Toruk to Tyrant - My Year Playing Skorne

[PG_carnage4u]

On the website museonminis.com I have been posting articles that will track my year of playing Skorne. I am focusing on skorne from Nov of last year thru Nov of this year (to warmachine weekend)

Some of you might have already have seen the articles. I just wanted to share. I have been having a lot of fun focusing on skorne as they are one of my 2 favorite armies in the game.

The latest article is here

http://museonminis.com/toruk-to-tyrant-january-results-and-thoughts-on-zaal/



Previous articles

http://museonminis.com/toruk-to-tyrant-mayhem-cup-games/

http://museonminis.com/toruk-to-tyra...tice-practice/

http://museonminis.com/toruk-to-tyrant-my-journey-with-skorne/

[PG_carnage4u]

As I post more articles I never know exactly how much detail people want from events, or how much people care to read about overal win/loss ratios and stuff like that. I"m hoping to keep this going for the year to really see how I end up with skorne after 12 months. I own so many models its hard for me not to jump aruond to a different faction every year (unless I really fall in love with 1 and start to sell off my other armies)

[Ranhothep]

Speaking for myself, I like all the possible statistics I can get Not having the opportunity to visit tournaments regularly, I like as much as possible. Keep up the good work!

[GaspysInhaler]

The link to your latest article actually sends us to your first article back in December

But so far I'm enjoying your articles a lot!

I'm also in the Cryx/Skorne boat, and I love going back and forth when I get too sick of either faction.

[PG_carnage4u]

oops. fixed

[PG_carnage4u]

I was going to be going to 4 events in Feb, but due to my car exploding, Sadly I'll will end up only managing 1 event to report on, but I have some other stuff I'll be adding this month. Now to get back to painting archidons!

[PG_Deathraven]

Imo tourney reports should have as much detail and photo's as possible. Great articles btw! I hope your car is fixable too.

[PG_carnage4u]

car is fixed. $1200 later. Stopped me from going to two out of town events though..

I will see about adding some more details. I have a good amount of pictures from the last couple games, and I keep working on putting in more detail in the battle reports.

I'll hopefully have an article up in the next week or so.

[kamilion]

Great stuff! As a newb (I started playing WarmaHordes in November '11, and Skorne is my one and only at the moment), I'd love to see you unpack the strategy a bit in your reports, much like you discuss your list choices. I'm seeking all the tactics knowledge I can!

[PG_carnage4u]

My biggest issues when I play a really good tournament game, is I start to forget to take pictures as the game gets more intense, or I dont write the report right after the event happens, and then details get blurry.. I usually am good at remembering key points, but the rest of the game sort of becomes one big cloud of "stuff moved around aimless", while my key models win game. I take notes after a game most times, but usually when I win with stuff like karn, my notes just say "karn win" instead of any actually details...

[Jaradakar]

Let me just say this, I am very jealous of your amount of free time and your ability to get that many games in!!!

Having a 6month old makes it very hard to get away to play games and I'm lucky if I can get 1 game in a week.

[PG_Deathraven]

If you have any trustworthy onlookers to your game it can be a good idea to ask them to take the pictures for you whilst you play.

[roddo]

I'm taking this year to play as much skorne as possible, and hopefully paint as much of my khador while they sit on the sidelines. Got in 4 games today, and had a blast, playing 3 with pmorgh (lost all3, but had my chances in 2, but dice and deathclock got me) and 1 with emakeda and Karn. Needless to say I won with the easy button, getting your caster 16 inches from karn with no screen in place but enough models within 4inches to slingshot off of is a bad idea. Sadly that was my least fun game, due to how fast it was over, the other 3 were a great learning experience and lots of fun learning a new caster.

[PG_carnage4u]

I'm hoping by Julyish I'll decide what I want to play next week, and if its a new army, it will give me 5 or so months to paint up anything I need to.

[PG_carnage4u]

A new article has been posted on museonminis.com for my Toruk to Tyrant Series.

http://museonminis.com/toruk-to-tyrant-february-fun/

I go over the games I played in February, as well as my thoughts on why I am enjoying using Karax. It also goes over the warlocks I continue to focus on for the coming months.

[Bully Bully Mahu]

I don't think Karax are terrible, I think they compete with too many options.

I would consider them if they had some sort of immunity (preferable corrosion, for all the in faction symmetries).

I have actually been thinking about them as a front line unit with Mordikaar. Banishing Ward and the Witch Doctor giving them tough can be a tough nut to crack, especially with the feat up.

There is also the new Xerxis tier to consider, though I still like his original tier better.

[spacewolf92]

I think the Karax are pretty legit with Zaal. Great for feeding the feat and taking the first charge. I also think they've got a bit of that surprise factor because people don't expect a bunch of charging weapon masters coming from a universally scorned unit. And who cares if they die?

[Jazz29]

scorned unit

[dommer01]

I would love to be a little more active with my Skorne. I love the game and the models but it is such huge time-sink. I play Zaal a lot and if I were to combo two warlocks in a tourney the first would definitely be him. Who do you guys recommend for a good 2nd? I love E-Hexy but I'm not sure if he compliments Zaal's weaknesses very well. My Zaal list is usually tiered with a bunch of Immortals and AGs.

[PG_yaro86ster]

I personally think that eHexi will be good as compliment to Zaal. I find Zaal (as all others) extreamly good on melee but with lacks in range combat. And I find it that it is possible to make with eHexi good shoty list with full venonators and ua and with arcuarii (our most versile unit) and also including our great beast beat sticks. Only theorymachine in my case, but I'm starting full testing this week.

[PG_carnage4u]

My March Recap is now posted - http://museonminis.com/toruk-to-tyra...3-march-recap/ I dont havemuch time left as I get ready for adepicton

[PG_carnage4u]

new blog post

http://museonminis.com/toruk-to-tyrant-april-results/

lots of discussion on skorne, how my april went, and the ranged game.

[x3tsniper]

Your podcast called Zerkova terrible. You are dead to me.

[PG_carnage4u]

Your podcast called Zerkova terrible. You are dead to me.

That is the road to war folks.. Muse on Minis has different groups that post different stuff I dont post about khador

[x3tsniper]

Well, I will be watching you. ><

"Jack Byrnes eye motion thing"

[PG_carnage4u]

Well, I will be watching you. ><

"Jack Byrnes eye motion thing"

ok.. good to know

I hope you found the blog post good though. I spent a good amount of time going over various topics on skorne.

[PG_Noble Rain]

Very nice stuff. I perused the whole blog and found it very nice. I linked it to my local gamming forums so others can enjoy it. Although we are mostly French, some of us comprehend enough English to find it usefull/interesting.

[carmachu]

I use to Run Zaal with either 2 or 3 lights, or 2 Heavies. I am currently back to 2 heavies & 2 lights with him. I find that Zaal can run something like a good support model (Cyclops Brute) but if needed I can last stand him into a killing machine if needed.

Question: what heavy and lights do you use with Zaal?

[PG_carnage4u]

I really have been changing up my beast points with zaal.

I like the Brute with him, because I like the defensive ablities the brute brings. I also bring a krea because the Meta I play in, is very gun Heavy. If i'm going iwth lights, I'll add in a Drake for some extra measure. I still really want a flanking Krea under Zaal feat with Last stand on it.

When I go heavies, its fairly standard. Titan Gladiator by default. I do like Molik Karn with him. its honestly overkill most of the time, but I can drop a some heavies if my opponents clump up with zaal. I've last standed/feated with Karn to drop all my opponents heavy hitters before. Also its a constant threat for assassiansation run.

bronzebacks are fun with zaal, I've killed 3 enemy heavies in one turn with a bronzeback under zaal before.

[PG_carnage4u]

I'm looking forward to the next update. The Mayhem Cup (59 player event) in Iowa was this weekend, and I went 5-1 in the WMW qualifier (loss was in semi-final round to winner of event) Also got 3rd in the 20pt softcore event (zaal 20pts is hilarious). It was a fun event, and got to play a lot of good player and had some fun games.

Next weekend I have another 50pt event, but not sure who I will play there yet. I am close to the zaal list I really like, but I"ll probably still tweak it some.

[PG_carnage4u]

http://museonminis.com/toruk-to-tyrant-mayhem-cup-fun/

I have to go back and update all my old articles due to mom update. I'll be doing that over the next couple days.

[PG_carnage4u]

New update - May Recap, My thoughts on skorne after 5 months of playing them, and more discussion on Zaal, plus more!

http://museonminis.com/toruk-to-tyra...ourney-so-far/

[kamilion]

Nice update! I'm really enjoying your in-depth look at Skorne.

[wazatdingder]

Good article, I enjoyed your insight on Zaal. You did state that one of his weaknesses is the ranged game. Ever since the release of the raiders I have been running him with one of them and 2 Cannoneers. It is a surprisingly solid battlegroup that can sit back and fire away early–mid game, allowing the infantry to go all the dirty work. By the time the scraps of your enemy break through the line (assuming any are left) you have your full BG and support solos waiting for them.

[PG_carnage4u]

I have played a bit with that setup with zaal, but since I face mostly warmachine with him, the cannoneers don't seem to be as helpful as I would like. I"m always facing armies with tons of def buff from guns (Ret/cygnar for example)

I do like the raider with him though a lot. I do like the idea of cannoneers, but I just continue to get rough matchups with him. I may try to squeeze at least 1 in his army though. My biggest challenge with Zaal is I"m always tweaking the list.

I am currently having fun with double cannoneers with Rasheth the most. especially when I focus on hordes. I can really lower their armor well to make those cannon shots leave a good dent.

[Ranhothep]

I also have a tough time deciding on a list with Zaal and currently wanna try the Raider with him. Molik is great with Zaal, obviously, however, I am eagerly awaiting Tiberion to fit into my Zaal list, since I play Molik with eMakeda. I also agree on the slingers, suddenly they are the first thing that comes to mind when I have 6 point left. Also, they do well in the Zaal list, since a bit of supporting fire is allways useful and they don't clutter up charge lanes later on as opposed to another melee unit besides your designated last stand target, while still providing a nice amount of tokens for your feat. Alternatively, they fir well with Nihilators, since both units get good use out of a Tycom.

I have a question though: what melee unit to choose? I finished painting my entire Swordsmen unit (finally, took several years ) and was looking for places to fit them in, besides eMakeda. The more I think about it, the more I find it to be a really difficult decision. Here's why:

Swordsmen
- bring 2 more feat tokens for the same cost and 1 more fighter
- have better armour, which is quite a difference when dealing with blast damage, plus with Inviolable Resolve they start surviving allmost a half of Str 10 shots coming their way
- bigger CMD, this is actually quite good imo, since you wanna spread out very often due to the amounts of infantry you are running
- sidestep
- their lower MAT is probably not as big an issue, since you're playing Zaal
- also able to deliver a P+S 12 attack just like Nihilators, although often 2 attacks with sidestep and Last Stand and feat can deal out more pain, unless your opponent is kind enough to clump up for berserking

Nihilatos
- reach! this one is huge, obviously
- tough: this is actually difficult to judge, since it's a bit of skornegy with the feat and wants to have a Tycom for the greatest benefit
- berserk, good if opponent is nice enough to position to your advantage, but otherwise sidestep is usually better. On a last standed unit it mostly doesn't matter if you berserk into your own dudes, but othewise, without any silence effect, charging can be tricky. This problem can often be helped by advancing with a Tycom's battleplan instead of a charge. All these synergies with the Tycom make him however desirable in a list and I have a lot of other things competing for those 3 points :S

So is personal preference the deciding factor or are there concrete arguments for one unit or the other?

[PG_carnage4u]

I love Nihliators with him. You can kill so many models with his feat, and or Last Stand. Swordsman are tempting as well, due to their 2 attacks, side step. You can really get off a lot of attacks, and I agree with CMD 10 being very nice.

In my Infantry spam version of zaal list. I try to fit both of them in the list.

I do like that a Tyrant commander can have all knocked down Nihilators stand up though. that really can help do some serious damage.



So in standard lists I go about 90% with Nihilators over swordsman, (reach/ bezerk) but I feel the swordsman are a good choice as well. (side step, 2 base attacks, higher command)

[PG_strangedane]

I've started to use Zaal again, haven't used him since MK I, but I find it very hard to get a list together! Maybe you can answer a simple question - are Immortals worth it with him?

My current list is;
Zaal
Marketh
Molik
Gladiator
4 PGBH
10 Praetorians + UA
10 Slingers
10 Immortals
AG
Hakaar
Agonizer

Had a game with that list today, despite loosing, I find that the list has enough infantry, but if I loose a beast I am in trouble! So I have thought about taking out the gladiator and replace it with a Drake and a Savage and change the Praetorians into Karax and a Feralgheist...

[Ranhothep]

I've started to use Zaal again, haven't used him since MK I, but I find it very hard to get a list together! Maybe you can answer a simple question - are Immortals worth it with him?

My current list is;
Zaal
Marketh
Molik
Gladiator
4 PGBH
10 Praetorians + UA
10 Slingers
10 Immortals
AG
Hakaar
Agonizer

Had a game with that list today, despite loosing, I find that the list has enough infantry, but if I loose a beast I am in trouble! So I have thought about taking out the gladiator and replace it with a Drake and a Savage and change the Praetorians into Karax and a Feralgheist...

It's not a bad list, but I'd keep the gladiator. Immortals are best used with Zaal most probably, that however doesnt mean they are the best choice for him. I personally feel, Nihilators are better despite the synergies Immortals get in a Zaal list. I do love the theme and models of the immortals and I really hope Mak3da will buff them in some way, considering she has AGs in her retinue

Carnage4u: Thanx for the input. Basically, it isn't really a clear cut choice, so it's worth trying out both and seeing what suits one's army/playstyle better

[PG_carnage4u]

I have updated an article with my results for Diecon Hardcore Victory

http://museonminis.com/toruk-tyrant-...dition-diecon/