'Cheap' and alternative Tara beast bombs

[Manxfaux]

So a standard beast bomb with Tara might include the NB, Bishop, Killjoy, DE or other big glass cannon but, in my limited experience, I have never found that they make back their points enough to be truly effective. As it's usually at the end of the turn it only takes a couple of bad cards and your prime beater is left exposed and ready to be destroyed next turn.

I was wondering if anyone had gotten any mileage out of using a much cheaper 'bomb' that has damage potential but is not as much of a drain on the crew as one of the big guys? I've identified models such as the bloodwretch, Torakage and even Johan. Any other options people have used would be much appreciated.

-The bloodwretch is cheap, fast and, given fast, has a really good damage track with card draw, but with only 5 wounds will fold like a cheap suit.

-The torakage is a bit more expensive but has its built in focus, so still a reasonable damage track (trying to ignore the 1 weak) with some useful triggers if you're top decking it by that point. Added to this, if they fail to kill it quickly next turn you can run it off into their backfield allowing for all sorts of scheme running/bluffing, potentially forcing them to divert a strong model away from the front line to try to hunt it down.

-Johan, while cheap, is slow so will require you're opponent to really fail to spot it coming (the NB is also similarly slow stat wise but incorporeal, a bigger base size and casting expert make it viable). He does hit like a truck though and will likely soak up a fair few AP the following turn while they get rid of him (at which point he still drops a scheme marker).

Which leads me on the 'tank' bomb (or the distraction carnifex), designed to make your opponent spend the majority of the turn (and hopefully some of the next) killing off. Right off the bat I'm thinking the Strongarm and Lazarus, purely due to armour +2, but these are 10SS models again which makes them a big investment and any armour ignoring will hurt. At the cheaper end is Johan again, then things like abominations, void wretches and the effigy, but I'm not sure the AP and SS used to deliver the small roadblocks would actually have a net payoff.

I like playing Tara partly because she is not the master to play if you want to wipe your opponents' crew, and coming from games like Warhammer where that is the point has been an interesting and refreshing experience, but I do think she is one of the best at exploiting that mentality in gamers. Lob one of your models into the middle of your opponents crew by the end of turn 1 and all but the very most disciplined will try to kill it. All the while, the rest of your crew can go off and score VP, job done.

Really I'm just interested in other peoples' experiences if they have used any of these kind of models in Tara related shenanigans. I don't have the opportunity to play more than once or twice (if I'm lucky) a month so tweaking lists and trying out new things is a long and frustrating process at the moment, most of it done on paper - which always looks awesome!

ps - As I'm sure many a player with an interest in Tara does, I keep an eye on Spiralingcadaver's tactica, it's a great resource and I imagine I will branch out into the more aggressive bury lists at some point (once I don't suck at the more simple stuff). I'm highly interested in your (and everyone else's for that matter) opinion on Tara's use for the emissary, but that might be better in another topic

[Drool_bucket]

So I don't use the traditional "bomb" of a heavy melee hitters with Tara, instead I use the great ranged attackers the Faction has access too.  Tara can minimize the weakness of many of them, low Wk, and drop them into position to maximize their damage output.  I don't like the Melee Bombs because you have to get Tara too close for (my) comfort.

My favorite is Sue, though because of his Sh 5 stat he can have trouble going after higher Df targets.  That's why I usually bring two, the other with the higher stat, often a Specialist or Convict Gunslinger.

I usually have more tools for Tara to take advantage of anyways, I do like Johan and a Librarian as well.  So you end up with a crew that can take the best "match up" Bomb and then over the turns Tara can bring the others up field as well.

The only expensive Bomb I would select would be the SAS.  Because it does have a Sh 7 attack against Wp which is a nice option, and giving it fast is just amazing.

Another interesting options is Dr. Grimwell from the Guild Starter.  With Nimble he can move into position and with Fast/Focus (from either Glimpse and/or I Pay Better) he can hit enemies with that ridiculous Ml 7 lobotomy!  (4/6/10?)

[lusciousmccabe]

I like the idea of dropping Lazarus where you want to bombard the enemy crew, but I think if you want a big distraction then the Strongarm is better. If you don't get the initiative after dropping Lazarus (or kill everything in range before that) then chances are something will just come up to engage him, forcing you to stick him back in a box or rely on his subpar melee. The Strongarm on the other hand is nasty in melee and can charge straight out so forces your opponent to find a more permanent solution.

[EnternalVoid]

One of my favorite things to take in a Tara list is Convict Gunslingers and Sue for their long range potential just like Drool Bucket's post.  Having a Convict Gunslinger that can throw out 4 attacks with Rapid Fire can really wear a target down.  I also like having a Desperate Merc to take point and get the 1 point of damage and Fast to let him get the positive to hit and use his special action to get the two low Sh attacks.  Being able to throw 6 attacks, between two targets, even with a low Sh but a positive to the flip often draws at least one card from my opponent's hand and more often then not generates a little damage. 

I also remember one opponent at a tournament that had two trappers and I Pay Better so they could both take two Focus shots during their activations and lay down some pretty heavy fire.

[Khyodee]

I've played several versions of Tara Bombs. If you want cheap, expendable, but good damage then Johan is the way to go. Otherwise you have Scion, Taelor, Grimwell, Bishop, Strongarm, and Killjoy as decent options. If you want to go range then take Envy period. Nobody else packs that much damage at range.

I think the main problem is how people beast bomb and when they do. Throwing the model into the middle of the enemy crew will get it killed unless you scion bomb or just get lucky. You need to use it to move something slow like Johan to a good charging spot to pick something off (read something not in the middle of the enemy crew). If you want to Tarpit bomb you need to get Karina's summoning online to make drowned. 

[daniello_s]

4 hours ago, Khyodee said:

I've played several versions of Tara Bombs. If you want cheap, expendable, but good damage then Johan is the way to go. Otherwise you have Scion, Taelor, Grimwell, Bishop, Strongarm, Killjoy, and Ashes&Dust as decent options. If you want to go range then take Envy period. Nobody else packs that much damage at range.

A&D can't be buried nor be given fast so I don't think he can count as Tara's Beast Bomb option.

[Khyodee]

Forgot he couldn't be buried as I've not used him much and not with Tara. He is still always a options as something to make fast each round with her, just can't re-position.

 

[apes-ma]

7 minutes ago, Khyodee said:

Forgot he couldn't be buried as I've not used him much and not with Tara. He is still always a options as something to make fast each round with her, just can't re-position.

 

It's immune to conditions! Even fast

[Pyrflamme]

It does get Swift, though, which is nice.

Also Manx, have you tried NB bombing in conjunction with Tara pulsing Fast EOT to tag your own crew and the bomb target, plus having The Price of Haste handy? Both players are likely to be low on cards by then, sure, but NB is getting ~4 attacks (charge, Casting Expert, Fast) and the -2 WP helps skew results further in your favor. Keep 1-2 high cards in reserve, and that plus the starting values should let you land 3 or 4 of the attacks.

[Manxfaux]

9 hours ago, Khyodee said:

I think the main problem is how people beast bomb and when they do.

I'm inclined to agree.

Most, if not all guides to Tara that I've seen advocate that first turn bomb and people (including me) get hung up on it.

I think getting good with Tara might be as much about when not to fling your crew about as much as when you should.

I like the idea of using Karina's summons as Tara's 'ammo'. Bit like the junk gun in Fallout - "What's in the void today?"

[Manxfaux]

1 hour ago, Pyrflamme said:

It does get Swift, though, which is nice.

Also Manx, have you tried NB bombing in conjunction with Tara pulsing Fast EOT to tag your own crew and the bomb target, plus having The Price of Haste handy? Both players are likely to be low on cards by then, sure, but NB is getting ~4 attacks (charge, Casting Expert, Fast) and the -2 WP helps skew results further in your favor. Keep 1-2 high cards in reserve, and that plus the starting values should let you land 3 or 4 of the attacks.

I think NB is cool, and when top decking after the fast pulse gives you the best chance of getting in hits, but you're still unlikely to get mod/sev damage. Bishop, for example costs the same, can also attack willpower and has better triggers, as well as not stinking in defense when you have a full hand. Plus getting Tara in that close to the enemy lines is kinda scary that early.

[Khyodee]

Best way to do what your saying is to not bomb them but yank them. Take Hannah and her upgrade to bury at range, then drop it out with Tara and pulse for fast (best if you also have -2wp aura) then use its turn to just walk away or something. It's a bit Goldbergy, but it can work.

[Manxfaux]

I tried a reverse bomb method that I like to call the "suck and squish" in a headhunters game (needs to work on the name, as when I announced Hannah was "attempting to use 'void record' to suck off your hanged" there were raised eyebrows).

I double focused the NB near Tara in the backfield, a fast Hannah got into position and used void record on a hanged, subsequently brought out by Tara who could then pulse fast to catch nearly all my crew and a hanged I was about to activate. The idea was to then attack the NB and do weak damage who with double focus could easily do max damage back on its retaliation strike. Easy head pickup turn 2. Repeat.

Tip: Remember to actually use the NB's (0) action to set this up. I forgot. Still killed it but made it a lot harder for myself.

The problem is keeping the linchpin (Hannah) alive once your opponent has seen it happen once.