Wednesday 17 June 2015

The Grim Experiment

Tomorrow I get to face Alain again, and we will proceed to 'list chicken' with two lists each.

While I intend to have in my bag my Calandra list, I know that probabilities are high I will face Alain's Fist of Halaak.
While Calandra should be able to withstand the onslaught, I wanted to have a second list in my bag that I've been working on...Or more than a second list, a second caster: Epic Grim a.k.a. Hunters Grim.
Image property of Privateer Press...I just used it because my phone was too dead to take a picture of my WIP Hunters Grim. Quality blogging at its finest! 



What is eGrim bringing to the table?

-A Feat that benefits ranged units only and increases their range and boosts Rat for one turn.
-A very strong spell that gives a Def and Arm debuff: 'Mortality'. It also prevents healing and though. It is better than carnage for armies with a lot of Ranged options, else it would be strictly inferior (except for the preventing though part).
-Anti-Stealth, Anti-Cloud spell 'Magesight'. Quite another strong spell. Useful for ranged assassinations but can also allow pathfinder to ignore LoS and charge through more than 3'' of forest.
-A movement buff/tactic disengage thanks to 'Mirage' (give 'apparition' to a model/unit).
-Maybe...maybe a piece-trading spell with 'Pursuit'...I have to try that spell but it is hard to cast.
-A very long-range gun with a decent Pow.
-A free charge on targets hit by his gun.
-A little bit of Area Control thanks to one of the Pyggs.
-A free knockdown attack thanks to the other Pygg.
-Extra movement after having activated still thanks to the Pyggs.

My thoughts:

All this turns Hunters Grim into one of the fastest caster in the game (6'' movement + 3'' reform at the end of the activation + 2'' mirage at the beginning of the next control step.)
It also makes Grim one of the rare caster that can boost Trollbloods ranged units.

While I'm really tempted to try his tier list (2 x ambushing Scouts, 2x Blitzers, 3x Light beasts, fill the rest with whatever). I want to try a more serious approach to eGrim in preparation for Chaosludik as I still need a second list to pair with Calandra.

Calandra's list brings flexibility and overall good attrition/scenario control. It seems like it would fare decently against Cryx simply because of the high Def of its troops and the re-rolls to hit Satyxis' high Def.
On the other hand, I fear it might struggle versus an armor spam list.

Anyways I wanted to play eGrim and this is the list I came up with (after getting my ash kicked on Sunday with a 35pts list):

System: Hordes
Faction: Trollblood
Casters: 1/1
Points: 50/50
Hunters Grim (*4pts)
* Pyre Troll (5pts)
* Troll Axer (6pts)
* Earthborn Dire Troll (10pts)
* Mulg the Ancient (12pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Pyg Burrowers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (4pts)
Northkin Fire Eaters (Leader and 2 Crew) (4pts)
Northkin Fire Eaters (Leader and 2 Crew) (4pts)
Trollkin Scouts (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Fennblade Kithkar (2pts)

In this list, I eschew most ranged warbeasts to focus on the ''free charge'' aspect of Grim's gun.
Mortality and his feat will hopefully benefit all my infantry. To use as a 'first strike' to cause as much damage as possible on the second turn I don't expect much out of it but hopefully it can turn the odds into my favor.
All the infantry has 'Advance Deployment', giving me an edge toward area control/getting into position. Grim is fast to follow close-by.
Thanks to the Axer and maybe the Earthborn, the beasts can benefit from unsuspected long threat ranges to remove enemy heavies or get mid-board with the infantry.
Pursuit...maybe I can try and help piece-trading when it'll come to enemy heavies or weapon-masters.

On the list of stuff to try:
-Rok. Seems cool because he can use the feat, his animus is great (especially on the Axer)
-Blitzer: I want to see if it could work for a more geared 'area control' list. Benefits from the feat.
-Champions? More armor cracking.

Let me know what you think of the list and what unit/model I shoudl consider/replace, etc...
Thanks for reading!





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