Post by Big Fat Troll on Mar 29, 2017 1:37:50 GMT
(Cross-posted on the Facebook Trollbloods Group)
I was thinking about the Highwaymen theme when we do get it, and I have come to the conclusion that I do not want it to allow the Krielstone. Not only because of personal biases, but also just to give us something different and to prove that we can do without it, which we should be able to if it truly isn't supposed to be a "tax."
Also, no Mauler, for the same reasons, and the additional reason that it seems like each faction will eventually have at least one theme that is fairly restrictive in how it can build. Hear me out, folks. There is method to the madness.
First of all, this would work much better in conjunction with two errata. 1) The Skinner gains a minimal ranged attack, throwing a hatchet or something. 2) Slag gets his animus back.
That said, here are the army comp restrictions:
Any Warlock.
Other than that, if a Trollblood model or unit has a ranged attack, you can use it.
If it does not have a ranged attack, you can't.
Sons of Bragg count and the Sorcerer sneaks in via loophole if attached to Sluggers or Scattergunners etc. And yes, this does mean Dozer and Rok are invited to the party regardless of caster. I think that will help. If they don't want to allow the character beasts then Alten Ashley and/or one unit of Farrow Brigands would make sense and it would be nice to use them.
If the Skinner does not gain a ranged attack he has to be added in manually, but that's fine. It might be silly of me to harp on the Skinner of all things, but another option for a free solo would be nice and nicer still for the poor sod to finally get off the bench.
And that's it.
So, what do you gain for putting up with the most restrictive theme in the faction? Well, the point is to not only use our ranged units in a theme but to have a force that is more mobile than Trolls usually are and more likely to hit & run. So:
Free solo or CA per 25 full points of units.
Scouts gain Ambush. (One unit anyway. You know the drill.)
+1 to the starting roll. (Seems appropriate, and IF this were too good combined with the stone, now's the time.)
Blitzers and Impalers gain Powerful Attack on their ranged weapons, Pathfinder and Reposition 3.
That's all great and fitting and logical and Rule of Cool you say, but we're not quite even, are we? We need one more bonus. Something defensive, to balance the lack of the stone, right? What could that be?
Concealment.
Yes, on everything. All the time. I am completely serious. Upgrading Prowl to Stealth provides a reason to run the second unit of Scouts. If we had a lot more Stealth or Prowl than we are ever likely to get this might be a problem, but I think we can manage it. I don't think it's broken with Calandra because Star Crossed is better against melee than guns, but this would be playtested in CID if it ever got even that far. Also, needing to use a Mountain King as opposed to a Mauler to get Rage would slow her down somewhat if she tries Impaler spam.
So, fire away. (Pun intended.) What do you think?
I was thinking about the Highwaymen theme when we do get it, and I have come to the conclusion that I do not want it to allow the Krielstone. Not only because of personal biases, but also just to give us something different and to prove that we can do without it, which we should be able to if it truly isn't supposed to be a "tax."
Also, no Mauler, for the same reasons, and the additional reason that it seems like each faction will eventually have at least one theme that is fairly restrictive in how it can build. Hear me out, folks. There is method to the madness.
First of all, this would work much better in conjunction with two errata. 1) The Skinner gains a minimal ranged attack, throwing a hatchet or something. 2) Slag gets his animus back.
That said, here are the army comp restrictions:
Any Warlock.
Other than that, if a Trollblood model or unit has a ranged attack, you can use it.
If it does not have a ranged attack, you can't.
Sons of Bragg count and the Sorcerer sneaks in via loophole if attached to Sluggers or Scattergunners etc. And yes, this does mean Dozer and Rok are invited to the party regardless of caster. I think that will help. If they don't want to allow the character beasts then Alten Ashley and/or one unit of Farrow Brigands would make sense and it would be nice to use them.
If the Skinner does not gain a ranged attack he has to be added in manually, but that's fine. It might be silly of me to harp on the Skinner of all things, but another option for a free solo would be nice and nicer still for the poor sod to finally get off the bench.
And that's it.
So, what do you gain for putting up with the most restrictive theme in the faction? Well, the point is to not only use our ranged units in a theme but to have a force that is more mobile than Trolls usually are and more likely to hit & run. So:
Free solo or CA per 25 full points of units.
Scouts gain Ambush. (One unit anyway. You know the drill.)
+1 to the starting roll. (Seems appropriate, and IF this were too good combined with the stone, now's the time.)
Blitzers and Impalers gain Powerful Attack on their ranged weapons, Pathfinder and Reposition 3.
That's all great and fitting and logical and Rule of Cool you say, but we're not quite even, are we? We need one more bonus. Something defensive, to balance the lack of the stone, right? What could that be?
Concealment.
Yes, on everything. All the time. I am completely serious. Upgrading Prowl to Stealth provides a reason to run the second unit of Scouts. If we had a lot more Stealth or Prowl than we are ever likely to get this might be a problem, but I think we can manage it. I don't think it's broken with Calandra because Star Crossed is better against melee than guns, but this would be playtested in CID if it ever got even that far. Also, needing to use a Mountain King as opposed to a Mauler to get Rage would slow her down somewhat if she tries Impaler spam.
So, fire away. (Pun intended.) What do you think?