Cassandra and Mages?

[Je11yfishQueen]

I'm partisipating in a 30Ss henchmen led game this weekend, for a slow-grow league. I plan to run Cassandra for sure, but was wondering how well you guys think Oxfordian Mages would work with her? For reference the crew would look something like:

Cassandra 

-Smoke and Mirrors

- Warding Runes

Oxfordian Mage x3

-Doom, Blood, and Nemesis Ward

Performer

Mannequin

Any thoughts? 

[AoS]

I test the Oxfordians with all the Henchmans, and I can say I don't like them.

As models by itself they are not worth enough, the upgrades on them are good, at least the inmunity to conditions. The regeneration is worth with joss and firestarter. And the Df positive against the máster is usually like nothing.

My advice with Cassandra would be to play just one Oxfordian, to give her immunity to conditions.

If you play more performers maybe the regeneration one can be interesting.

[angyi]

I can't see the warding thing work well on fast moving models that get around the whole board, the range and LoS requirement would make it unreliable. Not the best investment of points.

On the other hand, this crew doesn't seem to be able to handle the most common problems you're about facing. Your 18SS worth of mages, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, get a Teddy in their face, and the rest of the game will be a formality.

[Jordon]

I think 2 mages are a good include. While the mages tend to fold in combat, don't forget the blood ward as he can use his (0) and then furious cast giving him effectively 4 attacks while engaged. Combine that with wind blast to disengage the enemy model allowing the other mages to do their business. Sometimes activation orders won't always be in your favour but it's something to keep in mind. 

[MetaphoricDragn]

You can take Essence of Power as a totem, does that provide any additional benefit to stacking mages/silent ones?

[Je11yfishQueen]

So I played the game with the three mages. I initially planned to drop at least one, maybe two for some coryphee but forgot the cards, so mages it had to be!  They did pretty okay, squishy but can deal out some damage when needed. I can see how the bonuses could be really good depending on who you're fighting. Overall while they may not be an auto-include they should still be considered depending on the situation. 

[rikowal]

I was the biggest advocate for the mages, but now I find myself taking less than 3.  Too many points for a set of models that either do great or nothing at all.

[decker_cky]

I think there's a good role for the blood mage, and either a second mage or a freikorps librarian supporting it. In most games, the draw of using three is a trap.

[Fog]

I definitely agree that one is good, two is okay, and three is a sink.  That many points on models that die to a stray severe is hard for me to justify, especially when they can meet their match in a terror tot or crooligan.  

Blood Ward, though, is absolutely insane.  Sometimes I'll drop Ironsides into the 'wrong' strategy if things like distract and cursed object are in the pool so I can force my opponent to play the way I want them to play.

[Clockwork Top Hat]

I want to love the mages. Really I do. But I've just not had that much success with them. Might try running them with just 1 or 2.

[asrian]

I've run the mages a few times now and think they are wonderful turrets. I typically only take two with the Regen & anti condition. First turn I move them up to position (turf war, squatters, extraction), and second turn on blast the crap out of things.

I've mainly used them with Mei Feng and Colette so far, but haven't been disappointed yet.

[Lewkas]

I've only had one game with them so far and I ran 3.  I have to say that I really can't see myself taking more than two again.  The only reason you would take two is to get the additional tome for triggers so you don't have to flip/cheat it in.  I really want to get some extra SS off their trigger but it hasn't happened for me yet.

[decker_cky]

A big consideration for the mages is what the rest of your crew looks like. Do you have two henchmen/Ironsides already? Then you get a lot more out of them because they benefit two models. Having a pair turn Cassandra and Joss up to 11 mages those two ridiculous headaches to deal with, but you're talking at least 32 soulstones, so they really need to fit into the strategy (I can see that being a good choice for Kaeris, Mei, Ramos or Colette in certain situations).