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So I have decided to get into Warmachine after tiring of nothing but 40k the last few years. After researching some online and getting a good deal on some models I decided on Cygnar and the following list. I know it will take some learning, but I've enjoyed the games so far. On to the list:

pStryker
-lancer
-squire

B13

Jr.
-hunter

So this should come out to 15 points exactly. I know it is a bit lacking in CC but I'm hoping in such small point games it won't be that big of a disadvantage. Any changes I should make? (I also have a charger and ironclad from the battlebox).

Also any suggestions on expansion? I was thinking of a unit of stormblades with UA & stormclad. Thanks in advance for any and all help/suggestions.

Welcome to the bevy. As you identified, you are lacking CC punch which is a big part of this game.

Personally, I'd say that at this low point games you could do without the lancer and squire, and take the ironclad instead. While the squire does help with the re-rolls for earthquake and what not, as well as the extra focus/control range, that may not be as necessary at this size game. But then again you may end up doing really well with this list if you get the hang of it, disrupting their main heavy with your earthquake shenanigans, or just knocking out their cortex if its a jack with johnny "dick move" lancer.

It has potential, but as you said it is a bit lacking in close combat. That said, it could work as something of a denial build. You could use the lancer to channel earthquake (as motyak suggested) to knock down a heavy, then pepper it with shots from the other models, as with 4x brutal shot from the B13, a hit from the lancer, and potentially some other lobbed spells or potshots from Stryker and Jr., you could take out a decent chunk of a 'jack's boxes if not wreck it outright.

Of course, if you go with the above strategy, you run into the problem of how to deal with multiple 'jacks at once, which could be a bit problematic. Still, I don't see any reason why not to give this list a try. If you do, please let us know how it turns out.

 grayshadow87 wrote:

Of course, if you go with the above strategy, you run into the problem of how to deal with multiple 'jacks at once, which could be a bit problematic. Still, I don't see any reason why not to give this list a try. If you do, please let us know how it turns out.

Well if they are jacks you could always activate C-dog, arc an earthquake onto one, feat, and then charge the other with a lancer with 3 focus on it (you may have to kick the squire). Hit with shield, buy shield, buy shield, buy shield, and its cortex will be down. Pepper the knocked down one with your Hunter and B13. That gives you one damaged enemy jack that is KD, one that is lightly damaged with no cortex to then trash your Lancer in revenge (who is sitting on a respectable ARM because of feat/AS if you didnt' want to feat). Keep hammering the unengaged one with the ranged portion of your army next turn, even disrupting it with C-dog if you have to, while your Lancer works on the cortex-less jack that it is engaged with.

Of course against hordes if there are more than one heavy beast then you start running into problems, but hey.

Thank you for the replies and suggestions so far. Since my list is lacking in CC and it seems to be a much more important aspect than I thought it would be at this point level, are there any suggestions/changes to add a bit more punch?

Brakkus40 wrote:
Thank you for the replies and suggestions so far. Since my list is lacking in CC and it seems to be a much more important aspect than I thought it would be at this point level, are there any suggestions/changes to add a bit more punch?

Honestly, I reckon that Cygnar tends to struggle at 15 points for CC power. For example one of our best close combat units (stormblades) is only 5 points, but actually requires a lot of support to really function properly, and our best melee jacks (Rowdy and Stormclad) are 9 and 10 points, nearly half of your allowance with pStryker at this level.

 motyak wrote:

Brakkus40 wrote:
Thank you for the replies and suggestions so far. Since my list is lacking in CC and it seems to be a much more important aspect than I thought it would be at this point level, are there any suggestions/changes to add a bit more punch?

Honestly, I reckon that Cygnar tends to struggle at 15 points for CC power. For example one of our best close combat units (stormblades) is only 5 points, but actually requires a lot of support to really function properly, and our best melee jacks (Rowdy and Stormclad) are 9 and 10 points, nearly half of your allowance with pStryker at this level.

Even though it is a lot of points, think of what it's like to run 2 Stormclads with a caster that can fully fuel them each turn. It would turn this list into a melee powerhouse.

And while I like the 13th, think of what else you'll be seeing at this level: pButcher and 3 Juggernauts. Your initial list has no response to that.

I'm not saying that running ONLY the Stromclad is the way to go, but you can never go wrong with Rowdy, and even though they do require lots of love, Stormblades are more than capable of running themselves, and doing inordinate amounts of damage for this points level. They charge with a POW 15 then sit back at ARM 20 on feat turn, daring anyone to touch them.

Not really sure how much the 13th adds to this list. You'll be facing virtually NO enemy infantry, which is where the 13th comes into its own. Brutal damage is nice, but think of a Juggernaut. Your dice minus 10 on three dice... Which is the average roll on 3 dice.

I've got to say I strongly disagree with the assessment of the B13 and the value of stormblades at this point level, especially against the pButcher and 3 Juggernauts scenario you posit, as well as the melee focus for warjacks.

In terms of warjacks, one need only read motyak's earlier response to my concerns to see that the 'jacks in the list can handle multiple multiple jacks at a time. Handling super heavyweight 'jacks like those in the 3x Juggernaut list is something that Cygnar will not be doing at this point level, and will only be doing rarely even at higher point levels. The utility and mobility gained from the 'jacks in the OP's list outweigh the vulnerabilities created by sinking heavy chunks of points into individual warjacks. All it takes is an opponent deciding to throw in Gorman di Wulfe and with a black oil bomb, boom, half of your points have been rendered useless unless you can deal with Gorman.

Jumping over to the B13, I really do think they outweigh the stormblades, especially at this point level. While the stormblades do have more raw physical power, they also have fewer damage boxes (6 total compared to the 15 of the B13), poorer DEF (which presents more of a problem for a clumsy Khador 'jack than high ARM), no real built-in defensive tech (as opposed to the B13's Prowl ability), and little in the way of actual utility aside from simply dealing damage, whereas the B13 have the ability to negate cover, deter light warjacks and the odd infantry that may pop up, and can act as effective snipers when lining up assassination runs at a range. The also come in at a point cheaper, freeing up vital resources that can be used elsewhere in the list. Lastly, regarding heavy Khador builds like the one mentioned, sending any unit their way is a suicide run without offering them any real support. The B13 offer the option to outmaneuver slower armies to either draw resources away so that Stryker and the Lancer can do an assassination run, or they themselves can go for it by flanking and nailing the exposed warcaster.

The more I'm thinking on this list, the more I'm thinking it would be worth running this list as is. While it doesn't have raw power, it has speed and a lot of different types of tech going for it.