Best Sniper to Boost?

[CannonFodder]

I've been thinking of trying the following in order to get some early game advantage, but having problems deciding best sniper to use.

Ice gamin to give bite of winter

Silent one to give Frozen heart (if needed) and North Wind

Plus a sniper

First choice is Hans, 16 inch range and ignores cover and forests. Which after all is said and done is range 19, 4/4/7 (after triggers) with custom ammo which makes cheating a severe easy on undead and neverborn. But cost 9 in archanist.

Second is Freikorps trapper, same range but from the shadows lets you place him more forward allow you to shoot targets in you opponents deployment zone turn 1. cost 7 and limits other mercs. Range 19, 2/4/6. also has reposition.

December Acolyte, costs 6 and does need to be given frozen heart, has from the shadow for deeper deployment, but to get your full 15 inch range needs 2AP to shoot. but gives slow. 3/4/7

Convicted gunslinger is the forth choice, no extra range,or ability to ignore cover, costs 7 but triggers for additional shot which is nice.

I'm lastly contemplating using a student of conflict as my toem to give the sniper Fast for that little bit of destruction. So only 1 choice can fit.

[nilus]

Honestly Student of Conflict + a Merc Sniper is a lot of soul stones to invest on an early game advantage. Especially considering that many fast crews can probably get to and kill the sniper in one turn.

I'd say stick to the December Acolyte and save the stones and stick more to a Decemberist crew strength.

[Blacktao]

I dont see nino ?

[micahwc]

In my limited experience, short of Nino, the trapper seems to be the best sniper. I have played several games against Hans and have not seen him do all that well. I usually just set up out of his range and either lure him in to kill him, or use my fast, Neverborne, hordes to get really close to him. Hans is basically useless for anything other than a small speedbump in melee combat.

The Trapper is considerably better than Hans in melee, and has most of the advantages Hans offers. He would be my choice out of your list.

The Gunslinger has the advantage in that he is just as good in melee as he is at range, but personally I have not had a lot of success with him. His main disadvantage compared to the others is his lack of range and "headshot" abillity, which is priceless when it works.

I have no experience with the december acolyte.

[CannonFodder]

I dont see nino ?

Not legal in the arcanist so not a valid choice to boost with models mentioned.

I was planing on trying Student of conflict with with Rasputina as a change instead of the essence. The fast ability works on anyone.

as for success with the gunslinger.. in my LGS he is considered a destruction machine. His favorite targets are 10+ point models with low defense and hard to wound instead of armor. I had him take out a fresh desalination engine in 1 activate when it was fresh. The suppressing fire once got 6 models in range. He is usually targeted with grudge just because they know not to leave him alone. Best use of him is to have him a little away from an objective and about to shoot anything that approaches.

[micahwc]

The convict, as well I suspect all the other snipers, gets considerably less effective if he is forced to move before he shoots. This has been my main defense against him as a primarily Neverborn player. I move outside of his range until I can charge and kill him. I've never really had a problem with him.

I've used him with Zoraida and Peredita and found the same to be true. He is awesome if he is in range of an objective and can sit and shoot whoever comes to him, but a good opponent will make this difficult to do.

[Ratty]

Depends on who your playing a bit. If having card advantage is more important than mobility I would take Hans. if mobility is more important take the Trapper.

[dancater]

For the most straight out flexibility;

The Trapper

He is the cheapest with that long range, can deploy forward, reposition and in a pinch swing that fighting knife and not just expect to cut himself.

The December Acolyte is obviously an excellent choice but is not quite as pure a sniper and does not have as much applicability outside of Tina's crew.

Hans is the best total sniper available (Nino is the best full stop) but he is one dimensional.

Everything else is not really a sniper so I consider a half measure.

So the Trapper gets my vote for his all round multi list, multi purpose, mobile, long range killing goodness and sharp pointy knife.

[nilus]

I think the Trapper wins the debate because he is the only long range sniper that is also no bad in melee. A lot of surprised models have charged and not killed him only to realize his knife is very deadly.

I am always suprised when I hear people use the Convict gunslinger with a Guild list. Don't get me wrong he is a great model but The Guild got shooting down already.

[LoboStele]

I really like Hans in my Rasputina builds. The 19" range for 4 damage is just brutal. Plus, Hans has a couple of different tricks that the Trapper doesn't have. The other thing that I really love about Hans, is that he uses :rams and :crows, which typically, a Raspy crew will never need otherwise.

And well, there's two other reasons. 1) I don't own a Trapper yet, LOL. And 2) I have typically been proxying Kaeris is some of my Raspy crews, so can't play the Trapper with Kaeris on the field. Talk about ranged control and terrain control with Raspy and Kaeris having 15" range and Hans' 19" range, and then both Ice and Flame Pillars on the table.

[LastDinosaur]

I would say neither of your 4 options is the best one..

Rasputina is the model who benefits the most from the North Wind/Bite of Winter boost - and is quite capable of playing a 'sniper' role aswell.

Kaeris second most (+1 Dg from BoW works best with multiple attacks, Kaeris can easily make 4~6 Strikes a turn if she really feels like it).

Gunsmith would be worth mentioning aswell, as he's just damn good at doing what he does - shooting - boosting this obviously only makes him even more terrifying at his job.

As I'd only ever field a Silent One aswell as a Gamin with Rasputina I wouldn't go for the Convict as he drains :masks which Rasputina wants herself.

If you intend to use the Acolyte solely for shooting with then I think you're wasting alot of his (already somewhat limited) potential right there.

Trapper has a nice range, but that's all I can say about him, haven't played him with Rasputina, don't really intend to.

Hans can work really well with Rasputina, but requires the table aswell as both of the equally important strategies to be right to allow you to fortress up and be all immobile - seldomly happens I think..

If I HAD to go with one of the four I guess it'd have to be Hans..

Also, I certainly wouldn't bother with the Student of Conflict..

[naiatoc]

First choice is Hans, 16 inch range and ignores cover and forests. Which after all is said and done is range 19, 4/4/7 (after triggers) with custom ammo which makes cheating a severe easy on undead and neverborn. But cost 9 in archanist.

I understand the cheating a severe on undead and neverborn, and I understand the cost. But, I'm not sure how you get a 19 range and a 4/4/7 damage line. I made sure I was reading the version 2 Hans card but I'm still confused.

[LastDinosaur]

I understand the cheating a severe on undead and neverborn, and I understand the cost. But, I'm not sure how you get a 19 range and a 4/4/7 damage line. I made sure I was reading the version 2 Hans card but I'm still confused.

Ice gamin to give bite of winter

Silent one to give Frozen heart (if needed) and North Wind

There you go.

[tenabrae]

I am always suprised when I hear people use the Convict gunslinger with a Guild list. Don't get me wrong he is a great model but The Guild got shooting down already.

I agree, but he is pretty good for obeying into rapid fire range.

Also pretty beastly in melee (gunfighter/rapid fire)

[CannonFodder]

I agree, but he is pretty good for obeying into rapid fire range.

Also pretty beastly in melee (gunfighter/rapid fire)

I don't thing you can rapid fire with gunfighter. Rapid fire gives ranged attacks but the gun fighter makes the gun melee.

[LoboStele]

I understand the cheating a severe on undead and neverborn, and I understand the cost. But, I'm not sure how you get a 19 range and a 4/4/7 damage line. I made sure I was reading the version 2 Hans card but I'm still confused.

It's usually either a combination of using Bite of Winter, or having the high :rams for +2 Dg for Critical Strike. Can get up to 5/5/8 with the right cards.

[Mentat_Canis]

I tried Hans last night in a raspy crew it was only 25 points and I don't see myself doing that again.

The list was:

Raspy

-Essence of power

Hans

Silent One

Ice Gaimen

It was vs Lady J box and Hans put damage on the Judge and killed a death Marshal, but it makes your crew not mobile at all and bunker because 2 models want the silent one and ice gamin. It was just to much shooting with no ability to get anywhere.

He works and getting 5 damage on weak at 19" is great but it seems more like a 35ss or 40ss list sort of thing. It was fun but we will see and in a slaughter mission would be great.

[CannonFodder]

I tried Hans last night in a raspy crew it was only 25 points and I don't see myself doing that again.

The list was:

Raspy

-Essence of power

Hans

Silent One

Ice Gaimen

It was vs Lady J box and Hans put damage on the Judge and killed a death Marshal, but it makes your crew not mobile at all and bunker because 2 models want the silent one and ice gamin. It was just to much shooting with no ability to get anywhere.

He works and getting 5 damage on weak at 19" is great but it seems more like a 35ss or 40ss list sort of thing. It was fun but we will see and in a slaughter mission would be great.

in 25 points, its too many points, but I tried it in 35

Raspy

Student of conflict

Hans

2x Ice gamin

Silent one

December Acolyte

I like that army, Biggest issue was I put Hans too far forward (in order to see around building) and was against Kirai, who basically waits until you activate all your models by passing Sechin then summons 12 inches away the model with wings who can't be slow who then jumps him and killed him. Hans seriously scared my opponent. I was hopping to give him fast and use him to snipe 3 Sechin in a turn, which usually means Kirai has a turn on the defensive.

On the other hand I had Jack draw jump in and made my hand of 13,13,12,11 useless for too long.

I must admit, I really like student of conflict. the ability go give fast to anyone is beneficial, and the fact that one Blast marker or pulse won't kill it is a bonus. I gave fast 3 times, twice on silent one, and once on Hans which got him to his snipping spot in 1 turn.

I think it can work well, but was against the wrong army, just need to try it a couple more time to get its synergies working. I expect the silent one to be out of 3 inches from Hans in turn 3, but still in 8 for the frozen heart, and 6 from the ice gamin.

[LoboStele]

Raspy

Student of conflict

Hans

2x Ice gamin

Silent one

December Acolyte

I think with another Silent One in there instead of the Acolyte, this a pretty solid list. It's pretty much just for Slaughter missions though. Will have trouble with any Strategies that require you to do a lot of moving around.

[Mentat_Canis]

Hans seriously scared my opponent. I was hopping to give him fast and use him to snipe 3 Sechin in a turn, which usually means Kirai has a turn on the defensive.

The problem with this is that all of Hans' attacks have to go against the same target its under his Custom Sniper Rifle rule. Which can be the biggest problem with Hans I saw which is you have to go after bigger models and can't just snipe little stuff. Also not taking the essence of power is so hard for me for Raspy as she can just well go all raspy on you and kill everything.

[CannonFodder]

I agree on the silent one, but I only have 1 of them.

I agree the movement is difficult, which is why I usually put in 1 dec acolyte to sneak forward or harass out of reach spots. But if you have announced body guard and raspys scheme you can easily get 4 VP points. My last game was the strategy where you need more models within 3 inches of an objective which is raspys dream. Force you opponent to come to you... Again, the fast helps getting you to the key locations.

[CannonFodder]

The problem with this is that all of Hans' attacks have to go against the same target its under his Custom Sniper Rifle rule. Which can be the biggest problem with Hans I saw which is you have to go after bigger models and can't just snipe little stuff. Also not taking the essence of power is so hard for me for Raspy as she can just well go all raspy on you and kill everything.

I totally missed that... I thought it was just can't move and shoot

. Well that changes a couple things.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

I don't know where people are getting 19" range with Hans. I pick Hans specifically with Raspy until Snow storm comes out (I don't play proxies). Reason he can shoot through her pillar.

[Ratty]

I don't know where people are getting 19" range with Hans. I pick Hans specifically with Raspy until Snow storm comes out (I don't play proxies). Reason he can shoot through her pillar.

You still need LOS to target someone behind a pillar. The pillars are Blocking so block LOS. However if the opponent was partially obscured it would ignore the cover.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

I read goggles wrong. He should be able to see through creepy fog, correct? Since he can ignore enemy spells and talents that affect LOS, otherwise he has been played wrong against my crew.