I had a chance to buy the new toys last week and put them on the table for our game night tonight, and let me tell you, this was a blast that made me excited to play Uthuk.

ThuUk'Tar and GorgeMaw

Scout on this guy means you can get him ideally positioned. If you've got enough other strong threats, you really ought to be able to turn a flank for an additional die. He's extremely flexible in his maneuvering. I don't know if anyone else has looked at his card and thought through his possible movements, but being able to extend his range by 1 on any movement and flip around on a shift is extremely liberating. He will absolutely move around the field and get where he wants and the angles he wants on his targets. I noticed a bit into his game that the terrain in his set is perfectly suited to him. It allows you to make a speed-1 movement (which can be modified by his ability to speed-2) and then choose to modify that with a charge. So it is possible to use the terrain to generate quite a bit of possible threat to an opponent from the start of the game. We had it on the board tonight, and it was really fun to run into it and then set up the perfect flanking charge. For damage, he's got his second attack, and will greatly be hurt by stuns. He's not brutal, so he really thrives on making both attacks, likely being around 4 damage each (he's got a basic lethal, and his whip is a good upgrade for a Lethal count of the panic tokens.

Upgrade cards: He's got a good assortment. I played Whirling Sinew and Thrashing Tail, because it really looked like they were meant to be played together, as in the original spoiler. Figuring out the right situation to pull this off will be a real key, since he'll want to find himself in a crevice of 2-3 units that isn't quite a threat to him. It might not also be the greatest against a large ranged list. I also want to try Lunging Terror, which makes him Impact Stable, to help feed the panic. Bannerscape is also a good combo with him, and I think Threshers for keeping panic out there is a given. Crushing Jaws allows him to buy Brutal-1 on the second attack, but this is tied to the surge. I think you're still dependent upon a hit/surge showing up to really make this worth it and you'd probably want to up your chances by reliably flanking.

He provides some fun dial combos:

Initiative-2 Speed-1, that he can lengthen to 2 means he's going to win an awful lot of charges regardless of initiative. He also packs a useful shift and speed-2 move (which he can extend to 3) with his ability, enabling you to reform or rally and then move as needed. You can shift/shift at 4, which is nice for dodging charges and setting up your own follow-up attacks. Finally, if you really want to go long, there's a red rune march at 5. I think most of the time you want panic tokens and the attack, but if for some reason you need to punch through armor, he's got two hits.

Viper Legion: I only purchased one box initially. I put a 2x1 on the table with Aim of the Serpent, which provided to be a high utility upgrade. In this case, I was less concerned with Rank Discipline because the surge icons are useful on a Viper Legion. The Threshers were handing out panic, so they can choose to take the Lethal damage or convert a panic token to a stun/immobilze, which proved extremely useful. These guys are going to be good.

The game itself. I ended playing Uthuk on Uthuk. We've had a couple of new players join in recent months. I had not played an Uthuk versus Uthuk match. I faced two 2x2 Spined Threshers, Kethra/Bonecaster, and a 3x2 Zerkers. I had a Zerker-star, Front line Thresher, Warsprinter/Aggressive Shrieker, two 2x1 Threshers, the 2x1 Viper with Aim of the Serpent, and Gorgemaw with Whirling Sinew, Thrashing Tail, and Fearmonger's Whip for an even 200 points. My opponent had bid and took first on Unprepared. I realized I could likely delay engagement on flank in time to turn the other flank. I had Gorgemaw, Thresher, Viper, Thresher, Zerker-star. In the end, I was able to put the Viper and both Threshers on the Zerker star, finish it, got an immobilze on one of the 2x2s with enough time to get my Threshers and Gorgemaw on it. I delayed with the Zerker star long enough to roll the flank and then dive everything together on the remaining 2x2 and Kethra. I kept forgetting stun triggers and Scuttling Horror, but I still came away with an 8-3.

I do think in the haul that Viper Legion will definitely change the way Uthuk play. In Uthuk versus Uthuk, they have the ability to convert panic into immobilize/stun. Gorgemaw's flexibility is also going to altar that match-up. Overall, lots of fun, and I'm really inclined to try something different things with both units. I'll definitely be picking up a few more packs of Viper Legion. Ranged units have special place in this game.

Good write up, do you have a photo of the Gorgemaw terrain ?

Beyblade Gorgemaw is totally going to be a thing. Kai and Dronzer will LET IT RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!

Gorgemaw also pairs well with Raider's Tent, Crushing Claws and Fortuna's Dice. You can deploy after all other units, use a March 3, upgrade it to a March 4 and start in the Raider's Tent. His ability then allows you to increase the speed of the Raider's March.

Additionally, there is also the Moonstone Bridge that Gorgemaw can modify into a turn, which is nice.

There is also the debate about if Gorgemaw even gets the bonus for flanking. His ability states that your front edge is treated as touching the front edge of all enemies at range 1 and in your front firing arc that you are not engaged with. To receive the flanking bonus, you must be engaged .

Personally I assume you do get the bonus but I have heard and understand the case against it.

Viper Legion, I see as having two or three core builds at the moment.

1. 3 x 2 with Tempered Steel = Flat out damage.
2. Dispatch + Rallying Shrieked + Sim Orders = No stun dispatch
3. Ritual Venom + Mutilated Grotesque = Panic City (Ritual Venom puts one panic token on them, activating their ability, single surge provides a second panic and the MG grants a morale symbol for a instant severity three test.)

2 hours ago, Viktus106 said:

Good write up, do you have a photo of the Gorgemaw terrain ?

Beyblade Gorgemaw is totally going to be a thing. Kai and Dronzer will LET IT RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP!

Gorgemaw also pairs well with Raider's Tent, Crushing Claws and Fortuna's Dice. You can deploy after all other units, use a March 3, upgrade it to a March 4 and start in the Raider's Tent. His ability then allows you to increase the speed of the Raider's March. 

Additionally, there is also the Moonstone Bridge that Gorgemaw can modify into a turn, which is nice.

There is also the debate about if Gorgemaw even gets the bonus for flanking. His ability states that your front edge is treated as touching the front edge of all enemies at range 1 and in your front firing arc that you are not engaged with. To receive the flanking bonus, you must be engaged .

Personally I assume you do get the bonus but I have heard and understand the case against it.

Viper Legion, I see as having two or three core builds at the moment.

1. 3 x 2 with Tempered Steel = Flat out damage.
2. Dispatch + Rallying Shrieked + Sim Orders = No stun dispatch
3. Ritual Venom + Mutilated Grotesque = Panic City (Ritual Venom puts one panic token on them, activating their ability, single surge provides a second panic and the MG grants a morale symbol for a instant severity three test.)

I definitely played the Raider's Tent, it just didn't come up in the draw.

Thanks for the suggestion on Crushing Claws/Fortuna's Dice. That will be fun, too.

I played it where he had to actually be engaged to get the extra die. As written, that's what the card says.

Cacophany/Fire Rune will be pretty good, too for raw damage.

2 hours ago, Viktus106 said:

Personally  I assume you do get the bonus but I have h  eard and understand the case against it. 

One of his uniques makes it pretty clear that you don’t. The unique let’s you gain that bonus.

His unit card specifixally states that you are to treat Gorgemaw as touching the front edge of units at distance 1 and in arc.

Between both those facts, you do not get that bonus.

3 hours ago, Viktus106 said:

3.  Rit  ual  Venom + Mutilated Grotesque = Panic City (Ritual Venom puts one panic token on the  m, activating their ability, single surge provides  a second panic and the MG grants a morale  sy  m  bol for a instant severity three test.)  

How does a single surge give the second?

1 hour ago, Church14 said:

How does  a single surge  give the second  ?

Before the ruling with Ardus and unique surges, I believe the understanding was that the built in ability of the vipers to reduce cost of surge abilities would count for the double unique as well.

1 hour ago, Church14 said:

His unit card specifixally states that you are to treat Gorgemaw as tou  ching the front edge of units at distance 1 and in  arc.

Does this mean that he will only ever be flanking if he is touching the side or rear edges of a unit via a collision? Because its only at range 1 and in his firing arc that he is treated as touching other units FRONT edges? So even if someone had their back towards him and he was still at range 1, would he still only be classed as touching their front and therefore not get the extra flanking dice?

7 minutes ago, Zaaik said:

Does this mean that he will only ever be flanking if he is touching the side or rear edges of a unit via a collision? Because its only at range 1 and in his firing arc that he is treated as touching other units FRONT edges? So even if someone had their back towards him and he was still at range 1, would he still only be classed as touching their front and therefore not get the extra flanking dice?

That’s my read. Unless you have Beastmaster with Cunning Strikes.

2 hours ago, Church14 said:

How does a single surge give the second?

At some point in the battle, use Ritual Venom and choose Panic Tokens.

Activate Viper Legion, reveal dial = ranged action with surge enhance modifier
Take a panic token off ritual venom and assign to your target as per Ritual Venom
Roll two blue dice for attack, re-roll as appropriate
Spend surges - As the target already has a bane, the number of surges needed for their abilities is reduced by 1.
1 surge now needed to apply a panic token via their unique surge ability. (Still needs two unstable runes active though)
Exhaust Champion to add a moral symbol.

Draw three cards and pray.

2 hours ago, Church14 said:

One of his uniques makes it pretty clear that you don’t. The unique let’s you gain that bonus.

His unit card specifixally states that you are to treat Gorgemaw as touching the front edge of units at distance 1 and in arc.

Between both those facts, you do not get that bonus.

Good point, I missed the "front edge of your enemies." I mean, I read it but it just wasn't registering. I mean, I even typed it and still missed it. :)

9 minutes ago, Viktus106 said:

Good point, I missed the "front edge of your enemies." I mean, I read it but it just wasn't registering. I mean, I even typed it and still missed it.

Not a problem. I’ve been playing a while now and still miss stuff here and there

13 minutes ago, Viktus106 said:

At some point in the battle, use Ritual Venom and choose Panic Tokens.

Activate Viper Legion, reveal dial = ranged action with surge enhance modifier
Take a panic token off ritual venom and assign to your target as per Ritual Venom
 Roll two blue dice for attack, re-roll as appropriate
  Spend surges - As the target already has a bane, the number of surges needed for their abilities is reduced by 1.
  1 surge now needed to apply a panic token via their unique surge ability. (Still needs two unstable runes active though)
  Exhaust Champion to add a moral symbol.

Draw three cards and pray.

Sadly, unique surge is considered a different symbol than a surge. It will still cost you 2 surges to put an additional panic on the target.

I love how often moral gets written for morale. We’re going to give them good proper behavior.

5 minutes ago, QuickWhit said:

Sadly, unique surge is considered a different symbol than a surge. It will still cost you 2 surges to put an additional panic on the target.

I checked the rules reference and surge and unique surge are the same thing no? With the one difference being that you cannot spend a unique surge more than once?

If i'm wrong then fine, just means you dial in a surge enhance modifier and then need to roll a second which isn't too difficult on two blue dice but I cannot find anything to suggest that a unique surge operates any differently then a normal surge beyond the above "one use" restriction. I know Ardus was FAQ so that he cannot spend specifically unique surges.

I mean, there isn't a "spend unique surge" step followed by a "spend surge" step right?

Just now, Viktus106 said:

I checked the rules reference and surge and unique surge are the same thing no? With the one difference being that you cannot spend a unique surge more than once?

If i'm wrong then fine, just means you dial in a surge enhance modifier and then need to roll a second which isn't too difficult on two blue dice but I cannot find anything to suggest that a unique surge operates any differently then a normal surge beyond the above "one use" restriction. I know Ardus was FAQ so that he cannot spend specifically unique surges.
 
I mean, there isn't a "spend unique surge" step followed by a "spend surge" step right?

This is the way I saw it until the most recent FAQ came out:
https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/filer_public/15/d5/15d58623-ee31-4617-9b74-98502147d25e/rwm_faq_v200.pdf

There it says that Ardus' Surge ability does not get unique surges (dashing my hopes for running Ardus and Lord V as besties). I took this to imply that surges and unique surges are not the same when reading abilities.

For reference:

If they rule that Vipers can use their combat ingenuity like surge reduction on their unique surge ability, it would be pretty inconsistent with this ruling.

Just now, QuickWhit said:

This is the way I saw it until the most recent FAQ came out:
https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/filer_public/15/d5/15d58623-ee31-4617-9b74-98502147d25e/rwm_faq_v200.pdf

There it says that Ardus' Surge ability does not get unique surges (dashing my hopes for running Ardus and Lord V as besties). I took this to imply that surges and unique surges are not the same when reading abilities.

For reference:

If they rule that Vipers can use their combat ingenuity like surge reduction on their unique surge ability, it would be pretty inconsistent with this ruling.

I don't think it would be inconsistent as that ruling is specific to Ardus.

If it was a FAQ regarding surges in general, I would 100% agree with you but this is specifically in the Unit Cards section and specifically says "Ardus does not gain the unique surge abilities of nearby allies." It doesn't say anywhere that Surges and Unique Surges, for the purpose of abilities and upgrade cards, are completely different. It just says, surges. . blah, blah, blah, Unique Surges can only be spent once.

That's the only difference as I understand it.

18 minutes ago, Viktus106 said:

I don't think it would be inconsistent as that ruling is specific to Ardus.

If it was a FAQ regarding surges in general, I would 100% agree with you but this is specifically in the Unit Cards section and specifically says "Ardus does not gain the unique surge abilities of nearby allies." It doesn't say anywhere that Surges and Unique Surges, for the purpose of abilities and upgrade cards, are completely different. It just says, surges. . blah, blah, blah, Unique Surges can only be spent once.  

That's the only difference as I understand it.

You are certainly correct in that this ruling is specific to Ardus. However, I believe it has a pretty clear implication that "[surge symbol] abilities" (as it is written on both Ardus' and Viper Legion's card) does not mean the same thing as "[unique surge symbol] abilities".

We may require a ruling on this to be sure, but I'm confident they will rule it consistent with the Ardus ruling.

After reading the FAQ again and looking at the arguments, I’m with Quikwhit in this one. If theyve already got a babe, you can still unique surge-2 for a panic. That makes the proposed combo a little harder, but still very doable. You also pull one additional card per draw with Mutilated Groteqscue, which already means it will be a good combo. For the points, I might prefer something more damage oriented.

The Viper Legion looks to be pretty good. I’m thankful that they are rightfully a bit more expensive for their abilities.

Also I want to add that the models look great! These are some of the best I’ve seen.

1 hour ago, Church14 said:

Not a problem. I’ve been playing a while now and still miss stuff here and there

If you keep playing you might do ok at this game.

16 minutes ago, Vergilius said:

Also I want to add that the models look great! These are some of the best I’ve seen.

I feel like the models keep stepping up in quality.

From my talk with Brooks (pre FAQ) regarding the Surges/Unique Surges, they are treated as different symbols. That is why Ardus cannot borrow unique surge abilities from others. Something that affects surge/surge+ symbols, will not affect unique surges.

Surge+ is not a different icon, it is a modified Surge icon.

Unique Surge is a different icon.

Here's the Gorgemaw terrain next to Kethra's and the terrain of the original Uthuk core.

Thu'Uktar and Gorgemaw with primer in Army Painter's Skeleton bone, which is a good generic color for a basecoat of Uthuk.

21 hours ago, Vergilius said:

Here's the Gorgemaw terrain next to Kethra's and the terrain of the original Uthuk core.

It's... it's beautiful...

By the way ... on the train of terrain ..

Does anyone have a spare Uthuk Burning Forest I could buy ?

I have the card but lost the punch board and with the new FAQ to terrain selection, I may want to use it.