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Hello. I'm just looking at starting Warmachine. I've bought the two player starter set, and am looking to play the Protectorate of Menoth. In our local league, we'll be playing 35pts, and I understand what my box comes in is 21pts. I'm trying to keep my investment into the game low, so looking to get buy with minimum purchases right now.

So my question is, what should I get to bring me up to that 35pts level? I understand that the battle choirs is good, and everything I've read so far says they're needed to buff my warjacks. But would they put me over 35 pts? I also like the looks Thyra and the daughters of flame, are they viable or a waste of money?

I apologize in advance if this is a total newbie question.

Choirs are good. Since I play Cyriss I can't really help with Menoth, but I can tell you we play very much the same way with not so amazing jacks that get ridiculous when you apply all the buffs to them. If anything drop a jack to make it fit. 2 jacks with the support is better than 3 without.

Also Cinerators are not so great, you want their more popular cousins, the Bastions I believe.

The choir is really cheap point wise, you could and even should use them in the 15 points area. Tyra and the daughters are also pretty good and work with what you have already!

Thank you!

Any advice is appreciated.

I'm assuming that you are starting with half of the 2 player starter (High Exemplar Kreoss, A Crusader, a Vanquisher, a Repenter, and a max squad of Cinerators) so my suggestions are going to be based off of that. Since you already have a handful of jacks I would look at adding infantry. As others have mentioned, the Choir is always a strong choice, since it pushes all of Menoths warjacks to amazing territory. Remember that with the choir the entire unit has to use the same prayer, but that each member can target a different unit. Additionally, in smaller games I would recommend only running a minimum sized unit, since you aren't going to have enough warjacks for the entire unit to effect and the extra bodies will typically go to waste since they have no offensive output. As for a more 'do-something' infantry choice, I would suggest Exemplars Errant. They provide strong anti-infantry fire with their crossbows, and since they are weapon masters even their low S9 can allow them to damage heavy warjacks. Additionally, while self-sacrifice seems like a niche ability, the fact that you can move casualties around to prevent a charge lane from opening to your opponents is an extremely powerful rule.

With minimum purchases, I say go with this
Choir of Menoth: An must have if you plan to have jacks in your army, as they bring the much-needed boost your jacks need to amazing level, and cheap for what they are for.
Vassal of Menoth: A solo that is like what Choir does, but brings more offensive abilities to Choirs mostly defensive. Almost an auto-buy with the choir for your jacks.

Now for your Infantry you may want to choose (get an UA for each of them):
Exemplar Errants: What Regalphatom stated, a strong infantry with a great anti-infantry role with their crossbows, and Weapon master swords. With Pathfinder and quick work to shoot after they kill something in melee with their UA, as well as self-sacrifice to choose who dies and deny charge lanes make them potent. Their UA ma
Temple Flameguard: More defensive than the Exemplar Errants, they make a great tarpit unit for holding objectives and making your opponent take his focus on killing them to take the objective. Also have a decent melee once you get their UA, and a good mini-feat, Iron Zeal, once you get into melee with them so your opponent for one turn.
Zealots: At first, they do not look like much, but they can be deceiving. They make a great distraction unit for flanking, with their prayers helping them in melee or denying the enemy caster to throw spells at them. Their UA gives them +4 arm if one dies in the unit he is in, as well as a potent mini-feat, Greater Destiny, which means they cannot be harmed, save for feats and spells for one turn (the Anti-magic and Greater destiny works for jamming an army that is in front of them to give you time to position yourself. Also a great psychological weapon as well).

If you get either Zealots or TFG, then I highly suggest you get Rhupert with them as well.

Sorry for spamming your thread but I sent you a PM

sticking with the starter box caster I would get a choir, vassal and a unit of exemplar w/ UA and perhaps even the solo.

If you get a different caster then you might want to mix things up more.

Also, don't worry about jumping to 35 points right away. Play the 11-15 points level until you get comfortable with it them work your way up.

 Mordekiem wrote:
sticking with the starter box caster I would get a choir, vassal and a unit of exemplar w/ UA and perhaps even the solo.

If you get a different caster then you might want to mix things up more.

Also, don't worry about jumping to 35 points right away. Play the 11-15 points level until you get comfortable with it them work your way up.

For now. It looks that I was right in my understanding to get the Choir, Didn't know about the Vassal but I'll get one of him as well.

Eventually I want to get Thyra and some of the Daughters but thats in the future.

Oh and the exemplars are plastic now so much more reasonably priced.

And all three of those units/solos I mentioned are Menoth staples. You will use them in lots of lists.