Shenlong crew dealing with armor

[Millertime]

I have recently started playing Shenlong and am enjoying it, but ran into an apparent bad match up tonight against an all construct Hoffman crew. Between their armor values and healing abilities I quickly determined combat wasn't an option. This is a player I will likely see a lot of locally so I wanted some help on what I can do. I am trying to avoid switching to a different master entirely for now if that's possible. 

What options exist for me to deal with armor? The only 10t model I know of that ignores armor is the Samurai but they might be an expensive answer, SS wise. The Peacekeeper was a particular problem with its ability to mass remove scheme markers. 

 I'm open to buying whatever I need as I'm planing on expanding this crew anyway. Currently I own the Shenlong box w/ sniper, 10t Brothers, Thunder archers, Izamu, and Tengu. 

Thanks for any thoughts and opinions! 

[katadder]

the lone swordsman can ignore it on a trigger cant he?

also kang can give you positives to attack and damage constructs and if take some rail workers with him and the hard worker upgrade then all foundry models (in this case kang and the rail workers) can discard a card to ignore armour

other options are to push stuff away you dont want to fight and generally do the scheme thing. tie up peacekeeper with a TT brother on defensive. apart from those listed armour will generally be a problem for shen long.

[Jokerboy]

Fast Swordsman with recalled training can kill things like a Peacekeeper very easily. The tomb trigger is awesome. And even the crow trigger means a plus flip on damage (recalled raining).

[Stark]

I recomend Taelor - her Good Lady is pretty well agains any constructs.

[chris_havoc]

Separating models from Hoffman's power loop range helps a lot and Shenlong has a lot of Pushes to accomplish that. Or with all his Defensive from Low River Style and Misdirection he can really keep the bunched up Hoffman all together and unable to do much while you run around completing objectives.

[tomjoad]

1 hour ago, chris_havoc said:

Separating models from Hoffman's power loop range helps a lot and Shenlong has a lot of Pushes to accomplish that. Or with all his Defensive from Low River Style and Misdirection he can really keep the bunched up Hoffman all together and unable to do much while you run around completing objectives.

This is the best plan, imo. If they're too hard too kill, just stop trying. Yin, Izamu, and Shenlong himself make great tarpits, allowing Yu and your Brothers to go score the points as needed.

[Millertime]

1 hour ago, chris_havoc said:

Separating models from Hoffman's power loop range helps a lot and Shenlong has a lot of Pushes to accomplish that. Or with all his Defensive from Low River Style and Misdirection he can really keep the bunched up Hoffman all together and unable to do much while you run around completing objectives.

Great idea, and probably the real answer to this problem. In this particular game the Strategy was Guard the Stash, really pushing it in favor of his crew being able to stand in the middle and score while denying me. 

 

[chris_havoc]

With Yu and Wandering River you can get Shenlong 10" up and Fast before he even activates. It should be enough to keep a crew that relies on staying close together to really struggle getting through his Defenses or leave his Ml Range. Take Focus and Defensive in his Activation and you should be golden. They might kill him but each Duel he wins with Low River ups his chances of hitting Misdirection and each time you hit Misdirection he is going to have a tough choice to make. All that and in your turn he can just heal up and start again. Not just reiterating my point, I'm saying that you can keep a crew like Hoffman's off objectives from Turn 1 with this tactic... doesn't work as well against other bubble masters like Pandora or Brewmaster because they hit Wp more than Df but the Hoff is all about hitting Df hard.

If that sounds like risking too much for your master, consider two Guild Pathfinders and two Clockwork Traps. They've served me really well against Hoffman in the past dishing out slow and hitting the ignore armour Trigger.

[Patzer]

Strongarm Suit! 

[Skitt_Happens]

I've not played against Hoffman, but I have a theory... requires perfect timing but at the right moment would devestate:

Wait until Hoffman has activated.

Use Chiaki to remove him from the power loop

Go to town on a defense 3 master.

Anyone tried that route?

[Gnomezilla]

Wouldn't quite work as advertised, it's the defense trigger which passes the armor back to Hoffman, and I am finding that is what's keeping him alive more than his defense score. Now all those pushes further up the thread would make my construct bubble (and the short range on said defense trigger) rather unhappy.

[Skitt_Happens]

If that's the only problem, then take away his defensive trigger. Sensei Yu can do it. Or engage with Izamu and attack Izamu with blast weapons: thunder archers, pathfinder, Yamaziko, Lazarus... Izamu gets armour, Hoffman doesn't. If Yu makes Yamaziko fast, she can reliably put 9 damage on Hoffman without the opponent flipping a card. Izamu takes 3.