more questions :)

From: Rune Karlsen <rune.karlsen6_at_...>
Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 02:10:50 +0200

Hi,

more mindnumbing questions :)

Why cant the Slann Mage be bought without a mech? And the prices don't seem fair either.
You can buy the Great Magus for 150 and 3 Tadpole mechs cost 300 (100 a piece). Why does
a Slann mage in a tadpole then cost 300? Shouldnt that be more like 200? Actually, it should be
less, since you dont get 2 units when you buy the slann mage in a mech, you simply replace his
save with the save of the mech and give him some other weaponry. Plus, he can't cost more
than the Great Magus without his mech, which means a Slann mage should be around 100 points.
 If you upgrade his tadpole mech to a Frog, you pay 100 extra,
but the support card upgrade costs 33 per mech. If you upgrade him further to a Bull frog, you pay
200 extra, but again, the support card upgrade costs 66 per mech. Do the math, he simply costs 3
times as much to upgrade as other mechs. I've only fielded this mage a few times, due to the extreme cost
, and that was when we used the infamous 1.0 rules. As if the cost wasn't enough,
since he doesnt exist as other than a mech, you have to purchase at least a support card of other mechs
 to place close by him, or he is an obvious target amongst infantry and vehicles. So, if you field him without other mechs, and
want him to survive for more than 2 minutes, you have to put him in a bull frog mech at a mere 500 (remember,
this is also a special card). Now, for 500 points as a special card, other armies can buy some pretty
nifty stuff! Please, the cost has got to go down and be relative to the other mech prices. Also, the mage
has got to be able to be bought separate from a mech (with some different powers maybe?).
I think we've gone a bit overboard on some of the Slann prices. They aren't all that great, and they shouldn't
cost more simply cause they're Slann units. Equal stats should have similar costs, depending on army
structure of course. As i see it, the Slann Mage in a mech should cost 150 for the tadpole version, 175 for the
medium version, and 200 for the heavy version. I think these prices are fair, considering they're upgrades, AND
you have to buy other mechs as well or lose your mage to a barrage of fire almost before you've placed
him on the table.
And while im on the subject, i'd also like to mention the Slann Time Mech. There aren't any mech upgrades here,
it simply costs 500 for a heavy mech version. Now, the Time Stasis beam or whatever its called is the same power
as an Eldar Warlock has (he costs 125 points, and has other powers as well). The Slann Time mech has only
this one power. Lets for arguments sake say that the Slann Time mage outside his mech would cost 100 points since
he has only one power. That means his upgrade to a heavy mech costs 400. Either the Heavy mechs should cost
1200 for 3, or this is also seriously overpriced. The same also goes for this unit when it comes to buying support
mechs. I think a fair price for this unit would be 200, same as a Slann Mage in a heavy mech. I also think that
the Time Mage should be able to exist without his mech (perhaps his ass is welded to the seat, or maybe he's
gotten so fat he can't get out of it anymore? ;). If so, he should get some additional Time based powers.
True Slann company cards are very expensive, so True Slann special cards are very rare, maybe you only have
one in a 3k game. With the overpriced mech mages, i choose to bring the Great Magus every time. Do you realize
there are only 4 True Slann company cards, but 9! True Slann special cards if you count the 3 versions of the
Slann mage mech? More company cards are definately needed, or maybe the rules on army composition are too strict?

A long rant as usual :)

Rune
Received on Sun Apr 07 2002 - 00:10:50 UTC