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warty_nosed_goblin
Underboss
1384 Posts
    
 | | 08/05/2006 12:30 PM |
| | I've noticed that I've not seen this band talked about nearly as much recently, instead all the excitement is about Kordicopia (what is Kordicopia exactly??) What was the metagame shift to cause the abandonment of the marut, who IIRC came out really strong at the qualifiers? | |
Call me: W.N. Gobo!
originally posted by grim:
While he is clearly insane, he does have a point. | |
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Vrecknidj
Warlord
10493 Posts
United States
| | 08/05/2006 12:45 PM |
| I played Marut/Couatl at the Ypsilanti qualifier and came in 11th or something. I played Kord/Couatl at Niles and took 2nd in Swiss. So, here are my thoughts...
As the Marut/Couatl band began to completely dominate the tournament season, it was evident that being able to hit AC 29 was a must. There aren't too many pieces that can reliably do this. Another Marut can, but, so can Kord.
With the Couatl, Kord can get two swings on a Marut, and, 60 damage is an awful lot for the Marut to deal with. If the Kord band can get the initiative, then that's another 10 points. At that point, anything that can squeak in with an auto-5 can kill the Marut.
So, the question became, how to get the Kord to win initiative? Easy--Cleric of Dol Arrah. And, to boot, the CoDA can heal Kord, twice, 30 points at a time--keeping him in the game. And, with +7 on morale saves, Kord is only running on a 1 or 2. And, once this took hold, the Marut band (if facing Kord) was rarely playing on its map of choice. The Kord band's optimal map was Drow Outpost, and this helped sustain the meteoric rise of that map.
Even so, Kord would occasionally fall, the CoDA can only heal so fast. Enter the Bodyguard. With these four pieces, the Kord/Couatl version can crush the Marut/Couatl version. As soon as someone sees this, he switches from Marut to Kord.
The Firebelcher may change things, as the Bodyguard cannot help as much there, and a Wadrummer can shut down the Couatl's resistance. In this case, the Marut might do better (but I doubt it).
There are 16 points remaining in the band. Most folks run two Timber Wolves and two Human Commoners, though other options exist (today, I'd use an Azer Raider in place of one T-Wolf, to delay the Firebelchers).
Some folks will run a Standardbearer in place of the two Wolves, to stave off the auto-30-damage from GAS. And that's a clever option.
Dave | |
Knowledge Arcana editor issues 5-9, Phoenix Lore Magazine editor, assistant editor for Rite Publishing;
My Trade Thread and My Reference Thread; Winner of WBC IV, IX and XIII; Rule #0: bshugg is always right! | |
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taliesin
Underboss
1113 Posts
| | 08/05/2006 2:14 PM |
| | Maruts and Kord both love the Drow Outpost map, but at speed 6, Maruts don't do so well on the championship maps. Kord is much faster, and so he's stronger for Nationals. After Nationals, when we start rolling for map initiative again, expect the Marut to re-emerge. | |
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Thurbal
Skirmisher
46 Posts
| | 08/05/2006 5:15 PM |
| But if your marut has fly 8... now we are in business... [:)]
Ans immune stun and critical hit from the monks... | |
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Chairman7w
Sergeant
484 Posts
| | 08/05/2006 8:02 PM |
| Well said, Vreck.
quote:
Originally posted by Vrecknidj
I played Marut/Couatl at the Ypsilanti qualifier and came in 11th or something. I played Kord/Couatl at Niles and took 2nd in Swiss. So, here are my thoughts...
As the Marut/Couatl band began to completely dominate the tournament season, it was evident that being able to hit AC 29 was a must. There aren't too many pieces that can reliably do this. Another Marut can, but, so can Kord.
With the Couatl, Kord can get two swings on a Marut, and, 60 damage is an awful lot for the Marut to deal with. If the Kord band can get the initiative, then that's another 10 points. At that point, anything that can squeak in with an auto-5 can kill the Marut.
So, the question became, how to get the Kord to win initiative? Easy--Cleric of Dol Arrah. And, to boot, the CoDA can heal Kord, twice, 30 points at a time--keeping him in the game. And, with +7 on morale saves, Kord is only running on a 1 or 2. And, once this took hold, the Marut band (if facing Kord) was rarely playing on its map of choice. The Kord band's optimal map was Drow Outpost, and this helped sustain the meteoric rise of that map.
Even so, Kord would occasionally fall, the CoDA can only heal so fast. Enter the Bodyguard. With these four pieces, the Kord/Couatl version can crush the Marut/Couatl version. As soon as someone sees this, he switches from Marut to Kord.
The Firebelcher may change things, as the Bodyguard cannot help as much there, and a Wadrummer can shut down the Couatl's resistance. In this case, the Marut might do better (but I doubt it).
There are 16 points remaining in the band. Most folks run two Timber Wolves and two Human Commoners, though other options exist (today, I'd use an Azer Raider in place of one T-Wolf, to delay the Firebelchers).
Some folks will run a Standardbearer in place of the two Wolves, to stave off the auto-30-damage from GAS. And that's a clever option.
Dave
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Faragdar the Wise
Commander
3547 Posts
Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | 08/06/2006 1:59 AM |
| I think the Firebelchers only make Marut even less attractive, if they turn out to be a serious contender. You can't heal a Marut. AC doesn't help against belches and neither does a bodyguard. Even with the Couatl's protection, 4 belchers (or even 3) have enough shots to take him down. Kord has more hit points and can be healed--that's good enough that you force quad belchers to shut down the Couatl's commander effect to be able to belch him to death.
Of course, Marut/Couatl still has a significant advantage over Kord/Couatl against GAS, since you can't stun or crit the Marut. | |
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iluvxtina
Underboss
1501 Posts
Spain
| | 08/06/2006 3:37 AM |
| | Marut dissapearing from the game boards?And...replaced by kord?No way.In my local metagame all the skirmishs are in epic play so this is the cause because you do not see marut and kord (only tiamat and bahamut won,and the people only play winner minis).But when 200 points (before WotDQ),you saw a lot (tons!) of marut warbands.But if there are any warband which can defeat kord,that,s kordicopia,indeed.Kord+couatl can have the same power than marut+couatl+bodyguard. | |
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Vrecknidj
Warlord
10493 Posts
United States
| | 08/06/2006 8:14 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Thurbal
But if your marut has fly 8... now we are in business... [:)]
It almost worked too. My son took 7th in a qualifier with this--but the loss that knocked him out of contention (despite the fact that the match was a matter of much dispute) was a Kord/Bodyguard/Couatl band.
Dave | |
Knowledge Arcana editor issues 5-9, Phoenix Lore Magazine editor, assistant editor for Rite Publishing;
My Trade Thread and My Reference Thread; Winner of WBC IV, IX and XIII; Rule #0: bshugg is always right! | |
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Goldmoon
Sergeant
986 Posts
| | 08/06/2006 8:28 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Thurbal
Ans immune stun and critical hit from the monks...
I see this as another problem that cause Marut to be replace by Kord, for this championship. Marut cant handle 4 auto hit by the monks under command.
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Faragdar the Wise
Commander
3547 Posts
Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | 08/06/2006 9:24 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Goldmoon
quote:
Originally posted by Thurbal
Ans immune stun and critical hit from the monks...
I see this as another problem that cause Marut to be replace by Kord, for this championship. Marut cant handle 4 auto hit by the monks under command.
Which is why the Marut builds include a Standard Bearer. Kord/Couatl is vulnerable to a well-played GAS, too. | |
"Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish." - Albert Einstein
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theplumber
Sneak
72 Posts
| | 08/06/2006 11:29 AM |
| | every titan band is vulnerable to a well played GAS | |
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MGM
Sneak
116 Posts
| | 08/09/2006 11:35 AM |
| quote:
Originally posted by theplumber
every titan band is vulnerable to a well played GAS
No, Cadaver Collector isn´t | |
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| Knight of the
Round Table
Thenameless
Warlord
12507 Posts
The Fortress of Solitude
| | 08/09/2006 11:43 AM |
| | Dave, thanks for the enlightening article on the demise of Couatl/Marut. I was kind of wondering about the situation myself. | |
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Daezarkian
Sneak
110 Posts
| | 08/09/2006 12:48 PM |
| quote:
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by theplumber
every titan band is vulnerable to a well played GAS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No, Cadaver Collector isn´t
CC is just vulnerable to everything else.... ;)
Daezarkian
Demonic Accountant | |
Daezarkian
Demonic Accountant | |
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warty_nosed_goblin
Underboss
1384 Posts
| | 08/09/2006 6:01 PM |
| quote:
Originally posted by Vrecknidj
As the Marut/Couatl band began to completely dominate the tournament season, it was evident that being able to hit AC 29 was a must. There aren't too many pieces that can reliably do this. Another Marut can, but, so can Kord.
So, when can I break out my thaskor?[:p]
Seriously though, thanks for the excellent answer to my question. | |
Call me: W.N. Gobo!
originally posted by grim:
While he is clearly insane, he does have a point. | |
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MAURIZIO
Sergeant
960 Posts
Lima, Perú
| | 08/10/2006 12:52 AM |
| | And what do you think are the better fodder for AoK/couatl/bodyguard/CoDA? | |
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