erisco
Skirmisher
28 Posts
    
 | | 03/17/2006 11:25 AM |
| I was just wondering if anyone has effectively used the Axe Soldier yet. To me he sounds like a wonderful piece for his cost...
Axe Soldier
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LG - 13pt
lvl 4, Spd 4, AC 20, HP 40
MELEE ATTACK, +8 (10 magic)
SPECIAL ABILITIES, Cleave, Close-Order Fighter +5, Squad Activation
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He is nearly 4:1 on the cost:hp ratio, has a good attack for 13 pts, and has potential for swarming when in groups. At the same time, his squad activation could be a burden when you are trying to waste activations. I think he is worth trying, but I am not sure what to pair him with (besides Dol Arrah). Any thoughts? | |
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orcmonk220
Underboss
1608 Posts
| | 03/17/2006 11:28 AM |
| | He is a very nice mini, but I'm unsure on using him. I cannot seen to create a solid warband. | |
My Trading Thread | |
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Low Key
Underboss
1231 Posts
| | 03/17/2006 11:29 AM |
| | He might be worth it if you have extra 13 points you need to fill. Though usually I just end up taking Aramil there. Cant argue with the nerf-ray he has. But if you are using the Dol Arrah, he might very well be worth it. | |
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SneakyJoeKDB
Sergeant
593 Posts
Utah
| | 03/17/2006 1:26 PM |
| I had fun playing this warband last night with a buddy playing a CE beater band and I beat him fairly easily.
1 X Clerica of Dol Arrah
1 X Sword Archon
3 X Gold Dwarf Soldier
1 X Axe Soldier
1 X Hill Dwarf Soldier
1 X Timber Wolf
The Cleric granted all the soldiers Fearless and then the Sword Archon gave everyone with fearless plus 5 dmg. My Soldiers were hitting at 20 magic damage a pop while being fearless. I played on the dragon shrine becasue of their slow speed. I was also able to take advantage of the magic circles to up their attack +2. The band was a lot of fun. The axe soldier held strong and delivered some damage.
Thw biggest weakness here is the +8 to hit and the possible area effects spells being that the soldiers need to hang close the the commander. | |
"Like a thief in the Night"
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elder_basilisk
Sergeant
410 Posts
| | 03/18/2006 2:52 AM |
| Synergies:
Cfx: saves=CODA
There's probably something to this one. Fearless is GOOD.
Cfx: damage=CODA+Sword archon, half-orc paladin, cleric of St. Cuthbert.
I think that CoDA+Sword Archon may be the most promising combo but the half-orc paladin could work well too.
Cfx: Attack bonus: Merceneary Sergeant+CODA or Merc. Sgt plus any other commander, Exorcist of the Silver Flame, Paladin of Torm, or cleric of Yondalla.
The cleric of Yondalla (at least vs. large creatures), and Mercenary sergeants combos are probably the only viable ones here.
Cfx: AC-Sword of Heironeous, Dwarf sergeant
Cfx: Coatl
The coatl suffers by probably not having a reliable snake's swiftness target in a band with multiple axe soldiers but it's commander effect offers a lot of protection.
Other minis:
can help defense with divine protection and sacred healing (if you don't have a coatl, healing the damage may do)
offense with sandblast (sand giant), bless, magic weapon.
The axe soldiers, have the most synergy with the CODA. Increasing their AC against evil foes, making them fearless, providing healing, and giving them an initiative advantage (which is very important when you know you WON'T be going last then first in the initial engagement round). It's hard to do better than that. After that, it's a matter of filling out the rest of your band.
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XAos
Underboss
2403 Posts
London
| | 03/18/2006 7:07 AM |
| Axe soldiers are very cost-effective. They have 2 problems;
1) Squad Activation. That negates the whole posibility of "activation control".
2) They came out in the same set as Arcanix Guard & Warforged Scouts. Both of which are more cost-effective than the axe-soldier.
Note; axe soldier is 13pts for 40hp i.e a 3:1 ratio. Arcanix Guard is nearly 4:1 and Warforged scout is over 4:1.
If you are going to use axe-soldiers then CoDA is the obvious combo.
Which might suggest a Warforged BodyGuard as well. | |
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True_Blue
Underboss
2386 Posts
| | 03/18/2006 7:34 AM |
| | He seems like a good peice, but more often then naught, I'd just much rather have an Aramil. I mean I can get 3 castings of Ray of Enfeeblement, which will probably matter a lot more than the extra swings the Axe Soldier will make. Granted Aramil could die early, but I'd rather take that chance. Ray of Enfeeblement being sight is just killer. | |
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TroglodyteWizard89
Warrior
346 Posts
USA
| | 03/18/2006 10:44 AM |
| I made a fun band with them, was horrible, but still fun
Battle Plate Marshall 47
Axe Soldier x6 78
Marut 75
200 points, 3 activations(haha grr)
Anyway, the point is to win initiative, then activate the BPM and Marut, then next round activate all your Axe Soldiers and hopefully hit somebody with 6 +8 attacks for 20 damage a swing
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True_Blue
Underboss
2386 Posts
| | 03/18/2006 5:16 PM |
| | I dont know if a +8 would cut it most of the time. It seems like a lot of them would miss. Also you would only get the extra +5 dmg from the Battle Plate Marshal if you attacked someone who had already activated. With this being the second phase, your options will be limited. Also the opponent can most of the time not activate the peices that are next to the Ase Soldiers and "wait it out". | |
Champion of a Knight of Takhisis/Knight of Neraka | |
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elder_basilisk
Sergeant
410 Posts
| | 03/18/2006 5:33 PM |
| Dang, it would be killer if it were sight... however, on my card, RoE is range 6.
quote:
Originally posted by True_Blue
Ray of Enfeeblement being sight is just killer.
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Knight of the
Round Table
Thenameless
Warlord
11768 Posts
The Fortress of Solitude
| | 03/18/2006 6:11 PM |
| I like the Axe Soldier for RPG a lot, but I think he has that age old problem of being a "tweener" in the skirmish game. His point cost rests in the uncomfortable area of not being a good enough beater like a Justice Archon or Githzerai Monk, and not being cheap enough like the Warforged Scout or Man-at-Arms.
If you'd really like to give him a test run, then the Cleric of Dol Arrah probably offer the best synergy. Healing and fearless work nicely together as long as you're not facing opponents who can kill on one swing like the Hill Giant Barbarian. | |
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Ack
Underboss
1476 Posts
| | 03/19/2006 12:06 AM |
| Nice analysis there Elder Bass - but Im gonna have to concur with the Nameless: its just not quite good enough. There are better choices for the point cost.
And the Scout and Arcanix are both spectacular pieces. | |
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Olan
Skirmisher
25 Posts
| | 03/19/2006 1:43 AM |
| Well I would tend to believe this guy will either work in an army featuring at least 4 of them or only 1. The problem lies in the Squad activation. If you have enough of those guys in play at once, you might be able to do some nasty damage to your opponent before he even gets to strike, but if there aren't enough in play, you just end up with a bad activation problem...
Basically, this figure features the same dilemna someone who wants to play King Obould Many Arrows has to deal with : at which point is it worth activating more guys first?
In this regard, the Cleric of Dol Arrah is obviously the ideal solution. which could mean something like this :
Cleric of Dol Arrah
Dragon Samurai
5X Axe Soldiers
Combat Medic | |
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RRedlund
Sneak
54 Posts
| | 03/19/2006 10:43 AM |
| | With King Obould, you can choose whether or not it counts against your activations or not, but with the Axe Soldiers you don't have a choice. | |
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erisco
Skirmisher
28 Posts
| | 03/19/2006 11:15 AM |
| I agree that he has to go with Dol Arrah... which is why I asked for suggestions BESIDES Dol Arrah :)
Sword Archon may be nice in there. But seeing the general complaint between the +8 and the limited activations (which I also knew to be a problem), then the good point that Arcanix Guard and Warforged Scout are both more effective (and less 'risky') brings me to the ultimate conclusion that the Axe Soldier's squad activation is obsolete.
I hate playing an Aramil. Really I do. It is hard to edge a 13pt mini close enough to a worthy target (epecially when they screen them anyways) and get even two rays off before he is based and killed. But that is just me.
So I will be playing just ONE axe soldier if I need 13-15pts filled. That way his Squad Activation 'doesn't exist' and he can continue being the nice mini he is. May I point out that he does have 20AC? That is pretty decent ;) | |
Also a member of the official D&D forums at the WotC website | |
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orcmonk220
Underboss
1608 Posts
| | 03/19/2006 2:29 PM |
| Anyone else notice he has the same basic stats as Mercenary Sergeant? Just a useless fact there.
CoDA is indeed the #1 choice, but not all too inspired imho. | |
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iluvxtina
Underboss
1501 Posts
Spain
| | 03/19/2006 4:20 PM |
| | The axe soldier is a good mini?Why?For her cost,You can include a lot of more usable minis.I always will prefer aramil than the axe soldier.Or two azer and a man at arms,or a healer,or a warforged scout and a azer...Man....she is an absolutely useless piece!!! | |
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erisco
Skirmisher
28 Posts
| | 03/19/2006 6:24 PM |
| iluvxtina, if you consider the fact that you can only have one more mini and you have 13pts left, those other fodder pieces are not going to be the better choice.
Aramil and a healer are both 'tech' units, and I PERSONALLY don't like tech pieces with range 6 or touch (but combat medic is nice eh?). It could be my lack of skill, but most of the time it is more of a trouble to protect the tech piece than to just have another hitter in there.
So I suppose it all comes down to preference. Axe soldier, Healer, or a Aramil. | |
Also a member of the official D&D forums at the WotC website | |
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Luisjoey
Underboss
1704 Posts
Caracas Venezuela
| | 03/20/2006 1:19 AM |
| | Well in this days of 8 minis per warband i see this guy efficently just as filler, and you should place just one for his good stats and nice cost to prevent his activation with all his pals. | |
Knight of the Quori
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True_Blue
Underboss
2386 Posts
| | 03/20/2006 3:23 AM |
| | ahh well I guess ray of Enfeeblement is range 6 [:I] Woops. But anyways, I think most of the time I'd much rather have an Aramil than the Axe Solider. Its still a great peice, and if I needed a peice to hit also, I'd choose the Axe Soldier. Just a lot of times knocking that hitter down 5 more dmg just is huge. Especially if you can get more than 1 off. | |
Champion of a Knight of Takhisis/Knight of Neraka | |
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Feathers
Underboss
1140 Posts
| | 03/20/2006 4:09 AM |
| | Axe Soldiers are also under the threshold for the Earth Shugenaja's bulls strength spell. So you can use her to pump up their dmg output by another +5, resulting in 20 magic dmg per Axe Soldier when they swarm an enemy figure. Not bad, although their low attack bonus is a weakness. | |
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