The local Daqan guys have kind of given up on Rune Golems and I was looking for ideas. Has anyone really tried reforming the 2x1 into a 1x2 with Hawthorne? Is it effective but not worth the 28 points?

I haven't played it, so I too would love to hear from those who have, but my impression is that it only shores up one weakness: not hitting near their potential. A threat 3-4 unit (2x1) doesn't do much if you roll blanks. The 1x2 gives you more consistency, but you still have a slow, relatively difficult-to-maneuver unit that is highly susceptible to direct wound effects, including mortal strikes.

I tried it once, worked alright. As Budgernaut says it doesn't address the majority of their issues, but I maintain that single Golems are solid support units, and working with other units they can usually earn their spot in a list.

I ran two units of 1 wide 2 deep. Did pretty well.

Doing brutal 1 or 2 with re-rolls is much better than brutal 2 or 3 without.

I'll see if I can fit Hawthorn and Zack in a list for lots of high defense and vitality fun.

-Matt

I would think this configuration would be wicked easy to flank though (especially by Latari and Uthuk) - effectively negating the re-rolls gained from fielding them this way.

8 hours ago, Steel82 said:

I would think this configuration would be wicked easy to flank though (especially by Latari and Uthuk) - effectively negating the re-rolls gained from fielding them this way.

True, but white reform. You can skill at initiative 3 to stun your flanker, then reform to face them...or just attack them without rerolls but more brutal. If you survive.

Yeah, I agree it's pretty easy to flank. Still, is it that much easier than flanking a single tray?

2 hours ago, Parakitor said:

True, but white reform. You can skill at initiative 3 to stun your flanker, then reform to face them...or just attack them without rerolls but more brutal. If you survive.

Yeah, I agree it's pretty easy to flank. Still, is it that much easier than flanking a single tray?

It's a bit easier due to the depth of the two trays. I play as Uthuk so there are plenty of options to get into the side of something that moves as slow as they do. I think this would be a viable option once demoralize their forces is taken out of the objective set. Otherwise, I'm looking at that as an easy twenty points. I will say that my buddy recently fielded a four tray unit of golems and did precisely the response you said when I flanked him. Conversely, I ran a 4x1 of the rune golems with a Hawthorne list and suffered dearly from the lack of rerolls. I think you may have cracked the code on these guys. Just not with the current objective set.

Fortunately, Demoralize Their Forces isn't in rotation anymore. It got replaced by Seize The Artifacts. Confluence of Magic and Volatile Runes remained. But this change happened in October, so it's very recent.

NICE! I've been wondering when they'd update the objectives. I think you may be on to something then.

I've always been curious to see this ever since Hawthorne came into existence. Using late movements you could reform to prevent most flanks in the early game. I wouldn't worry to much about late game performance, as this unit probably is best suited as a blocker.

The stun at i3 is good, but not so great when you are already engaged. There could be some mileage out of fire rune on the 1x2.

Even as I write this though, I look at the Rune Golems dial and just go bleghhhhh....