Tried a mirror match game of embedded Maros in reanimates. We ran out of trays (even spare siege trays with 4 tokens on them!). Using Ardus as a stand alone hero, I put maro in a 2x2 reanimate and positioned them behind a 3x2 deathblighter (deathcaller, support lancer, simultaneous orders). Had the unit at 4 ranks before it got hit. Ended up knocking one tray out of the Maro formation due to bad green runes, but well worth the points cost.

Yeah I'm thinking more and more that he's better off as a unit upgrade.

11 hours ago, Jukey said:

Tried a mirror match game of embedded Maros in reanimates. We ran out of trays (even spare siege trays with 4 tokens on them!). Using Ardus as a stand alone hero, I put maro in a 2x2 reanimate and positioned them behind a 3x2 deathblighter (deathcaller, support lancer, simultaneous orders). Had the unit at 4 ranks before it got hit. Ended up knocking one tray out of the Maro formation due to bad green runes, but well worth the points cost.

Could you please ad an image of the unit upgrade card to the RuneWars Wiki (or post it here and then I can add it)? Thanks a bunch!

http://runewars.wikia.com/wiki/Ankaur_Maro_(infantry_upgrade)

On 6/22/2017 at 1:10 AM, Jukey said:

Tried a mirror match game of embedded Maros in reanimates. We ran out of trays (even spare siege trays with 4 tokens on them!). Using Ardus as a stand alone hero, I put maro in a 2x2 reanimate and positioned them behind a 3x2 deathblighter (deathcaller, support lancer, simultaneous orders). Had the unit at 4 ranks before it got hit. Ended up knocking one tray out of the Maro formation due to bad green runes, but well worth the points cost.

Two words: COLUMN TACTICS.

4 hours ago, Polda said:

Two words: COLUMN TACTICS.

Great idea, but is it worth it on a 3*2 unit? You don't really get a benefit unit you've raised at least 4 trays on the unit.

If only you could get it on a 2*x squad of reanimates... that would be great.

Column tactics could be rather juicy in this scenario, but with a maro regen build your main fighting unit(3x2) tends to get its back rank and a half repeatedly chewed off, so you would rarely get the 4 threat aside from the first engagement turn(if you wait till turn 4 and the runes like you).

To be fair, for those those matches, you have had the benefit of well placed terrain that delayed the start of the real fighting until turn 3-4. That has made Ankaur so **** effective.

Though I will add that he is great for tacking a single tray onto the back of your 2x1 Combat Ingenuity Archers to get them a reroll.

Um, forgive me for being dense but how are you regenerating wounds on Maro if he's an upgrade?

If he's an upgrade the unit he is embedded in takes the wounds I think

The unit suffers wounds, not maro

Which is arguably kinda broken since they can still Regenerate afterwords. He cant add to his own unit so once you snag his unit with something hes in trouble but until then its an endless swamping of trays....
I actually avoid the 3x3 spearmen deathball because it comes off as kinda cheap to me dealing 20-30 damage to a unit i am fighting. Then i faced Maro doing this kind of shenanigans....that kind of sheer damage is needed to break through him since you need to do over 12 damage to permanently remove a tray (8 to remove the 2 he can just revive, 4 more to prevent the reanimates just Regenerating the third tray).

Its expensive, and not unbeatable, but good god he makes a unit of reanimates nigh impossible to kill off. Hawthorne, a 3x2 with Kari, and a 1x2 Golem by the end of the game had brought what was originally a 3x2 block down to 4 trays....combination of only getting subpar damage and constantly getting 2 stable runes ftl.
I still won in the end thanks to the 4x1 cavalry sweeping the backfield but man the rest of my army did jack thanks to Maro

51 minutes ago, Vineheart01 said:

The unit suffers wounds, not maro

Which is arguably kinda broken since they can still Regenerate afterwords. He cant add to his own unit so once you snag his unit with something hes in trouble but until then its an endless swamping of trays....
I actually avoid the 3x3 spearmen deathball because it comes off as kinda cheap to me dealing 20-30 damage to a unit i am fighting. Then i faced Maro doing this kind of shenanigans....that kind of sheer damage is needed to break through him since you need to do over 12 damage to permanently remove a tray (8 to remove the 2 he can just revive, 4 more to prevent the reanimates just Regenerating the third tray).

Its expensive, and not unbeatable, but good god he makes a unit of reanimates nigh impossible to kill off. Hawthorne, a 3x2 with Kari, and a 1x2 Golem by the end of the game had brought what was originally a 3x2 block down to 4 trays....combination of only getting subpar damage and constantly getting 2 stable runes ftl.
I still won in the end thanks to the 4x1 cavalry sweeping the backfield but man the rest of my army did jack thanks to Maro

Yes the Spearstar and Maro are hard counters for one another. IMHO the Spearstar comes off better in a straight match though, especially with dispatch runner. 30 damage>12 regen.