C. Hoffman, picking up for first time

[Hagisman]

Its been a few months since the last Hoffman get started topic was posted. I have used the Hoffman box components a lot. Hunters, Guardian, and Watcher have become staples in my lists. I've only ever run Hoffman once and I was not impressed.

This is what I have so far:

• Lady J Box
• Perdita Box
• Sonnia Box
• McMourning Box
• Lucius Box
• Hoffman Box
• McCabe Box
• Ramos Box
• Xroad7 box
• Starter Kit
• Metal Gamin
• Ryle
• Austringers
• Executioner
• Exorcist
• Riflemen
• Ronin
• Hans
• Peacekeeper(On the way)

Here are some questions I have:

• What strategies does Hoffman excel at?
• What strategies will he have trouble with?
• What schemes does Hoffman excel at?
• What schemes does he not like his opponent to take?
• What factions/masters should I worry about?
• What non-construct based models work with his crew?
• Anything I need to know about Hoffman that isn't readily apparent?

I've had Hoffman since his release and haven't even painted him yet. Any advice would be appreciated. Also the reason I'm running him is because my group has been down on him lately and I am sucker for an underdog.

[Ludvig]

Do you only have the one watcher from his box? I believe he should be played with at least double watchers for most schemes and strats. I'm in a position similar to yours, I've never put him on the table but I do love my watchers with any master.

[admiralvorkraft]

He's my go-to master for Stake a Claim or Reckoning.

Stake because he can make one model Nimble, give another the ability to drop Claim markers as a (1) action, and tag along with a friendly model to drop one himself.

Reckoning (and other kill strats, specifically Headhunter) I like because he makes already good models even better, brings a crazy amount of healing to the board, and has a solid attack of his own.

He does suffer from a number of bad match-ups, so I won't bring him against Ressers or Outcasts. Belles destroy him, as do crews with a lot of armor ignoring models. Kirai, the Viks, Levi (especially Pariah of Bone Levi), Spirit Molly, even Von Schill can be really nasty. Outside of Ressers or Outcasts I really only worry about Ramos and McCabe (with the Saber). I wouldn't play Hoffman into Reconnoiter or Interference if you paid me (well, how much...) so I haven't run into Ramos much.

I usually run him with a Metal Gamin, Guardian, and at least one big nasty (Ryle/Peacekeeper/Langston). Then it's season to taste based on schemes.

[trikk]

I think since he already uses a bubble the Sanctioned Spellcaster could be nice. The whole HoffBall in SIngularity will make a lot of Belles cry

[admiralvorkraft]

That's not a bad idea, and there are plenty of Ht 3 large bases to hide her behind... Still it would make Hoffman's already tight positioning game even more claustrophobic and I don't know if that's a great thing. Worth trying for sure.

[trikk]

I think Charles Hoffman is very good in Turf War and with proper setup can rock at Reckoning (Rail Golem, Howard, Peacekeeper and you have 3 homing missiles )

[Hagisman]

Is Johan a good purchase for Hoffman crews?

[trikk]

Depends on how much Arcanist Assets do you use. If you have 3-4 M&SU Constructs then he might be worth it. With one or pure Guild he`s a waste of SS

[Ludvig]

He mostly heals M&SU and Hoffman shouldn't have much trouble with that anyway. He does ok damage but Hoffman probably isn't hurting for that either.

[Hunt.er]

The Judge with his upgrate is a good piece for him, he can improve the possiblities of your constructs pretty well.

And the Soulstone Miner can do nice things in the back of opponents forces or play well placed "suckers", scoring 3 VPs for 6 SS.

Edited December 11, 2015 by Hunt.er

[Hagisman]

This is what I'm thinking of running as a baseline. Apparently Hoffman really likes expensive models.

 

Guild
50ss Crew

C. Hoffman -- 4ss
 +Arcanist Assets - 1ss
 +Field Mechanic - 2ss
 +On Site Assimiliation - 2ss

Brutal Emissary - 10ss
 +Conflux Of Amalgamation - 0ss

Howard Langston - 12ss

Hunter - 7ss

Hunter - 7ss

Watcher - 4ss

Watcher - 4ss

 

[Myyrä]

@Hagisman On site Assimilation is relatively useless if you don't have a good target to throw that slow on. Sure you could put in on a hunter, but that hunter would become more or less useless. Trade one hunter for metal gamin and mobile toolkit for example.

[Red Moon Head]

My usual Hoff "go to" crew is:

Hoff - Arc assets, field mech, OSA
Mech Attendant 
Guardian
Hunter
Mobile Toolkit
Peacekeeper
Ryle
Watcher

Mech attendant is there solely to leach fast from and he power loops himself. If Hoff can drain fast from him while he still has slow on him (before he activates to lose it you can get fast on hoff for free.
Usually spend the first turn getting nimble on the peackeeper or the Hunter, free interacts on the watcher and the rams upgrade on ryle early and loopoing in as much as I can. With fast and repeat triggers you can get 8 actions iirc from hoffman.

Hunter generally goes around taking care of flankers scheme runners, especially with nimble on it and it's free moves it's enough to handle the usual terror tot style flankers.

Peacekeeper with armour upgrade and looped with everyone gets pretty horrific just be wary of stuff that ignores armour as people have said. probably wouldnt use Hoff against Ressers (lures) or outcasts (viks/levi/tara).

Tbh I'd also likely drop ryle now in favour of Emissary. Same ss cost right? watcher dropping scheme markers for free and hunter having nimble on each flank means if you do get into trouble there's the opportunity to teleport a looped armour'd up peackeeper to help out or if they have a load of scheme markers, teleport him over there and get rid of them all.