Trident Realms: let's talk about units

[Tagakoner]

Hi @MikeGrant

That is a very interesting perspective you have on the Nokken. Never really thought of using them as these mass shotgun/bait troops, always looked at them as one or two units working together.
Using terrain will be key (as always), but I really like this idea of an annoying alpha strike unit. Think I need to try them out sometime.

This is honestly one of the things I love about this game. It rarely happens, but once in a while I struggle to see the value of a certain unit, and then someone like you comes along from a completely different perspective and prove me wrong!

[MikeGrant]

Thanks for the nice comments guys. I hope you try it out.

Here is the army a few months ago when I was working on them. Front line are my Nokken. 2 knuckers, 2 Krakens, 2 Depth Horrors, 3 Thuul regiments, Eckter, and an Envoy.

I think this is an “improver” kind of army. It has enough tools to do fun things and learn how to play with more complex mechanics. Yet still grounded in foot troops and use of high attack mechanics to reach victory. Victories are definitly earned which is what attacts me to TR.

About the Army
It’s 15 drops 20 US, and I kinda play it like I would undead, which means I will play agressive unless I run into a shooty army. I’ll use more cover in those cases but I use terrain more anyway because generally the second line is only Spd6, and the knuckers are the flankers, but that Spd9 is so good.

The krackens are basically giants and I run them together because their base size issues.
This force is softer with light armor, so it needs to break units when it hits. Soften them with the nokken.

The Depth horrors are like higher nerve -/18 trolls with CS1 and Me3 instead. They are better at holding objectives near cover. I’m tempted to give one Diadem because its fun on the flanks. If you’re gonna have to take a charge with them, use the cover. So that a 3+ unit is hitting on 5+ without Pafthfinder.

Back to the knuckers, I use these to hold off flying units so deploy them late. Once they come in range pin them with damage until you can get Eckter in there to hold them the rest of the game while your army cleans up.

The thuul are 20 Att hitting on 3+. Basically like ‘light’ hammers like I would use Soulreavers on foot. Second line troops, cheaper, so I can run 3. IF they take one out, you can charge with Depth Horrors and Kracken to counercharge. I did switch one of the thuul out for Hidden Ones because of the pathfinder and TC1. Need something that can fight in cover.

I would think this army doesnt like to be charged or flanked, so need to play to one side of the table and commit to it. Which means attention to the objectives.

[Boss_Salvage]

Looks really great, love the colors the coelacanth-y big fishes. I’m also a fan of the Reaper Tiik approach to Trident Realms - typically you just see them for Depth Horrors but I dig the smaller ones as Thuul and bigger as Horrors.

I need to start basing my crab dudes this weekend, I’ll try to pop some finished units in here when I’ve got them.

[MikeGrant]

I changed some of the colors since I took that picture. I went to a more “shark” coloring on the Kraken fish. Yeah, thats why I got those. They were a bit pricy ordering them from Russia, but I like them.

I stuck with the “fishmen” theme. I added the monster octopus because I felt it really fit the pathfinder rock crawler look I wanted. I actually was thinking I was going to use actual Thuul models. I still can if I decide to make more in the future. I have so many projects, this kind of got built and left because I didnt get the feeling I was looking for.

I really like the orange/Black more than the Purple I think for this army, so I might go with the warmer colors to get a more tropical waters look. That may compel me to finish it.

Drain Life list.

I’ve been thinking Trident could pull off a Drain life list. And using a bunch of fast stuff on the flank. Army bounces off the front line, exposed flanks. There are no flyers, so it would require something really quick and nimble to get around to the flanks and have the distance to make a charge. Flying units can usually pull this off easy. Basically uses Gigas on the front line with King Crab formation. This is another out side of the box list I’ve been thinking of based on how Basilea plays with Iron resolve and drain life front line infantry lists.

Front line is De 6 Spd 5 Gigas with Elite. the idea is to deploy them neear an impassable terrain piece to protect their flank. Hopefully that one will be on one of the sides of the table because you dont want this army on the center. Support the gigas with Regen from the water elementals and force them to choose what they want to try and break. -/18 with Banner of the griffin. And if the bounce off, you have the advange with regen, and 18 drain life. If they go after the drain life, let them. You have the Thuul myhthican that will pretty much hurt any character that charges them. The joke is that he doesnt kill the Envoy on the charge. They have 10/12 from BoG, and ensare.

The the hiden ones use the terrain and keep the line till they break. Tidal swarm is on the other side of the gigas, imagine those little dudes getting 60 att on the flank hitting on 5+ than 4+ from hammer of meassured. Im guessing on 12-14 wounds. They will get ignored because of ensare and low points.

That leaves the flankers. Its all about dealing with flyers So you have 2 knuckers, and 2 wyrm riders one with Haste. If he baits you you bait him. or you can take the charge with one and plan your flank on your center line. The knucker can do 12 att on the flank CS1TC1. He will hurt something. both will break something if he goes after the wyrm riders.
Ecker is your dragon nullifier. and with all the drain you wont have an issue keeping stuff alive unless he commits a lot to kill one unit.

I think it would be loads of fun to set up the hammer and anvil.

I put the deployment in there to understand the left side shield. and the flanking power. One of the wyrm riders has 20 spd so it can counter a flyer that tries to get the leverage. Either way you should be able to handle even two hordes of Elohi and a flying character if you add in Ekter to that flank so you have to deploy him more central. Keep in mind this isnt the center of the table. Its just where to put the units.

I think you’ll find the Anvil part wants to be up against one side of the board, so the fast cav stuff will be more central. Deployment will be funny on this one. I think I would do the charachters first. That gets you 3-4 drops to see how close you need to be and where to get objectives. However, you want to keep your characters close to your battle line. The battle line is all chaff. So it doesnt really matter. But the water elementals are pricy, but fun to use with Nimble. I dont have surge in my list but it would be fun take off Nimble and give surge to the Mythican. Will get you those brawling opportunities with things that try to get behind your line.

The character stuff is so funny. Even if he charges one of those characters. Its ok because of the mythican. Odds are he needs something with 7 attacks to kill one of the characters at one time. And then they still have to roll 6 or 7 twice. 10/12 (w/ BoG) 4 wounds? but how do the get 4 wounds on an esnare model wtih Me4+ or 5+ ? I would say 6 att hitting on 4+ would need some luck. After the fight they are all still standing there, and now the mythican charges in with 3+ 5Att CS1.
you can drain the character or just let the character go really because your going to drain and take the damage away. ( shrug )

[Tagakoner]

The drain life list can definitely work.

Drain life is absolutely baller in TR.
I you want to up that anvil of yours to 11, then give aura of heroism to your mythican, that spell + BoG + Drain Life = so much win, for more absurdity add in brew of courage and or staying stone.

I have run something similar, anvil consisting of naiad horde, and the giga formation, then knuckers an wyrmrider cents taking up the flanks.

Honestly I think have a look at the siren. She is boss and counters I would say the one concern this list might have - really scary cavalry/monster charges that out range your anvil units. Remember the gigas are not that fast, and most things (that actually are a threat to them) will out range them, meaning they can potentially easily do some combo charges. The siren doesn’t necessarily block the combo charges, but can really take the bite out of cav charges, she also neuter any flying threat on that flank.
This can also be countered by chaff - in this case some Envoys, but it feels like that is not what the envoys really want to do in this list. Although, you can obviously just drop the drain life spell on one of them and be your 'dedicated chaff dude. I’m sure your wyrm riders won’t mind for a 25pt magic item upgrade.

I like your list, should be interesting. You have managed to hit on another unit that I never use, the Tidal swarm horde (I use them on a regular bases as regiment for chaff though), would love to hear how they (and this army) perform

Cheers

[MikeGrant]

Awesome. Thanks for the feedback.

Great tips. Im gathering I will notice some things can improve play after a few games.

Siren is for sure a better choice. I did consider it. The compromise comes in Drops and unit power on the table for the points used. Something has to go away. In this case it would be something like Removing the item off the water elementals, which may be the way to go really. I think Im wondering if I can work my way up and see if I can leverage the fun Water Elementals. but I think the Water Elementals are a big liability like the wyrmriders with their low defense. This list for sure is going to require some special tactics to get the most out of. I agree the wyrmriders can use better items.

I’ll have to consider AoH. That sounds fun!

You’ve made an interesting point with Gigas. I play against my freind that uses them and Im always having to consider how to deal with them. With Def 6 15/17, it will take a very expensive charge to take one down. So positioning of the units and forcing him to dedicate is the advantage on your side. Its not about the gigas living, but getting him to commit assets and knowing what he will be doing. I can put my units at an angle to prevent combo charges. There is a risk so each case matters. I have king crabs, so they are spd5 so they can keep up and run forward in the first turn. Then we see what he does. Baiscally they are to hold objectives and pevent him from going around my flank. Unless the mission is dominate, then they will be in the center I would expect. He will need CS2 to do anyting to them, and to break their nerve of 16/18 with BoG, they will need 11 damage. That means he must have it with 22 hits with CS2. Thats quite a lot. I doube anyone will shoot at them. If they happen to be in cover on the charge. I think they will get ignored.

Yup, my local freind plays the niad horde, giga formation and knuckers. He says the wyrm riders disappoint him most games but feels they may be a necessary evil.

Here are some shots of his army

He has LEDs integrated into the bases.

[Boss_Salvage]

First based crab boi:

Grumpy Depth Horror Eternal

[Boss_Salvage]

Speaking of Trident units, I’ve been headed toward triple Wyrmriders, but am thinking about doing triple Kraken instead. Preferences? The Me 4+ and no Pathfinder is sad on the Kraken, however more nerve and static CS(2) is a cool thing, and I tend to be a grind player anyway, so Sp 9 I feel like I’d misplay more often than not.

I’m using the same models for either version, so no mix and match

EDIT: Digging the concept more and more. With the Wyrms, I imagined I’d end up revving my engines or going for alpha strikes (and being disappointed) or being out-ranged by flyers. Kraken slogging on up and pummeling stuff feels pretty close to my wheelhouse.

[MikeGrant]

like the idea, but they are so expensive and soft. need to spend those points on some board control. I went for the Knuckers as a board control piece. I bet this would be very interesting to play. It would struggle a bit with lots of fast and tough units from Undead. And a heavy shooting army. But there are plenty of board control tools here.

Note the Haste on the Wyrm riders. That allows you to keep them back and use them on the front line that gets charged in cover. There are lots of support fire units and the nuckers slow the enemy enough to control the board while eckter windblasts and damages too. He can hold a dragon by him self. The mythican is just fun to play as he is expendable with 10/12 5 att cs1. he could combo charge, do damage to dragon, kill light cav, characters. He will surprise you. And he has blizzard to hit stuff in cover or hiding.

Lots of toys in this list.

[Boss_Salvage]

Wyrmriders seem like they are ok with an item (+1 CS or Nv or Sp), current plan is to paint one unit and buff them up, but not invest so heavily in them. I’m also not a special character player, sincerely hope Eckter is nerfed in 3E … but if he isn’t, I suppose I could paint one, he is a nice model after all

[MikeGrant]

I agree. I think they have a place. They need to combo charge anything that is Def5 and equal nerve. I would use a BoN or something that can do at least 6 attacks to get at least 2 more wounds through. With CS1 or BC buffing them, I think they can do something. They hate Ensare and obstacles.

18 Att hitting on 3+ CS1TC1 PF means
10 w vs De4, 3 and 2
8 w vs de 5
6 w vs de 6

Anything Def 15/17 is not going to die. Likely be wavered if def 4. In the game on Monday vs. Trident, WR couldnt take on Gigas and a Kracken alone, and I think both are significantly cheaper. not a lot of options in Nature (currently). I expect Nature will have more options together with The Herd. I’m wondering how complciated the new list building will be. We shall see. … This is about Trident anyway.

[Sceleris]

Posted in wrong topic … Oops

[Boss_Salvage]

1 of 4 Heartpiercers done!

There’s a bit of water effects in the back corner, lil’ tide pool thing.

[Luke]

Very crude, but here’s the barebones beginnings!

Now I mostly have to build a ton of infantry.

[Tagakoner]

Very nice start!

I always liked their line, and for a time I was considering making like a steampunk TR, where these guys would serve as lost/corrupted deep sea divers. Think 20 000 leagues under the sea meets Lovecraft, could be awesome

[Luke]

This might be extremely up your alley then!
http://antimatter-games.com/product-category/miniatures/miniatures-deepwars/

[Luke]

Anyone have any clever idea for making nets? I’m basically thinking find some coarse tulle or mesh, cut to shape, add some little lumps of sprue to the outside, then coat in PVA. I want to use them to really clearly delineate who’s got Ensnare, since I’m not using the Mantic minis.

[Angrypearl]

how about medical gauze hardened by PVA?

[VigoTheButch]

You could go buy some garlic or similar produce. They have that fine plastic mesh. Would be easy to cut up and shape.

[generalsloth]

Cheese cloth? Tutorial for fishing nets that might be adaptable here.