3 Khemri questions

[Smeborg]

I am about to hit the mean streets of our main TT league with my Khemri team, the Short Range Desert Group. Their motto is: "Always on the ball", given that they never pick it up. I have had a little practice in our informal league, hence my questions:

(1) GUARD VS. M-BLOW ON TOMB GUARDIANS. Guard is the best skill on TGs, IMO. I took M-Blow first in our informal league (random MVP) and regretted it for quite a long time (although after 14 games, thinks are looking much better). If I were to play in a random MVP league with Khemri again, I would take Guard first. However, our main league uses chosen MVP, so I am thinking of taking M-Blow first, on the basis that the TGs will get to their 2nd skill pretty fast (rather than getting stuck on 1 skill). Do you think this is the right choice?

(2) DODGE AND BREAK TACKLE. I have a Blitz-Ra with Dodge and B-Tackle. He is fairly good, he brings good mobility. It's a lot of development resource, though. Should I ignore doubles with the Blitz-Ras and stick with the obvious normal skills (M-Blow, Guard etc.)? And if I get 2 doubles rolls on a Thro-Ra (quite possible), should I take Dodge + B-Tackle? It seems a pretty neat combo to me, better perhaps than Dodge + Sidestep.

(3) FIGURINES. I have the GW Tomb Guardians, which I rather like. I also have GW (Undead) Skellies, which I also rather like. I do not like the GW Khemri Blitz-Ras and Thro-Ras, and am rather allergic to multi-piece figurines and skinny legs. Do you have any recommendations for Blitz-Ra and Thro-Ra figurines which would match my TGs and Skellies?

Thanks in advance for your help and all the best.

[plasmoid]

#3: Cursed Company skeletons. Unfortunately they're out of production, so you'll be paying through the nose on ebay.
I used saurus skeletons for my blitzers and skaven skeletons for my throwers.
Cheers
Martin

[Digger Goreman]

I use the Impact star player blitzer and the Willy's undead dark elf as throw ras..... Very happy with them....

Two sandgroper mummies for the blitzras....

[MattDakka]

(1) GUARD VS. M-BLOW ON TOMB GUARDIANS. Guard is the best skill on TGs, IMO. I took M-Blow first in our informal league (random MVP) and regretted it for quite a long time (although after 14 games, thinks are looking much better). If I were to play in a random MVP league with Khemri again, I would take Guard first. However, our main league uses chosen MVP, so I am thinking of taking M-Blow first, on the basis that the TGs will get to their 2nd skill pretty fast (rather than getting stuck on 1 skill). Do you think this is the right choice?

I think that Mighty Blow is better than Guard for the purpose of getting fast SPPs through CAS and scaring off opponent players that could mark the Guardian.
Sometimes I take Guard as first skill if I expect I will need it (for example vs Wood Elves the minimum amount of Guards required for the cage is 2).

(2) DODGE AND BREAK TACKLE. I have a Blitz-Ra with Dodge and B-Tackle. He is fairly good, he brings good mobility. It's a lot of development resource, though. Should I ignore doubles with the Blitz-Ras and stick with the obvious normal skills (M-Blow, Guard etc.)? And if I get 2 doubles rolls on a Thro-Ra (quite possible), should I take Dodge + B-Tackle? It seems a pretty neat combo to me, better perhaps than Dodge + Sidestep.

Dodge and Break Tackle on a ST 3 player is not that great. With a ST 4 Blitz-Ra we'd start to talk, the problem is that Dodge, Break Tackle and ST 4 are a lot of TV for a quite situational task (i.e. the odd dodge).
Stick to the obvious normal skills (namely Mighty Blow, Piling On, Tackle, Jump Up if you roll a double, Frenzy, Juggernaut);
For a Thro-Ra Dodge is great, if you roll another double take either Side Step or Sure Feet.
I wouldn't pick Break Tackle because ST 3 is too low. ST 4 or higher is the prerequisite of Break Tackle in my book.

[spubbbba]

(2) DODGE AND BREAK TACKLE. I have a Blitz-Ra with Dodge and B-Tackle. He is fairly good, he brings good mobility. It's a lot of development resource, though. Should I ignore doubles with the Blitz-Ras and stick with the obvious normal skills (M-Blow, Guard etc.)? And if I get 2 doubles rolls on a Thro-Ra (quite possible), should I take Dodge + B-Tackle? It seems a pretty neat combo to me, better perhaps than Dodge + Sidestep.

Dodge and Break Tackle on a ST 3 player is not that great. With a ST 4 Blitz-Ra we'd start to talk, the problem is that Dodge, Break Tackle and ST 4 are a lot of TV for a quite situational task (i.e. the odd dodge).
Stick to the obvious normal skills (namely Mighty Blow, Piling On, Tackle, Jump Up if you roll a double, Frenzy, Juggernaut);
For a Thro-Ra Dodge is great, if you roll another double take either Side Step or Sure Feet.
I wouldn't pick Break Tackle because ST 3 is too low. ST 4 or higher is the prerequisite of Break Tackle in my book.

I'd second that, BT is really only worth taking on ST4+, so great on the guardians since with MA4 they can actually use it. Plus it helps them avoid getting tied down by fodder and a dodge into the cage can really mess up your opponent's plans even if it fails.

Usually any skeleton player that rolls +AG becomes the ball carrier since you can give him block and/or sure hands after, in the interim the thr-ras always get that job. Usually they get block and then kick off return or leader, after that linemen type skills such as kick, tackle and strip ball to make them useful on defence.

[fidius]

(1) GUARD VS. M-BLOW ON TOMB GUARDIANS. Guard is the best skill on TGs, IMO. I took M-Blow first in our informal league (random MVP) and regretted it for quite a long time (although after 14 games, thinks are looking much better). If I were to play in a random MVP league with Khemri again, I would take Guard first. However, our main league uses chosen MVP, so I am thinking of taking M-Blow first, on the basis that the TGs will get to their 2nd skill pretty fast (rather than getting stuck on 1 skill). Do you think this is the right choice?

Chosen MVP makes an enormous difference to Khemri. You want the Guard -- agreed it is the best skill. Personally I think you had the original logic right -- MB first in random-MVP (because the 2nd skill simply doesn't ever happen without a ton of luck otherwise, although even MB doesn't help much of the time!), Guard in chosen-MVP so you can play the lock-down game immediately. Depending on your opponents of course. If you have Norse, Skaven, Elves in your future, maybe MB first on a couple?

(2) DODGE AND BREAK TACKLE. I have a Blitz-Ra with Dodge and B-Tackle. He is fairly good, he brings good mobility. It's a lot of development resource, though. Should I ignore doubles with the Blitz-Ras and stick with the obvious normal skills (M-Blow, Guard etc.)? And if I get 2 doubles rolls on a Thro-Ra (quite possible), should I take Dodge + B-Tackle? It seems a pretty neat combo to me, better perhaps than Dodge + Sidestep.

I took Jump Up on a killer Blitz-Ra (TPoMb, and av7 unfortunately) and found it unreliable, most of the time I'd rather just stand up again if marked. Can see the value of Dodge, especially with Stand Firm next, adds to the lock-down theme. Not wild about Break Tackle -- would think this is only useful against good coaches who aren't afraid to mark up your key guys.

For Throw-Ras, I like the Sure Feet idea better than BT as second doubles. Also Side Step then Fend might be better than BT in the long run (assuming he gets there).

(3) FIGURINES. I have the GW Tomb Guardians, which I rather like. I also have GW (Undead) Skellies, which I also rather like. I do not like the GW Khemri Blitz-Ras and Thro-Ras, and am rather allergic to multi-piece figurines and skinny legs. Do you have any recommendations for Blitz-Ra and Thro-Ra figurines which would match my TGs and Skellies?

Best Throw-Ras are from Gaspez IMO:

They will however be taller that your GW Guardians because they are Spanish sized (very frustrating!). Gaspez Blitz-Ras are OK (I have them, too) but haven't really found better ones -- maybe use Necro Blitzers? Since they're armoured up they don't need to look too skeletal... Or you could buy a pack of GW Tomb Kings (WHFB) from which I'm sure you could piece together reasonable figs to make Blitz-Ras out of. Unfortunately they would be plastic. This is the Tomb Guard set:

[squirrelfanatic]

I like the fact that one of those skeletons appears to hold a horn of some sort. How the heck is he going to blow that? Otherwise great looking models.

[MattDakka]

I like the fact that one of those skeletons appears to hold a horn of some sort. How the heck is he going to blow that?

Magic.

[squirrelfanatic]

[crimsonsun]

Right:

1: This is not a choice, Guard is the only answer here, yes Mighty Blow helps them Level faster but the ONLY skill they need is Guard, which once possessed anything extra is just icing on the cake.

2: Dodge Break Tackle is not worth the investment alone, you either need multiple Dodge players or higher strength. On the other hand I had 2 Dodge Blitz ra's, 2 blodge Tomb Guardians (Blodge, MB, Guard, Standfirm & Blodge, Frenzy, Tackle, Side Step) and a Blodge Throw Ra in the squad at which point it became highly effective defensively, though that has devalued considerably since losing the frenzy guardians and the Throw Ra. Doubles on blitz Ra's for me go to Jump Up, then Dodge but only if they already have MB and Tackle. Personally I feel the key to Khemri success is forcing the opponent to engage you and spending your turn utilising blocks combined with positional skills to disengage in an advantageous fashion, if this is done correctly Break Tackle is rarely required.

3: Models [url]http://www.impactminiatures.com/index.p ... n=pharaohs[/url] I saw at the UKBBL TT in November where really nice aesthetically and even better in plastic.

[Chris]

How long is the league? A short league and you should have at least one break tackle mummy and otherwise guard. Long or perpetual league and you can sacrifice short term victory for long term destruction, assuming decay doesn't get you.

[JaM]

I've used shoulderpads on normal (plastic) GW skeletons to mark them as blitzras, and used the pose and hands to differ between the rest and the throwers. Think Dark elf thrower-style, without ball.
Add a basering colour and you're set. Perhaps a different, helmetted head for both and no hemet for the rest..?

[mattgslater]

How many games will you be playing? Is it worth sacking your win rate now to improve it in the future? If winning now is all that matters, Guard on TGs. If you're looking ahead, MB. Both are good, so you can't go too far wrong.

Blitz-Ras are your killers, you need removal 'cause your guys are fragile and clumsy. Mighty Blow, Tackle, and Piling On: deviate only for AG and ST. No doubles, no 10s, not until you got those 3.

No advice on figures that hasn't already been given, sorry.

[MattDakka]

Blitz-Ras are your killers, you need removal 'cause your guys are fragile and clumsy. Mighty Blow, Tackle, and Piling On: deviate only for AG and ST.

Honestly, +AG is not worth on a Blitz-Ra, 40 TV for AG 3 on a player that is not going to handle the ball?
Not a good idea at all.
+ST is fine.

[Dr. Von Richten]

I'd give Guard to my first TG to skill up just to get easier 3D blocks on the LOS. The others get MB. Then reverse. After that, TF/BT & Grab. Block on Doubles, of course. 2nd double Frenzy, Dodge or Tackle.

Blitz-Ra's: MB, PO, Tackle, Guard and MB, Tackle, PO, Guard

Throw-Ra's: Block, KOR and Block, Leader. After that, Kick if you feel the need, otherwise Fend or Tackle

Skeletons: Wrestle, DP or Wrestle, Fend