Anya Lycarayen (Syndicate Keyword) Discussion

[NoisyAssassin]

7 hours ago, SerZaka said:

When Anya drops a marker with the bonus or even the other ability (not the first part where it moves where it obviously works , i mean where the new one is dropped) does it count as moved? I would say no of course.

You are correct. PDF Errata'd Rulebook, pg28, section on Markers :

Quote

If a Marker is Dropped, it is simply put on the table in the indicated location without any further game effects; this is not considered moving the Marker.

 

[SerZaka]

I really thought I read the rulebook well enough. Sorry about it , i will triple check next time

[NoisyAssassin]

Haha, no worries, it's easy to miss things. I only found the reference with Ctrl+F

[Whut]

On 12/15/2020 at 8:42 AM, Rufess said:

I hate to do this but someone needs to say it.

1.) Control Console allows Calypso taking action during Anya's activation, and Anya can only declare Price of Progress when she is the one who takes the action. So Anya cannot use Price of Progress on Calypso's action to add suit.

2.) Other friendly models can draw LoS and range to Anya through Calypso while piloting, Anya however cannot draw LoS and range through Calypso. That means no Hazardous scheme marker from Expansionist.

This is 100% correct, but regardless Beebe and Calypso is a fantastic pair to take with Anya. There's a little maneuvering required for LoS but Beebe auto-draws the tomes he needs for 2x Stat6 ignore resist triggers attacks that always cheat a 9, with essentially Min4 plus 1-2 damage for everyone within 3".

They're also crazy resilient and provide a huge threat/disruption to take pressure off of Sovereign and Anya, Beebe can attack Sovereign to heal him, Calypso can push Sovereign at the cost of 1 damage to trigger the Pulse, and god forbid if Sovereign dies at least he drops a Scrap to resummon Calypso, saving you an Action and a Tome

Downside: the moment you declare Anya people will know to take Armor-Ignoring attacks for Sovereign anyway.

[Whut]

On 12/15/2020 at 3:15 PM, SEV said:

Corvis can execute at will... Is there a Syndicate build that put a lot of pressure on your opponent hand and just burried him under cards advantage? Maybe with Model 9, Vernon and Tanembaum? 

You don't have to directly target the opponent's hand to pressure their hand. Against crews without absurd card draw you have scary options like Sovereign Shockwave and Pulse threatening Stunned, Sovereign Focused attacks threatening Severe 6, the Beebe/Calyspo Min4 damage I mentioned above, Vernon GlimpseTV, Winston Red&Black, etc. All of these will pull cards gradually until Winston Places Rook forward and then Rook double executes end of turn.

The opposite is also true, if Rook sits there threatening Execute, your opponent may be holding cards he would have otherwise cheated or discarded for his own abilities.

Rook's weakness though is mobility, his actions are so good that every Walk is a waste. So if you do take him you have to have someone available to push him around.

[HomelessOne]

Since Wastrel just got called out as the weakest keyword in ES in another thread, I thought I'd see if Syndicate's even being played beyond hiring Finnigan OOK.

(I kid, I'd be interested in hearing Anya play experiences)

[Whut]

Just now, HomelessOne said:

Since Wastrel just got called out as the weakest keyword in ES in another thread, I thought I'd see if Syndicate's even being played beyond hiring Finnigan OOK.

(I kid, I'd be interested in hearing Anya play experiences)

Currently I think Frontier is the weakest, followed by Syndicate and then Wastrel. But also none of these fit my playstyle, they're not particularly WEAK - just weakEST, and Syndicate isn't complete yet so Jury's out.

[Cedar]

7 minutes ago, HomelessOne said:

Since Wastrel just got called out as the weakest keyword in ES in another thread, I thought I'd see if Syndicate's even being played beyond hiring Finnigan OOK.

(I kid, I'd be interested in hearing Anya play experiences)

I really enjoy playing Anya, though sha has like half of keyword out there. I ALWAYS take Austera OOK for her - she and Winston make ridiculus card draw, plus she can drop hazardous scheme markers.  I play her on flanks, chasing down some scheme runners and completing schemes on my own. I like how she can just bring good models to do the job instead of sticking to keyword (though she pays for it with lack of Syndicate synergies). Hostile Work Environment is nuts against crews that really like to target their own models with things like heals, lures, I've got your back or obey. 

The only thing I wish for now is FAQ/errata on Sovereign Sound of Thunder, so it could be activated after moving, not that is has to be activated on his first move each activation 😕

[Whut]

2 minutes ago, Cedar said:

The only thing I wish for now is FAQ/errata on Sovereign Sound of Thunder, so it could be activated after moving, not that is has to be activated on his first move each activation 😕

OH... I never noticed that. That's... not going to matter most of the time OoA but yuck that sucks in Activation.

[Cedar]

6 minutes ago, Whut said:

OH... I never noticed that. That's... not going to matter most of the time OoA but yuck that sucks in Activation.

It actually matters - as it doesn't work if you want to charge a model which is more than 8" from him. After the FAQ you could use fly with me for the ~5.5" movement and then charge and generate additional duel.

[Giovanni Canzanella]

On 12/15/2020 at 10:01 PM, Dark Reaper said:

Anya
Sovereign

Corvis
Winston
Emissary
Austera and Twigge
The Damned
6SS Cache

 

I like Austera and Twigge in this list, I can't wait to test it.
On the other hand, I'm not sure The Damned is worth taking. 8SS is quite expensive, for an enforcer that doesn't seem to synergize that well into Aya's comp. In your opinion, what role would The Damned cover into the crew?

[Dark Reaper]

35 minutes ago, Giovanni Canzanella said:

I like Austera and Twigge in this list, I can't wait to test it.
On the other hand, I'm not sure The Damned is worth taking. 8SS is quite expensive, for an enforcer that doesn't seem to synergize that well into Aya's comp. In your opinion, what role would The Damned cover into the crew?

He isn't a must-take by any means, but I like his ping dmg whenever someone heals. He is also a very mobile piece, capable of acting independently. 

[Giovanni Canzanella]

Just now, Dark Reaper said:

He isn't a must-take by any means, but I like his ping dmg whenever someone heals. He is also a very mobile piece, capable of acting independently. 

Thanks for your answer. Indeed a little bit of extra-damage is veery welcome in this crew. I admit that, so far, I didn't manage to win a single game with Anya....certainly there is something I'm doing wrong but I don't know what.

For example, about Corvis: I'm not sure how to use him.
Just for the damage? For his "Pressure" attack? To stagger enemies? ALL of it ? I always take him in my comp (not a lot of choice in keyword anyway...) but I've never fond him particularly "crucial", so to speak. 

[Dark Reaper]

Corvis is a very flexible piece. He brings a little bit of anti/scheming card draw, some damage (execute and show aside on demand with stat7 is great, especially considering those he push can take dmg from hazardous schemes), he gives you a bit of intel (and another source of ping) with his bonus and he can use pressure if needed (much easier if you set up a scheme with Austera or Anya). He also drains your opponents hand if they try to attack you. I like him, but he is not your typical beater henchman in any way.

[Giovanni Canzanella]

5 minutes ago, Dark Reaper said:

 I like him, but he is not your typical beater henchman in any way.

Yeah, I noticed that.
His 0" engage is not ideal  to be a pure beater (but still, he's a better henchman than Reichart from Basse's crew. He is, in my opinion, a poorly built unit).
 

Edited January 22, 2021 by Giovanni Canzanella
mistype

[Cedar]

9 minutes ago, Giovanni Canzanella said:

Yeah, I noticed that.
His 0" engage is not ideal  to be a pure beater (but still, he's a better henchman than Reichart from Basse's crew. He is, in my opinion, a poorly built unit).
 

He can't be engaged unless enemy is in base contact with him. It's good protection against melee models, but for me he isn't especially tough or hitting hard - he is quite good as flanking solo though.

[Adran]

20 minutes ago, Giovanni Canzanella said:

Yeah, I noticed that.
His 0" engage is not ideal  to be a pure beater (but still, he's a better henchman than Reichart from Basse's crew. He is, in my opinion, a poorly built unit).
 

Honestly, I look at his card and Beater is not the word that comes to mind. To me he is a tool box. It is very hard to stop him doing what he wants each turn. Slippery combined with Shove aside means that he is almost impossible to tie up, or prevent from interacting.  He is surprisingly durable if you want to use him to try and ruin others plans. Execute is probably his least used trigger, but its existence does most of the work for you. 

I'm not sure I would pick him all the time, but from what I can see at the moment Anya relies on picking non syndicate models. But since there is little internal synergy that isn't a problem. 

[Whut]

Think of Slippery less as a Defensive ability and more of an almost-Don'tMindMe.
That being said, I don't like Rook in Syndicate. He's much better in DUA-Umbra who can use the hand pressure 10x better

I don't remember if I already brought it up in this thread weeks ago but Beebe-Calypso is an AutoTake in Syndicate I think. Calypso's 2" Pushes activate Hazardous, Beebe can heal Thunderbird, and they help Disrupt/Provide a Frontline to keep Anya safe

TheDamned is an excellent model but not very synergistic with Anya, especially when Anya herself is already very mobile. I would think Anya's crew should utilize her strengths as much as possible, so scheme dropping and pushes/tankyness to have the enemy continually trigger hazardous terrain.

[Dark Reaper]

The Damned does push though. 

[Whut]

1 hour ago, Dark Reaper said:

The Damned does push though. 

Oh true, I had forgotten it does. Does Syndicate have a lot of healing though? It seems to me they don't except for a couple AoE heals

[santaclaws01]

2 hours ago, Whut said:

Oh true, I had forgotten it does. Does Syndicate have a lot of healing though? It seems to me they don't except for a couple AoE heals

Sovereign is the only AoE heal in keyword IIRC. Anya can at least keep chugging between focused cleansing and siphon life triggers.

[Jesy Blue]

Winston has a healing trigger on the Dirigible Ride.

[Adran]

9 hours ago, Whut said:

Oh true, I had forgotten it does. Does Syndicate have a lot of healing though? It seems to me they don't except for a couple AoE heals

They certainly have access to a small amount, to help pay for the price of progress, and the list has the ability for heals to occur in pretty much every activation of the game, so chronicles may trigger a lot. (I think Corvus is the only model that can't cause a heal in that list)

(Granted I think only a small set of Syndicate models heal, but the list has a high amount of Seekers with heals, and the emissary which has the aura of healing on winning duels. This list seems to be built around the hazardous scheme marker fun, which leads to a small amount of healing access). 

[Pyrflamme]

I'm going to be getting Anya to fill out Seekers, but I'd like to have some things that will go with her as well. I've read the thread, but since the last post was in January I was curious if people had any new thoughts on Anya's crew.

[katadder]

Anya is my favourite master in explorers and she's really good.

I do like the emissary to keep up the wounds from price of progress, plus 1st suit is free if started within 3" (lose shielded). He also helps protect big bird as unfortunately sovereign is dying too easily (df4 and 6 wounds only takes you so far even with armour 2) if he gets more than 2" from the emissary.

Surveyors have proven themselves to me multiple times now so really like them, plus more hazardous auras.

I do like the winston/rook combo where you can see their hand with corvus then use Winston to either get them discard cards or pseudo obey