What are Mercs missing

[CrazyMadHatter]

I keep hearing that Mercs are still not competitive. I believe this is a hold over from pre-Damiano and Galleon days when Mercs could not handle armour.

What do you think Mercs are missing now to be a top tier faction? I must admit I am new to the merc scene but the more I look at the models and synergy i find it hard to believe that they are lower than anyone. Highborn has a great selection of models and jacks. 4* (admittedly better now with galleon on the way) has some of my favorite self supported Khador units.

Am I crazy to think mercs are now super competitive? If I am, what are we missing?

(After reading Ashlynns card, maybe an arc node... but I feel mercs are like Khador in this regard, not going to happen)

[MagnustheJust]

Those who say Mercenaries are not competitive still have their heads stuck in MK-I !! We have been competitive for quite a while now, but you need the right mindset to play them properly...

[CrazyMadHatter]

Those who say Mercenaries are not competitive still have their heads stuck in MK-I !! We have been competitive for quite a while now, but you need the right mindset to play them properly...

And what mindset would that be. I am a Merc player now, they are just so much fun.

[pattison]

We don't have the numbers of a faction (ie. base stats, extreme low point costs, possible extreme high stats through buffs), but we do have nice combos that we can use to mitigate this.
Well not always, but many cases. Simply we have to do more effort to reach the same level that a faction player already has just by fielding stuff from his book. But that's OK, merc players like to use their brains.

[Choco]

I don't know what you are all talking about. I could take care of a Khadoran Jack Wall in MKI with just a simple charge from Forge Guard. Now we have things to enhance this.

As for competitive, it's all about how well do you know your list? We are either going to play a list all about the synergy you can create, or all about the caster supporting only a small portion while the rest of the list is self supporting. We can play any style of list out there, the attrition, the brick, the assassination, the alpha strike, etc. Mercs are arguably the most flexible faction to play and are the most difficult to find out how you are going to play them. It takes a little more thought to get to that point, and possibly a little more time, but when you get there, they are very satisfying to play.

I qualified for PAX Masters (during MKI) with an Ashlynn list (technically I had an eMagnus list, but I never used it that tourny as we were not required to use both then). Ashlynn is the first Merc Caster I had and she's still the one I am most comfortable using. Like I said above, you need to find who and what works for you and it's a bit harder for us to figure that out. But we are so much fun to play with.

[PG_vytzka]

We're not really missing anything per se.

I would just really really like Power Booster, you know?

[Kenlen]

Loads of stuff I'd like, not really anything I need. Except a resculpt of Ashlynn of course.

Oh. Yeah....

[CrazyMadHatter]

So at this point you would say we are competitive and can win major cons with consistency if we had someone like Jamie P or Paradox at the helm?

[Bloodshovel]

Honestly, the things I think we're missing is a non-renegade arcnode (although I could see Bart and Fionna getting alternate lists with Renegades based off story line now since they're all Chummy with Mags.)

Aside from that we could really use some help with high armor jacks/beasts. We have Drillers, but they're stuck in Rhul lists, and Galleon seems a while off.

[PG_vytzka]

So at this point you would say we are competitive and can win major cons with consistency if we had someone like Jamie P or Paradox at the helm?

I think it would be enough for absent and rydiafan to actually show up at major events with mercs.

[Alphadork]

Mercs aren't missing anything.

The problem is them nancy boys and sissy maries from the regular factions getting to use all our cool toys while we can't use any of theirs!

[absent]

Survey says

Constance Blaze
Gallant
Gunmages
Long gunners
Trenchers
Cygnar Jacks
Kayazy Eliminators
Kayazy Assassins
Idrian Skirmishers

[absent]

We would have also taken precursor knights, gun mage captain adept.

[MagnustheJust]

Mercs aren't missing anything.

The problem is them nancy boys and sissy maries from the regular factions getting to use all our cool toys while we can't use any of theirs!

Survey says

Constance Blaze
Gallant
Gunmages
Long gunners
Trenchers
Cygnar Jacks
Kayazy Eliminators
Kayazy Assassins
Idrian Skirmishers

BURN!!

[Alphadork]

Survey says

Constance Blaze
Gallant
Gunmages
Long gunners
Trenchers
Cygnar Jacks
Kayazy Eliminators
Kayazy Assassins
Idrian Skirmishers

Aww, I'm ashamed ah what I done.

I embarassed myself if front of the whole merc community and really let down the team . . .



Course, I could make the case that all these so called "ally units" are really mercs at heart . . .

[Thamarite Merc]

Mercs need a way put Cephalyx on the field. And that snake thingy from Retribution. Why? Because!

[Exemplar Voss]

One thing mercs (still) need:
a contract that allows Cephalyx.

Pesky ninjas. And yeah, Hallyr and Skarath would be fantastic as well.

[absent]

Yeah you guys are right =)

The nice thing about mercs is we don't have to take anything to make their faction stuff into mercs, it just decides mercs are way cooler as soon as they work for us, and give up their primary faction.

Mercs can be hard to learn, but i think warmachine in general is hard to master.

[raincaller]

We're not really missing anything per se.

I would just really really like Power Booster, you know?

+1 to this. would love power booster

[Ger]

+1 to this. would love power booster

I'd take an ability like Hymn of Battle that only gives a +1 MaT/RaT and +1 Str. (+1 Str is weaker then +1 pow as it would not work on our ranged attacks)

Between Wrath and Collosals mercs have come a long way indeed. I still believe we have extra problems in a character restricted play format due to our high % of characters. However, mercs are definitely very viable and will be outright scary with Galleon. To some extent we've always been viable though (but under estimated/represented).

[moddball]

Yeah you guys are right =)

The nice thing about mercs is we don't have to take anything to make their faction stuff into mercs, it just decides mercs are way cooler as soon as they work for us, and give up their primary faction.

Mercs can be hard to learn, but i think warmachine in general is hard to master.

+1 to all off this; I picked Merc's after a try on all 4 faction battle boxes Merc are the most fun take more effort to use well.

[CareyBear]

How about a Thamarite Choir that has songs that:
1) grant Dark Shroud
2) grant ghostly
3) grant thamar's luck (-1 dice when targeting model/unit affected)

[MagnustheJust]

There is actually one thing we are missing...


Respect from all those mamby-pamby cake eaters.

[MidnightFox0083]

There is actually one thing we are missing...


Respect from all those mamby-pamby cake eaters.

I get respect from the cake eaters. Probably cause I beat in their faces so often.

[MagnustheJust]

As it should be.

[Kite66]

The only thing I think mercs are really missing is Shae in Highborn / 4*

[PG_vytzka]

There is actually one thing we are missing...


Respect from all those mamby-pamby cake eaters.

Maybe you are

[MagnustheJust]

If you were me, would you respect me?



On second thought... Don't answer that.

[John of Arc]

Mercs are awesome. Nyss, Kayazy, Gun Mages, Forgeguard, Boomhowler's, Alexia, and Steelheads are all very good units- Steelhead Cav being some of the best cavalry in the game if they have Flank going. I've always hated our non-mule non-dwarf heavies in the past due to lack of support and a loathing for POW 17 main weapons, but Galleon completely blew away my expectations. He's one of the better colossals on his own merits before you even consider the fact that our warjacks have always had problems killing things without buffs. Being able to trash heavies without applying Harm/Rust first is such a big deal for me, not to mention Drag and the chest guns. If there's one thing I wish we had, it'd be a mechanik solo with repair and power booster, or even just a unit of mechaniks. I'd like to be able to repair my robots without shelling out for a 2 point jack marshal. Overall though, I think mercs are quite competitive- we've got rock solid casters, units, solos, and one of the best colossals.

[Dragoneye9]

I'd like to second a mechanick unit. Not sure about a solo there are already a couple. But a unit to rrepair would be nice I like the idea of a jack heavy army but thats just me.

[DocMerc]

Not that they need it, but I would like a mercenary steel head unit attachment.
add him to a unit and they become a steelhead unit.
there is a huge potential for abuse, but I could care less I want it anyway

[LordSorrow]

What mercs need, and I was just thinking about this. Is a generic 1 point model that is not character restricted. Also I think mercs could get a huge amount of mileage out of a new contract. Some kind of contract that addressed the Ally units that people are currently only allowed to play in faction.

[CrazyMadHatter]

What mercs need, and I was just thinking about this. Is a generic 1 point model that is not character restricted. Also I think mercs could get a huge amount of mileage out of a new contract. Some kind of contract that addressed the Ally units that people are currently only allowed to play in faction.

Now that would be interesting. Just curious, what ally units (apart from Iridians) are there?

[DocMerc]

Cephilax in the cryx list is an ally unit that can only be played in cryx currently.