SFR, Inc.

[dburkley]

Introduction
The Swamp Stalkers are a fearful sight to behold, strangling the life out of their victims deep in the muck and ooze of the swamp. They have several significant advantages at a Swamplands terrain (racial ability and doubling green magic).

The Swamp Stalker special abilities:
Terrain Advantage: Swamp Stalkers may, when at a swampland terrain, count maneuver results as if they were save results.
Mutation: During your Initial Effects phase, if you have at least one Swamp Stalker unit in an army at a terrain and have at least one dead Swamp Stalker unit in the DUA then you may attempt to mutate. Target up to 3 health-worth of units in an opponent’s reserve area, which must generate a save result or be killed. For those that are killed return up to that many health-worth of Swamp Stalker units from your DUA to the mutating army, promote a number of Swamp Stalker units equal to the health killed or a combination of both.
Example: At the beginning of a turn the Swamp Stalker player has an army at his home terrain and some Swamp Stalker units in his DUA so he decides to try and mutate to bring them back into play. Selecting a player with a reserve army he targets three common units. These units must roll a save or be killed. Only one saves so two are sent to the DUA. The Swamp Stalker player may now bring in a 2-health unit, two 1-health units, bring in one 1-health unit and promote one unit, or promote two units.

Swampstalker Unit Summary
Commons…

Warmonger [save, save, melee, melee, melee x2]
The Warmonger is a good melee Common, concentrating on melee and saves.

Striker [maneuver, missile, save, melee, melee x2]
The Striker is diverse with a maneuver, missile, and save face, along with its two melee faces.

Bog Runner [maneuver, maneuver x2, melee, save, save]
A Bog Runner at a Swampland terrain saves 83% of the time (since maneuvers count as saves at the Swamplands terrain). For a “cavalry” class unit, it may not be as fast as most, but it offers a lot of damage resistance.

Sprayer [melee, save, missile, missile, missile x2]
The Sprayer is a fairly focused missile unit, but does not save as well as the previous three commons.

Bog Adept [melee, save, magic, magic, magic x2]
The Bog Adept is a good magic Common, with a melee face and a save face. While is does not maneuver well, it can offer more in a melee situation than magicians of some other races.

Uncommons…

Ravager [save x2, save x2, melee, melee x3, melee x4]
The Ravager is a good “heavy melee” Uncommon, concentrating on melee and saves.

Raider [save x2, maneuver x3, missile x2, melee x2, melee x3]
The Raider is diverse with a maneuver, missile, and save face, along with its two melee faces.

Marsh Swimmer [maneuver x2, maneuver x4, melee x2, save x2, save x2]
Like the common Bog Runner, a Marsh Swimmer at a Swampland terrain saves 83% of the time (since maneuvers count as saves at the Swamplands terrain). For a “cavalry” class unit, it may not be as fast as most, but it offers a lot of damage resistance.

Stormer [save x2, melee x2, missile x2, missile x2, missile x4]
The Stormer is a fairly focused missile unit, but does not save as well as the previous three Uncommons.

Marsh Mage [melee x2, save x 2, magic x2, magic x2, magic x4]
The Marsh Mage is a very good magic Uncommon with a melee face and a save face. While is does not maneuver well, it can offer more in a melee situation than magicians of some other races.

Rares…

Annihilator [save x2, save x3, melee x2, Smite x4, melee x5]
The Annihilator is a very strong “heavy melee” Rare (especially with the Smite x4 and melee x 5 faces) and saves 50% of the time, but don’t expect it to maneuver well.

Invader [maneuver x3, save x2, melee x4, missile x3, Poison x4]
The Invader is a very diverse “light melee” Rare. Instead of the Counter SAI, the Invader has the Poison SAI. If constructing an army that can be flexible to pursue a maneuver, melee and/or missile strategy, consider including this unit.

Wave Rider [Coil x4, maneuver x2, maneuver x5, save x 2, save x 3]
The Wave Rider is an excellent “cavalry” unit for a Swampland terrain with an 83% chance of rolling a save. The Coil SAI can be effective, but choose the target carefully, since any damage rolled during the target’s save will hit the Waverider.

Deluger [save x3, missile x2, missile x2, missile x5, Bullseye x4]
The Deluger is a very focused missile unit (and more so than the Common or Uncommon), counting towards a missile action 83% of the time, and it has the deadly Bullseye SAI. This is the unit to use for a missile-oriented strategy.

Swamp Wizard [melee x2, save x2, magic x3, magic x5, Cantrip x4]
An impressive-looking magic unit with 4 faces counting for magic, the Swamp Wizard also has a melee face and a save face.

Monsters…

Crocosaur [Surprise, Surprise, Rend, maneuver, Tail, Tail, melee, melee, save]
The Crocosaur is squarely focused on melee, with two melee faces and five SAI’s that count in a melee action. The Rend and Tail SAIs permit a second roll.

Mudman [Surprise, Smother, Smother, maneuver, save, save, melee, melee, melee]
Despite its name, its actually a group monster (so when its ID icon is rolled, it is counted and re-rolled again). The Mudman is also focused on melee, with three melee faces and three SAI’s that count in a melee action.

Ormyrr [maneuver, missile, magic, magic, Coil, save, save, melee, melee]
The Ormyrr is a very diverse monster that counts as a magic unit, with a 30% chance of getting magic, 20% chance of maneuvers, 30% chance of saves (40% at a Swampland), and 40% chance of melee.

Swamp Beast [Wave, Wave, Poison, Poison, Surprise, maneuver, save, melee, melee]
The Swamp Beast is fairly focused on melee, with two melee faces and 5 SAI’s. It has a 50% chance of contributing to a melee, 10% chance of contributing to a missile action, 20% chance of maneuvers, and 20% chance of saves (30% at a Swamplands).

Swamp Giant [Poison, Trample, Trample, Smite, Smite, maneuver, save, save, melee]
The Swamp Giant is another monster that is melee-oriented, but can support a maneuver strategy as well. It has a 70% chance of supporting a melee action, 40% chance of supporting a maneuver action, and 30% chance of saves (60% at a Swamplands). This monster can work well in any army that promotes a melee strategy.

Swampstalker SAIs
Bullseye (Deluger): During a missile action, each Bullseye result immediately inflicts one point of damage. The total damage may individually target one or more units in the defending army as the acting player chooses. Each target unit must immediately generate saves against the damage assigned to it. During a dragon attack or missile avoidance roll, Bullseye generates missile results.
Cantrip (Swamp Wizard): During a magic action or magic negation roll, Cantrip generates magic results. During any non-magic action, save roll or non-maneuver avoidance roll, Cantrip can be used to purchase spells that are immediately resolved.
Coil (Ormyrr, Waverider): During a melee attack, for each unit that generates Coil results choose one unit in the defending army. Immediately inflict four points of damage to the target unit. The target unit makes a combination roll: to generate saves against the Coil damage and/or inflict melee damage on the coiling unit. The coiling unit cannot roll to save against this damage. During a dragon attack or melee avoidance roll, each Coil result generates one melee result.
Poison (Invader, Swamp Beast, Swamp Giant): During a melee attack, choose one health-worth of units in the defending army per Poison result generated. Each target unit must immediately generate a save or be killed. Any units that are killed must roll a save or be buried.
Rend (Crocosaur): During a maneuver roll, each Rend result generates one maneuver result. During a melee attack or melee avoidance roll, each Rend result generates one melee result; roll this unit again and apply the new result as well.
Smite (Destroyer, Swamp Giant): During a melee attack, each Smite result immediately inflicts one point of damage on the defending army or unit; no saves (including those provided by spells) can stop this damage. During a dragon attack or melee avoidance roll, Smite generates melee results.
Smother (Mudman): During a melee attack, choose up to four health-worth of units in the defending army to immediately roll a maneuver result individually or be killed.
Surprise (Crocosaur, Mudman, Swamp Beast): During a melee action, the defending army cannot make its counter-attack roll; however, it may make its save roll.
Tail (Crocosaur): During a melee attack or melee avoidance roll, Tail generates two melee results. Roll this unit again and apply the new result as well.
Wave (Swamp Beast): During a melee attack, after the defending army rolls for saves but before they finalize any results, subtract four from their save results. During a maneuver roll, after all the counter-maneuvering armies roll for maneuvers but before they finalize any results, subtract four from each counter-maneuvering army’s maneuver results.


Swamp Stalker Racial Spells
Decay (2 black): Target any enemy army. Until the beginning of your next turn, subtract one melee result from the target army. Multiple castings increase the effect or target another army.
Foul Water (2 green): Target any enemy army. Immediately inflict one point of damage on the target army. Only 1-health (common) units roll for saves, and only 1-health units can be removed because of this damage. Multiple castings increase the effect or target another army.
Mire (6 green): Target any terrain not already under the effects of a Mire spell or currently at the 8th face. Until the end of your next turn, no army at the target terrain can make a maneuver attempt to change the terrain face or bring in a minor terrain. Multiple castings target multiple terrains.
Black Rain (7 green): Target any terrain with the green (water) element. Until the end of your next turn, halve all save results at the target terrain. Multiple castings target multiple terrains.

The Swamp Stalkers also have access to several powerful Black and Green spells:
• Ashes to Ashes provides an option to bury units in their opponents DUA, permitting the Swamp Stalker player to pursue a battle of attrition by denying opponents the opportunity to bring back their dead;
• Reanimate Dead allows you to return even multi-health units back to the game, which is an important advantage in a battle of attrition;
• Finger of Death is among the most effective offensive spells to kill off small or annoying units without allowing a save;
• Deadlands offers an opportunity to double black magic, instead of relying on units being present in anyone’s DUA, but remember that it is lost when the face of the terrain is changed;
• Open Grave can be another effective spell in a melee or battle of attrition, sending your units to the Reserve instead of the DUA, but recognize that this only works for normal damage to the target army and does not apply to unit-targeting damage and damage from Smite;
• Watery Double is a useful, low-cost protection spell, that stays in effective for Dragon attacks the next round;
• Wall of Ice generates a few quick saves (even if temporary ones), often helping your army survive an attack, only to better fortify their position next turn;
• Wall of Fog is a useful protection spell, especially against missile-intensive armies;
• Flash Flood, cast under the right circumstances, can change the flow of the game, especially when it successfully takes control of a terrain away from your opponent;
• Dragon summoning is important as a means to whittle away your opponent’s forces, and Green Dragon breath has the potential to bury enemy units; and
• Summon Dragonkin can provide important protection for your magicians, both in saves and the ability to melee, and remember that Dragonkin are eligible for promotion at a City 8th Face, a dragon’s Treasure Chest, or after a dragon has been killed. A Dragonkin Champion can have an important effect in the game. Dragonkin are like bonus units, but can’t move from the terrain they have been summoned at.

Swamp Stalker Magic
The Swamp Stalkers also have some of the best spells in the game. They have access to black magic, allowing them to bury the dead of their enemies, which can be important in a battle of attrition. In addition, the 4-point Cantrip on the Swamp Wizard can bring back a Common unit with the Reanimate Dead spell, or kill off a troublesome Common with a Finger of Death spell. The spell that can vex all their enemies is the Mire spell, which makes it temporarily impossible to maneuver a terrain. By casting Mire spells upon the other terrains, you can delay the progress of other players, and have the opportunity to capture a terrain first.

The Swamp Stalkers are somewhat weak in offensive spells. Black magic can be doubled if units are in the DUA (yours or theirs) or by casting Deadlands at a terrain you control, while green magic can be doubled at Swamplands. Swamp Stalker mages at an Eighth Face can summon Black or Green Wyrms upon their enemies, in the hope that the dragon(s) can cripple their opponent’s army.


Strategies
Strategy for playing a Swamp Stalker army:
1. The Swamp Stalkers tend to do well in capturing a terrain early, and then either looking for opportunities to snag a second Eighth face, or using Dragons to terrorize their opponents.
2. Do your best to win the horde roll, so as to have at least two swamplands in play; stick mainly to the swamplands because that is where you are the safest. In a multi-player game, if you appear to be untouchable, your opponents will likely turn on each other first, leaving you with some time to reach an Eighth face.
3. Use Mire spells to slow down your opponents while you march towards an Eighth Face.
4. Once you have an Eighth Face, send Dragons (preferably Wyrms) down on your opponents. Use Foul Water spells to get rid of pesky Commons here and there, and don’t forget to bury your opponents’ units wherever possible, to prevent them from returning to the game and give you an edge in a war of attrition.
5. Once the war of attrition has tipped enough in your favor, you’ll want to make the final move to capture a second terrain. Send a contingent of Bog Runners (or other cavalry) to a second terrain (preferably a swampland) and proceed to steadily move it up while your hapless opponents look on.
6. Swamp Stalkers may be tough to kill, but they can achieve their greatest potential when a few of their number lie dead, and they have an opportunity to mutate their enemies. For this reason also, players tend to be careful about killing Swamp Stalkers early in the game, when they may wish to head to the reserves in order to re-deploy their troops to more favorable terrains.

Army Construction
Here are a few strategies when building a Swamp Stalker army:
1. Use plenty of cavalry units. They maneuver well, and their maneuver icons count as saves at a swamplands terrain;
2. Consider combining the Swamp Stalkers together with other races that will complement their special abilities. For example, this could mean teaming them up with Goblins, who gain the ability to double their maneuvers in the swamps. A Swamp Stalker/Goblin army maneuvers well and saves well at a swampland;
3. Since your Swamp Stalkers are well-protected to begin with, consider combining them with some offensive magic, such as that of the Firewalkers.

Mixed Swamp Stalker/Goblin army:
18 Bog Adepts
12 War Dog Riders
6 Speed Slippers
An army very similar to this won the World Championship at GenCon in 1999, particularly when the Swamp Stalkers had greater powers of mutation than they do now. Still, this remains a potent army.

The Bog Adepts protect the War Dog Riders as they march their way to an Eighth Face. The Bog Adepts gather at an Eighth Face and summon Dragons. One strategy is to bring a swampland Standing Stones to the game, in which case, the Swamp Stalker mages can cast gold magic, opening up the possibility of a Path-Transmute Rock to Mud victory at a crucial point in the game.

Mixed Swamp Stalker/Firewalker army:
14 Bog Runners
8 Sunflares
2 Sunbursts
4 Speed Slippers

This army won the World Championship in 1997. The Bog Runners work to run a swampland up to an Eighth face, while the Firewalker mages seek to help them out with Wind Walk spells, while at the same time whittling their opponents down with offensive spells such as Firebolt and Lightning Strike.

“Single Race” Swamp Stalker army:
6 Marsh Swimmers
6 Bog Runners
6 Delugers

This army combines the cavalry’s maneuver ability with the deadly missile potential of the Deluger, striking down opponents with missiles (and the occasional Bullseye SAI) while marching toward an Eighth face. Opponents will think twice about sending Dragons your way. When a Dragon is eliminated by missiles, promote as many units as possible.
The Deluger is one of the best missile units in the game, combining 9 missile icons and 4 Bullseyes with 3 saves, rendering the Deluger less susceptible to Lightning Strikes than most of the other missile Rares in the game.
Be patient with this army. It’s not likely to gain a quick 2-terrain victory, but can pursue war of attrition. If done properly, your opponents’ forces will be whittled away and buried out of reach.

(Edited on January 25, 2009)
_________________
Daniel Burkley
US National Champion (DEXCON 2007, 2009, 2010)
World Champion (GENCON 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014)
Battlefest Champion: DEXCON 2008, 2011, GENCON 2009, 2010 (co-champion), 2011, 2017)
"No Magicians": GENCON 2008
"Single Race": DEXCON 2008, GENCON 2010, 2011, 2014 (co-champion), 2017

[chuckpint]

You may also want to note that the Mudmen unit is a group monster, and therefore gets to reroll any IDs that come up. I'd also say something about the Crocosaur's having three sides that add melee damage, and then let the unit roll for more.
_________________
You can never have too many dice.
First Place at the first ever Daemon Dice sealed starter tournament.
Battlefest tied for first GenCon 2012
Single Race Champion GenCon 2008-2009, Sealed Box Champion GenCon 2007,2009,
My collection is 21,500 Dragon Dice, 20,000 Daemon Dice, and others (too many to count).

[eggsaladsandwich]

Can you "mutate" 3 times if you have 3 armies with ss units in them at the beginning of your turn? Thus potentially taking out up to 9 health of your opponents reserve?
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"Another days useless energy spent." Moody Blues

[piMaster]

[DEEPBLUEB2]

[thelootroomau]

You have got the description for Web in there instead

[chuckpint]