Anti Ironsides help?

[wurtz]

Hello Wyrd brains trust.

Im relatively new to the system, with NB Dreamer and Collodi with masters.

Played a game Collodi vs Ironsides and just got obliterated. It was Squatters rights with distract and out flank, but we didn't get that far as Ironsides just got in the centre of my crew and wrecked Vasilisa, Widow Weaver and 2 Wicked Dolls by turn 3. I got her down to 1 WD but ran out of AP to finish the job and she bounced back.

The captains relic hammer corrected some stitched, the other was unlucky and that was game with Collodi ghosting around by himself versus the whole crew minus mouse.

The Oxfordian mages with the runes that remove printed suits from Ca actions really locked me down. Hand picked men being blooded by the electric creation for [+] flips was also nasty.

 We've since realised we had played a few things wrong (using her place ability to drop her in the middle of enemy rather than specific base to base) so I'm sure there were other mistakes that made it a bit OP (but we are learning).

Any advice beyond the obvious 'don't bunch up'? Crew ideas? I'll be seeing her fairly regularly from now on...

 

thanks

[Nical]

I think she is not one of scariest master.

Simply, her crew's vulnerable point is Ironsides herself. She usually go to front line, but her combat mechanism is depend on Adrenaline condition. So Mysterious Emissary (condition removal) is useful against her. Hans may be good counter against her crew, because his "Smile, you son of a..." can be used to remove important upgrades like Warding Rune. And some good melee models like teddy may be useful solutions to Ironsides. 

Captain is annoying, but his hammer become less powerful against non-construct models. And Waldgeist / Mysterious Emissary can deny his mobile ability / Action, Hans can remove upgrade from him.

And don't care about Counterspell, just use Wp attacks to deal damages to them and/or attack non-counterspell models. I recommend to kill the Oxfordian Mage with Blood Ward first, because his Blood Ward prevent models with Warding Rune from your condition denials. And Blood Ward buff is , so you can block LoS to remove Blood War buff.

M&SU Models (Specially Gunsmiths) with hand-picked men are dangerous, but you may deny or kill them. Important thing is that if you want to attack gunsmiths, you must target activated gunsmiths or you must kill them certainly. If you can't, they may get Fast.     

Additionally, I think your crew and schemes may not be good. Wicked dolls are too fragile. So If you don't think about poison tactic with performer, they are not good choices. Outflank is one of hardest scheme to get 3 VP and Blood Ward can prevent models with Warding Rune from condition for Distract. 

 

P.S : Wrecked Basilisa / Widow Weaver / Wicked Dolls x 2 means Ironsides could deal 24 wounds in a turn? If she did, I wonder how could she do it. 

[PharaonXIII]

I've played against Ironsides with Lynch.

There were some luck flips involved (Like Ironsides failed Illuminated's Terrifying 10 duel, flipping Black Joker), but even without them it was pretty easy.

Mages are fragile, and if you get rid of them ( or at least of one of them, who has this annoying "no conditions" upgrade) it helps you a lot.

After all, we do hit harder than these arcanists.

 

[Adran]

As you say, crowding up is bad when facing Ironsides. 

I've found the oxfordian mages to be fairly fragile, so if one of their wards is causing you trouble, the easiest thing is normally to take out that mage. 

Avoid Hand picked men by not spreading your attacks. Pick 1 target and attack it until dead. Try not to let it do much when it is wounded. 

[wurtz]

Thanks for the replies. I believe it was Vasilisa and Dolls dead turn 2, Weaver turn 3. Left with Collodi turn 4. Little embellished in my recollection.

LOS for wards would have changed a lot, blood Mage was the other side of a hill. I'll look into Hans. More gaming time required...

[Kadeton]

Collodi might well be Ironsides' most favoured matchup of all the Masters in the game. A crew full of little guys that like to bunch up together and make lots of weak attacks is pretty much her idea of heaven.

That said, there are probably a lot of things you can do to make it easier on yourself. Taking the Threads of Fate and Fated upgrades allows you to create a 6" pulse that gives Armor +1 to Collodi and all your Minions and Puppets, for example - this will make all your little guys far more durable.

Perhaps the best thing you've got going for you in this matchup is Collodi's Idle Hands and My Bidding triggers on Pull the Strings. These can make Ironsides' Hand-Picked Men aura work in your favour for a change - when you steal an AP from an enemy, they still benefit from that ability if Ironsides is nearby. Of course that means the main thing you'll want to do, as top priority, is remove the Mage that's giving out immunity to Conditions for henchmen and Ironsides.

I wouldn't bother with Hans (upgrade removal is pretty inefficient). As they become available, I'd definitely look at getting the various Effigies.

I'm surprised that the Captain versus multiple Stitched went badly for you, to be honest. Must have been some unlucky flips on your part. Using Gamble Your Life repeatedly on Ironsides is a really easy method of killing her quickly, by the way.

Based on the similarity of your experience to the one I heard about at the club on Tuesday, are you based in Perth? I'm happy to run through some tactics with you on a game night at Outpost.

[Joel]

Collodi uses collodi takes strum threadsand fated upgrades, activates turn 1 and goes fast. 

1st AP focus, passes out to all

2nd AP, my will a trapper to shoot Ironsides (+++attack flip, +damage)

3rd AP, my will trapper to focus

4th AP, another my will trapper shot as above

accomplice the trapper 

trapper 1st AP, focus

trapper 2nd AP, shoot again

so much for an Ironsides problem ?

[wurtz]

Collodi might well be Ironsides' most favoured matchup of all the Masters in the game. A crew full of little guys that like to bunch up together and make lots of weak attacks is pretty much her idea of heaven

...

Based on the similarity of your experience to the one I heard about at the club on Tuesday, are you based in Perth? I'm happy to run through some tactics with you on a game night at Outpost.

Yes indeed, second game with Collodi (you watched the Ramos game the week before?) so new all round. Tactics and practice are required, reading the tactica and memorising synergies is a fair bit to take on with the new crew! I'll PM you. 

[admiralvorkraft]

I'm just glad to see someone struggling against Ironsides for a change.

[Sybaris]

I know for sure i would be in deep trouble with my nephilim list(s) vs Ironsides. She can tear through any of them in no time. I assume the lilitu would be useful to drag models out of position but vs Ironsides herself, i'm honestly at a loss at what to do. Thankfully we don't have the model so i won't face her anytime soon.

Imho, her model should have been much more massive to show a bit of an hint to that power.

Edited November 17, 2015 by Sybaris