DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME! MHA Free Strikes FTW

[Tol]

I just adore the Mage Hunter Assassins, and I figured I'd share this story.

A menoth player had one of them Crusader jacks or whichever one has the big flail. I had charged his caster with my MHA, doing I think 8 damage, but that also put the MHA in between two of his heavy jacks.

He decides that Defense 15 is too much to mess with, and risks a FREE STRIKE against my MHA to charge one of my heavy warjacks (It was an encroachment scenario). He makes his charge move, and I roll my free strike, doing a total of 22 damage to his Heavy Warjack and taking out the Flail Arm in the process.

Without the reach of the flail, the charge failed, and I did more damage on his turn, nearly killing one of his heavies, than I think I'd done on my prior turn.

It's like I play the game, paint up all these other models, suffer super glue scabs on the tip of more or less every finger (don't lie, you have em too) only to play each game and watch the MHA blow stuff up.

Have you had a moment like this? Tell us your favorite "Did That Just Happen?" story!

[FearLord]

Without the reach of the flail, the charge failed, and I did more damage on his turn, nearly killing one of his heavies, than I think I'd done on my prior turn.

You still keep a weapon that loses all its boxes, attacks with it just lose one die from the attack and damage roll, so the flail should still have had reach...

I had one take out an Achidon in one hit last week which was pretty cool... Normally they're far less impressive...

[Tol]

We had League night on Thursday night this past week and I managed to roll 5, 5, 6, 6, and 4, 5, 5, 6 on both of my MHA damage rolls. Came out to something like 40+ damage on an Everblight heavy, erasing him from memory.

Good point about the arm still functioning, we didn't even consider that. He was using Severius so he only had the one focus on him that he used in the charge, it's possible that he just didn't bother without anything to boost the attack with.

Mat 5, on Defense 12.

[Demeritus]

I have had mine roll a 21 vs an arm 18 heavy so I ended up putting 24 points of damage on it and making it a sure deal when the sentinels charged it. Another time was using her to finish a Titan sentry and i ended up rolling at 17 I think so 14 damage finished it off.

[Tol]

And our opponents say, "Wait, what?! What do you mean it doubles?!"

[Neb08]

since I started using 2 mHAs ive had a ton of success with them. MY favorite is still my MHA 1 shotting a focus camping butcher... 6-6-5-4 my opponent then raged hard once he realized they only cost 2 points. Ive had MHA's one shot casters numerous times though and it usually causes a great deal of anger to my opponent ^.^

[GunSeraph06]

I was playing against another Retribution player that had Vyros as his caster, I had a MHA charge and one-shot an undamaged Vyros, which was pretty cool...

[Tol]

That's what he gets for playing Vyros! lol

[Rampaging Elk]

Play Garryth's tier force, but only focus on getting as many Assassins as you can. I had a Vassal game with 6 of them at 35 points. In one turn, two of them killed a Scythean and two others killed the Throne. My opponent no longer thinks they are fair.

[TIEActor]

On the opposite end of the spectrum I had a MHA survive two free strikes from leigion beasts so she could one shot absolonya sitting on no fury. It was epic.

[Calcifar]

Be advised that the 4 inch reach on the MHA only is in effect during it's activation.
So, in order to benefit from free strikes, the MHA would have to be within half an inch of the victim.

The only time where I rolled crazies, which I can remember right now, was 2 to 3 Sentinels scrapping some Khador Jack in one turn.

[Tol]

Be advised that the 4 inch reach on the MHA only is in effect during it's activation.
So, in order to benefit from free strikes, the MHA would have to be within half an inch of the victim.

The only time where I rolled crazies, which I can remember right now, was 2 to 3 Sentinels scrapping some Khador Jack in one turn.

Right, so in my case, I charged the caster, but had to base two warjacks to do it. So when the warjacks with their Low Mat decided to walk away from the MHA rather than try to kill her, which yes, was silly on the Menoth player's part, she swung for great justice (and luls).

I had hoped that Narn would play just as good, but on average, because he doesn't have that doubling up effect, I've had a lot more luck with the MHAs.

[Calcifar]

Narn does not seem to be designed to wreck Warjacks or Beasts. I see him as a solo hunter, Infantry thresher and potentially, an assassination tool, jacks are the last thing he should attack, unless to finish off the odd few health boxes.
He is the perfect hit and run. Place him behind your melee unit, charge in, kill something (or two) and run back behind your guys with sprint and acrobatics. Or run him on the flank for removing solos and threatening the opponents caster.

Narn is your Boomerang, MHA your Crossbow Bolt.

[gamefreak207]

My favorite was someone during the wrath release event was running two storm strider and ran the up first turn. I measured my control area and saw that my MHA was just in range of one so I thought why the heck not. I charged and rolled rediculous on damaged and one shotted it! It was awesome.

[Gho5t]

Playing against Legion about a year ago, my opponent tried to charge an Angelius over one of my MHAs to get to my 'caster. If I remember correctly, it was at full health but quickly went to zero. He learned his lesson.

[bouncymischa]

Now I'm wondering how long it will be until another "The MHA are broken!" thread appears in General Discussion, and all the posters here will go and argue that it isn't really that powerful... :P

[Demeritus]

Now I'm wondering how long it will be until another "The MHA are broken!" thread appears in General Discussion, and all the posters here will go and argue that it isn't really that powerful... :P

Lol we have our one moment where she really shines but we also have had many many moments of total letdown.

[PG_Dawnlord Ed]

Yeah, for every impressive moment my MHAs have, they've had three or four where they did nothing and died. It's a far more likely outcome.

Besides, after skimming the thread, I'm afraid I don't see an argument for overpowered if you decide the take a free strike from a weaponmaster with decapitation. I mean seriously. Talk about tempting fate.

The MHA is a great model. But it's not exactly game defining.

[Gho5t]

Yeah, for every impressive moment my MHAs have, they've had three or four where they did nothing and died. It's a far more likely outcome.

Besides, after skimming the thread, I'm afraid I don't see an argument for overpowered if you decide the take a free strike from a weaponmaster with decapitation. I mean seriously. Talk about tempting fate.

The MHA is a great model. But it's not exactly game defining.

Yeah, the MAT 7 stops them from being too broken. And if they miss, they're pretty much dead. If they roll low damage, they're pretty much dead.

And like Ed said, the opponent has access to the information on the MHA card. They choose to risk a free-strike; this thread is more of "OMG you fool" topic rather than a "LOL our model is so OP" one.

[Gho5t]

Double post. Grr.

[Kallas]

My MHA did her first one shot (an Argus) the other day.

I've been playing for a year and a half.

[Kalki]

I've only used her twice so far, first game she did next to nothing, second game she charged and scrapped a reaper in the second turn. My opponent was pretty surprised that his jack suddenly was gone :P

I agree that she is a bit of a gamble though she also works well for psychological warfare.

[joelker41]

I don't expect them to 1-shot things I usually just use them as first strike or finish off pieces. Their average roll vs 14 def and 17 armor vs circle heavies for instance is 14 damage. I would only bank on 8-10, and certainly ensure I am sending more models than just her.

Also, one of the best ways to plunked the avatar. Ignore defender's Ward and shield, two of them should be able to down an arm system easily.

[firesflame4]

My best MHA memory is getting a charge lane on a troll warlock( gunborn if i recall correctly) and put so much damage on him that i killed the beat form full to dead that he transferred to. then then i killed him with Rets Fave Snake ( serves him right for only leaving 2 fury on him.)

[Zupkuck]

I was playing against an eSkarre list with Kaelyssa at 35 points. I had a flanking MHA park right behind Skarre during my turn while affected by her feat, as she was untargetable. During his next turn, my opponent decided to risk the free strike in order to make an assassination run. Didn't work out for him.

Certainly not broken. He knew what he was risking.

Last Tuesday I had an on-fire Kaelyssa take two free strikes with a full camp (thanks to Sylyss upkeeping Phantom Hunter) and take no damage so that she could assassinate an aggressively positioned eSevvy and steal the game.

[Carrington]

I've only used her twice so far, first game she did next to nothing, second game she charged and scrapped a reaper in the second turn. My opponent was pretty surprised that his jack suddenly was gone :P

I agree that she is a bit of a gamble though she also works well for psychological warfare.

Yes, I played against them as Skorne. Devoted a fair amount of resources to killing them before they got a shot off.

[knight_actual]

MAT 7 is really their most limiting stat. They miss ALL the time.... Which is why you bring 2.

[Tol]

I rolled three 1's and a 3 yesterday with one of my MHA.

I admitted out loud that that's what I get for bragging about them on the internet.

[Barakiel]

The uses for the Assassin are many. Sometimes I'll put them to work hunting solos and finishing off damaged jacks/beasts, but I also use them to jam an enemy heavy for a turn if I feel my lines are getting too overwhelmed. It virtually guarantees you lose the Assassin, but sometimes that's a small price to pay. Opponents are usually reluctant to risk the free strike, and even if they do, that that still means the Assassin is sitting in their lines ready to lash out with its big threat range.

If you have trouble hitting, don't forget the beauty of a good knockdown. With assets like Rahn's Force Hammer, battle mages (particularly under Rahn's feat) and the Banshee around, not to mention the speed and abundance of open hands on our jacks for slams/throws, most Ret lists will have at least a few tools to make it easier for Assassins to hit.

[Anaven]

I always like to say that a single MHA is a mind games tool and the ultimate light 'jack anti-arc node (except for Thorn). Two MHAs cover your flanks, hunt down solos and can actually attempt heavy wrecking / caster assassination.