Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Dojo Day - The New Tuna







Prologue:

Una 2 came into the world last November, and almost instantly was banned in casual games by my local play group.

With a Feat that meant her entire army was safe from retaliation and a swarm of Griffons that she could stay 28 inches away from and still be forcing them, she was definitely over the power curve.

Since then, she's faded out of the competitive scene as Circle's list options have, by necessity, diversified.

Still, she delivers speed 9 light warbeasts that are essentially mat 8-10 PS 12-14 weaponmasters, and that can't be a bad thing right? She also has the extremely interesting spell Hand of Fate, and I can't help but think that she still has plenty of game.


Una's Card:

Real quick overview - average everything statwise, another 15/15 with 15 boxes. She's fury 7 which is great, and speed six.

She has an excellent gun, range 10 pow 10 with reload 2 that can either Thunderbolt, Black Penny, or Snipe.

She gives Griffons in command (8 inches) Sprint and gives Griffons in control Flank.

She has for spells:

Hand of Fate - additional dice to hit and damage for a model/unit, drop the lowest.

Wind Wall - prevents her and anything completely within 3 from making ranged attacks, and prevents her and anything completely within 3 from being targeted by non-magic ranged attacks.

Mirage - an interesting but oft maligned spell that gives a model/unit apparition.

Twister - random pow 10 nuke with a 3 inch cloud AOE attached to it.

Feat - Models with flight gain +2 speed, light warbeasts with flight cannot be targeted by melee attacks for a turn.


Synergies:

Griffons - naturally, and Scarsfells are still the far superior Griffon of the bunch. Three initials, Stealth, and a great animus.

I like running these in even numbered pairs, since you usually run/charge one to engage something and then charge it with another Griffon for flank.

Woldwyrds - these guys are staples of the Circle roster right now. Good damage output from range, high maneuverability, excellent control elements in Purgation and Witch Hound. Wanna see something funny? Purgation and Hand of Fate at the same time. Delicious.

Gorax/Feral - you really need to have Primal in this list. Those Griffons have one job, and one job only, and that is to kill things worth way more points than they are. Without Primal, that gets much less likely to happen.

Units that shoot - Reeves, Sentry Stones, Bloodtrackers. Mirage lets the non-Sentry Stone ones get closer, and then Hand of Fate lets them do silly things at range.


The list:

Combining all of the elements I've just mentioned, you get something like this

Theme: The Wild Hunt

Una 2
- Pureblood
- Scarsfell x4
- Gorax
- Woldwyrd x2

Wolves of Orboros (min)
- CA
Reeves of Orboros (max)
- CA
Shifting Stones


I chose The Wild Hunt for a couple of reasons.

First of all, it lets Una play with everything she likes to play with (Except the Celestial Fulcrum, but that is an article for another day), gives her a few free points, and provides incentive for your opponent to move their army into the middle of the table.

Luckily, this is just where you want it to be, since Scarsfells are hard to hide from.

Finally, it also gives the Pureblood tracker, which on occasion can be complete money.

The list is basically a gunline that then punishes you for engaging it by killing stuff with high MAT weaponmaster Griffons.

Hand of Fate goes on the Reeves or a Wyrd most likely until it's go turn, in which case it gets swapped to the Pureblood or a Griffon depending on what you're fighting.

What would I drop this into?

I'd be looking at Legion, Trolls (I think, I don't get to play that matchup much), other Circle lists, Khador lists that don't skew crazy heavy on jacks, a lot of Menoth lists out there, even Amon with Dervishes (Crusader spam is probably bad), and potentially Cryx as well.



What do you think? How would you build Una right now? Would you even play her? How viable do you think she will be in SR 2017?

5 comments:

  1. Great read as always! I did notice you mentioned she's not a good drop into jack heavy Khador. Now, I keep hearing Khador, especially jack heavy, is a problem for Circle. I experienced it myself at the SOO masters, twice against Karchev and wanted to pick your brain about it. Do you agree? Do we have a designated Khador drop other than Baldur 2 bones theme?

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    Replies
    1. After reading battle reports here, it seems like Baldur 1 could be a great Khador drop. I'd be a little worried about certain casters handing out pathfinder, but I've had recent luck getting free trades against Khador and Menoth jack spams with a build like below. Also potentially good into gunline bc spreads damage out with shield-guards. Just don't get Woldwrath charged by the wrong jack:

      Baldur 1
      - Wilder (free)
      - Woldwrath
      - Megalith
      - Guardian
      - Guardian
      Gallows Grove
      2x Wayfarer (free)
      2x Sentry Stones
      Shifting Stones

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    2. Kaya 2. Stealth can give Khador fits. Double alpha with buffed, range extended heavies helps you get well ahead on attrition.

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  2. Tharn theme! :D

    Una the Skyhunter - WB: +29
    - Scarsfell Griffon - PC: 8 (Battlegroup Points Used: 8
    - Scarsfell Griffon - PC: 8 (Battlegroup Points Used: 8
    - Scarsfell Griffon - PC: 8 (Battlegroup Points Used: 8
    - Scarsfell Griffon - PC: 8 (Battlegroup Points Used: 5)
    - Scarsfell Griffon - PC: 8
    - Gorax Rager - PC: 7
    Death Wolves - Skoll, Tala & Caleb: 9
    Tharn Bloodtrackers - Leader & 9 Grunts: 16
    Tharn Ravagers - Leader & 5 Grunts: 16
    - Tharn Ravager Chieftain - PC: 0
    Tharn Ravagers - Leader & 5 Grunts: 16
    - Tharn Ravager Chieftain - PC: 0

    (Not mine list but i like the idea) Blodtrackers with HoF make scary things

    ReplyDelete
  3. One without Theme :P

    (Una 2) Una the Skyhunter [+29]
    - Gorax Rager [7]
    - Loki [19]
    - Rotterhorn Griffon [7]
    - Scarsfell Griffon [8]
    - Scarsfell Griffon [8]
    - Scarsfell Griffon [8]
    - Scarsfell Griffon [8]
    - Woldwyrd [9]
    Wrong Eye [17]
    Sentry Stone & Mannikins [5]
    Sentry Stone & Mannikins [5]
    Shifting Stones [3]

    ReplyDelete