I bought a Carnivean and a Ravagore. I've enjoyed using both models, but the Carnivean's RAT4 really makes his breath weapon near worthless unless against Khador jacks. The Ravagore has been amazing. His ranged damage output is incredible (especially with his Animus!) and he still has a really nice melee punch.
The Angelius has fallen out of my favor, however. She's a pretty model, and I love that first-hit power and her animus. She also has a very respectable ranged shot. But she's competing in my army for room with the Ravagore, and I'm liking the Ravagore more at the moment.
The 35 point list I've settled on goes like this:
Absylonia
2 Shredder
a Harrier
Typhon
Seraph
Ravagore
3 Forsaken
and one Shepherd
Still Tier 4, so up the board quick. Has the 3 sprays from Typhon, the d3+1 Strafe shots from Seraph, and the Ravagore's blast for ranged attacking. Eyeless sight, so easy to hide behind forest or pick apart folks that are hiding in clouds. Typhon doesn't have Pathfinder, I've learned (why?!?!), but there's still little problem getting charges I need, especially with some Slipstream. Typhon is the main melee force, but the Ravagore can help out nicely, as can the Lessers and Forsaken...and even the Seraph with his Crit Poison and base MAT6 can help out in a pinch. I really like Forced Evolution and Tenacity on Typhon...DEF 16, ARM 18, and three POW 19 attacks at MAT 7...wow! Carnivore and Playing God are kind of wasted on the rest...I don't know what my plan is there, I guess cycle them around as needed. Both are nice on the Lessers, though, giving them a bit more usefulness. Playing God on a Shredder lets him tie up a lot of shooting troops, and Carnivore helps a Shredder hit higher-def targets. Carnivore is also nice on Absylonia, too!
I had an interesting vassal fight the other day. 25 points, I used all of the above minus one Forsaken and the Ravagore. My opponent had a Skorne force led by eMakeda with Molik Karn, a Gladiator, 4 Paingivers, 10 Praetorian Karax, and an Ancestral Guardian.
I won the roll-off and had my opponent go first. He used all of the tricks to get Karn and Makeda half-way across the table right away. I didn't see any way to get around getting charged next turn, so walked up to shoot at Karn. The Seraph wiffed completely, sadly, but Typhon did all right, taking about 2/3 of Karns boxes. If the Seraph had done just a handful of damage, it would have been over really...but the dice said no. I dropped a Blight around Typhon, thinking this would keep him safe from Karn's meanness, but I underestimated eMakeda!
He cast her self-buff, used her Feat (for extra die to-hit) and walked right up to Typhon and wrecked him, leaving him with 3 boxex. Karn then walked in, couldn't boost but with the free die from her feat didn't need to...hit with his second initial attack, killed Typhon, sidestepped in to Seraph range and killed it too! Makeda then Fate-walkred away, leaving me in a bit of trouble...
So bottom of turn 2 and 18 of my 25 points are dead. But I'd loaded up my Forsaken with four fury each, and they went to try to turn the tide. The first did 7d6 + 8 damage to Karn, killing him several times over. Makeda reaved his Fury, leaving her with 6, so the second Forsaken walked up to her and did 8d6 + 8! She transferred this to Gladiator, leaving him with only 4 boxes. My Harrier and one of my Shredders went to nibble at Makeda, but did only a few boxes of damage. Absylonia didn't have Line Of Sight to charge Makeda, nor did she have the range to get there without the charge, so she lurked behind the forest and cast Carnivore on herself hoping Makeda would still be close enough next turn...
He killed the Forsaken with his Karax and Guardian. Makeda killed the Shredder and her with the Paingivers left the Harrier with just a few boxes. The Glad had his missing Aspects healed and snuck around what passed for my flank...then my opponent killed himself by riling the Gladiator full!
My turn 3, Absylonia mutated for Flight and Strength, flew over to Makeda, and killed her, as she not only couldn't transfer to the full-of-fury Gladiator, but Critical Grievious Wounds prevented transfer anyway. Yeah, Absylonia!
I'm not sure how that worked out...I guess my opponent didn't realize that Absylonia can dish out a few points of damage, and though I'd made sure he knew before the game how Forsaken work, he underestimated the range of their blight bomb....folks seem to think it means a 5" AOE, not all enemy within 5" (which is more like a 10" AOE!). Still, it was reassuring to see that even though I got myself nearly wrecked on the second turn, I had enough tricks left to pull out a win.
In review of my list, I shorted myself a point. I think if I do 25 points again I'd do Carnivean and Ravagore. Not much a Carnivean can't beat up, and the Ravagore's ranged power should be damned handy.
In other news, I've actually got most of the 35 point force above painted! I cheat, though...GW Washes for the win! Here's my method:
I spray the model GW White Primer. I know it's expensive, but it's all I can find that does the trick.
For the skin-parts, I go over lightly with Asurmen Blue wash. This makes the skin tone a bit darker than I'd like, but it's done in minutes. Here's the Ravagore fresh from his blue-skin-wash:
For the chitin-armoured parts, I go over with Devlan Mud first, then when dry a coat of Badab Black. Here's Typhon after his Mud:
For wings, I went over them with the Blue at the same time as the rest of the 'skin', but then while still wet I went over with Ogryn Flesh. This had a nice 'smearing' effect that brought some white out on the 'ruffles' in the wings while giving it a nice membranous (is that a word?) feel. Here's the Seraph after his wings were done:
Note that on the Carnivean and the Seraph, I mistakenly did their head/face armor-plating blue instead of brown. Cest la vie. I'll try to correct on the Carnivean a bit, but I kind of like the way it works on the Seraph, giving him more of sky-shark look.
After the skin parts I do the mouths with a light coat of Baal Red wash, which gives a nice pink-tone to the gums and tongues. When dry a touch of Bleached Bone on the teeth, and they're done!
I've got the Seraph, Typhon, Ravagore, Shredders, Harrier, and Shepherd done. The Forsaken and Absylonia are not far behind. When (if!) I get home from Korea (Pohang is kind of an armpit, by the way) I'll get more pics of the complete models.
For basing, I think I'll do a bit of dead-grass flock and static, with a touch of snow here and there. Should be fast and simple.
Hopefully I can get a Vassal game tonight, will do a report if I do!
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