1 minute ago, rowdyoctopus said:

They can't take a horn upgrade.

Dang ok combine the drummer with the one that gives blight on the reanimates. They charge you leave they get blight each time

3 minutes ago, Budgernaut said:

I was thinking of combining Tactical Drummer with Blighted Vexillum Bearer. You could keep disengaging and if you get pursued, you blight the pursuer. Unfortunately, you wouldn't be able to deal damage that way. Unless ... you added Fire Rune. Then you can disengage and still attack. If the unit charges you, they get blighted again and get -1 die.

Reanimate Archers can't take musician upgrades.

EDIT: Okay, so my other cheeky build with Tactical Drummer is to put it with Blighted Vexillium and Deathcaller. The enemy charges and gets a blight token. You disengage and use Deathcaller to deal some damage. They charge again and get a blight token again. You disengage and use Death Caller. Unfortunately. I think you lose by attrition in that setup because you're not doing as much damage as you're taking.

But with backup....

Just now, Klaxas said:

Dang ok combine the drummer with the one that gives blight on the reanimates. They charge you leave they get blight each time

Haha, I was just typing this out! Could be a solid combo, you can even pull it off on a 2-tray unit with Ardus in your list.

Did they forget to reveal one musician upgrade or is there only one in the pack? Daquan had a reveal of two upgrades for each model...

1 minute ago, maxam said:

Did they forget to reveal one musician upgrade or is there only one in the pack? Daquan had a reveal of two upgrades for each model...

It comes with Marching Drummer, too. https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/1/30/command-and-control/

Naturally the day after we discuss the underpowered nature of core set Waiqar FFG would release this preview. Honestly not a whole lot of game changing but that Execusioner...man, that is solid. Overall I'm REALLY excited for all of these expansion. Quick question: do they drop same date as core sets or is there some turn around on those? I haven't seen any of it preorderable anywhere is why I ask.

1 hour ago, Budgernaut said:

It comes with Marching Drummer, too. https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/1/30/command-and-control/

Ah, phew - thanks!

5 minutes ago, power500500 said:

Naturally the day after we discuss the underpowered nature of core set Waiqar FFG would release this preview. Honestly not a whole lot of game changing but that Execusioner...man, that is solid. Overall I'm REALLY excited for all of these expansion. Quick question: do they drop same date as core sets or is there some turn around on those? I haven't seen any of it preorderable anywhere is why I ask.

Second quarter 2017 is the date given ... to put that into perspective - the core set is "Fist Quarter 2017"

There's a number of cool stuff here that really push that blight bane. My only problem with that is the reliance on Carrion Lancers to produce it on demand compared to more conditional Archers or BVB (the standard bearer).

Executioner: Pretty underwhelming. Yes, it can be used to kill off high wound models (looking at your opposing Ardus or Kari) but the special action for Reanimates is a bit too slow against most of the multi-wound models and other options outclass it. The upgrade may end up being simply a meta call.

Mistlands Saboteur: This guy really supports the idea of Reanimates going an attrition route and the fact that most units will carry upgrades helps him out immensely.

Tactical Drummer: I really find that the Defense 4 portion of this guy is potentially incredible for just 2 points. The upgrade's passive is too minimal for Reanimates, as they shift on a 7 and already have a built-in bonus against some of the morale cards.

Profane Banner Bearer: Hmmmm, maybe this card will be errata'd to get it 4 defense like the article says? The ability is pretty meh but if it does get that extra defense, then I could see a few people using several relatively cheap 2x1 or 2x2 Reanimate tarpits with this guy and the drummer, as you could put each figure upgrade in a different front tray. Either 23 or 33 points.

Blighted Vexillum Bearer: I really like this guy, as he gives the Waiqar another way to pass out blight tokens, and at a cheap cost. Hey, that Kari just charged you? Well, that blight is going to take care of one of those die and cut that surge ability in half.

Necromancer: Underwhelming but he's only 3 points.

Deathcaller: Far better than the Necromancer, the ability to inflict wounds directly is just fantastic.

Raven Tabards: 2 points to downgrade your blue movements. Geez, there are already so many interesting banner upgrades. This might be more likely to be a Daqan list to speed up the already quick Cavalry or to hasten the Golems.

It is kind of funny that with the Executioner and the Channeler, Waiqar seems to be built towards slaughtering high defense/high wound quality targets.

Which might encourage Daqan to play swarm armies.

Kind of a role reversal from the usual expectations.

3 minutes ago, Kubernes said:

Deathcaller: Far better than the Necromancer, the ability to inflict wounds directly is just fantastic.

Totally missed that it was dealing wounds. That's awesome!

Deathcaller is the MVP. I'm not sure if Necromancer is underwhelming in a meta where more units attack at different timing then the current one, because eventually you have to get a critical mass of attrition where your opponent just can't reasonably attack/remove enough reanimates to lower their VP standing. But even in that world the utility of Deathcaller will still probably out shine him.
Significantly increases the damage output of reanimates.
The Protector card if my interpretation of it is correct might be key in forcing Kari to dump damage into reanimates.
Raven Tabards is really good but not on this unit because you are still slower then anything else. Where it will be awesome is making a unit move faster into combat then an opposing ranged attacked. Like Oathsworn Calvary being able to use their largest move speed followed by the speed 5 one(at speed 4) to completely prevent themselves from ever being shot by reanimate archers, which is huge.

11 minutes ago, Waywardpaladin said:

It is kind of funny that with the Executioner and the Channeler, Waiqar seems to be built towards slaughtering high defense/high wound quality targets.

Which might encourage Daqan to play swarm armies.

Kind of a role reversal from the usual expectations.

Sort of. The Deathcaller does require set up and Hawthrone or an early rally can potentially limit the guy. He does give Reanimates a 'ranged' attack option and also works off of blight so I like it.

My problem with the Executioner is also setting him up. First, you have to get into combat with a damaged figure. Secondly, you have to spend a special action to trigger him and the reanimates dial isn't the best, Initiative-wise. Third, other options overshadow the guy.

23 minutes ago, Budgernaut said:

Totally missed that it was dealing wounds. That's awesome!

Ok, so help me out here ... there's always one blue rune and 50% of the time there's two, so he's causing the enemy unit to suffer 1 - 2 wounds.

I assumed this was direct damage like a mortal strike. The article uses the phrasing "deal damage," but the card uses the term "suffer." Looking at 22 Damage and 54 Mortal Strike in the Rules Reference doesn't clear things up - both sections use the keyword suffer, with Mortal Strike qualifying it with "directly" to note it bypasses armour.

So this 1 - 2 damage would still be affected by armour, right?

24 minutes ago, maxam said:

Ok, so help me out here ... there's always one blue rune and 50% of the time there's two, so he's causing the enemy unit to suffer 1 - 2 wounds.

I assumed this was direct damage like a mortal strike. The article uses the phrasing "deal damage," but the card uses the term "suffer." Looking at 22 Damage and 54 Mortal Strike in the Rules Reference doesn't clear things up - both sections use the keyword suffer, with Mortal Strike qualifying it with "directly" to note it bypasses armour.

So this 1 - 2 damage would still be affected by armour, right?

It deals X wounds, not damage. So armour doesn't have any effect.

51 minutes ago, Kubernes said:

Sort of. The Deathcaller does require set up and Hawthrone or an early rally can potentially limit the guy. He does give Reanimates a 'ranged' attack option and also works off of blight so I like it.

My problem with the Executioner is also setting him up. First, you have to get into combat with a damaged figure. Secondly, you have to spend a special action to trigger him and the reanimates dial isn't the best, Initiative-wise. Third, other options overshadow the guy.

On the Executioner. The reanimates have a white skill modifier. So they have to be flanking, but if they are can attack at initiative 4 with the skill mod, add a blue die to the attack reroll for the accuracy result and take out any upgrade they want.

Alternatively if the are attacking say a unit of rune golems they can take out a rune golem or two per turn.

Yes they do have to be in combat at init. 4 but if you take this in a tier 3 or 4 unit you will still have the ability to trigger him.

While I am here necromancer in a deathstar unit sounds good because you will be getting regenerate twice a turn and, with a unit that large, will be engaged with multiple units often.

Honestly the hate for the necromancer is kind of nuts, he's for archers, clearly, and goes a long way in thwarting Kari's ranged murder spree.

59 minutes ago, Taki said:

Honupgradehe hate for the necromancer is kind of nuts, he's for archers, clearly, and goes a long way in thwarting Kari's ranged murder spree.

But archers can't equip the Necromancer. The Necromancer's a Champion upgrade, but Reanimate Archers can only take Training, Heraldry, and Equipment upgrades.

4 hours ago, Budgernaut said:

But archers can't equip the Necromancer. The Necromancer's a Champion upgrade, but Reanimate Archers can only take Training, Heraldry, and Equipment upgrades.

Heh... I get a little tic in my eye every time I think about the fact that the Archers can use shield wall and the Reanimates can't... *sigh*

I was thinking this would be a interesting Reanimate heavy army (199 pts):

45 pts - Reanimates (6 trays +35) - Executioner (Champion) +6, Marching Drummer (Music) +2, Raven Tabards (Banner) +2

72 pts - Reanimates (12 trays +64) - Necromancer (Champion) +3, Profane Banner Bearer (Banner) +5

24 pts - Reanimate Archers (2 trays +18) - Combat Ingenuity +6

24 pts - Reanimate Archers (2 trays +18) - Combat Ingenuity +6

35 pts? - Ankaur Maro hero (drop some combat ingenuity to cover expenses?)

The 12-tray formation moves up the middle, pins anything that tries to attack it (which the profane banner is going to force) and the 6-tray comes in to disembowel anything that engages it too long, hiding on its flank. Ankaur blasts and the archers blast anything trying to flank behind it to get to them and provide support with Regeneration.

9 hours ago, Budgernaut said:

But archers can't equip the Necromancer. The Necromancer's a Champion upgrade, but Reanimate Archers can only take Training, Heraldry, and Equipment upgrades.

good point, sorry, didn't notice that

37 minutes ago, Taki said:

good point, sorry, didn't notice that

I only noticed because I made the same mistake.

Hm... The waiquar seem a little underwhelming so far.

I was ... so sad when I realised the reanimates cannot take shieldwall. That was how i envisioned their basic regeneration ability being at all useful. Now the necromancer... and the archers cannot take it.

The necromancers only utility at present is that you can regenerate -during- your turn intead of at the end of it. Actually, two times during your turn. Unfortunately, that costs you your dial modifier, a potentially steep cost. It seems like tray wipes are very common, so this probably wont be good at all. The only possibility I see is using blight tokens to remove dice and keep losses down to regenerate.

If this game is like x-wing and armada in development (and it likely is), then ffg has wave 3 pretty much finished already. The necromancer is probably the way it is because of something coming down the line, an infantry unit with a higher defense, or an upgrade/leader that lets reanimates take "armour" upgrades.

I will play undead, and I'm looking forward to regenerate because of theme. But Regen in X-wing has a lot of haters, so they're probably tempering it at first, but they can always come back with an upgrade that makes it stronger if the players find it's too weak.

But I honestly think we'll find some great ways to leverage regenerate before long.

Maybe there will be a card that somehow forces the attacker to assign damage and wounds to figures in different trays, dividing attacks.