Denelspire

[Brushmaster]

Oh you are so literal . I thought they were part of the dog units , "Heal boy , heal!"

[Storminator]

Can anyone give me some insight into Devona's stats?

 

FLGS owners tend to frown upon taking the card out of the package without buying it.

 

Learn to read the Halo, which you should be able to see thru the blister pack. It won't give you special abilities, but it's not nothing!

 

PS

[Qwyksilver]

The dog command is Heel.

 

I was not entirely being a smartarse. I imagine it has something to do with healing, maybe giving them bonuses to casting healing spells at the expense of combat, or something along those lines. Maybe they will be like the GI Joe character First Aid - They don't fight, they just run around and heal (and create plot devices by getting captured by Cobra).

[Brushmaster]

OK , I can't spell (and that's not magic either).

[dewen]

Any dedicated Crusaders willing to discuss stats for the new models (Herne, Ivy Crown Light Lancers, Hospitaliers, Justicars, Guardian Beast)? They have not been posted to WarlordHQ.com yet. Devona, who was shared by Castlebuilder, seems pretty interesting and in a class of her own. I am curious to hear more about SA Heal and the Hospitaliers, too.

 

-de

[cristomeyers]

Devona has the potential to be a goddess on the battlefield and the Hospitaliers' Heal better be worth it, because they're 1 MA at 1(?) with a DV of 9.

[sldrdude]

Ok, I will shoot.

 

I picked up the Justicars, LLancers, GBeast, and Hospitilars over the weekend.

 

I must say that at first glance I am disappointed in the LLancers. I have it on my "to do" list today to PM one of the playtesters asking about his testing experience regarding them.

 

If one compares the LLancer with the Necropolas Deathrider it is hard to imagine taking the LLancer. My current fear is that they (reaper) consider the HLancer the equivalent of the Deathrider. My mindset will go from "everyone has a light cav" to "everyone has a basic cav and the crusaders also have the light stuff". My fault for assuming, of course.

 

In all honesty they never said what "role" the DR served as in the Necro army. Seeing the LLancers stats though I must say they are definitely Light on everything but points. 52 or 53 IIRC. DV of 8.

 

Now, I will still use the LLancer. I simply must. Using my initial shock of the stats is just plain close-minded. Further research is needed. But, as it currently stands, the LLancers will serve as a gift to my opponent if I were to use them as the "anti-archer" weapon I think they should be. Different game, different thinking, different goals of the designers. 2 Wounds and Raider.

 

The justicars. Ok, I will take 5 or 6 of those. 2 wounds, as we suspected. It looks like they are diluted crimson knights. That whole vampire thing setting them apart. Slightly worse MAV I think (cards are at home) with the CK getting the better. A welcome addition to the Crusader ranks. Oh, adept of course.

 

The guardian beast. My predictions were correct. If you follow closely you will see that the reaper folks are following a pattern (intentional or not) and I was right that the crusaders were getting a Unq Solo costing 185 points. It will be a toss up though. HoJ or the GB. To have both in a 1K army is going to be TIGHT. Lets see what do I remember? MAV4? 2 Attacks. DV13, MD14, Warmaster, Horrid, Holy, Judgement, and oh yeah......wait for it....Summoned. My friends know how much I love that ability. No sarcasim. I really do.

 

And finally the medics. I think I will include one in the main troop. That's it. I was told what the Heal did (not saying as it hasn't been said from Reaper) and from what I hear they aren't all that great. It is WAY too early to tell right now.

 

I am chomping at the bit now for the stats of Jenova and the HLancers. If the LLancers are 52 points I am scared to see the points cost for the HLancers.

[sldrdude]

Whoops. The previous post might have been read as being overly negative.

 

Not intended, I assure you.

 

Most of the fun for me in these games is comparing and anaylizing (sp?) the different options, models, and tactics of the factions. The Crusaders is of course my favorite because of the sterotype of the knightly faction.

 

Reaper is of course not obligated to follow said sterotype, nor do I expect them to.

 

I love each and every one of the models in the crusader list. They will all be used at some point in my lists. Some, more than others (read: HoJ which is my favorite model EVER in a minis game).

 

That being said, I am not privy to the "behind the scenes" testing and planning. I can't say how so very much that matters when reading mine, and others, posts regarding the evaluation of new units; particurally when the book isn't out yet.

 

There are a couple of certain items for me. The first is that my initial opinion WILL change completely once more experience is gained from using the units in different circumstances. People will remember my posts regarding the Unforgiven. I initially though they had no use. I was wrong. Dead wrong. I knew they were good buy I couldn't fit them into my tactics. That has changed. Kelcore and company educated me. My error was in quantity with the fewer being the better. In my opinion the Unforgiven have won me my last two games. I am certainly wrong about the LLancer and Hosptilar. Just not currently based off my knowledge. Others, who have playtested the models are much more qualified to give opinions.

 

It is INCREDIBLY difficult to evaluate units when they are coming at you piecemail. This is because you can't see the whole picture. What tactics and strategy are the reaper folks intending for this or that? Can't tell until everything is out.

 

The second item is this: In general terms the game desginers will publish a game where all factions are created equal. That being said, and accepted, the following rule can exist: If the game is balanced and some model or unit is "ineffective" it isn't necessarily the fault of the unit, faction, or game but that of the player. (Read: I haven't discovered an acceptable function for the LLancers yet, but it doesn't mean it isn't there.)

 

The crusader list has become very complicated for me. I am fighting my own sterotypes of the "knightly" units and passion for such things. I already had a thought of how I wanted to use the LLancers. I though that they should be lighter than other cav units (and they are) but I expected them to be cheaper as well (which they are not). This caught me off gaurd and the fault totally my own. Thus I am backpeddling trying to "realign" my use and need for the unit. Also, I want to have a greater understanding of why the unit costs more points than the DRs. Mercy is good, but I haven't found it very effective for rank and file models to use against the enemy.

 

Now, after thinking about it somemore, I wonder if the LLancer will be good as an intercepter unit. Archers? Do I really care about them? I have TKnights. DV12 against ranged. Flanking units, which I have already stated I feel WEAK against may be able to be defended against with the LLancers. Still does nothing against the flying flanker, though. But, it is a function. At any rate, they wouldn't last long with a DV of only 8. To quote Pete: "DV is king". I agree. Where are you going to throw your heals? At the LLancers or the TKnights. The hospitlars might help here. See? All integrated. I believe that the crusader list will be heavily dependant on one another (model to model) more so than other factions due simply to the low model count.

 

I analyze. That's what I do. Technically, I feel like I am wrong regarding my opinion of the LLancer. I certainly was about Devona. (Note: I wasn't about the HoJ!) Time will tell. Or, rather, the book will.

 

Doug.

[Sergei]

Week of Nov. 28th

Warlord

14226: Sir Danel, Mounted Crusader Sergeant by Bobby Jackson

14230: Sir Damon the Impetuous, Crusader Cavalry Hero by Bobby Jackson

14231: Templar Heavy Cavalryman by Bobby Jackson

14236: Neb'nesew Ne'Pet, Nefsokar Warlord by Tim Prow

14237: Senet Net'merew, Female Nefsokar Mounted Warlord by Gene Van Horne

 

Check out the "new releases" from reapermini.com. Looks like all of the Crusader models will be out by december. Could the army book be far behind?

[Brushmaster]

Ooooo , I do love the new minis .

 

Not intending to get inside the Reaper guys heads (*my psychic powers are waning) , but I can see all these figures fitting in niceley when we see what the sub-faction abilities are ! Apart from not have an Ivy Crown non-unique sgt , there are infantry , archers and light cav for them alone . Could make a interesting list to field .

[sldrdude]

Sadly, I did not get a chance to try the LLancers last night.

 

Pete was trying a concept list so I just used my old standby list. The, uh, one with the HoJ.

 

I wanted to make a quick admendment, however, to an earlier post. I have had a few conversations about the LLancers with some folks. Pete and I found out quickly enough last night reading the cards before we played that (in unison even) "They are grunts!?".

 

Later that evening another fine gentleman pm'd me stating as such.

 

Honestly, I didn't bother to look at the type. Just assumed adept. Whoops.

 

So let me state this oh so very clearly: The LLancers have a very important purpose in the crusader list and you can be assured that I will have a couple spread out throught. All on account of the grunt status.

 

Besides, the HoJ needs someone to run with. I look forward to giving them a good testing. I hear my wife is going Christmas shopping on saturday. Hmmmmmmm.......looks like an opportunity to me!

 

Doug.

[Brushmaster]

Besides, the HoJ needs someone to run with.

Why not Garr and the other puppies .

[drjsallison]

My FLGS had a slew of the new Crusader models in stock the other day and I spent a good bit of time browsing the Halos to gleen what I could about their stats. Not knowing the point cost of most of these, I have to say: These guys are going to be scary! I love the Ivy crown lancers and their grunt status. Herne looks to be right up there with Gadrun (the deathrider sgt.) so the match-up isn't that bad. I also think that the lancers are OK on defense. At minimun, they will be a DV 10 vs archers and more with deflect. The speed of these guys will close a gap quick enough that most likely, the DV won't mean anything until defensive strikes anyway.

 

I am loving the new Crusader models and hope Reaper keeps to their plan of having the Faction book out by Christmas. Being a hardcore Necropolis player, I am terrified of the new Crusaders. Being a working class guy, my wallet fears the urge to start playing Crusaders on their coolness factor alone.

[spiritual_exorcist]

Well, I have to say, having just looked at the forthcoming ranks of Crusader models in the gallery (havn't looked in a while), that the Crusaders look like they will have the ability to be one heck of a mobile army, given the high numbers of cavalry units and the ton of mounted characters (even a Mage, Cleric, and Warlord all mounted) they have in their ranks. Nice stuff, granted I still plan to stick with my original Templar only force, at least until I see how the faciton book pans out.

 

Love the now Broderick model by Tim prow in the greens as well, sweet sweet stuff.

[cristomeyers]

What's going to be real fun is when my Nefsokar start getting their cavalry, I keep hearing rumors about mounted archers and such.

 

Anyone actually tried an all mounted force yet?