Skorne: Dual Makeda

Let's do it, why not?

One of the biggest challenges for me when I build lists is coming up with two lists to run in SR2014.  I have one mainstay caster in the army and that's eMakeda.  There's something about her that I absolutely love and she's my favorite caster in the faction.  In a lot of ways, she's very similar to eCaine.  Her playstyle and army is high-reward, some risk, and most of the stuff in the list is pretty fragile (for how I take her anyway).  I just love the fluff behind her and the fact that I get to play with my favorite model in Warmahordes (Molik Karn) makes me very happy.

As most of you know by now, this is what I'm packing for eMakeda.  However, I'm also thinking about taking the Prime version of her for my dual list.  Before you guys start judging, here's the list.

Points: 50/50
Archdomina Makeda (*5pts)
* Basilisk Krea (4pts)
* Bronzeback Titan (10pts)
* Tiberion (11pts)
* Titan Gladiator (8pts)
Cataphract Cetrati (Leader and 5 Grunts) (11pts)
Nihilators (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
Paingiver Beast Handlers (Leader and 3 Grunts) (2pts)
Feralgeist (1pts)

The idea with this list is very simple.  I need something that can play attrition while giving me the speed and accuracy that I desire naturally.  It's all about playstyle at this point and I think pMakeda will give me the best of that over Xerxis (which was my other choice).  The fact that I can apply Savagery on any of my Titans and extend their threat range walking by +5" is absolutely ridiculous.  This is why I love having both Tiberion and a Bronzeback in my list despite other people trying out the Mammoth.  I can't for the life of me justify taking something that costs 20 when I can get both Tibbers and a BB for the same amount of points, I'm sorry.

This version of Makeda allows me to run hard on the first turn and stay there.  Next turn, I pop some Shield Walls, Krea goes to work with Paralytic Aura on the Cetrati, and Nihilators go jam up someone with Makeda's feat up.  If things die, I don't care.  If things don't die, they're going to hit a lot harder next round, and that's always a good thing.  More attacks equates to more enemy models dead.

Let's be pretty honest here.. this Makeda's spell list is absolutely fantastic:  Defender's Ward on Cetrati is borderline godly because it makes them 16/24 in Shield Wall vs. Shooting with the Krea.  Carnage allows everything in my control area to hit with insane accuracy, which boosts Cetrati/Nihilators/Bronzeback/Tiberion to an effective MAT9.  Muzzle isn't a bad spell when it goes off vs. warbeasts, but the main money-maker in this spell list is Savagery.  This gives me insane flexibility for a 2-cost Upkeep spell.  Having the ability to give any of my units +5 SPD when making a full advance is borderline obscene.  This allows my Nihilators to jam further into enemy lines, Cetrati to full advance 10" with Shield Wall, and gives Tiberion a walking threat of 13" with Rush.  Since it's not a charge or anything, this allows me to be very accurate in how I navigate around the battlefield and makes my threat vectors highly unpredictable.

The only thing that really sucks here is that I don't have Molik Karn in this list.  You know what?  That's OK.  I think eMakeda has better synergy with him as she threatens for longer distances, provides Free Strike immunity for Fate Walker on feat turn, and makes him even more accurate.  As long as one of my Makedas has MK, I can sleep easy at night.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's article, I'll talk about which casters will be dropped against which factions.