The plan is to initially strike from long range, late moves at init 8 (which count as charges) followed up with the smaller support blocks also moving up at init 8, and either throwing out the dispatch runner, or popping off the corruption runes.

Against opponents who move up, I'm scoring quite a few points on the late init 8 charges and dispatch runners. Against opponents who don't move up, they get peppered with corruption runes and then a fast turn 2 charge thanks to the tabards (and likewise well timed dispatch runners).

Spearmen [40] 3x2

Citadel Weapons Master [8]
Corruption Rune [4]
Raven Tabards [2]
Aggressive Cornicen [5]
Total Unit Cost: 59

Spearmen [40] 3x2
Citadel Weapons Master [8]
Corruption Rune [4]
Raven Tabards [2]
Aggressive Cornicen [5]
Total Unit Cost: 59

Spearmen [30] 2x2
Dispatch Runner [7]
Corruption Rune [4]
Total Unit Cost: 41

Spearmen [30] 2x2
Dispatch Runner [7]
Corruption Rune [4]
Total Unit Cost: 41

This seems really solid in the absence of terrain. I feel like close terrain could prevent you from bringing both 6 trays to bear. Seems like the likely place for this to have trouble.

14 hours ago, Church14 said:

This seems really solid in the absence of terrain. I feel like close terrain could prevent you from bringing both 6 trays to bear. Seems like the likely place for this to have trouble.

Yeah. Terrain, could be an issue, but it really depends on the type. I don't normally see terrain as huge issue for a aggressive musician army; you can make a 1 sharp turning charge at init 5; it's actually pretty easy to work around.

Worst case is your opponent is placing 2 out of the 3, and puts them too narrow to shoot the gap; in which case I'd place my piece as far as useless in the corner as possible, and nest the distpatch runners in the channel.

So in a perfect world, each 3x2 charges with Corruption Rune, gets dispatched, then attacks at I3 with another Rune plus another dispatch. 2.75 average hits per attack, four attacks, 36-odd damage each, plus the banes. That's not bad... and if they kill their initial target, they can just as easily charge 2 at I3 into something in the backlines.

Taking two seems a bit greedy, but that module as an offensive striker is quite interesting!

3 hours ago, Bhelliom said:

So in a perfect world, each 3x2 charges with Corruption Rune, gets dispatched, then attacks at I3 with another Rune plus another dispatch. 2.75 average hits per attack, four attacks, 36-odd damage each, plus the banes. That's not bad... and if they kill their initial target, they can just as easily charge 2 at I3 into something in the backlines.

Taking two seems a bit greedy, but that module as an offensive striker is quite interesting!

It is all about the late charge at init8, followed up eith dispatch at 8, and then doing it again at init 3.

In an ideal combo, you're striking 8 times with 3 dice and threat 3 before your opponent can swing back. That can make big blocks disappear.

1 hour ago, Darth Matthew said:

It is all about the late charge at init8, followed up eith dispatch at 8, and then doing it again at init 3.

In an ideal combo, you're striking 8 times with 3 dice and threat 3 before your opponent can swing back. That can make big blocks disappear.

Yeah that's pretty cool if you can pull it off, for sure. I've been kinda down on Spearmen damage output, but you really can't argue with those numbers. I've been brainstorming more aggressive Daqan builds to take advantage of Scouts, probably gonna steal this idea!

Another interesting build is Spearmen with Raven Tabards and Marching Cornicen. At I4 they get to do a 3-speed turning charge, which actually goes a little further than a 4-speed straight charge. Doesn't get the skill use on the first turn and doesn't get to wait as long, but it is a crazy early engagement.

2 hours ago, Bhelliom said:

Yeah that's pretty cool if you can pull it off, for sure. I've been kinda down on Spearmen damage output, but you really can't argue with those numbers. I've been brainstorming more aggressive Daqan builds to take advantage of Scouts, probably gonna steal this idea!

Another interesting build is Spearmen with Raven Tabards and Marching Cornicen. At I4 they get to do a 3-speed turning charge, which actually goes a little further than a 4-speed straight charge. Doesn't get the skill use on the first turn and doesn't get to wait as long, but it is a crazy early engagement.

If you're going with dispatch runners, then Aggressive Cornicen is a must. Otherwise, your opponent just uses the stuns on you to block your charge modifier.

The aggressive pretty much lets you ignore the stun and keep on keeping on.

I was kicking around the idea of Hawthorn, 2x 4 tray dispatch/corruption spear blocks, and 2x 4 tray cav blocks with column tactics.

Leaves 8 points.

Hawthorn lets knights go 1 wide and 4 deep, column tactics lets them strike at quad-damage. It's about the same average damage as the spears, but you could try and really congest the terrain and needle through it.

Damage output drops off rapidly as they take damage, but the initial hit and dispatch flurry might turn the tide.

1x4 knights is cool, but unfortunately it is a huge liability in deployment - you only get to deploy with your back edge touching the back edge if you don't fit in the deployment zone, so on most deployments you have to deploy sideways. With no shift, oathsworn take ages to get out.

On 11/6/2018 at 7:10 AM, Bhelliom said:

1x4 knights is cool, but unfortunately it is a huge liability in deployment - you only get to deploy with your back edge touching the back edge if you don't fit in the deployment zone, so on most deployments you have to deploy sideways. With no shift, oathsworn take ages to get out.

I find it hard to believe that you have to deploy sideways. I'd rather use the back edge to back of DZ interpretation.It still is not flexible , but not crippling.

I think that we even might need community errata of this rule as it does not make sense in column formations.

If you were forced to deploy sideways, id just go 2x2 instead of wide. Iirc, you know mission and deployment before you set you shape with hawthorn.