Hey all We have Episode 3 of the RuneCast up with a special guest @Tvayumat beats me and my lack of Daqan tactics. Ever wonder what would happen if you roll Carrion Lancer dice for Oathsworn Cavalry..? Watch and find out (spoiler: nothing good). Enjoy and please subscribe!

Enjoyed the game, keep them coming

Here is the synopsis of the battle and how the wave 1 upgrades were effective in combat...

Quite a bad idea to waste ardus' skill by placing him far from worms.

And that archer units is nonsense: a 2 trays archer unit is a mild blighter and weak damage dealer, they'd better be placed next to the carrion lancers that can both protect them from charges and profit from the blighting as well.

Ardus resisted (a 20 points unit), but he isn't a so proficient warrior he needed several attacks to kill.

Quite interesting to see 2 average sized reanimate units, but they seem to be not that effective in this game. Even in big tactical superiority situation they couln't achieve a serious advantage over the spearmen.

I also think that kari is made for engaging. The only thing that prevented a total massacre in the waiqar side was the waste of the perfect situation of her to charge archers, the flanking reanimates or whatever. 2 or 3 turns rolling 3 dice and whe would have massacred all those weakened down units.

Charging her with a couple of carrion lancers is a good way to threat her, as she isn't that killy in close combat and a couple of worms (with a little of luck) can inflict her massive damage if archers blight her.

To sum up.

Don't waste kari shooting if you can engage her.

Waiqar will never win unless a careful synergy with for the units is encouraged by a good deployment. We f***** need those death knights to improve our close combat power and mobility.

Good times in the swamp!

Thanks for having me, @jek

Maybe next time we will remember the rules, roll the right dice, and not wind-rune ourselves into the least advantageous positions possible.

And just for reference, I think I attributed a quote to Sam Houston that was, in fact, attributed to Philip Henry Sheridan.

2 hours ago, druchii7 said:

And that archer units is nonsense: a 2 trays archer unit is a mild blighter and weak damage dealer, they'd better be placed next to the carrion lancers that can both protect them from charges and profit from the blighting as well.

@druchii7

I'd genuinely like you to explain how a minimum sized archer unit with CI is a "mild blighter". Their blight potential is identical to any other size of unit, and being small means you can take more of them.

Literally the only thing you can add to them is a rank re-roll. I don't see how taking a re-roll can possibly take you from "mild" to "hot" or whatever scale we are using, here.

If blight, and not damage, is my focus, I'd much rather have one blight on two different units than put all my eggs in blighting one unit four times, since they can drop ALL of them with a single rally.

And, honestly, having run the 3x2 archers a few times... their damage potential isn't really high enough to justify their cost most of the time IMO.

Maybe I missed it but I thought the Rune Golem had blight on it that could have been spent to save Ardus on that final attack.

16 hours ago, Tvayumat said:

@druchii7

I'd genuinely like you to explain how a minimum sized archer unit with CI is a "mild blighter". Their blight potential is identical to any other size of unit, and being small means you can take more of them.

Literally the only thing you can add to them is a rank re-roll. I don't see how taking a re-roll can possibly take you from "mild" to "hot" or whatever scale we are using, here.

If blight, and not damage, is my focus, I'd much rather have one blight on two different units than put all my eggs in blighting one unit four times, since they can drop ALL of them with a single rally.

And, honestly, having run the 3x2 archers a few times... their damage potential isn't really high enough to justify their cost most of the time IMO.

Of course I'll explain my insight a bit deeplier. I'll use black letters to help quickreading, as my post is a bit too long and I don't want to bore anybody.

MY OPINIONS ON ARCHERS:

Exactly the ranks. In my short experience in runewars and long in wargames in general I tend to ensure rerolls when possible. I'll talk in general.

You can give them precission, but that prevents you from placing other upgrades such as close quarters targeting or more important, combat ingenuity. (maybe I'm asuming that you have those cards and you actually don't, in that case this post is only theory and not advice).

2x1 without precission can in normal conditions get 1 blight, but they'll often make 0 blight (blue dice has 5 nonsurge sides and 3 surge sides and red only 1 out of 8). So assuming 1 shoot 1 blight is statistically a big mistake as not even 1 surge is granted.

Additionally, many daqan units are horrible to blight, as they produce inspiration or have white regroup ruining our strategie, so even a 50% blight per turn can be uttlery insuficcient. However with combat ingenuity the situation dramatically changes, as you have 1 granted (because of the modifier) for any immediate carrion lancer attack and in a normal roll+reroll you will place 2 or 3 markers, which can partially or completely prevent dangerous units such as golems or kari from attacking. (In this we agree, you placed combat ingenuity, so it was just theory for any other who reads de post)

We probably agree that archers are not meant to be primary damage dealers, even on 3x2, you are likely to do 3-6 damage, to which you can add a bit more with tempered steel (loosing 1 blight token in that roll). For me that extra damage is an interesting addition, almost a side effect, you cannot count on it in general, but if the roll is good you can have a nice extra unexpected damage, so I think 2x2 is better than 3x2, specially if you don't give them tempered steel or any other damage raiser.

Therefore I claim 2x2 archers with combat ingenuty is one of the most interesting configurations and won't be so easily killed by kari as a 2x1 with combat ingenuity. So I just recommend 2x2 as it can greatly improve both blight and damage as the godess fortune is a w**re and rerolls can dramatically change games. Why? Because to me they are the heart of our synergy mecanics and a bit more investment is good. You might notice, that I did not suggest bigger single reanimate unit nor any other serious list configuration change, but after a few games I think that we should be generous when we set the archer unit configuration.

It's important to do a right investment on archers because they're often understimated: they are a solid pillard to make other units work propperly (and in addition great potential protectors as they can prevent from attacking), the only ones that, in right configuration (and if protected from enemy charges) can grant reliable, continuous and generous amounts of blight, which are often compulsory to activate our most powerful skills, because in a 1 against 1 comparison with daqan, waiqar are weaker, but with combos and synergies they are fearsome and can easily kill enemies such as 2x1 golems or kari in a single turn.

MY OPINIONS ON SUPPORT CARRION LANCERS

I'd also recomend not to systematically place carrion lancer upgrades on reanimates. After a few games I came to think that it's interesting, but as a non close combat upgrade, it isn't so profitable on units that will be engaged for a lot of turns. It's an interesting addition, as they add tactic use of reanimates, which can force the enemy to charge and might help carrion lancer units to do their carnage. Rune golem upgrade is better, as it's CC focused and lets you go agressive (which is more or less what you expect from an infantry unit).

The alternative carrion lancer upgrade is somehow better, as it'll be CC focused, and an excellent option in you add moment of inspiration or ardus, but that card is not yet released.

MY OPINION ARDUS STRATEGIES:

Ardus is not bad at all, but by a few more points you have a 2x2 carrion lancers unit (quite a shock unit and extremely tough, need 36 damage to kill, just like a 3x3 reanimate unit, while ardus dies on 12 damage in standard conditions). I find standalone ardus quite interesting if your list lets you place him next to carrion lancers, in which case he can do a lot of damage if archer-supported (blight), but any other way he is a bit too expensive. Don't forget that he has a surge modifier and with carrion lancers in the nearbies he can easily do 2 or 3 lethal strikes and disintegrate golems and cavalry.

So Ardus is a very hard to play character compared to the others and I've not been able to kill more points that he costs in a single game (to a certain extent, due to the fact that I only have 2 cores, as in my country the archers and oathsworns are not yet for sale as far as I know and therefore I cannot use combat ingenuity).

TO SUM UP

• My advice in general goes in the same direction: synergy-synergy-synergy, that's waiqar gameplay, specially when we speak about archers, carrion lancers and ardus. That deadly triangle, when it works propperly, can crush daqan's toughest units and let us concentrate forces.
• To improve that archer unit, carrion lancer upgrades are one possibilty, as after turn 2 or 3 it's unlikely to use it.
• Deployment suggestion: ardus-carrion lancers and archers should be together for a complete use of their kill potential.

Things will seriously change when death knights are released as the'll be able to assume the roll that ardus an carrion lancers currenty do, so they will do it good on standalone gamplay, but so far we are synergy dependant.

I hope you to take it what it is, a strategy reflexion and suggestion post and not a "you play no good" post, because that's not what I mean. Just because I see in that list a few difficulties that I also experimented and still experiment when I play and wanted to share my experience.

Great video! I love your channel!

Keep the vid's coming.

7 hours ago, druchii7 said:

*snip*

I hope you to take it what it is, a strategy reflexion and suggestion post and not a "you play no good" post, because that's not what I mean. Just because I see in that list a few difficulties that I also experimented and still experiment when I play and wanted to share my experience.

It's taken in the spirit that it's given, and I totally appreciate the thought you've put into it.

I think you're mistaken on a couple of general points, but it comes down to playstyle and preference rather than any real objective difference. Sinking extra pts into archers, when they are a unit that I am happy to let die, for instance.

Or the notion that it's pointless to blight Daqan when... really... half the reason I blight them at all is to force the usage of those inspiration tokens and rallies. Far from making it pointless, I'm indirectly controlling their actions, which is a powerful tool to have.

Anywho, thanks for the watch and thanks for the thoughts!

Hooray a peaceful resolution! Thanks everyone for the comments and such! Next thing we post might be an audio thing talking about stuff...and things... Like strategy and releases, and how I want an army of worms to devour my opponents. Also I'm busy working on modding all my daqan bros to be Shadow Council Daqan slaves and such...so many arrow wounds...need to make a few with arrows in the knees...they used to be adventurers and all...HAHA dated humor...well that is my little contribution for today...off to sell more GW stuff I have lying around...and finish the whole painting stuff...and well gah it never ends...ramble ramble ramble...

If anyone is ever in the Orlando area and you would like to be a guest opponent let me know and I would be happy to fail at playing a faction again! I will roll the right dice this time though soooooo yeah... @Tvayumat we will need a rematch in like the next 5 years when you make it back to the swamp...by then Uthuk will probably be out to so I will be able to play my skels...

Have a good one all see you in the posts tomorrow!

Jek

Fingers crossed we get a first look at my precious Uthuk tomorrow.

3 hours ago, Tvayumat said:

Or the notion that it's pointless to blight Daqan when... really... half the reason I blight them at all is to force the usage of those inspiration tokens and rallies. Far from making it pointless, I'm indirectly controlling their actions, which is a powerful tool to have.

Not pointless at all, but I think that individual blight themselves are not so effective against them as they are the best inspiration producing faction. Whilst support carrion lancers are early game blighters, archers blight as far as they are still alive. But as you say, there are as many playstyles as players

Really loved this episode and the battle report afterwards - next time @Tvayumat needs to bring his awesome terrain!

Loved the initiative call @jek...

Glad you enjoyed it! I may have to throw that up on my FB page!

On 5/21/2017 at 5:24 PM, druchii7 said:

Not pointless at all, but I think that individual blight themselves are not so effective against them as they are the best inspiration producing faction. Whilst support carrion lancers are early game blighters, archers blight as far as they are still alive. But as you say, there are as many playstyles as players

I think that one blight on multiple units or multiple blight on a single unit each have their advantages and drawbacks. Stacking blight on a unit that has yet to activate can be a gamble as a single rally can clear all of them.

yup. but if they are rallying as an action then they aren't doing anything, if they are attacking then rallying you can spend all those blights to make the dice go bye bye..