N18 New Escher gang

[TT812]

Hi guys, long time lurker, new player here!

So after a year and something I am joining a new N17 Dominion campaign and furiously putting together my Escher gang. I am not confident with right "builds" yet, so any critique of my first list draft would be welcomed!

Wyckedth Wytches https://yaktribe.games/underhive/gang/wyckedth_wytches.41591/

Leader: Stiletto Knife, Combi-Needler, mesh armour/overseer
Champion: Stiletto Sword, Needle Pistol, Chem-Synth/ Spring up
Champion: Power Sword, Chainsword / Rain of blows
Ganger: Chem-thrower, lasgun
Ganger: shotgun with acid rounds
Ganger: Lasgun
Ganger: Lasgun
Ganger: Lasgun
Juve: stiletto knife
Juve: 2x Stub gun

 

[TabulaRasa]

It looks alright, although I think you lack in some heavier fire power to take out the objective for when you're playing sabotage. Dropping some of the initial bling and keeping it a bit leaner will probably let you arm one of your champions with a plasma or melta gun to get it covered. I would also go double spring up for the champs. Since the dream scenario for an escher juve is to get a M increase and then a hand flamer I would not arm one with double pistols - you want to have slots for a CC weapon, sidearm (or second CC) and the hand flamer.

 

[FlatMattie]

First up, you’re over the 1000 credit limit that you start with in most campaign is that a house rule for the campaign? If not you might want to cut some costs.

I definitely agree that you need something to pack a punch, melta or plasma are good. I’d drop the chem thrower as, although it is cool af, it is very overpriced and has very limited range that given that it doesn’t pin is a nightmare because whatever you’re aiming at is most likely to be in charge range and as the ganger has no cc weapons that’s an issue.

 

[UnderhiveBerzerker]

Put the Chem thrower on the champ instead of the needle pistol and give her sprint. that way you will get the most out of your Overseer skill.
also consider giving the combi needler to the CC champ instead of the leader. with overseer you wont get the most out that combi weapon on your leader.

I played a lot of games with a overseer leader, and the new 6" range really makes second choice skill for me now.

yes it is cool to sling shot juves or champs out, but those 3 attacks on her profile is just wasted IMO and often she will get stuck behind, far from the action or unable to utilize the overseer skill to full effect.

Rain of blows seems cool, but is Step aside is better, if you want a CC skill

Good luck

PS: Remember to buy the shotgun, else the ganger just runs around with the pockets full og shells and no gun to load em in

 

[TT812]

Consulting the rulebook I see I have made some mistakes when using just the gang builder (like going over 1000 credits), thanks for an input,will try a second version.

Will rething the chem-throwe (I am a bit suprised it does not pin), but damn, its too cool.

 

[TabulaRasa]

Consulting the rulebook I see I have made some mistakes when using just the gang builder (like going over 1000 credits), thanks for an input,will try a second version.

Will rething the chem-throwe (I am a bit suprised it does not pin), but damn, its too cool.

It is cool, but wasn't super great before and have gotten worse even though chemsynth got better. The injury dice roll instead of instant SI or OOA makes the lack of pinning more noticeable. You could always convert it into a regular flamer, although a heavy stubber might fill a different roll altogether.

Here's a gang that I played around with and might pick up for a new campaign as soon as my schedule ease up https://yaktribe.games/underhive/gang/the_medusas.27371/ Not necessarily better. It got some issues with a lack of bodies, but does pack a punch. It's written to be played in ZM where the poor range of the melta and flamer isn't that much of an issue, but with 'forward scouts'(?) it would be able to start pretty close to an opponent anyway. However, if I played it in a SM setting I would most likely drop the flamer and either get a heavy stubber or a plasma gun instead. Overseer in this case is taken just as much to play mind games with the opponent as sling shooting fighters. The leader could be cheaper if I dropped the plasma pistol but I reasoned that she's a leader and should have something cool, as well as giving extra threat.

 

[FlatMattie]

My gaming group have agreed to a “custom weapon” as I love the chem thrower fluff but the weapon is almost useless in most situations.
We call it an “acid thrower” and it uses the profile of the flamer doesn’t make a huge difference but it just suits the fluff of Escher better than the actual flamer.
That said the cost does tend to mean I don’t put it in my gang at the start and pick one up after a couple of games (unless I’m doing badly)

 

[deFl0]

Put the Chem thrower on the champ instead of the needle pistol and give her sprint. that way you will get the most out of your Overseer skill.
also consider giving the combi needler to the CC champ instead of the leader. with overseer you wont get the most out that combi weapon on your leader.

I played a lot of games with a overseer leader, and the new 6" range really makes second choice skill for me now.

What's your first pick choice then?

 

[Yomit]

Wyckedth Wytches https://yaktribe.games/underhive/gang/wyckedth_wytches.41591/
Ganger: shotgun with acid rounds

There is a little mistake on your Shotgun's Ganger: you gave him just the Acid Rounds and forgot the Sotgun to use them ...
It could be embarassing to shoot enemies .

 

[UnderhiveBerzerker]

What's your first pick choice then?

depends on your play style, Spring up, Step aside & sprint are all solid skills. its just that Overseer is not an autopick now, thats all

 

[TabulaRasa]

depends on your play style, Spring up, Step aside & sprint are all solid skills. its just that Overseer is not an autopick now, thats all

Which surely is a good thing! The 6” range makes it hard to use on the offensive. Only sad that it still doesn’t take away as much from static gun lines, since they’re already quite powerful in SM. I still think that it really fills a tactical role though. Giving flexibility to threaten at a much longer distance. Only thing would be to get spring up and as good armor as possible ASAP

 

[TT812]

Hi, remade the list for todays game, I hope it will work https://yaktribe.games/underhive/gang/wyckedth_wytches.41876/
Gave Leader the Iron Will, as I have only 9 models.

 

[TabulaRasa]

Hi, remade the list for todays game, I hope it will work https://yaktribe.games/underhive/gang/wyckedth_wytches.41876/
Gave Leader the Iron Will, as I have only 9 models.

You really don't need Iron Will with 9 gangers. Go for spring up or overseer instead. And take the stiletto from the las ganger and give it to the melta champ - it's a scarce weapon so she might need a backup. Also, I think you lack in smoke grenades as well as being a bit light on pistols for you CCs. For instance you'll probably be better served giving your sword champion a pistol than paying that much credits only to have to split your attacks evenly between two swords where one is clearly better than the other - also you lack tactical flexibility with her. Photon flash flares can also help your gang keeping the pressure on.

 

[TT812]

I did some more edits (last version is online, but of the mistake, it is supposed to be 995) and played the basic scenario against 995 points of cawdor who set everything on fire, shot me with rockets and I would fail, if not for hard as nails Melta champ, who never failed an ammo roll and vaporised four, and criticaly injured two more (who very then coup de graced by juve) Cawdors who then bottled. Funnily enough, rest of Eschers did nothing with exception of missing, being pinned, being set ablaze, exploding grenade on themselves and Overseering a bit.

It was incredibly funny game, but I need more of them to learn what works for eschers in general and for my playstyle.

 

[TabulaRasa]

Well, just keeping the enemy preoccupied is doing an important job!

 

[deFl0]

I think of escher as action efficient.

With cheap lasguns they are playing the long range game of pinning so you have to stand up and shoot. This either robs the enemy of +1 for aim, keeping a gang from moving and shooting, or taking away attacks from things like double shooting champs. Escher, can beat this tactic if used against them with things like spring up or combos like dive for cover and spring up.

You also tend to be faster so you are getting more out of your movement.

Plus your weapon options that ignore your low str and have a lot of options like step aside and weapons with parry that sap your enemies out put.

So if you think along those terms, you can increase your action gap with thinks like flash or smoke grenades or templates or to a lesser extent units with rapid fire.

Interestingly, some of the killy options like chem thrower don't pin so against some of the gangs strengths.