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Hello. I have my starter box for Khador. It looks like the consensus is that Scorcha is a great starting caster. I really like the Karchev model and I assume that he is as big and tough as he looks. Would he be a good replacement for Scorcha? What are theire major differences in play style? I know next to nothing about Karchev except that he looks cool. Thanks in advance for any advice!!

Karchev, despite being the awesomest quadraplegic ever strapped to a warjack, is a finesse caster. His biggest weakness are:

1) He can't camp focus. This one's kind of minor, considering he's ARM 20 to begin with, but it matters when combined with the following.

2) His warjack damage grid. He's the only warcaster in the game who can lose systems like a warjack. Like having a SPD 1 DEF 7 warcaster? I didn't think so.

3) He can only heal one system. If he gets hurt, and you don't have Mechaniks, he stays hurt.

4) His large base. It is nearly impossible to keep him from getting hit by one thing or another. Anything that limits his movement or reduces his FOC or ARM really hurts. Eiryss can easily reduce your advance to a crawl, and Aiyana and Holt can make it so every damage roll he takes will do more than just scratch paint.

My advice is to wait until you get more experience with the game. Used correctly, he's as powerful as any other caster in the game, but you'll to know him and the game thoroughly. You'll also need to know your opponent's army as well as you know yours.

But, if you're dead set on using him, you'll want warjacks (the ones you have are all right, but I'd recommend picking up a Kodiak), Mechaniks, and some support infantry. Mortars and Widowmakers are decent choices. Use your support to thin out the infantry, and have Karchev Tow his warjacks. Try to quickly collapse a flank and avoid getting knocked down. This is what I do and am moderately successful at it, but I'm sure there are other schools of thought on using Karchev.

Anyways, tl;dr version. Save your bucks and stick with Sorscha for now. Move on to Karchev when you've got a solid handle on the game and ~$100 to spend on him and a new warjack.

Karchev is a warjack 'caster. He works best in a force of all Warjacks (or mostly warjacks). You will want some field mechaniks so that you can heal him.

I think he's a fine warcaster, but he's also an enormous beat-stick. His non-subtle style may appeal to you (you are playing Khador) and although he has some disadvantages, he also has real strengths.

I honestly think Vlad would give you the most options for starting Khador, but most warcasters are really good when played right. If you want to learn to use Karchev first, I say go for it.

As with all starting players, expect to lose some games before you get the hang of it.

odinsgrandson wrote:

As with all starting players, expect to lose some games before you get the hang of it.

It took me six months to win a game.

Agreed with what's said above. Skip out on Karchev for now. If you want to branch out, get one of the following (in this order): Butcher, Vlad, or Irusk (none of which are nearly as finesse as either the Old Witch or Karchev, or any of the E-casters), and pick up some 'safe' additional figs (widowmakers and Eyriss are pretty standard; Greylords and/or a mortar are also good unit options. Likewise consider another fairly straightforward 'jack, like a kodiak, a berserker, or a devastator) to get yourself to ~500 points (or better yet, proxy and playtest). Play some games, win/lose some games, and get the hang of the game and your faction.

Khador are awesome and can be more fiddly than people realize.