Played a 3rd game, using the same cohorts... only this time I fixed some of the mistakes I made during the previous 2 games. Here's my views after this one:
General gameplay:- There was still the slug-fest, but this time not really in the center of the map, a little less static due to numerous pushes, and it didn't last near as long because I rolled better, and damage as a whole this game was a bit higher since I didn't flub the damage rules. Again, the reason it was still pretty static was because I was too afraid of giving a Reaction: opportunity Attack to the opponent.
- In general, I used a lot of varied reactions this game. I made use of Reaction: Move this time, which I hadn't previously done, so gladiators moved into position much quicker. I guess I could have used it to dance around the board a bit more, but I was more interested in trying to get 3 models on a single target at the same time to burn them down asap. Reaction: Counterattack is still pretty strong. Only on a single occasion did I manage to turn back 3 successes onto an attacker, but it was against Ban-Luca so she pretty much just laughed and took a point or two. I tried to mix in a Reaction: Assist every now and then with Urbicus, with some ok results. I still think Counterattack will take priority on my reaction list once dug in, but assist is pretty useful, especially with the legio's passive. (which I forgot about)
- I also used the Power Attack ability much more. At first, I was more likely to try for a 2nd attack instead, but I'm starting to think Power Attack may be the better option, especially when using favor dice. Hopefully someone can "mathhammer" the whole power attack vs 2nd attack scenario to see which is statistically best especially when facing a counterattack or assist.
- Tactics, I still didn't really use them. I used Ludus Magnus' passive, but forgot about the Legio's entirely.
Model Specific:Aquila - Once again, kind of meh. Otho was a primary target as he was backed up by Hermes (whom I couldn't target), and Urbicus was currently too far to engage. Aquila got some hits in on Otho, but died pretty quickly just like last time.
Gaius - He got a nasty hit in on Urbicus, pretty much one-shot him being due to him being exhausted, a good roll to begin with, and a push into Ban-Luca. Other than that, once Aquila was down, he was the next target, and fell rather quickly even despite a couple of rounds of healing.
Ban-Luca - She won the game. It came down to her (untouched due to heals) and Hermes, who was also untouched. She shrugged off a majority of his damage, but put a lot on Hermes in return, and also pushed him closer to a pit. Hermes struck back, but flubbed to roll. Next turn, Hermes was actually one push away from going into the pit but ended up dying from wounds instead. I stick by my thought that ARM 4 may be a bit too much for a regular (i.e. non-heavy hitter) model to handle, but after a quick test I noticed she folds to Noxus after a good roll.
Otho - Pretty solid. His damage tree is decent damage wise, but a bit short. His ability to keep opponents from spending favor while he's engaged with him is good, but balanced by the fact that he wont generate any favor for his side until he's dead.
Hermes - His Aegis of Fame is nice, especially coupled with Otho. His speed and attack of 6 are also nice, but his damage tree is a bit average as far damage goes, with a lot of 2's in there. I don't think he can handle Ban-Luca on his own.
Urbicus - Saw some better damage output from him this time, as I calculated damage correctly this time, and managed to get all the way to the bottom of his tree in a single hit once. He's got a good mix of pushes and 3's, and if you are able to get all the way to the bottom of his tree, he'll outperform Hermes in the damage department. I also made use of his tireless effect to help with a couple of assists which kept Otho alive for an extra round or two. That said, I still think he may serve better in a 5v5.
All in all, this game went much better than the last 2. I'm getting a better grasp of the game, and I'll be moving onto other Cohort combinations over the course of the next few days. (don't worry, I wont make a post like this for every game)
Thanks again to all those who have chimed in on this thread!
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"He vows to endure, to be burned, to be bound, to be beaten, and to be killed by the sword." -The gladiator's oathhttp://www.nerdsvsninjas.blogspot.com - a humble blog about gaming and other nerdy stuff...
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