[Emp.]

Recently flipping through my codex I decided to check out the Phoenix lords, just becuase. Then I noticed Asurmen, for over 100 points you get a model with the phoenix stats, a diresword than can re-roll all missed hits and missed saves (all misses), an AWESOME invul. save, and when alone can only be hit on a 6+. Now I decided to try him out tomorrow (proxy), and will see how it goes but then I though...why stop there? So I got my Farseer to get fortune, witchblade, and have a 5x Warlock bodyguard, to follow 4" behind Asurmen (both being able to FoF). With Asurmen being fortuned with a re-rollable 3+ invul. almost nothing will be able to take him down!!! I did practice rolls him alone with fortune against a pimped DP, and a pimped Tyrant (they got charge, and seperate 1 at a time). Asurmen killed the DP 2 out of 2 times taking 2 wounds, and killed the Tyrant 3 out of 4 times, taking 2 wounds and 4 wounds (implant attack dealing 2 wounds for every 1). Boy did he suprise me, so anyone here every try him before? He seems SWEET, so I'm looking to feedback and opinions on him, tell me what you think:

(lengthy I know, sorry 'bout that)

 

[windowlicker]

I am a HUGE lover of this HQ. I have a SpaceWolf player who has this 2+4++ powerfist on a bike that has been my backache forever and Asurmen is the only one that can take him down.

I usually give him a "retinue" of a DA squad with exarch and stick them in a tank. If I dont do that he sneaks up behind a large guardian squad and does his best to get to the enemy. I like the DA squad better because they become fearless and the exarch is not too shabby himself. As I play Biel-Tan I almost always use a Phoenix Lord as my HQ.

Now my questions are twofold.
1) I know he rerolls missed hits but what is this about rerolling missed saves? I think you meant due to Fortune but I wanted to clarify.

2) If I have Asurmen and an Exarch in a squad together and all but them get killed off do I get to use Defend for them both?

 

[Emp.]

With the diresword, he can re-roll all missed hits and missed wounds in close combat. When I say re-roll saves I mean when he's under the effects of the farseer's fortune.

No, defend only works when that model is the last in the squad. If you seperate them then both work though

 

[designer891]

I thought ICs always counted as thier own squad in CC? Then defend would work right?

 

[Jhagadurn]

Yeah, that does make sense to me...

 

[High Priest Avion]

Asurman is great in stats, but I gotta say he is definatly is not the best looking!
I have never battled with or against him. But I wish to in the near future, see how those stats hold up in a battle!

HPA

 

[Ostsol]

Yes, in order for it to work the Exarch must be targetted directly. Thus, for normal Exarchs this cannot happen until it is the last member of the squad, but a Phoenix Lord, being an IC, is always targetted directly and will therefore always be able to benefit from Defend.

 

[windowlicker]

Holy Carp I need to read the codex again. I swore he could only reroll missed hits.

 

[designer891]

I still think all round the swooping hawk lord is much better then Asurmen, yeah he doesn't get a 3+ inv save but he can get into combat fast and kill everthing 1 squad at a time.

Asurmen has to foot it up and a wave serpent is more points and is a big target. As an IC the hawk lord can make it there noproblem without being hit due to being an IC unless u dont have any other units near him.

I kinda think all lords should have at least a 5+ inv save or do what all other armies seem to do and allow you to build a hero HQ with equipment you want..hawk wings...an inv save...whatever. :yes:

 

[Viktor]

Asurmen is, by all means, worth his points. It all depends on what the rest of your army is composed of whether to take him or not though. In an Ulthwé close combat army... imagine this guy benefiting from Fortune in a Seer Council. Sick!

 

[general jigger]

Speaking of Special Characters, is there a FAQ or something out there that states that the eldar don't need oponents permission to use their special characters anymore? I was just wondering because it seems that many people are using them these days.

 

[Emp.]

Viktor....definitley...that's exactly what im saying (great minds think alike, no offense to anyone else). But I plan on doing that today, will probably be playing an odd 2v2 (Space Wolf + Vanilla Eldar vs. Black Templar and Biel-Tan (me)). So once I try it out i'll post how it went and how effective or not at all, Asurmen was.

P.S. - windowlicker, it's phrased pretty vaguely but it says after Asurmen's sword in parenthesis "(Diresword, may re-roll misses in close combat)" - so it can be taken as missed hits/wounds or both missed hits and missed wounds as both are missed and it says misses.

@ General Jigger - In the new rules, it says you don't need opponent's permission to field Special Characters anymore.

P.P.S. - To everyone questions, If I join a farseer and 5x warlock bodyguards to Asurmen, any attacks targeting him, does he still get to use Defend?

 

[Ostsol]

P.P.S. - To everyone questions, If I join a farseer and 5x warlock bodyguards to Asurmen, any attacks targeting him, does he still get to use Defend?

He's an independant character, so the only attacks that can possible hit him are those that directly target him. As such, he may benefit from Defend.

 

[Emp.]

Alright, I did use Asurmen in my 1500 army yesterday and my ally was Eldar and I went against Ultramarines and Space wolves. Here's the breakdown of what he did:
(I had first turn)
Turn 1 - Moved up 6" FoF 5".
Turn 2 - My friend's LRC moves up during turn 1 so during my second turn I unloaded 5x fire dragons inc. Exarch on his ass....hit all....the highest I got for everyone was a 13. So they were out in the open and to gain myself the charge I moved Asurmen back 6" and FoF 3".
Turn 3 - My Farseer fortunes Asurmen. Asurmen charges (along with Farseer and 1x Warlock), uses defend, kills 4 blood claws, takes one wound from his wolf lord, Farseer kills 1, warlock kills 1. (His turn 3 combat) - Asurmen kills 3 blood claws, takes nothing (defend)
Turn 4 - Asurmen deals 2 wounds to the Wolf Lord (uses defend), takes nothing. (His turn 4) Asurmen goes at Initiative order, kills the Wolf Lord, takes nothing from squad.
Turn 5 - My friend's guardians charge blood claws killing 3, asurmen goes at Initiative order, kills the last two models in the blood claws. (Game ended at turn 5 from time restrictions but while this was going on the rest of our Eldar crushed the opposition)

Overall Feelings: Asurmen lacked support for multiple turns and that's why he was cought with one of the best close combat squads in the game (Wolf Lord(p-wep +1 strength), wolf guard (p-wep), 4x power weapon models, and 8x regular models) all getting 4+ attacks on the charge. But he killed roughly 400+ points of stuff (The Wolf Lord was the special character Ragnar), and only took 1 wound in return.
Overall Grade: 9, he is very durable, he can sure kill, though he doesn't have a lot of attacks.

 

[Viktor]

Yeah, Asurmen is the weakest of the Phoenix lords when it comes to killability. But damn, he's nigh invulnerable with fortune and even without it. Against marines he's great but against Orks or nids I don't think he's worth it really.

By the way, Asurmen can only re-roll rolls to hit. You don't "miss" to wound, you fail to wound.

 

[brushman]

By the way, Asurmen can only re-roll rolls to hit. You don't "miss" to wound, you fail to wound.

Exactly. I prefer using Barrahoth (Swooping Hawk special character) instead of Asurman but it's a matter of opinion. Last game I played using Barrahoth (against Tau) I killed about 20 kroots 6 stealths and about 12 fire warriors but at that point he forfited.

 

[Emp.]

So no re-rolling missed wounds?

 

[Viktor]

So no re-rolling missed wounds?

Nope, only hits. It's failed wounds by the way. :|

 

[brushman]

Unfortunatly yes

 

[Sabe]

It only took me one loss because of Asurmen to quickly realize that the best and pretty much only way to deal with him plus seer council is strength 8+ weapons. Or my C'tan...either or. But the facts are he's a little bugger to kill, thankfully he's only average in combat(average for a lord that is).