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stormywaters rare
Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 1403

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:03 pm GMT Post subject: New to Frostwings |
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So I just traded for a slew of Frostwings, and I thought I'd ask some advice on build with them. Also, any races particularly well-suited to pair with them?
Here's what I've got to work with:
2x Wolf Pack
1x Cryohydra
1x Yeti
3x Devastator (Heavy Missile)
3x Vindicator (Heavy Melee)
1x Bear Master (Cavalry)
5x Magus (Magic)
3x Dispatcher (Heavy Missile)
3x Defender (Heavy Melee)
8x Apprentice (Magic)
6x Advocate (Heavy Melee)
3x Destroyer (Heavy Missile)
So I picked up Heavy Missile, Melee, and Magic, figuring they're a pretty fast race as it stands. So what would you guys play? I thought Mages + Melee, but I picked up Missile for some extra options.
Thoughts? |
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piMaster rare Stockholder
Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3235 Location: Rockford, IL

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:07 pm GMT Post subject: |
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| I usually go for a mages/melee mix. Lava elves should mix in nicely. |
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stormywaters rare
Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 1403

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:10 pm GMT Post subject: |
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| Lava Elves, huh? Are we just looking for Necromantic Wave, or do they serve another purpose? |
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piMaster rare Stockholder
Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3235 Location: Rockford, IL

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:32 pm GMT Post subject: |
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| Dancing lights compliments the frostwing's anti-magic, burning hands helps give those melee units extra punch. Lava elves are good at melee too. |
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stormywaters rare
Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 1403

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:34 pm GMT Post subject: |
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Ah those are all very good points! Thanks for the tip!
Would you split the armies into half-magic, half-melee, or do one full magic and one full melee? |
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DialFforFunky rare
Joined: 11 May 2010 Posts: 1992 Location: Groningen

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:00 pm GMT Post subject: |
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I feel kind of odd planning an army this way. I feel that the plan has too little context. Not that half mages/half melee doesn't work, but when I start planning, I usually try to think of how I want a game to go?. Do I want the first turn? Do I let my opponent capture an 8th face? Are there any SAI's or spells I want to plan around? Specifics like that are thinks I want to incorporate in my plan.
For instance, I could take an army with 50% frostwings (mostly mages, some melee) and 50% scalders (some mages, mostly light melee rares). I'd let my opponent capture an 8th, but I'd send over the charkins and most of the frostwing mages to that terrain the turn the opponent will captre the 8th. The rest of the mages is kept on a low terrain casting protective magic and dancing lights (ideally, they've summoned dragonkin earlier). That way your opponent is 'trapped' on the 8th, being unable to properly use melee nor magic, nor even missle all too well. with a wolf pack, you could just wait untill you get a rediculous result to smash the opponent right off the 8th.
So the question isn't really "what do I want my army to look like?", but rather "what do I want the game to look like?". I feel I've missed a few words though, as I can't really express this sentiment all too well. I hope the general message is clear enough.
F _________________ 717 |
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stormywaters rare
Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 1403

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:14 pm GMT Post subject: |
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That's a very insightful take on things, Funky. I always thought you just built an army considering what you expect to face, or to plan for contingencies.
However, I guess what I'm looking for is what the initial setup would be, not what the army construction would look like. How do I split the forces I've decided on? I'd like to win the horde roll, so I can either steal a first turn or force an opponent onto an unfavorable terrain.
So I thought my mages would go the Frontier and my Melee would hit the Horde roll. I can always redistribute them as the game progresses, but it gives me a good starting position, especially if they dump their mages at the campaign for safety. |
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Matthias Maccabeus rare
Joined: 18 Mar 2011 Posts: 1551 Location: Nebraska

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:19 pm GMT Post subject: |
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See and I like Amazons with my Frostwings with a Flatland Tower and Standing Stone. _________________ HeroScape - Tree Town Open Champion (2008, 2016), Nebraska Skirmish Champion (2008, 2010) GenCon LightWeight Champion (2009), GenCon General Wars (Aquilla Champion 2009) GenCon Unique Hero Champion (2009, 2010)
Dragon Dice - Gen Con Worlds Champion 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017 O Town 2013 Overall Winner |
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DEEPBLUEB2 monster Stockholder
Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 7894 Location: Des Plaines, IL

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:21 pm GMT Post subject: |
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The plain simple wolf pack devastator can be vicious.
(focused melee)
I just opened too many kickers with those two...
maybe they were trying to tell me something.
I've seen piMaster place a Remorhaz at the frontier with frostwing missiles...
once you get the frontier to an 8th...(wind walks from the reserves)
if your opponent attacks you at the 8th in melee...
counter melee attack is deadly with swallow...
otherwise you missile the army.
So it looks like about three armies there.
Split it up into more specialized forces. |
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stormywaters rare
Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 1403

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 1:24 pm GMT Post subject: |
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| Matthias Maccabeus wrote: | | See and I like Amazons with my Frostwings with a Flatland Tower and Standing Stone. |
I have a decent selection of Amazons; what do you run? I can try replicating (as close as I can) to see how it works blending the two. |
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DialFforFunky rare
Joined: 11 May 2010 Posts: 1992 Location: Groningen

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 2:18 pm GMT Post subject: |
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| stormywaters wrote: | | However, I guess what I'm looking for is what the initial setup would be, not what the army construction would look like. How do I split the forces I've decided on? I'd like to win the horde roll, so I can either steal a first turn or force an opponent onto an unfavorable terrain. |
Good! You've got a start of a plan! Sad part though is that most of the frostwings arn't particularly fast. They arn't particularly slow either, but for the most part, they hardly excell at speed. The Frostwing cavalry has decent speed, but missing out on fly SAI's is something I consider to be a major flaw. The bear master compensates this by having an excellent SAI that helps out both at maneuvering and melee. We could extend this theme by adding the two wolf packs, which are also moderately quick and packing a solid melee punch. Add two vindicators to add a bit of saves and you've got yourself a decent horde army.
I'll have to finish my post as my girlfriend is now trying to get some sleep not 2 meters away from this keyboard, and in the same room. I think you can fill the rest of the army with mages, and perhaps one or two extra melee units. Think about what spells you want to cast and from where, and you can develope a decent battleplan.
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ddicerc rare Public Relations Director Esteemed Author
Joined: 25 Jan 2005 Posts: 3238 Location: East Brunswick, NJ, USA

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:00 pm GMT Post subject: |
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My son plays a magic/missile mix. It is somewhat terrain roll dependent, but it works when your opponents are all playing melee and you're the one with the monkey wrench to toss in. (It worked at Nationals a few years ago.)
Shameless commercial plug: If you want the flavor of Frostwings, go to Amazon.com and download and read Chill Wind.
http://www.amazon.com/Chill-Wind-Vigilance-Cyrean-ebook/dp/B005YS9Q30/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319752745&sr=8-2 _________________ Steve "DDice" Braun
The Diceman's Gaming Pages: http://ddicerc.weebly.com
2014-2015 U.S. National Champion
(Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...) |
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piMaster rare Stockholder
Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3235 Location: Rockford, IL

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 4:02 pm GMT Post subject: |
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| Jim Rayborn wrote: | | I've seen piMaster place a Remorhaz at the frontier with frostwing missiles... |
I've never made an army like that. Maybe you're thinking of someone else? |
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Zero_Dynasty common Stockholder
Joined: 17 Jul 2010 Posts: 300 Location: Florence, KY

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Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2011 6:32 pm GMT Post subject: |
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I agree with matthais, I love them with amazons. What's nice is a lot runners, at your home. I keep the frostwings in the reserves to help cast wind walks and bring stuff back until I get the 8th face. The frostwing mages are nice because they have a range face, so they aren't useless during a range attack. I try and finger or lightning bolt their guys that could hinder the full power of amazon maneuvers on an eigth face _________________ 2nd Place World Championship Gecon 2011 (no loses) |
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stormywaters rare
Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 1403

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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 12:32 am GMT Post subject: |
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Okay, I'm going to try:
5x Magus
8x Apprentice
3x Battle Rider
3x Envoy
6x Charioteer
1x Flatland Standing Stones
1x Flatland Tower |
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Zero_Dynasty common Stockholder
Joined: 17 Jul 2010 Posts: 300 Location: Florence, KY

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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 5:08 am GMT Post subject: |
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looks good, but dont forget the runner has better chance for doing man/range, i run 18 of them  _________________ 2nd Place World Championship Gecon 2011 (no loses) |
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Matthias Maccabeus rare
Joined: 18 Mar 2011 Posts: 1551 Location: Nebraska

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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:52 am GMT Post subject: |
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| stormywaters wrote: | Okay, I'm going to try:
5x Magus
8x Apprentice
3x Battle Rider
3x Envoy
6x Charioteer
1x Flatland Standing Stones
1x Flatland Tower |
Yep that looks pretty close. I'll usually throw in an Oracle or 2 with my mages just for the Can Trips since I don't own any Magi. I also usually have a Medusa or Spearer or 2 but you can always adjust to what you like after you play it a few times. _________________ HeroScape - Tree Town Open Champion (2008, 2016), Nebraska Skirmish Champion (2008, 2010) GenCon LightWeight Champion (2009), GenCon General Wars (Aquilla Champion 2009) GenCon Unique Hero Champion (2009, 2010)
Dragon Dice - Gen Con Worlds Champion 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017 O Town 2013 Overall Winner |
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DEEPBLUEB2 monster Stockholder
Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 7894 Location: Des Plaines, IL

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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 8:40 am GMT Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I've never made an army like that. Maybe you're thinking of someone else? |
Oh it was you alright...  |
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stormywaters rare
Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 1403

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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:31 am GMT Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Yep that looks pretty close. I'll usually throw in an Oracle or 2 with my mages just for the Can Trips since I don't own any Magi. I also usually have a Medusa or Spearer or 2 but you can always adjust to what you like after you play it a few times. |
I just traded my only Oracle last weekend!
Anyway, I have three Medusa, and just one Spearer, but I was sticking to the heavy maneuverability aspect to ensure capturing that tower. Once I do, the field is mine to conquer. I can definitely see the advantage of Bullseye, however.
As to Runners, I played what I have.
Seems my 'zon collection is a bit lacking. |
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stormywaters rare
Joined: 22 May 2011 Posts: 1403

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Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2011 1:23 pm GMT Post subject: |
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| Looking at the dice, isn't the Charioteer a better common than the Runner? It's got the same number of Maneuvers, but divided over more faces. It doesn't have any Missile faces, but at your own terrain that doesn't matter so much. |
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