35pts Searforge, dual lists for steamroller competition

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Hi all,

I'm seeking advice on dual lists for a 35pts steamroller competition.

I will be playing pure Searforge commision and will be bringing a Gorten and a Durgen list.

35pts Durgen Madhammer (Searforge Contract)
Durgen Madhammer
- Grundback Blaster
- Grundback Gunner
- Ghordson Driller
Herne & Jonne
Horgenhold Artillery Corps (Leader and 2 Grunts)
Horgenhold Forge Guard (Leader and 5 Grunts)
Horgenhold Forge Guard (Leader and 5 Grunts)
Lord Rockbottom
Thor Steinhammer
- Ghordson Avalancher

Thoughts on overall strategy:
The forge guard will screen and keep in front. Durgens battlegroup will be behind. The blaster's main mission is to take out tie up units. The gunner targets solo's. The Driller is there to wreck heavies. Rockbottom will keep with Durgen and make sure forge guard stays put, uses the spray to discourage infantry. The ranged (Durgen, Artillery, H&J, Avalancher) will pound approaching enemies while forge guard and driller will mop up, probably feating on second turn when everything is in place.


Gorten Grundback (35pts)
Gorten Grundback
- Grundback Blaster
- Grundback Gunner
- Ghordson Driller
Hammerfall High Shield Gun Corps (Leader and 9 Grunts)
Hammerfall High Shield Gun Corps Officer & Standard
Herne & Jonne
Horgenhold Forge Guard (Leader and 5 Grunts)
Lord Rockbottom
Thor Steinhammer
- Ghordson Basher

Thoughts on overall strategy:
Gorten's battlegroup leads with the driller in front. Blaster and Gunner supports against solos and units. The forge guard are watching the flanks and serves as a counter charge unit. The High Shields are second line support, dividing fire as necessary. H&J takes aim at stealthed or high def units. Thor uses the basher to threat slam lanes, trying to bowl heavies or go for assassination.

Thoughts on the Gorten list:
It feels like I have too little melee, any suggestions here? Shall I remove the Highshields UA and get a full forge guard? Maybe remove Rockbottom and UA/H&J and take 2 min forge guard?

Thanks for all help :-)

Having playtested both armies, there are som updates. I'll start with Durgen.

Durgen's list met the witch from Khador, killing her after she failed an assassination attempt in the "Destruction" scenario.

Highlights from the fight was:
* Avalancher taking out all three great bears with one shot during the feat
* 10 Riflemen + the screaming guy (UA?) went down to a hail of AoEs during the feat
* Durgen, Gunner, and Artillery taking out both sub-cortex and cortex of the Behemoth in one turn (good rolls)

Generally, I played more on attrition than on the scenario. If I had played the scenario I would have redlined the driller and sent it on the weakest flank at a run to destroy the target and win the scenario. Alas, I did not and won on luck.

Changes to the list:
Artillery is exchanged for a gunner. It has larger threat range, higher probabilistic strength (boosted) and I usually had focus to spare for one extra.

I might exchange Rockbottom to upgrade the driller to a Rockram sometime in the future for an extra gun for explosivo and +1 armor for the front line fire soaker.


Rules/Heuristics for playing Durgen:
* Feat early (usually second turn)
* Cast explosivo on gunners if firing at densely packed units
* Cast explosivo + powerful attack on gunners during feat turn
* Cast inhospitable ground if enemies without pathfinder are within the control area
* Always boost to-hit roll for powder keg (higher critical hit chance)
* Usually redline the driller on first turn
* Prime forge guard when they do suicide charges
* Hide Durgen, he has arcing fire

You are aware that the boosts from Powerful Attack does not carry over to the AoE granted by Explosivo, right? If you are, then I apologize, but if not, it's well to be aware of

Oh, I was not aware of that. I found Cannibal Bobs excellent answer to the question, thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

Back on track...

My experiences with the Gorten list was a loss against Severius of Menoth, steamroller "catch the flag"-scenario.
It was a game of attrition with only the casters standing in the end, Severius was the faster and won by scenario.

Notables during the game:
* Daughters of the flame got a tie-up run towards the high shields during round 1
* Solid ground does not protect against effects of blast damage, only the blast damage itself (high shields immune to damage, but burst aflame)
* Gortens molten metal really effective against high armor jacks
* Gorten can cast strength of granite on himself...

The list can probably carry itself if I'm a bit more careful with the high shields, but I'm a bit uncomfortable with it so I'm doing a drastic change to something I'm used to

Gorten Grundback (35pts)
Gorten Grundback
- Grundback Blaster
- Grundback Gunner
- Grundback Gunner
- Ghordson Driller
Herne & Jonne
Horgenhold Forge Guard (Leader and 5 Grunts)
Horgenhold Forge Guard (Leader and 5 Grunts)
Lord Rockbottom
Ogrun Bokur
Thor Steinhammer
- Ghordson Basher

Thoughts on deployment:
This is a massive melee line advancing at full speed. Gunners take the flanks. Driller and Basher on each flank inside the gunners. Forge guard inside them. Blaster in the middle. H&J keeps on the driller side. Gorten behind the left forge guard unit with the Bokur. Rockbottom to the right of Gorten. Thor behind the right forge guard.

Thoughts on strategy:
Full throttle ahead. Gorten charges the bunnies to keep up, uses the feat defensively if enemy gets the run/charge in, offensively if they try to keep outside of charge range from drillers and forge guard. Forge guard keeps within solid ground to be immune to blast damage. Blaster protects against infantry. Gunbunnies aims for high def solos and warcaster. Basher aims for collateral damage and assassination attempts. The thought is to give so many targets that most will reach the enemy lines.


Rules/Heuristics for Gorten:
* Use rock wall to prevent enemy charges
* Always cast strength of granite on the driller
* When driller is dead, give strength of granite to Gorten
* If playing against an army with blasts or knockdowns, keep solid ground up
* Molten metal is great against jacks with high armor (Khador...)
* Eruption is best paired with feat
* Keep forge guard within solid ground
* Gorten can charge bunnies to keep up, does 2 probabilistic damage to them with the charge attack. Will it be a back strike if he's behind them?

Intressant. VIlken lista spelade du med då, och hur gick det?

Spelade med båda listorna, 2 vinster med Gorten och 1 vinst/1 förlust med Durgen ledde till en andraplats :-)