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If there is already a Circle tactics thread, please just send me there. I'm looking for some noob tactical advice.

Before I start getting really smashed up in my initial games, I'd at least like to know what my army is all about. I'm eager to learn. I'm looking for some solid fundamentals, since the Circle is a bit tricky to play anyway. The Circle is clever, fast, great at denial, so I've heard. What are some of the ways that you've seen the Circle really do well? Are there any common strategies that I should get familiar with? I've got a unit of druids, a stalker and some shifting stones. From what I've read, those are common in most builds. For now I'm running pKaya. What else should I have ready for battle?

As a non-circle player, what do you fear most about circle armies?

Thanks!

I would join the PP forums and ask the Circle community. http://privateerpressforums.com/forum.php


Generally, Circle is the Hit and Run faction. You do not run up and duke it out with other heavies. You run up, smack the enemy, and then run for the trees. Rinse and repeat as needed to win. They also go for the Assassination game more than attrition.

Above all, you can't afford to get caught. If a circle beast starts taking hits it is going to die. They either need to kill what they hit or run away after the hit.

Generally, Circle is about mobility and the idea that if you get the first hit in, you don't need to worry about getting hit back. They have kind of a scalpel style, where they can't wipe out everything, but can apply focused damage to eliminate one thing that really needs to go.

Shifting Stones are the cornerstone (pun intended) of Circle strategy, and they're a tricky unit to use well, because you need to plan what you'll be doing with them next turn. But one good teleport can hand you the game if the enemy warcaster wanders too close and gets a faceful of Warpwolf. The Stonekeeper is well worth it, since he extends the range they can operate at (and the number of things they can threaten to teleport). Also, pKaya can make great use of Serenity--if you can put a beast near a Shifting Stone when you use Spirit Door, that lets you push it for one more Fury than you normally could without risking frenzy.

Druids are a good toolbox unit, though it can be hard to make them earn their points initially. A common use for them is "fishing", where they get staggered towards an enemy heavy that thought it was safe, then use Force Bolts to drag it into charge range of something big and scary. And of course, a line of clouds is good to deny shooting against whatever's behind them. Against a ranged army without many blasts, it could be an option to use Occultation on the druids, so they can't be shot, neither can anything behind their clouds. Remember that if a Druid gets killed, their cloud will remain in play for the rest of the round.

The Warpwolf Stalker is probably the best single beast in the faction, but it's very delicate if if runs into something that can reliably hit it. Berserking with pKaya's MAT bonus is a good way of clearing infantry, and it's quite easy to keep it safe from retaliation between Spirit Door and it's animus.


As for what else I'd suggest:

For raw damage dealing as you expand, I'd suggest either a second Stalker, or a Feral. Once you have that, the Gnarlhorn Satyr or Pureblood Warpwolf are both excellent second-line beasts, able to augment your heavy hitters with their animi, or fight reasonably well themselves. The Pureblood's ability to lend other Warpwolves Ghostly won't come up often, but will make a big difference when it does.

The Gorax is probably the best light beast in the faction. Apart from a backup Fury source and transfer target, it's also a pretty solid slugger in it's own right. But the best thing about it is the animus. Knowing when to use Primal is tricky, because you effectively lose the beast you put it on for next turn, but the bonus can make all the difference when you have something that needs to die right now, no matter the cost. Also, the Scarsfell Griffon is good with pKaya (still trying to make it work with other warlocks, though), giving her something that can work outside her normal control area, and pick off flanking enemy infantry or solos.

Tharn Bloodweavers and Woldstalkers are both solid infantry options that will sync well with nearly all warlocks. Bloodweavers are another versatile unit who can clear infantry, deliver heavy damage against beasts and heavy infantry, or remove buffs. Woldstalkers are a reliable shooting unit that can do tricky stuff with the Stoneward's magic--use Zephyr for 3" of extra threat, or get a free 3" move out of combat, then get aimed shots at whatever was engaging you.

Megalith is quite expensive, but well worth it for what it brings to the table. The animus helps make high-DEF infantry manageable, it can heal unlike other construct warbeasts, and can punch pretty well, plus an extra spell a turn is never wasted.

Gallows Groves give you mobile arc nodes, as well as Tough denial. Something I've found good with PKaya is to stall one enemy heavy with an arced Spirit Fang (to hit it with a speed penalty and thus deny charging) while focusing on the other one.

The Druid WIlder is a good support model, especially if you're taking multiple beasts with animi that she can use, like the Gorax, Stalker, Gnarlhorn, etc.


Hope that helped! If you've got any other questions, go ahead and ask. Some more references you might find handy:

http://privateerpressforums.com/showthread.php?11315-The-Wilding-Way-Tactical-tips-for-Druids-both-new-and-old

http://battlecollege.wikispaces.com/mkiiCircle

Elemental, GREAT response! This is exactly what I was looking for.

When I started playing 40k, I spent a great deal of time trying to figure things out on my own, and I can't say that my stubborn approach did me any good at all. I didn't beat the learning curve for a long time, and that frustrated me. The sooner I can dig into this game, the sooner I can start getting creative and having some fun with it. What you've written here will help tremendously! I have a much better idea where my strengths are, and how to build for them.

Thanks a lot, I can see you put a lot of time into this, I really appreciate it!

-Obvious

As a Skorne player, the 2 things that I tend to be careful around in Circle is the Wolf with the sword and the rock guy with geomancy

I know the Wolf is a pretty dangerous guy and the geomancer, well I forget the enemy spell list XD