Help me decide which farrow lock to best compliment Maelok.

[Whiteout]

Hi, right now I play Tier 4 Maelok: http://battlecollege.wikispaces.com/Maelok (lists fluctuate slightly, but always tier 4).

I want another 35 point tier 4 list from the Thornfall Alliance that will best compliment Maelok.

Those not familiar with Maelok's list, it's core is:
x2 units
x2 witchdoctors
x3 boneswarms

Strengths:
Boneswarms are cheap at 4 points and tie up lots of points with a swarm animus.
Attrition game is great when Maelok is reviving gator posse members and my witchdoctors give them tough
Feat makes assasination runs easy when my opponent makes a mistake.

Weakness:
Nonliving models make posse not as good with no use of coldblood
Warjacks ignore swarm animus in melee and smash boneswarms to pulp
Not hard hitting overall. Don't get me wrong, ps 13 posses have scrapped Mulg and other heavies before, but Khador jacks might prove difficult.

[Borka]

I think you will want something that hit armor harder. Carver is your best bet for that. I like a no tier list since all units get advance deployment that way but carver's tier is ok too. This seems ok, but it is lonely without the Shousers.

System: Hordes
Faction: Lord Carver - The Golden Horde
Casters: 1/1
Points: 35/50
Tiers: 4
Lord Carver (*6pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
Farrow Brigands (Leader and 5 Grunts) (4pts)
Farrow Brigands (Leader and 5 Grunts) (4pts)
Rorsh & Brine (9pts)

[Whiteout]

My eye is on Dr. Arkadius atm because he is beast heavy whereas Maelok is unit heavy.
Here is a list I think might be better at dealing with Cryx and Khador heavy jacks while still remaining Tier 4.
Tier 4 – Mad Science

Dr. Arkadius (*6pts)
* War Hog (7pts)
* War Hog (7pts)
* War Hog (7pts)
* War Hog (7pts)
* Targ (2pts)
Farrow Bone Grinders (Leader and 5 Grunts) (3pts)
Farrow Brigands (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
Farrow Slaughterhousers (Leader and 5 Grunt) (6pts)

[Borka]

I would take min Grinders if you can. And min Brigands (not as good outside of a Carver list). Shousers are great but with the Doc maximizing Hogs is where it is at. You are at 41 pts there on that list btw. Ark is niche but can be fun. Many will say he is not competitive. Here is a good 50 pt list:

System: Hordes
Faction: Dr. Arkadius - Mad Science
Casters: 1/1
Points: 50/50
Tiers: 4
Dr. Arkadius (*6pts)
* War Hog (7pts)
* War Hog (7pts)
* War Hog (7pts)
* War Hog (7pts)
* War Hog (7pts)
* Targ (2pts)
Farrow Bone Grinders (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Farrow Brigands (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
Rorsh & Brine (9pts)

[warlorddrax]

Lord Carver esq. BMMD.

carver is amazing. nuff said.

[Borka]

Lord Carver esq. BMMD.

carver is amazing. nuff said.

Yes he is the anti-armor compliment you want IMO

[Whiteout]

I appreciate the responses and I will test out your opinions this Sunday! My store is having a tournament and since I don't have all my models yet, these will be my lists:

Lord Carver (*6pts)
* Gun Boar (5pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
* Targ (2pts)
Farrow Brigands (min) (5pts)
Farrow Brigands (min) (5pts)
Farrow Brigands (min) (5pts)
Razorback Crew (3pts)

Reinforcements
Gun Boar (5pts)
Min Bone Grinders (2pts)

(This is list is based entirely on what I could borrow)

and

Maelok, the Dreadbound (*6pts)
* Boneswarm (4pts)
* Blackhide Wrestler (8pts)
* Blackhide Wrestler (8pts)
* Feralgeist (1pts)
Gatorman Posse (max) (9pts)
Gatorman Posse (max) (9pts)

Reinforcements
Bogtrog Ambushers (min) (6pts)

[Dan from Chicago]

If you find Carver too straightforward, give Dr A a try. Between the buffs and debuffs, stuff will hit just aa hard.

[Whiteout]

If you find Carver too straightforward, give Dr A a try. Between the buffs and debuffs, stuff will hit just aa hard.

That is what initially brought me to Dr. Ark. I'll post my tournament results Sunday and my feelings towards Carver.

[ForceFields!!!]

I think for crushing armor Dr. A can do it better then Carver. Since Carver is only wrecking face for 1 turn (but boy what a turn!). With Dr. A using all his tricks you can get a Warhog up to effective PoW 22 (dial, FE, CG target). And gets an extra attack thanks to feat.

Dr. A is much more complex then running Carver though. If you don't feel like losing for alot while you learn how to us him go with Carver.

[Rotfell]

To be honest, both are good for smashing faces, that's the farrow way!

Carver makes your beasts sturdier and faster, unknockable beasts with above average ARM are pretty nasty for every list, that doesn't have ARM- or beast-killer. The feat-turn is good for infantry AND beasts, only the 6 FURY of the BMMD makes running more than 3 beasts difficult (but still good, as long you know what you're doing).

Arkadius can make a lot of damage-output with his beasts, but first the warlock is a lot more vulnerable and then you can only get the most damage under 3 circumstances (War Hog in Range with Dial on, FE and CG).

Both are a good answer, if you're just looking for a list for times, when you don't want to run Maelok. I think a reason to play Carver instead of the Doc would be, that you're using the farrow, when your opponent is playing beast/jack-heavy or undead spam (namely Cryx).
That means, most likely he will only damage your beasts, if he think, that he's going to kill it. Psychooperation won't see any use but to heal the dial-damage. For infantry Swarm you'd have Carver's feat (additionally to 1-2 Road Hogs and their sprays) or you can use it, if you're the one who wants to kill a lot of high-ARM models in one turn.
Making your beast harder and giving them more SPD to get the alphastrike is a good option then, something the Doc can't provide.

On the other hand, Arkadius does well against Cryx (at least for me), since I can thin out the thralls with 2 Gun Boars, sometimes Primal Shock and since Cryx lacks decent shooting, the Docs big weakness isn't that bad anymore.

Personally I'd prepare for the beast-heavy list and when your opponent is running a lot of big guys, it's better to think about, how you can strenghten your own biggies. And then you should decide, if Carver or Arkadius is doing a better job. Or S&D, since his feat hinders quiete good (but I like to have a unit, which can screen him, instead hiding him behind 2 beasts).

[Borka]

I appreciate the responses and I will test out your opinions this Sunday! My store is having a tournament and since I don't have all my models yet, these will be my lists:

Lord Carver (*6pts)
* Gun Boar (5pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
* Targ (2pts)
Farrow Brigands (min) (5pts)
Farrow Brigands (min) (5pts)
Farrow Brigands (min) (5pts)
Razorback Crew (3pts)

Reinforcements
Gun Boar (5pts)
Min Bone Grinders (2pts)
)

Its a shame you couldn't borrow slaughter housers

[Whiteout]

After looking at Carver's Tier requirments, and Dr. Arkadius, I've switched sides to Carver.
Arkadius seems like a blast to play as a caster, but his list really wants multiple warhogs, and without much variation it could still get boring. Especially since my other list, Tier 4 Maelok requires x3 Boneswarms.

Whereas Carver seems like a boring caster, but I can get a LOT of variety in his tier 4.
System: Hordes
Faction: Lord Carver - The Golden Horde
Casters: 1/1
Points: 35/50
Tiers: 4
Lord Carver (*6pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
* Road Hog (9pts)
* Gun Boar (5pts)
Farrow Brigands (Leader and 5 Grunts) (4pts)
Farrow Brigands (Leader and 5 Grunts) (4pts)
Targ (2pts)
Rorsh & Brine (9pts)

SOLD

[PG_Devilsquid]

Carver is not a boring caster. While you'll be casting the same spells pretty consistently, he's damn solid and dependable. His feat makes everything in your army dangerous, and he himself can bring lots of pain.

[Rotfell]

Your list is good, I already played it a lot of times and after you get the hang on the Road Hog and Carver's CTRL, it's a real good and solid list.

And I agree with Devilsquid, Carver isn't a boring caster. The ability to see, which spell to use is vital to make the best of him, even if you can't make much wrong with BDTH and Mobility every turn. But if you know how to Quagmire and sometimes even Rift, then you can consider yourself as a neat Carver-Player.
And Carver himself helps out too, spray on a warlock is cool (even if it's just 6").

[Halfhoot]

I don't know much about carver... but I just wanted to point out that being strong, dependable, and dangerous has nothing to do with whether or not he is boring. Siege is amazing with answers to just about everything and I would never say he was even close to a bad warcaster... but he's still boring.

[Whiteout]

Played my first game with Carver today. For someone whose never touched Farrow brigans before... they can be daunting. I can't dig in after I shoot, but, if I go hogwild I can shoot, move and then dig-in. Lots of little things.
I ended up tieing down a Carnivian by quagmiring and charging. My opponent wanted to just trample through the little bigs but he needed to kill them all first because of quagmire

Also, I'm not sure why there is so much hate for the gunboar, he seems fine for 5 pt beast. I'm used to playing troll impalers, and though these guys lack a range boost, thier animus is still very fun.

[PG_Devilsquid]

The gunboar is a 'solid' beast. Not exciting, not thrilling, but solid. It does well, has some options (two handed throws, boosting ranged attacks), but there's not real "WHOA" factor.

[Del Fuego]

Let me throw out a different option:

Faction: Sturm & Drang - Split Decision
Casters: 1/1
Points: 35/50
Tiers: 4
Sturm & Drang (*5pts)
* War Hog (8pts)
* Road Hog (8pts)
* Road Hog (8pts)
* Targ (2pts)
Farrow Slaughterhousers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (6pts)
Farrow Razorback Crew (3pts)

Part of my thinking is that if you are facing an army with higher defense like Cryx (especially on their jacks) life can be irritating when trying to hit, even with a boost sometimes. If Drang is active, he and his beasts all receive +2 to hit in melee. In addition, Drang can give them all Pathfinder on the charge (including the Slaughterhousers who can second wave to clean up). If you don't need it though, Sturm can hurt shooting capabilities against you with Deflection, and let you disengage in a lot of instances with Telekinesis. This is nice when you are tied up with infantry, and want to sit still to aim on your Road Hog's 10 inch spray. (3 spray in this list on the Hogs with Targ's ancillary attack, plus Sturm's if needed)

Razorback Crew is there for targets of opportunity and for deterrent since people just avoid throwing important things near a PoW 15 Artillery, even if it does miss a decent amount of the time.

[Borka]

Sturm & Drang are so cool. I could see myself running him and Carver with one gator caster in a 3 list tourney.