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Greetings all,

I'm thinking of picking up 20 morax from the mantic store. I cannot find them for sale on US discount sites.

Thus, they are a bit more money. Is the unit in the game worth the investment in general? I certainly like the look of the command sprue.

Secondly, is 20 an effective troop count to utilize?

Thanks in advance

Against units with a low defense they are more effective than either Axe or Greataxe units - but are softer targets than Axe when it comes time to be the ones taking the beating.

But given that all Orcs have Crushing Strength (1), against most targets the Moraxe are really, really good at leaving a squishy paste made from their enemies - and are the unit that my skellies fear the most.

They are definitely worth the extra points - and are a key enough unit that I think they are likely worth the extra money as well.

The Orc army in our League is currently tied for second place - the last battle that they were in ended with a single figure on the table - the Orc Mounted Krudger. Since it was a Kill! scenario, it was still a draw, but I am certain that the Orc Krudger considers it a win - he had already survived two Nerve tests when battling a Dwarf King. It was that close.)

My Undead are currently in the lead by two battles - so the League could still turn around fast, if I lose both of my two remaining games. (One of them is against my good lady... the other is against Julie's Orcs - who are the two tied for second... The League could end in a three way tie.)

The Auld Grump - I would be pleased as punch with a three way tie.

*EDIT* Most of my battles with my good lady end in a draw. Most of her battles with Julie end in a draw. I have won my only battle against Julie so far... so that three way draw is very possible.

They're good as second-line troops, with the harder Ax up front, and the deadlier (but squishier) Morax behind them.

I usually field my Morax in troops as second line infantry or as support wings for Ax regiments. It is crucial for Morax troops to charge, though.

 judgedoug wrote:
I usually field my Morax in troops as second line infantry or as support wings for Ax regiments. It is crucial for Morax troops to charge, though.

Gotcha gents. So 10 for now as a new player is effective knockout punch?

 Shrapnelsmile wrote:

 judgedoug wrote:
I usually field my Morax in troops as second line infantry or as support wings for Ax regiments. It is crucial for Morax troops to charge, though.

Gotcha gents. So 10 for now as a new player is effective knockout punch?

I would go for twenty - a full regiment.

I think what JudgeDoug was referring to with 'second line' is that he uses the Axe unit to screen the Moraxe unit from shooting and being charged - the Axe unit has a higher Defense, but lower Attacks - so having it suck up the damage protects the more combat effective Moreaxe from getting killed off before it reaches the front.

Troops are better used with either things that can be used as screens, or for missile troops - or, of course, both.

Kings of War is a good game to pay attention to defense in depth, while playing.

Maneuver, Charge, and Counter-Charge all focus on being able to get the troops where you need them to be.

A screening unit can give a more combat effective unit a chance to hit a flank.

A recent example came up in a recent Drunken Kings game - I was able to use two Revenant Cav units and a well timed Surge to get in a flank attack while also engaging in the front. The front unit moved forward and engaged - the second unit moved in on the oblique, then pivoted to face the flank.

The necromancer then cast Surge in the missile phase, allowing the second unit to engage the flank.

My opponent realized this - but was only able to shoot the front unit in her previous turn (and did not inflict enough damage to matter).

In that regard it is a bit like chess - making sure that a counter is available for the opponent's offense.

The Auld Grump

Honestly, Orcs need a second line PERIOD. Across the board they just benefit so much from a few troops of Goblins eating alpha-strikes.

I tried the "no chaff" idea with an Ogre list at a tournament this past weekend, and it did well despite a horrible list, not because of one. KoW is most certainly a game where there are benefits to having more drops during deployment, and some fodder to eat initial charges.

As such, Morax are pretty amazing, but will very much want some Goblin friends. ;-) Yes, the Goblins will fold to a stiff wind but they're so cheap that you won't care, and almost anything outside of really beefy hordes will then immediately fold to the Morax follow-up.

NewTruthNeomaxim wrote:
Honestly, Orcs need a second line PERIOD. Across the board they just benefit so much from a few troops of Goblins eating alpha-strikes.

I tried the "no chaff" idea with an Ogre list at a tournament this past weekend, and it did well despite a horrible list, not because of one. KoW is most certainly a game where there are benefits to having more drops during deployment, and some fodder to eat initial charges.

As such, Morax are pretty amazing, but will very much want some Goblin friends. ;-) Yes, the Goblins will fold to a stiff wind but they're so cheap that you won't care, and almost anything outside of really beefy hordes will then immediately fold to the Morax follow-up.

I have been in a four player game (Dwarfs and Dwarfs vs. Twilight Kin and Orcs).

The Orc player used the Twilight Kin as her first line - because her husband is of the Charge In Fast school of strategy and tactics. (Into the Valley of Death rode the six hundred....)

It seemed strange to see Elves using Orcs as the Chaff... but that was the closest that Jon has come to winning a game. (Julie is tied for second in our League - her Orcs are bad news.... And she does know the value of having chaff.)

The Auld Grump

NewTruthNeomaxim wrote:
Honestly, Orcs need a second line PERIOD. Across the board they just benefit so much from a few troops of Goblins eating alpha-strikes.

I tried the "no chaff" idea with an Ogre list at a tournament this past weekend, and it did well despite a horrible list, not because of one. KoW is most certainly a game where there are benefits to having more drops during deployment, and some fodder to eat initial charges.

As such, Morax are pretty amazing, but will very much want some Goblin friends. ;-) Yes, the Goblins will fold to a stiff wind but they're so cheap that you won't care, and almost anything outside of really beefy hordes will then immediately fold to the Morax follow-up.

many thanks.
ordered 2 boxes

when the plastic gobbos come out I look forward to making a well rounded force.

cheers
~ mark

Also, it's worth noting that one in 3 of the Orc Ax plastics can be assembled as Morax since there's an open hand to put a weapon in. Useful for bulking out units.

 scarletsquig wrote:
Also, it's worth noting that one in 3 of the Orc Ax plastics can be assembled as Morax since there's an open hand to put a weapon in. Useful for bulking out units.

Indeed. I managed to get a couple of regiments out of my 2 KS mega armies.

They both got torn apart by werewolves today. I has a sad.