Ideas about dealing with Magistratum based army...

[Raoul]

I still think the main problem lies in the small scale of your skirmishes and the troop choices at hand (as you don't use proxies, which is a fair decision).

The limits set by 160 or even 200 pts are mainly painful for the Magistratum's opponents, while they field everything necessary to exploit most of their sorcery and necromancy anyways. Double the points and they normally fare far less overwhelming.

The limits set by sticking to the released models only are also mainly painful for the Magistratum's opponents, while they can already field their overlord, their workhorses and their basic scrubs needed to turn all this sorcery and necromancy on you. With other troop choices like shamans and guthackers even Banebrood has a lot more answers to their trickery.

In my opinion, these both points are the main reason that the Magistratum never seemed to be overpowered as such during testplaying.
Apart of course from things like a certain lucky shot I vaguely remember delivered by a Farfarer, or one Chieftain (wearing a Mask of Dusk and obviously several divine favours) just goring through everybody...

[Kevin]

(02-13-2014 08:31 PM)Raoul Wrote:  I still think the main problem lies in the small scale of your skirmishes and the troop choices at hand (as you don't use proxies, which is a fair decision).

Thats unfortunatly not our decision
Anyway thanks for your suggestions. Some of them seems to be at least worth a try

P.S. can anybody tell me whats so OP in the Oracle

[Mnil]

(Farfarer won't do anything against extra-defence tactic from Morti...)

[David]

(02-13-2014 08:07 PM)Mnil Wrote:  First, i don't have enough points to play 8 monglers. 8 monglers - 3 necromagus ~200points.
Believe me, i have used all stuff you said in many battles, but with clever opponent he will never let me go through...

Second - No, they only need to hit once my 4-5 monglers, maximum 2 with ashes to ashes, one turn before charge, rest are skeletons / extra tokens.
I have 15 attacks versus max 4-5 skeletons, because THERE IS 2 DOUBLE-ROW, so if i want to attack second row i need to move, but wait, i will not move because of soulboundand positioning.
I didin't mention that one or 2 monglers will die even before charge because of channeling spells, so in reality i will have no more than 12 attacks.

3rd thing, if i want to outmaneuver with GoreLord, you have seen my draught - the oponnent always will take hide between walls, hills, skeletons and everything we call terrain etc and put 2 or 3 skeletons in the row (i don't have bloodthirst, slaymovement) and I still can't brake through...

Destroy the first rank with your Mongrels, but leave a gap in the Middle for the Gorelord. He only needs to kill one Skeleton in the second rank, then he can walk through and can engage the Mortifex. Maybe he takes 1-2 free strikes if other Skeletons are engaging him. It doesnt matter. All you need is a gap 40mm wide.

The Gorelord should have still enough ACT for one attack, but if not, then he must wait until next turn. If the Mortifex disengages, then he dies from an ambidextrous attack at MEL10, POW9 = dead.

When you give him the item packages I suggested (ARM10 or DEF17) 5-6 Legio Mortum will not kill him in one turn. In any case you should still have 2-3 Mongrels left, engaging the Legio Mortum so they cannot attack the Gorelord.

They have MEL 5 normally so need 12's to hit DEF17!!!
Or with POW2 they Need 9+ to score damage. And he is imune to spells.

I guarantee you that if you properly buff your Gorelord and Mongrels that you can succeed. If you can not, then either some rules are being played incorrectly or your opponent is playing with more skill. I assure you the problem is not the warband.
Yes I agree it is difficult and yes he has a great strategy and great warband composition. But it IS possible to win against that, even with Mongrels and Gorelord.

Here's another idea - roll through them with an Ursapine then us the Ursapine's regular attack against the Mortifex. Even better, use 2 Ursapines :-)

Anyway, you can be happy to know that the Guthackers will be released in one week, then all of your problems are over :-)

So we hope to hear in two weeks that you massacred lots of Mortans!

[Raoul]

(02-14-2014 02:31 AM)Mnil Wrote:  (Farfarer won't do anything against extra-defence tactic from Morti...)

I did not mention the Farfarer as a hint on any strategy. I only referred to a situation happening during testplaying, when a Farfarer shot a Necromagus and later on the Mortifex (not every Mortifex always uses Spirit Shroud). Great fun was had there.

[Mnil]

David - You always forget about soulbound - so i cant brake through second rank
Ursapine though, ends his standart activation after rolling doom (why?)

But still, i am waiting for Gut-Hackers, and maybe one day my dreams will come true!

[Huscarl]

But the Mortifex cannot use this ability forever. A gorelord with Hornplate Armor, Urghast Charm, Axe & Pick (or the blades of Minaxos) (and Fleshmorph Draft) should be quite a challenge for the Legio Mortum and the Mortan Spellcasters. Together with unit of 4 Gut-Hackers, which are buffed with the spell Bulging Biceps or Gigantic Jaws, they should be able to overload the Mortifex with his ability Soulbound.
Try also the Balescorch Cyclops out, when he is released. Thanks to Arcane Vision he is able to shoot directly at the spellcasters. And thanks to his many life points and his ability Carnifeast he is also a tough nut to crack.

@Rolling Doom: I think it turned out to powerful during the playtesting.

Another thing: you said at the beginning of this thread, that all the other warbands in your gaming area also struggle against the Magistratum. Could you please tell me, what other factions are played?

[Mnil]

Forever? He needs it 2-3 times par whole game -.-

I always play that Gorelord against it, and it won't brake through, believe me...
Guthackers/Cyclop like i said milion times before are not here yet and we don't play proxies...

All the factions are played, but WITHOUT PROXIES there are no many answers for Low-points Magisterium.

[David]

Okay yes Soulbound could hold him up for a while, but there is a limit how much Soulbound he can use because he only has 12 life pints, so normally he will use it 4-5 times max then take healing Position and use another 4-5 times maybe. You can overhwelm him by destroying enough models in one round. One rank is killed by the Mongrels and 2nd rank killed by the Gorelord. With 5 Mongrels you have 25 attacks, and the gorelord has 3X amidextrous attacks with Slay Movement.

Here is where I think the real Problem is:
You mentioned earlier that the opponent places his spellcasters between two hills. Are These impassable Terrain? If not then the Gorelord can run over the hills and hit the spellcasters from behind.

If the opponent is always using 2 pieces of impassable terrain to guard his flanks then that is UNFAIR. So next game YOU set up the terrain and he choses the table side. Exactly as it states in the rulebook page 44.

Then you can have a fair table set-up which does not always give him the Advantage.


Then as I said - engage the Legio Mortum with the Mongrels while your Gorelord circles around the side, moving 20 inches per turn.

[Mnil]

Everything You said is true, We alweys set up the table one after another, but it is easy to take goodposition for Magisterium, etc.
You still have to remember that the longer i fight the less monglers will survive offensive spells, more skeletons will be added and simply i won't have enough power to break.