Kingdoms of Men - Army List Review Part 3

Today we are going to take a look at one of the most exciting parts (IMO) of playing Kingdoms of Men, the Heroes! Cheap Wizards, Cheap fighting characters and The Captain...

Be sure to check out the first two parts of this review if you missed them:

Part I

Part II

Before we begin lets talk about another built in ability for Kingdoms of Men that is very nice. 

Very Inspiring

One of the most frustrating parts for your opponents is when they think they have you out of position and take risks charging units, only to find that you are still within inspiring range. 3" is a lot......well for Kings of War that is. 

With a 9'' bubble around your inspiring heroes, you have lots of flexibility. To be honest it is needed, as most of your infantry are in hordes and Knights tend to be the same, so footprints can start to make it hard to stay together. 

Lets also not forgot that your in-expensive Army Standard Bearers are also very inspiring, so all around you have the ability to cover much more of your army than you opponents tend to remember.

Heroes

General                        8/10

Really great and bargain priced hero here. For 85 points you are getting 5 attacks at melee 3+ and CS (1). Combined with being very inspiring, and mighty you have the perfect complement for your massed infantry. 

Throw this flea market catch on a horse and you a speedy blockade that enemy chaff and units will not be able to ignore and charge through. Don't sleep on these guys, with defense 5 they can take a little while to chew through if you place them right. 

General on Pegasus                5/10

Some may disagree but I am not sold here. Losing an attack from the normal general, while gaining flying and US 1 may seem like a no contest, however I say negative. The only reason you would want a combat character like this is to get in and help dish out some damage. However with only 4 attacks I don't like those chances. Yes you could use him late game to contest or claim objectives, but that seems a waste for 135 points. 

General on Winged Beast            8/10

Excellent, multi-purpose unit that can go into any list. Biggest advantage for this fella is that he is on a 50mm base, and is only 55 more points than a General on Pegasus. 

Easily able to get multiple into a list without losing really much at all, I would more than likely take one in each of my lists. They can accompany your cavalry and setup nasty flank charges, or be able to fly off and setup late game support for infantry based lists. 

Army Standard Bearer                9/10

I have yet to play a game with KoM that did not have this guy on the roster. Mount him on a horse, give him the Lute and watch him escort your wood chipper Knight Horde around the table. Excellent choice and almost always makes his points back then some. 

Hero                                7/10

Similar to the General entry we covered first, with the lack of being inspiring and mighty. While those are big losses, you can very easily add 2-3 of these little torpedoes to the list mounted on horses. They will consistently add combat damage with hitting on 3+ and wont drain your points like a General of Pegasus will. At 65 points I dont see why you wouldn't them on a horse, but having a 40pt hero with CS (1) I guess could be nice. 

Hero on Pegasus            7/10

Unlike the General on Pegasus you are getting this guy for 90 points. Again, no inspiring but you are still CS (1) with 3 attacks and US 1. Perfect unit to potentially harass your opponent and hang around for late game objective shenanigans.

Assassin                           6/10

Mixed bag on this guy. I have run him in about 5 games and he was OK. My load out saw him have the Wings of Honeymaze and he was fairly good at character hunting. Having duelist with melee 3+, 5 attacks at CS(1), and vicious can be deadly. However with the wings you have a 120 point character that doesn't inspire and does little else. 

Fanatic Instigator          5/10

Rating is more based on the lack of use more than experience. Could be another candidate for the Wings of Honeymaze, but again we are at 125 points with limited function. He also inspires nothing, not even Fanatics which is a shame. He's mighty though.....

Wizards                            10/10

I feel like a novel could be written on the uses and worth of KoM Wizards. They are the swiss army knife of the list. Right off the bat you are getting a Wizard for only 50 points! 50 points! Considering that you can exchange the Fireball they come with for Lightning Bolt for free, you can have a small battery of shots for under 200 points. 

Versatility is the name of the game with these wise magicians. You have access to Heal (3), Bane Chant (2), Wind Blast (5) and both horse and Pegasus as mounts. Hold the phone, we can now turn our super cheap mage into a US 1 scoring piece of chaff? Sign me up! 

If you are not sold on it yet, well you're just being difficult.I have run 3 Wizards to great success, one mounted on a horse with Inspiring Talisman, one on a Pegasus with Boomstick, and finally another on a Pegasus with just lightning bolt. Try it you will like it. 

Drum roll please........we enter the most exciting piece of the list, and one that I have yet to play a game without.......

THE CAPTAIN

There is no wrong way or reason to run The Captain. Mount him on a horse or run him on foot, you should have him......always! What is so great? Lets see what we get for 120 points:

Very Inspiring

Mighty

Melee 3+

Defense 5

Attacks 5

Rally (1)

Psychological Warfare....I mean Master Tactician 

His stat line is normal and what you should expect for this type of character. Rally (1) is going to help your units survive longer and keep them away from those lucking wavers that are bound to happen. We could stop here and I would still pay the points. 

But what if I told you that there was more? 

Master Tactician is an excellent ability, and don't let anyone tell you different. We all take about number of drops and board control, well no better way to counter act your opponents drops or strategy than this! You will now be able to re-deploy D3 of your units after both sides have finished deploying but before scout moves. 

Imagine dropping 2-3 cannons on a flank looking to force your opponent to drop their dragons or precious units on the other side, only to be like "GOTCHA!" and move them. You get the benefit of board control, then you can react to what it is that you opponent has done. 

While it can seem like overkill, and sometimes it is, matching this with the Scrying Gem makes you feel like a kid burning ants with a magnifying glass. Will it always work or be worth it? No, but its still fun to try. 

One more part to go and that's it. Next up we will talk about allies.

Kingdoms of Men - Army List Review Part 2

Continuing on from my initial post covering the infantry selections of the Kingdoms of Men army list, part 2 will take a look at the cavalry, war engines and monster options. 

Cavalry

Knights                7/10

I have developed a love hate relationship with these mounted shiny boys. They are as vanilla as they come, and dont really hope off the page as a must have in any particular army build. As expected with baseline cavalry they come equipped with Thunderous Charge (2), which is great until they are hindered, hit a phalanx or have to endure multiple rounds of combat. 

Headstrong is obviously strong, however you are usually purchasing Indomitable Will for these units, which will drastically reduce the once or twice you would even possibly use Headstrong, but I guess its there if it is needed.

One of the upsides to this entry is the fact that a Horde can be taken. Much like we have seen in variations of the League of Rhordia list, a Horde of Knights with Brew of Strength is an absolutely chainsaw. Natural melee of 3+ means that you don't mind making hindered charges with 32 attacks, as the ensuing combats are much in your favor with back to hitting on 3+ and having CS (1). This unit functions much like a hammer and anvil infantry block. Putting out lost of attacks, that are enhanced by buffs like Bane Chant, but also being able to survive with Def 5 and having great nerve of 21/23. The units footprint can take some getting use to, but don't let that stop you from giving them a go. 

Most of all, Knights need to have a specific purpose and support elements to help them work. Just throwing a unit into a list and thinking its going to gloriously carry you to battle is not likely. 

Mounted Sergeants            5/10

Have not run this unit in any games yet, but I could see some unique builds based around them. Seeing as they are nimble cavalry and are still unlocking options in the list is great. Stat line is average, with a decent number of attacks, and Thunderous Charge (1). 

The main draw here is the points cost, you are getting all of the above and US 3 for 150 points. Nimble will allow for more advantageous charge positions, as well as making it easier in the late game to grab objectives or zones. 

Mounted Scouts                    8/10

Excellent support piece and arguable the best that KoM have outside of Fanatic Troops. Having a ranged attack lets them participate in some part each turn, and having a melee of 4+ makes them a problem with some lucky flank and rear combats. 

Nimble allows for out maneuvering your opponent, and helping setup late game objective grabs. 

Charioteers                    3/10

Much like my rating for Militia, I find it hard to put these units into a list. Horde is the same cost as a regiment of Knights, but with a lower defense and melee. Combined with the larger foot print, same as the Knight Horde, I would tend to just stick with Knights. 

Speed 9 is nice, but without nimble I think you will find it hard to get these on the flank and rears where they need to be. 

War Engines

Siege Artillery                6/10

Very generic piece of shooting, where you will get decent results. I have not personally played with this entry, but have noticed its use in shooting heavy builds alongside cannons. 

Ballista                            4/10

Awesome ranged stat of 4+ is nice for war engines, but being that its only D3 damage at piercing (2), chances of significant damage is low. Great for smaller point games as the chip damage is exponentially better against a smaller force. 

Cannons                         9/10

This is the go to for any KoM player looking to have great effect in the shooting phase. Full battery of 3 cannons can easily make a fine pink mist of the enemies best units. Combining Piercing (3), D3+1, Ignoring cover and Shattering makes this the top choice.

Monster/Titans

Mammoth                        5/10

Having the Mammoth as an option is pretty cool. There has long be a debate as to if a Giant or Mammoth is better off in a list. Now that continues as the Giant has moved to a 75mm base, and the Mammoth has gained Strider (thanks Pizza Jesus). 

For me the choice really comes down to preference. Some folks like the consistency of an exact number of attacks, and the more maneuverable base size of the Mammoth. However, the Mammoth is not looking for prolonged combats, as CS (2) will still make combats against Def 6 swing heavily. 

Giant                                6/10        (Coolest Model ever!)

While still not the greatest use of 225 points, this is my choice for a larger support piece. Unlike the Mammoth, the Giant has the ability to continue to dish out great damage all comers with CS (4), Fury keeps it in the fight where as the Mammoth is Fearless. 

Personally I like the larger base size. If I am deploying and moving correctly the large base can cause havoc on the enemy as they try and line up their moves and charges. 

All of that said, Giants can flop as much as they shine. The list normally cannot handle two of these dudes clogging up almost 500pts, and one can be at times, underwhelming. 

Kings of War 3rd Edition Battle Report #1 - Kingdoms of Men vs Goblins

So its been a while since I have posted to my blog. To be exact it has been 2 years and 9 months, but who is counting!

With the onset of CONVID-19 the world has been at a stand still. In turn this has limited the ability for gamer's to enjoy gaming with the community. Thankfully, Universal Battle 2 (www.universalbattle2.com) offers those in the Kings of War community the chance to play virtually! Please if you have not go check out this awesome website and join in on the fun, it is a blast to be able to sit in your living room and play anyone from around the world...pants optional.

So here is the first of my Universal Battle reports for Kings of War 3rd Edition!

Kingdoms of Men vs Goblins (2300 points playing Control)

This has been my 5th game with my buddy Steve on UB. He is an absolute gentlemen and provides tactical, fun and sometimes comedic games. He goes by DiceDadSteve on UB, look him up.

We decided on points and scenario based on an upcoming UB tournament called Virtually Vanguard (check it out at https://www.facebook.com/vanguardgrandtournament). Since both of us are signed up it was time for some practice. 

The Lists

Goblins

Deployment

This map has some really interesting terrain, with the addition of 2 Ht(2) patches of ruins that was an awesome change of pace, credit to Mike Adkins for his design of these. 

Seeing as we were playing control and Steve choosing the bottom deployment zone, I had to divide my force in two, as the the impassible Sphinx in the center of my line would be hard for my large units to easily circumvent. Even with know this, I deployed poorly in retrospect. 

My belief is that my horde of Knights should have deployed in the top left, the Big Rock Throwers would be shooting at them regardless, so that would have allowed for my entire right flank to go untouched from the effects of the shooting. The large footprint of the Knight Horde also provided an issue when trying to keep Steve's Goblins in my front. 

Turn 1

Steve won first turn and took it, very un-gentlemen like....but the right choice. In control I actually don't mind going second, but war-machines can quickly change my mind....

Steve mostly positioned his units as you would expect on the first turn. His shooting was quite effective. The King on Chariot (left side) put 5 wounds and wavered my Mount Scouts, and the Big Rock Throwers decided to turn into marksmen and put 10 WOUNDS on my Knight Horde!

My turn was also mostly positioning, but with forcing the Knight Horde forward to hope to limit the turns of shooting from the Big Rock Throwers. I was also able to put three wounds on the King on Chariot (right side). 

Turn 2

Combat began turn two, and this is where another mistake was made by me. King on Chariot (left side) charged my wounded Mounted Scouts and did no wounds, which was a little crazy but he was hindered. King on Chariot (right side) charged the other Mounted Scouts, doing 2 wounds, but an uneventful nerve roll kept them active. Goblin Horde charged out against the Knight Horde, doing one wound. 

My two saw the left most Fanatics Regiment charge a Regiment of Rabble, and the Knight Horde counter charged the Goblin Horde and my Foot Guard Horde took a flank charge on the right most Goblin Rabble. Finally, the Winged Beast began the cleansing of the Rock Thrower battery. Shooting phase I was able to waver the left most King on Chariot with 2 wounds from the Wizard and Mounted Scouts, rolling an 11 I was able to waver him! Boomstick Wizard and the other Mounted Scouts finished off the second King on Chariot. 

Combat was were the issues came into play. Fanatic combat was fine, doing 4 wounds, but blocking the Luggits on the left and a Blaster. The Knight Horde was able to remove the Rabble Horde, but I moved up not bothering to check the distance and facing of the Mincer Mob sitting on the hill. This would prove to be a mistake, and a waste of the Knight Horde. I also did not consider the re-position of the Foot Guard Horde after the combat, putting me too close to Steve's remaining battle line. 

Turn 3

This turned out to be an excellent turn for Steve and he completely capitalized on my plunders from Turn 2. 

Mincer Mob easily remove the damaged Knight Horde with a flank charge, and the right Luggit Gang and a Blaster detonated a bomb under the Foot Guard Horde! Both were hindered, they managed to do a total of 19 wounds, 14 of those coming from the Blaster. Well played Steve. The Fantatics and Rabble continued to have a slap fight. 

My 3 was mostly positioning again. Moving out of the arc of the King of Chariot and adding some more chip damage to him, and the Fanatic Regiment doing more wounds, but not removing them. 

Turn 4

The board began to shrink rapidly for me. Steve was able to get his Trolls into my Pikemen, doing 14 wounds and putting them on the brink of destruction. 

My Knight Regiment and second Fanatics were able to remove the Rabble Regiment in the ruins. My Wizard on Peg (left side) removed the Blaster on the left with some very helpful UB dice (which aren't skewed...thanks Nick Williams!). 

Steve's King on Chariot used his bow to great precision and finished off the Mounted Scouts he had been tangoing with. In turn The Captain sought vengeance and killed the chariot riding heathen in combat! Majestic mister Winged Beast continued his glorious purging of the artillery......

Turn 5

Turn 5 shaped up the final result, and at this point I was certain that with out a Turn 7 it would be a win for Steve. We danced around each other positioned for Turn 6. 

Turn 6

Final turn (spoiler there was not 7 lol) was some rather meaningless combats and darting of my fliers to negative table sections praying for Turn 7. The game ended with a 3-2 win for Steve and humbling defeat for the Kingdoms of Men.

After Action Report

This was a great game and well deserving win for Steve. Terrain was a factor that I poorly played around, and need more practice with the large footprint of the Knight Horde. 

Really struggling with having a reason to keep the General on Winged Beast. I have moved from 2 to 1, and even that is underwhelming. So far I have 9 wins and 7 loses with Kingdoms of Men, so we are making progress.