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Illustrations of Pig and Gremlin Tactics


Omenbringer

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At the request of a few forumites I will be putting together a series of Vassal Assisted Illustrations for the various Pig and Gremlin Tactics.

First up are "Pig Ladders" and the "Truffle Shuffle".

For the purpose of these illustrations models will be moving from the Deployment Zone however, the tactic functions similarly regardless of where the group of models begin the Ladder. Also of note is that this demonstrates the tactic at maximum effect and in a theoretical environment where the Cards behave in providing the below average values required for the relevant spells.

Further the Models that will be required for this tactic (once again to maximize the potential) are:

Outcasts Crew

Som'er Teeth Jones

1 Giant Mosquito [2ss]

  • Bayou Gremlin
    [2ss]

  • Hog Whisperer
    [5ss]

  • Piglet
    [3ss]

  • Piglet
    [3ss]

  • Piglet
    [3ss]

Illustration 1 shows how the relevant models should be positioned to maximize the free movement for the Bayou Gremlin.

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Illustration 2 out lines the Hog Whisperers Activation:

The Hog Whisperer begins the Activation sequence because he provides the Pigs with increased mobility due to Flight recieved via Never Happen... and gives one of the Piglets Reactivate via "Stik'm in the Ass!". An additional benefit is that he also adds an activation to the tactic increasing the likelyhood of advancing the group unmolested up the field (making it more difficult to counter).

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Illustration 3 out lines the Giant Mosquito's activation:

Consisting of a 10" Walk action followed by a Casting of "Sooey!" via Magical Extension. Keep in mind success with the Cast is important since it will allow you the option of short changing one of the piglets movement up field (since it is a May movement effect vice Must) and allows optimal positioning for casting Truffles during the Piglets activation. It will also prevent the Piglets from Stampeding and shutting down the whole tactic.

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Illustration 4 shows the Piglets "optimal" positioning after the Push from "Sooey!". The importantance of trailing one Piglet (the Green one in the illustration) behind the rest of the group and insuring he is within 6" of the Bayou Gremlin can not be stressed enough. Failure of the Soeey! cast or over postioing the Piglets will diminish the tactic substantially.

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Illustration 5 outlines the Green Piglets activation:

Consisting of casting Truffles on the Bayou Gremlin, a Walk action of 5" and another casting of Truffles. The third AP coming from Reckless.

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Illustration 6 outlines the Red Piglets activation:

This activation consists of a Walk action of 6" and a casting of Truffles on the Bayou Gremlin.

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Edited by Omenbringer
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Illustration 7 outlines the Blue Piglets 1st Activation:

This activation consists of a Walk action of 6" followed by a Walk action of 4". The Piglet then uses Reckless to recieve a third AP to cast Truffles on the Bayou Gremlin.

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Illustration 8 outlines the Blue Piglets 2nd Activation (recieved via Stik'm in the Ass! from the Hog Whisperer at the start of the sequence).

This activation consists of a Walk action of 5" and another casting of Truffles on the Bayou Gremlin.

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After the Blue Piglet has activated for the 2nd time your Bayou Gremlin will be ready to activate 23" from where he started as shown in Illustration 9.

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This can allow the Bayou Gremlin to complete objectives such as Deliver a Message, Plant Evidence, Destroy Evidence, or even potentially A Line in the Sand without much risk of reprisal late in the turn or game. It is also great for a last turn run to Stake a Claim.

The tactic (at maximum effect) contributes 6 activations for the crew (increasing the odds of out activating your opponent) and is very difficult to counter if launched late in a turn (say after Som'er and the other 12-17 Soul Stones worth of crew have activated).

Edited by Omenbringer
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Next up is the "Pig Boomerang"

The minimum required models for this tactic:

Outcasts Crew

Som'er Teeth Jones

2 Giant Mosquitos [4ss]

  • Hog Whisperer
    [5ss]

  • Piglet
    [3ss]

Increasing the amount of Piglets greatly enhances the tactics potential however for ease of demonstration only one pig will be utilized.

Tactic Over View: Use a Skeeter Air Trafic Controllers to launch the Pig squadrons from cover at a vulnerable target via Sooey!, spam Swine Dashes to eliminate threats and then return the squadron to "base" for healing and re-launching utilizing Sooey! from another Skeeter and/ or Som'er.

Illustration 1 shows an example of initial set up. If possible the "Base" should be positioned to maximize LOS blocking terrain to Som'er, The Hog Whisperer, and the Piglets.

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The Hog Whisperer leads the activation sequence by using either Defensive Stance (to increase his survivability) or casting "Stik'm in the Ass!" (to reactivate a Pig). The next AP is spent casting Never Happen... to increase the Pigs mobility by granting them Flight. If a Piglet has been injured the Hog Whisperer can also use the zero action Sooeet Nothing's to provide some healing.

Illustration 2 out lines the Red Giant Mosquito's activation.

The Giant Mosquito Walks 10" and then cast Sooey! via Magical Extension to Push the pigs toward it (perferably with the Pigs ending in base contact with the Skeeter). Success or failure when casting isn't that important with Sooey! as either will advance the Pigs to the Skeeter. If the casting fails however you may need to cheat down the resulting strikes (utilizing those low control cards in your hand) on the Giant Mosquito from the Pigs. Ideally the Pigs will also be more than 8" away from a friendly Gremlin model so they will benefit from Stampede due to Set'er Off and spam Swine Dashes during the pigs activations.

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Illustration 3 Outlines the Pigs activation.

The pig will activate and must immediately begin Stampeding due to Set'er Off (as long as it is more than 8" from a friendly gremlin model). Keep in mind that this is the perfered result due to the extra strikes that Stampeding generates. Also as long as the Pig is in base contact with the Skeeter it may ignore it when selecting the target for the Swine Dash. The Pig will resolve the first Swine Dash action on the target.

*Note that the pig Must push its full Cg directly toward the target of the Swine Dash however any movement beyond is optional (there is some debate as to the optional movement beyond and just how much control the player has over varying the distance. Once resolved this will be updated however for our purposes the pig will be moving its full Cg distance).

After that initial Swine Dash the pig must perform another "directly toward the nearest non-pig model within LOS" but may ignore those that are in base contact with it. There is some subtle control possible with this that may be exploited with some fore thought. Examples include using the initial targets base (and Ht to block LOS to less desirable targets) redirecting further Swine Dashes in other directions as well as allowing strikes much deeper into enemy lines by "spring boarding" from model to model.

A pig can generate up to three Swine Dashes an activation doing this due to the optional nature of Reckless and the fact that it isn't an action but an Action modifier (so can still be utilized during Stampedes).

In the illustration the pig has performed three Swine Dashes on the Gunsmith target by moving back and forth while resolving the Swine Dashes.

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Illustration 4 outlines the Green Skeeters activation.

The Giant Mosquito Walks up to 10" and then cast Sooey! via Magical Extension to Push the pigs toward it. Again success or failure isn't that important as either will result in the Pigs moving toward the skeeter.

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Illustration 5 outlines Som'ers activation.

During Som'er's activation he can cast Sooey! to return the pigs to base if needed and then use Take a Swig to heal any Wounds the Pigs may have incurred during the Boomerang.

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The intent of the "Pig Boomerang" is to launch the pig squadrons at a target and then return them to base to reset for the next turn as illustrated below.

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The strength of the tactic is that it allows the squadrons to emerge from cover to spam Swine Dashes on a target and then return to cover for healing and re-buffing. The Skeeters are vital to this tactic as they provide the control over the normally uncontrolled Swine Dashes and also protect the Hog Whisperer and Som'er from retaliation.

Generally speaking it is best to activate the rest of the crew (any model not directly participating in the Pig Boomerang tactic) prior to launching the Pig Squadrons at a target. This way the squadron is protected from un-neccesary damage and can also "freeze" the target in place for the run (as long as the target has activated prior to the launch).

Also remember that the Pig Boomerang isn't about quality of hit but quantity of hits. A large squadron (4-5 pigs) can generate a staggering number of Strikes (with :+fate flips on the damage) potentially allowing the cycling of the deck.

Some advanced options with the "Pig Boomerang" include:

  • Using a War Pig to act as a "Heavy Bomber" and LOS blocker to less desirable targets (due to its larger base and Ht stat).
  • Including Avatar Som'er in the group (after Manifest since he has the Pig characteristic) to perform duties similar to the War Pig as well as delivering the Coup de Grace to a weakened opponent. Swamp Gas also provides some options such as summoning fresh piglets (if you hit the trigger) near the front as well as pushing less desirable targets further away from un-activated piglets.

Any requests for the next one?

Edited by Omenbringer
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ASomer is utter filth with the Boomerang. Different use to the Piglets but still tidy stuff.

Pig Ladders could be handy in new Gaining Grounds. Use it to get Som'er to the Treasure on Turn one. I mean, Ophelkia can do it more effciently with 'it's a Girl' since you don't need to move 23 inches. Combining both her and a Piglets movement tricks would be handy (Truffles Ophelia up, 'It's a Girl' up Som'er, keep Ophelia near by to bodyguard the Big Hat). See any worth in that?

Let's see some Bacon Bombing tactics!

Edited by Dumb Luck
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ASomer is utter filth with the Boomerang. Different use to the Piglets but still tidy stuff.

With ASom'er it really depends on when he is manifested and what you are looking to do. To early in the game (forced manifest as quickly as possible) and he is just to big a target with to much potential for loss. In addition, he prevents Set'er Off since he is a Gremlin model. Manifesting later in the game however, and his stock increases. He is much at replacing Piglet losses, clearing objectives (which can be done at the same time as summoning Piglets) and he can insure the Pigs behave and do exactly what you want rather than just Swine Dash. There is a lot of potential with this in the new Gaining Grounds strategies.

Pig Ladders could be handy in new Gaining Grounds. Use it to get Som'er to the Treasure on Turn one. I mean, Ophelkia can do it more effciently with 'it's a Girl' since you don't need to move 23 inches. Combining both her and a Piglets movement tricks would be handy (Truffles Ophelia up, 'It's a Girl' up Som'er, keep Ophelia near by to bodyguard the Big Hat). See any worth in that?

There is some potential in including Ophelia however the biggest downside (as always) is her hiring cost (representing a Hog Whisperer and a Piglet or Two Piglets and a Bayou Gremlin). Combining Ophelia's "Ooooo! A Girl!" with a truncated Pig Ladder could definately prove useful for strategies/ schemes that resolve near the center of the board (the new Gaining Ground ones) however only the Pigapult can truly match the potential movement of a Pig Ladder (though it only contributes 1 activation for the crew and comes with a rather nasty downside that cant be cheated).

Very nicely done sir!

Thank you. Have been meaning to do something like this for a while.

I like it. Now I understand what is meant by "pig boomerang". Is a truffle shuffle the same as a pig ladder?

They are the same thing, think of it as a way to describe the resulting free movement from the "Pig Ladders".

This is a very good quality tactical illustration! I wish PullmyFinger would contain much more of these for all masters, that would be awesome.

Thanks!

:)

Perhaps I can upload these to the Pullmyfinger site once they are done. For now though I'll insert links to each one.

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Surely ASomer would be a bigger target later on in the game when he is up close and personal against others? The reasons you listed for him being good he can accomplish early game too.

Adding Ophelia wouldn't be too much of a bother as you wouldn't need to buy a full pig list. Just the one Skeeter to hank the Piglet up and the Piglet to conduct the Truffles.

Going back to ASomer, I am curious to see how you've been finding him in the new Gaining Grounds. Enjoying him tons in Beatdown. Haven't tried him in many others. Would be alright in Line in the Sand but then you have the issue of packing a list of mostly insignifcant models in a scenario where you need significant models to flip the dynamite. I am aware you can pull tricks to make them significant and then move them but compared to the ease of just Sooeying a naturally significant model onto a marker (again, limited options), it seems like a lot of effort.

Edited by Dumb Luck
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Very cool write up, lets me know a lot about a crew I have very little idea on.

I think I am missing something, but why can you ignore a model you're in base contact with for Swine Dash? Looking at the V2 cards pdf it just says closest non-pig model (to me a model B2B is the closest!)

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Surely ASomer would be a bigger target later on in the game when he is up close and personal against others? The reasons you listed for him being good he can accomplish early game too.

Later in game, ASom'er should be facing significantly less threats if the Pig Boomerang has done its job the first few turns (when you want them Stampeding instead of accomplishing objectives).

Adding Ophelia wouldn't be too much of a bother as you wouldn't need to buy a full pig list. Just the one Skeeter to hank the Piglet up and the Piglet to conduct the Truffles.

It could definately work but taking only one Piglet for this wouldn't really be worth while. At that point you'd be just as well served by hiring the Pigapult and using the extra SS to assist with a bad flip on the landing. The 17 SS left for hiring (assuming a 30 SS Encounter level) doesn't leave a whole lot of wiggle room for variations in crew hiring (pretty much dictating a Gunline). It's not a bad thing but if your going to bring a Gunline then Ophelia (with out Som'er) is the better more efficient option.

Going back to ASomer, I am curious to see how you've been finding him in the new Gaining Grounds. Enjoying him tons in Beatdown. Haven't tried him in many others. Would be alright in Line in the Sand but then you have the issue of packing a list of mostly insignifcant models in a scenario where you need significant models to flip the dynamite. I am aware you can pull tricks to make them significant and then move them but compared to the ease of just Sooeying a naturally significant model onto a marker (again, limited options), it seems like a lot of effort.

I think Som'er and the Gremlins have a lot of potential in several of the new Gaining Ground Strats. A Line in the Sand would be one of the Strats where plain Bayou Gremlins win out over the Pigs (or pretty much anything else in the gremlin hiring pool). I would still advocate for a Balanced list or Transition plan though rather than an all in Gremlin list.

Very cool write up, lets me know a lot about a crew I have very little idea on.

One of the main reasons for posting this is so players (on both sides) can see some of the Gremlin potential and know what to expect. They are a very potent crew.

I think I am missing something, but why can you ignore a model you're in base contact with for Swine Dash? Looking at the V2 cards pdf it just says closest non-pig model (to me a model B2B is the closest!)

It is in the description of Swine Dash in the V2 cards (and in the new 1.5 edition Malifaux book), second to the last sentence.

Edited by Omenbringer
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As always no worries, just glad to be spreading the awesomeness of the gremlins (that I've enjoyed from near the start).

So next up will be the Bacon Bombing Assasination Run (at the request of Dumb Luck). I should have it ready by Sunday night (it is one of my favorite pig specific tactics).

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Really? It is a strategy that only Som'er can pull off, as he is the only one that can hire the piglets/mosquito. Not only that, it also is a strategy that requires multiple models working together from Som'er's crew. Not just the piglet or the hog whisperer.

In short, I beg to differ ;)

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I have sort of been using Som'ers wiki entries as the short sheet anyways (for the same reasons you brought up). It does make sense to keep them there. Cross linked in the other relevant model entries might be useful though.

For the Bacon Bombing Assasination Run though that one in particular should go in the Gremlin Taxidermist entry as he is really the lynch pin that makes it work (and Ophelia could use it as well though with slightly less mobility).

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  • 4 weeks later...

First I just like to give Omenbringer a big hearty thanks for this posts in this thread and on Pull my Finger!

I like to share some on my thoughts on the pig boomerang. I do it with one Mosquito instead of two and by that, in my experience (witch doesn’t say much, sins I only have about 15-20 games under my belt) you end up with a more cards in your control hand hens Survival of the Fittest and some extra models on the cost of two swine dash attacks. And I would love to here what you all have to say about this statement.

Here is the list with the models I’m trying to refine how to use right now.

Outcasts Crew - 35 - Scrap

Som'er Teeth Jones
(teal)
--
2 Pool

+ Som’er and Peaches, Avatars of Indulgence
[2ss]

1 Giant Mosquito [2ss] (read)

  • Bayou Gremlin
    [2ss] (green)

  • Bayou Gremlin
    [2ss] (green)

  • Bayou Gremlin
    [2ss] (green)

  • Gremlin Taxidermist
    [6ss] (teal)

  • Hog Whisperer
    [5ss] (teal)

  • Piglet
    [3ss] (yellow)

  • Piglet
    [3ss] (yellow)

  • Piglet
    [3ss] (yellow)

  • Piglet
    [3ss] (yellow)

The deployment is almost always the same, get your support models behind cover. The activation order depends on the control cards, lets a assume it’s a standard draw containing 0-1 sever, 1-2 moderated and 2-3 week to a total of 5 cards of various suits.

First I activate all the Bayou gremlins (Green Borders) to start the out activation. If I have an Crow suit on my hand I let one of them take a Reckless wound end enter Deafens Stance.

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Next I activate Som’er (Teal Border) and target the gremlin that took the reckless wound with Git Y’er Bro brining him down to 1 wound left. The new Gremlin is summoned about 6” in front of the Mosquito for later use. Then I pick up his Pig Sticker and punch the gremlin with 1 wound left. Sense he is in Defence Stance you have tow bonus flips on the defence and can choose the lowest of them, making the Come and Get it! trigger easier to achieve and hop for some nice cards from Survival of the Fittest! I place the new piglet amongst the others. Use Reckless to summon another Bayou gremlin, another model to activate to get even further a head in the activation war, I place about 3” behind the gremlin on the map so he can run up there and take his place in case of he dies. I often just pay a SS to succeed with Git Y’er Bro if I don’t have the card. You pay 1SS, one activation and 4 wounds for a 2SS model, even trade in my point of view.

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Then I activate the gremlins I just summoned starting with the gremlin furthest a way entering Defence Stance.

Depending on if you have a mask 5 or better on your control hand I activate the Mosquito or Hog Whisper. Let’s say I don’t have the card required for reactivate a piglet.

I activate the Mosquito (Red Border) and use the (all) action Larva on a Gremlin with only two wounds remaining, the gremlin is sacrificed and you can draw two new cards hens to Som’ers Survival of the Fittest ability. The new Mosquito summoned is placed next to the gremlin furthest a way.

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Then activate that Mosquito and repeat the process, the only thing different is the placement. You don’t want the Mosquito to be more then 10” away from the piglet furthest a way from it, I’ve learned that the magic distance between this two Mosquitoes are about 2”-3”.

After that I activate the Hog Whisper (Teal border) and hopefully cast Stik’m in tha Ass!, Sooeet Nothin’s to heal the piglet from the damage it took from reactivate. And finely Never Happen… to give my pigs flight!

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Then its time for the last summoned Mosquito to cast Sooey! I like to make sure that you succeed with this initial spell to prevent that the piglets charge and kill the bug. And to place the piglets in such a way that they don’t have to attack the Mosquito with Swine Dash. The two piglets furthest back block LoS to the other Mosquito and wont Stamped because they are with in 8” of a Gremlin.

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Okay, added a bad guy. Piglet with red border has reactivated, green border is slowed since he was summoned this turn the rest is still yellow and the teal guy is the Taxidermist. From her all the piglets can Pigcharge and Swindash the bag guy and can be brought home to safety by the Taxidermist who walks 4” and with reckless cast Sooey two times, just as Omenbringer went throw in the pig boomerang thread.

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In turn two, I would retreat with the Mosquito nearest teddy and fly up with the one of the other Mosquitoes once the opponent is out activated so it can sit tight out their in safety. And when our opponent are close with his models use Taxidermist to make some stuffed piglet that explode in his/her face and if its not enough, support the blasts with some Pull my Finger action!

So that’s the basics of this game plan.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Edited by Bahoola
English isn’t my main language, I’m sure there is lodes of other grammar or miss spells in here that I missed.
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