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Tomcowlin
Executioner
Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 10:22 pm Posts: 154
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Needed some advice on this.
I like the idea of pumping out 40 shots (!). And in a unit of 15 it can shoot, take a few wounds and even then take flanks. I also like the idea of AHW and frenzy. Plus I really like the models.
On the other hand, spearmen are cheaper for flanks and crossbows have the range.
I wanted to see what you guys thought about these guys and whether or not they're worth taking.
Thanks
Tom 
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Mon Aug 30, 2010 9:22 pm |
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Calisson
Corsair
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:00 pm Posts: 8747 Location: Hag Graef
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A unit of 20-30 AHW corsairs with SSS and especially with the COB nearby is one of our best units now, and it is definitively the most fearsome core unit we can get.
RHB corsairs were our best screen for expensive elite infantry, able to get rid of light harassers.
This role is no longer useful because
- our elite units are now usually large enough to withstand a few arrows;
- march-block is no more a problem, as a Ld test negates it;
- the opponent units are now very large, leaving no pts for small harassers with little use.
As a result, our RHB corsairs have lost their main use.
I'm still trying to find them a good job to fulfill as they are my favourite unit.
Possibly still as a screen (so that the unit behind benefits from a hard cover).
Or as an escort for a sorceress (but RXBmen fulfill this role probably better).
_________________Winds never stop blowing, Oceans are borderless. Get a ship and a crew, so the World will be ours! Today the World, tomorrow Nagg! {--|oBrotherhood of the Coast!o|--}
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Mon Aug 30, 2010 9:36 pm |
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Grimma
Executioner
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:46 am Posts: 182 Location: Sunny Brisbane
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I shall be trying a unit of 15 in my army that includes a Cauldron and 2 Sorceress's taking Shadow Lore. It's a small unit that might seem fairly innocuous but with a Cauldron and Frenzy banner plus Mindrazor they have 26 attacks, probably striking first at Strength 8, which is going to make a mess of most units.
_________________UNSEEN LERKER MAGAZINE - It'll make you happier than a Corsair in a Bretonnian orphanage.
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Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:43 pm |
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Sulla
Malekith's Best Friend
Joined: Fri Nov 08, 2002 5:56 am Posts: 2261 Location: Flying my manticore 'Bloodmaw', looking for prey.
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I always include a unit of 20 with xhw and the soul shadows std in my army. They are my house to house specialists. Especially useful in the watchtower scenario if I win the deployment.
I wouldn't bother with handbows and I usually don't bother going too big with my unit either because there are a lot of s5 templates out there which rip right through my ranks. I prefer units with a lot of damage output instead. Keep 'em cheapish and expendable in 8th.
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Tue Aug 31, 2010 1:50 am |
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Meteor
Executioner
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:57 am Posts: 1956 Location: Hell
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soul shadows standard???? or am i just dumb lol.
Yea I'm thinking of switching my corsairs to AHW too, RHB is good...but there's hardly an opportunity to maximise their use before getting stuck into combat.
_________________ What's mine is mine, What's yours is mine. Now that we understand each other, lets get down to business.
Jacks -Shade - WS 5 - - S 3 - - T 2 - - D 6 - - I 5 -
Equipment Short Sword, MC Long Sword*, Dagger, RxB & RHB [20/10] MC Shade Cloak, 4 Throwing Daggers, 3x Healing Vials, 451C, [3]Dark Venom, [4]Unseen Chains, Food, Dark Steed- Spike
Skills Basic Stealth, Awareness, TWF, Suithenlu Khythan, Ride
Magic Item Eye of the Jabberwock
*Magical properties possibly imbued
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Tue Aug 31, 2010 3:10 am |
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Ransom
Trainee Warrior
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2005 12:29 pm Posts: 33 Location: Edmonton, Alberta Canada
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I believe the Soul Shadows Standard was from sixth edition, possibly even one of the special items from a campaign... I remember putting it on my Dark Riders once upon a time...
It allowed you to auto-rally immediately after fleeing assuming you weren't run down.
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Tue Aug 31, 2010 4:09 am |
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Hack n slash
Trainee Warrior
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 10:58 am Posts: 35
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Use a couple of units of 10 rhb's on the flanks of your spear units to act as blockers and or additional support they can choose to attack the corsairs in which case they get ss or wait for a gap to try the flanks then the corsairs can flank them, I find that they are one if the most versitile units in the book and suit an aggresive play style, plus they fit my raiding force fluff (don't take cob as it's hard to fit on a raiding ship).
_________________ The only reason i don't have it is i've not taken it yet!
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Tue Aug 31, 2010 1:16 pm |
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Camaris
Black Guard
Joined: Sat May 05, 2007 5:22 am Posts: 279
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That is correct; it was from the cult of slannesh list to be more specific. Was a great magic banner for CoK, especially when you failed stupidity.  However, I believe sulla was referring to the sea serpent standard, since soul shadows no longer exist. Both the soul shadows and sea serpent standards have been abbreviated with the acronym SSS, so it's easy to confuse them.
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Tue Aug 31, 2010 6:37 pm |
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Grimma
Executioner
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:46 am Posts: 182 Location: Sunny Brisbane
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I played a 2000 pt list last night that included 15 Corsairs. They charged a unit of 10 Empire Knights, got 26 attacks with EHW, Frenzy Banner and Caudron's blessing and I cast Okkam's Mindrazor (3rd IF in 2 rounds = dead Lvl4). Every model in the Empire Unit was killed.
_________________UNSEEN LERKER MAGAZINE - It'll make you happier than a Corsair in a Bretonnian orphanage.
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Fri Sep 03, 2010 2:23 am |
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van Awful
Highborn
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:23 am Posts: 690 Location: Ammerzoden, metropole at the Maas
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don't have my brb here, (haven't played a 8th ed. game with my druchii yet either) what does okkam Mindrazor do?
_________________ Nec spe, nec metu
I am an Extraordinary Druchii Gentleman
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Fri Sep 03, 2010 10:08 am |
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Patrizzo
Malekith's Personal Guard
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2004 7:27 pm Posts: 981 Location: Malmö/Sweden
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You use Ld instead of S for wounding.
_________________ Pulchritudo in oculis spectatore est ...
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Fri Sep 03, 2010 11:50 am |
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Sulla
Malekith's Best Friend
Joined: Fri Nov 08, 2002 5:56 am Posts: 2261 Location: Flying my manticore 'Bloodmaw', looking for prey.
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Sorry,sea serpent standard  . Getting my editions mixed up. Bad habit from abbreviating to 'the frenzy banner' all the time.
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Fri Sep 03, 2010 8:36 pm |
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Red...
Generalissimo
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 3:09 pm Posts: 3727 Location: Baltimore
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Corsairs, even with ahw and SSS are an interesting unit. They are best at nothing, but great all rounders.
Here's why they are the best at nothing:
- Warriors cost less so can give you more troop numbers, with the same basic stats.
- RxBs cost the same, but can provide withering fire with their crossbows, as well as have the same basic stats.
- Witch elves cost the same and give out the same number of attacks (3 each basic) but have poisoned weapons and frenzy inherently (rather than needing a banner to get it). They are also khainite, so gain stubborn from the cauldron of blood if they are within 12" of it.
- Elite units such as blackguard and executioners are very hard hitting and may chew through their opponents more easily.
BUT, they are the best all round troops because:
- They have many more attacks than warriors and crossbowmen.
- They have a very nice armour save (4+/5+), which is far better than witch elves (who have none).
- They are considerably cheaper than blackguard and executioners, and are a common rather than special choice.
This means that they are hard hitting (3 attacks each with SSS), have good protection (4+/5+ saves), are decently priced (less than most special units and the same as RxBs and witch elves) and are core units to boot.
Overall, I like corsairs, particularly vs shooting armies and armies with lots of fear/terror causing creatures. I almost always field them with ahw and SSS, although with the watering down of skirmishers in 8th ed the screening unit of RHB corsairs (who would completely block line of sight to other infantry models behind them) could make a come back in my armies.
_________________"While all answers are replies, not all replies are answers. So answer the question." Don't be a munchkin? I am an Extraordinary Druchii Gentleman
Last edited by Red... on Wed Sep 08, 2010 1:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Wed Sep 08, 2010 12:07 pm |
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Calisson
Corsair
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:00 pm Posts: 8747 Location: Hag Graef
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About AHW corsairs, I just thought about one use:
The watchtower (scenario #6).
Their natural resistance to shooting (including magic shooting) is enough to make them better building occupants than anyone else.
If they are charged, they can stand & shoot, whatever the distance. Each turn, the opponent who wants to charge gets a Stand & Shoot reaction with 5x2=10 shots (assuming 1 storey building).
In the following melee, there will be some dead corsairs. However, the corsairs are stubborn inside a building, like anyone.
The assaliant is likely to remain at 1" of the building.
Next turn, the corsairs can shoot again with 10 more shots.
In every other scenario, the best use I can think for RHB corsairs is to assist a charge into a melee in order to provide the slavery rule. For that, the best would be to run them in conga line, in order to let the other units get the max lineage and deal the max damage.
When not in melee, they are good as a screen: the enemy will have to choose between this light innocuous unit to waste his shooting, or to shoot at a more precious unit behind, but with hard cover.
Their RHB is great to get rid of march-blockers but nowadays there are no more march blocker.
_________________Winds never stop blowing, Oceans are borderless. Get a ship and a crew, so the World will be ours! Today the World, tomorrow Nagg! {--|oBrotherhood of the Coast!o|--}
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Wed Sep 08, 2010 1:40 pm |
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Red...
Generalissimo
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 3:09 pm Posts: 3727 Location: Baltimore
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That's some good ideas Calisson.
One other thought occurs to me. RHB Corsairs can be given a magic standard, whereas RxBs cannot. That means you can make them frenzied from the SSS (and thus ITP).
Being ITP is really handy for a unit that you don't want to flee. Nothing is more irritating than having a unit of screeners who get shot and flee back through their own army in turn 1. Similarly, in the watchtower scenario (mentioned by Calisson), they can be relied on to not flee due to panic.
_________________"While all answers are replies, not all replies are answers. So answer the question." Don't be a munchkin? I am an Extraordinary Druchii Gentleman
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Wed Sep 08, 2010 1:53 pm |
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Darthken
Assassin
Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 10:48 pm Posts: 531 Location: Australia, the place where kangaroo's hop down the street with a can of fosters in their pouch
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a horde of 40 corsairs with RHB,s and a character with the guiding eye. and for thos pesky regenerating enemy, give the flame causing standard,
march up fire your 40 shots, next turn you'll probably get charged so you stand and shoot and use the guiding eye.
ive tried this a few times now, seems to work ok.
a great way to deplete those HE sword masters or white lions before they get to you.
best effort... a unit of 25 swordmasters whittled down to 8
_________________ you don't know the power of the darkside
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Wed Sep 08, 2010 2:51 pm |
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Jbtheslipperking
Executioner
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:17 am Posts: 186
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Im trying to get my head around the corsaris/swordmaster conflict. How u get 40 shots of ? But if you did, 20 hits, 10 wounds, 5 saves ( heavy armor and shield of safry ) = 5 kills. On stand and shoot with -1 to hit you get 2-3 kills and then get hit by 17-18 models 7 wide, receiving 22 atacks w. reroll hitting on 3+ making 18 hits str 5 = 15 wounds per round. In 2-3 rounds he brakes you. My experience with sword master`s is to hit them from longer range with crossbows, RBT`s in combination with magic if possible. In cc they are a meatgrinder.
_________________ Wtf, dragon`s breath is not flamable ?
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Thu Sep 09, 2010 1:28 pm |
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Red...
Generalissimo
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 3:09 pm Posts: 3727 Location: Baltimore
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Two ranks of ten (20 total), each firing two shots each = 40 shots.
_________________"While all answers are replies, not all replies are answers. So answer the question." Don't be a munchkin? I am an Extraordinary Druchii Gentleman
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Thu Sep 09, 2010 2:20 pm |
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Grimma
Executioner
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2008 6:46 am Posts: 182 Location: Sunny Brisbane
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I played last night and my little unit of 15 Corsairs with EHW, Frenzy banner and extra attack from the Cauldron combo charged a block of 50 men-at-arms with a Hydra. After 2 rounds of combat there were 2 men-at-arms left for the loss of 3 Corsairs and no wounds off the Hydra. I had also used shadow magic to drop my opponent's Toughness by 1. Forget the bows I say, those Corsairs can dish out the pain with a tonne of attacks in CC.
_________________UNSEEN LERKER MAGAZINE - It'll make you happier than a Corsair in a Bretonnian orphanage.
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Thu Sep 09, 2010 9:41 pm |
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The virgin forest
Black Guard
Joined: Tue Mar 02, 2010 10:49 pm Posts: 263
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50-men@arms = 250-270 pts.
1 hydra + SSS corsairs + CoB + LoS sorceress = 750 pts.
The outcome of that fight should be pretty inevitable, but yes frenzied corsairs can really dish out some damage - especially with a little help 
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Fri Sep 10, 2010 5:48 am |
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Thenick18
Assassin
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:33 pm Posts: 539
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Corsairs are definitely viable, I actually love all the DE core troop choices so I'm biased. But as said above, there are many things which can compliment the corsair unit so well, I like to run my CoK unit on the flank of the corsairs to insure my opponent is run between the 3d6 pursue and slaver rule. I often don't run any rare choices because I like to field a lot of the core troops.
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Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:58 am |
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Fr0
Trademaster
Joined: Wed May 25, 2005 7:32 pm Posts: 3170 Location: Ontario, Canada
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In the past, I have used small units with handbows as a ghetto detachment unit. Worked well, and their special rule is really nice when you can make use of it. Definitely viable now, but I'd likely give them xhw (though it depends on their role in the list) but for the same points, I can get WE and carve a much bigger hole in the enemy's army.
_________________Trading Forum
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Fri Sep 10, 2010 1:49 pm |
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Masked jackal
Noble
Joined: Sun Dec 27, 2009 5:26 am Posts: 475
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However, Witch Elves are not Core, and have no save, while the Corsairs have a basic 5+ in combat, and 4+ against everything else.
_________________8th Edition Druchii War Report:
W/D/L: 30/1/15
http://www.freedomstudios.net/boredlife/boards/index.php?sid=18db5076e750fafca78c5ae7ed86bab3
Bored Life: Forum for RPs and general discussion in need of new blood. PM for details.
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Fri Sep 10, 2010 2:16 pm |
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Meteor
Executioner
Joined: Sun Jul 18, 2010 10:57 am Posts: 1956 Location: Hell
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yea, WE does the job better for the same points, actually, cheaper since AHW Corsairs require the SSS to match WE in the number of attacks. Only difference being the Corsairs have a 5+ AS compared to a 5+ Ward at best for WE. Why better? Because WE has poisoned attacks, higher chance of wounding for the same number of attacks.
_________________ What's mine is mine, What's yours is mine. Now that we understand each other, lets get down to business.
Jacks -Shade - WS 5 - - S 3 - - T 2 - - D 6 - - I 5 -
Equipment Short Sword, MC Long Sword*, Dagger, RxB & RHB [20/10] MC Shade Cloak, 4 Throwing Daggers, 3x Healing Vials, 451C, [3]Dark Venom, [4]Unseen Chains, Food, Dark Steed- Spike
Skills Basic Stealth, Awareness, TWF, Suithenlu Khythan, Ride
Magic Item Eye of the Jabberwock
*Magical properties possibly imbued
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Fri Sep 10, 2010 2:21 pm |
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Darthken
Assassin
Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 10:48 pm Posts: 531 Location: Australia, the place where kangaroo's hop down the street with a can of fosters in their pouch
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if you use your RHB corsairs right you should actually get about 80 shots off at a unit
move up and shoot ( 40 shots ) leaves you close enough to be charged next turn for another 40 shots.
using the guiding eye is a matter of preference. I tend to use it when i get charged.
_________________ you don't know the power of the darkside
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Fri Sep 10, 2010 3:09 pm |
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