Lord Darth Stryker

[Da-Rock]

What are some of the key units/models you put with him?

Ol Rowdy
Squire
JR
Runewood....................etc etc

2nd question: How good/important is having a Lancer with him? Can you give scenarios where the Lancer has made a big impact or played a key role in a battlefield move etc?

3rd question: Why am I liking Sword Knights with him more the Stormblades like I should?

[phreaker187]

I run all those, plus a 10 man unit of sword knights.

I also play Thorn instead of a lancer. Reasoning for either is this. It gives you a super mobile Positive Charge model, increased range for Rebuke, Reach for the SK bomb, and it can quickly knock out a cortex when you want it to.

[Da-Rock]

If running 3 Jacks, (2 Heavies) would Jack Marshalling lets say a Stormclad to Sword Knights and UA be good with the Pronto Drive?

What about the Minuteman, does it have anything to give Stryker?

Lancer or Minuteman and Stormsmith??

[Rochr]

Ol'Rowdy
Jr. Warcaster
Gorman
Squire
Runewood

I never run a Lancer with eStryker. Not because it isn't good but mainly because the way I play him I will always be up close. Between Velocity and Rebuke's 10" inch range I rarely feel that it is necessary. There is a reason why Steamroller tournaments make you bring 2-3 lists, so against those lists where Stryker can't be up close you pick another caster.

[PG_n00buaddib]

I use Stormclad with SK. Works brilliantly. After a lot of tinkering, this is 50pts list I came up with:

-eStryker
~Squire
~Ol' Rowdy
-Journeyman (first two turns or so AS on Sword Knights, then on either a heavy or Stryker himself)
-Runewood
-B13
-Strangewayes
-Gorman
-Lanyssa Ryssyl
-Madelyn
-Piper
-Stormblades
-2 Stormsmiths
-10 Sword Knights + UA
~Stormclad

This is one of my SR lists for Cygnar, the other's eCaine. If you're not limited by char restrictions, eEyriss would be a good idea with eStryker but I feel Caine needs her more. Also, for a single point Reinholdt is worth it for having S&P on your charge attack roll.

Key pieces for his assassination run are: Runewood for pathfinder, Squire for extra focus. Other then that, I feel he plays attrition reasonably well (due to feat) so infantry and jacks with solid melee attacks are good. After using lancer a couple of games, I think he's not worth it.


As an afterthought (think I wrote about this in another thread recently), Avenger marshalled by Gun Mages (+ el Duderino obviously) may be a good idea, knocking down enemy caster/lock will make eStryker's one weakness, his lowish mat irrelevant. Works wonders with Siege and eCaine, didn't get to try it with eStryker yet.

[Tevelyn]

I think you need to go with either eStryker or eCaine, and considering Stryker is our only way to deal with terminus I think he gets the spot. I say either but not both because they share many "needed" models. Both want runewood, both want eEiyriss, and both want boomhowlers.

Runewood and Eyriss are obvious, you need to be able to strip upkeeps/focus and you need pathfinder for stryker. Boomhowlers is less obvious, Stryker is a midfield caster and boomhowlers are the best screen/tarpit in the game. They let him play midfield without getting killed, and can hit pretty hard when combined with positive charge. *yes with murdoch*

I don't normally run a lancer with stryker, but the case to bring thorn is a solid one, I might take a closer look at including him in estryker lists.

And sword knights are pretty meh. Yea they're cheap but you get what you pay for, they're incredibly easy to wipe out and make a mediocre tarpit at best. You almost have to include carvolo to give them tough and pathfinder, which overlaps with runewood's place in the army. Boomhowlers are more expensive, yes, but they also get the job done.

outside of that it really is a matter of taste.

Tev

[Da-Rock]

I noticed that many players generally seem to view eStryker in two ways:

1. Assassin
2. Attrition

With those two categories I see posts about which models to bring seem to also follow 1 & 2.

Is it safe to say that the Lancer generally belongs with the Attrition Stryker while units like Sword Knights go with Assassin Stryker? I am jumping back and forth between 1 & 2, but in the end I will have to play both versions to see which works for me better.

In the past I have always used Stryker upclose, (B2B with Ol Rowdy) and enjoyed getting my hands dirty. With that I never found I missed having an Arc node. The Sword Knights with a Reach Jack and assassin Stryker seem a perfect fit as your opponent will have to watch that nasty unit coming at them while Stryker slips in and buries them, or the other way around.

If going assassin Stryker, would dropping the Lancer for B13 and Rhupert be a good idea?

And sword knights are pretty meh. Yea they're cheap but you get what you pay for, they're incredibly easy to wipe out and make a mediocre tarpit at best. You almost have to include carvolo to give them tough and pathfinder, which overlaps with runewood's place in the army. Boomhowlers are more expensive, yes, but they also get the job done.

I find ANY pure Cygnar infantry "easy" to kill. I play Trollbloods as a 2nd army and know what a true tarpit unit looks like, but in an assassin list, much like eCaine, your troops dying doesn't mean as much when your caster does such a good job. (eCaine is much better at that style of course). I do agree on Rhupert really only there as a giver of "Tough" and crossing paths with Runewood. (5pts for a unit of tough nd some others with Pathfinder is a bit heavy)

[Tevelyn]

You can't really focus on assassination in the new steamroller. The threat of assassination is potent enough to force your enemy to stay 17" or so away from your caster which can really let you "bully" him around the table and get a hard advantage in kill box scenarios.

in my opinion, which may be horribly wrong, the best way to run stryker is jam/attrition. With a full unit of arcane shielded boomhowlers it's usually fairly easy to get a control point early. Once you've got that first control point, usually your opponent is forced to play almost recklessly to try and prevent a scenario win. This pressure leads to mistakes and will often lead to an assassination win. And even if it doesn't, it can be very hard to take an objective back from boomhowlers, especially with stryker and a stormclad working to clear the zone out with them. Pressure and attrition win games, trying to plan an assassination may win you a game but it won't win a SR on its own.

tev

[thebill77718]

I've been playing:

eStryker
- Rowdy
- Centurion
10 SK
-UA
--Centurion
10 SK
Alexia and the Risen
Runewood
eEiryss
Ragman

That's 50, right? Stupid Monday morning brain fog!

I play an attrition game early, using charge, reform from Runewood and Darth's feat to get deep into enemy lines on turn two. Depending on how well the feat turn goes I will either continue with an attrition game or transition to an assassination to take advantage of holes I've created in the enemy's lines. Depending on scenario, of course.

Lately I've been toying with the idea of replacing Darth's Centurion with a Lancer... maintaining reach for the SKs flank, but gaining an arc node for rebuke.

[Da-Rock]

That is a great point about steamroller tournament play. I would definitely use my beloved Boomhowlers & Co. for that. I wounder how Alexia & Risen plus Rhupert giving tough and Alexia with Arcane Shield would do? (always wanted to try them with a Jam tactic in hopes that a lot of living bodies die around while their Tough and Arm keep them standing a little longer.

We don't play a lot of 50pts, (wish we would) so at 35 I am limited. I also play a lot of Darius and absolutely love Hammersmiths and Centurions with the occassional Sword Knights, but do to that I don't use those jacks in other lists so I get some different play etc.

[Tevelyn]

oO didn't realize you could "tough" risen using carvolo, thats pretty nasty. So boomhowlers+jonas+arcane shield backed up by Alexia+risen+carvolo tough is a tarpit I hope to never have to deal with =P I wouldn't waste tough on risen mind you arm14 isn't exactly intimidating.

at 35:
Commander Coleman Stryker (*6pts)
* Ol' Rowdy (9pts)
* Stormclad (10pts)
Alexia Ciannor & the Risen (Alexia and 9 Risen Grunts) (5pts)
Greygore Boomhowler & Co. (Boomhowler and 5 Grunts) (6pts)
* Captain Jonas Murdoch (2pts)
Archduke Alain Runewood (3pts)
Eiryss, Angel of Retribution (3pts)
Journeyman Warcaster (3pts)

might be nasty, you might want to replace the risen with b13 and a stormsmith though, incorp models and solo hunting can be very important

Tev

[Da-Rock]

Tough is really only there to keep the dead tarpit standing while Alexia hopefully collects tokens. AS on group is really to give Alexia ARM 17. AS on them is less needed than Tough. Its a solid tarpit and I have driven off opponents troopers as they do not want to feed that beast their bodies.......

I will look at a possible inclusion of Alexia and Risen as they look good.

[TerTer]

I use Stormclad with SK. Works brilliantly. After a lot of tinkering, this is 50pts list I came up with:

-eStryker
~Squire
~Ol' Rowdy
-Journeyman (first two turns or so AS on Sword Knights, then on either a heavy or Stryker himself)
-Runewood
-B13
-Strangewayes
-Gorman
-Lanyssa Ryssyl
-Madelyn
-Piper
-Stormblades
-2 Stormsmiths
-10 Sword Knights + UA
~Stormclad

This is one of my SR lists for Cygnar, the other's eCaine. If you're not limited by char restrictions, eEyriss would be a good idea with eStryker but I feel Caine needs her more. Also, for a single point Reinholdt is worth it for having S&P on your charge attack roll.

Key pieces for his assassination run are: Runewood for pathfinder, Squire for extra focus. Other then that, I feel he plays attrition reasonably well (due to feat) so infantry and jacks with solid melee attacks are good. After using lancer a couple of games, I think he's not worth it.


As an afterthought (think I wrote about this in another thread recently), Avenger marshalled by Gun Mages (+ el Duderino obviously) may be a good idea, knocking down enemy caster/lock will make eStryker's one weakness, his lowish mat irrelevant. Works wonders with Siege and eCaine, didn't get to try it with eStryker yet.

Isin't this list not a bit overkill with support? 16pts in support?

[Juggernautie]

I'm going with this:
Estryker +6
Ol-Rowdy -9
Stormclad -10
Squire -2
Jr - -3
Gunmages & dude, -8
B13 -4
Madelyn Corbeau, -2
10 Nyss - 10
Stormbaldes 05

This is for Lock & Load. My other list are Ehaley and Pcaine(maybe Sloan or Ecaine). I'm totaly going fast (Deathclock), assassination. Stormblades help power the Stormclad, and get the +3 Mat/P&S from Postive Charge. Nyss are fast and flat out nasty. They stay out of his way better. Madelyn helps him get the charge off, as I'm playing him fast and in their face. Black 13 & Gunmages are staples. Jr does the +3 Arm to the Stormclad, as I have it in front and bonded. Rowdy in base to base for the Affinalty buff's and protection, until needed. I would run this different, except the Lock & Load character restriction has the other 2 casters taking some of my other VIP's.

[Juggernautie]

What are some of the key units/models you put with him?

Ol Rowdy
Squire
JR, +3 Arm.
Stormclad bonded, +1 focus from 5 Stormblades, Stormclad gets Postitive charge to give all within 3" +3 mat/P&S.
Madelyn, +3 movement to help with the charge/assaniation.
Nyss, B13 and Gunmages to help clear the charage lane for assination. They need no support.

2nd question: How good/important is having a Lancer with him? Can you give scenarios where the Lancer has made a big impact or played a key role in a battlefield move etc? I don't run the Lancer, as I play Estryker fast and in there face. Stormclad gets a focus from Stormblades, so can run for free. Rowdy can run for Free. Let Estryker camp focus until time for assination. He will often cast Deflection on the way in, to protect the army from ranged. He then does Positive charge, when the Stormclad/Rowdy gets in hand to hand. I love to have Rowdy do a knockdown of all within 2" of him, then have Estryker shoot their caster. He does shoot!

3rd question: Why am I liking Sword Knights with him more the Stormblades like I should? I like the Stormblades to power the Stormclad. Nyss, B13 and the Gunmages seem to find their ways to be my VIP's. I don't think the Storm knights are worth it in an army where the caster does not support his army. Boomhowlers with Murdock rock! But I put them with my shooting caster, they hold up the army, while the rest shoot them.

Lunch is over, back to the realy world.

[Da-Rock]

I have tested a few things out and found that running both Boomhowler & Co along with Min Sword Knights is nice, but they both require some help. I ordered Murdoch as he can add a lot to Boomhowler is several situations and not just assault and getting Feats and spells.

I also ordered Runewood as Reform, possible pathfinder or +2 charge attack and fearless is nice. When you add in having Rhupert give them tough Runewood really brings a lot. (The downside is its a Min unit without UA due to lack of points).

I looked at having Runewood and Rhupert out in the same list and thought it was a waste at first, but in scenario games you will almost never have both the Sword Knights and Boomhowlers together, so having someone give out Pathfinder to two units across the board is great, (I ran into an issue where Runewood was too far from Stryker to give Pathfinder on an assassination run and therefore the game went two more turns.)

I originally had a Stormclad Marshalled to Sword Knights w/ UA, but quickly discovered he was not made for that, I now see why a 6pt Lancer would be better. Stormclad wants to punch stuff in da face! Even with Ol'Rowdy on Stryker I can see the Stormclad working much better there too.

Ol Rowdy is just so pure awesome! I was worried the Megalith would smack my Boomhowler unit and dent Rowdy, but Rowdy went off with 4 Focus. I didn't have to pop my Feat as I finally got a vector on pBalder.

At 50pts this would be much easier to build a more solid list for the Dark One!

I think in the end Darth Stryker is so fun to play because you can build and play scenario/attrition while always knowing you can assassinate any caster as a fallback!

[Tevelyn]

my biggest worry in fielding runewood/carvolo in the same list is that it gives you no pathfinder in your second army. If you run into a really good kromac player he's going to mulch estryker, you need a second list like ehaley or better yet siege to keep him at bay. And unless you're running ehaley t4 you want carvolo with either of those casters. Running both might be interesting in a hardcore scenario, but I'd rather take min stormblades than min sword knights, 1 point more and they are an excellent counter-punch.

Tev

[Soda Breeze]

Thought: What about T-Head?

AS + Deflection on Boomies/Sword Knights = ARM 21. Pow 12s kill on 10s, Boomies get 4+ Tough even if you manage to nick that. Eradicate high-DEF/Tough-reliant tarpits (Kayazy/Fennblades) and surround the thing with your infantry so that most enemy models can't get to it. Pretty decent jack-killer w/ Positive Charge and 3 focus, hitting with 5 POW 18 MAT 9s, and pulses for free so low focus cost otherwise.

Rowdy seems to be a trap @ 35, but at 50 I'd run Rowdy + T-Head if I was taking Boomies, maybe SKs + Cent. as well, and a Lancer to make Bile Thralls useless. Obv. Runewood, maybe Black 13th for Black Penny? I dunno.

[Da-Rock]

Rowdy really boils down to one thing and its not what point level. Its which style you play Stryker. If anyone plays an aggressive Dark One, then you should always have Rowdy by your side. Def 18 and ARM 16 to 19 while within range of your opponents killy stuff is important.

Our group doesn't run a lot of 2012 stuff right now so character restrictions aren't an issue. If we did, you would be absolutely correct in using both Rhupert and Runewood in the same list.

DJ Thunderpants makes his appearance with Darius and Nemo so I don't use him that often with Darth. He is solid though!

[Tevelyn]

I adore thunderhead but he needs a movement buff to really shine. I almost never field him outside of ehaley or the nemos. It's just too easy to out threat range him with a heavy, and many many lists will sacrifice a heavy to take out a threat like that. And as much as I like thunderhead he's not tough enough to not get the first strike in a fight.

Tev

[Da-Rock]

That's why Darius likes him......

[Brettman008]

I adore thunderhead but he needs a movement buff to really shine. I almost never field him outside of ehaley or the nemos. It's just too easy to out threat range him with a heavy, and many many lists will sacrifice a heavy to take out a threat like that. And as much as I like thunderhead he's not tough enough to not get the first strike in a fight.

Tev

I've actually been giving DJ Thunder some time in my eStryker list and I love him. I jam early with infantry then use the TH to clear out a big chunck of infantry in Stryker's way. So far it has been working out pretty well.

Tevelyn is right about The Thunderhead having a big "kick me" sigh on him but eStryker is kind of an oddity when it comes to The Thunderhead. He's the one caster I take the jack with where I'm not asking, "what can my caster do for The Thunderhead."