Initial Zerkova2 Thoughts

Thanks to a friend at Lock & Load, I am in possession of a shiny new set models, well in advance of their release date: Obavnik Kommander Zerkova and her Reaver Guard. Join me after the break for a quick review of the models, as well as some early thoughts as to what the hell I plan to do with Zerkova2.

Worth it just for the "Thanks Obavnik" jokes

I'll go over the models in more detail when I get around to painting them (which should be soon; they're in the queue immediately after I finish Ruin), but a quick review: they're pretty fantastic. Zerkova herself is one of the absolute best human female sculpts (something miniature companies are hit or miss on in general) I've seen out of PP since Nicia, and is a great warcaster sculpt in general. The Reaver guard are nicer than I expected; they're suitably generic (since they're not named characters) but there is enough detail and personality to them that they'll be fun to paint.

The models were very, very well cast. Few mold lines overall (the worst ones were on the Reaver halberd hafts) and the pieces were cut in a such a way as to very easily, naturally hide the joints. Zerkova was the easiest of the set to get together - she's 4 pieces (head, smoke stacks, arm, and lower body) though I had to do several filing passes in order to get her hips to join up properly to her waist. The Reaver guards weren't that much more difficult, but it felt like their pieces required some more aggressive cleaning (they each have one leg and arm to glue on, both of which had solid tabs) and I'm always leery of gluing in double handed weapons. Though in this case, they went together without too much trouble. Their heads were actually worse, due to not having a really secure point to base the join on (i.e. no clear neck stump) and their crazy-madman ponytails actually giving the heads a powerful back weight.

So, now that I have a shiny new warcaster together, and as a pre-release! The downside to that is Zerkova2 isn't actually released yet, so I can't use her in any events. The upside is that I don't really know what the hell I'm doing with her yet anyways, so that is probably just going to save me some embarrassment as it forces me to practice with her for a month or so.

The hardest part with Zerkova2, at least for me, is figuring out what "the rest" of her list is going to be. The core elements are pretty straightforward:

Zerkova2 + Reaver Guard

  - at least one warjack

Ternion x (1-3)

Outriders (Leader & 4 Grunts)

Tactical Arcanist Corps or Aiyana & Holt

  - Valachev

That core set of models gets you the magic attacks you want to take advantage of Occult Whispers and her feat, while also giving you a good variety of spells to use (mainly: having a decent source of Ice Cage, as well as Frostbite). I am of the mind that a max unit of Outriders is the way to go - you only get one unit of them, and they're the unit most likely to kick out your Frostbite offensive, so I think they're worth maxing out. Ternion is sort of a "salt to taste" choice, but I think two units is probably a good minimum (to give you some redundancy).

The nice thing about this core is that it is relatively cheap, depending on what warjack(s) you throw into Zerkova2's battlegroup, and it slots easily into her theme list if you want to go that route. The much trickier part - and I think the main thing everyone is trying to figure out right now - is what the hell to do with the remaining points.

And while I'd love to say that I have the perfect solution lined up (or even a particularly good one), I'm still at a loss even after staring at Zerkova2's rules since they were first spoiled at Lock & Load.

One thing I've found that helps tremendously in these situations is to just pick an iteration or two of the list and just get the damn thing on the table. It can be very easy to stuck in a theory churn with lists, especially when you're developing in a vacuum; without any feedback, you're just stuck gunning the engine on blocks, hoping to stumble upon a perfect combination of list elements. Sometimes you get lucky and stumble upon one of those lists, but more often than not they need to be developed organically, and as a result of experience.

So, I have two lists ready to go. The first one is the most straightforward:

Zerkova2 - Theme T4:

Obavnik Kommander Zerkova - WJ: +4
- Reaver Guard
- Decimator - PC: 9
- Spriggan - PC: 10

Koldun Lord - PC: 2

Lady Aiyana & Master Holt - Lady Aiyanna & Master Holt: 4
- Koldun Kapitan Valachev  - Valachev 2
Greylord Outriders - Leader & 4 Grunts: 9
Greylord Ternion - Leader & 2 Grunts: 4
Greylord Ternion - Leader & 2 Grunts: 4
Doom Reavers - Leader & 5 Grunts: 6
Doom Reavers - Leader & 5 Grunts: 6

(Two quick asides: 1) This is output from War Room instead of Forward Kommander, as the latter hasn't been updated in forever. Hence the janky formatting. 2) While it may shock some of you to learn, War Room has an issue: it doesn't allow you to add the free Koldun Lord to the list at T4, and it flags Valachev as invalid for the list. Baby steps, even after all these years.)

Zerkova2's theme isn't as "automatic" as Vayl2's or Bradigus', but it is a very easy list to make for her. You're pretty much naturally going to hit at least T3 when you sit down to make any Zerkova2 list, so its just a question on if you're willing to forego other options (and possibly add a second warjack) to get the theme bonuses.

The bonuses are okay. Advanced move on, essentially, every warjack you bring (considering that you'll have at minimum 2 Greylord units, and almost certainly 3-5, depending on how the theme list counts Greylord units for that tier) is pretty nice. Especially since Zerkova2 feels like she's leaning more towards shooting warjacks (for what that is worth in Khador) so getting up the table earlier in the game is certainly more valuable. Getting a bonus Koldun Lord is also nice; either lets you go over FA, or bring the one you were going to anyways for free.

For my money the best theme list bonus is the +1 to your starting roll. Any iteration of Zerkova2 list seems like it relies heavily on getting the first hit and threatening assassination in order to really be effective, and getting first turn can go a long way to making sure you're in a good position for both of those things.

As the theme limits you to Greylord units, Winter Guard units, and Doom Reavers, I opted to load up on Doom Reavers and Greylords, with some supplemental warjacks for heavy hitting, Stealth removal (though I still hate trying to use Flare for that), and something resembling a heavy hitting battlegroup.

I think this list is a fair starting point for getting Zerkova2 on the table. It has plenty of magic attacks, decent hitting power, and some beef with the warjacks. It doesn't really have a good Telgesh Mark target (I guess it will be the Spriggan most of the time) and everything but the warjacks feels like it is prone to just getting shot off the table. But at least this list will get Zerkova2 on the table and give me a basic feel for what her game looks like, and that's a great start.

The other list is more...experimental:

Zerkova2 - Malakov + Conquest:

Obavnik Kommander Zerkova - WJ: +4
- Reaver Guard
- Rager - PC: 6

Kovnik Andrei Malakov - PC: 3
- Conquest - PC: 19

Greylord Outriders - Leader & 4 Grunts: 9
Greylord Ternion - Leader & 2 Grunts: 4
Greylord Ternion - Leader & 2 Grunts: 4
Kayazy Eliminators - Leader & Grunt: 3
Lady Aiyana & Master Holt - Lady Aiyanna & Master Holt: 4
- Koldun Kapitan Valachev - Valachev 2

Surprise, surprise, the core of the list is pretty much the same. What this list picks up by dropping the theme is a pair of solid Telgesh Mark targets with the Eliminators, and some serious (battlegroup independent) beef with Malakov running Conquest. Zerkova2 gets to make due with just a Rager, which is probably for the best; she will probably appreciate all the protection she can get.

The thinking with this list is that you have the Greylord core that will kill everything with Zerkova2's assistance, so Malakov can bring (and manage) the heavy hitting elements of the list. Zerkova2 also brings some extra security for him via Banishing Ward, so all you have to worry about at that point are guns (which can hopefully be mitigated by distance, Rager, and Sucker in an absolute pinch). Banishing Ward can also help against some possible Backlash kills into Malakov, though its not a perfect solution vs. Cryx. (gotta hope the sprays can clean out all the Satyxis Raiders).

I really shouldn't be putting a colossal into an anti-Cryx list, but I also don't like the idea of skewing too hard in one direction and I would really like some heavy lifting/ARM in the list. Conquest brings both, and with Malakov crewing it Zerkova doesn't need to fuel it, it has solid threat range and hits like a dumptruck full of hammers with Redline, and brings some boostable guns to the table (with a slight jump in threat range with Redline as well).

That is actually the whole driver behind including Conquest: the only time I've ever thought that the Linked rule on the Secondary Batterys would come in handy is against something like an enemy 'caster/'lock, and even then they'd need to have the right ARM and be somehow lower DEF. In a list with 4d6 to hit Hoarfrost and plenty of Ice Cages, I'd hope to be able to either freeze the opposing 'caster, or at least give them lower DEF (two Ice Cages gets Conquest up to effective RAT 8). If it is on feat turn, Malakov can cast Redline for free, ensuring that Conquest will have 3 focus and +2 SPD to go in for the kill. That gets even better with Harm, assuming I can land it.

It feels gimmicky, but fun, and I've been wanting to get Malakov on the table since I painted the damned Limited Edition model I got for wasting money on the Warmachine: Tactics Kickstarter. Even if Conquest doesn't work out, I can see Malakov having merit in the list as a way to spread focus out a bit more, get some heavy hitting power into the list, and have another random spell you can throw out (the only thing more satisfying that assassinating with Razor Wind is assassinating with Focus 4 Razor Wind).

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Those are the two lists that I'll be trying out at some point in the near-ish future for Zerkova2. I'm not sure which one will see the tabletop first; probably the theme list, as it is the most straightforward one. Actually putting Zerkova2 and her "core" of models on the table should hopefully unravel some of the mystery around how she and her army operate, and from there I can work on refining a non-theme list more (unless the theme ends up blowing me away somehow, though I'm not counting on it to).

I'll be sure to post up batreps whenever I get those games in. Until then, I'd love to hear any thoughts anyone has about Zerkova2 and what the hell you plan to do with her.

Thanks very much for reading!