Precursor knights

[Faerun]

Heya!

I was looking at the precursor knights. I haven't played yet, but I was wondering about them. They seem pretty good to me!

They don't really have huge hitting power, but they seem to be great for hiding casters like Caine. Walking forward with Ranked tactics, so that Caine can shoot through them without being targetted himself.

I guess others have thought about this, but...does it work? :)

Cheers and thanks!

[Bladestorm]

They do that job well.

They really aren't bad in melee either though, mat 7, P+S 12 that ignores spells which add to def or arm is plenty against most infantry and can put some damage on a harder target - especially on the charge.

The attachment brings with it a mini-feat that allows for essentially weaponmaster for one turn per game - at which point you have 12+4D6 damage on the charge which ignores spells that add to arm - this is excellent! :D.

For me they tend to wedge up and protect my squisher models for a few turns, then at the first good opportunity pop the mini-feat and charge out to wreck and tie up a significant part of the enemy force, often opening holes the shootier part of the force can exploit to finish it.

[ZenBattleLust]

It works, and it's a pretty good place to hide Caine so long as you don't start feeling too secure. It isn't that hard to remove the single wound models from in front of him, so don't use the wall of precursors as an excuse to stop checking to see if an assassination run is come.

And don't discount their ability to dish out damage either. Pow 12 with a charge isn't bad at all, but the one round of pow 12 weapon master you get with the UA is downright scary. 4 of them will wreck an Ironclad on average rolls, and there are another 8 of them to deal damage after that.

[Mr.B]

I personally like taking them in an eStryker list.

[Faerun]

I personally like taking them in an eStryker list.

Could you elaborate on that, please? I'm curious :)

[BlackSwan2276]

In my experience, which is actually with stormguard and not precursors, my enemy tends to use a Jack to trample through the infantry and then attacks my caster directly.

[Arkady]

Which is why we need medium-based infantry.

[ZenBattleLust]

In my experience, which is actually with stormguard and not precursors, my enemy tends to use a Jack to trample through the infantry and then attacks my caster directly.

There has to be room for the trampling jack's base, however. If you put Caine (or any caster) in base to base with the precursors, I don't think there's any way to trample through and still end up with the caster in the jack's front arc. I'll have to try it out with models later, tho.

[CeltKhan]

The ideal is not to put him b2b with the picket line, but straggle them enough that there's not enough room for a heavy base. Precursors followed by straggled Longgunners with Caine somewhere in th middle would work best.

[Ysthrall]

Which is why we need medium-based infantry.

Wouldn't it be better to fix that situation using what we have (other jacks, disruption, model placement, etc) than to demand another shiny to fix it?

OP:

I've never used PKs, but I've had them used against me, and not been too impressed. Even with Shield wall, they're not amazingly tough, and they don't seem to do a great deal of damage. Maybe thats due to my opponent being more shieldwall and less charge...

[Reemule]

Precursors work well with a number of our casters. I admit to following the standard tactic of running them in shield wall up the middle, till I'm in range for a massive charge with them as weapon masters.

[Angelus]

Wouldn't it be better to fix that situation using what we have (other jacks, disruption, model placement, etc) than to demand another shiny to fix it?

OP:

I've never used PKs, but I've had them used against me, and not been too impressed. Even with Shield wall, they're not amazingly tough, and they don't seem to do a great deal of damage. Maybe thats due to my opponent being more shieldwall and less charge...

If you're looking for pure offense then you're probably better off with Stormguard or a unit or two of Stormblades. Precursors with their UA are more of a tarpit unit, with one turn of superior damage output. That being said, getting them up the field with eHaley, cackling manically as your opponent tries to shoot them is great fun!

[Dino-Czar]

getting them up the field with eHaley, cackling manically as your opponent tries to shoot them is great fun!

pNemo and eStryker agree! Shame you can't stack their (the Precursor's) mini-feat with eStryker's feat though.

[Mr.B]

Could you elaborate on that, please? I'm curious :)

They just work really well at clearing things out. You pot thier mini feat and charge then after everything has activated that turn you move and hit things again. I usually run a unit of Stormblades behind them for a second wave.

[Dino-Czar]

They just work really well at clearing things out. You pot thier mini feat and charge then after everything has activated that turn you move and hit things again. I usually run a unit of Stormblades behind them for a second wave.

Just remember that the mini-feat only lasts the length of their activation. Still, they love deflection.

[Mr.B]

Just remember that the mini-feat only lasts the length of their activation. Still, they love deflection.

I know... -kicks at the ground-

[Mr.B]

http://privateerpressforums.com/showthread.php?t=6470
list that i use them in

[tensteam]

Precursors look good on paper, but somehow I've not managed to get much success with them. The reason is probably the threat range, which at the end is pretty limited. Also DEF13/ARM18 infantry just tends to die when your opponent wants it. Taking charges is definitely no-go and POW12 shooting sadly makes the trick too.

I really liked Precursors during the field test when you were able to put Arcane shield on them. The threat range was still a problem, but at least the guys were able to take hits now and then. That said I can see potential with Deflection and Deceleration as long as you'll have something else that out threats the fast enemy. This shouldn't be a problem with eHaley. But even then fire and corrosion kill Precursors dead as do well-arced spray spells.

But well... gotta test more.

[UBomb]

With a little eHaley backup I was able to take out Typhon and a Seriph on mini feat turn, with three knights each.

[knight_actual]

it seems to me that vanquishers would just demolish precursors.

[Negative9]

I typically use them with pNemo, the piper, Lanyssa, and A+H. Then I increase threat ranges all around, increased damage and mobility. Then the ability to hit a touch harder than Storm Guard.

[Reemule]

it seems to me that vanquishers would just demolish precursors.

Not so much. Like anyone when I am faced with the things that can do those kind of issues to them I run them in a much more spread out formation, with just pairs of guys together.


Like this:

XX XX XX

...XX XX XX


Thus they still can get hurt by Vanquishers, but not as much.

Ed

[Falcon42]

Which is why we need medium-based infantry.

While I don't mind not having medium based infantry, after seeing the tasty goodness that are the Bastions, I'd absolutely KILL to see what they would come up with for us! :)

[capamerica1980]

I not sure everyone else but I love these spellwarded, shieldwalled, body guards lol....