Cygnar: The Storm Brigade

As I outlined in my last post, I'm working on my second faction. My primary list for my Cygnar army is a tier three eStryker list, The Charge of the Storm Brigade! Tonight starts a three parter looking at the list and my theory machine behind it.

Caster: Lord Commander Stryker
My affection for melee beatsticks continues. eStryker has one thing on his mind. Physical abuse. His spell list is limited consisting of only three spells I'm using regularly. The first is a ranged armor buff for all friendly models in Stryker's control area. It's not an upkeep, so 2 focus every turn to keep the buff up. The second is Positive Charge which gives yet another melee buff to a jack and warrior models within 3". Again, no upkeep so you're looking at a 3 focus expendiature every turn you want this up. I find it incredibly useful stacked on a stormclad who is being supported by the stormblades. The last of the three oft used spells for me is veolicty, which essentially gives Stryker an extra 6" of movement for three focus. All of my assasination victories have come from using this spell, charging, and laying the smack. Stryker's other two spells are a damage spell (which I have never cast) and Rebuke which can stop units from making special attacks and charging. I can see rebuke being powerful with an arcnode, but I don't run one in this list so it doesn't find a lot of use.

Stryker's other powers are even more useful. He has reach, and is able to disrupt warjacks and also has a great ranged attack. Stryker can overcharge his armor granting him up to a 3d6 bonus to strength the down side is that he has to take as many dice as he rolls for the bonus in damage. This overcharge carries a lot of risk, but if all goes well, it's a garunteed caster kill in melee. Stryker also has a warjack bond that goes to any non-character warjack letting it re-roll the first melee attack each round. It sucks that this can't sit on Ol' Rowdy, but the Stormclad sure does like it.

In my army, Stryker always takes the squire. For anyone who hasn't seen this R2 D2 wannabe on the table, he lets your warcaster extend their control area by 2" as well as pull an extra focus 3 times a game and reroll a magic attack. For two points, the extended control and the extra focus for the assasination run are well worth it. If the squire is always behind Stryker, Stryker is always behind his favorite jack, Ol' Rowdy. More about him next time when I talk about jacks.

Back from the Dead!

Wow it's been over a month since I last posted anything. Let's attempt to catch everyone up on the state of ol' D-9:
THINGS I'VE LEARNED SINCE LAST I POSTED
1: bike season and going back to work cramp hobby style: I've logged over 3000 miles on the bike this year and completed the hardest ride of my life, but I have been weary after all the training which has kept me away from my models.
2: having a fully painted Cryx army makes it hard to paint more Cryx: I'm very happy with my 2 35 point lists and even though I have plenty more Cryx models sitting in my army bag, my motivation to add painted servants of Toruk to the stable is nil.
3: World of Warcraft raiding eats into hobby time: if you have the addiction, you know what I mean. Damn Lich King...
4: Hordes is "teh sux": I own a Circle army. I read the rules, I've played a few games. I don't like it. I don't know what it is, but the Hordes mechanic is not as much fun for me as the Warmachine (fury vs. focus) so my Circle is sitting for the time being. I got a few models painted, but for the foreseeable future, the angry druids are gonna be raging on the shelf.
5: A second Warmachine army was just what the Dr. ordered: As the pics above illustrate, I started a second faction. The forces of the Swan are keeping Skarre and the girls company these days. As with my Cryx army, I'm going with two 35 points lists, one based on pStryker and one based on eStryker. More about the new armies and such this weekend.
6: Painting your buddies' models is good for the creative side of your brain: I painted Amon ad Raza for a friend as well as a Castigator. Both turned out pretty good and it was a nice break. I'm currently working on a unit of Shayeel Battlemages for Joey Baltimore in return for some of his old Cygnar models to add to my collection.

Well it's good to be "back." If anyone is still reading this, please chime in.

be well,
D9