Reduce, Reuse and Recycle with Ramos

[fortythree]

This is (semi-) in response to a lot of the problems Ramos players in general (including myself) seem to be having. To sum up what I've read in a few other threads:

1. Ranged attacks hurt, and Ramos has few to speak of.

2. Spread out and die.

3. Lots of expensive and cheap stuff- little in between (although RP helps some).

4. Hard to achieve strategies and/or schemes.

5. MOAR SOULSTONES PLS

6. If you're a resser, in most games, there are corpse counters littering the board by turn 3- not so with scrap counters with Ramos, and I want to do something other than hang back, Salvage Under Fire and summon.

Those are the problems I have ran into... So I have hit upon the following solution, and it has worked very well over the last few weeks:

1. Crew Composition

At 35ss, I took (in all game just to see what I could do):

Ramos

Steamborg

2x Large Arachnid

4x Arachnid

Toolkit

That's exactly 35ss.

2. Strategy & Scheme Selection.

Yes, I say strategy selection. Spending a SS to reflip is great for Ramos, because I always lose Reconnoiter. With the sheer number of insignificant models and the fact that you need to play bunched up, it just doesn't work. So if I flip it, I cash in one and swap the toolkit for a brass arachnid. Both have worked equally well with this crew.

As to schemes, as usual I base them around my strategy. I usually try to take one that compliments it, and one for in case everything goes SNAFU-ey in the first few turns and I am playing from behind. I tried cashing one in for the extra 2ss, and found you don't need to do this- Ramos 2ss is enough (really!).

3. Basic Doctrine

Ok, the basic idea behind this is- as the title suggests- reusing the l'il arachnids. Do not have themselves blow themselves up, rather run them up and allow Ramos/toolkit ("little buddy") to Controlled Detonate them, which leave a scrap counter (or, obviously, them getting killed). Ramos then moves into range (6") and uses the scrap counters to summon new spiders or heal your big baddies, depending on your needs.

That was the whole idea I based this crew/concept around, but the great thing is how versatile it is. Playing someone like Freikorps who ignore ? Summon for two turns, and you have enough for two swarms. You can latch on and help your heavy hitters (steamborg and large Arachnids). You can run up, and summon/swarm in the last couple turns for an extra significant model (remember, the Toolkit is significant- for now, anyway).

With the :tomes for Ramos' Ca, you save a ton on soulstones, and will only have to use them to prevent damage- and cast Arching Screen from your totem and you Df is up to a mighty 4! And since Ramos should be behind cover and everyone else (who should be in their faces), he will be safe for most of the game anyway. He can crank out electrical creations and spiders and/or buff to his hearts content.

In conclusion, I am not saying this is the only (or best) way to play Ramos, just sharing something that has worked very well for me!

[The Zinc Lich]

So, if you don't mind me asking, why bring the Steamborg? I mean, I've played a few games with it, but I've never really been impressed with it. Does it kill things in melee? Yes. But for ten soulstones? I'm unconvinced.

Have you tried a proxy of the Mechanical Rider? I like its stat spread better, and at Full Power it is just as killy. It is cheaper, too. And Immune to influence... Really, I can't see much of a reason to bring the 'Borg.