With Outland Scouts coming out eventually I thought I'd ask... With the new ability to get way out ahead of your forces, is it possible to hit the enemy with a pre-emptive attack and what is the most damage you could do? Also, is there any target that would typically be more strategic than others?

It's a good question. I guess it will depend on the situation, but the first thing that comes to my mind is the possibility of alpha striking archers with the scouts.

With a bigger unit you could add a weapon master or Hawthorne to add more damage and if you are first player could seriously damage even a main battle unit in an alpha strike. Maybe a big unit with weapon master or Hawthorne plus Moment of Inspiration?

The main weaknesses I see are if you don't get first player and the need to get backup in place quickly. Would be great with Oathsworn though.

I'm also trying to figure out whether you get better damage output with two blue and their special ability if you can dial up a surge than Spearmen could get. Seems like it might be more reliable, but I haven't had a chance to to the math for real. Of course it might not be as good on the charge since you can't get the surge modifier on the charge.

I know when the preview for scouts came out someone mentioned using an uncontrolled geomancer.

I see the advantage as more about disruption than a pre-emptive strike, ie the scouts are going to die but that is okay because while the enemy was busy dealing with them, my main forces got into position and can now flank, etc to do the real damage.

As for targets, I agree with @Elliphino that pinning archers so they can't shoot.

Pre-emptive I’m not as sure about, but absolutely disruptive. Without having done any “Rule of 11” math to calculate the necessary distance to cover to engage any enemy for any particular deployment, I don’t see you getting far enough to engage the enemy off a 3-straight or 3-turn, or even within 1-straight to connect the next round at init-3. What I DO think you’ll be able to do is either seize key terrain early, or initiate movement towards that optimal target and either you get there before they can counter, or you foil their battle plan. Either way I think it’s a great chance for you to Force your opponent into reaction instead of action, and that helps you control the battlefield.

I think they’ll be pretty awesome. So far I’ve been weighing between a 4 block with kari, and then either the new card “know your enemy” or MoI, 52pts/55pts respectively.

I like KYE if you plan to run independently, being able to easily inspire off your own banes, and a free extra reroll just in case, and keeps it cheaper. I like MoI for the strong 4dice alpha, especially if you plan on throwing it right into the mix of things for distuption and then follow close behind with your remaining 145 pts, hopefully with a hawthorne or Rally Conc in there.

I think Kari syncs well with them, and will generate some serious splash damage, especially with MoI. I also think that 52/55 points is plenty worth it for what you can get out of that unit. Take advantage of that vulnerable target of opportunity if it presents itself (archers), or rush into where you can disrupt to enemies battleplan the most and hold on until the cavalry arrives!

The one hesitation I have about including Kari with them is that they already have a good surge ability included in their cost, so another good surge ability seems redundant, although her ability certainly makes them more flexible.

As far as being disruptors who are supposed to die, I really disagree with that strategy. It's a strategy that rarely works in any game and the cost of this unit is just too high to make them an expendable unit. Because they have a white reform modifier, I could see moving them into position such that a unit that charges then squares up with them gets taken out of the main action for a couple turns or risk a flank charge as they advance. But any decent player will eventually figure out how to counter that strategy by moving around terrain, protecting flanks of big valuable units with smaller cavalry units, or just shooting them to death with archers/crossbows. I could be wrong, and time will tell, but in years of Warhammer and X-Wing, I'm always happy when my opponent offers up "bait" for an obvious "trap". That's usually free, low effort points to me. No, I think if you're going to risk losing these guys on an alpha strike strategy, they need to do something big to make their sacrifice worthwhile.

I'm also skeptical about "Forged in Battle". I hate the idea of spending points on a card you don't get any value out of for half the game. One could argue that you're less likely to be in melee during the first couple of turns, so the cost of lost turns isn't big, but it seems like the point of this unit is to get out into the action early. Again, I'm open to changing my mind after experience, but count me as skeptical out of the gate.

Was just checking out "Know Your Enemy" I feel like it's written backwards. I'd take it so that I could gain the inspiration on a unique surge. It's "main" ability seems like you'd be better off taking Rank Discipline.

I definitely agree the second part of “Know Your Enemy” is the more beneficial and should be why you take the card. An inspiration for 1x reroll seems a pretty steep cost unless it’ll make the difference on eliminating a unit or not.

rereading my earlier post, I realize I sounded a little overzealous on the sapper strategy of “throw them out front and see how many they can take with them!”. I 100% agree that those who typically ignore the principles of massing fires and economy of force are defeating themselves.

What I meant as a disruptor is more of a blocker role. The blocker operates essentially one turn ahead of the rest of the formation, and his goal isn’t to charge in and get attacked by everyone and then scratch your head as to why he died so quickly. Rather more of intercepting role , ie for me, you engage the enemy’s flanker cav sooner that he was expecting, do considerable splash damage onto the main force, and if the main force moves to flank, I have another unit ready to exploit that. At the end of the day a 3-speed movement at most should not be enough for you ENTIRELY separate from the rest of your army, just one step ahead.

i still think Kari is the best champion for them. It’s like CI for archers/lancers, with an extra die! It turns mediocre surge abilities into stacks of damage.

Also, i agree I’m really not seeing a good fit with “Forged in Battle” with the scouts.

I want to try it out with a 3x2 Cav. I don’t usually use my Cav champion slot, and while I try to engage my Cav fairly early, what this card does is help negate attrition. I’ll have to pay more attention but turn 4 sounds about right to at least be down to a partial second rank, and losing threat by turn 6.

I don’t think this is better than your options for champions on spearmen, and don’t think the scouts will have the staying power to maximize it. But it could be good on Cav, worth the experimentation.