Is Grim the guy to run the Mountain King?

[PG_Steampunk Jim]

From my relatively limited play experience with the big boy, and after many hours of wracking my brain trying to figure the best way to do it, I feel pretty confident in saying that Grim is the warlock that'll run the Mountain King the best. Here's my thoughts.

Problems I've found with the Mountain King: For one, he needs extra threat range. Second, he needs to do as much damage as he can right off the bat, because he just doesn't stand up to abuse. Third, he requires WAY too much support to make all that happen. I feel like Grim fixes all those problems. For one, bait the line gives him the extra threat he wants every turn. Second, Grims feat effectively ensures that the MK is going to get where he needs to go before getting counter charged. And those things mean you don't have to waste points on stuff like axers, and you don't have to choose between rush and, say, flamming fists or rage.

Anyone tried the MK with Grim? I'll be doing so tomorrow evening.

[Khador_Extremist]

I personally haven't but I'd love to know your results!!

[SgtPepper]

I was thinking along the same lines as you. I'm going to be taking mine out next week, trying to get him painted up first. I was thinking of running him with an EBDT, KSB, Janissa, Fennblades. I had 6 pts left over so I threw in the SoB. What kind of list were you looking at taking with him?

[Sheetz]

I had a game with Grim and the King a few days ago. My opponent ran threemo tiered. Strider stormwall, a cuple of stormtowers and thunderhead with stormsmiths to fill in. I had winter troll impaler one unit of whelps and full warriors as well as a war wagon. I found that Grim's feat and the meat wall provided by the warriors gave me the two turns I needed to get the King into a spot where he could be effective. He was my only big melee threat and I felt ok about using those two. Resources in order to keep him protected. Couple points to note about the game:

-one round of shooting saw the King heal back 8 points with the welp doible pop. Makes the King an unattractive target to shoot at range, which is interesting.

-the King does not melee as well as you might think. He struggled ro finish off a failsafed and softened up hunderhead.

-the real money part of the King on the game was kill shot. That spray is extremely dangerous. A nice angle with a stormtower in reach netted me a melee and ranged turn of attacks with the ranged roar being the killing blow on Nemo after a shot from Grim.

Seems like Grim as well as Jarl and Gunnbjorn and perhaps even ecalandra will like the king for the ranged synergies they offer each other. I feel like the in for me with the King will be finding ways to leverage the ranged power that he possesses.
cheers,
-Ozzy

[Beckman]

Problems I've found with the Mountain King: For one, he needs extra threat range. Second, he needs to do as much damage as he can right off the bat, because he just doesn't stand up to abuse. Third, he requires WAY too much support to make all that happen. I feel like Grim fixes all those problems. For one, bait the line gives him the extra threat he wants every turn. Second, Grims feat effectively ensures that the MK is going to get where he needs to go before getting counter charged. And those things mean you don't have to waste points on stuff like axers, and you don't have to choose between rush and, say, flamming fists or rage.

Anyone tried the MK with Grim? I'll be doing so tomorrow evening.

Haven't tried yet, but it would seem like the -3 DEF might help the MAT and RAT issue.. And the feat speed debuff would keep him temporarily safe from charges. So that's a nice bonus. And the knockdown gun followed with a POW16 roar could keep people honest. It might approach what I would expect from a 20 point model. Maybe.

[PG_Viper114]

I've been thinking about using Grim as well, and if you bring an Axer along, too, you can get that gargantuan threatening things 14" away.

I also think that maybe Borka could be a decent choice to go with the King, with things like his feat and Mosh Pit. I plan to try Grim and Borka with the King soon.

[PG_Steampunk Jim]

I was thinking along the same lines as you. I'm going to be taking mine out next week, trying to get him painted up first. I was thinking of running him with an EBDT, KSB, Janissa, Fennblades. I had 6 pts left over so I threw in the SoB. What kind of list were you looking at taking with him?

I was thinking somewhat similarly:

Grim
Mountain King
Mauler
Impaler
Runebearer
Fell Caller
Krielstone
-Elder
Champ Hero
Full Fennblades+UA

That's what I'll be trying tonight, and baring a huge failure, what I'll be playing in the tournament on Saturday.

Haven't tried yet, but it would seem like the -3 DEF might help the MAT and RAT issue.. And the feat speed debuff would keep him temporarily safe from charges. So that's a nice bonus. And the knockdown gun followed with a POW16 roar could keep people honest. It might approach what I would expect from a 20 point model. Maybe.

That was another big part that I failed to convey in my original post. With either the feat, his spell, or his knockdown gun, he can make the MK hit much more reliably.

[PG_thegreatblah]

I think the two best are Grim and eDoomy. Grim can zip him across the board and eDoomy primal shocks kill low armor casters.

[PG_Steampunk Jim]

I think the two best are Grim and eDoomy. Grim can zip him across the board and eDoomy primal shocks kill low armor casters.

I didn't have much luck with Doomshaper2, but that's almost certainly because I hate the guy, and can't get him to jive with my playstyle, ha ha.


But I did like Vipers suggestion of Borka. I think there might be some potential there.

[Goris]

I don't think MK will be the best with our alpha strike warlocks at all. Grim might be an exception because he speed buffs aren't tied to a feat. But, the way I see it is he's not a piece that's meant to be slung across the board to alpha something off the table. It's meant to be a late game piece that becomes harder and harder to remove as the piece trade goes on and eventually your opponent just won't have enough to deal with it in the end. So our warlocks that can favorably attrition are the ones I think he will shine with. So, pDoomy, Gunny, Borka, Grim and maybe Jarl are prime candidates.

[Gython]

I didn't have much luck with Doomshaper2, but that's almost certainly because I hate the guy, and can't get him to jive with my playstyle, ha ha...

I'll have to test out the old man with MtK in september. I have a feeling he will be quite productive, especially with a storm troll in tow against mass infantry.

[Kamahin]

I am thinking of trying him with Jarl as a late game muscle peice. If he gets engaged by really high defense threats Jarl can bullet off of him to clear them out, and Quicken for longer tramples if the opportunity arises.

[Mountain King]

I don't think MK will be the best with our alpha strike warlocks at all. Grim might be an exception because he speed buffs aren't tied to a feat. But, the way I see it is he's not a piece that's meant to be slung across the board to alpha something off the table. It's meant to be a late game piece that becomes harder and harder to remove as the piece trade goes on and eventually your opponent just won't have enough to deal with it in the end. So our warlocks that can favorably attrition are the ones I think he will shine with. So, pDoomy, Gunny, Borka, Grim and maybe Jarl are prime candidates.

I would pretty much agree with this assement. I don't think we should be trying to figure out ways to throw our 20 point fragile model across the table as fast as possible, unless you know for certain you are going to kill every threat to the MK that turn.

[Gython]

...unless you know for certain you are going to kill every threat to the MK that turn.

Or at the very least ENGAGE most of the major threats if you can't outright take them out!

[ElCapitan28]

I played a 75 point game on Saturday using Borka and the King. Man, did he whoop on every single thing he could get his hands on, which was plenty. One thing I don't hear people talking about too much is the fact that Colossals/Gargantuans have reach on their power attacks. Being able to walk forward, grab a guy, throw him into an Impervious Vilmon, trigger killshot, and then go to town on everybody else around with 5 more attacks, all from 2 inches out, is incredible.

[zor]

Love MK with Grim and Jarl. I think everyone but pGris and eMaddy are the only two casters I would question the MK with completely. All the others have ways to make him work.

[The Happy Anarchist]

With Grim, I am going to go with the infantry I don't have to support. Something like this is what I am looking at.

System: Hordes
Faction: Trollblood
Casters: 1/1
Points: 50/50
Grim Angus (*6pts)
* Pyre Troll (5pts)
* Dire Troll Bomber (10pts)
*Mountain King (20pts)
Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters (Cylena and 9 Grunts) (10pts)
Greygore Boomhowler & Co. (Boomhowler and 9 Grunts) (9pts)
Troll Whelps (2pts)


I wish I could fit the Impaler in there, but the list is tight as is. I had to downgrade my usual Slag troll to the Pyre as is. It will also be very jammed up, though the Nyss having pathfinder native and decent range will help. It is designed to play a tight mean attrition game while always threatening assassination with a bunch of boosted damage Pow 16s - MtK is the only heavy hitter though, so you cannot afford to lose him. Boomhowlers are a tough screen to get through though, as is Grim's feat.