slope.
Creativity
The idea of having two mutually exclusive attack bonus powers is quite interesting. At least they're supposed to be mutually exclusive, there are actually a few ways to trigger both powers in the same turn. Still, game not simulation and all that, and overall the Prince's powers are interesting and unique pair.
Playability
The Prince is pretty much just a beat-stick, though one that can be somewhat tricky to play. He has no real synergies to speak of, leaving him as a filler option for the most part, but at 80 points you typically want filler that serves a more useful role than just offering a decent melee normal attack (or two). Still, between his two special powers often at least one can help out in an army. Strike of the Puma can neutralize counterstrike, defensive agility, and other such powers to some degree, while Razorpetal Stance just offers up some plain old hitting power, both can be useful for the right team.
The push-pull nature of his twin powers can make the Prince a bit more interesting to play than your average beat-stick. Often you can find yourself having to pick between gaining height or getting the double attack after the initial Puma rush, and sometimes it's worth forgoing both to get another Strike of the Puma on a different target. Depending on who he is facing and other conditions, the Prince has a lot more options than just 'punch the nearest bad guy'. I may not care for the Prince's theme, but I do like what he brings to the table in terms of tactical decisions.
Summary
The Prince isn't going to light the metagame on fire and he doesn't do much for me theme-wise, but he's a solid hero that can give you some interesting choices during the game. Not the SoV entry I'm most excited about, but he has a place here.
I vote
to induct Prince Al'kahora to the SoV.
Last edited:
Lyrgard
Well-known member
I has read the Wheel of Time novel serie, and the name of the powers of Prince Al'kahora remind me of the sword forms used in it. Or think of Syrio Forel of Game of Throne, for another example. I see Prince Al'kahora as a prince from a kingdom with a refined sword art, that favor agility and technics with light swords over just muscle and hacking with a big sword.
caps
My six-year-old sister-in-law calls the shots
I am really glad to hear that. That is where I got the idea for the names.
Bengi
Online HS League Champion
Blood and Bloody ashes!
CrazyTankster
Active member
Oh my, I'm geeking out right now. I love that series and love that you drew ideas from there 
Son of Arathorn
Middle Earth's Saddest Plumber
Great, now I want a unit with a power called "Sheathing the Sword".
I got a little behind on review writing compared to my testing, so I have a bit of a buffer of reviews I haven't posted. Which means y'all get another from me this week.
Ashi-Dulu by Megasilver
Lo! 'tis a gala night
Within the lonesome latter years!
An angel throng, he winged, bedight
In veils, and drowned in tears,
Sit in a theatre, to see if Ashi-Dulu can conquer the Soldiers of Valhalla!
Balance
For the most part, Ashi-Dulu is basically a non-bonding Grimnak. He's a bit better than our favorite Dino-Rider going solo in most cases, thanks to the higher attack and better mobility, but Grimnak's true value comes from bonding with the Heavy Gruts and his other Orc synergies. Without comparable bonding and synergies, Ashi isn't going to obsolete big Grim anytime soon. Ultimately, they play different roles and fit in different armies despite their similarities.
Theme
A giant worm erupting from the sands and scarfing down some helpless sap? Ashi's theme is pretty spot on, whether you're thinking Dune or Tremors. There really isn't much to say here, Ashi's card just nails the 'Giant Worm of Death' thing perfectly.
Creativity
It's pretty obvious what powers a giant death worm should have: burrow around and eat things. That being said, the mechanics of this particular take on the idea are both elegant and fun.
Playability
Ashi-Dulu plays a bit like Grimnak did in the very early days of just the first Master Set, back when big Grim had no Orc buddies to boost. There are some key differences though; Stealth Underground movement gives Ashi far better mobility that can't really be prevented or locked down, making him a decent assassin, and the 2 extra attack gives him more punch against the enemies that aren't on his menu. He does lack Grimnak's potentially game changing ability to insta-kill Unique Heroes though, and he has no way to bypass the Counterstrikes of the Unique Samurai squads, meaning even 'Retro' Grimnak would still have the edge in some match-ups. In some sort of 'Unique Only' tournament, Grimnak is probably the better pick between the two of them even when denied his greatest asset, though neither would be my first pick.
The biggest limit to Ashi is it's not that easy to actually get an attack in after devouring, a smart opponent will keep his figures spaced out to deny it in most cases. Ashi's attack value might be much better than Grimnak's, but that doesn't matter all that much when you can go whole games without actually attacking with him (which I did have happen on more than one occasion).
Ultimately, Ashi has his uses, but he never felt overpowered or game breaking. Which is right where he needs to be.
Summary
Awesome theme and solid mechanics certainly earn Ashi a spot in the SoV for me. Hopefully, the time will soon come where I can bring the conqueror worm to bear in one of the online events.
I vote to induct Ashi-Dulu to the SoV.
Ashi-Dulu by Megasilver
Lo! 'tis a gala night
Within the lonesome latter years!
An angel throng, he winged, bedight
In veils, and drowned in tears,
Sit in a theatre, to see if Ashi-Dulu can conquer the Soldiers of Valhalla!
Balance
For the most part, Ashi-Dulu is basically a non-bonding Grimnak. He's a bit better than our favorite Dino-Rider going solo in most cases, thanks to the higher attack and better mobility, but Grimnak's true value comes from bonding with the Heavy Gruts and his other Orc synergies. Without comparable bonding and synergies, Ashi isn't going to obsolete big Grim anytime soon. Ultimately, they play different roles and fit in different armies despite their similarities.
Theme
A giant worm erupting from the sands and scarfing down some helpless sap? Ashi's theme is pretty spot on, whether you're thinking Dune or Tremors. There really isn't much to say here, Ashi's card just nails the 'Giant Worm of Death' thing perfectly.
Creativity
It's pretty obvious what powers a giant death worm should have: burrow around and eat things. That being said, the mechanics of this particular take on the idea are both elegant and fun.
Playability
Ashi-Dulu plays a bit like Grimnak did in the very early days of just the first Master Set, back when big Grim had no Orc buddies to boost. There are some key differences though; Stealth Underground movement gives Ashi far better mobility that can't really be prevented or locked down, making him a decent assassin, and the 2 extra attack gives him more punch against the enemies that aren't on his menu. He does lack Grimnak's potentially game changing ability to insta-kill Unique Heroes though, and he has no way to bypass the Counterstrikes of the Unique Samurai squads, meaning even 'Retro' Grimnak would still have the edge in some match-ups. In some sort of 'Unique Only' tournament, Grimnak is probably the better pick between the two of them even when denied his greatest asset, though neither would be my first pick.
The biggest limit to Ashi is it's not that easy to actually get an attack in after devouring, a smart opponent will keep his figures spaced out to deny it in most cases. Ashi's attack value might be much better than Grimnak's, but that doesn't matter all that much when you can go whole games without actually attacking with him (which I did have happen on more than one occasion).
Ultimately, Ashi has his uses, but he never felt overpowered or game breaking. Which is right where he needs to be.
Summary
Awesome theme and solid mechanics certainly earn Ashi a spot in the SoV for me. Hopefully, the time will soon come where I can bring the conqueror worm to bear in one of the online events.
I vote
to induct Ashi-Dulu to the SoV.
DanieLoche
Marcel Marceau
Congrats Ashi-Dulu... and Soundwarp for the very nice review !