Karchev The Terrible

Hello all,
 I am excited to begin a series of posts about the main casters that Khador has.  I have used about half and I like them all for different reasons.  I have to say, that Karchev is my current favorite because he is a balls to the wall type of caster.  I used him in a recent 3-player battle and really liked his simplicity and depth.  I am looking forward to using him again.  Here is my current understanding of how Karchev works and what he offers the Khador player.

Gather around, children, and I will tell you the story of one of the Motherland's greatest defenders... Karchev The Terrible.  Gaze at his visage.  Burn his face into your memory. Keep this icon under your pillow.   His image will protect you on those nights when fear grips at your hearts.  

He began his service as a warcaster and revered military leader.  He had an uncanny affinity with those great lumbering hulks called warjacks.  It was during a brutal confrontation with the Cygnaran army that he lost all the forces under his command.  Rather than surrender to sweet death, he pushed himself beyond all limits and slew the hated enemy.  His anger and rage engulfed him and he refused to die.  His body broken and destroyed beyond all repair, Karchev demanded that a warjack body be constructed to allow him to continue his service.  That was well over 100 years ago, children, and still the terrible Karchev protects us.  He is a treasure to our nation.


Feat, Spells, and Weapons
Karchev has a pretty standard Khador type feat which is Total War.  All models in his control area get pathfinder and can charge or make power attacks without spending focus.  Also, at the beginning of their activation, they can change facing which is great for setting up those charge lanes.  This may not seem like much, but given the dearth of focus that he gets, it is crucial.  Paired with his spells it can allow a jack to unleash a beating on an unsuspecting subject.  His spells are geared to giving jacks mobility and firepower.
His own skills are Arcantrik Turbine and Man in the Machine.  Arcantrik Turbine allows him to gain an extra focus or gain +2" movement.  Man in the Machine is a lot of text that boils down to this:  his body can be healed by focus, his machine only by models with the repair skill.  He is a living model, but not a warrior nor a warjack.  He is affected by deep water, just like a warjack.
Tow
The most useful spell is Tow.  This spell allows Karchev to place jacks B2B within his back arc as long as he moved within 2" of the jacks during his movement.   This can really help move those jacks forward quite quickly.  The catch?  Only 3 can be towed.
Unearthly Rage
Unearthly Rage is Karchev's main way of gaining focus efficiency.  Rage allows all of his battlegroup warjacks, in his control area, to gain  boosted melee attack and damage.  In addition they gain the magical weapon trait.  So, for a cost of three, you could boost 3-4-5-? jacks on all attack and damage rolls.  That is incredible!  What's more, you could give two focus to a jack and have them just demolish their opponent with multiple boosted attacks and damage.
Sidearms
This spell is a defensive spell.  Basically it allows models in B2B contact in the control area to gain +1 to defense for each other model in the control group with which they are B2B.  They also avoid knockdown.  This is a great spell for making a brick move with some safety, but the lower defense of most Khador models hardly makes this worth it.  The focus is better spent elsewhere.
Eruption and Ground Zero
These are two AOE spells.  Eruption is a ranged spell that deals a POW14 damage with fire.  In addition there is a cloud effect that damages models entering or ending their move in it.  Ground Zero is a 5"AOE spell that deals a POW 13 damage and pushes the model away from the caster.  Both of these spells are highly situational and cost a lot.  I don't foresee using them too often.
Weapons
Karchev has an open fist and the sword Sunder.  He also has the ranged weapon Fissure.  Sunder is a basic melee weapon at p+s 19.  This will deal a lot of hurt when it hits and coupled with his spells and feat, could well cry the death of anything in his way.  Fissure, on the other hand, is a marvelous weapon.  It has decent p+s (12) but if it hits it knocks down the model. It is a spray so we are usually talking multiple models.  This could set up a painful series of events for your opponent. 

Synergies
Karchev is first and foremost a warjack caster.  No units have particular synergies with him.  So any units taken will just be support for the situation.  That being said, Mechaniks would be useful because they will keep his jacks up and running.  What makes him shine are the jacks that will be unleashed in a hell of fury.


Beast-09
OMG!  With Reach, Thresher, Imprint: Murderous, and Heavy Boiler this beast will roll!  Give it a few focus and unleash your feat and spells and watch it demolish all in its path.
Berserker
This jack will be totally unencumbered with Karchev.  No focus is needed to give it boosted attack and damage, and with Tow you can get them into battle quickly.  Why settle for one B?  Take two or three.  Did I mention chain attack?  Ouch!
Behemoth
OK.  This is amazing.  Two open fists, armor piercing, p+s 12 attacks.  Boosted by Unearthly Rage and can be allocated extra focus for ranged attacks.  Did I mention those same ranged attacks can be made in melee combat?  Did I add that it can make ranged and melee attacks in the same activation.  It may not be very accurate, but who cares.  It is killer!  Can you say, "Time to Die?"  

These seem to me to be the big 3 jacks that gain the most from running with Karchev.  I am looking forward to using him in a 1:1 battle.  That way I can see what he can do when he is totally focused on one enemy.  As always, comments or suggestions about my analysis are welcome!

Khadoran Forces Routed By Stunty Dwarves

Ok, so I started this blog because I lose far more games than I ever win.  And rather than becoming frustrated and stop playing games, I would restrain my discouragement and learn from my mistakes.  Well, this was one of the most discouraging battles I have ever fought.  Sorry about the fuzzy pictures, I forgot my camera so I used my cell phone pics.

Khadoran Forces

•  Forward Kommander Sorscha
•   Beast 09
•   Devestator
•   War Dog
•   Kayazy Assasins (9 + Leader)
•   Kayazy Underboss
•   Winter Guard (9 + Leader)
•   Winter Guard Infantry Officer and Standard
•   Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich

Seaforge Commission Forces

•   Durgen Madhammer
•    Ghordson Driller
•   Wroughthammer Rockram
•   Herne and Jonne
•   Horgenhold Forge Guard (9 + Leader)
•   Ogrun Bokur
•   Ogrun Bokur
•   Thor Steinhammer
•   Ghordson Avalancher

This is how the battle looked at the start

Turn 1

We began by advancing forward.  Seaforge moved first.  Peter moved into some cover and set up his barrage of ranged death.  His total force was set up on the premise that if he could rain death down on my advance, he would be able to destroy me before I could get to him.  Khador moved second.  I activated Sorscha and  I cast Iron Flesh on my WG units.   I ran the WG forward.  Kovnik Joe moved next and  gave a rousing speech that made them fearless and tough.  Courage of the Forefathers!  My assassins advanced on the left flank at a full run, and my jacks moved up.  Beast 09 ran forward and my Devastator (who was bonded to Sorscha) moved as well.  So far so good.  My WG units had a defense of 17 (12 + 3 for iron flesh and +2 for bob and weave from my unit commander).

Turn 2

On turn 2, Peter unleashed some bombarding fire.  It didn't seem to do all that much.  Killed two of my WG units.  He took a couple of pot shots knowing they would miss so that he could get blast damage from the shots.  Some of his units can get three blast shots from one shot.  The luck gods were with him, because each shot he fired scattered in the exact direction he wanted to hit the majority of my figures.  I blame myself for not spreading them out more or double ranking them.  On my turn I ran some more, repositioned my assassins, and again cast Iron Flesh.  I took a shot at his Avalancher, but did minimal damage.   Now we were in his sweet spot.

Turn 3

Peter popped his feat.  His Bombs Away gives every blast attack an extra die on blast attack and damage rolls.  Even with my defense of 17, and tough, my WG unit was decimated along with Kovnik Joe. You see my plan was to get my assassins up close to move through his army to attack his caster.  This was not going to happen, because their defense was simply too light.  And with his Explosivo, and the other multiple ways he can make AOE attacks it was likely he would just wipe them up.  So I changed tactics.  

I repositioned my assassins, and moved Sorscha and my jacks into hopeful striking range.

Turn 4

This was the last turn.  Peter took some shots against my jacks and Sorscha, but their armor was too tough.  He took out 2 assassins and protected his caster.  His last spell on his caster was Inhospitable Ground.  This meant the terrain was rough for me to advance into.  This is where I get screwed up.  Now my options were there, but I couldn't do them in the right order.  I needed to get rid of his guards, but to do that I had to activate my jack and then send Sorscha up to put the final kill.  I couldn't activate my jack to get there without first activating Sorscha to cast a spell that would allow the jack to move far enough.  My assassins could move, but they needed pathfinder, which again meant activating Sorscha first.  It was 12:30, so in the end, I popped my feat, activated Sorscha and charged with her.  I hoped I could get rid of the one blocking model and then do two attacks on his caster.  Well, this was folly.  So Peter won with a well put together force and he used his spells and abilities optimally.

Recap

I am sure there were other strategies I could take to use this force better.  I have never used Sorscha, but I did have a feel for how to use her.  I think the bottom line is that I just suck at tactics.  I just don't get it.  I am a pretty smart person, but unless I can see it and figure it out, or have someone ask/question/show me what I am doing wrong, I won't figure it out.  I can't get it on my own, it seems.  This battle reminded me a lot of AT43 with the indirect fire being the king of the battlefield.  I do like Khador's theme, and the abilities of its casters, I am just not good at making them work against an opponent.  Well, I remain restrained in my discouragement.  

Warmachine...

Steve and I played our third game of Warmachine last Wed. May 5.  It was a 35 point game.  I was sure of the outcome, but only because I am still learning how to use my army in the best ways possible.  Steve's army consisted of Skarre and an assorted group of units and models that had so much stuff on them it made my head hurt.  What can you do when you can't target a model, can't damage a model, and have the weight of a deathjack breathing down your neck?

I have decided to set mini goals for my games.  My goal for this one was to see how my Assault Kommandos worked and to see what would happen if I changed up my jacks a bit.  I actually learned more about jacks than the Kommandos, but only from watching how my own got wrecked by a combination of solo work and the Deathjack.    I got quite frustrated because the things I thought I could do never worked out.  Most of the time I just had an incomplete understanding of the rules.  I feel a lot more solid on that point, now.

After the game, we posted on the Privateer Press forums to get some ideas for fighting Khador vs. Cryx.  I have to say, that forum is fantastic.  Lots of great ideas and very helpful gamers.  privateer press forums.  Also, Steve should have a writeup of the battle with much more detail.  Steve's Blog.  The pictures below capture the grandeur of my defeat.  I remain restrained in my discouragement.  There is always next time.

War Machine - Cryx vs. Khador

It is an interesting thing, playing miniatures games. In a board game, there are more boundaries, more ways to constrain the play. You know pretty much what to expect and what the choices are. You can predict what your opponent will do, even if only in the broadest sense.
In a miniatures game, the boundaries are there, but they become transparent, because of the myriad of choices you have. It can be an overwhelming thing. That was my experience playing my first non-learning game of war machine. I call it non-learning, although Steve did help me with some strategic pointers early in the game. It was much appreciated, because I was all of the sudden feeling totally overwhelmed and there seemed to be no choice that was optimal.

The Cryx

Asphyxious
3 Nightwretch
Slayer
2 Pistol Wraiths
Skarlock,
min Bane Thralls


Khador

Kommander Strakhov
Beast-09
Devastator
War dog
Battle Mechaniks (Leader and 3 Grunts)
Great Bears of Gallowswood
Koldun Lord


We advanced toward each other slowly...cautiously
On turn 2 I felt a little pinned in by all the evil around me. I cautiously moved forward. Then on turn three after an attack against Beast 09, I cast superiority on 09 and overrun. This in effect allowed 09 to charge 13" into Asphyxious. He was my hammer. Alas, there was no anvil. I did hurt Gaspy, but after that it was in doubt if I could seal the deal. Asphyxious destroyed 09, which was an acceptable loss considering the amount damage I did. The very next turn, I should have cast the exact same two spells on my Devastator, but I forgot, and a failed charge into his Bane Thralls ended my bid for a win.
All in all I was ecstatic with my performance. I thought I did a good job of managing my forces. I came up with a possible game winning move on my own, which is nothing short of miraculous. Most of all, I had the best experience with a miniatures game of my life. I was feeling the dread and despair, and then the rush of possibilities, which is why we play, isn't it?
Great Game!

WARMACHINE - Learning Game

Steve and I played our first Warmachine game.  He was teaching me the basics.  I have decided to play the Khador faction, which is vaguely Russian, which I love!  Steve is playing Cryx.  We have two other friends that are going to play, also.  Jerry is playing the Cygnar and Peter might be using the mercs.

Here are some pictures from my training game.  Steve cleaned my clock the first game.  Then we switched sides.  He again demolished me with my own forces, but I have a much better feel for the game.  It was a lot of fun, and we are going to play every other week so I can really get the rules and strategies down.

Along with Malifaux, this just might be the miniature game I have been looking for.