Guest Post: Skorne Chronicles – CID Hopes!
So, I love skorne, have played them for a long time, but have not gotten around to them since MK II. With the CID around the corner, A friend who plays skorne much better than I asked if he could have some space to put thoughts together on the site. I OF COURSE agreed. Read his Predictions, Wishlist and other insanities below!
Skorne CID Legacy prediction with a Dash of Wishlist
Hello!
quick intro: I have been playing WarmaHordes since a few months after Mark II started. Skorne is my primary faction, I have played and owned other factions but I always quickly come back to Skorne. Being an avid Skorne player and of course wanting to set myself up for disappointment I decided to make a prediction list of what models will either receive changes or be up for discussion during the Skorne CID.
Currently it seems like our CID will be 2 new models. While I am still holding out hope for 1 or 2 unknowns showing up hopefully in the form of a unit, I have accepted that likely we already know 100% what new stuff is coming. Which means our CID will be mostly Legacy models. Nearly every model in Skorne has already received changes during the big Skorne Errata 6 months into Mark3 as Skorne clearly missed the mark at the Start of this edition. Here is my list and my personal reasoning for each. I am not going to go too much into what I think should be changed, but just why I think they should be looked at. There are some models that I think SHOULD be looked at, but at the same time, I do not think they WILL be reviewed.
Warlocks-
Makeda & the Exalted Court– Having 2 exalted personal guardians is almost reason enough to be included in this CID, also Hakaar awoke from his Slumber to follow her around. I think she needs her spells reworked and something that ties her to her other forms as she has always been an infantry caster and this form is lacking any real infantry support.
Void Seer Mordikar- He was 1/3 of my trio of favorite casters during Mark 2, Morghoul2 and Xerxis2 being the other 2 parts. He just doesn’t seem to have a place. His spells while great are very demanding for him and his fury. He offers, no defensive ability besides feat, no Hit buff, no damage buff. He has a bunch of control and Attrition abilities. I think he needs to be looked at for some quality of life changes and maybe to be some more focus. Maybe a change to the feat?
Zaal 1 & Zaal 2- I am putting these casters together and while I do not think they actually need much if any work they are most closely tied to The Exalted and I believe 1 or both of them will be in the CID because of this even if they have no changes proposed.
*Kovaas- Either allow him to spawn from the Supreme G OR a Rule that it can start in play if no models of the listed type are included in the army list. Thus allowing Zaal to be played outside of the Exalted theme.
Why no Xekaar– Because I do not believe PP will take the time to look at him or make any significant changes as he is a Battlebox Caster.
Beasts
Reptile hounds- Individualizing there cost was a mistake they are really just lacking for their points as you need 2 for them to function fully.
Scarab Pack- This is more of me wish-listing, I want them to be functional so badly, but I don’t truly believe they will get a look as Warbeast packs have seemingly been left behind.
Aradus Sentinel- This lady just needs some work, she costs too much for what she brings, you can use DoA to directly compare her to the Ironback Spitter and use that as a Guide as to where the Sentinel should be.
Titan Cannoneer– I’d love to see someone explain the PC on this model to me with any sort of real justification. Siege Animantarax is the same cost, Sentinel is over costed and 1 point less Ironback Spitter (Thank you DoA for justifiable cross faction comparison) is 3 points less!
Bronzeback Titan– This thing overkills everything, but rarely sees play. Why would you pay the extra points but always overkill when you can spend fewer points and still kill your target with room, but have other abilities. Either its leadership qualities need to be amped, its PC changed or something added to justify its cost.
Chiron– I want to use this model but not Xekaar, PUT HIM IN A THEME!! (hint DoA)
Molik Karn– Feels over-costed also I want some sort of leadership with Cyclops’s he was the King of their race and like most character Heavies also needs a theme! IWH or MoW
Despoiler– In my opinion, our best Character beast, stuck on the shelf like Chiron because of his Caster. Put him in a theme although I feel he is the least tied to a theme of all of our character beasts.
Tiberion- To verify that he is worth his hefty price tag or not. I suspect no changes except a points drop.
No Lights- Unpopular opinion all of our lights are in a good place with defined rolls. The only lights I could see changes to are part of the battle box so I wouldn’t expect much. But if I was pushed to suggest or make any changes to Lights. Brute +1 Mat, Savage +1 Mat, Raider +1 Rat that is it.
Solos
Ancestral Guardian- Because the exalted theme is in CID and this model is only taken due to being free and the support it brings to the Immortal unit. I hope that resonance is taken away and this model gets a solid rework and role definition.
Units (attachments included with unit)
Cataphract Arcuarii- Only the Cataphracts and the Tharn Ravagers are 4 and 6 man units for the medium based units. I think we need to keep this in mind when looking at all our Cataphract unit’s vs other medium base infantry. Yes, they are weaker but we get 1 more model per unit. Now saying that this unit still needs something PC change, Battle-Driven, base armor increase or some other better idea. I am expecting just a PC change
Cataphract Incindiarii- As above, but likely just a PC change maybe an adjustment to the gun.
Cataphract Cetrati- The best of the 3 units, likely just going to be in if the other 2 units are CID I wouldn’t expect changes unless there is some sort of universal Cataphract change added.
Immortals- Currently the meat, potatoes, bread, butter, vegetables of The Exalted theme. Clearl,y they will be evaluated. Do not expect the world. My hope is for resonance to come back on them and state Ancestral Guardian model (thus allowing it to work with Abidan, AG’s and Supreme G. Which would allow the AG to get a nice rework. I would also not be shocked at a possible PC change, but holding your breath is likely a bad plan.
Nihilators- I love these guys and I have always wanted a little more from them. Maybe won’t be seen as DoA will eventually get a CID (I really hope as there is so much design space in that theme)
Battle Engines
Siege Animantarax- I am not 100% that this needs to be in the CID, but I know there is a lot of animosity towards this model as it is very powerful. It is the most likely Skorne model to receive a nerf. My hope is that they look at it reasonably and don’t smash it back to permanent shelf life. Honestly, it just needs 1 change and that is going back to arm 19, which is the ONE thing that was not tested during the Battle Engine CID and was a surprise when the rules released in the Dynamic update. This is supposed to be a very strong offensive piece with some durability at ARM 20 and Skorne defenses this thing often goes in does tons of work, then survives a retaliation with 4-8 boxes taking 10+ attacks then gets to do tons of work again. If the armor drops to 19 it will still be able to hit first do tons of work, but then it should die appropriately in return.
So these are my thoughts and predictions on what legacy models will be in the Skorne CID. Give me your thoughts, tell me why I am right, wrong, crazy, etc.
~The Warcock