The power level of cheap Bayou units

[Math Mathonwy]

I was hoping to get some community feedback on the power level of cheap Bayou units. I made a simple Google poll with all the non-Totem Bayou units that cost 6 or less.

There are only four options: weak, fine, strong, and no opinion. The general idea is that if you pick the model (or at least consider picking it) semi-regularly with at least one Master, then the model is fine. But naturally there is quite a bit of subjectivity involved in stuff like this. Someone might consider a model fine if they pick it with a specific Master if facing one of three specific Masters in a specific Strategy.

EDIT: Also, when answering the poll, please consider their worth as hires, not as summons.

Answering the poll shouldn't take very long at all, even though there are quite a few units. I really appreciate your answers and will post the results and some commentary at the end of the week. Feel free to share the poll, naturally.

https://forms.gle/JkvnYbC1VqnwzEE97

[Thatguy]

5 hours ago, Math Mathonwy said:

I was hoping to get some community feedback on the power level of cheap Bayou units. I made a simple Google poll with all the non-Totem Bayou units that cost 6 or less.

It's an interesting idea. 

I had a hard time voting on a few. Like Bayou Gremlins. They're probably the worst model in the game. But are pretty fantastic as a summon for Somer.

The same for Piglets. As a purchase, especially OOK, they're pretty uninspiring. They're fast and cheap scheme runners. And that's about it. However was low investment summons they are amazing. They can move up 15" a turn without any assistance or hand investment and potentially scheme, even in death. Thanks to stampeded + reckless they can also do a surprising amount of damage. 

[wizuriel]

Yeah I voted based off hiring them and not summoning. 

Some models imo are good / fine summons, but weak hires

[Math Mathonwy]

Ah yeah, that's a fantastic point! I was thinking hiring as opposed to Summoning. I'll add a note about it into the first post but naturally that should've been there from the start.

Also, huge thanks to everyone who has answered so far - much appreciated!

[Jesy Blue]

I voted!

So question:  have you left off the five ≥6ss cost minion models that can be hired by certain keywords (Fermented River Monk, Soulstone Miner, Tanuki, Waldgeist, Will o' The Wisp) by design? If it's just a study of faction strength, I follow... but if it's a study of keyword strength, this is a missed opportunity.

[Thatguy]

I think they were left out because they aren't Bayou.

I could see adding them to the list though. Fermented Monks are nuts.

[Math Mathonwy]

First of all, thank you to everyone who answered! Much appreciated!

Second, thank you for the suggestions. Good suggestions and I probably would've made this a bit differently if I were to do it again.

Then to the meat.

I hope that you can see the results after answering and it isn't only me as the maker of the poll?

A couple of things I wanted to highlight. The weakest models seem to be Gupps, Lightning Bugs, LaCroix Raiders, Wrastlers, Bayou Gremlins, Banjonistas and Stuffed Piglets. Certainly matches my experiences. Of those, Gupps, Stuffeds, and Bayou Gremlins are kinda in the "only ever supposed to be Summoned" bucket with the possible exception of Bayou Gremlins who are sometimes taken to be killed for some effect, basically. So I feel that the more important models to be fixed in future errata would be Wrastlers, LaCroix Raiders, and Lightning Bugs. Especially because all of these are supposed to be the workhorses of their keywords.

The strongest OTOH are Gautraeux Bokors, Rami, Merris, Test Subjects, and Silurids. Again, makes sense.

A bit more divisive but still generally strong were Gators and Bushwhackers who got a sizable number of strong votes but also some weaks. Now, Gators are one of the very few ways that Gremlins have of going around Terrifying and such but they are a melee unit that's one-shottable by a Focused beater so I can see both sides of the coin. Bushwhackers are a ranged unit which offers them durability but their impact in a game isn't necessarily as massive. Personally, I feel that both units are fine though I do wish that the game didn't skew quite so elite on the whole but that isn't probably fixable at this level.

So yeah, all in all, no huge surprises, I guess. I kinda wonder what a "Power level of high-cost Bayou Units" poll would look like, though...

[SEV]

8 hours ago, Math Mathonwy said:

So I feel that the more important models to be fixed in future errata would be Wrastlers, LaCroix Raiders, and Lightning Bugs. Especially because all of these are supposed to be the workhorses of their keywords.

The strongest OTOH are Gautraeux Bokors, Rami, Merris, Test Subjects, and Silurids. Again, makes sense.

A bit more divisive but still generally strong were Gators and Bushwhackers who got a sizable number of strong votes but also some weaks. Now, Gators are one of the very few ways that Gremlins have of going around Terrifying and such but they are a melee unit that's one-shottable by a Focused beater so I can see both sides of the coin. Bushwhackers are a ranged unit which offers them durability but their impact in a game isn't necessarily as massive. Personally, I feel that both units are fine though I do wish that the game didn't skew quite so elite on the whole but that isn't probably fixable at this level.

 

I playsed Zipp and it sadden me that restler are so narrow instead of being all around models (they're so cool, they need to see more play). As for Gator, I never hired them (I don't own this model), but they seem so weak to me except when you need to tech against terrifying...  Bushwacker are fine. From the shadow is really good in a lot of Scheme pool. A buswacker will score research mission easily and synegize well in a trap heavy Mah list (wich I like maybe more than I should :-)). 

 

Thank for the survey. 

[wizuriel]

Surprised akaname aren't seeing more love. They have good utility and can hit way out of their weight class of you don't care about flicker

[Thatguy]

On 10/2/2020 at 2:08 AM, Math Mathonwy said:

The weakest models seem to be Gupps, Lightning Bugs, LaCroix Raiders, Wrastlers, Bayou Gremlins, Banjonistas and Stuffed Piglets. Certainly matches my experiences. Of those, Gupps, Stuffeds, and Bayou Gremlins are kinda in the "only ever supposed to be Summoned" bucket

I think banjoistas are one of the minions I struggle to find a place for, even as a summon. 

22 hours ago, wizuriel said:

Surprised akaname aren't seeing more love. They have good utility and can hit way out of their weight class of you don't care about flicker

Akename are pretty good. But I think you're unlikely to see more than one in a list. And rarely outside of Tri-Chi. In Tri-Chi they're good but they have a lot of competition with other good minions. Fermented Monks are one of the best minions in the game imo. 

I haven't played a lot with Zorida, but I think one is a good pick with her. They can lick a voodoo doll for irresistible slow, ping damage and poison.

[Scoffer]

21 minutes ago, Thatguy said:

I haven't played a lot with Zorida, but I think one is a good pick with her. They can lick a voodoo doll for irresistible slow, ping damage and poison

Zoraida can hire a Wisp - it's 1 stone cheaper, gives stunned, distracted and slow, which I think is a little better, than slow, poison and 1 damage. 

[Thatguy]

The akename had the advantage of not needing a suit for slow.  I think the poison and damage could be useful for things like Assassinate where you need opponent's models at certain hit point totals. Poison can also help with hard to kill models.