How can I make the Arcanists work?

[mbowsher76]

I have played Arcanists since the game released. I was drawn to the faction due to the models.

I however, cannot seem to wrap my mind around them and just can't seem to have any success with them.

My biggest problem is how hard it is to get into range of my enemy before dying from ranged attacks (mostly vs guild). With the slow movement (3 or 4 most common) and the low defense (2 or 3) what little damage mitigation they have (armor 1 most common) does not do enough to protect the models.

Far too many models (again, at least with Guild) have LOS and cover ignoring abilities which make using terrain difficult as well.

I find I spend most of my soul stones preventing damage or adding to my duels when trying to avoid being hit. I really do not like being on the defensive all the time and feel like I have very little ability to fight back.

Last night has nearly sealed the deal for me to move to a different faction. I played 30SS against the Ortega box (she kept the additional SS for use in the game). I did not kill a single model! And it wasn't for lack of trying. I played two different lists:

Ramos
Brass Arachnid
Spider Swarm
2 Spiders
Joss
6 SS

and

Rasputina
Essense of Power
Ice Gaimin
Ice Golem
December Acolyte x2
7 SS

In both instances I did some damage but nearly enough or fast enough to stop from being destroyed outright.

It is not just against the Ortegas, I had the same kind of results against the Witch Hunters.

I don't know how to make these models work....I think I am going to move to another faction but was curious how Arcanists are working for others.

[goblyn13]

Can't speak to the Ramos part, but with Rasputina, the Ice gamin and/or golem is key. Use the gamin and the golem to use the Ice mirror, you'll takea hit for casting through it, but that's what soulstones and cheating is for.

Also there is always the "Crazy cat lady list" for Rasputina.

Rasputina
Sabretooth Cerberus (Leap works fantastically, especially when facing Heavy snows)
3 Hoarcat Prides
6ss

The multiple Hoarcats is to help with Devour (with multiples they can use devour on a ht 2 model, not just a ht 1.

But the problem this list has is that there isn't much that can allow her to cast her spells through, but it can cross the board pretty dadgum quick.

[Nutcase168]

The things I've tried so far for Ramos:

-Steamborg will provide mobile cover and not everyone ignores it.
-Ramos Aura spell adds +2 df to all constructs including himself.
-keep steampunk spiders as individuals as they have higher defense.

Don't be afraid to run a spider up to prevent someone from shooting. Stoke it to have it move 8" and then attack twice or move 12" and attack once.

[mbowsher76]

The things I've tried so far for Ramos:

-Steamborg will provide mobile cover and not everyone ignores it.
-Ramos Aura spell adds +2 df to all constructs including himself.
-keep steampunk spiders as individuals as they have higher defense.

Don't be afraid to run a spider up to prevent someone from shooting. Stoke it to have it move 8" and then attack twice or move 12" and attack once.

I didn't think Arcing Screen included Ramos because it did not specify he was included and models are not normally included in their own auras.

Also...it would bring him all the way up to....4df! Lol...not much help.

[WEiRD sKeTCH]

Don't forget that he can summon an Electrical Creation with just a 7.

Ramos has almost the most un-defendable damage output of all the masters.

Spiders blow up, 2 Dg no resist
Swarms blow up, 3 Dg no resist
Electrical Creation walks through a model, 1 Wd no resist
Electrical Creation blows up, 2 Dg
Electrical Creation Burst attack, 3 Dg no resist, only need a 7.

Let them come to you. Let the Steamborg use his steam cloud to block LoS to the models behind him. If they shoot at him, he receives cover. And if need be, have Ramos repair him.

Also, if they're close, Arcing screen so your friendly constructs gain the Defense buff, but if they hit any construct in range of his aura, they take 2 Dg no resist.

[redstripe]

The issue with playing against the Guild is that the Guild learning curve is very brief, where-as with Arcanists and Outcasts (and some Neverborn) the curve is a bit longer.

Rasputina is a bit of a glass cannon. Her Ice Mirror is where he strength seems to be. You've got to keep her out of range or out of LOS of the Guild's guns and bounce your spells onto them through your Golem and Gamin. Don't be afraid to run-run-run your Gamin into place and then activate 'Tina to blast away.

I think Ramos plays a lot like a Rez master. His spiders are for throwing away and then rebuilding.

Marcus is a much more straight-forward list. It's melee-focused which may still be a bad match-up for you, but the models he can bring to the board are super-speedy.

[mbowsher76]

I really don't know what to do at this point.

[mbowsher76]

If I felt I could keep things alive long enought to be able to get close, that would be one thing....but I just get shot to pieces while trying to get close....

[Godspeed]

Yeh, I am the guilty player but really, I think the best idea vs the Ortega's would have been Marcus to get in my face really fast. Granted, I do have Francisco in melee, Perdita as a gunfighter and Whered he go on Nino, but low DEF models trying to cast spells against my high defense...

We discussed this tho, I think the biggest thing is still having a luck mentality from dice games. In this, you have a hand to deal with and blowing your high card load on attacks is going to leave you dying fast. I tend to hold high cards for defense and let my attacks stick to negative's and risk 2-3 dmg on weak and moderate. The way I see it, 2-3 dmg with their misses makes me take the round.

[Fool]

How much terrian are you using? When I use Nino, I find that there is usually only one or two good firing lanes. and with more terrian it really makes it fair against the guild.