Heartfaux Write up - 1st of 20

[mythicFOX]

Last weekend I managed to take my Arcanists first at a local event charity event in aid of the British Heart Foundation, run by TO @balgor.   Really fun event, well run and with great opponents.

Thought I'd share the games a few thoughts on them.  Happy to answer questions, and really interested in feedback on the format;  Is this clear / useful?

 

Round 1 – Corner Idols

Vendetta, Claim Jump, Take Prisoner, Search the Ruins, Power Ritual.

My crew: Sandeep, Banasuva, Kandara, Fire Gamin x 2, Wind Gamin, Carlos Vasquez, Steam Arachnid Swarm (+Magical Training), and Soulstone Miner, cache 3.

Carl’s crew: Kirai, Ikiryo, Datsue Ba, Jaakuna Ubume, Lost Love, 2x Shikome (+ Grave Spirits Touch), 2x Seishin, cache 6.

Game overview: Banasuva tossed Wind Gamin and Swarm out right to the first marker (8” from the right corner) then followed on foot. Everyone else broke left to cover the left ready for the second marker. Swarm and Wind Gamin, backed up by a summoned Wind Gamin were able to tie up Ikiryo without killing her, keeping the marker on the enemy side and grabbing the first Power Ritual point. Summoned fire golem went toe to toe with Kirai’s summoned Goryos while Carlos did both Search the Ruins VP. Another summoned Wind Gamin took the second Idol on the left corner. Shikome managed one search VP against me and one Power Ritual point.

Event started late so a compressed round one ended turn three at 5-2 to me.  Over five turns the game would probably slightly favour me form this point.

Key moment: Swarm and Wind Gamin neutralising Ikiryo without killing it, so denying Kirai's ability to recycle it efficiently.  

Tactical Observations:  Not having MT on the miner is well worth it when you can leverage the other abilities on the upgrade as well.  Such as making the swarm less vulnerable.

 

Round 2 – Wedge Reckoning

Claim Jump, Hold Up Their Forces, Outflank, Harness the Ley Line, Detonate Charges.

My crew:  Kaeris (+Magical Training), Eternal Flame, Fire Golem, Amina Naidu, Iggy, Steam Arachnid Swarm (+Diesel Engine), Soulstone Miner (+Magical Training), cache 4.

Mike’s Crew: Nekima, Blood Hunter, Hooded Rider, 2x Mature Nephilim (+ Eldrich Magic), 2x Bloodwetch, cache 5.

Game overview:  My crew turtled in Iggy and Amina’s auras, while sniping out with Kaeris and forcing opponent to come to me inefficiently.  Very lucky on damage flips (hitting severe on at least four single negative flips, and an RJ on turn one with blasts attached).  This let me get up one point on reckoning, while scoring both outflank (denying his) and a detonate.  Also got to deny a point on Lay Line through my crew's scheme marker removal. Win 5-3.

Key Moment:  Swarm using it's other mask trigger to move a Mature off the Outflank position while scoring it itself for a 2VP swing.

Tactical Observations: Amina continues to pays dividends as a tech choice against crews who need to charge you (see also Ulix) while providing a tool box of other stuff.  Strong tech choices are a must in M3e IMHO.

 

Round 3 – Flank Turf War

Assassinate, Dig their Graves, Breakthrough, Deliver the Message, Vendetta.

My Crew:  Kaeris, Eternal Flame, Fire Golem, Carlos, The Firestarter, Iggy, Steam Arachnid Swarm, Soulstone Miner (+ Magical Training), cache 3.

Radek’s Crew:  Hamelin (+Servant of dark powers) 3x Stolen, Nix, Rusty Alice, The Midnight Stalker, Prospector, Prospector, Obedient Wretch, cache 5.

Game overview:  Board was dense enough that pyres could really interfere with my opponent’s movement.  Was able to pressure Hamelin with burning early to keep my opponent off balance.  Lack of speed on his side showed as my crew held up well to his attacks.  I avoided taking breakthrough due to the prospectors and so was able to strand a high portion of my opponents points unable to effectively contribute.

Scored full the Deliver Message and Vendetta (Miner on the Stalker), while denying my opponent’s second breakthrough point and all of their Vendetta (Nix on Golem).  This combined with my speed and board control got me a point ahead on Turf War. Win 6-2.

Key Moment:  In turn two Kaeris was lured into Hamelin and hit with six blighted to set up a kill on her.  The Firestarter was able to use Light Under Their Feet to push her 8" to safety.

Tactical Observation:  I expect I got ahead on scheme selection here, not having to run deep into my opponent’s lines made everything else more efficient. Definitely need to think twice about breakthrough and/or search when your opponent rocks prospectors.

[katadder]

Is it not a bad thing for 3e that there are already versatile models stapled to your crews? everytime I see you play you seem to have an arachnid swarm and soulstone miner.

[admiralvorkraft]

Similarly the Midnight Stalker is everywhere in outcast. Guild Steward/Pale Rider/etc.

[mythicFOX]

Soulstone Miner and AR are locked in to all my lists.  Swarms probably make something around three quarters of them.

That not withstanding; 16ss recurring across a faction is a marked improvement over M2e. Especially as I can’t imagine taking the same master to each round of an event the way I would in M2e.

It’s also probably worth noting these are designed to generic choices (Versatile). I’d be more worried if I was regularly paying >2ss in hiring tax.  

I suspect this is the same for most, if not all, factions as @admiralvorkraft has said. 

YMMV.

[katadder]

Dont know, I am not finding any auto takes for me in thunders, outcasts or neverborn but my arcanists (if played competitively) have the same as James and many other arcanist players 

[longfanz]

48 minutes ago, katadder said:

Dont know, I am not finding any auto takes for me in thunders, outcasts or neverborn but my arcanists (if played competitively) have the same as James and many other arcanist players 

I don't know the other factions but prospectors in outcast are like miners in arcanists

[SunTsu]

Just to know, since I didn't have so much games under my belt:

1- how Swarm Arachnid and Wind Gamin neutralised Ikiryo without killing it?

2- why prospectors are so nice in counter breakthrough/search-the-ruins?

[retnab]

19 minutes ago, SunTsu said:

2- why prospectors are so nice in counter breakthrough/search-the-ruins?

They have an ability to remove a scheme marker and turn it into card draw with a chance of a free scheme of their own, so they're the Outcast version of our Saboteurs basically but with Mine Soulstone as well

[mythicFOX]

14 hours ago, SunTsu said:

1- how Swarm Arachnid and Wind Gamin neutralised Ikiryo without killing it?

By engaging her to prevent her doing what she wants.  Wind Gamin take a bit of chewing through on their own, but can be re-summoned to resume their distraction.  The swarm with MT is tough to chew through as Ikiryo loves her triggers to get to a decent damage output.  These models kept Ikiryo from interacting or chewing on anything more meaningful.

[katadder]

On 9/9/2019 at 2:44 PM, longfanz said:

I don't know the other factions but prospectors in outcast are like miners in arcanists

Well they have one ability the same but are not as tough, dont bury and turn up anywhere and dont have access to magical training which is stapled to the soulstone miners card

[mythicFOX]

1 hour ago, katadder said:

Well they have one ability the same but are not as tough, dont bury and turn up anywhere and dont have access to magical training which is stapled to the soulstone miners card

Steve - I feel that the conversation would flow significantly easier if you posted more than oblique sentence fragments.  You seem to want to make a broader point but it isn't coming across from your posts?

Worth noting that Prospectors also have;  a 3" push, ranged scheme marker removal, and a pseudo lure.  They seem to be as ubiquitous in Outcasts as Miners are in Arcanists but YMMV.

[longfanz]

3 hours ago, katadder said:

Well they have one ability the same but are not as tough, dont bury and turn up anywhere and dont have access to magical training which is stapled to the soulstone miners card

What I meant is that they are as auto-take as miners are so is Steward (or even Pale rider) in guild

[4thstringer]

1 hour ago, longfanz said:

What I meant is that they are as auto-take as miners are so is Steward (or even Pale rider) in guild

That being said, would any of you trade the SS miner for the Steward?  I don't think it is equivalent.

 

[katadder]

If some of these models are auto take as they are then obviously they are too good and are already creating a staleness that we were trying to get rid of by edition change.

If prospectors are using that 3" push and removing schemes then they are vulnerable usually as they are easy to kill. What they are normally used for is card draw. But yes they are too good as auto includes.

As for arcanists, they certainly win this as the swarm is beyond crazy with built in pos for damage, nimble, built in on slaught and normally diesel engine for more pos damage and more movement. Then the armour 2 often shielded arcane reservoir miner who can auto score outflank. It's no wonder these are seeing all lists. No other faction can compare their "auto includes " which I am yet to see with these 2

[Mycellanious]

5 hours ago, katadder said:

If some of these models are auto take as they are then obviously they are too good and are already creating a staleness that we were trying to get rid of by edition change.

If prospectors are using that 3" push and removing schemes then they are vulnerable usually as they are easy to kill. What they are normally used for is card draw. But yes they are too good as auto includes.

As for arcanists, they certainly win this as the swarm is beyond crazy with built in pos for damage, nimble, built in on slaught and normally diesel engine for more pos damage and more movement. Then the armour 2 often shielded arcane reservoir miner who can auto score outflank. It's no wonder these are seeing all lists. No other faction can compare their "auto includes " which I am yet to see with these 2

Ten Thunders. Not only are Tanuki in every list, but no matter what master your opponent declares you need to bring anti-shooting because he can surprise you with Fuhatsu (stat 6+ w/ rapid fire, 12" range) and Samurai (minions btw, armor 2, stat 5+ with a 12" range, concentrate as a bonus action). You also just cant bring enforcers into thunders because the Lone Swordsman is so common (armor, HtK, Adaptive -> crit strike, ruthless, double possitive on attacks and damage that gives you soulstones if you kill the target.

Archie is this edition's Howard Langston, and hes not even versitile.

Oh and dont forget 2nd masters. Seamus and Zoraida are as close to auto-take as a 16 stone model can get in their respective factions

Strong versitile options seems to be a feature of M3E. 

[katadder]

I must be an odd thunders player as I have no space for tanuki. If I ever do asami then I will have a tanuki there but I dont tend to spend much if anything on support pieces I guess. Samurai and fuhatsu see some use but depends on opponent, board and mission.

Archie is seriously undercosted and I would take him ahead of a rider 99% of the time and yes is probably an auto take but I dont play ressers.

Yes all these are good versatile models but not so good that they are in your list before you even see the board, opponent and mission unlike the swarm and the SS miner. That's the difference between good versatiles and auto takes

[Mycellanious]

40 minutes ago, katadder said:

I must be an odd thunders player as I have no space for tanuki. If I ever do asami then I will have a tanuki there but I dont tend to spend much if anything on support pieces I guess. Samurai and fuhatsu see some use but depends on opponent, board and mission.

Archie is seriously undercosted and I would take him ahead of a rider 99% of the time and yes is probably an auto take but I dont play ressers.

Yes all these are good versatile models but not so good that they are in your list before you even see the board, opponent and mission unlike the swarm and the SS miner. That's the difference between good versatiles and auto takes

In my experience, the miner and swarm arent as prevalent as is claimed. No one in my meta (3 arcanist players) has even used either model so far, and while there were 3 people at NOVA to run the full versatile list (which is a lot definately) only 1 of them placed well. I think the issue is being exaggerated

[mythicFOX]

So I think there are probably a few different things to unpack here.

1) Are M3e crews more thematic?

I paid 2ss in hiring tax over three rounds of play, and one of those was a specific tech choice against the opposing master.  That feels like a good space to be in.

You would expect versatile models to show up more often in faction. It’s sort of why there are versatile models to begin with. 

2) Should some models show up in every crew?

Ideally no, but in reality powerful stuff will show up a lot. Looks like there are plenty of examples from other factions to show this is something across the board. I’m fairly reassured the worst case appears to be 16ss, or under 1/3. 

(I’d also argue the Swarm isn’t quite auto include)

3) Are Soulstone Miner and Steam Arachnid Swarm too strong?

They’re definitely above the curve.  Are they far enough to warrant an errata?  That’s one for Wyrd.

I’m encouraged that the meta doesn’t appear to be overly Arcanist heavy right now.  We’re seeing way more Thunders and Outcasts at the top of events. 

All IMHO.