Playing against Pigapult

[Erik1978]

So I've encountered Pigapult a handful of times now and it's probably my least favorite model/mechanic in Malifaux.

Everyone has tricks but 99% of tricks can be countered by staying out of LoS or out of range or quickly attacking that beatstick, shooting that model that excels in close combat etc. Always something you can do.

But the Pigapult has a 24" range shot, doesn't need LoS AND ignores cover. It usually shoots 3-4 times every turn and it (usually) comes with a handful of stuffed piglets to make sure you out-activate other crews on top of getting a more efficient shot.

The ability to launch models 24" away is also solid gold for certain schemes.

So how do you handle this boring point and click model? You usually can't see it since it's behind a block, way back in the corner, and it doesn't take a tactical genius to get good use out of it, which it why it bothers me a lot. With all the new errata I can't see why they didn't remove the "ignores LoS" just to make it a bit less no brainer.

[Tris]

You are actually in the wrong sub forum for a question like this

 

Try it in one of the faction forums here:

http://themostexcellentandawesomeforumever-wyrd.com/forum/132-faction-discussion/

 

-> maybe take your faction and ask how people handle the pigapult, or head to the Gremlin forum and ask them for the Pigapults weaknesses and how to beat it.

[DXXXVIII]

Me playing Outcast:
Hans + Scout the field can remove the pigapult turn 1.

Tara (Sh-Immune) + Strongarm Suit can remove the pigapult turn 1.

[Erik1978]

Thanks both.

Hans can't see through a solid building, or am I remembering wrong? Standard deployment means there will be more than 20" from me to the hidden pigapult so the turn 1 can be challenging, plus there might be some Gremlins between me and it.

[mythicFOX]

<modhat>

Moved as not a rules question.

</modhat>

[Bengt]

1 hour ago, Erik1978 said:

Thanks both.

Hans can't see through a solid building, or am I remembering wrong? Standard deployment means there will be more than 20" from me to the hidden pigapult so the turn 1 can be challenging, plus there might be some Gremlins between me and it.

Hans focuses (increasing his range to 36"), discards a  with Field Guide to ignore armour, discards Scout the Field to ignore LoS.

[MrDeathTrout]

I only played against the 'pault once or twice and I don't know if I'd say it was a good tactic, but I charged it with Misaki.  I knew she wouldn't kill it with all that armor, but its so easy to hit with her Ml 7 Thunder attack I had no problem getting blasts to kill all the "ammo" he had nearby.

 

[wizuriel]

Unless the pult has sparks it shouldn't be shooting 4 times a turn (or some other way to get fast).

Also keep in mind if they are using stuffed pigs as ammo the pigapult suffers -1 to SH and can't cheat damage. If you can go for the ammo that tends to really neuter the pult (and all those blasts will also do some damage to it). Engaging it also stops it from shooting and not much it can do to get out of engagement. 

[Eorek]

4 minutes ago, wizuriel said:

Unless the pult has sparks it shouldn't be shooting 4 times a turn (or some other way to get fast).

Also keep in mind if they are using stuffed pigs as ammo the pigapult suffers -1 to SH and can't cheat damage. If you can go for the ammo that tends to really neuter the pult (and all those blasts will also do some damage to it). Engaging it also stops it from shooting and not much it can do to get out of engagement. 

I second this, Go for the ammo or engage it. Killing it outright might be the wrong approach. if you lock it down it's a 14p investment or so not doing super much. 

[Dogmantra]

If you play Arcanists, a Soulstone Miner is a nasty counter to a shooty pigapult (not so much what I consider the better use, a summoned piglet/bayou gremlin delivery system because the rest of the crew is normally close enough to support it) since they ignore armour and can unbury near it after the rest of the crew has moved away. You can kill the pigapult in a single charge provided you don't get two weaks (and at Ml6 to the Pigapults Df1 you probably won't), and then I guess just mine soulstones?

You can do a lesser version with other models too, anything quick or with From the Shadows can engage it quickly (without the benefit that they're totally safe on the approach). If you don't want to Soulstone Miner it up, you can use Raptors to just engage it. McCabe can probably kill it with a reactivating sworddog too, although probably at the cost of his sword.

[brdparker]

Simplest answer I've found in most of the crews I run (arcanist and Zoraida) are malifaux raptors. I consider at least one an auto against gremlins. Though to be honest I find a use for one against any crew; I've just seen it really shine against the 'pult.

[Macumazahn]

I don't know how you people manage to engage or even attack the pigapult before being torn to shreds by it's shoting specialy against Ulix, or maybe Somer too, crews. (Excluding the example of the malifaux raptors, but those fall really easy and you probably are outactivated)

I used to take rooster riders with Mah and go nuts, but that doesn't work anymore. Somer's skeeters can do the job though.

In any case I consider the pigapult an extremely broken and unfunny model; both to use, and to play against.

[Saduhem]

33 minutes ago, Macumazahn said:

I don't know how you people manage to engage or even attack the pigapult before being torn to shreds by it's shoting specialy against Ulix, or maybe Somer too, crews. (Excluding the example of the malifaux raptors, but those fall really easy and you probably are outactivated)

I used to take rooster riders with Mah and go nuts, but that doesn't work anymore. Somer's skeeters can do the job though.

In any case I consider the pigapult an extremely broken and unfunny model; both to use, and to play against.

I don't like the pigapult much either. So far, I either had some tool against it and it was useless against me, or I didn't, and I kept losing models until I engaged. Having the threat of Bete Noire popping up upon sacrificing something to the bacon load is nice. Datsue ba being fast-ish and ignoring armor helps too. Sebastian's under cover is fantastic, since it's not cover but flat out -flip. Charging it with Revan and Litany of the fallen also means it's gone bye bye pretty much immediately.

Not sure what other factions can do. That High willpower limits some options

[Dogmantra]

29 minutes ago, Saduhem said:

I don't like the pigapult much either. So far, I either had some tool against it and it was useless against me, or I didn't, and I kept losing models until I engaged. Having the threat of Bete Noire popping up upon sacrificing something to the bacon load is nice. Datsue ba being fast-ish and ignoring armor helps too. Sebastian's under cover is fantastic, since it's not cover but flat out -flip. Charging it with Revan and Litany of the fallen also means it's gone bye bye pretty much immediately.

Not sure what other factions can do. That High willpower limits some options

You missed the most frustrating Resurrectionist counter for me - Ikyrio. Obviously master specific but it's not like Kirai is bad against Gremlins at all.

[Erik1978]

Thanks guys.

I play Outcast and ressers (mostly), sounds like they have a few options.

 

Bete Noire is a cool trick, will probably try Hans next time and yell JUSTICE!!! if he gets it. 

[Bengt]

1 hour ago, Dogmantra said:

You missed the most frustrating Resurrectionist counter for me - Ikyrio. Obviously master specific but it's not like Kirai is bad against Gremlins at all.

Errata changed summoning from Abilities to require LoS, so Ikiryo is less likely to work now. Kind of funny that that change almost only affect Ikiryo vs Pigapult/Austringers...

[Tris]

3 minutes ago, Bengt said:

Errata changed summoning from Abilities to require LoS, so Ikiryo is less likely to work now. Kind of funny that that change almost only affect Ikiryo vs Pigapult/Austringers...

And Austringers got cuddled, so......?

[bertmac]

I walked Marcus up to it and turned it into a beast then got it to "defend me" against all the gremlin attacks!

[Dogmantra]

13 minutes ago, bertmac said:

I walked Marcus up to it and turned it into a beast then got it to "defend me" against all the gremlin attacks!

Would have been amazing if you'd managed to Alpha into it and make it sacrifice Gracie or Old Major

[Erik1978]

On 14/3/2017 at 8:06 AM, Bengt said:

Hans focuses (increasing his range to 36"), discards a  with Field Guide to ignore armour, discards Scout the Field to ignore LoS.

Just saw the boring-a-pult has 5 wounds. Which means if it's behind a wall and thus has hard cover you have very little chance of killing it in 1 shot. You need to hope it has no hard cover and you need a few 11+ cards in turn 1 to pull it off. Otherwise you just wound it and then in turn 2 you can't shoot it with Hans anymore. 

Or you need to have a high tome to be able to use both a 1-action and a 0-action on focus to shoot it with focus +2. Several if, buts and maybes. (Oh wait, that won't work, you can only give him 1 upgrade and he needs the scout the field... so back to hoping it has no hard cover.)

A soulstone miner with Leveticus maybe.

[Nikodemus]

He's a merc so you can Pay Better him.

[bertmac]

6 minutes ago, Dogmantra said:

Would have been amazing if you'd managed to Alpha into it and make it sacrifice Gracie or Old Major

took 3 walks to get there then melee expert to hit it and then it died first attack turn 2!

[bertmac]

I've seen levi get a desolation engine into it turn 1 and ruin the gremlin crew too!

[Erik1978]

Sounds like a rookie Gremlin player.

I wouldn't expect a desolation engine to last more than 1 turn against Gremlins.

[Bengt]

35 minutes ago, Erik1978 said:

Just saw the boring-a-pult has 5 wounds. Which means if it's behind a wall and thus has hard cover you have very little chance of killing it in 1 shot. You need to hope it has no hard cover and you need a few 11+ cards in turn 1 to pull it off. Otherwise you just wound it and then in turn 2 you can't shoot it with Hans anymore. 

It's Sh 6 vs Df 1, so you only need to win the flip by 1 to get get a cheatable damage flip with focus and hard cover. With I Pay Better for double focus you are pretty safe, there are still Jokers of course...