Combo Armies, anyone?

[Croo47]

So I'm sure everybody has heard of the Winter Guard Death-Star, a set of unit(s) and attachment(s) that work marvelously well together and assist in uberpwnage. What combonations or special armies do you use to lay down the hurt?

[ToAzT]

eSorscha+Beast-09=Axe+Face

Repeat as necessary.

[Steamwitch]

unfortunateally thats about the extent of most khadoran tactics right there. Axe ande faces. And if on wgi or kayazi assassin.

[Raktra]

Old Witch, Rifle Corps and Doom Reavers. Call the Witch's Feat, place Murder of Crows template on one enemy unit, run Doom Reavers at a non-Reach unit just in the Reaver's melee range, use Rifle Corp to place a Covering Fire template on a third. Those three units are now screwed no matter what they try to do.

[Tyr852]

I'll just throw out Iron Caster + any high def unit ... for today I wear the cape of Cpt Obvious.

[John of Arc]

Zerkova + Devastator. Bulldoze has great synergy with Force Blast, and an ARM 25 spell immune model is spectacularly hard to stop without drawing one of your heavies away from the frontlines. Just be a bully and walk in there shoving people around. You can use Watcher triggers to push even deeper into your opponent's army. Then, once you've got a good target, explode on them.

Vlad + Drago. Nothing fancy, and super obvious, but also super good.

[Shadowhumper]

Zerkova + Devastator. Bulldoze has great synergy with Force Blast, and an ARM 25 spell immune model is spectacularly hard to stop without drawing one of your heavies away from the frontlines. Just be a bully and walk in there shoving people around. You can use Watcher triggers to push even deeper into your opponent's army. Then, once you've got a good target, explode on them.

This is just theory-machineing but I would replace the Devastator with the Demolisher in this situation as it has also the option of triggering its fully boosted AOE attack which can be quite devastating

[Septimus]

Doom reavers + manhunters + greylords + Zerkova. Manhunters run up with cloud cover to screen the doomies, Zerkova feats for another turn of protective action, and six doom reavers make it safely into the enemy lines, often with one of the manhunters surviving to boot!

[John of Arc]

Yah, I totally agree with you. Sadly its only boosted against the target, not everything under the blast, but its still great with Watcher. Just a single one of those shots has the potential to clear a lot of infantry, especially after a charge when they're more likely to be grouped up. Basically, its like a Devastator, but you trade the boostable auto hitting POW 18 for the ability to play better with Watcher.

[Caanos]

Unfortunately, the Rain of Death is a special attack, which means it can't be used under Watcher as it only allows for a normal attack. I think the best one to use under Watcher would be a Spriggan due to the Reach on the lance.

[Flak Maniak]

Yeah obviously you can't use RoD on a Watcher attack, nor Bulldoze on a Watcher move, but the Devastator can still use Watcher to march yet further towards their 'caster, its inevitable kill looming ever closer.

[Croo47]

Wow, lots of great combos and strategies here. Personally I still use regular Sorscha, and I love her boundless charge. It works unbelievably well with my beloved Marauder; that way it can charge ten inches, us its combo smite, AND boost the attack roll. Not to mention the knockback; you can line it up and send a warjack flying into its warcaster or, if you're particularly lucky/skilled, knock the warcaster itself into a ring of your own models. Once I lined the hit up just right and sent a light warjack past three of my Man-O-War Shocktroopers. Can anybody say free strikes?

[Flak Maniak]

Doesn't actually give free strikes like that because they only trigger on advancing.

Anyway, in terms of particular combos I like, I'm partial to pButcher with a battlegroup of Destroyer + Decimator, because they take 'bout five focus per turn, and that meshes really well with upkeeping IF and allocating the rest, which is what I prefer to do most turns anyway. Loads of ranged power, melee if I need it, and because I'm pButcher I can basically allocate all the time if I feel like it because he's tanky and hardly casts spells that aren't Iron Flesh or perhaps the occasional Fury.

[squee]

Battle Mechaniks + Fury + Blood Frenzy.

I've lost track of how many opponents i have confounded with such a retardedly funny move. They never see it coming.

[ShockwaveIIC]

Winterguard Rocket Corp (TM).

Winterguard Rifle Corp + Jozef + pButcher Feat, add Spriggen/ Aiyana for Anti-Stealth/Incorporeal duties.

[scout's honor]

Valachev + Alexia & the Risen for the Thrall catapult is pretty well-known, as is Valachev + Herne & Jonne with eIrusk for F4E. I heard someone at Adepticon used the less obvious (and more situational) Macnaile + Valachev + the Nyss extra threat range trick for a turn 1 assassination. Valachev's zephyr is a good source of movement shenanigans in general, works great with tarpit units as well.

There's the Old Witch using her feat in combination with the Rifle Corps laying down Suppressive Fire, and generally speaking using Suppressing Fire to lay a blanket of protectiveness over a unit or model you don't want charged by infantry.

Between his feat, Hand of Fate and Transference Vlad2 can get some unbelievable damage dealers on the table for a round, and the Wind Wall + Doom Reavers trick for Vlad1 still works.

Khador's got more tricks than a lot of players take into account.

[ShockwaveIIC]

I heard someone at Adepticon used the less obvious (and more situational) Macnaile + Valachev + the Nyss extra threat range trick for a turn 1 assassination.

I wasn't aware that while with Valachev was with a unit you are both Merc and Faction.

Unless we are talking about a Dougal Quad-Ironing Valachev in the back after they have received faction buffs, so they become non-Khador when Dougal feats.

[Michael]

...
Unless we are talking about a Dougal Quad-Ironing Valachev in the back after they have received faction buffs, so they become non-Khador when Dougal feats.

I'm pretty sure it's that. (I'd actually forgotten about that one.)

[scout's honor]

I wasn't aware that while with Valachev was with a unit you are both Merc and Faction.

Unless we are talking about a Dougal Quad-Ironing Valachev in the back after they have received faction buffs, so they become non-Khador when Dougal feats.

Yes and no: it's got to be one of the Nyss doing in poor Valachev, otherwise the activations don't work out. Activate Dougal first and minifeat, otherwise the Nyss won't benefit from it since they'll already have activated; then use Zephyr with Valachev to get the extra movement; then kill Valachev with one of the Nyss (I suggest Cylena, since she'll have the least change of flubbing the kill) to make them Mercs again. All the other Nyss Hunters now have an extra 5" threat range.

[Skarvald]

I heard someone at Adepticon used the less obvious (and more situational) Macnaile + Valachev + the Nyss extra threat range trick for a turn 1 assassination.

Ummmm.. please tell me more! What exactly was the situation? :O What opponent did the Khador player face? This is definitely an interesting, if a little dirty, combo. But honestly, we need all the tricks we can get.

[The Buoyancy of Water]

Zerkova + AKs + ternion:

Banishing Ward can make the AKs even harder to shift and Icy Grip lowers enemy DEF (effectively raising AKs MAT/RAT). Ternion can cloud the AKs for higher DEF/LoS blocking and they can also Ice Cage to again lower enemy DEF. A lot of infantry is hosed by the AKs after that, and they are near invulnerable to a lot of anti-infantry options out there, particularly from Legion, Menoth and Cryx.


Oh, and eSorschas bond + devastator

Cheers,
Dave

[ShockwaveIIC]

Yes and no: it's got to be one of the Nyss doing in poor Valachev, otherwise the activations don't work out. Activate Dougal first and minifeat, otherwise the Nyss won't benefit from it since they'll already have activated; then use Zephyr with Valachev to get the extra movement; then kill Valachev with one of the Nyss (I suggest Cylena, since she'll have the least change of flubbing the kill) to make them Mercs again. All the other Nyss Hunters now have an extra 5" threat range.

The Maths, 17" for the two deployments, 7" move, Zephyr for 3" shoot 14" Total is 41". 7" short

Not only do they have to move directly towards the Nyss, they pretty much have to fake charge as well. And not all the Nyss will be in range and everyone has to deploy on the line.

[scout's honor]

The Maths, 17" for the two deployments, 7" move, Zephyr for 3" shoot 14" Total is 41". 7" short

Not only do they have to move directly towards the Nyss, they pretty much have to fake charge as well. And not all the Nyss will be in range and everyone has to deploy on the line.

I didn't do the math, I just heard about it on a podcast (Boosted Damage, I think). Not that it really matters: the turn 1 assassination may not be possible but the trick itself works - even if only if your opponent isn't aware of it and makes a mistake.

[Frege]

Works under radial deployment.

[Skarvald]

Zerkova dropping Banishing Ward on a Devastator!

[Flak Maniak]

Battle Mechaniks + Fury + Blood Frenzy.

I've lost track of how many opponents i have confounded with such a retardedly funny move. They never see it coming.

I can vouch for this one. They hit Bane Thralls on 7s. Battle Mechaniks are seriously hardcore. Got battle in the name for a reason! One damage buff and they suddenly are ripping apart Cryx medium infantry. Not bad for three points! And when they do their sacred task of standing in the way, they often get in perfect position to do this. Or, you know, give them two damage buffs and charge and wreck some low-DEF stuff. If they had just slightly better base stats you'd see them taken as melee infantry. I know I would. Their efficiency is that good.

[Frege]

Strakhov (feat) + Doom Reavers.

Why yes I am charging 13" at you from the flank. Thats lotsa dead stuff and how many abomination checks after that????

[Smiles]

This is extremely combolicious, but i just thought of it and will more than likely get shot down. That's fine.

eIrusk + mortar + battlemech UA + 2 open fist jack.

Give 1 focus to the jack (two if you feel like not missing)
eIrusk moves up and casts Fire for Effect on mortar team.
Battle Mechanics run forward (have the UA 6" up from the mortar.
Have the jack power attack throw the mortar at the battlemechanic UA (boosting to hit)
IF you make a tough roll on the battlemech UA the mortar is not knocked down.
If you make a tough roll on the mortar, you get an additional +2 to hit that turn.
17" double deploy (yours and enemy caster) + 6" throw + 1" of splitting models apart (can't remember what the rule is called) + 20" shot = 44" shot rat 3 + 3d6 to hit and pow 16 + 3d6 damage.

You know what, this is way to crazy for it to actually work. If anyone has anything to add to increase chances, please let me know. If you are just going to say something like "best way to increase your chance of it working is *do something completely different/not doing it*" then don't bother.

[scout's honor]

IF you make a tough roll on the battlemech UA the mortar is not knocked down.
If you make a tough roll on the mortar, you get an additional +2 to hit that turn.

I don't follow. Enlighten my sluggish brain: where does that +2 come from? I get the idea you're off on how artillery pieces work, but I also have the horrible suspicion I'm just being dumb.

[x3tsniper]

Mortar crew never gets a stand still bonus. >.> You also couldn't have sacrificed movement for the aiming bonus anyways, since you have to forfeit action or movement due to the tough roll and not being KD. Are you talking about walking your guys up? All I am seeing is where you just lost 5 points of models because you failed tough rolls.

[Smiles]

I don't follow. Enlighten my sluggish brain: where does that +2 come from? I get the idea you're off on how artillery pieces work, but I also have the horrible suspicion I'm just being dumb.

I could be wrong as well, but, if you move the small base mortar team into base to base with the mortar, does it not get +2 to hit?
You don't have to sac movement to get the +2.

"The Grunt can confer +2 to hit if he is in contact with the Mortar, giving it an effective RAT 3. It's low, but at least it's something."
-Battlecollege Wiki mkiiMortar Crew

The mechanic UA can take the hit from the mortar being thrown at it. pow 12 + 2d6 vs arm 16 8 wounds. The only tough roll you will take is the mortar. Though even if you fail the roll, you just remove the second model in the unit. The mechanic UA, since it is in base contact, provides no knockdown due to lash and will allow the mortar to fire that turn after sac'ing movement.

Edit: IF you make the tough roll on the mortar, the lash ability will prevent it from being knocked down as well as being able to move the second model in the unit up into base contact. If you fail, the other model is removed, and lash will prevent the knockdown from being thrown.

second edit: If you do roll double 6's on damage to the mechanic, you will have to make a tough roll.

[scout's honor]

The Lash part is irrelevant. The Mortar can sac movement to get back up and still shoot, so you don't need it. This means you don't need to hit the mechanik UA, in fact you don't absolutely need a model there as long as there's a model to throw at in the general direction you want the Mortar to move in and you're willing to take a chance on the deviation. Alternatively, you can use a model that can take a bigger hit than the mechanik UA can.

Additionally, if you fail the Tough roll with the leader of the Mortar Crew you don't get to shoot anymore that activation. One of the Grunts is promoted immediately, but he doesn't get to shoot the same turn.

[x3tsniper]

I can't remember, because I have never had it happen, but does the mortar disappear if it dies, and no grunt is within an inch to take over?

[scout's honor]

I can't remember, because I have never had it happen, but does the mortar disappear if it dies, and no grunt is within an inch to take over?

I'm not entirely sure, but if I interpret the rules in Prime correctly you'd end up with a Grunt becoming the unit commander but not the Leader, and it's only the Leader who shoots the Mortar. Effectively that'd mean the Mortar disappears.

That's pretty relevant in this case, since the combo described means throwing the Leader more than 1" away from the Grunts.

[Telluric]

This past week I had a game against Trolls. My opponent put together some impressive synergy using Borka, an Earthborn, and a female troll solo I didn't recognize to crank up his armor over 24 I think. +2 from here, +2 from there, +2 from this, +2 from that. This impressed me, so I started thinking about combinations I could work out with Khador forces ...

So, what's your favorite Khador combo? Got a way to roll 4+ dice to damage? Get DEF 20? Execute a 20" charge? What's your toolbox look like for pulling this stuff off?

[Trihnicus]

In faction we have 3 options that I suspect you are hinting at. Kommandos can debuff defense (kind of) Greylords can debuff defense and Joe can Buff Winterguard's ranged attack rolls. Other than that we don't have any particular synergies aside from Drago getting Signs and Portents stacked with his Affinity with Vlad. I do believe that this is mostly what people are referring to when they talk about Tricks.

Our best "Combos" are Defense stacking. Iron Flesh on Winterguard Infantry and Kayazy Assassins and Nyss Hunters. So what you are really looking at is the same utility any caster has with his base troops given his spell list since we do not have much in the way of support solos.

If you are including Mercenaries than there are a few things that can be included. Ragman, A&H, Eiryiss, Orin, etc.

[Seventhprophet]

I think the design for Khador is (generally) build to have our armor and hitting power base high with our accuracy and movement low. Our casters are (generally) going to buff either our movement or accuracy. We have very little in the way of pure support solos and an abundance of hard hitting solos. Mercs give us some good support, but they give it to every one else who wants to take em too. Outside of Winterguard, what you see is what you get.

[Telluric]

In faction we have 3 options that I suspect you are hinting at.

No, not just DEF boosting. Anything really. And sure, if you can think of combos that have mercs as components, I think that's cool too.

Combos is always a bit of an odd term. I like synergy. Combo implies that it's fragile - A + B + C = success, but missing C = nothing. Synergy means A + B > result than A or B... and A + B + C >> result...

[Telluric]

Outside of Winterguard, what you see is what you get.

Here's a thought - Iron Fang Pike. Add the UA. Field with eIrusk. Widowmakers behind. eIrusk gives a very solid wall that you can nevertheless shoot through with your snipers. Add Greylord Ternion for cloud effects and with proper timing they can't even lob bombs over your shield wall at your snipers.

[Peri]

This past week I had a game against Trolls. My opponent put together some impressive synergy using Borka, an Earthborn, and a female troll solo I didn't recognize to crank up his armor over 24 I think. +2 from here, +2 from there, +2 from this, +2 from that. This impressed me, so I started thinking about combinations I could work out with Khador forces ...

So, what's your favorite Khador combo? Got a way to roll 4+ dice to damage? Get DEF 20? Execute a 20" charge? What's your toolbox look like for pulling this stuff off?

Strakhov's superiority'd overrunning Spriggan bulldozing all the way on the feat turn is an all time favorite. Iron Fleshed eSorscha with a wardog is also nice, when the opponent got no access to reliably knock her down, or catch her in an AOE.