Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Long time player. 1000+ MK1 points in Menoth, Khador, Cryx and Mercs. Little experience playing Cygnar. I'm finding that subtle changes in the way that all the units work in MK2 and unfamiliarity with Cygnar units is keeping the playing field fairly level between my skill level and the noobs that I'm playing against. Most of the Cygnar models I have are MK1 staples. I'd appreciate any suggestions to get the most mileage out of what I already have:

Commander Coleman Stryker
Captain Victoria Haley
Ironclad x2
Lancer
Charger
Long Gunners x1 (max)
Stormguard x2 (min)
Swordknights x1 (min) +UA
Stormsmiths x3
GMCA
Jr
Storm Tower (just purchased one for a fun painting project)

I have a healthy pool of mercenaries to draw from:

Eyriss
Gorman
Rhupert
Rienholdt
Kell Bailoch (do not recall if he works for Cygnar)
Alten Ashley
Anastasia
Aiyanna and Holt
Alexia and the Risen (do not recall if they work for Cygnar - I suspect not)
Ogryn Bokur
Steelheads x2 (max)
Steelhead Cav x1 (max)
Stannis

At 25 I'm currently running:

Stryker
Ironclad (Stryker)
Lancer (Stryker)
Jr
Charger (Jr)
Long Gunners (min)
Sword Knights (min)
Stormsmith

Am I on the right track? I've only used Stryker at the moment - played 6 games and gone 4/2. Haley looks fun but seems less flexible. The stormguard were awesome in MK1 but appear to have lost some utility. They still have some nice synergies with ranked attack, however, I've found they can't compete with the low cost of the sword knights at 25 and the speed 5 hurts. Is there any advantage to using stormguard in place of the long gunners? What is a good upgrade to 35 points? The Black 13th seems to be auto-include. Sword Knights to 10 also seems like a good buy - however I'm not looking to spend a lot of extra money at the moment.

The squire is almost auto include for most of the cygnar casters, the extended control area and boosts in focus & accuracy of offensive spells are so good. The Black 13th pack comparable fire power to the min long gunners and are more mobile.

I like to run min unit of trencher for the many roles they fill in the game, but I think that you would need another heavy hitter on your army, I think you will have hard time against high armor especially if it is immune to knockdown.

Against Khador I've been forced to disrupt heavily early on, usually sacrificing poor Mr. Stormsith and concentrate against one heavy, stack feat and arcane shield to weather the return attack. I've had good success with the Sword Knight's charge on 4D6.

What do you suggest for a second heavy hitter? What would you drop? Black 13th would only free up 2 points if swapped with the gunmages. This could potentially go to the squire. I'm really torn on the squire as he's 2 points that has zero combat ability. 2 points would buy a GMCA, 2 stormsiths or 4 more sword knights - all of which I think would provide more utility at low points values - what size game would you begin including the squire at? I've found Stryker to be very focus strapped but I'm not certain how huge an impact an extra focus would be. As a menite player also, I've found the effects of extra focus from wracks to be not very noticable.

What are your thoughts on mercenaries? Eyriss is very awesome, but I've found Jr to be more of an asset at small points values.

your model selection and list look fine to me. most of the cygnar models stayed with the same application as mk. 1 and our jacks got much better of course.

swordknights are not the same unit they once were, forget what you knew of two of them killing jacks with ease and take them as they are. they are now the cheapest unit cygnar has to go 10 strong and, despite losing some of their punch, they just got the flank buddy they always wanted from the firefly.
stormguard play mostly the same as mk. 1 but electro-leap is no longer smart and they are a bit pricey. they really arent bad but with jacks being so much tougher to kill, they lost some of their punch.
as for mercs, they tend to work better when you have a plan for them, in mk. 1 you could just toss eiryss in a list and be ok with it, but now you want more of a reason or a setup for her. btw, kell dose not work for cynar and alexia dose. however, alexia cant be taken in the same list as our precursor knights or the new merc solo harlan versh.

i think you would do well to try before you buy for units, everyone seems to have different results but the stormclad seems to be the preferred and heaviest hitting of our heavy hitters.

Dais wrote: the stormclad seems to be the preferred and heaviest hitting of our heavy hitters.

I've been playing with the Stormclad since MK1, and the MK2 version is way better.

It's an awesome heavy hitter that can dish out the pain.

I heartily suggest you get one when you're able to, and watch it deal with some of those pesky Khador 'Jacks.

keezus wrote:What do you suggest for a second heavy hitter? What would you drop? Black 13th would only free up 2 points if swapped with the gunmages. This could potentially go to the squire. I'm really torn on the squire as he's 2 points that has zero combat ability. 2 points would buy a GMCA, 2 stormsiths or 4 more sword knights - all of which I think would provide more utility at low points values - what size game would you begin including the squire at?

I think that the squire depends a bit on caster, pStryker doesn't get so much out of it as for example Siege, so I would include it in 35 pts Styker lists. It has a lot of utility and the extended feat area for Stryker is good. For the second heavy hitter you could go with a jack, stormglad is good example, or with Stormblades with UA. Stryker boosts them with arc shield and blur to get them where they can do damage.

keezus wrote:What are your thoughts on mercenaries? Eyriss is very awesome, but I've found Jr to be more of an asset at small points values.

Aiyanna & Holt are gold, they help in the problem cygnar has with hitting power, Reinholdt holds a special place in Siege lists. In general I see the mercs as a way to boost problem area in list and I include them as Dais said if you have a plan for them.