(Beware!) The Beast Within

[Deluge]

Greetings all

 

Firstly the idea of this thread is not to discuss the 1982 Horror title of the same name but rather gather some thought and opinions on my intended Marcus crew selection for an upcoming tournament in October. As far as I know the tournament is going to be fixed Master and as of now I do not know what Strategies and Schemes will be available in each round. I choose Marcus due to the large selection pool that he has available, however I want to limit myself to a grand total of 15 models to cut down on carrying space and also to give me time to get accustomed to using these models before the event starts. 

 

So here is what I am thinking of bringing so far

 

1. Marcus
2. Jackalope
3. Myranda
4. Cojo
5. Sabretooth Cerberus
6. Canine Remains
7. Canine Remains
8. Dawn Serpent
9. Hoarcat Pride
10. Razorspine Rattler
11. Moleman
12. Moleman
13. Silurid
14. Waldgeist
15. Waldgeist

 

Hopefully this gives me a variety of models that I have available to me (minus the Moleman and Silurid currently) that I can play with and grow accustomed to that will allow me to compete in a variety of strats and schemes

 

[Deluge]

I tend to create groupings of miniatures that I then select models form depending on the Strategy and Scheme of the Match Up, from these groups I then chose the relevant models for the crew list. The “Groupings” that I typically make are, Scheme Runners, Scheme Running Hunters, Area Control, Damage Dealers and Support/Buffers. So below are the groupings that I mentioned obviously the models can deal with a number of things but the below is where I see the obvious strengths of the miniatures.

 

Scheme Runners

For me this is the largest pool of the models in the above list and the most likely place that I would consider dropping miniatures from if I find something that I feel could add more to the pool in other areas. Initially I am thinking that I could probably drop a Moleman and/or a Canine Remains to have a Canine Remains/ Moleman or Moleman/ Silurid combination for Scheme Running.

·         Canine Remains (2)

·         Moleman (2)

·         Silurid

 

Scheme Runner Hunters

To be able to quickly and easily counter opponent Scheme Runners/ Flankers these models need to be able to move quickly and independently (less importance with Marcus Crews) as well as hit hard and be hard to pin down, they also pull a second duty in running schemes themselves if the need arises. I feel that this category is one that I may need to expand on.

·         Hoarcat Pride

·         Razorspine Rattler

 

Area Control

I have to be honest, most of my games tend to be a large scrum in the centre with Objective Runners off doing things on the flanks so I do like to have a strong resilient centre which will receive the majority of the buffs/support below I feel is a nice “core” to my list of 22 Soulstones with Upgrades

·         Cojo

·         Waldgeist (2)

 

Damage Dealers

These are models that I would include in my lists for pure offensive power and are most likely to enter the game through Myranda’s Shapechange once the buffs that she offers have been of use and I need to achieve something in later turns (obviously cannot Shapechange into the Dawn Serpent)

·         Dawn Serpent

·         Sabretooth Cerberus

 

Support

The Buffers and Utility pieces of the list

·         Marcus

·         Jackalope

·         Myranda

[Adran]

I don't think that would have been my 15 models.

 

I probbaly wouldn't take 2 canine remains. I could see 1, but not 2. I'd be tempted to replace 1 with a gupp.

the 2 molemen list can work well, and I'd say probably better than 1 moleman and a canine remains tag team. But they do team up well with a leaper.

 

I'm not a huge Cojo fan, he doesn't really seem to do much for me when I use him.

And I'm much less sold on Myranda. Then again if you are often in a huge scrum in the middle, those 2 fit your style much more.

 

I might consider a Shikome rather than the hoarcat pride.

[Deluge]

I don't think that would have been my 15 models.

 

I probbaly wouldn't take 2 canine remains. I could see 1, but not 2. I'd be tempted to replace 1 with a gupp.

the 2 molemen list can work well, and I'd say probably better than 1 moleman and a canine remains tag team. But they do team up well with a leaper.

 

I'm not a huge Cojo fan, he doesn't really seem to do much for me when I use him.

And I'm much less sold on Myranda. Then again if you are often in a huge scrum in the middle, those 2 fit your style much more.

 

I might consider a Shikome rather than the hoarcat pride.

Thanks for your insights, at the moment I have a question mark over one Canine Remains, Dawn Serpent and one of the Molemen. I have been looking into the Blessed of December and Shikome but have run up against an issue that they're unreleased Wave 2 plastics, so I need to either obtain the Metal Mini and ME2 Card (quite rare as far as I recall or expensive) or find a suitable proxy that I like and will be accepted by the TO. I have also been looking into obtaining a single Metal Gamin to help out Cojo but would need to find a single with a card (like the Silurid) 

[katadder]

if you can get a rogue necro those actually give the marcus crew some staying power and come in at the same as a dawn serpent iirc as well as being a heavy hitter.

[PraetorDragoon]

There is a suprising lack of Dawn Serpent in that list.

[Adran]

*looks at his 34 models he is bringing to a tournament*

*starting to believe he is overthinking things*

I second Rogue Necro as a hitter

Don't be silly. If I was taking Marcus to a fixed Master event, I'd be looking at about 150 models with me.

[Deluge]

There is a suprising lack of Dawn Serpent in that list.

Number 8 in the first post!

[dgraz]

Cojo is just meh. He is too fragile for what his job is.

 

Blessed is amaze-balls if you can find or build/proxy one.

 

Haven't use the Rogue much but the few times I have it did very well. Some nice ranged then pretty brutal in melee.

 

I love Myranda (with Imbued Energies). Especially when you need to drop a Cerberus on someone. I usually do this around turn 3....even a Slow Cerberus can do significant damage if you're holding on to a high Tome for it (and you may draw one with the four cards from Imbued if you're lucky).

[zFiend]

I love Myranda (with Imbued Energies). Especially when you need to drop a Cerberus on someone. I usually do this around turn 3....even a Slow Cerberus can do significant damage if you're holding on to a high Tome for it (and you may draw one with the four cards from Imbued if you're lucky).

 

We have been seeing this now being done on turn 1 with quite devastating effects.  

[Deluge]

Cojo is just meh. He is too fragile for what his job is.

 

I love Myranda (with Imbued Energies). Especially when you need to drop a Cerberus on someone. I usually do this around turn 3....even a Slow Cerberus can do significant damage if you're holding on to a high Tome for it (and you may draw one with the four cards from Imbued if you're lucky).

Cojo is in the list of models to take as an option to drop in with Myranda (with IE) for Rude Sign Language, Mark Territory and Pound Chest in the closing activations of the game if I am losing out on placement/scheme markers. A nice alternative to a Cerberus if I don't need to kill anything

[Deluge]

Apologies for the double post. Has anyone any experience of running Warboars, Piglets or The Sow with Marcus as they look like interesting inclusions?

[dgraz]

Apologies for the double post. Has anyone any experience of running Warboars, Piglets or The Sow with Marcus as they look like interesting inclusions?

Mostly too difficult to take pigs without a Hog Whisperer.....they did make him a merc, so you could take him, but it's usually too much effort. The Sow could work, just make sure she isn't too close to your crew when she dies.

 

I wouldn't mind running The Sow and a couple Rogue Necros with Marcus since they're Terrifying (ALL).....all Marcus needs to do is walk up and (1) Howl and watch the fun.

[decker_cky]

Cojo is fragile, but he's such a great tool in a lot of games. If there's a cliff worth throwing something off of, Cojo is your ape. If there's a lot of scheme markers around, Cojo is your ape. If you want to separate a key model from the pack and isolate it, Cojo is your ape. 

 

VOTE COJO!

 

I'd find a way to fit in 2 rogue necromancies, if only because they REALLY shake up what people have to react to for Marcus crews. 

 

I'd change scheme runners to 2 silurids, 1 canine and 1 moleman. I'd drop one of the hoarcats or rattlers (love 'em both, but they're lower priority in my experience). 

[madaxeman]

Guild hounds are cheaper than Canine remains, may take a (2) charge for (1) when the enemy  is near a scheme marker (ie often, based on where they get used..) and is significant when near a Guild hound or Canine remains anyway. Nice way to sneak in an extra point or two.

 

Cojo is almost my first Marcus pick (after Myranda) at the moment for all of the above positive reasons.

 

And you definately need more than one Metal Gamin in your life anyway - buy the box set and have all 3 and see enemy construct crews melt away in the face of 3 consecutive (0) attacks coming in at MI 8 with a 2 damage track that ignores armour and gives your minions a free 6" slide into a position where they can then go DF +1 themselves and give each of your Waldgeists DF6.

 

Mental Gamin more like