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So, I'm thinking of starting a Cryx army and I'm kinda having a crisis. I'm not sure whether to get the starter box and go with the slayer or buy things seperately and chuck in a Deathjack instead of the Slayer. The real problem is that a Slayer would cost less points (and $$$) and can still use that wonderful combo strike, which when I roll would do 22 damage to even a Juggernaught!

What the plan is right now is to get a starter box, a pack of Bane Knights and Bile Thralls and then either Darragh Wrathe (mounted) or a Skarlock to top it off. What are your thoughts?

Also, if anyone has some tips on how to reinforce Bonejack legs, please share.

Is this your first army, or do you already play warmachine for some time now? I am quite new to this, so take my advice with a bit of salt and YMMV.

I think you are best off with a few basic units to learn how to play. This would mean buy the starterbox and the mechanithralls or bilethralls. They form a nice cheap startingpoint for play. If you ad a skarlock and pistolwraith you have a IMHO descent 400 point army...

Learn to play with denegra. See how much arcnodes on legs can do and take. Then see what you need for your group, added melee (Bane thralls or Bane knights), Different tactics alltogether (caster dies to fast) Try asphyxious or Goreshade (yeah, that bastard ).

All in all I have found that cryx has a good starter. the defiler is not that great, but it is another (allthough expensive) arc node. U could use it as a nightwretch and it would be a bit better. The Slayer IMHO performs rather well. Do not charge him in a Khador jack without debuffing that jack and/or knocking it down, and preferably both. The slayer can't take as much as most Khador jacks!!

That's all the advice I have on Cryx for now...

For Warmachine, don't count on high rolls to save you. You base
your risks on rolling 7s, which is still only 50/50 (I think).

malfred wrote:For Warmachine, don't count on high rolls to save you. You base
your risks on rolling 7s, which is still only 50/50 (I think).

My experience is that you always miss by one. 2 dice, 3 dice, DEF 10, it make no difference... In WhoreMachine you always fall one short.

Darragh Wrathe (mounted) or a Skarlock to top it off. What are your thoughts?

In small games (500) I would take a Skarlock and Darragh with Soulhunters in 750. Skarlocks for the points give you a great edge in smaller games with that extra free spell for the early rounds.

LordRavurion wrote:Is this your first army, or do you already play warmachine for some time now?

If you ad a skarlock and pistolwraith you have a IMHO descent 400 point army...

Try asphyxious or Goreshade (yeah, that bastard ).

Do not charge him in a Khador jack without debuffing that jack and/or knocking it down, and preferably both. The slayer can't take as much as most Khador jacks!!

Well, I've played a few intro games with Cygnar and I've got the hang of it and I've been looking at the Privateer Press website & books and Cryx definitely seem the right way to go for me.
I don't properly undearstand the Pistolwraith rules - wouldn't it just get owned the second it shoots those pistols? The incorpoeral would run out and he only has 5 points of dmg...
I also like the sound of having Goreshade in my army, so fear not.
Also, I know not to go stupid and charge a Khador heavy jack, but I was using that for an example - if I could do 22 dmg to a Juggernaught imagine the carnage I could unleash upon lesser jacks, hehehe.

Cazaius wrote:I don't properly undearstand the Pistolwraith rules - wouldn't it just get owned the second it shoots those pistols? The incorpoeral would run out and he only has 5 points of dmg...

Yes, but he often has first strike. So it is often a fair trade for powerful but hard to reach Solo's (Stormsmiths, Reclaimers Manhunters etc.) and specialist unit leaders (Choir, Stormblades, Doomreavers etc.). Or just keep him back and deathchill enemy warjacks or Warbeasts.

Pistol Wraiths often work well on the flanks of your army or can spend a turn or two running behind your opponent's army, where with the aid of cover and high ground the Pistol Wraith makes a difficult target to dispatch, or an expensive focus drain on your opponent's focus.

As a last add on to what is already said:

Cryx Helljacks are not point and click. If they do not destroy or severely mangle what they charge you will become a pile of rubble in a second. A def that is high (for a big jack) does not protect it once the blow landed. Then the paper armour will be it's downfall, as some mayor system will most likely be destroyed. (with slayers the combo will be terminated most likely because it loses an arm. )

On the wraith, 2 shots at Pow 12 is not that bad. It will take care of some solos and a lot of low armour troopers. (of whom most are alive). If he can stay out of chargerange (possible since his range is 10) then he lives to fire another day. The only thing you have to worry about is it getting shot. That can be helped by giving the opponent more things to worry about.

Remember in the end everything is expendable. The dragonfathers purpose is all that mathers!!!

Pistol Wraiths have put the final kill shot on many a caster for me personally. Keep them incorporeal as long as possible running out on the flanks to get behind enemy lines. This makes him commit a caster to use focus for magic shots. Then start shooting things in the back at max range if they don't deal with them. always keep them in terrain for concealment or cover btw.

Lemartes: How do you plan your body count boosts? As a bonus? Or do you plan around
having body count or go for the death chill?

They are incredible with Denegra. Scourge or grasp thier caster/troops and just don't roll snake eyes. Collect soul tokens at range and that forces your opponent to deal with them or leave them with 2 soul takens each. Usually you can keep them at extreme range around the flanks in cover and unless they have nodes they stay relatively save. I hardly ever count on a deathchill unless It's something as slow as a Khador Jack. Wraiths also draw off valuable rescources. They are a high priority for my opponents in my games because of past havoc they have caused. They are a troop killer in my builds or a finisher on a tough solo or caster.

My advice on the Deathjack - only buy if you're an experienced modeller - I have over 20 years now and he took 2 days and several drill bits!

Here he is so far -
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/bubber1234/DSCF0013.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/bubber1234/DSCF0012.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn53/bubber1234/DSCF0011.jpg

as you can see i've not put in the souls erupting from the chest and have modified the shoulder skulls and 2 of the vents on the rear (removing the mushroom-like cap & drilling out)
still got all the weathering, rust & marking to do.

I managed to put mine together with one of the PP metal bases, Greenstuff and
Zap a Gap. However, I accidentally glued into a pose of a permanent lurch.