Making Cassius Work

Greetings Ladies and Gentlemen of 3++!  I know you are all so fascinated by 6th edition right now (and I was too, initially) but the Steam-Powered Gamer is here to distract you with a belated Warmachine/Hordes article.  Today's topic?  Cassius the Oathkeeper.  This guy is probably one of the most maligned of Circle's warlocks and with the recent releases that came from Hordes: Domination, Cassius actually had a little bit of a boost to his effectiveness.  Before we begin, I do have to say that Cassius is not a very popular warlock because he has some glaring weaknesses and is the "rock" in a meta full of "paper", and that doesn't help his popularity much.  The fact that he also has a bit of "Skornergy" (see my Warmachine/Hordes Glossary for the definition) with one of his spells and one of his most popular abilities doesn't help either.  That said, let's try and find a way to make this guy work by first taking a look at his special rules, since they'll inform the rest of your list and decisions.

Some Circle Orboros List Musings

So my friend (Chair126) and I have done some Circle list crunching with units and casters we like - there seems to be a lot of correspondence here... That silly blighter has me wanting to start Circle again, particularly with the Privateer Press summer bundle up atm. Le sigh. So let's take a quick look - my friend is pretty keen on 50 points yet I don't see many tournaments around here that high - most seem to be 35 so they'll need to be cut back (and 50 points seems bloody easy to make :P).

Warmachine Knowledge Request - Circle, Cygnar & Trollbloods

Several friends of mine are looking to start Warmachine, each with a different faction. Each of them asked for help yet there's only so much I can give since I am also learning and not intmately familiar with the factions outside of the one I am currently playing. So, through me, they are asking you for help =D! The armies the are looking at (obviously) are Circle, Cygnar and Trollbloods.

General information about the army and what the general good units/casters and stay away from units/casters would be appreciated. Basics in terms of  playstyle, etc. as well wouldn't go amiss ^^. Here's a bit of brief information from each player in terms of likes/dislikes.

Making pKrueger Work

Hey everyone, it's time for another list building article from the Steam-Powered Gamer!  Today I want to share one of my favorite Circle Orboros warlocks: Krueger the Stormwrath (pKrueger).  Unfortunately, Krueger gets ignored fairly often in a tournament environment in favor of his epic version, Krueger the Stormlord.  While I will not argue the awesome power that is the Stormlord, I want to highlight the Stormwrath because I tend to have a lot of success with him, and decided that it was time to share my perspectives on what makes him such a great warlock and how I make him work.  This article will be especially sweet because I have recently had a game with pKrueger and wrote a battle report for it on my blog.  So, once you've read up on pKrueger here, feel free to trundle over and see how I played him (although admittedly, I made a lot of mistakes!).  As you know, I always like to start with looking at either the feat or the spells of the warlock that I investigate, and with pKrueger, let's start by looking at his spell list.

NQ 40 - After action report

One of the best ways to enhance your abilities as a player is to learn from your mistakes. Even better than learning from your mistakes is learning from someone else's mistakes. This article will cover, in detail, the battle report found in No Quarter #40 between Chris Walton and Will Hungerford. It will be greatly beneficial to have a copy of this magazine on hand for this review.

As a dedicated Circle Orboros player, it is always a little disturbing to read battle reports by Privateer Press staff using Circle Orboros models. The reason is that the people who write the rules for my faction never seem to be able to effectively use those models. The NQ#40 battle report is no exception. Nevertheless, Chris's abysmal performance serves as a great learning opportunity for the rest of us.

Circle Orboros Theme Forces part 3

This is the final installment of my Circle Orboros Theme Force review. Please note that I will be going to once a month updates at the beginning of the year. I need to take some time to work on a book I've been meaning to write and to work on some professional stuff. I'll continue to write about Hordes and will hopefully be able to produce better quality material with the lighter schedule.

Hour of Reckoning Baldur, the Stonesoul

Privateer Press

Baldur is back and he's pissed. This list bears a significant resemblance to primal Baldur's theme force. Like Baldur the Stonecleaver's list, this list focuses heavily on construct warbeasts and an initial burst of speed on turn 1. The main variable here is Baldur himself who has gone from a board control warlock to a sort of denial warlock. This list should enable you to get up-field quickly and then lock into position.

Circle Orboros Theme Forces - Part 2

LancerAdvanced

Assessing the value of theme forces

Quantifying the value of a single model is difficult in the context of hundreds of other models, multiple factions, and a three dimensional gaming board. Therefore, quantifying the value of an entire theme force is even more difficult. However, I will attempt to provide such an assessment here.

This assessment will be built upon several variables: firstly, it will take into account the overall "theme" of the theme force. Each theme force has its own play style. How much that theme force facilitates its overall theme will be considered.

Circle Orboros Theme Forces - Part 1

Circle Orboros Theme Forces

First Blood

I love theme forces. I've always loved the back story of the Warmachine / Hordes world even more than the rules. I am the type of player who played themed forces before themed forces were cool. For example, I hate using Megalith with Kromac, the Ravenous, even though it's tactically beneficial to do so.

One of the advents of the transition to Warmachine / Hordes Mark 2 was the introduction of theme forces. Theme forces are Warcaster / Warlock specific army lists which confer their own benefits. Players are encouraged to take certain models, to not take other models and to even double up on models. These restrictions allow players to gain certain advantages which can, sometimes, make up for the restrictions.

Tharn Ravagers Tactica

Obsidian Portal

Tharn Ravagers Tactica

Tharn Ravagers are one of two heavy infantry options for Circle Orboros. They are male members of the Tharn race who undergo a transformation into bestial avatars of the Devourer Wurm before entering combat. They have access to minimum and maximum units (4 or 6 models) as well as a unit attachment (the Tharn Ravager Chieftain) and a weapon attachment (the Tharn Ravager Shaman).

Ravagers have several special rules which augment their statistics. Fearless enables them to sustain casualties and stay in combat against Abominations. Pathfinder is a Circle staple ability which enables them to move through rough terrain with ease. Treewalker allows the Ravagers to ignore forests for LOS and to move through models and obstacles while in the forest. Heart Eater allows Ravagers to gain tokens when they kill living models. These tokens can be used similarly to Fury.

A Wilder's Guide to the Circle Battlebox

I've spilled much ink about this topic already in other manuscripts. My writings are my assaults upon the established traditions of other members of our Order. Every stroke of my raven-quill is a sword strike in an eternal campaign against complacency and unfounded bias. In our success we have become lax. This laziness has led us to discard or discount the weapons which are available to us. In the coming days, we will not have the luxury to choose our weapons at will. We will be forced to use those weapons which are readily available. Therefore, it is important that you, the newest members of our order, be well versed in every aspect of our arsenal.

Privateer Press

Battlebox Comparisons

Since the induction of mark 2, there has been a lot of lamentation about Kaya, the Wildborne, and how she was "nerfed". Let's just set that aside now. Mk 2 Kaya is not Mk 1 Kaya. If you expect them to be identical, you will be disappointed. Mk 1 Kaya was broken. This is even more true when you consider what she would have had access to in Mk 2. So let's focus on what we have in her rather than what we don't.

Circle Orboros Explained

Circle Orboros Explained
-or-
Why the baby-stealing, human-sacrificing cannibals are the good guys.

An ancient struggle

Before one understands the nature of the Circle Orboros, they must first understand one of the most fundamental rivalries in Caen. When mankind first appeared on Caen, they found themselves exposed to the many predatory animals, driving cold winds, and the scorching sun. It wasn't until they discovered the True Law of Menoth that they were able to establish civilized societies safe from the indignities of nature.

Circle Orboros: An Introduction

Another Warmachine/Hordes faction introduction post, this time by EliasMacale. We do seem to be charging through these...

Orboros is without beginning or end; it is shapeless and yet all shapes. Storm is its breath, spilled blood is its sustenance.  By it's power we chosen few become the scythe that culls mankind.

            -Omnipotent Ergonus

The Circle Orboros is an ancient order of druids and their allies, united by their ties to the Devourer Wurm, a slumbering embodiment of the destructive power of nature, that, were it to awaken, would bring about the destruction of all of Caen.  The Circle's success in preventing the apocalypse depends on their ability to strike at will in any location; thus, the faction's main strength lies in it's mobility and speed, backed by elements of control, denial, and buffing.  Due to the factions basis in nature, many warlocks and units have an elemental theme, particularly earth and air.  The easiest way to describe Circle is as a combination of the synergy and denial of Protectorate with the speed and control of Cryx, while being flexible enough to incorporate other aspects of game play if desired.