Join me after the break for a quick rundown of how the game went, along with my first impressions playing Convergence.
Mini-Battle Report
My first game with Convergence was against a friend of mine who is getting back into Warmahordes after an extended time away from the game (it's probably been nearly 6 months since he's played a game in that system). We both figured that it'd be a decent experience: I'd be trying out a completely new faction, and he could ease back into the game.
My List:
Forge Master Syntherion (*6pts)
* Corollary (3pts)
* Diffuser (3pts)
* Galvanizer (0pts)
* Assimilator (8pts)
* Assimilator (8pts)
* Cipher (9pts)
* Inverter (8pts)
* Monitor (8pts)
Optifex Directive (Leader and 2 Grunts) (2pts)
Optifex Directive (Leader and 2 Grunts) (2pts)
Algorithmic Dispersion Optifex (1pts)
Attunement Servitors (2pts)
Attunement Servitors (2pts)
My Friend's List:
Bradigus Thorle the Runecarver (*6pts)
* Woldwatcher (5pts)
* Woldwatcher (5pts)
* Woldwatcher (0pts)
* Woldguardian (9pts)
* Woldwarden (9pts)
* Woldwarden (9pts)
Sentry Stone (Leader and 3 Manikins) (3pts)
Sentry Stone (Leader and 3 Manikins) (3pts)
Shifting Stones (2pts)
Shifting Stones (2pts)
Celestal Fulcrum (9pts)
* Woldguardian (9pts)
* Woldwarden (9pts)
* Woldwarden (9pts)
Sentry Stone (Leader and 3 Manikins) (3pts)
Sentry Stone (Leader and 3 Manikins) (3pts)
Shifting Stones (2pts)
Shifting Stones (2pts)
Celestal Fulcrum (9pts)
Without planning we both brought Synergy 'casters with fantastic theme lists, and both of us were running full T4.
The scenario was SR2015 Outflank. Bradigus won the roll off and took first turn.
This game was pretty quick. Both of us spent our first turns trying to wrangle our lists into working correctly. Bradigus made the first move into the scenario zones, and Syntherion responded by charging the Inverter and Cipher into Woldwatchers, doing minimal damage (the Assimilators managed to break some Shifting and Sentry Stones though.)
Bradigus responded by destroying the Cipher (twice, due to Reconstruct), Inverter, Monitor, and one of the Assimilators before sliding back out of threat range. We called it at that point, as the remaining models Syntherion had weren't going to be nearly enough to make a comeback, let alone keep Bradigus from easily scoring on the left zone via domination over the next two turns for a quick scenario win.
Overall, a quick, brutal game, as is probably to be expected with those two 'casters squaring off against one another. Syntherion kind of has to take it on the chin in this fight, and unfortunately for him Convergence vectors aren't the heartiest warjacks (not that much will stand up to, say, an effectively P+S 23 Woldguardian getting to it). However, this game was more about hanging out and getting some new models on the table, and in that regard it was big success. On to thoughts about how the list handled!
Faction and List Thoughts
I'm working with a small sample here - around 3 turns worth of play - but it was at least enough for me to get a taste of what it's like to play Convergence (and Syntherion specifically). In no particular order, here are some impressions I have after running the list:
- Setting up the first turn's worth of Inductions is both easy and tricky. It is easy because you're probably just running everything first turn so you only need to manage one Focus flowing throughout the battlegroup, and it's probably easy to run everything sequentially so as to not mess that up. It can also be tricky because, depending on your deployment, you may not be able to easily do one big circuit, so you end up managing two smaller Induction circuits. Not a big deal, but something you need to keep in mind.
- Managing Induction on turns after the first is every bit as difficult as I thought it would be. You need to be planning for how you're going to Induct Focus on turn 2 while you're still moving on turn 1 so you don't screw yourself (which I did). You also need to be mindful of the sequence your vectors will be activating in so you can set up the most optimal Induction pathways (which is something else I screwed up).
Playing Convergence well, especially Syntherion, seems like it involves growing a solid understanding of what you want to do, what your opponent is likely to do, and how you're going to want to respond to that. Only by doing that can you plan a step ahead and maximize your army's efficiency. It's kind of daunting and difficult to get right at first, but I can see it being tremendously rewarding and satisfying.
- Managing the Corollary is it's own little puzzle. The ideal seems to be to end the turn with at least two Focus on it, so it can start off the next turn with the full 3 Focus to allocate (plus 1 for Induction, giving you 4 "free" Focus each turn). That is tricky to pull off without practice, because the Corollary kind of ends up being the beginning and end of your Focus loop at that point. It is probably going to want to activate early to allocate Focus and free itself up for Induction later in the turn, while also being in a relevant position to pick up Induction Focus later in the turn.
Positioning for all that while also maintaining Induction ranges and appropriate threat positions for your warjacks is not an easy task. That, more than anything else, is probably going to take me the most practice to get right.
- Convergence vectors have somewhat mopey defensive stats, though that is probably me being somewhat "spoiled" by Khador warjacks at least being ARM 20 with 34 damage boxes. The walker chassis vectors are as durable as Protectorate heavies, which isn't too bad. The floating vectors are closer to Cryx helljacks in terms of durability, which is much less pleasant.
The upside to all this is that the vectors are costed with that durability in mind (6-9 points, with most being 8) and they all have their systems laid out in ways that make them a little harder to break than other warjacks. Induction also helps to get around the age old "cortex" problem - if a warjack starts its turn without a functional Cortex, it's usually useless that turn - by allowing for Repair then Induct to still potentially get work out of the vector that turn.
All of that makes the vectors feel oddly resilient, despite their mediocre-to-poor defensive profiles. That feels pretty good coming from a faction where the warjacks are more durable in terms of numbers, but ultimately do not feel nearly as resilient.
- Convergence vectors also have pretty sad offensive profiles (SPD most of all, MAT and RAT depending on 'caster), something I am very familiar with after years of toiling with Khador non-character heavies. The biggest difference is that you're usually stuck with those stat profiles in Khador (or you're buffing them with your 'caster), whereas Convergence has a number of easy fixers in the faction to help out. Attunement Servitors go a long way towards offsetting accuracy issues for melee and ranged, and the Diffuser is the faux-Hunter's Mark ability I've wanted access to for years.
Those two things - which are available to every Convergence list - make the vectors feel much more effective and useful than any set of warjacks I've ever worked with, and it only gets better when you layer on the buffs that the 'caster brings along. Its very exciting, because it means that between those buffs and Induction, you can support as many (or as few) vectors as you like. Again, very liberating coming from Khador.
- Convergence vectors are pretty fun to use due to the flexibility of their design. Pretty much all the vectors have a couple of things going for them, so they either have some flexibility (melee and guns) or a couple different layers (different weapons on the Inverter). That level of thoughtful design is one of the main things that allows them so much latitude in how large their battlegroups are. You can afford to go much more battlegroup heavy when more of your heavies have anti-infantry answers (with supplemental melee), or similar benefits. Flexibility like that is hard to come by in other factions (and often carries a higher cost/character restrictions). Having baseline heavies that can cover multiple bases is pretty damn great.
- Syntherion is a fantastic battlegroup 'caster. Shocking, I know. Others have waxed about how good he is, and I don't have that much experience so I don't feel comfortable really weighing in, but I can absolutely see the magic. He has a perfect suite of spells and abilities to support his battlegroup, and great models to take advantage of it (I don't even have a Prime Axiom with him, though I'll definitely be rotating that in at some point).
One of the things I need to work on with Syntherion is getting more into the mindset of maximizing Synergy. It seems like a really simple thing, but trying to maximize output while also correctly timing the application of buffs/debuffs and managing Induction flow is pretty tricky. To put it a different way: it's not that hard to do, it's hard to do well. I thought I was doing alright during the game, but looking back on it later I could have probably stacked Synergy up more effectively. Another thing to keep in mind.
- I have very few list thoughts, due to the nature and brevity of the game, but the one thing I'd seriously consider changing is the Servitor load out. I don't think I need two units of Attunement Servitors; one unit + Cipher is probably enough. I can swap out the second unit of Attunement Servitors for Reflex or Elimination Servitors, which would give me a touch more output and anti-infantry. I'm going to play some more games before making any changes, but I'll be keeping that prospect in mind.
Closing Thoughts
Even though it was a quick game, I enjoyed my first taste of what it's like to play Convergence. This list operates the way I'd hoped it would (minus everything dying, but that's never how it plays out in my head) and I'd love to throw it up against a variety of opponents to see how it fares.
I'm now sorely tempted to try and switch over to Convergence full time, for at least awhile. Khador isn't getting any new releases until May, so there isn't going to be much to do with that faction other than iterate on lists (in fairness, I could use a lot more Butcher3 practice). That leaves me a good few months to play the two Convergence lists I have and really see how I feel about the faction, though that also involves me building what I need for my Directrix list sometime in the next couple of weeks.
One of my biggest logistical issues with Convergence is that I don't want to fully assemble anything on the floating bases until they're all painted (to make them a bit easier to paint, and keep paint off the flying stands). I'm not entirely sure how to do that, so if anyone has any suggestions/experience with that, I'd love to hear it. Same thing goes for the Prime Axiom - I know I want to eventually paint him in parts, as it made Conquest much, much easier - but I think I know how to handle that. It's mainly the Servitors and floating Vectors that are throwing me off.
Assuming I figure all that out, I may be back with a lot more Convergence discussion in the coming weeks. I definitely have to get in my games with them while I can, before the next round of Khador releases almost inevitably suck me back into playing them again!
- Convergence vectors are pretty fun to use due to the flexibility of their design. Pretty much all the vectors have a couple of things going for them, so they either have some flexibility (melee and guns) or a couple different layers (different weapons on the Inverter). That level of thoughtful design is one of the main things that allows them so much latitude in how large their battlegroups are. You can afford to go much more battlegroup heavy when more of your heavies have anti-infantry answers (with supplemental melee), or similar benefits. Flexibility like that is hard to come by in other factions (and often carries a higher cost/character restrictions). Having baseline heavies that can cover multiple bases is pretty damn great.
- Syntherion is a fantastic battlegroup 'caster. Shocking, I know. Others have waxed about how good he is, and I don't have that much experience so I don't feel comfortable really weighing in, but I can absolutely see the magic. He has a perfect suite of spells and abilities to support his battlegroup, and great models to take advantage of it (I don't even have a Prime Axiom with him, though I'll definitely be rotating that in at some point).
One of the things I need to work on with Syntherion is getting more into the mindset of maximizing Synergy. It seems like a really simple thing, but trying to maximize output while also correctly timing the application of buffs/debuffs and managing Induction flow is pretty tricky. To put it a different way: it's not that hard to do, it's hard to do well. I thought I was doing alright during the game, but looking back on it later I could have probably stacked Synergy up more effectively. Another thing to keep in mind.
- I have very few list thoughts, due to the nature and brevity of the game, but the one thing I'd seriously consider changing is the Servitor load out. I don't think I need two units of Attunement Servitors; one unit + Cipher is probably enough. I can swap out the second unit of Attunement Servitors for Reflex or Elimination Servitors, which would give me a touch more output and anti-infantry. I'm going to play some more games before making any changes, but I'll be keeping that prospect in mind.
Closing Thoughts
Even though it was a quick game, I enjoyed my first taste of what it's like to play Convergence. This list operates the way I'd hoped it would (minus everything dying, but that's never how it plays out in my head) and I'd love to throw it up against a variety of opponents to see how it fares.
I'm now sorely tempted to try and switch over to Convergence full time, for at least awhile. Khador isn't getting any new releases until May, so there isn't going to be much to do with that faction other than iterate on lists (in fairness, I could use a lot more Butcher3 practice). That leaves me a good few months to play the two Convergence lists I have and really see how I feel about the faction, though that also involves me building what I need for my Directrix list sometime in the next couple of weeks.
One of my biggest logistical issues with Convergence is that I don't want to fully assemble anything on the floating bases until they're all painted (to make them a bit easier to paint, and keep paint off the flying stands). I'm not entirely sure how to do that, so if anyone has any suggestions/experience with that, I'd love to hear it. Same thing goes for the Prime Axiom - I know I want to eventually paint him in parts, as it made Conquest much, much easier - but I think I know how to handle that. It's mainly the Servitors and floating Vectors that are throwing me off.
Assuming I figure all that out, I may be back with a lot more Convergence discussion in the coming weeks. I definitely have to get in my games with them while I can, before the next round of Khador releases almost inevitably suck me back into playing them again!
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