eStryker 50

[omerplata]

Been using this list for a bit and have had great success with it. Just looking for some feedback to improve it as there is a 50 point tourney coming up at my LGS and I would like to have some fun and run with it.

eStryker +6
-Rowdy -9
-Stormclad -10
-Squire -2

Jr. -3

ATGM -6
-UA -2
--Defender -9
Black 13th -4
Strangewayes -2
Stormblades -5
-UA -3
-WA x1 -1

My first question is if I should replace Arlan with Rupert? Arlan makes the jacks better, but Rupert does wonders for the stormblades. Comments?
Thanks!

[Soda Breeze]

Why are you pouring 17 of your points into a detachment that eStryker can't reliably support? Deflection doesn't do much for the Mages, who die to a stiff breeze regardless if they're ARM 13 or ARM 11 against shooting attacks, and the feat only allows them to move, not to shoot again. Drop the whole Gun Mage set-up. Get Stormguard, definitely, and either a max unit of Sword Knights or a Lancer. IMO, a Lancer's really good with eStryker - it allows him to sit back and channel Rebuke, quashing shield walls and preventing running or charging, and Positive Charge, making the Stormguard scary efficient against 'jacks and 'beasts. Use those floating two points to grab Gorman and have him following the B13th dropping clouds around them so they get Stealth.

Also, yes, replace Arlan with Rhupert. You'll probably be seeing some casters with rough terrain shenanigans (Barnabas, pIrusk, etc.), and Pathfinder support is critical to success. You'll want to run Rowdy as a bodyguard to Stryker, deterring knockdown assassination runs, with the Lancer up front supporting Positive Charge'd Stormguard and the Clad+Blades following as a counter-charge unit.

[Dark Fledgling]

I've actually played eStryker with this sort of combined arms type build. Soda is right that eStryker doesnt really support the ranged pieces all that well, but being that they are so self contained, they dont rightly need the support anyway, functioning just fine without any help.

Now having said that, there are a few things I would change. For instance, B13th and ATGMs fill the same role, so doubling up is not a necessary points investment, so I would drop the B13th. The Defender is something I've done with eStryker and ATGMs specifically several times and its always been good to me, but at somepoint (idk when) I switched that defender for a Cyclone and BOY was I shocked. The Cyclone has several key advantages to it over the defender in this list, the main being covering fire. With so many melee troops, being able to drop a pair of templates in front of them will save there bacon, especially from high pow average mat troopers like Doomreavers, exemplar and the like. I would make the swap of a Cyclone for the Defender, and in the process drop Strangewayes. Since you no longer NEED his focus for a double boost you can leave him at home and use his points for other things (which I will get into shortly o.O).

The next thing I would change is you reaaaaally need to take a lancer with eStryker. It opens up so many great doors you really need to invest in one with him. Arcing rebuke alone is worth the 6 points, but having the extra reach jack for positive charge is just great.
I would honestly drop rowdy for the lancer. Rowdy is great and all but eStrykers feat takes such great advantage of the stormclads reach and electro-leap that its simply a better choice for your main heavy.

So at this point we've dropped the B13th for being redundant with the ATGMs, swapped the Defender out for a Cyclone, dropping Strangewayes in the process, and then switched out Rowdy for a Lancer. You've saved yourself 9 points, and the way I see it now, you have 3 options.

Option 1: Put Rowdy back in. Simple, easy, effective, although it does make your army rather jack based with 3 heavies in it. Personally, I'd rather one of the other options.

Option 2: Put in full Stormguard. The Guard are great with eStryker, reach and eLeap synergizes incredibly with his feat, making them a great infantry blender. I personally always take full guard AND full blades with eStryker at 50pts as my unit core, I feel they give the perfect compliment of anti-infantry and anti-armor. Plus, you can aim and shoot your own guard in the back with your blades for some crazyness (assault even so you ignore the in melee penalty o.O).

Option 3: Runewood and Max Swordknights (no UA). This option is really, very, very good. Not only does it give you a cheap effective unit, but SKs benefit most from eStryker and his lists. Positive Charge and Flank turn these little guys into monsters, and with 2 reach jacks (and a third heavy in the back) you'll be sure to pull off alot of crazyness. eStrykers feat also benefits them greatly since you can reposition your reach jacks first to allow for maximum flankitude. The other benefit that this list has is that Runewood solves your lack of pathfinder option, something you really need to invest in when playing at 50pts or higher to help close the gap. It also helps that he gives a bit of anti-knockdown in your list, and can even give eStryker pathfinder too make sure he can ALWAYS pull off the assassination.

Of the three options, I would choose the 3rd, pathfinder from runewood helps the list too much to ignore and everything works great with eStryker. If you where not going to take the ATGMs+UA+Jack(cyclone), then I would insist on taking runewood with the guard instead as I feel guard work a bit better then SKs, who I would personally only include if I didnt have the remaining points, like in your list here.

Anyway, just some further food for thought. I actually won a few tourny games back in the day with eStryker, full blades, and full ATGMs /w a defender. The ranged presence helped keep my opponents slower jacks pushed pretty far back so I could really take apart his army piecemeal. Cygnar thrives on combined arms, so playing lists like this, while they might seem strange at first, really are a great thing, it makes you a better player imho.

-DF

[omerplata]

Thanks for the input guys, after reading the comments I have come up with with this

eStryker +6
-Stormclad -10
-Lancer -6
-Squire -2

Jr. -3

ATGM -6
-UA -2
--Cyclone -9
Rupert -2
Stormblades -5
-UA -3
-WA x2 -2
Min Stormguard -6

I don't own sword knights as of yet, so this is using what I do own.