What's the balance between units and beasts?

[Reece]

First, I'm very new to the game. I've got five games under my belt now (one BB and four 15pts). I've read a lot of the info on units and all that and I feel like I want to try 25pts since I've got a lot of toys (awesome deal on B-Town).

My question though... when I'm building my lists, I don't feel the need to add anything other warbeasts (except Druid Wildling and Shifting Stones with the Keeper).

So what's the balance between units and beasts? I've played a few games with pKaya and pBaldur. I'm getting Kromac this week (more B-Town goodness). I'm also VERY interested in Kreuger.

Any help (or links to threads I should have read) would be appreciated!

-Reece

[Bishop84]

The balance really depends on the caster and how many beasts they can support, and what their spell lists and abilities work with.

pKaya can support a bit more than her 6 Fury first seems with Soothing Song, and her innate +2 melee attack rolls on her warbeasts since they won't have to boost to hit as much and don't run as hot.

I always run Baldur with pure constructs, and they play a bit more like warjacks. If you run 'em hot, just pull off what Fury you can and they won't frenzy.

Kromac has a slightly higher Fury stat, and has some really nice battlegroup spells. Warpath is wonderful, but only if you have some stuff to trigger it with. As such you're gonna want and least one nice, dangerous unit in addition to his battlegroup.

In my typical 35 point games, I run two heavies and a light. This leaves room for two units. Sometimes I'll cut out a unit and upgrade the light to a heavy depending on the warlock and the situation.

[Reece]

Thanks for the input.

Yeah, I kinda figured it was 'Caster dependent. I just really like running the beasts. I guess I should focus on casters who can handle it. I really like the Druid Wildling too.

I've got a unit of Druids (here) and a max unit of Tharn with the Shaman (incoming).

I guess at 25 points, I'll need to try keeping it to two Heavies and playing around with units so I get the feel for em.

BTW: Where can I get one of those cool Circle pics for my sig?

-Reece

[Bishop84]

The Druid Wilder definitely increases the beast load, if you can keep her alive.

[PG_fildrigar]

I most often use three Heavies and a Light. The Light is generally a Gorax, who is there to provide his Animus and use as a transfer target. ( And possible late game heavy lifting, if needed. )

If it's links you're looking for, try the Wilding Way stickied at the top of the forum.

[Lighten]

Most Circle casters run 2 heavies/light, 3 heavies, or 3 heavies/light, at least when I'm playing them. Less than 3 beasts, and you can't trade anything without running out of fury. More than four, and you're probably not able to manage fury efficiently. Since we don't have much in the way of infantry designed to actually kill things (particularly armor), most lists have beasts doing the heavy lifting, infantry taking anti-infantry and support roles.

[Brandubh]

I've been running the extremes lately. I either run 2 heavies (Baldur with Megalith / Woldwarden or Grayle with Pureblood / Stalker or Kromac with Ghetorix / Pureblood) or I run a crapton of warbeasts (Maelok with 2 Bone Swarms, 1 Bull Snapper, 1 Swamp Horror and 1 Blackhide Wrastler or eKaya with all warbeasts at 35 points).

I find that both extremes are pretty viable. My Grayle list, for instance, has a ton of infantry. The Kromac list has a huge Tharn Ravager unit at 35 points. Alternatively, the beast swarm theme works pretty well if you can mitigate fury until your major alpha strike.

Anyway, I think the number of beasts / units is pretty subjective. It depends greatly on your opponent / personal playstyle / selection of models. You can be just as effective with 2 warbeasts as you can be with 8, IMO.

[5Crows]

I am new myself, but I love the game.
I don't have a ton of models, and what I do own comes up to 25 points.
I currently have:
pKaya(+6)
-Feral WW
-Argus
-Argus
-Gorax
-Gorax
Lord of the Feast
Shifting Stones

People say that all Ineed is 1 Gorax, and most people don't like the Arguses (Argi?) either. While I will agree that 1 Gorax is enough, I actually like my 2 Argus, and I enjoy fielding them. I think when I get more models I would only run one, but for now, at 25 points, the 2 Argus are actually quite effecient.

What I tend to do is on my second turn, I will use 1 Gorax to primal both my Argus (with pKaya's natural +2MAT, this is a pretty decent combo), and then I will launch 1 Argus into my opponents main heavy, and the other into another of my opponents key pieces. Whether or not the Arguses outright kill their targets, it ties up my opponents key players and forces them to waste time killing my Argus. Then I have my LotF handle any unit if they fielded any. (He'll zip out using the shifting stones and try and get what he can).

This leaves me with 2 lights (Gorax) and my Heavy still good to go. Plus I have the shifting stones to help block charge langes while my Arguses weaken/distract my opponent.

People on this site may say I'm crazy, but I found this combo worked well on the games that I've played. I've played this against Trolls and my opponent got quite frustrated--the Argus didn't let him move in to strike and pKaya focused on pulling the Feral and Goraxes back.

I also used this on Cryx with pDenny and it worked well.

[Lighten]

Minor rules point, a warbeast (gorax) can only use its animus once/turn. So primalling both argii requires both goraxes, or one of the goraxes + kaya or druid wilder. A bit trickier on activation order, mostly.

[5Crows]

Minor rules point, a warbeast (gorax) can only use its animus once/turn. So primalling both argii requires both goraxes, or one of the goraxes + kaya or druid wilder. A bit trickier on activation order, mostly.

Ah! Interesting--good note to keep in mind for my next game. Thanks for the clarification.

[PG_cheddercaveman]

I find that it depends, but Circle is much more built on its beasts than a lot of other factions. Baldur1 is normally best with 3 heavies. Baldur2 I play with at least 2 heavies and 2 lights. Kaya2 you can play a LOT of heavies with if you want, I'd normally say at least 3 with a light, possibly 4 heavies and a light. Kromac likes usually 3 heavies and a light. Kaya1 I think can play a lot of different ways, not a lot of people play her in bigger point games though so I don't know that we have a lot of data for that. Mohsar, Krueger1 & 2, Grayle, and Cassius all mostly want a balanced battle group to units. Morvahna tends to favor a bit more infantry.