35 point pStryker for all comers, but 2 points left...

[Sanguinary Dan]

Army Name: pStryker 35 points Mk.V
Cygnar
33+6 points, 25 models

Commander Coleman Stryker* +6 points
* Ol' Rowdy* 9 points
* Grenadier* 5 points
* Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker* 2 points

Stormblades* 5 points
* Stormblade Officer & Standard* 3 points
* 2 Stormblade Storm Gunners* 2 points
Trencher Master Gunner* 2 points
6 Trenchers* 6 points
* Trencher Officer & Sharpshooter* 3 points
* 2 Trencher Rifle Grenadiers* 2 points

I've still got 2 points left to spend. I'm assuming I'll use it for a solo. The question is which one will work best in an all comers (tournament type) list? I'd prefer to stay in faction, but it's not a must.

[tankrandall]

Rhupert for Pathfinder and Tough but mostly pathfinder. He is the #1 choice period.

Gorman is also fun or you could finishing off those WAs if you wanted.

[Sanguinary Dan]

Rhupert is just so... Obvious? He's bloody useful with either infantry squad, but not very exciting. Any othe suggestions that might be more surprising to my opponents?
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Edit: Not surprising or unusual, but...
Replace the TMG and use the remaining points for Strangewayes and a Storm Tower. Making Rowdy immune to Free Strikes or doing some repairs before he reaches melee range has got to be good. And a Storm Tower taking shots out to 18" with Snipe is going to be fun.

[chromiumboy]

How about a GMCA, or a pair of SS SCs? Both are nice at picking off stealthy solos (which I think your list might have a difficult time dealing with) in addition to their own tricks.

Harlan Versh is also a nice solo for zapping IFed WGI, or similarly buffed infantry.

[JohnOSpencer]

I agree with chromiumboy, i've had luck with all three of those. The GMCA is kinda difficult to use effectively, but still good; and the Stormsmiths are awesome (for 1pt models). Harlan Versh may be the best bet, as you have no other way to remove/punish upkeeps.

[phreaker187]

You could take out the porters or master gunner and add the B13. That's never a bad idea.

[Sanguinary Dan]

I'm so disappointed in the B13 models that I wish I hadn't wasted the money. Sure they'd be great on the table, but I have strongly moral objections to using a unit of 12 year olds. Maybe when they get new sculpts?

[phreaker187]

Option 2 would be" Lose a 1 point model, then add JWC. 2 Arc Shields running around the table is always better than 1!

[Sanguinary Dan]

Option 2 would be" Lose a 1 point model, then add JWC. 2 Arc Shields running around the table is always better than 1!

But assuming I go with Strangewayes and the Tower which would I drop to bring Jr.? I'd trade one of the TGPs to get the single point. But Strangewayes makes Rowdy scarier. And the Storm Tower gives me looong range and electro-leaps.

[sleet01]

Remove one Grenade Porter, add Runewood. +2 MAT to charge attacks, Pathfinder, Fearless, and the best damn mustache since Magnum: PI.

[Sanguinary Dan]

I know Runewood is good, but is he better than Rhupert? Or for the same pv Jr.? He can't give out Tough or Terror, though he's a much better fighter. And while he can marshal he can't cast Arcane Shield.

[sleet01]

How many arcane shields do you really plan on using? I mean, the Trenchers have two defensive abilities already, and +3 ARM really only protects them from Blast damage. The Stormblades are presumably going to be your countercharge group, so they should be protected by the Trencher's smoke, and at ARM 18 they're not very survivable anyhow. That leaves Ol' Rowdy and Stryker himself as targets, but I'd probably let Rowdy have it so he can play a bit forward. In extremis you've always got Invulnerability.

The best thing about Runewood is that he can give Pathfinder to your caster. Granted, this isn't as big a deal with pStryker as with eStryker, but it's nice to have that card in your hand should you need it. You haven't got Positive Charge with this version of Stryker so a per-unit MAT buff is handy. And there's a bit of passive synergy: since the Grenadier will hang out with the Trenchers, and you'll likely have Runewood buffing the Trenchers, he can hang with the Grenadier and pawn incoming shots off on it. But on top of that he's better in combat that Junior, he's in-faction, and he's kind of new. I think he's at least as good as Rhupert in this list.

[Sanguinary Dan]

As usual Sleet you make some interesting points. I assume you'd suggest dropping the Storm Tower for the first two points?

[sleet01]

Sorry, I missed your edit somehow.

I probably would drop the Storm Tower and a Grenade Porter, although you could also drop the Trencher UA with (to my mind) little negative consequence. The problem with the Storm Tower is that it's going to lag behind your army a bit due to its light artillery rules. So RNG 18 will likely translate to only 14" in front of your front line. With Snipe the Grenadier can have the same effective range (14" in front of the front line) and 3 POW 12 AOEs; while it would be nice to have both I think the Storm Tower might be the most superfluous.

On reflection, I'd say try the list with your update first. Just remember that the Storm Tower can't move and shoot, and that even with Evasive Action on him, Ol' Rowdy can't Counter Charge if he's already engaged. I think you'll find the Storm Tower + Strangewayes version is a bit more unwieldy due to positioning requirements and extra models, while the Runewood version should be a bit simpler and a tad more flexible. Just my view, though.

[Sanguinary Dan]

So what if I dropped Stragewayes, the Storm Tower and the Trencher UA for Runewood and 4 more regular Trenchers? The list would then look like this:

Army Name: pStryker 35 points Mk.IV
Cygnar
35+6 points, 27 models

Commander Coleman Stryker* +6 points
* Grenadier* 5 points
* Ol' Rowdy* 9 points
* Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker* 2 points

Archduke Alain Runewood* 3 points
Stormblades* 5 points
* Stormblade Officer & Standard* 3 points
* 2 Stormblade Storm Gunners* 2 points
10 Trenchers* 10 points
* 2 Trencher Rifle Grenadiers* 2 points

I'd lose the Sniper and Cautious Advance, not to mention Strangewayes, but I'd gain a some interesting options. Maybe I'll drop the Grenade Porters for... Who? Bring Strangewayes back? Or the Storm Tower? Or???

[Griffin839]

I think the big question to answer first, is how you plan on playing the army, most notably the trenchers.

If you are planning on putting snipe on the trenchers, AD them and letting them shoot at stuff all game, then I would suggest leaving the UA in there for cautious advance. If you use it defensively, to advance out of danger, you can get crucial extra turns of shooting out of them.

If you want to use them as a smoke wall to screen the advance of your stormblades, then I would suggest going with a max unit of base infantry, that way you have as much of the board covered by smoke as possible.

If you want to use them as a frontline tarpit, getting one turn of shooting out of them before being engaged by the enemy, I would suggest Finn. +2 to attack rolls will help them maximize damage while shooting, as well as then they assault. Plus anatomical precision and tough makes Finn a great solo to fling into a unit of single wound models.

[Sanguinary Dan]

After playing a game tonight with Harlan Versh, I'm in love. He damn near cut a Nomad in half all by himself with that kicking pistol of his. It just doesn't get any better than that does it?