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| TAC front view |
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| TAC back view |
Another thing that threw me with these models was trying to come up with a paint scheme for them. I don't particularly like the default Rhulic paint scheme. It's not a particularly interesting color, and on top of that it's a color that is probably a pain to get to coat effectively. So I had to come up with a paint scheme I liked for these guys that I would also be able to finish relatively quickly. I opted for a grey armor color as both a callback to the ashes they're probably producing all the time, and as a standout color (relative to how my Khador is painted) that still paints up pretty quickly.
The last stumbling block I ran into was trying to determine just how much lighting I was going to do on these models. I don't have experience painting object source lighting (OSL) and although I'm more experienced painting general glowy bits it's still not something I'm super comfortable doing. And if there's one thing that the TAC seem to scream (based on the studio paint job) it's "use all of your OSL and glowing paint skills on us!"
In the end, I opted to just go for painting glowy bits on the most obvious vents, and to hell with OSL. One of these days I'll be more willing to invest the time into working on it, but I had already sunk enough time/stalled enough on these models that I wanted to get to the finish line in decently brisk fashion. I also opted out of putting glowy details on the maces (though it's something my wife suggested and I agree it would look cool) due to how tricky it would be with the small vents. Expediency wins out over artistic merit.
Overall, I'm happy with how they turned out, though I definitely wish I could have gotten them done faster/with fewer headaches, and in a perfect world they'd be all sorts of super glowy and sweet. But they're looking good and ready for the table, which is a big thumbs up for me (especially when I remember my general model backlog.)
As for the unit itself, the TAC are a godsend for Khador. I was initially very cold to the idea of the unit: it's a depressingly slow unit that is ostensibly supposed to be out in front of things, blocking LOS with clouds. Since Khador already has access to clouds via the Ternion, or has done without them for so long, I was skeptical as to how useful the TAC would be.
Just a few games made me a believer. The TAC bring two crucial things to the table:
1) A reliable, model independent safety bunker. From a Khador perspective, that faction's 'casters often have to operate a little further up the field than their contemporaries, most often due to their need to project buffs and/or their own personal prowess. They don't have the luxury of hanging back and casting things via Arc Node, and several key feats/spells/abilities are based on 'caster proximity, so into the fray they go.
The issue comes when you look at the table and try to find a reasonably safe place for your 'caster to stand. Standing behind other models is shaky ground: slams are a thing, as is knockdown, moving the intervening model, or just flat out killing it. Huge bases circumvent some of those concerns, but then you have to hide yourself behind that big base, which can cause it's own problems (such as an inability to effectively project auras.) Sometimes the table is kind enough to give you a wall or forest to hide behind, but you can't bank on that.
TAC provide a crucial service by your 'caster a safe way to advance up the table. Hiding behind a wall of clouds is often much safer than hiding behind models. Clouds cannot be targeted like models can, so you negate the concern of your opponent bouncing things off of/into your screen and killing you that way, or removing it by killing the models in front. Clouds also block LOS directly, so they're still useful if your opponent manages to get a hill, or have an ability that allows them to ignore models but not clouds (admittedly I don't know of any that do this, but it may exist in the myriad of abilities in this game.)
It is by no means foolproof: anything that ignores clouds is still a big threat, it telegraphs where your 'caster is going to be (though in many cases your 'caster was going to be there due to necessity,) and the TAC are indeed pokey slow. You also need to be careful because, due to the way the clouds have to be placed, the TAC are going to be inside of the cloud templates. If you butt right up against them for whatever reason, your opponent can still potentially get threats to your 'caster by initially targeting the TAC.
That last bit can be circumvented via positioning (if circumstances allow,) and likewise most of the other issues TAC run into can be worked around if you try a bit. Their low SPD is an issue, so the most important thing to do is, if at all possible/safe, run them first turn. That early surge makes it much easier for them to then advance and use their abilities in the following turns while still being in a good location. The TAC are durable enough that you can afford to run them forward in a lot of cases, but be careful nonetheless; once your opponent has had to deal with a smoke bunker, they'll probably take any easy shot at killing one or two of the unit they can.
Their relative durability (ARM 16 with 5 boxes each isn't too bad) also allows them to serve an auxiliary function when your opponent can ignore clouds for LOS (most specifically: against Eyeless Sight.) If the clouds aren't going to save you, the TAC will just need to do their job directly by forming a wall in front of your 'caster. The upside of it is that the faction most likely to be able to ignore clouds (Legion) is also not going to be able to easily pick the TAC off at range (since they're immune to Fire based attacks) so they can still serve as solid LOS blockers even when they can't put down clouds.
And when they're not putting down clouds/body blocking LOS...
2) The TAC can do some legitimate work between their spells and melee attacks. One of the biggest issues with bringing "support" models is that they often have very little flexibility. Any attacks they have are largely perfunctory, and the support they provide is often relatively narrow (i.e. Mechaniks repair warjacks) so if/when anything happens to the model you're supporting you are kind of left with dead weight.
TAC do not suffer from this problem. They have an excellent magic attack as well as a solid melee attack that has two great secondary features - Flame Burst and Battle Wizard - to go with their good P+S value. Because of all that, TAC can fairly easily transition from a support role to a pinch hitter role once the game starts to wind down and everyone is running low on models. Their low SPD can be a hindrance, but due to their required positioning (up the table from your 'caster, putting down clouds) they're often in a great spot to transition to offense when the time comes.
Moreover, you don't usually need all three TAC to maintain a good cloud wall, so you can often have the third member of the squad ranging out, throwing firey AOEs and causing trouble. This helps the unit feel even more useful; I have few reservations paying 4 points for a 6" wide cloud wall and a "solo" that is walking around tossing magical, decent POW AOEs.
TAC are a very useful inclusion for any list that either a) wants to play their 'caster further up the table (bonus points if the 'caster can't afford to heavily camp focus turn by turn,) or b) you have other critical army components you want to protect (one of the new journeyman 'casters, crucial support models, etc.)
Several Khador 'casters fit the bill for what the TAC bring: Vlad1, Vlad2, Sorscha2, Irusk1, Irusk2, Butcher1, Zerkova, and Strakov all greatly appreciate having a cloud wall to hide behind while they pursue a more aggressive table position (and they likewise can't afford to camp up to "safe" levels while doing so.) Butcher2, Sorscha1, and even Old Witch are also decent places to use the TAC, depending on how you want to run them. Vlad3, Karchev, and Butcher3 all seem to be a little too aggressive to really benefit from the TAC cloud wall, while Harkevich (for all his other issues) is pretty stout defensively when you run his theme force.
Khador is also a faction that has a kickass journeyman, one Kovnik Andrei Malakov, that could really use some protection as he fuels and Redlines a warjack or two. Most of Khador's other support models are fine on their own, but odds are good that your 'caster will benefit from having TAC around so it becomes an even easier inclusion with the addition of Malakov to a list.
Finally, Khador has access to a fantastic add-on to the TAC in the form of their Ranking Officer, Koldun Kapitan Valachev. Valachev does a few awesome things for the TAC:
- Gaining "Faction" status allows the TAC to benefit from some very nice buffs, mainly in the form of feats. Other excellent Faction-only aura effects include: Signs and Portents, Martial Discipline, Transference, and Total Obedience. They're also excellent Hand of Fate targets, though they're a unit you'd be shifting it to later in the game versus wanting to start it out there.
- Disbinding helps to keep irritating upkeeps off of the TAC, which keeps them working. Two of the worst that could come their way are Crippling Grasp and Icy Grip, both of which hamper their ability to use their spells. The primary reason you're bringing this unit is for their *attacks/actions, so you want access to them for as long as possible.
- Zephyr is a fantastically flexible ability when used in conjunction with the TAC. The extra movement can be used aggressively - moving further before making Flame Blast attacks/dropping smoke, get into melee without charging/with free strike immunity during part of the move (allows you to get stuck in with some models while still casting spells with others,) - or defensively by allowing you to place clouds then use the Zephyr movement to pull the TAC out of the clouds. This is one of the biggest and best benefits Valachev brings to the unit, and it's a fantastic way to supplement the unit's normally low SPD.
- Valachev brings a Frost Bite to the table along with everything else, so between him and the three TAC you have a pretty excellent set of magical anti-infantry attacks. Especially if you can get off a melee attack/Flame Burst/Battle Wizard-Flame Blast combo with one or more of the TAC.
All of the above reasons are why the TAC found themselves so high in my painting queue, despite being a relatively recent addition to my collection. They bring excellent utility and offense in a very affordable package, and a lot of Khador's 'casters benefit from the defensive trick they provide. The TAC won't make it into every list, but I'm sure they'll be in enough of them that they're well worth painting up.
Now that the TAC are done I'm moving onto the last item I need to paint that is going to regularly show up in at least one list (that isn't already painted): my lonely Ogrun Bokur, forever destined to be Butcher3's bullet magnet. Thankfully, in sitting down to get started on it the Bokur seems like a very easy model to paint up, so hopefully I'll be able to punch it out in a short span and move onto other, more interesting models.
That last bit can be circumvented via positioning (if circumstances allow,) and likewise most of the other issues TAC run into can be worked around if you try a bit. Their low SPD is an issue, so the most important thing to do is, if at all possible/safe, run them first turn. That early surge makes it much easier for them to then advance and use their abilities in the following turns while still being in a good location. The TAC are durable enough that you can afford to run them forward in a lot of cases, but be careful nonetheless; once your opponent has had to deal with a smoke bunker, they'll probably take any easy shot at killing one or two of the unit they can.
Their relative durability (ARM 16 with 5 boxes each isn't too bad) also allows them to serve an auxiliary function when your opponent can ignore clouds for LOS (most specifically: against Eyeless Sight.) If the clouds aren't going to save you, the TAC will just need to do their job directly by forming a wall in front of your 'caster. The upside of it is that the faction most likely to be able to ignore clouds (Legion) is also not going to be able to easily pick the TAC off at range (since they're immune to Fire based attacks) so they can still serve as solid LOS blockers even when they can't put down clouds.
And when they're not putting down clouds/body blocking LOS...
2) The TAC can do some legitimate work between their spells and melee attacks. One of the biggest issues with bringing "support" models is that they often have very little flexibility. Any attacks they have are largely perfunctory, and the support they provide is often relatively narrow (i.e. Mechaniks repair warjacks) so if/when anything happens to the model you're supporting you are kind of left with dead weight.
TAC do not suffer from this problem. They have an excellent magic attack as well as a solid melee attack that has two great secondary features - Flame Burst and Battle Wizard - to go with their good P+S value. Because of all that, TAC can fairly easily transition from a support role to a pinch hitter role once the game starts to wind down and everyone is running low on models. Their low SPD can be a hindrance, but due to their required positioning (up the table from your 'caster, putting down clouds) they're often in a great spot to transition to offense when the time comes.
Moreover, you don't usually need all three TAC to maintain a good cloud wall, so you can often have the third member of the squad ranging out, throwing firey AOEs and causing trouble. This helps the unit feel even more useful; I have few reservations paying 4 points for a 6" wide cloud wall and a "solo" that is walking around tossing magical, decent POW AOEs.
TAC are a very useful inclusion for any list that either a) wants to play their 'caster further up the table (bonus points if the 'caster can't afford to heavily camp focus turn by turn,) or b) you have other critical army components you want to protect (one of the new journeyman 'casters, crucial support models, etc.)
Several Khador 'casters fit the bill for what the TAC bring: Vlad1, Vlad2, Sorscha2, Irusk1, Irusk2, Butcher1, Zerkova, and Strakov all greatly appreciate having a cloud wall to hide behind while they pursue a more aggressive table position (and they likewise can't afford to camp up to "safe" levels while doing so.) Butcher2, Sorscha1, and even Old Witch are also decent places to use the TAC, depending on how you want to run them. Vlad3, Karchev, and Butcher3 all seem to be a little too aggressive to really benefit from the TAC cloud wall, while Harkevich (for all his other issues) is pretty stout defensively when you run his theme force.
Khador is also a faction that has a kickass journeyman, one Kovnik Andrei Malakov, that could really use some protection as he fuels and Redlines a warjack or two. Most of Khador's other support models are fine on their own, but odds are good that your 'caster will benefit from having TAC around so it becomes an even easier inclusion with the addition of Malakov to a list.
Finally, Khador has access to a fantastic add-on to the TAC in the form of their Ranking Officer, Koldun Kapitan Valachev. Valachev does a few awesome things for the TAC:
- Gaining "Faction" status allows the TAC to benefit from some very nice buffs, mainly in the form of feats. Other excellent Faction-only aura effects include: Signs and Portents, Martial Discipline, Transference, and Total Obedience. They're also excellent Hand of Fate targets, though they're a unit you'd be shifting it to later in the game versus wanting to start it out there.
- Disbinding helps to keep irritating upkeeps off of the TAC, which keeps them working. Two of the worst that could come their way are Crippling Grasp and Icy Grip, both of which hamper their ability to use their spells. The primary reason you're bringing this unit is for their *attacks/actions, so you want access to them for as long as possible.
- Zephyr is a fantastically flexible ability when used in conjunction with the TAC. The extra movement can be used aggressively - moving further before making Flame Blast attacks/dropping smoke, get into melee without charging/with free strike immunity during part of the move (allows you to get stuck in with some models while still casting spells with others,) - or defensively by allowing you to place clouds then use the Zephyr movement to pull the TAC out of the clouds. This is one of the biggest and best benefits Valachev brings to the unit, and it's a fantastic way to supplement the unit's normally low SPD.
- Valachev brings a Frost Bite to the table along with everything else, so between him and the three TAC you have a pretty excellent set of magical anti-infantry attacks. Especially if you can get off a melee attack/Flame Burst/Battle Wizard-Flame Blast combo with one or more of the TAC.
All of the above reasons are why the TAC found themselves so high in my painting queue, despite being a relatively recent addition to my collection. They bring excellent utility and offense in a very affordable package, and a lot of Khador's 'casters benefit from the defensive trick they provide. The TAC won't make it into every list, but I'm sure they'll be in enough of them that they're well worth painting up.
Now that the TAC are done I'm moving onto the last item I need to paint that is going to regularly show up in at least one list (that isn't already painted): my lonely Ogrun Bokur, forever destined to be Butcher3's bullet magnet. Thankfully, in sitting down to get started on it the Bokur seems like a very easy model to paint up, so hopefully I'll be able to punch it out in a short span and move onto other, more interesting models.
I like your paint scheme. It looks a lot like the one I picked for my wife's Searforge Commission. I chose a steel armour colour with a reasoning similar to that of the Silverline Stormguard - the paint has peeled off from the intense heat, though in this case, the heat was caused by them. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteMy favorite paint schemes are the ones that are pragmatic and quick. ;) But I think that's also a side effect of painting red for all these years.