Emperor Protects

Imps / SM

Deck: 50

Warlord

♦ Colonel Straken

Signature (8)

4x Straken’s Command Squad(death spawn token) - 2/2/2

1x Omega Zero Command

2x Glorious Intervention (1s)

1x Straken’s Cunning (3s)

Units (25)

3x Cadian Mortar Squad (2c, Ranged) - 3/1/3 (s)

3x Elysian Assault Team (PiP) - 2/2/1 (s)

3x Stalwart Ogryn (1c, no event) - 2/2/2 (w)

2x Blood Angels Veterans (1cp, 1dmg absorb) 3/3/3

3x Tactical Squad Cardinis (1c, area1) - 2/1/3 (s)

2x Iron Hands Techmarine (1c, +1c enemy unit) - 3/1/3 (s)

3x Land Raider (3c) - 5,3,7

3x Assault Valkyrie (1cp, Flying) - 4/4/4

3x Rogue Trader (1cp +1r) - 1/0/1

Attachment (5)

3x Bodyguard (2s, 1 dmg absorb)

2x Promotion (1s, +2cp)

Event (6)

3x Preemptive Barrage (2s)

3x No Mercy (1s)

Support (6)

3x Catachan Outpost (tap +2atk)

3x Rockcrete Bunker (1/4 dmg soak on tap)

Notes:

I wanted to put in more flying units, as Darik's experience at GenCon thread really talked up their power (even though I favour ranged on a mechanical level) but at the last minuet removed some to put in the Blood Angels Veterans . My idea here is that resources might be a little tight on this one and I was worried about the 4 cost flying units. So I thought then of only using 1x Raven Guard Speeder in combination with 2x Assault Valkyrie so we were sitting on a 3 draw chance for a 4 cost flyer. But the IMP flyer has better stats to take advantage of flying, the SM flyer has a addition cp icon but (see latter) there is some neat tricks in this deck to win commands so at the very last second (as in when I typed this paragraph), I dumped the SM flyer and went for 3x Assault Valkyrie . Thinking on the general principle I find effective, of what ever your advantage is, increase it. 4 health on a flyer allows the card to take advantage of the flying ability more than a 3 health flyer. Anyway, depending on resource gain, putting the Raven Guard Speeder back in instead of the Blood Angels Veterans might be the way to go.

Neither Bodyguard or Promotion are "wargear". This means that they can be placed on the Land Raider and this is name sake of the deck. You can place Bodyguard on this for a total of 2 dmg redirection per attack. Stacked with Rockcrete Bunker , which is not unique btw, allows for more dmg redirection. So at full combo your looking at 5 dmg redirection per attack. This along with 3 command icons and Rogue Trader allows to to pack it at a resource gen planet on the outskirts of the line and let it suck up resources as it slowly moves to 1st planet. Get a Blood Angels Veterans there as well and you have stacked another point of dmg absorption, a great target for Promotion.

All units apart form flyers and vehicles are soldiers or warriors to gain the +1 attack. Catachan Outpost gives +2 attack to ANY unit, and is not unique so this can tap for +6 dmg on top of the warlords thing.

The events are not really there to be cast, though Exterminatus and Preemptive Barrage might get use in the right situation. They are really there for shield discards. Depending on how often you see Exterminatus get cast, swapping them for 2x Drop Pod Assault is the way to go to gain those extra shield icons. In fact this might be the better choice in general, but I want to see how often Exterminatus get used as an event. Maybe 2x Drop Pod Assault and 1x Exterminatus is the right call for shield icons but with some "panic button" control for late game.

So, made a bit of a mistake with this one, as I used to have 1x Drop Pod Assault in the deck.. it is Loyal so can not be. The events themselves are really only in there for shielding. I mean Preemptive Barrage might get use in the right situation.. but it is the shields you really want.

Drop Pod is Loyal

Find space for Daring Assult Squad. Area effect 2 is brutal in this game.

oh yeah.. your totally right. Sucks trying to make decks with out the cards! Didn't notice that only S/L have 2 or more shields.. nice tip!

These cards were only included as a way to have some shield icons. I am tempted to replace with Fall Back.. but I think I am going to go with Void Pirate. They have been getting a lot of love from the scene and I think now I ave played 20 or so games I will have a good idea of how they effect it. Time to try them out!

Still I'll keep them in mind for the next deck, for this one as I only have 1 card I'm going to add a new event.

Edited my original post!

Find space for Daring Assult Squad. Area effect 2 is brutal in this game.

I want to keep units that trigger the warlords ability,

They will still trigger Straken's ability as they are soldiers. Also good for Elysian Assault Team. I guess the drawback you are concerned about is that area effect won't trigger Straken, but I think this is still a pretty good unit here. Imperial Guard but almost half the units are SM. The vagaries of deck making. Also, I thought you weren't a big fan of No Mercy? Are you finding it more useful?

They will still trigger Straken's ability as they are soldiers. Also good for Elysian Assault Team. I guess the drawback you are concerned about is that area effect won't trigger Straken, but I think this is still a pretty good unit here.

The thing is I am worried about Daring Assault Squad was the 4 cost. I wanted to keep things low and use high cost drops for the flying units and mechanized vehicle. There is a area dmg deck with these factions, but I think it is more SM / Imp ... then the imp warlord ability dose not get lost.

Also, I thought you weren't a big fan of No Mercy? Are you finding it more useful?

I haven't made any decisions about cards yet. For example, I have been playing with out the neutral resource and card draw allies for example to see how the game flows with out them. So when they go in I get a clear picture. As the game progresses and we have more and more options deck building choices will be harder and having a idea of how exactly the flow is effected by these cards will count.

As far as No Mercy goes? Well in my experience shielding can be a major factor. Including events and attachments with the sole intent of discarding as a shield seams valid. The events in these decks were included for that reason. This idea makes me value no mercy more than I thought. The duel use stuff. You can hold the card for shield discard or for zero cost cancel the shield of the other player. If your looking to beef up your shields this seams the perfect choice.