Epic Warpath – Tactics Series #3

So far this week have had the Enforcers, the Plague, the Asterians, and the Forge Fathers; today it's the turn of both the Veer-Myn and the Marauders!

Veer-Myn

The Veer-Myn commander is the sort who usually wants to give adversarial forces nasty surprises by appearing behind their lines, sprinting further than they thought possible or making a third activation to really put the claws in.  After all, who doesn’t like to see Night Terrors crawling out from beneath and sprinting into some unsuspecting foe?

Those tactics can do well, but often sacrifice nest-brethren in vain.  There’s a fine balance between keeping units together for the nerve buff, which shouldn’t be underrated, and splitting forces by using subterrain deployment when there’s not a lot of space to bring units in on the battlefield (from turn 2!) together.  If going for assault like this, remember you really want Crawlers to soak up any overwatch casualties to save your betters units!   You may never want to know the odds, but always consider how likely that Subterranean Deployment will pay off.

Watch out on the Narcotic Frenzy option, it’s amazing that the nest-brethren can sprint so far and do better in assault, but you automatically lose a base after any Overwatch fire has been resolved, so it’s strictly for large or economical units, like the Crawlers; Night Terrors might never get to assault with only 3 bases to start with!

• Stick within 6” to get the Nerve bonus where you can.
• Remember Burrowing Attack -1 to Overwatch works any time you engage in an Assault, not just for Subterranean Deployment or disembarkation.
• Cheap Crawlers are cheerful. Perfect as Overwatch shields or tanking up on Narcotics.

Stand Out Units

Night Terrors

Specialist

Terror says it all, A4 AP2 Vicious hitting on 5+!  Their scythes can really ruin anyone's day.  Use them for concentrated high power attacks, because with only 3 bases, their 12 assault attacks is the same as a unit of Nightmares (also cheaper per base).  Sprinting 17” with them on narcotics will lose a base and it’s 4 attacks, so you’re better looking for a good spot for Subterranean Deployment, or using cover to keep them safe.

Shield Tunneller

Support

A 7+ save aura is always useful and a good proportion of the Veer-myn don’t have shields so using tunnellers beside them can really make a survivability difference.  The unit can use Subterranean Deployment, but doesn’t have to.  So consider if you just want to take it along to support your Maligni or other units, like the Crawlers, which may need to slowly walk up the battlefield to provide a different sort of shield for the more valuable troops!  Watch out that it’s sadly a Unique unit, you can’t cover the battlefield with them!

Tunnel Runners

Troops

Bikes for a troop option!  Just because the Veer-myn spend much of their lives below ground it doesn’t mean they don’t appreciate the finer things in life, such as having a super mobile troop choice with perfectly reasonable shooting or assault options (A2).  Throw in a 7+ save and they have some survivability.  They are best to harass the opponent, getting onto a far back objective they thought no-one would bother with, or taking some shots at cheap units the opponent took and isn’t really defending.  Just don’t forget it you throw them off on their own they won’t likely get the Veer-myn nerve bonus for being near another unit, and they may be the only unit the opponent’s units can fire on! 

Marauders

For those new to the Warpath Universe let me quickly dispel a preconception. Marauders are ORCS, no other spelling options required. They are literate, well organised, well lead, disciplined, well trained and ruthless. Discarded by the Human Spheres after employment as very successful mercenaries the Marauders are very much out to make an impact on the universe. They are still green though, mainly.

• Army Stratagems – Mobility and Reaction

Quick Think – Allows a unit to change it’s assigned action token, very simple but with the potential to be very powerful. You can swap any token for any other token so it allows the Marauders to react on the fly to an evolving battlefield.

Hunker Down – Grants infantry units cover, even when standing in the middle of a well-manicured (formerly well-manicured after this lot stand on it) lawn. Can make the difference holding objectives against shooting attacks, even in the open.

One Step Ahead – Highlights just how flexible these guys can be. In the end phase you can make additional moves with units, 1 unit per command unit and as long as you can pay the cost. But it enables repositioning out of combat quickly for any unit.

• Deadly Crossfire – Army Special Rule

Only affects shooting, requires you to focus fire on a specific unit but who doesn’t want to focus fire a really annoying unit? Costs 1 CP as you have to “Keep Going” to activate the second unit in the combat phase. Be wary of over using this as you can find yourself losing the activation race, letting your opponent keep some of his units to move after you have run out of activations.

Stand Out Units

Troops

Hard to pick a standout unit, they are all good. Heavies give you 2 range 15” shots, out ranging mot other troops units. Commandos have scout, 2 close combat attacks as do the Brawlers who also add 1 AP to those attacks. Mawbeasts are quick, hit hard, hit a lot with exploding 8’s on hits and wounds. Mawbeasts are a solid choice to run into other troops on objectives outside the main area of the fight.

Specialists

Skyscrapers – Great sprint distance with their jump packs, Anti-Grav lets them ignore terrain when moving, Orbital Deployment means they can drop in almost anywhere and strong anti-infantry weapons with Pinning and Ignores Cover makes them good for pushing dug in infantry off an objective or out of a building.

Support

A lot of choices, which can make army list selection a little tough. But all are worth taking. There are two that stand a touch above the others though.

Stuntbots – Walkers that behave like heavy infantry if your heavy infantry have huge circular saw on one arm. Only 3 of these in a unit, but 4 attacks hitting on 5+ with Sustained Attack makes them brutal in close combat, especially for the cost.

Hammer Assault Tanks – Heavy armour, tanks, with troop transport capacity, hard to kill and good anti-infantry potential with their cannons and ramming. They aren’t classed as APC’s so they can certainly ram units in close combat.

HQ

The Rippermech…. Unique sure. It is a walker but it’s flagged as a vehicle for game play reasons after the early playtests, letting one of these loose in a building full of infantry is either a really good day or a very bad day depending on which player you are. Hard to kill without some very big guns or a really high amount of luck…

Staff Challenge!

Our staff work in progress section falls onto Elliott today! some of our fans would have spotted him painting away whilst monitoring the Companion for Clash of Kings this past weekend (which worked so well he had more time than planned for painting!)

Like Tobias, he is aiming to paint his Epic Warpath army like his Deadzone force.

Join us tomorrow for our last Tactics blog and then again Friday for some extra preorder items...!