Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

...please?

So let's say I decided to do a Fiona list. I'm thinking the core would be something like this:
Fiona
Vanguard
Eyriss
Sea Dogs Deck Gun (x2?)
Sea Dogs w/Walls

What would you do to get this list to 500? Which Sea Dog unit would you make the cultists? I'm idly thinking Press Gangers and Alexia (for the endless horde of infantry effect), then perhaps another warjack (though I haven't figured out which).

Thoughts?

I'm not a pirate player, so this is all theory on my part and might differ in practice, but I do have some thoughts.

If you're going Pirate heavy, the best solos to bring to support them are Hawk and Rockbottom. Hawk increases their damage output and makes them Fearless, and Rockbottom can make them Tough and also increase damage output. Hawk is also a good choice for Telgesh Mark.

This list lacks anti-warjack capabilities. For this, you have a few options. Press Gangers with Hawk nearby have two P+S 15 attacks in melee. Respectable, but likely not enough, especially if you don't get the charge.

You can cast Affliction on the target and use regular Sea Dogs to plink off damage (3 attacks in melee if Hawk is nearby, and that's only if Affliction can be cast on warjacks).

Finally, you can get a heavy jack of your own. Mules and Mariners have decent ranged attacks that, when combined with the deck guns might be able to deal with one by the time it gets to your lines, but I think you'd be better served by a melee jack. Between the two, I'd go with a Nomad. The Freebooter might fit the theme and theoretically do more damage, but it's more expensive, and this list lacks a reliable source of knock down.

For the Cultists, you can go with a Deck Gun, but that would tie her to your back field. With Telgesh Mark, that might be a viable tactic. Personally, I would try to figure out which unit is the most survivable. That might just be the Deck Gun, hanging out in back, or it might be the Tough (Rockbottom), Fearless (Hawk), and replenishing (Press Gangers) Sea Dog Crew.

Finally, I'd consider dumping Eiryss. That way you can use the Talion Charter rules.

I was thinking Eiryss for Telgesh mark (Advance deploy + invisibility = hurtz0r).

I can see your point about Sea Dog solos vs. deck gun (though I'm imagining that one spell that allows you to shoot magically through anything would be nice on a deck gun, though it might be better on a mule?).

So something like:
Fiona
Vanguard
Nomad
Sea dogs (full) +walls
8x pressgangers
hawk
doc
rockbottom
deck gun

I figured that's why you wanted Eiryss, plus you probably already own the model. But here's what I was thinking as far as Telgesh Mark is concerned.

Eiryss

Eiryss has Advanced Deploy for early game spell casting shenanigans. However, deploying Fiona will telegraph where Eiryss will be deployed because Fiona still needs to get to and cast the spell on her.

Pathfinder gets you through terrain, which is always nice.

Invisibility protects your "arc node" but also prevents Eiryss from moving, limiting your targets for that turn.

A Disruptor Bolt is the perfect lead in to a Soul Fire (It is called Soul Fire, right?) assassination.

Hawk

Her Sea Dogs take hits for her, so she'll make to where ever you need her to be.

Tough, should you need it.

Acrobatics gets you through enemy models to cast spells on the squishy support units.

In my mind they're pretty much even, but in a pirate heavy list, she offers more overall to the list. And if it's just one model that's preventing you from getting those Talion Charter bonuses, I think you're better off axing that one model.

Nonokrion Brand is pretty good on the Deck Gun as it allows you to shoot through your own guys if need be. But late in the game, I'd switch it to Fiona. Remeber, Telgesh Mark only lets you measure range from the model it's on. Your spells still use Fiona's LOS. With Hawk able to walk through enemy models, it's pretty cool to use to be able to cast spells through enemy models too.