Let's Chat: Free Peoples

[MrCharisma]

Thanks for the collective wisdom so far @someone2040 & @Helmut.

The Hurricanum is fickle, however; so is the Luminark with a 3+/3+ attack. 

Here are the 2 lists that i’m tossing up;

1. 

2.

Playing at the Australian Masters this month, there was 3 SCE Vanguard Wing while I play the Vanguard Wing twice at Blood & Glory. 

Prior to GHB17, I only ran 30 swordsmen so I don’t think i’ll miss much if I dropped 10. Alternatively, I can drop 10 handgunners or crossbowmen to keep the 40 swordmen. 

I’ll test the Hurricanum list tonight and see how it performs. On top of the mortal wounds output, the +1 to hit will help the crossbowmn get down to 2+ to hit, while the gunners will gain a +1 to hit and not have to stand stationary to get that bonus. 

[Josh]

its a hard choice hey, like hurri is so good but creates holes at the same time that the lumi fills

but that shooting attack is so good <3

[Helmut]

@MrCharisma how did the Hurricanum test go the other night?

Positive thing with the Hurricanum is that you're guaranteed to land your shots vs the 3+/3+ luminark. Also, with Indomitable, sword & board rerolls, and fantastic battleshock resistance, I've never felt like I'm missing that 6+ ward save. Both lists look strong to me, fantastic area denial thanks to the Great Company. I would lean towards the first list though for the MW output to support the general low rend we suffer from, as well as making your army more mobile thanks to the +1.

Here's a question, do you ever feel on the back foot on Starstrike/Scorched Earth due to lack of mobility? Im currently running a similar list, though with 2x5 Outriders in place of your 2nd Griffon. They're not terribly useful, though they do give me the speed and numbers to contest far objectives, where a 2nd griffon (whilst having greater killing power) may struggle as only a single model with a large footprint. Interested to hear your thoughts.

[Josh]

^ thats my main concern about the army is those senarios that require mobility

same time i feel like a run with the swordsmen & getting things into position early wouldnt hurt you too much

also like that you have 1 shot character potential with the laser

 

[someone2040]

I think I'd be more worried about getting a major in Knife to the Heart.

The thing is, the Griffons are a mobile unit. So you've really got 2x Griffon and the Demigryphs which are the mobility in the army (As well as the General and Hurricanum/Luminark+Azyros in a pinch).. So in theory, those guys are the ones that can run around and engage enemies on their own turf. At the end of the game, you just need to win by 1 point in most scenarios for a major.

The Knife to the Heart problem though is you need 5 models to claim the enemy objective. So even if you clear it with your Griffons (and potentially Demigryphs), you're likely to have lost something in 3 turns. So you need to somehow get your infantry across the other side. Which is a really tough slog given the enemy will blunt your advance at some point.

 

You could potentially consider mobility a weakness of the Freeguilds. If only because the allegiance ability heavily promotes an infantry based force. If you want a more mobile army, you're better off looking elsewhere in the grand alliance.

[Josh]

anyone every considered a prime as an ally? thinking of things to help with knife to the heard & clearing objectives

 

thinking also about congo your 40 man guard unit to the objective ?

 

like i suppose that the hurri is more buffy & magic support too but just spit balling ideas

 

[Congratz]

@MrCharisma Why would you take 2 Generals on Griffons? I'm new to free people so i would really like to know  

[someone2040]

11 hours ago, Congratz said:

@MrCharisma Why would you take 2 Generals on Griffons? I'm new to free people so i would really like to know  

So for me personally, the Griffon shores up multiple weaknesses that the rest of the army suffers from. High mobility and high rend/damage attacks and is a kick ass tank.

Demigryphs may be tankier (You can almost get 6 for the price of a Griffon), but they just don't offer the same damage output due to lack of rend IMO.

The reason you take 2 is because there's nothing else that does those things really well outside of allying in Stormcasts, and then you're chipping into your budget of utility pieces (spellcasters, buff wagons, artillery, azyros, etc.

 

[Josh]

imo its very viable 

[MrCharisma]

@Helmut: I’ve run the Hurricanum twice now since my last post. Once against Disicples of Tzeentch and Mixed Death. I gotta say I’ve been pretty underwhelmed by the Hurricanum at 400pts. 

As my only ally, the +1 to cast only helps him. The +1 to hit was nice for the Crossbowmen but added no real value to the Handgunners. It took a while to get in range of the Storm of Shemtek, however; by the time I got it in range it had already been targeted a number of times and wasn’t at optimial level. 

 

@Helmut: I’ve always viewed my Freeguild army as a counter-puncher, so i’m always on the back foot. Never out dropping my opponent means i’m wrestling back objectives. 

With Scorched Earth I believe it plays to our strengths through large amount of bodies and the Great Company counter attack. 

@Congratz: I take the 2x Griffon because the Demigryphs attacks are poor while the high rend on the Griffon can cut down even the best SCE, have better mobility, and an additional 10+ wound leader for objective holding/securing. 

 

@Josh: I have an unbuilt Prime ready to go. I’m thinking of using him for my Devoted or Sigmar more than my Freeguild. I’ve found you’ve really gotta keep him in the Heavens until Turn 3 to be effective. 

[MrCharisma]

Here is my Double Trouble Griffons on the hunt;

I’ve found the Griffon is an easy focus point for your opponent when you only have 1... but 2 really splits their force. 

[Josh]

yeah the hammers !

[Congratz]

@MrCharisma So what did you prefere, Hurricanum or Lumminark? And how do you make those bases? They look very cool!

Sorry for all the questions  

[MrCharisma]

On 29/12/2017 at 9:15 PM, Congratz said:

@MrCharisma So what did you prefere, Hurricanum or Lumminark? And how do you make those bases? They look very cool!

Sorry for all the questions  

I prefer both... but with limited ally points I have to pick Luminark. They value is too good!

I don't do too many fancy things with my basing, other than using Army Painter flowers and grade tuffs. They come in a range of colours so I mix them up on the bases. 

[MrCharisma]

Question: does anyone use the Broken Shackle, and if so; do you use it on your Griffon?

I'm not finding a lot of value from my Banner of Writ and looking to swap it out. 

I'm thinking either the Broken Shackle or the Armour of Meteoric Iron for a Griffon.

[Josh]

delete

[Josh]

1 hour ago, MrCharisma said:

Question: does anyone use the Broken Shackle, and if so; do you use it on your Griffon?

I'm not finding a lot of value from my Banner of Writ and looking to swap it out. 

I'm thinking either the Broken Shackle or the Armour of Meteoric Iron for a Griffon.

my plan is to use armour of MI  on a griffon 

[MrCharisma]

I've used it AoMI twice and found great value in being able to have 2x Griffin with a 2+ save (assuming Mystic Shield) is cast. 

I'm thinking the Broken Shackle could be a nice objective stealer. Charge into combat with Griffon, leave next turn and let my Swords/shooters mop up what the Griffon didn't kill.

 

[someone2040]

I think it's a shame that we don't have more/better battalions (Or that artefacts are tied to battalions in the first place), as I always default to the Armour of Meteoric Iron to bring the tankiness level of the Griffon up a notch.

In a double Griffon list though, I might consider flexing out to other items like the Shackle. The fact one has a better armour save will mean it'll attract the wrong kind of attention (mortal wounds) and in that case it might be better to have an opponent split their attention and just have a bit of an X factor.

 

The Writ of Dominion is pretty cool though, but I think the first artefact is really about boosting the Griffon (and sadly we just don't really have options to get a 2nd artefact into the list). 

[MrCharisma]

Cheers for the feedback @Josh and @someone2040 . I've submitted my official CanCon list early and will be running;

Allegiance: Free Peoples

Leaders
Luminark Of Hysh With White Battlemage (240)
- Allies
Knight-Azyros (80)
- Allies
Freeguild General (100)
- General
- Stately War Banner
- Trait: Indomitable 
Freeguild General On Griffon (260)
- Shield & Greathammer
- Artefact: Armour of Meteoric Iron 
Freeguild General On Griffon (260)
- Shield & Greathammer

Battleline
3 x Demigryph Knights (160)
- Lance and Sword
- Free Peoples Battleline
40 x Freeguild Guard (280)
30 x Freeguild Crossbowmen (300)
30 x Freeguild Handgunners (300)

Total: 1980 / 2000
Allies: 320 / 400
Wounds: 159

[Josh]

1 minute ago, MrCharisma said:

Cheers for the feedback @Josh and @someone2040 . I've submitted my official CanCon list early and will be running;

Allegiance: Free Peoples

Leaders
Luminark Of Hysh With White Battlemage (240)
- Allies
Knight-Azyros (80)
- Allies
Freeguild General (100)
- General
- Stately War Banner
- Trait: Indomitable 
Freeguild General On Griffon (260)
- Shield & Greathammer
- Artefact: Armour of Meteoric Iron 
Freeguild General On Griffon (260)
- Shield & Greathammer

Battleline
3 x Demigryph Knights (160)
- Lance and Sword
- Free Peoples Battleline
40 x Freeguild Guard (280)
30 x Freeguild Crossbowmen (300)
30 x Freeguild Handgunners (300)

Total: 1980 / 2000
Allies: 320 / 400
Wounds: 159

looks good! masters list dropping one demi and replace with griffon? 

[MrCharisma]

Just now, Josh said:

looks good! masters list dropping one demi and replace with griffon? 

Dropped 10x Archers (100pts) & 3x Demis (160pts) for 1 Griffon (260).

Still coming in at 1980 so I should walk away with a Triumph in most battles.

[Josh]

Just now, MrCharisma said:

Dropped 10x Archers (100pts) & 3x Demis (160pts) for 1 Griffon (260).

Still coming in at 1980 so I should walk away with a Triumph in most battles.

nice! forgot about the archers ^^ 

[MrCharisma]

Useless Archers! If I could run Marcus Wolfhart with them.... boom amazing!

[Josh]

or just cheaper 60-80 pts would be great