Cyclone Synergy

[Iron Bear]

I haven't been playing in a while, but I'm back and headed to Templecon (I'm between school and job).

I picked up the Cyclone want to include it in a couple of lists. Which warcasters have you found to have the best synergy with our favorite open-fisted jack with chain guns? I'm thinking Haley (of course) but what about Nemo, Kraye and the others?

Iron Bear

[MajorGilbear]

It has reasonable RAT and 2D3 POW 12s are nice, so I'd say anything that increases its threat range is good; pCaine, pStryker, and the ATGM UA.

If you need it to hit more reliably, pHaley, eHaley, pStyker, pNemo, eNemo, Kraye, Sloane and Rangers all help.

If you need it to be more mobile, eHaley and pNemo are probably your best bets.

Damage output is where Cygnar struggles a bit I think, and I'd suggest that the ATGM UA might be the most efficient solution; using Rune Bullets and choosing Critical Brutal Shot, you have a chance of getting free boosts without much effort. But otherwise, without blowing a load of focus and hoping you roll a good number of shots, there's not much you can do. I suppose Seige can help, but I'd rather use his feat turn with something more reliable, as you only get one AP shot against any enemy target (and RAT6, RNG10, POW12s don't really sing "definitive" or "game ending" to me).

[Dino-Czar]

If you are playing a "take this circle/square" scenario the ATGM-UA turns the Cyclone into a monster. Just brush some offending models back or lay down pow-12s to keep infantry out. Sloan might be the best caster for this tactic, depending on the wording of her feat, but pHaley I know makes great use of it.

No senario? Pretty much any caster can make tactical use of walling off an area from infantry and Rangers should provide all the +hit you need for direct fire. The variable nature of your pow-12s precludes planing or focus commitment (for me at least) and with strong list building you can eliminate the need for battle group only feats or spells.

Basically I'm saying that its a very solid marshaling jack that can find a home in any list that needs more anti-infantry. While you don't lose anything for including it in a caster's battle group you don't necessarily gain much either.

[Dyoria]

The Cyclone is great in scenarios. It is possibly our best scenario jack, up there with the Centurion that can hold a point better then anything else we have.

I would SERIOUSLY consider both a Cent and a Cyclone in a Darius list. At Tier 3 they both cost 8 points, and you will probably have some throw away Sword Knights to swamp/hold points/flank with the cent.

At 50 points (thats Templecon size right?) I would take (assuming the below satisfies the t3 requirements to get -1 cost heavies):

Darius
-Ironclad
-Ironclad
-Centinel
-Cyclone
-Squire
Sword Knights (10)
-Sword Knight UA
Field Mechanics (3)
Field Mechanics (3)
Arlan
Junior
-Defender

This all depends of course on the restrictions of the list. Might have to have 2 units of sword knights, in which id break up the 10 man into 2 6 man, and drop a unit of mechanics.

Now you have a list that will give people fits to kill. 5 heavies, 9 or 10 sources of repair, 1 or 2 units of inf, and Jr to make the cent stupidly tough. ARM 24 Cents that you cannot charge and repair every turn are almost impossible to dislodge. Especially when you put down covering fire templates infront of him.

I personally would hate to fight this army.

[mrhuettel]

the cyclone has a great synergy with kraye and his "guided fire" - the three dice on attack rolls almost guarantee that you hit your target; average rolls get you reliable hits of def 16 or less. that being said, the cyclone is a great infantry cleaner - 2d3 shots hitting hitting def 16 means that most infatry will stay away from your whirling gatling guns.

the same is valid with siege - on feat turn, the cyclone will dish out enough damage to kill medium to heavy infantry and cavalry. the jack's rat will let you hit all cavalry and heavy infantry on average rolls and the high POW of the gun will deliver enough pain to clear out most targets (an average of 19 dmg against 17/2 armour + max. 8 hitpoints (man-o-war, bastions, cavalry) usually suffices).

other than those two, i have to agree to either put the cyclone under snipe-casters or the atgm-ua, if you have the points, fill in some rangers for the +2 on attack rolls and lean back or give it to jr to marshal, with 2 focus available between the two, you have 2d3+1 pow12 rng 12 shots plus the occasional boosting (or charge or throw or slam) - a real pain for most low def models and units.

AND: don't forget the double AOE to keep your opponent from wherever you want

[Iron Bear]

Sorry, I forgot the scenario. 35pts Caster kill. If no caster kill closest caster to the center line of the table wins. 1.5 hr time limit.

I hadn't thought of Marshalling it. I suppose it could be a huge focus hog for a caster, when maybe it doesn't need to be, just let it do its thing. Putting it with Jr makes me nervous because he's so fragile and needs to be so close. Marshalling is interesting because he won't go inert if the marshal is killed. And if I have Strangeways nearby, I can give him a boost if needed.

How about game mechanics. Does he end up taking a load of time during the game because of all the shots? Its twice as many shots as the Sentinel and Chain gun.

[DragonWolf]

other than those two, i have to agree to either put the cyclone under snipe-casters or the atgm-ua,
Just to verify, the Cyclone will benefit from Rune Shot on every Rapid Fire attack, right?

[MajorGilbear]

How about game mechanics. Does he end up taking a load of time during the game because of all the shots? Its twice as many shots as the Sentinel and Chain gun.No, the Sentinel is 1D6 (1-6 shots), whereas the Cyclone is 2D3 (2-6 shots). You will have a maximum of six shots to resolve with either model, which is comparable to a six-man ranged unit in terms of points/attacks.

If you have the points, I think it could be the Dude's best friend. Another note on Snipe (either through pCaine, pStryker or the Dude), if you have enough range you can always stand still to get an aiming bonus; effective RAT8, RNG14 and POW12.

Otherwise, I'm not sure how great it'd be at Caster Kill without seeing the rest of you list.

[MajorGilbear]

Just to verify, the Cyclone will benefit from Rune Shot on every Rapid Fire attack, right?Yes, because Rapid Fire is D3 initial attacks, rather than Strafe like the Sent which is a *Action.

[DragonWolf]

Yes, because Rapid Fire is D3 initial attacks, rather than Strafe like the Sent which is a *Action.
Good to know I wasn't cheating. :D

Further, why does the Sent still have that crappy *action? What a waste of paper, ink and metal. :mad:

[MajorGilbear]

Further, why does the Sent still have that crappy *action? What a waste of paper, ink and metal. :mad:PP knows, but doesn't tell ;)

Personally, I didn't like it much in Mk1 until Legends, then it became the definition of b0rken under the Dude, and now it is crappier than ever in Mk2 again. Sure, it has Shield Guard. Whatever. If it had Rapid Fire D3+1, I'd be all over it though.

[Dyoria]

The sentinel is anything from crappy. I have been using it very effectively with Kraye. Shield Guard is fabu, d6 shots at RAT 6+3d6 and POW 10 is just what he needs to deal with most infantry. Plus, its a 4 point light with Def 13 and ARM 18. It can have ARM21 very easily. That is the DEFINITION of a tarpit unit.

It think its a great little jack, especially with Kraye, but really with pretty much any caster who works his way up to the front (eCaine, eStryker, Darius).

[BlackSwan2276]

The sentinel is anything from crappy. I have been using it very effectively with Kraye. Shield Guard is fabu, d6 shots at RAT 6+3d6 and POW 10 is just what he needs to deal with most infantry. Plus, its a 4 point light with Def 13 and ARM 18. It can have ARM21 very easily. That is the DEFINITION of a tarpit unit.

It think its a great little jack, especially with Kraye, but really with pretty much any caster who works his way up to the front (eCaine, eStryker, Darius).

Seconded, The jack is very helpful as cheap protection for something you dont want shot. I often place one in the middle of a full unit of stormblades with the UA so that they dont get shot down.