Weekly Model Discussion - Iron Skeeter

[Cadaver_Junkie]

A long time ago in a 40K forum far far away, I maintained a unit tactical resource library.

Once per week an existing model/unit was chosen (often at random) and debated by the forum, with a reference list developed over time.
Much like PullMyFinger, this library also contained discussions and nuanced tactics provided by the forum, readily updated for new models and new interactions.
Great for new players to reference, wizened tacticians to double check interactions, and easier to search than the Forum's actual search function.

Would my fellow Bayou inhabitants like me to maintain a project for the Gremlins? There's so much I don't know about this faction, and I'd like your input!

If so, I'd like to start the conversation via the honourable Iron Skeeter

If you think this is a good idea, please respond below!

How do you play the Iron Skeeter? Do you play it? What kind of schemes/strats/masters/interactions? Do you love it or hate it?
Favourite plays? Pie in the sky ideas? Reliable uses or things to avoid? Constructive only please!

P.S Yes, I include a few extra "U's" in some words here and there...

[Cadaver_Junkie]

At the moment, I run two Gremlin masters, Brewmaster and Zipp.

So my tendency is to use Iron Skeeters as aura taxis; I'll pair an Iron Skeeter with models such as Fingers, Sparks or a Gremlin Crier. 

As such, I see these guys as force multipliers and schemers more than anything else.

The crier can sit back with the crew to make use of his card draw. The Iron Skeeter can activate second last in your crew; flying the Crier to shut down an important Strategy or Scheme when your opponent has little to no chance to react. You just ideally need to save a 6 of tomes or masks for the play, or even a ram if you need the 15" or 16" movement on that aura.

Giving Fingers fast and an extra 12" + 40mm base movement on turn one has a tendency to upset many enemy plans, depending on the scheme or strats. Fast, Reckless, Don't Mind Me and Chatty with a bonus 12" movement can win you Symbols of Authority that's for sure. And if your opponent sees it coming you can just scoot over to the other side of the board.

As for Sparks, you have all the options of messing around with: Hostile Work Environment, Accomplice & Wind 'em Up. I've also thought about doubling up on the Poorly Handled Explosives with Packed With Explosives for a double boom when you target a friendly. If you target a second Iron Skeeter, you also get the 2 burning condition for three sets of damage.

Although my favourite idea for Poorly Handled Explosives is handing out enemy scheme markers to permanently ruin the occasional scheme and strat.

Edited July 6, 2018 by Cadaver_Junkie
Update to actually use correct rules

[Wildcard626]

It never occurred to me to use them to get the crier to where he needs to be (doh) I'm such an idiot ☹️

[Cadaver_Junkie]

13 hours ago, Wildcard626 said:

It never occurred to me to use them to get the crier to where he needs to be (doh) I'm such an idiot ☹️

Hah! Well I guess that's why we should have these discussions.

[Platov]

On 7/5/2018 at 6:05 AM, Cadaver_Junkie said:

An effective trick with the Crier is to activate that model's aura first (e.g. Crier's Gremlin Bureaucracy is the Worst Bureaucracy ability).
The crier can then sit back with the crew to make use of his card draw and the Iron Skeeter can activate last; flying the Crier to shut down an important Strategy or Scheme when your opponent has little to no chance to react. You just ideally need to save a 6 of tomes or masks for the play, or even a ram if you need the 15" or 16" movement on that aura.

That is, actually, wrong. You can not do that. Crier cannot be moved, pushed or placed if you activate his aura. 

[Ludvig]

I don't play gremlins so can't cpntribute but this sounds like a great idea!

[Platov]

As for Iron Skeeter - there are some ways I use him.

Most obvious way - Franc slingshot. Late in turn 1\2, Skeeter transports Franc ~14" ahead, and gives him fast. Then, Franc with 4 AP charges opponent master\key model.

There is even specific list for that:

50 SS Gremlins Crew

Somer Teeth Jones + 4 Pool

- Family Tree (2)

Francois LaCroix (8)

Trixibelle (8)

Burt Jebsen (8)

- Dirty Cheater (1)

Iron Skeeter (6)

Iron Skeeter (6)

Banjonista (5)

Bayou Gremlin (3)

Bayou Gremlin (3)

It works wthis way:
Somer draws 9 cards(2 Survival of Fittest + 1 Banjonista) for killing and summoning new gremlins. You can kill 1 more, if you need more cards, but 9 + 2 for SS + 6 in initial hand is quite Ok.

Bayou Gremlins give you 5 chaff activations(2 initial Gremlins, +3 summoned.) Then you activate Banjonista(Pushing Gremlins 2" ahead). Then Trixie, to "lure" opponent models away.
 

In the end, we have this order of activations: 2 bayous, Somer, 3 more bayous, Banjonista, Trixie, 2 Skeeters, Franc+Burt.

You have 8 activations before you even start attacking. Then you fly Burt and Franc ahead. You have 12-18 cards in hand, so you will most certanly have needed tomes. Then you charge Franc and Burt, both with 4 AP, to the enemy lines. With good cards in hand, they can kill alot of models, if you choose wisely. But there should be at least 6" between them at the end of your turn.

Turn 2 starts, you take new cards +2 for SS use, you cheat initiative with Trixie, activate Burt, then Franc via companion. Both have Reckless and 3 AP to kill even more opponent models.

That combo can be devastating, if you do it rigt. And it's quite hard to counter. And, as you can see, Iron Skeeters are the reason, this combo exists.

As always, sorry for my broken English.

[Cadaver_Junkie]

1 hour ago, Platov said:

That is, actually, wrong. You can not do that. Crier cannot be moved, pushed or placed if you activate his aura. 

My god. Well, lucky I've only done that once, and I lost the game anyway. I'll just have to activate the Crier last.
Hmm, I think I activated the crier last anyway! I'll fix my post.

[Cadaver_Junkie]

15 hours ago, Platov said:

As for Iron Skeeter - there are some ways I use him.

Most obvious way - Franc slingshot. Late in turn 1\2, Skeeter transports Franc ~14" ahead, and gives him fast. Then, Franc with 4 AP charges opponent master\key model.

Well ok. That is quite brutal.

What would you look out for, that might make you avoid this list?

Additional: i’ll be taking Brewmaster and Zipp to a 3 game tournament in a couple of weeks, and I’ll try to run 2 Iron Skeeters in each list.  I’ll report back on how they fared.

 

[scottb]

On 7/6/2018 at 8:27 AM, Platov said:

Somer draws 9 cards(2 Survival of Fittest + 1 Banjonista) for killing and summoning new gremlins. You can kill 1 more, if you need more cards, but 9 + 2 for SS + 6 in initial hand is quite Ok.

Can someone explain how this works?

[Platov]

2 hours ago, scottb said:

Can someone explain how this works?

Sommer have the ability "Survival of fittest", which let's you draw 2 cards if gremlin in 6" is killed. 

Banjonista have the ability "Bayou Blues", which let's you draw 1 cars if gremlin in 3" is killed. 

Bayou Gremlin activates with reckless, and stays near Sommer and Banjonista. 

Sommer activates, does "do it like this" for masks, and "git yer bro"es 3 times, killing gremlin, and summoning new one. Drawing 3 cards, each time gremlin is killed.

There you go, 9 cards. 

Also, you sycle 2 cards for SS at the beginning of the turn. 

That's it. 

[Fawoosh]

My favorite way to blow up Ressers; Pere Ravage tactical cruise missile.

Give the Iron Skeeter the Poorly Handled Explosives. Fly up the board in 1-2 turns. Throw the hot potato onto Pere, have him Reckless and get in there and do Pere Ravage things. He will most assuredly blow himself up, doing a lot of damage in the process.

[PirateCaptain]

Iron Skeeters are alright, carrying franc is good, carrying pere is good, carrying anything to vantage point is good, if your area uses vantage point they're great for going on top of buildings and being annoying that way.  If your opponent doesn't have flight they can fly up and scheme on rooftops which is hilariously fun

[Cadaver_Junkie]

6 hours ago, PirateCaptain said:

Iron Skeeters are alright, carrying franc is good, carrying pere is good, carrying anything to vantage point is good, if your area uses vantage point they're great for going on top of buildings and being annoying that way.  If your opponent doesn't have flight they can fly up and scheme on rooftops which is hilariously fun

Agreed!

The versatility of these models isn't really shown purely by their card stats.

I'd almost consider one of these to be an auto take when I see a table with flying accessible areas.

[wobbly_goggy]

Question - how do you stop them getting smashed? They're not strong and go down to a couple of OK attacks in my experience.

I've had a bit of success with the obvios franc /fingers shenanigans but if a half decent opponent sees what you'll do, Mr skeeter is blown up or moved out of position easily. ... (in my experience)

I try hiding them but thein movement isn't so amazing that I've found I can  afford to waste movement going behind the best cover available (their smoke helps but there's that risk of extra wounds...and with my luck. ..) 

[Cadaver_Junkie]

10 hours ago, wobbly_goggy said:

Question - how do you stop them getting smashed? They're not strong and go down to a couple of OK attacks in my experience.

I've had a bit of success with the obvios franc /fingers shenanigans but if a half decent opponent sees what you'll do, Mr skeeter is blown up or moved out of position easily. ... (in my experience)

I try hiding them but thein movement isn't so amazing that I've found I can  afford to waste movement going behind the best cover available (their smoke helps but there's that risk of extra wounds...and with my luck. ..) 

I typically give my opponent bigger things to worry about. Distract by making the Iron Skeeter a low level concern. That, or hide it.

I mean, they could go after my Iron Skeeter(s), OR they could try and take down Fingers who is now in their back line destroying all their Symbols of Authority, whilst a Whiskey Golem or Zipp is smashing face on the other side of the map.

True though, they ARE squishy. Which can be useful, sometimes, with their explodi-ness.