Army of Four

In this article, I hope to give good advice in creating competitive ideas. If you have suggestions, they’re welcome.

Step 1: Choose your theme. Select what type of army you want. Just no Dund or Deathwalker armies. For help, you can glance at these power rankings, which show which themes don’t quite work out comptetively.

Step 2: Add in some squads. You’ll want at least 3x, even 5x for some of the better squads in your army, to provide the main force, and what does the heavy lifting.

Step 3: Support. Add in support heroes that enhance your army. For example, Venoc Warlord in a viper army, or Mogrimm and Migol in a Dwarf army. To help find synergies, you can check out these charts.

Step 4: Add in all-around support. If you have the space, Raelin always works nicely, although not as much in Viper or other fast armies.

Step 5: Fill in the remaining points. Marcu and Isamu work well for these, and the Marro Warriors make for good clean-up. (Just remember, don’t clone too much.)

Of course, for the army to be good, you have to know what’s good. For example, 3 squads of Marro Calvary and Me-Burq-Sa for 440 points isn’t going to exactly win you any tournaments. However, this might be a good example of what works in creating an army:

Step 1: Chooses Orc theme, with the new D3 orcs.

Step 2: Chooses 4x Death Chasers.

Step 3: Chooses bonding heroes MBS, Nerak, and the Ogre Pulverizer.

Step 4: Adds in Raelin.

Step 5: No remaining points.

Conclusion: DCoT x4 / MBS / Nerak / OP / Raelin for 500 points. Not the best in the planet, but not bad.

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Other advice:

– Rats work great with any and all range. This even goes for the Hydra, who can reach across their screen.

– Have fun. It’s just a game.

– Test out your armies. Even if it’s just against yourself, it can help perfect strategies.

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Well, I’m out of ideas for my small guide. If I come up with some more, I’ll add them on later.

There are two types of ‘Scape. Competitive and casual. The majority of people will play casually, but there are some who play competitively.

When playing casual ‘Scape, you generally don’t have many squads, and if you do, more of just your favorites. You might just be playing a 300-400 point game because you’re bored.

And then you have competitive ‘Scape.

When playing competitively, you are playing to win. You’re army is focused, and probably has 3-4x of a common squad. Raelin and Major Q9 are also probably in it. Not to mention at least one squad of Deathreavers (aka Rats).

For example, you might have:

Raelin (80/80)

Marro Stingers x6 (360/440)

Brave Arrow (50/490)

Isamu (10/500)

You have your common squads (stingers), Raelin to protect them, Brave Arrow to fill up the rest of the points, and Isamu because he’s one of the best figures (for his points) in the game.

When playing competitively though, you’re most likely not to be at your house. Of course, you would want to test your army out at home before going to… *drumroll*

A tournament!

Tournaments for HeroScape are often self-organized events (as in at someone’s house) where they let people know, set rules, and prizes/entry fees. In a tournament, you’re likely to see not too much variety for armies, as there aren’t a whole lot of competitive armies. For example, this thread shows the power rankings of HeroScape units. Reading through, you’ll find that there are only 3 A+ rated units, and 11 A units. But then there are 28 A- units, and 25 B+ units. Also, there just aren’t many competitive units that are easily available. (Would you like to buy a $20 Zelrig or a $30+ Laglor?)

Now, I’m not writing this article to complain about the lack of variety. The next part will suggest good ideas to use if you are in a tournament or are playing competitively.

1) RAELIN!!!

She’s extremely cheap, highly rated, and requires almost no Order Markers (OMs) on her. She provides an easy defense bonus to your squads, and helps prevent a disastrous Z-Bomb (Zelrig using his burst attack on some common squads).

2) Rats

They need only one or two OMs on them for the whole game, and they drive your opponent crazy after they engage their ranged or melee units and tie them down so your own troops are safe. Not to mention that they’re only 10 points per figure. Their Scatter and Disengage make them extremely mobile, so you’re opponent will have some trouble stopping them. They can also grab glyphs, and if killed, more can just scatter back on.

3) Common squads

There really isn’t much of an excuse to why you shouldn’t take 3-5x of common squads to a tournament. The multiple attacks is worth more that I could tell you. A hero versus that many points worth of squads (except rats) will lose 99% of the time. However, your army shouldn’t be entirely squads. Zelrig can destroy a full 24-hex start zone, so Raelin and Q9 can be helpful in preventing such a full start zone. Also, some squads bond with heroes. In that case, you would want some heroes to bond, because then it could be like you have a 5-man squad, which would be extremely overwhelming to any opponent. The best army in terms of attacks, although not the best, is one consisting of Kato and 3 squads each of Ashigaru Yari and Harquebus. Then you get 8 attacks per OM, but it is balanced out with low attack and defense values. (With that army, watch out for Zelrig!)

4) Don’t just go with what you like

You will need to make sure to include, if you want to win, not just units you love. Of course, by all means, make an army based on your favorite unit, but make sure to add in support and various other necessities (ex. Rats, Raelin…) to make it competitive. For example, the Marrden Hounds (B) aren’t the best, but you can still field them and not lose horribly, as long as you remember to add support. For example, you might want Raelin, to make them even tougher, 2x of the 4th Massachusetts Line to provide some range, and then Hounds (and Isamu or Marcu if you have some left over points). However, it’s fine to just go with your favorites if you aren’t aiming to win.

And finally, the most important thing: Have fun!

~Fen_Hydra

Under request from outside sources I put together this post about our thoughts about the number of common squads in an army.  It is my personal opinion that some common squads are very useful in large numbers, but for the most part common squads can stand on their own very nicely.  Some people say that commons are all built to go in hordes and uniques are meant to go solo when, frankly, if several certain commons were unique, nobody would say you need more of them.  With some people it seems as if it is just because there are common that they must buy more and not because they work well together at all.  I admit that most commons are a good in numbers because of order marker freedom and cheap cost, but I certainly don’t think that you should never use a common squads just because you don’t have two of them.  Some common squads are specialists (shades, Templar knights, most kyrie, grok riders, etc.) and are usually best in small numbers.  I think that two (and sometimes three) is a good temperate number for a squad that you are going to base your army around in a 500 point game (double that for a 1000 point game).  More than that (in my opinion) can be dangerous for the following reasons.

SQUADS ARE REALLY EASY TO TAKE CARE OF

Lets face it, there are sooo many figures that specialize in taking care of squads and lots that have powers off to the side mostly to take care of squads.  Tor-Kul-Na can just run over any small or medium squads you throw at him, Zelrig is a common squads owner’s worst nightmare, Major Q9 will just mow down most any squad forces you throw at him while your attacks just bounce off him.  Even the extremely buyable wyrmlings are very point efficient at destroying squads.  This is not anti-squad doctrine, it just means that you should pick the squads you want and don’t go overboard with the numbers.

NO VARIETY

HeroScape is very much a game of strengths and weaknesses.  One army is only good relative to the army it is facing.  Strategies will only work against the same kind of people.  When you pick too many of the same squads, one figure in the enemy’s army that is strong to your squad’s weakness can do way more than its point value in damage.  For example, the Death Chasers of Thesk are pretty darn helpless to range.  An army containing too many of these can taken on almost single-handedly by Major Q9.  However, abstain from too much of this squad and buy maybe two, then add a Frost Giant of Morh and an agent squad, effectively countering the weakness presented by the rest of your army.  The more variety of weaknesses you plan for the better.

Don’t get me wrong, HUGE numbers of Drones are never a bad thing.  Several squads are made for large numbers and my point is mostly that most common squads can survive on their own too.  Many or few, that’s your prerogative, but as for me, I think the more variety that works well together the better.  Fewer weaknesses that way.