Brad & Brun: The Peanut Butter & Jelly of Secret Masters
Jan 16, 2018 17:46:24 GMT
kuririnad and breakthrough like this
Post by punk on Jan 16, 2018 17:46:24 GMT
Back from ATC.
Over the weekend I was asked many times; why Secret Masters(SM) and whats the deal with Brun & Lug(BnL)?
Before I reference as to why, I just want to point out I fully grasp a majority of you dislike SM theme as whole. I want to thank you in advance for reading and understand that I am above all else answering many of the questions that I received. I told most of you I would give a response here as to why.
I'm not writing to proc an in-depth conversation as to why SM is good or isn't. Fact is, I actually don't care to debate nor do I see it important to read into others opinion. You have your opinion, I don't want to change that. Play what you want to play, have a good time doing it, and share what is successful to assist others. Let me acknowledge SM is not pumped up full of free points that everyone can gush over. Is it missing a unit/solo that has yet to be released, probably. Is Bones a better spot for Brad, maybe. So now that this is all out of the way...
If you know me, like any good story starts; so no shit there I was...Wold War is over. I had just finished my kit-bash-basing of Brad/Fulcrum/Hordes 10thAnv terrain set. The cost of this model is too high to let sit but the rules are just prohibiting to make Brad function like I knew him to. Mk3 gets announced and we jump the story along a year or so to Wold CiD.
My 6 Wold Watchers are in the same exact spot when the war was called over. The 2 Guardians with my favorite basing, standing tall and proud, have collected quite a bit of dust. I own 4 Wold Wardens from the end of MK2. Axis was a thing toward the end of it all and I really enjoyed Mohsar spamming crevasse. Early October '17 was when I knew the building blocks for a new Brad are there, but most of my focus is on Call of The Wild with Kaya1 and not SM.
WmW comes and goes and I acquire 3 Wights and Brun & Lug from the store that weekend. For all that were there on that dreaded line that day, that wait alone might be more reason I play BnL as it is 2 hours of my life I can't get back. (PP next time bring some cash and more then 1 register)
At the end of MK2 my Brad game was strong. One of my main problems with Brad I found is that opponents would take these 10-20% runs at him. In a 6+ game Con, these 10-20% runs would catch up with him. While the chances are low for sure, if given to the opponent every time and spread out a large number of games...he would just drop to small arms fire and a few random attacks.
Enter SM theme with the ability to Sac Pawn to Minions.
Okay, so what to use as bullet catcher? The Wights function is way more of an offensive piece. You can't have them babysit Brad like the Watcher. Still match-up dependent, the Wights can take one for the team in a bad spot. The Bokur is a nice because you can shield guard to him, he's pretty good for a 2nd big shot too, so Sac pawn to him seems just about right, in fact if he tough's I have 3 shunts for a nice 5 points. Seems worth it.
I picked up Valkyries at WMW as well. @8pts for 3 shield guards and 3 more shunt targets if the model lives seems more than enough to survive most shooting. They have some solid hitting power and the simple fact they are a unit gives me another scoring option.
I thought about using both. 13 points wasn't bad for a defensive stake in the game, I think it could work. 3 points left over was a bit wonky in the list, but we could easily make due. I tested it several times. I really enjoyed the simple fact that Brad just would not die to shooting more so it encourage people to shoot at him and keep people off the rest of my list.
After several tests, I disliked the lack of pathfinder on the Valkyries. I also felt I was not using their card to their full potential and really wanted them to get up there and mix it up. Vengeance is super sweet on them and gang makes this unit really valuable. The Bokur normally found himself slamming into something. Battering ram, beat back shots, bokur slam and warden crit smites in the list is super handy. There is a lot of control. So I was getting less protection from them in me trying to be too aggressive with a 13 pt defensive stake from my 75pt list.
The new question was; is there something with pathfinder and has the ability to be offensive while still keeping something back to take the hits for Brad?
Enter BnL.
Arm18 and 8 boxes of the Bokur and Arm17 15 boxes of the Valkries with tough are really hard to pass up or replace. I needed to focus on the goal.
1) is to keep Brad from dying. 2) is to not have 25% of my list (Stones, Bokur, Valk) sitting in the back field.
Stonehold with Arm15 8 boxes, Brun can survive all small arms fire. The best part there is a large amount of ENEMY dice that need to go into the assassination run and it's just so unreliable. You can't be sure that I am going to sac pawn or just have Brad take that hit or have Brad just transfer it himself. Speaking of transfers, Brun normally sits on 2-3. Anything that does more than 4 dmg to Brun he will transfer to Lug.
So now we have a base for keeping Brad alive. Lets talk about offensive ability. While a counter charging bear is also great at keeping Brad alive the simple fact he has return makes this heavy perfect for what I want him and his handler to do. Not stray too far from Brad but still push up when needed. Lets not forget, return is super handy. As Brun's Ctrl Range is 8" and Lug's charge is 8" (really 6" or so when counter charging) you will have the option to return Lug into a different spot to either block other charges or contest a zone, this won me at least 1 game at ATC.
As return is not DIRECTLY TOWARD and just toward, Lug just needs to end closer to Brun. With only a 5" move and the 6-8" distance from Brun, he is almost always able to be super annoying. Also no free strikes on the return. Fun example; If a 2" melee threat charges and you counter charge you can creep into the 2" gap, if the opponent stayed at max.
-Note: Return is only after the charge, so you can't take his 2nd initial to trigger chain attack and throw the model and then return, you get just the charge attack.
Bear Hands is really nice on your turn(not round), Lug has been the lead on a few caster/lock kills for the simple fact a boosted Mat 7 will KD most. Brun is nice to have on Flag he can operate a flag and Lug can score on a permitting zone. Lug as 4 fury beast is handy too. He still is a discount heavy when you add what Brun is doing for Brad. While constructs don't Frenzy, the list does have a lot of fury control with stones and shapers, it is just nice to have heavy who hits hard without having to think about the rest of the resource control.
So 16 points you say?
Worth it. Brun does what the Bokur and the Valkries did for 13 points. He comes with a counter charging heavy who can block lanes/contest on the opponents turn. Position wise, Brun moves up along side Brad, Lug stays near the Wardens. Both goals accomplished with this addition. I removed the 10-20% runs every turn vs Brad and its a 5th heavy on the table.
As to the ATC, I went 4-1. I dropped Brad three times and Una2 twice.
I hope you enjoyed reading.
-A
Over the weekend I was asked many times; why Secret Masters(SM) and whats the deal with Brun & Lug(BnL)?
Before I reference as to why, I just want to point out I fully grasp a majority of you dislike SM theme as whole. I want to thank you in advance for reading and understand that I am above all else answering many of the questions that I received. I told most of you I would give a response here as to why.
I'm not writing to proc an in-depth conversation as to why SM is good or isn't. Fact is, I actually don't care to debate nor do I see it important to read into others opinion. You have your opinion, I don't want to change that. Play what you want to play, have a good time doing it, and share what is successful to assist others. Let me acknowledge SM is not pumped up full of free points that everyone can gush over. Is it missing a unit/solo that has yet to be released, probably. Is Bones a better spot for Brad, maybe. So now that this is all out of the way...
If you know me, like any good story starts; so no shit there I was...Wold War is over. I had just finished my kit-bash-basing of Brad/Fulcrum/Hordes 10thAnv terrain set. The cost of this model is too high to let sit but the rules are just prohibiting to make Brad function like I knew him to. Mk3 gets announced and we jump the story along a year or so to Wold CiD.
My 6 Wold Watchers are in the same exact spot when the war was called over. The 2 Guardians with my favorite basing, standing tall and proud, have collected quite a bit of dust. I own 4 Wold Wardens from the end of MK2. Axis was a thing toward the end of it all and I really enjoyed Mohsar spamming crevasse. Early October '17 was when I knew the building blocks for a new Brad are there, but most of my focus is on Call of The Wild with Kaya1 and not SM.
WmW comes and goes and I acquire 3 Wights and Brun & Lug from the store that weekend. For all that were there on that dreaded line that day, that wait alone might be more reason I play BnL as it is 2 hours of my life I can't get back. (PP next time bring some cash and more then 1 register)
At the end of MK2 my Brad game was strong. One of my main problems with Brad I found is that opponents would take these 10-20% runs at him. In a 6+ game Con, these 10-20% runs would catch up with him. While the chances are low for sure, if given to the opponent every time and spread out a large number of games...he would just drop to small arms fire and a few random attacks.
Enter SM theme with the ability to Sac Pawn to Minions.
Okay, so what to use as bullet catcher? The Wights function is way more of an offensive piece. You can't have them babysit Brad like the Watcher. Still match-up dependent, the Wights can take one for the team in a bad spot. The Bokur is a nice because you can shield guard to him, he's pretty good for a 2nd big shot too, so Sac pawn to him seems just about right, in fact if he tough's I have 3 shunts for a nice 5 points. Seems worth it.
I picked up Valkyries at WMW as well. @8pts for 3 shield guards and 3 more shunt targets if the model lives seems more than enough to survive most shooting. They have some solid hitting power and the simple fact they are a unit gives me another scoring option.
I thought about using both. 13 points wasn't bad for a defensive stake in the game, I think it could work. 3 points left over was a bit wonky in the list, but we could easily make due. I tested it several times. I really enjoyed the simple fact that Brad just would not die to shooting more so it encourage people to shoot at him and keep people off the rest of my list.
After several tests, I disliked the lack of pathfinder on the Valkyries. I also felt I was not using their card to their full potential and really wanted them to get up there and mix it up. Vengeance is super sweet on them and gang makes this unit really valuable. The Bokur normally found himself slamming into something. Battering ram, beat back shots, bokur slam and warden crit smites in the list is super handy. There is a lot of control. So I was getting less protection from them in me trying to be too aggressive with a 13 pt defensive stake from my 75pt list.
The new question was; is there something with pathfinder and has the ability to be offensive while still keeping something back to take the hits for Brad?
Enter BnL.
Arm18 and 8 boxes of the Bokur and Arm17 15 boxes of the Valkries with tough are really hard to pass up or replace. I needed to focus on the goal.
1) is to keep Brad from dying. 2) is to not have 25% of my list (Stones, Bokur, Valk) sitting in the back field.
Stonehold with Arm15 8 boxes, Brun can survive all small arms fire. The best part there is a large amount of ENEMY dice that need to go into the assassination run and it's just so unreliable. You can't be sure that I am going to sac pawn or just have Brad take that hit or have Brad just transfer it himself. Speaking of transfers, Brun normally sits on 2-3. Anything that does more than 4 dmg to Brun he will transfer to Lug.
So now we have a base for keeping Brad alive. Lets talk about offensive ability. While a counter charging bear is also great at keeping Brad alive the simple fact he has return makes this heavy perfect for what I want him and his handler to do. Not stray too far from Brad but still push up when needed. Lets not forget, return is super handy. As Brun's Ctrl Range is 8" and Lug's charge is 8" (really 6" or so when counter charging) you will have the option to return Lug into a different spot to either block other charges or contest a zone, this won me at least 1 game at ATC.
As return is not DIRECTLY TOWARD and just toward, Lug just needs to end closer to Brun. With only a 5" move and the 6-8" distance from Brun, he is almost always able to be super annoying. Also no free strikes on the return. Fun example; If a 2" melee threat charges and you counter charge you can creep into the 2" gap, if the opponent stayed at max.
-Note: Return is only after the charge, so you can't take his 2nd initial to trigger chain attack and throw the model and then return, you get just the charge attack.
Bear Hands is really nice on your turn(not round), Lug has been the lead on a few caster/lock kills for the simple fact a boosted Mat 7 will KD most. Brun is nice to have on Flag he can operate a flag and Lug can score on a permitting zone. Lug as 4 fury beast is handy too. He still is a discount heavy when you add what Brun is doing for Brad. While constructs don't Frenzy, the list does have a lot of fury control with stones and shapers, it is just nice to have heavy who hits hard without having to think about the rest of the resource control.
So 16 points you say?
Worth it. Brun does what the Bokur and the Valkries did for 13 points. He comes with a counter charging heavy who can block lanes/contest on the opponents turn. Position wise, Brun moves up along side Brad, Lug stays near the Wardens. Both goals accomplished with this addition. I removed the 10-20% runs every turn vs Brad and its a 5th heavy on the table.
As to the ATC, I went 4-1. I dropped Brad three times and Una2 twice.
I hope you enjoyed reading.
-A
