Graves and Tannen trick

[Bodiless]

Graves and Tannen are two of my favorite models, thematically, although I find that I struggle to use them effectively. Tannen in particular tends to die to a stiff breeze. His only real defense is Manipulative and his anti-cheating aura, which tends to mean that as soon as he activates and drops Manipulative he dies. But between Chatty and Cooler he is a model that I feel like if I can get him to work properly is capable of swinging a game on his own.

 

It was recently pointed out to me that the trigger on Graves's fencepost attack that resets Tannen's Manipulative ability, "Your Fight is With Me", doesn't need to wait until Tannen has activated to use it. So if you can attack something with Graves early in the turn you can activate Tannen whenever you want without worrying about losing Manipulative. And looking at the cards again this morning, I noticed that the trigger does not specify enemy models. Thus the following sequence:

 

Graves activates within melee range of an Illuminated (or Waldgeist or other durable model). He targets them with "Show You the Door" and cheats in a ram to get the Fence Post attack. Graves and target get pushed 6" up the board, then Graves hits the target to trigger the reset on Manipulative. If the target is an Illuminated and it will take 2 damage (minimum of 3 - armor), which it will heal and regenerate when it activates. Graves still has an AP left, the Illuminated is 6" up the board, and Tannen now has non-expiring Manipulative. 

 

Thoughts? Interactions I missed that would cut this off? It's hardly a game breaking combination, but I had fun working it out and it does help to solve a problem I tend to have with these two models. Once you have Graves up the board he can just attack an enemy model directly, but for an early turn I think this would be useful.

[Ikvar]

I have only played with Tannen one time, so this is not as much a trick, but just in regards to your comment that Tannen dies easily- dont ever take him against a crew with lots of shooting! ^^

 

I had Tannen in my last game against a gremlin Gunline, he was not able to do anything what so ever, I might aswell have given myself a handicap of minus 6SS in the beginning of the game ^^

[Bodiless]

I think that if a crew has a lot of shooting a Doppelganger with Useless Duplications could really help keep him alive. If you keep him within 2" of a durable target, something like an Illuminated or Teddy, then the shooter first has to randomize onto him, then beat his Manipulative. If they randomize onto a terrifying they also run the risk of failing the horror duel, and I think for a lot of people you will start to reach a point where they question whether or not this is really worth the effort. 

[Myyrä]

I think that if a crew has a lot of shooting a Doppelganger with Useless Duplications could really help keep him alive.

Tannen and Graves are both Mimics too so one of them can take the upgrade just as easily. That upgrade should be taken every time you bring a mimic in Neverborn or Guild crew.

[MasterDisaster]

Huh.... never spotted that before. I use Graves and Tannen a lot when I'm playing Lynch. I'll have to bear this in mind so I can keep the pesky little bugger alive longer. Great catch, thanks!  

 

Also the mental imagery of Graves beating one of his junkie pals with his fence post just to help out Tannen is pretty funny! 

[lusciousmccabe]

Tannen and Graves are both Mimics too so one of them can take the upgrade just as easily. That upgrade should be taken every time you bring a mimic in Neverborn or Guild crew.

 

I particularly like it on Graves since his height help drawing line of sight and he's kind of a bodyguard anyway. It does make him an even higher priority target though, which can be an issue.

 

I think the upgrade is a bit redundant if your only mimics are Lucius and Lawyers but for all the others the defensive bump is pretty much always going to be worth the cost.

[Myyrä]

I think the upgrade is a bit redundant if your only mimics are Lucius and Lawyers but for all the others the defensive bump is pretty much always going to be worth the cost.

This is correct. I may have gone a bit overboard with "every time".

[SpiralngCadavr]

Yeah, probably not necessary with Highest Authority, but if you're getting more than one mimic without it, it's hard to pass up.

[Vorschlag]

Mimics blessing on anything with manipulative.

I'm yet to pick up Graves, he's been off the table for at least 6 months for me, Tannen however regularly appears in my Pandora and Lucius Crews and pulls his weight very nicely, I've even considered having him go for a stroll with Zoraida but the two are yet to come to terms.

[4thstringer]

I find tannen to be most useful using Graves and/or other big models (like teddys) as line of sight blockers, to protect him from charges.  He is great for keeping in a place that, if he is charged and killed, that model will no long be in the place to do the interact they wanted to do anyways. 

 

That being said, I don't play against many shooty crews (I am the shooty one usually as I play guild too).  Besides the freidcorp trapper,, I rarely face guns that I have to worry about.

[Vorschlag]

The problem with Line of sight blockers is that they also block your auras and pulses.