This weekend I took part in a Steamroller event which had the ADR variant from the Masters Rulespack - this weekend coming I take part in another, and next week I'll be heading to the UK Masters to play two ADR Warlocks. Earlier this year, I played two Warlocks from Season One ADR in the Welsh Masters.
Love it or loathe it, the ADR is certainly popular, and now for me at least seems a good time to discuss my experience of it.
Season One.. and how the hell did Mordikaar make it into the mix?!
I think that more than anything else, the defining characteristic of the first season ADR Warnoun selections was that they were (and still are) perceived to be the bottom end of their respective factions. Now.. don't get me wrong, before we go any further. I should probably qualify that remark. There were obvious exceptions. Using the Skorne as an example, Void Seer Mordikaar for example is widely regarded nowadays as one of the strongest options available. But he is in with strange bedfellows here. Both Naaresh and Hexeris1 are not considered to be strong tournament pieces. Morghoul2? Well... if I understand what the internets tell me, he was terribad to begin with in Mk.II, became amazeballs once Hit Squad landed, and then plummeted back into oblivion after being hit by the nerf bat in the recent errata.
Sigh, those kids and their strange ideas. I could talk for hours on why I don't agree with near any of that, but I won't bore anybody reading this unless prompted. I will say that my choices for this season were Lord Tyrant Hexeris, and Master Ascetic Naaresh.
Firstly, Hexeris1 is an excellent Warlock in the right circumstance. His feat can break the back of an entire army in a single turn against the right opponent and build, but even so, he brings tools for almost every occasion. What hurts him in my experience is that you rarely get the ideal match up for him. Any player with a list that doesn't want to see their own models eat into their comrades or be removed from play en masse will simply drop that second list. Suddenly, your infantry annihilating machine sputters, and realises that it doesn't have a feat any more, or worse yet, any heavies to face down the inevitable beef across the table. ADR is absolutely the answer for this. I was able to drop Hexeris1 without that issue, knowing that I could simply substitute models for the best mix against my opponents list and Warnoun. Being able to so acutely build a list focuses him nicely. and really plays to his strengths.
Naaresh is another matter entirely. I play Naaresh at Tier four, and with probably the simplest battleplan the world has ever known, charging headlong into the opposition. If I'm entirely honest, the only reason I took Naaresh is that I love using him, and he was great armour breaking skew to fit alongside Hexeris. That said, there was some level at which he benefited from ADR; dependent upon my opponent, my two Rhinodon could easily become Archidon as needed.
My experience was that ultimately, although both Warlocks received a huge boost in competitive play as a result of a list sideboard (even more so in games where my opponents played a static list), ultimately they couldn't quite compete at the highest levels once the draw took me closer to the top tables and the established lists that you'd expect (despite a Runes victory for Hexeris, and a Saeryn victory for Naaresh along the way).
So is season two any different? You bet.
Season Two - more bang for your buck.
The season two Warnouns are, continuing with the established conventions that players worldwide clutch to with an alarming regularity (if you hadn't guessed, I'm all about the individuality, man...), the middle rank options. I'll keep the same disclaimer as before, although I'm not sure that you see it in the Skorne lineup - there are a handful of exceptions, such as Father Lucant, or Vyros2, but for the most part there are none of the power pieces that you see proliferate at the top level.
But the difference is that this time around, the Warnouns are more able to compete with the big boys. Play experience has shown this player at least that often the sideboard is enough of a little push to maximise those lists and cut out the elements which you need to include as an answer that might not be needed (take the Baslisk Krea as an example, suddenly pointless if you find yourself against an army with no guns), and ensure that you've wrung every available point to get the most favourable match up possible. Does that guarantee results? Of course not. But its a big step in list equality.
My choices here are Xerxis, Fury of Halaak, and Archdomina Makeda. Why? Well, Xerxis2 is flat out fun. He's also doing a very similar job as Rasheth and Morghoul1, but has the advantage of suiting how I play better. Time has shown me that I prefer a Warlock that can get work done in the end game if necessary, and that absolutely is the big lad on the rhino.
I'm using Makeda1 to test elements I don't usually take or are new to me - Venators, Aradus, Scarab Packs, Keltarii. Being a Tier2 Armies of the Western Reaches theme force, the essential core of the list are two min units of Venator Reivers with UA attachments, which can never be switched out via ADR, along with the Praetorian Keltarii which I am very reluctant to remove - with Defenders Ward, they become an extremely capable jamming piece which has proven their worth to me time over in the few games I've used them. The remaining pieces are a little more flexible - but the base point is three units of Scarabs, and two Aradi Soldiers. These can be switched around slightly if necessary to make way for the reserves - Saxon Orrik for pathfinder where needed, a Baslisk Krea to make the list really tanky against a gunline, and a max unit of Slingers for those occasions that you wish Cryx would just spend their time melting into the floor in front of your eyes.
I cant promise that list especially will produce many results over the coming weeks, but it certainly does underscore the premise that ADR allows you to optimise your lists again - especially with the addition of new pieces like the Gremlin Swarm and River Raiders, pieces which you'll find absolute game changers in the rare situation, but worthless outside of that. Plus of course, its a lot of fun.
Especially if you're a Starship Troopers fan.
This is literally how facing three units of Scarab Packs and two Aradus Soldiers feels apparently.
I'll keep you all in the loop - watch this space as results come in. Last weekend managed a tournament victory, although I seriously doubt I can keep that up!
Until next time.
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