50pt Xerxis army

[MrHappyPants]

I don't really use Xerxis often and I'm a lot more comfortable with other casters. So I want to play him more! Can you tell me how this list works out? Not sure about it.

System: Hordes
Faction: Skorne
Casters: 1/1
Points: 50/50


Tyrant Xerxis (*5pts)
* Cyclops Brute (5pts)
* Titan Cannoneer (9pts)
* Titan Sentry (9pts)
* Aptimus Marketh (3pts)
Cataphract Cetrati (Leader and 5 Grunts) (11pts)
Nihilators (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (3pts)
Venators Reivers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Agonizer (2pts)

[Delrogue]

Do you mean how it is supposed to work, or how well will it work? Is it someone elses list?

Depends on your meta, but the first thing i would do is drop that brute and use the 5 points to get the Reiver UA and an extoller.

Extoller and cannoneer gives you the ability to reach out and kill those pesky stealth solos that will cause you grief. Reiver UA because the mini-feat is great, and reform works really well with xerxis' abilities.

[PG_Pickles]

Hi Richard

Looks OK. I am not sure you need a Brute though. I would probably use a Shaman or a Drake. If you did use a Drake & drop to min PG, as 4 is plenty, you could also get the Venator UA or 2 points of other goodness.

It is a very much a take the hit & counter punch list & has the tools to do that.

[MrHappyPants]

Do you mean how it is supposed to work, or how well will it work? Is it someone elses list?

Depends on your meta, but the first thing i would do is drop that brute and use the 5 points to get the Reiver UA and an extoller.

Extoller and cannoneer gives you the ability to reach out and kill those pesky stealth solos that will cause you grief. Reiver UA because the mini-feat is great, and reform works really well with xerxis' abilities.

How well it will work. Other people have suggested swapping the brute for a Shaman to make the most out of the Cannoneer's animus. Also to swap out the Nihilators for full Praets and UA to make the most out of bricking up. OR to get some arcuarii to nail people through the shield wall and drag them into melee with the cetrati.

[PG_Pickles]

Shaman is also a decent magic gun. I am not sure why Praetorians would be better than Nihliators. They are both pretty good vs infantry & nihilators have more mat & reach vs heavy targets.
I tend to forget Arcuarri have guns as they are pow 12 weaponmasters (or pow 15 double weaponmasters) that can charge from the safety of a Cetrati wall. Nihilators are a good replacement with the extra bodies & are far better vs troops with more attacks even before berserk.
The Cetratis can advance throught the arcuarii/nihilators to protect them again or charge even deeper into enemy lines.


As I said I do not see a role for the Brute or last 2 PGs really but the rest of it will work.

[Delrogue]

How well it will work. Other people have suggested swapping the brute for a Shaman to make the most out of the Cannoneer's animus. Also to swap out the Nihilators for full Praets and UA to make the most out of bricking up. OR to get some arcuarii to nail people through the shield wall and drag them into melee with the cetrati.

Just shows how people differ... I think all those suggestions are terrible.. I'd stick with the list you have, possibly with the suggestions i
Made.. What factions do you generally face?

[Triumph Of Man]

How well it will work. Other people have suggested swapping the brute for a Shaman to make the most out of the Cannoneer's animus. Also to swap out the Nihilators for full Praets and UA to make the most out of bricking up. OR to get some arcuarii to nail people through the shield wall and drag them into melee with the cetrati.

Remember Xerxis' troops can move through each other. You'd be better served advancing the Arcuarii through the Cetrati and using them to drag and whack, then moving the Cetrati up through the Arcuarii. If you do it your way you run into the issue where the Cetrati strike, then can't move.

As a brick list you'll already find yourself on the very slow end of the scale. Wasting a full turn's movement on your frontline Cetrati is something you basically can't afford to do. It slows down your entire army if you do that, Xerxis has to stay behind his shield wall as well, which then limits the movement of his beasts and so on and so forth.

With your current list you may find High DEF units and beasts problematic to deal with. Xerxis has no issue in ramping up the damage factor but he struggles with getting his Low MAT beasts to hit, and all 3 of your beasts are MAT 5 which ain't so hot. You may find trying to hit DEF 16 warpwolves and the like very frustrating with your beasts. Personally I often use Xerxis and his Combo smite to open things up for my low MAT beasts, but at higher points levels he can't be everywhere at once. What your list could really do with in my opinion is a reliable Can opener in the form of Tiberion or a Bronzeback.

I've played with Tiberion and I'll attest he is fully capable of opening a huge can of whoopass while remaining a very solid defensive beast. In this list of yours especially with the lack of a Gladiator I think you'll find the extra reach range on Tiberion to be a little more useful. Plus you get a second shield guard. If you want to slot him in I'd drop the reivers and get a Tyrant Commander instead, he's really useful with the Nihilators being able to stand them up, plus it lets you put pathfinder on the Nihilators and still have Press Forward on the Cetrati (as we said, them being slow can be an issue).

[Delrogue]

I didn't notice the maxed handlers. Drop it to min and grab some swamp gobbers.

[Shuyung]

I concur,I think you need a TyComm more than anything else. For the added speed to your units as mentioned and he can stand up your Nil's when you make your tough rolls.GL

[Mr Gaspy]

i usually play xerxis with only light beasts (shaman, krea and drake).