Amon Offensively

[Flamepheonix182]

I've been looking at Amon at recently and his abilities seem really fun (especially his melee abilities). However I'm unsure how I cold use him as a fighter without just getting him assassinated. Anyone have any suggestions? The only thing I can think of is have him behind walls of models and just leave little spaces to slam through with his reach, but then I cant really use thresher

[jandrese]

Generally if Amon is up and attacking stuff he is about to die or win. His defensive stats are pretty poor and he doesn't have any way of improving them. Plus given his large battlegroup he rarely has the opportunity to camp much focus. Basically, if you think you can seal the deal but you need Amon to slam some target out of the way or wipe out some screening troops, then go for it, but be aware that if he doesn't pull it off you could be in a lot of trouble on the next turn. Pretty much anything that can boost can kill him.

[PG_Steampunk Jim]

Yeah, because amon almost always spends every stitch of his focus and has to be up close, he tends to die. Defenders and Ravagores just smack him on the nose with a rolled up newspaper. He's like a warlock without the ability to transfer.

[PG_KestrelM1]

Sadly Jandrese is right - unless Amon's attack is a kill stroke, it's a very bad idea to send him into melee.

Such is the fate of most casters without Teleport or Sprint, or without the ability to somehow hit & run.

[SgtPepper]

Well Amon can be a bit tricky. He's definitely not one of our top casters, but can be good and fun if played well. I find he definitely wants to play up to keep up with his fast battlegroup. Unfortunately his base stats aren't all that great. Def 16 is ok, but still easily hit with a boosted attack and ARM 14 is just terrible, so he does not want to get hit.

When I play him I try to support him with a devout for shield guard and defensive strike. (For all those people about to call out the BS you can do to get around shield guard, my stores policy is if you try that cheap **** you get a stool to the head. I'm of the opinion that if you have to do that to win you deserve to have all your models run over by a steamroller and then you are to be drawn and quartered. /end rant) Covenant is also a good idea with him. Even though he has groundwork, no knockdown would prevent him from having to shake and saying no spells is very good as well. Having a Reckoner near him could help in certain cases. Living models would suffer -2 to hit him due to Ashen Veil. You could also bring wracks/hierophant to help with FOCUS giving Amon the option to camp a bit more to help with that old man ARM.

Just a couple of ideas. Like I said before, he's not the easiest caster to play, but he can be very fun and rewarding if played right. I mean who doesn't like dervishes charging 10" at pow 18?

[jandrese]

He has Perfect Balance so he wouldn't have to shake anyway. Keeping his jacks from getting knocked down could be useful though, and the no-spells aura can be really devastating to certain opponents.

[Flamepheonix182]

Thats too bad. It seems like his abilities could be alot of fun. Sprint would have been pretty cool with him. Thanks for the advice

[SgtPepper]

I thought about the not having to shake right after I posted. I went to smoke a cigarette and was going to correct myself but jandrese already had clarified that for me. Thank you.

[jandrese]

Thats too bad. It seems like his abilities could be alot of fun. Sprint would have been pretty cool with him. Thanks for the advice

Yeah, it's kind of ridiculous that pCaine is naturally DEF 17, only has to get within 12" of his target (16" if he uses snipe on himself), and can then teleport away afterward. While Amon has 1 less DEF and has to get in melee range and has no defensive spells at all.

[PG_Menite Messenger]

Generally if Amon is up and attacking stuff he is about to die or win.

This is very much my experience with him, and once you get to that stage ive had pretty much 50/50 odds either way on those outcomes.

I had a number of bad experiences trying to use him to help build synergy chains, or end them with "super smites" until i was forced to just turtle him up for most of the game.

The one time I have success with using him personally as an offensive vector is the few occasions when im in a situation where there are good targets in his range (squishy troops or med def/arm solos/Casters) and my jacks dont need Mobility on his feat turn. On these occasions you can just bust your Feat, cast Synergy and use the rest of your Focus on extra attacks to power up your jacks via Union.

Its a pretty rare situation, but when it works out its nice to get "His Monkness" out and about swinging Oblivion round like a loon

All that said, i still play him regularly, becasue PoM warjacks with PS+2+1+1+1+1+1+1 is freaking HILARIOUS ! (4 Dervishes and 2 Crusaders/Templars is my personal favourite)

MM

[ZealousJohnny]

I haven't played Amon, but I have played against him. I almost lost a game that seemed as though it was in the bag at the last minute as Amon charged a Crusader, knocked it into Kreoss through smite, and then had a last ditch attempt himself at Kreoss. It didn't quite work but it was close. He seems to me to be 'one of those' Warcasters. Those that can deal it out in melee but are paper thin. Basically if you attack with him, you'd better make damn sure you flatten the target and anyone nearby. With Reach, Thresher, and Smite however, he's got a decent chance of killing everything nearby towards the end of a close fought game.

[zulu81]

I've been looking at Amon at recently and his abilities seem really fun (especially his melee abilities). However I'm unsure how I cold use him as a fighter without just getting him assassinated. Anyone have any suggestions? The only thing I can think of is have him behind walls of models and just leave little spaces to slam through with his reach, but then I cant really use thresher

You don't. If you attack with Amon and don't win on that turn you are asking for him to be assasinated.

[stupidmonkey]

Amon is one of my favorite casters in the game(s). Situationaly I have been able to slam an offending model that has come up and is in my front lines. Often attacking from behind (or just between my own jacks) while technicality behind my own lines. This starts Synergy and moves the model out of the way so that my jacks can get their charge on. This has been everything from Solos to heavies. I love it when I get this opportunity. The only other time I have attacked with him and he has lived was when an enemy is trying to pincer me from two sides.... using Amon and most of his jacks to wreck face on one flank and consolidating the rest of his jacks/ army to cover from the other pincer(that you are not farther away from) has worked out well. The enemy did not suspect that I would get amon into the fight... for reasons listed above in other posts.