Blowing The Dust Off: Teraph

[PG_BloodRath]

Hello every one. Neutralize suggested a blowing the dust off for the Teraph. Since I dont own any I dont have much to contribute. However on the Podcast Chain Attack eps. 26 vayl 2 vs Kaya 2 jake references using one with vayl 2 as an AD arc node. Also at the end of the pod cast he mentions having a funny storey about The Teraph. Can you tell s a little about that jake?

To every one

How do you use him?

Is he worth 5? Would he see more play at 4?

Is there a lock that really spot lights these guys?

Thanks for all the great participation past, present, future

[Neutralyze]

Rat 6 really is good. his issue is being in a faction here ou either need a great animus I be picked or be able to do both offense and melee when needed to. Sadly the teraph doesn't bring the pain for 4 PTs.

Uses - elylyth can use him and I've had great success with it. Now the ravagores here and it's hard to pick it over him.

Evayl can cycle refuge on a pair of them if you're not doing Angela the same way. I've had some success with that.

[cwctoby]

I've thought about running a pair with Vayl2 to clog up a control zone/flag, possibly with legionaires & a pot, however they're a bit too on the pricey side at 10pts for the pair & I haven't tried it yet.

[Neutralyze]

I've thought about running a pair with Vayl2 to clog up a control zone/flag, possibly with legionaires & a pot, however they're a bit too on the pricey side at 10pts for the pair & I haven't tried it yet.

they arent great at clogging zones. with below average life and defense and poor mat they really cant stand toe to toe to clog lanes. they die pretty easy. thats why i use to use them with evayl with refuge and dragon fire to move, shoot, get stuff on fire and retreat.

in templecon 2011 i had a 75 pt hardcore game in the 4th round where my opponent said he doesnt even know what they do. i played elylyth and they played enemo jack heavy. near the end he moves the thunderhead to pulse on my whole army and into reach range of the teraph not know it had reach. he was very upset. then the teraph finish off thunderhead in melee.

[Defenstrator]

The Teraph is this almost guy. He feels like he should be really good. A base RAT 6 is elite on models that can also boost.

The problem I find is the shorter range. At 10" you end up killing one guy, maybe two with the AOE, then you get charged, and he gets messed up or killed. I had been using them with eLylyth, bu then the Bolt Thrower came out, and for 1 more point did the job so much better. Worse RAT, but 2" more range and POW 14 with the Thunderbolt. The fact that the Teraph was better in melee just didn't make up for how much better the Bolt Thrower was in the specialist role.

The other issue is the animus. It's expensive, and it's self, two things that combine to make it pretty bad. If it was 1 point so the the Teraph could advance, boost to hit and damage, and cast it, it would be ok. Or if it could be cast on other models. But as is it's very marginal.

And of course Dig In isn't any better in Legion than it is in Cygnar. I think I've had one game where anybody shot at it while it was still Dug In, becuase you generally have to move to shoot something.

I think if the Teraph were range 12, or had the RAT bumped back down to 5 but made 4 points it could have a role, but as is it gets passed over in favor of other models. It's not that it's so bad, its just not that good. On the field it does ok, but that's all it does.

As for getting use out of him, he generally does his best as a counter attack piece just behind the lines or on a flank. If you're playing with something like Legionnaires he can shoot through gaps to hit clumped up troops, or use Reach to help kill things or tie stuff up. The main thing is to not have him out front becuase he's kind of fragile and can get killed rather easily. Which is a bit ironic with its AD I know.

He's also not so expensive that you feel bad chasing after something Like eEiryss. So killing solos and officers is where it seems to be decent, and it can also hurt medium infnatry. Against light beasts/jacks it often isn't powerful enough to do significant damage, and units tend to overwhelm it. You kill a guy or two then get shot or stabbed to death.

As for using Counter Attack, my best success has been with the Thagroshs. They have the nasty sprays, aren't as scared of the occasional model getting close, and actually have the fury to cast it. But generally you find it's better to play safe and just put on Spiny Growth or Tenacity instead.

[katadder]

have had him protect eLylyth from the character ret jacks spray as counterblast got the generator before he could fire.
I like my Teraph, rat6 is great and hes a useful little threat. even the threat of being attacked has sometimes been enough to change somebody's play

[alchahest]

I like putting a pair of them in with a ravagore in Elylyth lists, with their advance deploy they can be shooting at a similar distance to the ravagore (given they start up to 6" ahead of them). the ravagore animus on them, and an early feat turn can give their far more accurate shots the range and nearly the same power as the ravagore's. 2 x 14" autofire AoEs at rat 6 on feat turn is nothing to sneeze at.

[mephiston2000]

Did wonder if it would have value as part of reinforcements in a 35 point game. Still not sure.

[Defenstrator]

I'm learning to avoid beasts as reinforcements. They have a tendacy to be out of control next turn and spend it frenzying to little effect. Maybe a Teraph and a Forsaken, but I think I'd want something with a bit more punch.

[PG_BloodRath]

I would prefer a bolt thrower and a shepard but I agree that at 35 pts I dont like beast reinforcements but at 50 a ravagor or scythean can make great reinforcements for thags or vayl is nice.

As far as tereph I may buy some. im really considering ruining a few tereph with lylyth2 for fun. And I love the model

[Neutralyze]

I think the therapy is one of the best looking legion models

[Lachlan the Mad]

I would run the Teraph in a ranged-focus army (eLylyth especially) and the Bolt Thrower in all other cases. The teraph supports ranged beasties with its animus, but the Bolt Thrower supports melee armies with delicious delicious Thunderbolt.