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Warpack Review - Zogwort's Curse
Mar 24 2015 10:31 AM |
Asklepios
in Warhammer 40k: Conquest
With Steinerp still not able to get the attention of admin, I'm posting his article by proxy once more, though proud to contributing this time around.My own thoughts are already out of date in many places, and from these initial impressions to results of playtesting, its clear that I personally have badly misread some of these cards, notably the Warlord and his signature cards. A little time down the line, and I've realised that basically Kingsley's opinion is more on the mark than mine on the Warlord and every one of the Signature cards.
That mea culpa aside, moving on...
Thanks for your collation work Steinerp.
Presenting: The Warpack Review
-----
Before I get started I would like to thank Askelpios again for using his poster power to share this and add the various images you see. I would also like to thank the reviewers that submitted their initial reviews in an extremely timely fashion,
First a quick summary of the rules: Six reviewers have submitted their opinions regarding each card from the Zogwart’s Curse Warpack. This review was delayed a bit as I was out of town and there was a delay releasing on Octgn where many of us do most of our testing.
This pack is interesting. I don’t believe we have had any card to date get the same score from all five reviewers. Despite having an extra reviewer this time and having the reviews come in over the course of 2 weeks, all five agreed twice. That’s not to say everyone agreed as 2 cards got 5’s and 2’s which is a pretty major difference. Despite some very good cards in the set, overall this is the weakest of the warpacks to date with an average score of just 3.1. The eldar are primarily to blame for this have the bottom two cards.
Ratings
The rating scale as follows was offered to reviewers:
- 1- Very poor - Very bad for the foreseeable future, but may become a usable card one day in the meta.
- 2- Bad - Not a good card to play generally, but may have its role in some very specific deck builds. Not likely to be seen in a tourney winning deck.
- 3- Average - Will make some tourney winning decks, but not in every deck it is eligible for. Think hard before including.
- 4- Strong - Almost certainly a strong include for almost every deck that is eligible to include it.
- 5- Excellent - A definite auto-include of exceptional strength.
For Signature cards, rate them in isolation, as if they were a Loyal card you could choose to include or not, but at the fixed number of cards required by the Squad.
Also note, that in terms of multiples included, a card does not have to be a 3x to be a 5/5 auto-include. Some cards are clearly designed to be included fewer times, and cannot be rated less strong because of this.
Synopsis
From the scores, an average score has been developed
The cards, and their rankings were as follows:
Tallarn Raiders - 4.67
Gleeful Plague Beast- 4.67
Heavy Marker Drone- 4.5
Wyrdboy Stikk- 4.17
Steel Legion Chimera- 4
Staging Ground - 4
Bloodied Reavers- 4
Tense Negotiations- 3.83
Launcha Da Snots- 3.5
Searing Brand- 3.5
Old Zogwart- 3.33
Zogwart's Hovel - 3
Crucible of Malediction-3
Zogwart's Runtherders- 2.67
Sa'cea XV88 Broadside - 2.67
Rally the Charge- 2.5
Blight Grenedes - 2.5
Blood Claw Pack -2.33
Doombolt- 2.33
Secluded Apothecarion- 1.33
Vectored Vyper Squad- 1.33
Guardian Mesh Armour - 1
The Reviews
(Askepios editorial addendum: Technical hitch on image uploads, in that the articles seem to have a cap on number of images. Some may just come up as a link.)
Old Zogwort
Asklepios- 3/5
Parallels can be drawn to Kith with token generation, but as Snotlings are only 1/1 and as they are not persistent, its hard to rate this guy as highly. Smart money says Nazdreg is plain better, though it may be that the effective deck-shape for this Warlord hasn't been discovered yet. May get better in future
(Askepios editorial addendum: Essentially, I'm wrong here. Ignore my review and go with Kingsley's comments, says I)
Majestaat- 4/5
So I gave Ku'Gath a 3/5 at first, and boy I was wrong. His early skirmishing was much more powerful than I could have expected and I'd say he's definitely a 5/5 now. I'll be more generous here, as
Zogwort's general playstyle seems to be the same at a first glance, so it wouldn't surprise me if he is actually very strong. A crucial difference with Ku'Gath, however, is that the damage that goes through to him will stick. To compensate, Zogwort can potentially deal much more damage if his opponent cannot take care of the Snotlings. They should get create quite a mess in larger engagements where there are other priority targets. In those cases, Battle Cry and Launch da Snots can mean huge boosts to your attack. But above all else, what I love about Zogwort is always having that body to make use of Suppressive Fire, enabling him to win easily even against medium-sized units.
What I don't like is you losing ALL Snotlings after combat, even those generated via Snotling Attack, for example. But I guess that as we see more cards suited for Zogwort, we will realize just how absurd it would have been to keep even a single Snotling in play for the next turn.
Corvus - 2/5
Certainly an interesting warlord design, but not a competitive one. You need to expend quite a few resources to get a sizeable amount of snotlings, and if you're not using them that turn they go to waste. If your opponent walks away from unfavourable fights, he should gradually pull ahead of you as the game goes on. Late game Battle Cries could be amazing if all this warlord's pieces fall into place, but due to a lack of staying power and board presence the odds will be against you.
Killax- 4/5
Despite its bloodied side a great Warlord by itself that can really go to town on a multitude of X/1 or X/2 bodies on any given planet, much like Ku’gath. Because of the tokens it can create by itself also is quite hard to pin down in terms of guessing where Zogwort will commit. It’s Forced Reaction however stops it from turning the game into a Snotling Token festival. Despite the current Ork pool not being excellently set up for him.
Kingsley – 4/5
Old Zogwort is a solid warlord with a lot of combat punch thanks to his Snotling generation. However, unlike Kith he can't use that generation to build up an advantage, since he gets rid of all Snotlings at the end of the turn. This forces him to be a bit aggressive, but he can generate enough advantage in early fights to make this worthwhile. Overall I find Zogwort an interesting warlord with more potential than one might expect.
Steinerp - 3/5
I like his card. His token generation on the attack is more powerful than you would expect and can help him immensely vs. certain decks and force opponents to either kill off the new token and prevent damage or attack your warlord. This can really screw with combat math. His sig squad however is underwhelming and I haven’t figured out how to maximize his ability yet (or if I have a 3 is overrating him)
Zogwort's Runtherders
Asklepios- 2/5
I feel this card ought to have cost 2 resources, and this would have made both the Warlord as a whole viable, and synergised better with the shape of Ork swarm decks in general, using Ammo Depot and Staging Ground. While the interrupt timing guarantees at least 1 Snotling, and likely will create 2 (with 3 very unlikely), thats still not as good as getting a persistent Khymera on the planet at time of deployment, which is I suppose why this unit has an extra HP on Kith's Khymeramasters. If this were a 2-cost card, I'd rate it the same as being as good as Khymeramasters. As it is, its too much for what it does, especially in a meta flooded with 1 command for 1 resource and 2 command for 2 resources cards.
Majestaat - 3/5:
They're not half bad, but I definitely feel like they're in the weaker end of the spectrum for now. You may get 3 Snotlings, or maybe just 1. A shaky version of Kith Khymeramasters, with whom you always know what you're getting with your investment.
You have some neat little tricks when you know an important battle will take place in a planet with one or two of these. Weirdboy Maniak, Ork Kannon, even Dakka Dakka Dakka and Kustom Field Generator can help you maximize the number of Snotlings you can get.
I really expect either Orks or AM to get more tricks that can make good use of the extra body, in which case I think these guys will become perfectly fine 4/5 units.
Corvus- 2/5
Without a doubt the weakest signature units in the game thus far. Pinging them yourself takes a lot of effort and gains you an advantage on that turn only. Your enemy will rarely oblige you by dealing damage in small increments. It's difficult not to feel that Orks are getting short shrift when comparing these to Kith's Khymeramasters.
Killax- 2/5
On the other hand feel too expensive for what they do. Something about them makes me guess that Zogwort during one point in design did not have the Forced Reaction. These Oddboyz would have been quite good without Zogwort for example but can’t be taken without him.
Kingsley-4/5
This card is somewhat underrated in my view. Many have complained that a three-cost unit is only 1/1/3; what they might not realize is that this card also creates up to three Snotling tokens (or more with some buffs/effects), and does so with favorable timing that prevents AoEs and other mass damage effects from killing them off.
Steinerp -3/5
One of the weaker signature squads but not as bad as everyone thinks. Midcombat token generation is powerful and makes up for the 1 attack line. At a minimum these guys are equivalent to a 2 attack unit but even that is middling at best.
Zogwort's Hovel
Asklepios- 2/5
Makes cheap nibbling at your Warlord harder, but 2 resources is a high cost for a card that conditionally spawns transient 0/1/1 units at a rate determined by your opponent.
If Zogwort had 2 attack, it'd be more notable, as you wouldn't want to keep going round for round against 3 attack a turn with light forces. As it is, 2 attack spread across 2 attackers is only a little better than 2 attack on one attacker, which is where most other warlords begin.
Majestaat - 2/5
How is this better than Snotling Attack? Reusable? Yeah, no, it's not like you get to keep the Snotlings for the next turn anyway. In a pinch, SA can be used as a shield as well. And I don't see this netting you more than 4 Snotlings often without expending many shields. Honestly, I'd rather play another support with those 2 resources.
Corvus- 2/5
If your enemy isn't going for a warlord kill this card is dead weight. If he is, giving you a few free snotlings isn't going to deter him. Given that the enemy can always hit your warlord and retreat to let your snotlings self-destruct in early fights, I worry that you won't have enough HP left on your warlord to use the Hovel most of the times that you draw it.
Killax- 5/5
A key piece to Zogwort’s aggressive strategy. Becoming a defender will eventually always happen and as such is a small price to gain a multitude of bodies.
Kingsley – 4/5
Like Wyrdboy Stikk, this card isn't very exciting but can provide a powerful effect. If Zogwort swung battles already, this support takes him to the next level, allowing him to take on an enemy swarm and win. Just be careful of enemies who can bloody you quickly with big attacks!
Steinerp- 3/5
2 cost for a support that only activates if your warlord is attacked is a bit much. I sort of equate it to a slower version of snotling attack, it will usually net you 3-4 snotlings (maybe more, maybe less) but rather than all at once it spreads them out over multiple turns. Sometimes this is good as due Zogwart’s curse snotling attack is a go big or go home card. This just keeps constant pressure.
Wyrdboy Stikk
Asklepios- 4/5
As always, the three-shield card is automatically great quality from having three shields on it.
Also, as a 0-cost attachment this is a cheap deploy delay with a decent though not overwhelming effect. Probably the second best signature card for Zogwort.
Majestaat - 5/5
Free, 3 shields, can be attached to warlord and actually allows you to keep one Snotling for the next turn (you react with this after Zogwort's reaction) and to reinforce any planet. If necessary, you can get a little bit of extra firepower for the current battle. Not the strongest attachment, but nothing to dislike here, really.
Corvus- 3/5
Because of Zogwort's ability you're guaranteed to trigger this every round, and you have the flexibility of getting a new snotling immediately if you're losing them in combat, or getting a new snotling after combat if you'd rather 'bank' them for your next turn. A small effect but well worth it at 0 cost.
Killax- 5/5
Another key piece to Zogwort’s aggressive strategy. While its initial appearance might seem underwhelming the card is 0 Costed but can be attached to any Oddboy, gaining you information for sure and working as a great piece for Zogwort to create more and more bodies.
Kingsley – 4/5
This signature attachment isn't very exciting, but its effect is still fairly strong. Keep in mind that you can trigger this in response to Zogwort's Forced Reaction to keep a Snotling token alive at the end of the turn.
Steinerp -4/5
It triggers every turn and is 0 costed, however keeping one alive isn’t a huge deal. So no issues with the card but not so good as to ensure it won’t be used as a shield either.
Launch da Snots
Asklepios- 4/5
Attack boosts are dead handy, doubly so when they happen untelegraphed. Crushing Blow tells us that, and while this card costs 1 more than Crushing Blow, its also of a higher value.
Awareness of this card's existence, and the fact that large numbers of small attacks are the province of almost every deck now, will result in ready Snotlings typically being killed shortly after they are spawned, so it'll be hard to pull more than +2 attack out of this. However, the Snotling Attack combo needs to be mentioned, as a +4 attack out of nowhere (albeit at 3R2C cost) is generally going to bloody warlords, and will be this Warlord's ace in the hole play.
Majestaat - 4/5:
Finally something to make use of your Snotling hordes! I really like this one as it's pretty affordable and ranges from a fair to bonkers effect depending on how you manage your combos and thus, the number of Snotlings at X planet.
This event being a reaction offers a whole lot of protection, preventing your opponent from exhausting or routing your buffed unit. Hopefully, this can give you that extra damage to deal with that big enemy unit or the opposing warlord. Beware AoE! No Snotlings turns this into a mere shield.
Corvus- 3/5
A respectable combat trick. It will be difficult to ramp up to insane amounts of damage and one-shot warlord kills, but this is still cost-effective if you can get 3-4 snotlings into play. It also nicely shores up a weakness of Zogwort's deck since he will have a host of 1-attack units that don't threaten much damage per attack.
Killax- 4/5
Allows Zogwort to become a Warlord hunter by himself provided the same deck includes a Snotling Attack or two. For its cost it is a beyond decent effect.
Kingsley – 3/5
While sometimes a good trick, this card is quite conditional and suffers from a relatively basic win-more problem; if you have tons of Snotling tokens at a planet you're probably winning that fight anyway. It's good for those times when you really need a huge attack to kill someone's AoE unit before they take out your swarm, but the nature of Zogwort's Forced Reaction limits the potential here.
Steinerp - 3/5
This card is a decent combat trick. I don’t know if snotling attack has a place in the deck right now but when combined with snotling it can give you big early punch in a battle where the opponent is expecting a lot of little ones. However without snotling attack, due to the relatively slow build up of snotling tokens , this is either going to be a late combat trick in which case it is a win more card or only add 1 or 2 .
Blood Claw Pack
Asklepios- 2/5
Jank decks will love this, but they'll still be jank decks. Triggering off enemy Warlord is a problem when you are holding back cards for the effect till that happens. Lack of great Space Wolves units to drop in is also problematic. Morkai Rune Priest, as you may have noticed, is not very good. Blackmane Sentinels wants to be in play rather than waiting in hand. Finally, 3-cost is a crowded slot for SM, especially in an ever-cheapening metagame. Do you really want to run this over White Scar Bikers, Honoured Librarian, Maxos and Blood Angel Veterans, especially when its ability text is useless on a Drop Pod Assault play? Again, watch for future potential. Once more pieces fall into place, it will become usable.
Majestaat - 2/5
Subpar unit on its own, normally subpar as well if you get to use its reaction (which is rather conditional), as there aren't many targets to work with (other Blood Claws, Ragnar's Sentinels and the Morkai Rune Priests). At only 1 command, your opponent will just use any cheap unit to tie or win the struggle, avoiding the risk with his warlord. At a decisive battle, you could potentially get 3 extra bodies from a single Blood Claw (you drop another one, who reacts to drop the third, then another Space Wolves unit), but with most of them exhausted, they may simply get murdered before getting to act. Not sure if bigger Space Wolves units will make these guys better, as said units will probably be unplayable out of the BCP's reaction, wasting precious deck space.
Corvus- 2/5
To get the most out of this card you'll need to put Morkai Rune Priests in your Ragnar deck, and then you'll frequently find yourself paying full price for them. He'll usually exhaust to bring in another 2/2, which is worse than it sounds, and with only 9 valid Space Wolves in your deck for the first Blood Claw you play he'll frequently have no target. Some enemy decks will easily play around the reaction, and after the first time Blood Claw Pack returns to HQ his ability will be all but blank for the rest of the game.
Killax- 3/5
Nothing too special but does allow for a Space Wolves heavy deck to be played, which is cool for lore fans. Using this to get a “free Morkai Rune Priest†isn’t a bad deal but not something currently needed to keep SM competitive.
3/5 - Kingsley
This card's stats aren't good enough to justify its very conditional ability at this price. However, I won't rate it less than 3/5 because if we see better Space Wolves units in the future, this card could be very powerful indeed - and one of the FFG preview articles says the Wolves are going to get a very powerful vehicle soon. For now, there's relatively little reason to play this; while a surprise Morkai Rune Priest would be very strong in many situations, neither this card nor Morkai Rune Priest are good enough to include without more synergy.
Steinerp- 2/5
I'll be generous here. a 2/2 for 3 with a command is worth of a 2. The ability is so so but free stuff is good and when better space wolves come could be good.
Rally the Charge
Asklepios- 3/5
Three HUGE combos spring to mind.
The first is Iron Hands Techmarine, the second is Deathwing Guard. The notable thing about these combos is they are on units that we wouldn't normally include for their own sake, and that, my friends, is the route to janky combo decks that perform inconsistently.
The third combo is with a card we do use: Promotion. However at this stage we're looking at three eggs in one basket, and if your Rally the Charge is immediately followed by a rout, direct damage, a Klaivex or an exhaust, it's your own damn fault.
However, not to be forgotten is that this card is decent (but expensive) if played for only +2 or +4 attack, and lasting till end of phase is decent. In fact, 2 resources for an event that gives +4 attack is not really that bad at all, and even if its just +2 attack, on the right unit (Honored Librarian) thats plenty too.
That in mind, consider this card for inclusion, but don't build your deck around it, and don't overcommit to too many copies. 1x is plenty!
Majestaat - 2/5
In my opinion, only usable with Cato, whose superior resources enable him to play units with slightly better command than your average SM, like Veteran Brother Maxos and Land Raider. He's already got his Chosen and Fury of Sicarius to remove big threats though, so it's not like he needs this.
Some of you may be thinking Techmarines or Deathwing Guard. The former will actually lose ATK with each unit you're killing in the planet. The latter is very expensive and rather underwhelming if you don't have Rally the Charge in hand.
(Askepios editorial addendum: To be clear, once you've played this event, the attack bonus doesn't change with subsequent changes in command icons. Events create a lasting effect based on the time they are played, and the Techmarine subsequently losing command icons will not reduce its attack value. This is confirmed in the rules forum. What Majeestat may mean here is that if you kill units BEFORE you play this event, Techmarine will of course have fewer icons at the time the effect is played) I
Corvus- 3/5
It's nice to see support for unplayed cards like Iron Hands Techmarine and Deathwing Guard. This card isn't quite enough to make me start putting them in decks, but at least the design team is trying. You would need quite a few units with 2+ command icons to make this card playable, but Promotion, Veteran Brother Maxos and the odd Land Raider will get you halfway there. I doubt this will be a Space Marine mainstay, but as an unexpected surprise it has a lot of potential.
Killax- 2/5
Decent effect in theory as it allows for more Command heavy SM cards to enter the pool of potential competitive cards. However with cards like Eager Recruit and Crushing Blow currently again not needed for competitive play. Plus it needs your Warlord there also.
Kingsley -3/5
Most SM units that see frequent play only have one command icon, leading this card to appear somewhat weak. However, if you use this on a Promoted unit or a command-heavy card like Veteran Brother Maxos or Land Raider, it can lead to a crushing attack. As such, I think it's potentially a good fit for Cato, who can support pricier cards with his Warlord ability and is more likely to play the strong targets for this one. Ragnar likely wants to give this a pass.
Steinerp-2/5
This might be generous as well. 2 cost is silly for what will usually be 1 good attack. That being said combine with promotion and you get a warlord killing attack. If you got the heavy assassin route, this might be an ok include.
Secluded Apothecarion
Asklepios- 1/5
Tempo-wise, this card is all wrong, giving you back its resource cost on a conditional basis in the first battle phase, which is handy to pay for SM events, but too late for deploy discounting. Being non-limited makes it more playable than Fortress-Monastery despite this, but I still don't like it. If it happened once per killed SM unit, I'd consider it, but exhausting for benefit makes it too slow to pay back.
Majestaat - 2/5
Yeah, I'm being lazy and giving a 2 to every SM card. Seriously though, I can only see this one working in a specific deck built aroud it, and that concept doesn't convince me quite yet. Would just copy + paste a post from Asklepios, as he expressed my thoughts exactly, but to keep things short... Space Marines don't swarm, Space Marines don't die. Therefore, such a support isn't friendly with them.
Corvus- 1/5
Even supports that reliably net you 1 resource every turn are rarely worth it, and this one has a horrifically unwieldy condition.
Killax- 2/5
For me currently on par with the cost reducer Support cards. Which make them optional for decks but far from needed.
Kingsley – 1/5
People already don't play Fortress-Monastery, which provides a better effect with better timing. While Fortress-Monastery does have the flaw of being Limited, it will also trigger much more frequently, especially given that Space Marine decks tend to run allied and neutral units for capping - on a turn where your opponent goes for a command snipe instead of fighting you, you probably won't even be able to trigger this ability! I don't think this card is worth playing at all.
Steinerp-1/5
I just don't see it. 1 card, 1 resource to maybe get 1 reource back per turn, why not just play the reducer and get that 1 back in the deploy phase. Good luck finding room for both.
Steel Legion Chimera
Asklepios- 3/5
Was very excited about this card initially, but have cooled on it rapidly when I've realised that it doesn't synergise terribly well with Staging Ground decks. Rather, this is one to play in the same deck that runs three Rockcrete Bunkers, 13+ AM supports and To Arms, as the damage prevention can all stack up.
I think its strong, but don't expect to see it as an automatic include, as it doesn't fit all deck shapes, and competes the 3-cost slots with Mortar Squad, Acolyte and Markis, all of which have their own role. What I like about it, however, is that for certain deckshapes it could be really good.
Majestaat - 4/5
Man I love this card, both mechanically and thematically. It's stats are perfect for what it wants to do: protect your hordes of fragile, yet more threatening non-vehicles (Warlord included!). Your opponent will be forced to use bigger attack on your smaller units or deal directly with the Chimera, letting your soldiers attack before getting destroyed. Add a Rockrete Bunker in there, and the Chimera itself can become very hard to remove. It is also another viable target for Dozer Blade, though I wouldn't recommend it just yet. Main downside is you will need to get a few numbers down on the same planet, but hey, most AM tricks work like that.
Corvus- 4/5
I like this guy a lot. He contributes to a fight even if he comes in exhausted, and he will have done his job regardless of whether the enemy attacks him first or lets his ability shield attacks against more urgent targets.
Killax- 4/5
The first card that allows for incredible unit protection (including your Warlord) with a decent body and Command Icon to boot.
Kingsley -4/5
Three resources for a 2/4 with an icon isn't great by itself, but this card's ability is extremely strong, especially once it becomes part of your Warlord train and forces people to make tough targeting priority choices. I've definitely made room for this one in my Straken deck.
Steinerp- Steel Legion Chimera- 5/5 I'm not an IG expert but this card seems good. My only concern is that I am over-rating based on the generally junkiness of the rest of the pack
Tallarn Riders
Asklepios- 5/5
Yes, this card is boring, but damn is it efficient. Any card that is 1 cost for 1 command is minimum 3/5, and this one partners that with a Soldier trait for Straken, a synergy with the Staging Ground and a solid 2HP.
If you can include these, include three of them.
Majestaat - 5/5
So I love the 2-cost "warlord weenies". These guys only cost 1, which is better when you're looking at command and at how AM wants to fight: with more bodies on the table. This is a huge boost to Straken and cards like Preemptive Barrage and Captain Markis.
In other factions, I'm inclined to say they drop in rank to a 4/5, but they remain a very solid addition to any Warlord with an expensive signature (like Cato, Nazdreg and Zogwort) wanting to lower his cost curve.
Corvus- Tallarn Raiders 5/5
We have a winner! By which I mean that I'm preemptively calling this the best version of each faction's warlord groupie. Even without Straken's bonus the raw stats on this card are insane. The fact that it has no attack at all with no warlord present is a pretty big downside, but you still couldn't ask for much more from a 1 cost unit.
Killax- 5/5
Incredible card for AM decks and alliences. Currently the best 1 Costed Army card out there.
Kingsley- 5/5
This card will prove a staple in many decks. Every one cost one icon unit in the game is good, and this is a one cost one icon unit that is resilient to pinging effects and becomes a 2/2 with a Warlord present. If Straken is at the same planet, this unit is actually a one cost 3/2 with an icon - totally nuts good! It's absolutely an autoinclude for IG (replacing the somewhat unappealing Ratling Deadeye) and I expect this will see significant play in SM and Ork decks as well.
Steinerp- 3/5
An easy 5/5 when I thought they were 1/2 and not 0/2 without the bonus. Still a solid unit and they are 3/2 with Straken around. Even without the ability they would be a 3/5 just based on the 1 cost, and 2 hp. However being a 0 attack when no warlord is there is a big downside. Even after the corrected stats, I had these guys at a 4 for a long time so this is a case where I would love to break my own rule about giving .5 scores.
Staging Grounds
Asklepios- 5/5
What we're looking at here is giving ANY small unit Ambush. That's an amazing effect, turning Shoota Boyz into Eager Recruits (but with a command), or dropping a Mystic Warden for free, and so on.
Its only held back right now by the lack of a 2-cost Warlord groupie (+2 attack when near a warlord, those guys) in the relevant factions, and by the ominous threat in the future of a Dark Eldar attachment that will negate all damage from cheap units.
Still, this card is incredibly exciting. When this is out, opposing Warlords can't leave themselves exhausted at a planet without risking being shot at (as when they've played Tense Negotiations, or No Mercy, or Nullify). Opponents can't assume they'll take first planet with an unopposed unit on its own. Opponents can't be sure of combat math in more conventional battles.
For me, this card is like Ammo Depot in the last pack - THE metadefining card that will change the way we play the game and view the Warlords. Just as Zarathur suddenly became viable because of Depot, this card makes Straken suddenly top tier. Out of SM, its more dubious, but I've got strong belief that Ragnar can get some mileage out of it. Out of Ork, its viable, though probably not as a 3x. Regardless, its a card that deserves a 5/5 rating as even if its not strictly an "autoinclude", its still the most important card of the pack.
Majestaat - 5/5
How many times have you lost because you only drew units during the command phase preceding that crucial battle? What if those units could have ambush? Look no more! Some notable mentions here are Ratling Deadeye (would require a Catachan Outpost to make a difference though), Tactical Squad Cardinis (AoE) and Goff Boyz (heavy hitter if at first planet). Because most 3< drops are AM, this support works best in a Straken deck or an Ork deck relying heavily on AM units. The Imperial Guard and their allies are no doubt the big winners this time.
Corvus- 2/5
Giving a single small unit ambush every turn doesn't quite seem worth a card. There are a few interesting targets, like Tactical Squad Cardinis or Enraged Orc, but none good enough to justify building a deck around this card.
Killax- 4/5
A card that allows you to have a stream of Eager Cadets, yes please. This card is fantastic if you build your deck around it. I feel this card is what Straken was hoping for and also something that makes Coteaz’s commitments far less predictable. 4/5 Only because you do need to build your deck around it somewhat.
Kingsley – 4/5
Allowing every unit in your deck that costs two or fewer to have Ambush is potentially very powerful, especially with cards like Goff Boyz, Mystic Warden, or the recently-released Tallarn Raiders. I think this will prove a 2-3x staple in any IG deck that runs a lot of small units. While it isn't amazing for Space Marines, I suspect Orks will also get a lot of use out of this one.
Steinerp- 4/5
The difference between putting a surprise 2 cost unit and a 3 cost unit like Drop Pod assault is usually pretty big. The telegraphing required also hurts this card. Definitely a solid card that is worth including in some decks just not as good as other surprise unit cards.
Gleeful Plague Beast
Asklepios- 4/5
The favourite new toy of chaos, and likely to be taking the place of 2xBloodletters in Zarathur swarm decks because of the excellent timing of its damage. Its after Mobile, but before any action windows, so is pretty damn hard to counter. Eldorath exhausting it doesn't slow it, and with Zara in place you are looking at AoE 2 before combat begins. For Ku'gath, it also feeds him damage to move, though I'm not convinced the logic chain here is terribly rational. Also, this card could be used even when there's not a battle occurring, as a kind of delayed Weirdboy Maniak effect.
Two things stop me from 5/5 rating.
First, there's the splash of damage on your own units in a deck that tends to rely on a swarm itself. Sure, its only 1 HP, and sure, most of the key units are 2HP, but that's still goodbye to your Shoota Mobs, your Snotling Attack, your neutral command cappers.
Second, there's the risk that it'll be swept up in your Warlord train, and in that circumstance a canny opponent who has you a little way off icon victory could let you turn up to battles on your own for a bit, seeing Zarathur ground down with damage and your other warlord train units being killed off.
This isn't enough to stop it being a great card, rather its something that limits its playability in the early game. Whereas a Bloodletter has a good chance of winning early planets and then sticking around, this is a Unit you don't want following your Warlord for too long, even with the potency of its effect.
Thus jury is out as to whether it needs to replace both the Bloodletters, or just one, or whether the big unit count of Chaos needs to increase to accommodate it.
Majestaat - 5/5:
Some things make me want to give this a 4. Ultimately, its strengths are so big I believe it deserves that 5 nonetheless. Main con is its cost, which can be worked around with cultists anyway. Stats are a bit low, but good enough to help a bit with command, destroy medium-sized units and survive a fair amount of punishment. Main knack here is that forced reaction. There aren't many answers to it. Off the top of my head, I can think of Inquisitorial Fortress and Twisted Laboratory. Still, the reaction will simply get to trigger more often than not, messing things up quite a bit. It becomes pretty ridiculous with Zarathur, and is quite impressive with Ku'gath as well, if not even more so than with Zarathur, as his squad and other Nurgle cards work pretty well with these Beasts.
(Askepios editorial addendum: Apologies to Majeestat for seeming to pick on him here, but as a rules note, Twisted Laboratory doesn't counter this card, as there's no action window before Forced Reactions to the start of the phase. Inquisitorial Fortress does work though, and the time to do so is in the action window at the end of the Command Phase.)
Corvus- 4/5
Proudly continues the trend of being a Nurgle unit but synergizing more with Zarathur. This card does a lot of worthwile things. It gets area damage in before the enemy can take any combat actions, and it damages units regardless of whether a battle takes place at its planet. At 5 cost and doing a kind of area damage, comparisons to Vicious Bloodletter are inevitable. I think Plague Beast is a valid alternative that becomes better the more common Archon's Terror is in your meta. It's a more consistent but less impressive effect, and those are the kinds of cards I can get behind.
Killax- 4/5
A fantastic card that allows you to have more flexability in terms of end game Daemons instead of the Bloodletters. The only downside being it’s forced self destructing nature.
Kingsley- 5/5
This card is amazing for Zarathur decks, perhaps even too good. It not only hits the enemy army for 2 before combat starts (if Zara is at the planet), it does so in a way that prevents most counterplay options. Unlike Bloodletter (a similar "nuke this planet" card), it is not countered by Eldorath Starbane's warlord ability, Archon's Terror can't go off in time to prevent its big hit, and it can't be sniped by Ranged units or the like. Outside of Zarathur, the card is strong but not amazing.
Steinerp- 5/5 Why does Zarathur make better use out of nurgle cards than Ku'gath? The command icon makes up for the slightly weaker AOE than the bloodletters and doing it outside of normal attacks is strong as well.
Doombolt
Asklepios- 2/5
I want to like this, as cheap deploy actions feed the theme of my favourite deck at present: Zarathur swarm (with ork allies). However, this card is hard to play off the first turn without generally suboptimal plays (such as using a Plaguebearer before command) and can still be shielded.
If this card did unpreventable damage, or cost 0, or was just "Action", I could rate it a 3-4/5. As it is, it only just fails to make the cut for inclusion.
Majestaat -3/5
This one needs more testing. It definitely seems like a combo card. But since it's a combo revolving on damage from different sources, shields can really screw it. Matters not, as Chaos are becoming stronger and stronger in the direct damage department with each pack. While I initially though this deserved a 1 or 2 max, I now think it is not far-fetched to give this a 3, and I wouldn't be surprised if it became a 4 in the future. Cards like Tzeench's Firestorm and Rotten Plaguebearers can give you a chance to remove threats before combat even starts. Then, with help from Ork Kannons, Gleeful Plague Beasts and Nurglings, it's not hard to set up some damage from one turn to another to use Doombolt then. I'll pay close attention to this card.
Corvus- 1/5
I racked my brain for a situation in any of the Conquest games I've ever played where I would have liked to see this card in my hand, and I couldn't think of one. Tzeench's Firestorm is decent, and this is just a weird, restrictive, often downright useless version of it. I'll gladly pay 1 resource per point of damage if it means getting to burn any target in any phase.
Killax- 3/5
For me Doombolt is a good card to gain information although it’s not really needed in any Chaos deck right now.
Kingsley- 2/5
Doombolt seems like an amazing card until you see that it's a deploy action. As it stands there are a few situations where this card is powerful, but overall it doesn't seem worth including, even as a deployment stall. If bigger units become popular this might be worth revisiting, but I'd put it aside until then.
Steinerp- 3/5
Not happy that it is a deploy action. Otherwise this would have been a great card.
Blight Grenades
Asklepios- 2/5
1R is cheap for AoE2, even as a one off and even if openly telegraphed from the deploy phase, and the shield is just icing on the cake. The "Nurgle only" and "Army Unit" limitation is a problem at present though, as it stops it being dropped onto Ku'gath (who would have loved this) and stops it being put onto any Army Units that would benefit from it. The only decent Nurgle Units right now are Rotten Plaguebearer, and that card has low HP and loses its own ability to fuel the grenade, and Gleeful Plaguebeast, who is excellent but already expensive. As a result, the cardpool damns this card, much as lack of good targets doomed Death From Above till the Baharroth squad comes along. Watch this one for future potential, but don't use it yet.
Majestaat - 2/5
No good targets for this. Furthermore, Chaos already having access to AoE and other planet-wiping effects make this pointless to run. Should take at least 2 new beefy Nurgle units to make this decent, or alternatively, other cards that made Death Guard Infantry and Virulent Plague Squad worth including.
Corvus- 3/5
Nurgle units cost at least 2, and for 3 resources and 2 cards you could Promise of Glory into a Vicious Bloodletter. At the same price point, Blight Grenades is a weaker, one-shot Area Effect attack on a smaller body that doesn't get protected by the Elite trait. Having said all that, I think this card might still be worth using if Nurgle units can be a part of your board state, contributing to early fights and making use of their command icons throughout the game. It's a 1 cost draw that does almost everything the Bloodletter does, and with 3 decent Nurgle units and two... conceivably playable ones, the trait restriction can be managed.
Killax- 3/5
The card that makes me think Death Guard Infantry where nerved during design. Nontheless this card is a fantastic alternative for Ku’gath players instead of Dire Mutation. The only downside to it currently is the lack of decent bodies to hold it.
Kingsley- 3/5
This is a very strong card that suffers somewhat from a lack of great targets. As it stands I think this makes it into Ku'gath but probably not Zarathur, and is good enough to make one consider running the otherwise almost objectively bad Death Guard Infantry in order to get some extra targets for it.
Steinerp- 2/5
A bad gun drones that can only attach to a couple units.
Bloodied Reavers
Asklepios- 4/5
In isolation, looks mildly inferior to Bork'an recruits because of No Wargear, but actually there's barely any wargear being played out of Chaos, DE or Eldar anyway. This card is significant, as it brings down the cost-curve of combat worthy decks of those factions, and gives another reason for Eldar and Chaos to look at DE for alliance (which presently I believe neither should, thanks to the strong cards of alliances in the other direction.) Most appreciative of this card will be DE decks themselves, which can now run a lower cost curve because of it and who mind the fragility less because their combats are stacked full of glass cannon units, so have a defence from numbers and redundancy rather than HP. Naturally, this gives even more reason to save those Archon's Terrors for AoE units. Consider strongly for inclusion, but be aware of its fragility.
Majestaat - 4/5
Same score I gave the Bork'an Recruits. These kind of units are really solid. Problem here is that they can't use Wargear attachments. Instead, the Vehicle trait might open new possibilities in the future. Don't think there's much more worth adding. If you need a cheap all-rounder that can hit hard when it matters, pick these up.
Corvus- 4/5
Bor'kan recruits lived up to all my expectations - in over a dozen games with Tau they've attacked for 2 in only one fight. This is just a great unit for its cost that almost every Dark Eldar or DE allied deck should include by default until the cardpool grows.
Killax- 4/5
Like any Warlord Groupie a beyond decent body for its cost. It’s inability to have Wargear is a non-issue for Dark Eldar.
Kingsley – 4/5
This card is basically Bork'an Recruits with a minor disadvantage (probably included to prevent Hypex Injector abuse). The disadvantage is minor enough that it basically doesn't matter, and this card is a solid include for both Dark Eldar and allied decks. Keep in mind, though, that the very similar Hellion Gang is sometimes better.
Steinerp- 4/5
Borkan Recruits are a great card, so are these. Nice and cheap but pack a punch. If no warlord is there they are still worth a command icon. They won't see as much play as Bor'kan because DE aren't as good allies as Tau and in faction playstyle is different as well. Also hellion gang already exists which competes for a 2 drop 1 command slot and offer great shield economy. I think most decks will find room for both however
Crucible of Malediction
Asklepios- 2/5
Future previewed cards suggest that like AGOT's Greyjoys, the Dark Eldar are getting Mill as a subtheme to add onto their existing Choke themes. This card is a slow mill, but could synergise with Soul Seizure, or just be used to provide subtle draw control on own or opponent's deck. Its effect is a little too subtle for me though, and I don't think it can displace any existing DE cards without weakening the deck, at least not until we have the tools for a pure-mill deck. Going by AGOT's track record, this may take something like thirty war packs, and with rotation rules in, I don't expect this to ever see play. I remain hopeful though!
Majestaat - 4/5
Very interesting for Urien. This one becomes stronger with each other copy already in play. Between these and Visions of Agony, Urien has unmatched access to information. Not only that, you also get to preemptively eliminate any problematic card from the equation, while manipulating your opponent's or your own next few draws. This form of control and the adaptability it gives you as a consequence make the Crucible a highly regarded card for me.
Corvus- 2/5
Scouting either deck and picking out unwanted cards is a neat little effect, but it is a small effect and devoting a card and a resource to it, not to mention the requirement to have enough Torture events to fire it consistently, is a steep cost. Urien will be hard-pressed for deck space, given that he still needs command and combat presence in addition to his Torture shenanigans, and I wouldn't be surprised if this doesn't make the cut.
Killax- 4/5
A Support card that allows you to influence your own draws and those of your opponent. In many cases however it will be used on your own deck. This card effect isn’t incredible but can allow you to set up a multitude of Choke heavy turns with Urien.
Kingsley- 3/5
This card is potentially powerful for Urien Rakarth, but until he comes out it doesn't seem worth playing. Wait and see, I suppose...
Steinerp- 3/5
Clearly this card is junk now but will see play in Urien decks, just not a lot as the information/filtering is ok but not great.
Searing Brand
Asklepios- 3/5
On paper, this isn't a good card. Its 3 damage for 3, albeit with 2 shields, but the discarding two cards to shield is just too easy for many decks to pull off. What saves it from mediocrity is the Torture trait, as out of Rakarth I'll happily pay 2 resources for this effect.
So, for Rakarth its probably a 3x. For Kith, 0x.
Majestaat -4/5
Another strong addition for the still unreleased Urien. Sure to replace Raid for him in the 2-shield deparment. Conditional effect, but one that makes Urien quite difficult to face or ambush, as he could kill quite a beefy target under the right circumstances or deal with two lesser units. And if not, well, your opponent just los two cards.
Corvus- 2/5
I'm more than happy to discard my two worst cards to make you lose a card and 2/3 resources. It obviously gets better if you can reduce your opponent's hand size below 2, but the more torture-intensive Urien becomes the more he is going to struggle with command so don't count on that happening.
Killax- 5/5
Designed for Urien and perfect with Urien.
Kingsley- 3/5
Another Torture, another situational card for Kith but potentially a very strong one for Urien. Keep in mind that "opponent's choice" effects are usually bad; in this case, however, both choices are relatively unpalatable, so it may make the cut regardless.
Steinerp- 4/5
Again this card will sit for the next couple packs, but see significant play once Urien comes out. Being able to use army/supports as (effctively) shield is a downside but not a huge one.)
Vectored Vyper Squad
Asklepios- 2/5
Like Wild Riders, but not as good in almost every way. Its got a worse form of movement, a worse stat profile and the same cost. While Wild Riders sets a high bar, the recent addition of multiple excellent Eldar fighting units makes this card even harder to include.
Its not even eligible for Death From Above, which might have been enough to make it a Baharroth include.
On the upside, saving it from mediocrity, its still 3 attack that can accept Starcannon, and a deck that runs 3 Starcannon may want to add 1 of these to go with the three Wildriders. Any more than that, however, and you're screwing your cost curve.
Majestaat - 1/5
Starcannon might actually hard carry the Vyper Squad to a better rank. Other than that, I don't feel like there's any reason to play it, not even in a Baharroth deck.
Corvus- 2/5
A strictly worse version of Wildrider Squadron that doesn't even have the decency to work with Death from Above. You could play this guy if you really want more Mobile or more Starcannon targets, but neither reason seems good enough to me.
Killax- 1/5
Another card that I feel was nerved during design. It’s a shame it can’t be put into play with Death From Above as it would have given it a valid reason to be included in decks. For its cost the body is simply said not good enough.
Kingsley- 1/5
This unit is objectively worse than Wildrider Squadron by a significant margin. Not only does it have worse stats, it has a much worse ability and a conditional one at that! The icing on the cake is that the condition on this card's ability means you can't even play it with Death From Above. This card's synergy with Starcannon means it might see play at one or two copies in some decks, but overall I really can't recommend it.
Steinerp- 1/5
If you question this take a look at Wildriders and tell me one advantage they have. Now look at Starbane's Council or warlock destructors or pretty much anything else. Make these guys 3 cost and mobile and we have a deal, but not at 4 with conditional mobile, less HP than the wildriders, no hit and run tricks.Good luck to the designers coming up with a worse card than this in the cycle.
Guardian Mesh Armour
Asklepios- 1/5
Many call this the most worthless card yet, and I'm sure I agree. If it was a support that could be targeted as needed, it'd be grand. If it was Warlord-attachable, it'd have worth. As it is, you need too much of a combination of circumstances to get worthwhile play out of it.
Majestaat - 1/5
Yup, seems like Warlock Destructor was that strong, so no good cards for Eldar this time. It costs a resource, its only a single shield, restricted to Eldar units and can only be used once per turn, basically. Oh, it's also wargear, so you can't just attach this to any Eldar unit.
Corvus- 1/5
Most Eldar units worth protecting can't have Wargear. Protecting one of your units preemptively just invites your opponent to attack the others. Running completely out of shields is not uncommon, and when that happens your opponent will realize that your precious unit and his attachment are defenseless and move in for the kill.
Killax- 1/5
This card does one job really well and that’s being a spoke card.
Kingsley -1/5
This card doesn't make sense fluffwise and has a terrible effect in game as well. Why would I ever play this card instead of just putting more two-shielders in my deck? Most Eldar decks aren't maxed out on Empowers as it stands.
Steinerp- 1/5
Challenge accepted and completed. They did come up with a worse card. I have to pay a resource and a card to get Fireblade's ability once per combat on a designated unit. At least we know what to wear when you get to sit on the Throne of Vainglory.
Sa'cea XV88 Broadside
Asklepios- 3/5
A 6 cost card is always a stretch to include, and even if Tau are great at command that's still a lot to commit in one card. Also, the requirement for an attachment to make the AoE kick in basically says that this card is designed to go with Gun Drones and Ambush Platform, and dear god where have all my resources gone?
I'm not ruling this card out though: there's two sorts of cards in this game. There's cards that help win the early game, in command and cheap early aggression, and there's cards who clinch the endgame. AoE 4 on a tough ass unit sounds like an endgame play to me, so I'm running x1 out of Shadowsun, with the mental note to probably not play it against anyone capable of routing me.
Majestaat - 2/5
I'm quite disappointed, honestly, as I've been looking forward for a Broadside since core. Massive cost, pointless amount of command icons with lack of Mobile, and huge reliance on more cards to be effective, really. Such an expensive card should be impressive on its own. What it has, I guess, is versatility, as it can win command, deal heavy damage to a single unit or wreck hordes of smaller units depending on the situation, while also being quite sturdy. I really feel like the Broadside should simply deal 2 damage to every enemy unit at its planet that is not the target it attacked. In that case, using Cadres and Ion Rifles on it would be much better. As it is, if I'm not attaching Gun Drones or a Repulsor Impact Field to it, it simply feels like I'm wasting the stats from the attachment itself.
Corvus- 2/5
Sadly, there's no place for a 6 cost unit like this in a game where every deck that has access to kill and rout effects runs them. In the few matches where you'll know you can get away with it, putting two Gun Drones on a Vior'la Marksman will be a better play anyways. Oddly might be better in Aun'shi than Shadowsun, since Shadowsun can't freeroll the Gun Drones while Area Effect 4 with armorbane is a respectable attack.
Killax- 2/5
Huge body with a potential cool effect. However I don’t feel it’s cost is good enough for that body and its potential cool effect.
Kingsley -3/5
This is an ultimate super unit in a faction that has less need for ultimate super units than most thanks to their ability to power up weaker units with attachments. However, the raw power this guy brings to the table is pretty impressive, especially when compared to the similarly expensive Crisis Battle Guard. I suspect this card is decent as a 1-2 for Shadowsun (who can easily equip it and even protect from effects with Communications Relay) in decks that want a more powerful heavy hitter, but will not see much play in Aun'shi.
Steinerp- 4/5
6 cost is huge but 3 command, 4 basic attack, 4 AOE with a gun drone justifies the cost. too bad it isn't ranged given that it shoots some of the longest ranged guns on the tabletop. (Of course there is a game balance reason for that)
http://s3.amazonaws....ed_WHK05_87.jpg
Tense Negotiations
Asklepios- 4/5
While I was very excited about this card, and still believe it to be a real power card, I recognise that its not an auto-include x3. However, it is probably at least a x1 in any deck that can use it.
The ability to trigger this is conditional on a lot of practical factors, as you don't want an exhausted warlord in front of multiple enemy armies. Also, heavy ambush in the meta along with Staging Ground makes this rarely risk free.
The effect, however, can be very powerful. Play it timed right at Tarrus, and its a Black Lotus or Ancestral Recall (Magic: the Gathering cards, for those of you who know nothing of CCG heritage!). Play it somewhere else, and its a 1-cost Archon's Terror without the limitations. Somewhere else, and its like a one-off Tellyporta Pad but better.
I'd love to rate this card 5/5, and indeed for Eldorath and Aun'shi I'm running 3x. However, Shadowsun can only afford to take it 1x, Cato 2x and Ragnar 2x. These numbers are opinion, of course, but the point is that its not a 3x for all decks.
Majestaat - 4/5
Yeah, I'm also surprised I didn't give it a 5, but the more I think of this card, the more I convince myself it's just a very solid 4. Better on some warlords than others, but very strong on all of them nonetheless. It's cheap, it's an action, meaning you get some flexibility on its timing, and it's really versatile due to how different the planets' actions are (on the other hand, it also depends on good battle actions being on the table=. Heal your warlord in a pinch, rout that crippling enemy unit, reposition your own, gain extra resources, etc. It can become quite weaker later into the game though, and you shouldn't take your warlord's exhaustion lightly, as you could be setting yourself for a trap.
Corvus- 3/5
There are so many great uses for this card. Trigger Rout before a fight starts, trigger Move once that fight is effectively over, trigger Draw 3 Cards or Mass 1 Damage twice, manage how your units exhaust to make sure they end the fight ready (important for Kau'yon Strike, Negate, Plannum, and some other fringe scenarios), or exhaust Aun'shi if you don't want him back in HQ just yet. Not an earth-shattering card, but a great utility filler for decks that can find the space.
Killax- 5/5
A card that is amazing on any planet barring maby: Osus IV.
Kingsley -4/5
Tense Negotiations is a very solid trick that can be used for a wide range of effects, though it does suffer somewhat from being constrained by your Warlord's deployment. Many planets are worth triggering with this, however, and I suspect it will see play in quite a few decks both in and out of Tau. This card makes Tarrus calculations even more important.
Steinerp- 3/5
This is a tough one and I could be very wrong about it. Most useful when warlord is off sniping somewhere and this give the opponent a chance to escape with the Void Pirate to HQ which isn't a bad place for it.
http://s3.amazonaws....ed_WHK05_88.jpg
Heavy Marker Drone
Asklepios - 4/5
A hard one to rate, as for Shadowsun its almost certainly 5/5, while for Aun'shi I'd call it 3/5. For Shadowsun, its a 2-shielder on the turn it enters your hand, and then a recursion onto an enemy unit with her ability on following turns. This is efficient, and solid, and well worth running at x3. For Aun'shi, its great in that doubled armourbane damage is doubled armourbane damage. However, its a lot to commit a whole card play too, and a one-off benefit, and Aun'shi already is likely running 3 Deceptions and 3 Kau'yon strikes for his six 2-shielders. Clearly, nine 2-shielders is even better than 6, but there's only so much room in a deck.
Majestaat - 5/5:
Nice addition for Shadowsun, gives her a little extra firepower on her own, and can put Tau's overall damage output off the charts, though it's not like they have much trouble dealing with big individual units. A better fit that Repulsor Impact Field in your aggressive ranged deck, no doubt.
Unlike your average attachment, this one makes your every unit more threatening, so cards like Archon's Terror won't be nearly as good an answer. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but the damage is doubled after shields have been used, right? Keep an eye out for that, as a single shield will, in most cases, reduce 2 damage instead of just 1.
Corvus- 4/5
Gone are the days of keeping Repulsor Impact Field in Tau decks just because it's a 2 shield card that Earth Caste Tech can search for. Shadowsun will want this just to increase the density of valid targets for his Reaction in his deck. Aun'shi will want it for the shields and as a very occasional way to still one-shot units that try to get around his armorbane army by having lots of hit points.
Killax- 5/5
This card simply said is an amazing Attachment for Shadowsun.
Kingsley – 4/5
A fairly strong counter to key enemy units, I expect that this card will see a lot of play in Shadowsun (replacing the mediocre Repulsor Impact Field) and may see play in Aun'shi decks as well. This one also has great synergy with Ambush Platform, which is always something the Tau want to see.
Steinerp- 5/5
This card makes Shadowsun into Aunshi vs. a single unit as doubling damage will usually bring it to the unshieldable level.
- SenhorDeTodoOMal, MotoBuzzsawMF, Majestaat and 2 others like this
14 Comments
Thanks for putting this out, but it seems like a rough draft version. There were a bunch of different fonts and text sizes. It would also be good to find some way around the limit for pictures in an article.
Yeah those fonts! But thanks for posting it Asklepios!
((Long response by me removed by me, as no longer relevant))
I do think a simple "select all -> Arial -> 12 pt" would get most of the benefits of editing without requiring too much effort.
Can't argue with that! Consider it done.
Will read carefully later since I'm still in the middle of class > >.
For now, just wanted to thank the reviewers for their great work as always, to steinerp in particular for organizing this series of articles, and to Asklepios for uploading yet again and
bashing my reviewscorrecting my mistakes so that nobody will be mislead.Thanks! Was unaware that Darksbane was no longer running the site
Thank you for getting this up and appreciate the efforts!
He's still site admin, but the site is owned by FFG now. Old news:
http://www.cardgamed...cardgamedb-r779
Let's abandon this tangent, and go back to talking about the cards. My fault for derailing things.
I'm surprised only Corvus mentioned that Tense Negotiation could be an MVP card for Aun'shi(t).
Kudos to everyone though, just for the works you've put in it. Grats guys
Aun'shi loses the (t) as of the next Warpack, of course.
Next pack in mind, I suspect fewer than the 3x of Tense Negotiations I play out of Aun'shi at present will be order of the day, as the non-unit slots are going to be tightly competed for.
As to TN for Aun'shi in general, I'd note that while it leaves him there for another round, it also leaves him vulnerable for another round, and that Warlord isn't the toughest one to bloody.
The advantage of TN for Aun'shi (I've never thought he warranted the 't'!) is he can trigger the healing planet if he's taking too much damage, which helps a lot!
Well.. I removed the part since steinerp asked for a short review on the card and felt my text on other cards was allready quite a lot.
I'm late to this party, but a great read - thanks to all for sharing :-)