Post by Saynt on May 18, 2015 3:37:47 GMT
I do not claim credit for any of the AotW thread, that honor goes to the original authors from the en-forums on Rackham's old website.
This one is from forum member MEdwards:
Here is my contribution to the Army of the Week threads covering the Uraken Goblins. This was written before 3.5 came out and I will update these shortly to accomodate these rule changes. Also, I will be adding additional units and eventually cover the Yakusa Clan.
Thank you for reading and I hope that this write up is helpful.
Sincerely,
Mark
Army of the Week: Uraken Goblins
Goblins, goblins, goblins.
Goblins, goblins, goblins.
These are the thoughts going through my head as I start planning my first army of the week post for these little guys. Not only because there’s a gazillion of them, but also because they can be so problematic to play with or against them.
First, I will provide an overview of the Goblins as a whole and go over their general strengths and weaknesses.
Second, I will go through each of the units that are available to the Uraken Goblins (as these are the ones that I primarily use) to provide you with an overview of tactics, strengths, and weaknesses of each of them. Also, I will provide a breakdown of the artifacts, miracles, and spells that are included them if any.
Finally, I will provide two 400 AP lists that I’ve used with great success.
General Overview
These poor little guys don’t have much going for them in C3. They’re weak, can’t take a hit, and flee at the first sign of danger. But at least they look good. Something I learned from my high school baseball coach was that it doesn’t matter if you win or lose as long as you look good doing it.
For the most part, Goblins have relatively low stats in all categories and rely on a combination of their big guys (such as trolls and ogres), faithful, and magic to get things done. It is these combinations along with good tactical decisions plus some good dice rolls that will win a Goblin player games.
Characters
Bazuka – At 100 AP he can be a bit pricey depending on the list you want to build yet still worth each and every point. High INI, ATT, STR, DEF, and RES values along with Feint, Survival Instinct, and War Fury make him a very formidable fighter in hand to hand combat. Plus, if you take a War Staff and at least one Bushi or Samurat (June ‘06 in French), then his COU and DIS are effectively 8 each. With these, you should rarely ever have a Goblin flee due to Fear and be able to compete with the Griffins and Tir-Na-Bor for Tactical rolls. The only real weakness I see of him is his small size and the lack of Brutal or Hard Boiled to increase his Force when making or receiving a charge. But this truly isn’t that big of a weakness.
Tyrant of the Uraken Clan – As mentioned above, thanks to this ability Bazuka receives a bonus to the final results of Tactical rolls if you use his DIS. It is a +1 if you have at least one Bushi or Samurat on the table or a +2 if 50% of your other Goblins are Bushis or Samurats.
Tzunami – If you have declared War Fury, this artifact allows you to decide otherwise after the INI test has been made at the expense of the extra combat dice and a penalty to your ATT and DEF. However, it can still prove quite useful if you’ve declared War Fury at a time when you’d rather not have or if you’ve made a pursuit movement into a combat where you do not want to use the War Fury ability but it has already been declared.
Uraken Ideogram of Protection – This artifact comes with the Ashigaru War Staff boxed set and is one that almost always finds a way into my army lists. Basically, for a total of 18 points (it has to be given to all 3 members of the War Staff at 6 points apiece) each member of the War Staff receives Survival Instinct and pass it on a 5+ instead of a 6. This increases the odds of totally negating a damage roll before it is ever even made 1/3 of the time. Plus, if given to a member of the War Staff who already has Survival Instinct, then they benefit from a +2 to their RES as well. When given to Bazuka, this makes him RES 10, Survival Instinct 5+, with the ability to War Fury.
Kumite – At 35 AP, he is great for his points, especially when you’re trying to squeeze every point out of your list to make room for both numbers and heavy hitters an make it a tournament legal list. Alone, he won’t meet the 80 AP requirement for Characters in a tournament list but will leave you with enough room to take either a Faithful or Mage character with the ability to provide one of these two with artifacts, miracles, or spells along with the ability to field the much needed War Staff for your Goblins. His stat line isn’t the greatest with his characteristics being on par or below those of most other armies Elites. But as a character, he benefits from the ability to Counter Attack, Master Strike, and Sequence.
Uraken Ideogram of Protection – This artifact works the same for Kumite as it does for Bazuka except for his RES becomes a 7. Personally, I always field him with a War Staff and therefore always field them with this artifact.
Hoosu-Uzo – I could possibly go on and on about Uzo, so I’ll try to keep this short. At 50 AP and rank of Zealot, he is amazing...especially in a Goblin army. If you take him by himself or with Kumite, then you’re left with plenty of room to give him miracles and artifacts. On the other hand, if you try to fit him in a list with Bazuka then you’re a little limited with the options you have. Almost any of the miracles provided in the C3 rulebook would work wonders for him. The ones that I use the most are probably Miraculous Reprieve, Blood of the Earth, Cleaver of Destiny, Prayer of the Warrior, Religious Authority, Blind Rage, and Chains of Fury. Also, you can equip him with Devotion, Perseverance, and/or Inspiration from the Liturgy pack to make him even more formidable. The only real weakness of Uzo is his RES 3. Depending on what you equip him with, it may be a good portion of your AP gone if something were to happen to him. Plus, with the Goblin’s small size, it means that he can be easily targeted out of the crowd by any ranged weaponry. For this reason, you may want to think of enlisting a Dai Bakemono, Troll, or Gas Blower bodyguards to hide him with.
Council of Rats – This artifact allows any Goblin within Uzo’s Aura of Faith to disengage on a 4+1 per opponent difficulty instead of a 4+2. With Goblins, this allows you to control frays easier and send backups to combats where you may need them. Also, in a one on one combat, an unpenalized Ninja Goblin can disengage without making a check thanks to their INI 4 and Vivacity. Nice little artifact.
Lucky Charm Kimono – This artifact allows Uzo to sacrifice some Temporary Faith to roll an extra die when making a Survival Instinct test. Since there is no way to boost Uzo’s Survival Instinct odds thanks to the Uraken Ideogram of Protection, then this is the next best alternative. Needing a 6 and getting to roll two dice to get it is just as good as needing a 5+. Also, with his RES of 3, any chance of avoiding a damage roll is best.
Brazen Conspiracy – This miracle allows Uzo to reduce the final result of your opponent’s Tactical roll by up to 4 points. I could see this having its advantages in Confrontation, I see this miracle more geared towards Rag’narok where reducing your opponent’s Tactical Roll will also allow you to remove some additional orders that they may receive.
Wazabi – Wazabi is a versatile Character that can add a deadly stealth element to your Uraken army. Being a Warrior-Monk, she has access to all of the Character Warrior abilities such as Counter Attack and Sequence. Combined with her ninja-esque combat stats and abilities she becomes a very formidable fighter in hand to hand combat. Plus, she has the ability to call on the god Rat to aid her allies in battle.
The Handbook of Silence – For 15 AP, this artifact gives the Assassin ability to Wazabi and also prevents opponents from Charging her (however, they can still engage her). When combined with her Scout ability and combat oriented stat line she becomes very deadly for these additional points.
The Deck of Fortune – For 10 AP, this artifact grants the player an additional reserved slot that is automatically filled by Wazabi prior to the construction of their Activation Sequence. This saves you your remaining reserve spots to fill with other fighters but also allowing you to pull off some interesting combos during your turn. Imagine Wazabi Charging and Leaping into combat with a host of Ninja Goblins and Dai Bakemonos at her side while your opponent stands there unable to retaliate.
Song of the Rat – After playing a couple of games with Wazabi and this miracle I’d state that this is a must have miracle for her to take. Song of the Rat allows Wazabi to give herself and up to 3 fighters (the sum of her Aspects) the Scout ability and can be called before the game even begins but after deployment. Why’s this so great then? Well, these fighters are considered hidden and can prevent your opponent from going Dai Bakemono, Troll, or Character hunting with their ranged weapons or possibly even Scouts of their own. Also, on subsequent turns, Wazabi can call this miracle again to make herself and up to 3 fighters hidden again if they were revealed and are not within 10cm (20cm if Consciousness) of an enemy fighter.
Strategic Retreat – If this miracle is successfully called, then the Faithful and all friendly fighters located within his or her Aura of Faith gain the Disengagement/5 ability until the end of the round. If played correctly, or combined with Hoosu Uzo’s reserved artifact the Council of Rats, this will allow your Goblins to escape unfavorably combats and even swing the tide of battle back their way as they control combats and gang up on fighters to increase their chances of success.
Troops
Goblin Shigobi – In my opinion are nowhere near worth what you pay for them and that was proven when the Ninja Goblins were released. However, they do have a great INI, ATT, and STR plus they benefit from the Assassin and Rapidity abilities. This should allow them to pick and choose their combats pretty effectively and then retreat. I see them being used mainly to eliminate mages, faithful, and ranged weapons.
Dai-Bakemono Ogres – At 37 AP each, these guys are almost guaranteed in an Uraken themed Goblin list. Their large size, impressive offensive ability, and potential Fear induction proves very useful to an army where Strength is limited. The box set comes with three separate profiles all of which are the same except for one ability that is exclusive to each: Master Strike/2, Implacable/1, and Vivacity. From my experience, I haven’t found much use for the Vivacity profile and believe the Implacable profile is more suited for Rag’narok. When playing C3, I typically run the Master Strike profile. With good movements and tactics, you should be able to charge with the Dai Bakemono to ensure that they receive the bonus combat die from their Brutish Charge ability allowing you to make both a Master Strike and a normal attack or the ability to defend yourself. Unfortunately, their low INI (2) and relatively low DEF (3) can leave them in a tight spot if they are in combat by themselves. Therefore, I recommend that you send them into combat with at least one other Goblin (preferably a Bushi or Ninja) to benefit from their INI + 1.
Khawai Spy – This artifact isn’t really an artifact. For 12 AP, the Dai-Bakemono is accompanied by a Khawai and in turn benefits from a +1 bonus to INI and the Consciousness ability. The boost to INI is nice but this artifact earns its points from the Consciousness ability that it provides making it easier for the Ogre to get the charge off by providing him with 360 degree field of vision out to 20cm.
Samurats – When these guys were first released, the Master Strike and Ambidextrous profile seemed to counter each other. You couldn’t use one with the other and they didn’t seem worth their 25 AP price tag. However, with the switch to 3.5 and the ability to combine a die gained thanks to Ambidextrous with a Master Strike these guys are well worth their 25 AP. With solid combat stats for a Goblin (INI 3, ATT/STR 4/6, DEF/RES 4/6, Master Strike/0, Survival Instinct, and Ambidextrous or Fine Blade) these guys are able to hold off higher cost fighters by themselves until backup arrives or they’re able to finish off their opponent with a well timed Master Strike.
Ninja Goblins – Ninja Goblins are great additions to any Goblin army in my opinion. They have good INI, ATT, and STR scores plus benefit from the Assassin, Vivacity, and Reinforcement abilities. Also, they are required to take either Toxic/1 for either +2 AP or Leap for +7 AP both of which have their advantages. The combination of Assassin and Toxic almost guarantees that you’ll inflict at the least a Light Wound thanks to Assassin providing you with a third die to roll for damage then with the follow up Toxic roll inflicting even more...if need be. If given the Leap ability, the Ninjas are allowed to patrol the back lines and use the other Ashigaru as a meat shield for them to then jump over and into combat still benefiting from Assassin thanks to their Small Size and having line of sight over the other Goblins to any enemy fighter Normal Size or larger.
Goblin Bushi – Bushis have relatively decent stats as far as Goblins go. The bonus they provide to Bazuka’s DIS on the Tactical roll is worth taking them when you field Bazuka. Their ability to Feint is worth taking them in every game you play. When fielding Ninja Goblins and Dai-Bakemono Ogres I’d recommend that you send Bushis into combat to support them. If you attack first with a Bushi, the defending player will be forced to make the decision of whether they should attempt to parry this attack. If they don’t you’re then free to remove one of their combat dice, but if they do maybe they’ll waste the Defense die they were saving for your Ogre or Ninja. All in all, they’re 15 AP well spent for a Goblin army.
Goblin Hoheitai – For 13 AP, these guys can pack a punch thanks to their Master Strike/0 ability. Granted it’s only one punch. Always equip these guys with a Mace as to get the best bang for your buck with them you’re going to have to go all attack and would never benefit from the +1 DEF gained from giving them a Sword. When they Master Strike, they should hit with a STR 8. There are spells and miracles that will further increase their STR such as Force of the Four Winds and/or Blind Rage. Both of which are available in the C3 rulebook in the Sorcery and Litany of Destiny.
Goblin Keihohei – These are your staple troops at 9 AP. They are versatile and for the extra 3 AP that you spend on them over an Ashigaru you gain +1 ATT and +2 RES which is worth it. They can also be given either a Mace or Sword and how you equip them depends on the role that you want them to play (ie. Defensive or Offensive).
Goblin Ashigaru – At 6 AP, the Ashigarus are in my opinion only there to tie up your enemy’s troops and give you the ability to focus your big guys elsewhere. To best fulfill this role, equip them with Swords. The +1 in DEF isn’t great but could mean the difference between parrying or not. Also, with their RES 1 you’ll want to give them the best opportunity for survival that you can.
Army List #1
Kumite (35)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
Musician (10)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
Standard Bearer (10)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
Hoosu Uzo (50)
-Blood of the Earth (14)
-Cleaver of Destiny (8)
-Perseverance (8)
-Devotion (8)
War Troll (69)
Dai Bakemono Ogre with Master Strike (37)
Dai Bakemono Ogre with Master Strike (37)
Goblin Bushi (15)
Goblin Bushi (15)
Goblin Keihohei with Sword (9)
Goblin Keihohei with Sword (9)
Goblin Keihohei with Sword (9)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
Goblin Ashigaru with Sword (6)
Goblin Ashigaru with Sword (6)
Totals: 400 AP, 17 Figures, 8 Cards
This is a list with a couple of big guys who will be the main damage dealers with lots of little guys there for support. With the War Troll’s Survival Instinct, Regeneration/5, and RES 12 he should have stay on the table for quite a long time. Also, Hoosu Uzo is equipped with the Blood of the Earth miracle that allows you to heal a single fighter of up to two wound levels. This miracle could potentially be Persevered, but it is a Temporary Faith drain. Uzo is given this miracle to keep the Ogres healthy and fighting, but it can also be called on any other friendly fighter who needs it as well. Typical strategy for this list is to pair each Bushi up with a Dai Bakemono and send them into combat together. With any luck, you should get the first strike in and be able to Feint away a Defense die with your Bushi setting up the Dai Bakemono for a free Master Strike. The War Troll could potentially charge into combat all by himself but his low INI should be supported by at least another Goblin of any type. Kumite and his War Staff are there to keep all the Goblins in line but to also provide you with a combat oriented Character who gets +2 RES, Survival Instinct on a 5+, and a DIS of 5 with two dice from Leadership for Tactical Rolls. Hoosu Uzo is there to keep your Ogres healthy (as mentioned above) but to also give your other lowly Goblins some wounding potential with his Cleaver of Destiny miracle (gives Ferocious to target). Also, since he has been giving the Devotion Virtue, his Aura of Faith is now 15 cm and he should be able to generate a lot of Temporary Faith thanks to this.
Army List #2 (using Uraken theme from Goblin Clans card pack)
Bazuka (100)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
-Solo / Thunderstruck (6)
Musician (10)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Standard Bearer (10)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Dai Bakemono Ogre with Master Strike (37)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Dai Bakemono Ogre with Master Strike (37)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Dai Bakemono Ogre with Master Strike (37)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Bushi (15)
-Clan / Code of Honor (2)
Goblin Bushi (15)
-Clan / Code of Honor (2)
Ninja Goblin with Toxic/1 (24)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Ninja Goblin with Toxic/1 (24)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Ninja Goblin with Toxic/1 (24)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Ashigaru with Sword (6)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Ashigaru with Sword (6)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Totals: 400 AP, 16 Figures, 6 Cards
The Uraken Clan theme requires that you take a Character with Leadership and for this reason I chose Bazuka. In my opinion, the Thunder Struck Solo ability is underpriced for what it can do. Leaving the target of an attack by Bazuka Vulnerable can be deadly for those who oppose him as they suffer from their Vulnerability prior to the damage roll is made and for all that follow. Therefore, even little Goblins who are helping Bazuka out (or whom Bazuka is helping out) can deal some hefty damage thanks to this. Also, the three Dai Bakemono Ogres should be paired with the three Ninja Goblins to benefit from their INI 4 and Vivacity. With the Ninja’s Assassin and the Ogre’s Master Strike, the enemy fighter will be forced with the situation of having to choose which attack to parry or even forced to attempt to parry both.
This one is from forum member MEdwards:
Here is my contribution to the Army of the Week threads covering the Uraken Goblins. This was written before 3.5 came out and I will update these shortly to accomodate these rule changes. Also, I will be adding additional units and eventually cover the Yakusa Clan.
Thank you for reading and I hope that this write up is helpful.
Sincerely,
Mark
Army of the Week: Uraken Goblins
Goblins, goblins, goblins.
Goblins, goblins, goblins.
These are the thoughts going through my head as I start planning my first army of the week post for these little guys. Not only because there’s a gazillion of them, but also because they can be so problematic to play with or against them.
First, I will provide an overview of the Goblins as a whole and go over their general strengths and weaknesses.
Second, I will go through each of the units that are available to the Uraken Goblins (as these are the ones that I primarily use) to provide you with an overview of tactics, strengths, and weaknesses of each of them. Also, I will provide a breakdown of the artifacts, miracles, and spells that are included them if any.
Finally, I will provide two 400 AP lists that I’ve used with great success.
General Overview
These poor little guys don’t have much going for them in C3. They’re weak, can’t take a hit, and flee at the first sign of danger. But at least they look good. Something I learned from my high school baseball coach was that it doesn’t matter if you win or lose as long as you look good doing it.
For the most part, Goblins have relatively low stats in all categories and rely on a combination of their big guys (such as trolls and ogres), faithful, and magic to get things done. It is these combinations along with good tactical decisions plus some good dice rolls that will win a Goblin player games.
Characters
Bazuka – At 100 AP he can be a bit pricey depending on the list you want to build yet still worth each and every point. High INI, ATT, STR, DEF, and RES values along with Feint, Survival Instinct, and War Fury make him a very formidable fighter in hand to hand combat. Plus, if you take a War Staff and at least one Bushi or Samurat (June ‘06 in French), then his COU and DIS are effectively 8 each. With these, you should rarely ever have a Goblin flee due to Fear and be able to compete with the Griffins and Tir-Na-Bor for Tactical rolls. The only real weakness I see of him is his small size and the lack of Brutal or Hard Boiled to increase his Force when making or receiving a charge. But this truly isn’t that big of a weakness.
Tyrant of the Uraken Clan – As mentioned above, thanks to this ability Bazuka receives a bonus to the final results of Tactical rolls if you use his DIS. It is a +1 if you have at least one Bushi or Samurat on the table or a +2 if 50% of your other Goblins are Bushis or Samurats.
Tzunami – If you have declared War Fury, this artifact allows you to decide otherwise after the INI test has been made at the expense of the extra combat dice and a penalty to your ATT and DEF. However, it can still prove quite useful if you’ve declared War Fury at a time when you’d rather not have or if you’ve made a pursuit movement into a combat where you do not want to use the War Fury ability but it has already been declared.
Uraken Ideogram of Protection – This artifact comes with the Ashigaru War Staff boxed set and is one that almost always finds a way into my army lists. Basically, for a total of 18 points (it has to be given to all 3 members of the War Staff at 6 points apiece) each member of the War Staff receives Survival Instinct and pass it on a 5+ instead of a 6. This increases the odds of totally negating a damage roll before it is ever even made 1/3 of the time. Plus, if given to a member of the War Staff who already has Survival Instinct, then they benefit from a +2 to their RES as well. When given to Bazuka, this makes him RES 10, Survival Instinct 5+, with the ability to War Fury.
Kumite – At 35 AP, he is great for his points, especially when you’re trying to squeeze every point out of your list to make room for both numbers and heavy hitters an make it a tournament legal list. Alone, he won’t meet the 80 AP requirement for Characters in a tournament list but will leave you with enough room to take either a Faithful or Mage character with the ability to provide one of these two with artifacts, miracles, or spells along with the ability to field the much needed War Staff for your Goblins. His stat line isn’t the greatest with his characteristics being on par or below those of most other armies Elites. But as a character, he benefits from the ability to Counter Attack, Master Strike, and Sequence.
Uraken Ideogram of Protection – This artifact works the same for Kumite as it does for Bazuka except for his RES becomes a 7. Personally, I always field him with a War Staff and therefore always field them with this artifact.
Hoosu-Uzo – I could possibly go on and on about Uzo, so I’ll try to keep this short. At 50 AP and rank of Zealot, he is amazing...especially in a Goblin army. If you take him by himself or with Kumite, then you’re left with plenty of room to give him miracles and artifacts. On the other hand, if you try to fit him in a list with Bazuka then you’re a little limited with the options you have. Almost any of the miracles provided in the C3 rulebook would work wonders for him. The ones that I use the most are probably Miraculous Reprieve, Blood of the Earth, Cleaver of Destiny, Prayer of the Warrior, Religious Authority, Blind Rage, and Chains of Fury. Also, you can equip him with Devotion, Perseverance, and/or Inspiration from the Liturgy pack to make him even more formidable. The only real weakness of Uzo is his RES 3. Depending on what you equip him with, it may be a good portion of your AP gone if something were to happen to him. Plus, with the Goblin’s small size, it means that he can be easily targeted out of the crowd by any ranged weaponry. For this reason, you may want to think of enlisting a Dai Bakemono, Troll, or Gas Blower bodyguards to hide him with.
Council of Rats – This artifact allows any Goblin within Uzo’s Aura of Faith to disengage on a 4+1 per opponent difficulty instead of a 4+2. With Goblins, this allows you to control frays easier and send backups to combats where you may need them. Also, in a one on one combat, an unpenalized Ninja Goblin can disengage without making a check thanks to their INI 4 and Vivacity. Nice little artifact.
Lucky Charm Kimono – This artifact allows Uzo to sacrifice some Temporary Faith to roll an extra die when making a Survival Instinct test. Since there is no way to boost Uzo’s Survival Instinct odds thanks to the Uraken Ideogram of Protection, then this is the next best alternative. Needing a 6 and getting to roll two dice to get it is just as good as needing a 5+. Also, with his RES of 3, any chance of avoiding a damage roll is best.
Brazen Conspiracy – This miracle allows Uzo to reduce the final result of your opponent’s Tactical roll by up to 4 points. I could see this having its advantages in Confrontation, I see this miracle more geared towards Rag’narok where reducing your opponent’s Tactical Roll will also allow you to remove some additional orders that they may receive.
Wazabi – Wazabi is a versatile Character that can add a deadly stealth element to your Uraken army. Being a Warrior-Monk, she has access to all of the Character Warrior abilities such as Counter Attack and Sequence. Combined with her ninja-esque combat stats and abilities she becomes a very formidable fighter in hand to hand combat. Plus, she has the ability to call on the god Rat to aid her allies in battle.
The Handbook of Silence – For 15 AP, this artifact gives the Assassin ability to Wazabi and also prevents opponents from Charging her (however, they can still engage her). When combined with her Scout ability and combat oriented stat line she becomes very deadly for these additional points.
The Deck of Fortune – For 10 AP, this artifact grants the player an additional reserved slot that is automatically filled by Wazabi prior to the construction of their Activation Sequence. This saves you your remaining reserve spots to fill with other fighters but also allowing you to pull off some interesting combos during your turn. Imagine Wazabi Charging and Leaping into combat with a host of Ninja Goblins and Dai Bakemonos at her side while your opponent stands there unable to retaliate.
Song of the Rat – After playing a couple of games with Wazabi and this miracle I’d state that this is a must have miracle for her to take. Song of the Rat allows Wazabi to give herself and up to 3 fighters (the sum of her Aspects) the Scout ability and can be called before the game even begins but after deployment. Why’s this so great then? Well, these fighters are considered hidden and can prevent your opponent from going Dai Bakemono, Troll, or Character hunting with their ranged weapons or possibly even Scouts of their own. Also, on subsequent turns, Wazabi can call this miracle again to make herself and up to 3 fighters hidden again if they were revealed and are not within 10cm (20cm if Consciousness) of an enemy fighter.
Strategic Retreat – If this miracle is successfully called, then the Faithful and all friendly fighters located within his or her Aura of Faith gain the Disengagement/5 ability until the end of the round. If played correctly, or combined with Hoosu Uzo’s reserved artifact the Council of Rats, this will allow your Goblins to escape unfavorably combats and even swing the tide of battle back their way as they control combats and gang up on fighters to increase their chances of success.
Troops
Goblin Shigobi – In my opinion are nowhere near worth what you pay for them and that was proven when the Ninja Goblins were released. However, they do have a great INI, ATT, and STR plus they benefit from the Assassin and Rapidity abilities. This should allow them to pick and choose their combats pretty effectively and then retreat. I see them being used mainly to eliminate mages, faithful, and ranged weapons.
Dai-Bakemono Ogres – At 37 AP each, these guys are almost guaranteed in an Uraken themed Goblin list. Their large size, impressive offensive ability, and potential Fear induction proves very useful to an army where Strength is limited. The box set comes with three separate profiles all of which are the same except for one ability that is exclusive to each: Master Strike/2, Implacable/1, and Vivacity. From my experience, I haven’t found much use for the Vivacity profile and believe the Implacable profile is more suited for Rag’narok. When playing C3, I typically run the Master Strike profile. With good movements and tactics, you should be able to charge with the Dai Bakemono to ensure that they receive the bonus combat die from their Brutish Charge ability allowing you to make both a Master Strike and a normal attack or the ability to defend yourself. Unfortunately, their low INI (2) and relatively low DEF (3) can leave them in a tight spot if they are in combat by themselves. Therefore, I recommend that you send them into combat with at least one other Goblin (preferably a Bushi or Ninja) to benefit from their INI + 1.
Khawai Spy – This artifact isn’t really an artifact. For 12 AP, the Dai-Bakemono is accompanied by a Khawai and in turn benefits from a +1 bonus to INI and the Consciousness ability. The boost to INI is nice but this artifact earns its points from the Consciousness ability that it provides making it easier for the Ogre to get the charge off by providing him with 360 degree field of vision out to 20cm.
Samurats – When these guys were first released, the Master Strike and Ambidextrous profile seemed to counter each other. You couldn’t use one with the other and they didn’t seem worth their 25 AP price tag. However, with the switch to 3.5 and the ability to combine a die gained thanks to Ambidextrous with a Master Strike these guys are well worth their 25 AP. With solid combat stats for a Goblin (INI 3, ATT/STR 4/6, DEF/RES 4/6, Master Strike/0, Survival Instinct, and Ambidextrous or Fine Blade) these guys are able to hold off higher cost fighters by themselves until backup arrives or they’re able to finish off their opponent with a well timed Master Strike.
Ninja Goblins – Ninja Goblins are great additions to any Goblin army in my opinion. They have good INI, ATT, and STR scores plus benefit from the Assassin, Vivacity, and Reinforcement abilities. Also, they are required to take either Toxic/1 for either +2 AP or Leap for +7 AP both of which have their advantages. The combination of Assassin and Toxic almost guarantees that you’ll inflict at the least a Light Wound thanks to Assassin providing you with a third die to roll for damage then with the follow up Toxic roll inflicting even more...if need be. If given the Leap ability, the Ninjas are allowed to patrol the back lines and use the other Ashigaru as a meat shield for them to then jump over and into combat still benefiting from Assassin thanks to their Small Size and having line of sight over the other Goblins to any enemy fighter Normal Size or larger.
Goblin Bushi – Bushis have relatively decent stats as far as Goblins go. The bonus they provide to Bazuka’s DIS on the Tactical roll is worth taking them when you field Bazuka. Their ability to Feint is worth taking them in every game you play. When fielding Ninja Goblins and Dai-Bakemono Ogres I’d recommend that you send Bushis into combat to support them. If you attack first with a Bushi, the defending player will be forced to make the decision of whether they should attempt to parry this attack. If they don’t you’re then free to remove one of their combat dice, but if they do maybe they’ll waste the Defense die they were saving for your Ogre or Ninja. All in all, they’re 15 AP well spent for a Goblin army.
Goblin Hoheitai – For 13 AP, these guys can pack a punch thanks to their Master Strike/0 ability. Granted it’s only one punch. Always equip these guys with a Mace as to get the best bang for your buck with them you’re going to have to go all attack and would never benefit from the +1 DEF gained from giving them a Sword. When they Master Strike, they should hit with a STR 8. There are spells and miracles that will further increase their STR such as Force of the Four Winds and/or Blind Rage. Both of which are available in the C3 rulebook in the Sorcery and Litany of Destiny.
Goblin Keihohei – These are your staple troops at 9 AP. They are versatile and for the extra 3 AP that you spend on them over an Ashigaru you gain +1 ATT and +2 RES which is worth it. They can also be given either a Mace or Sword and how you equip them depends on the role that you want them to play (ie. Defensive or Offensive).
Goblin Ashigaru – At 6 AP, the Ashigarus are in my opinion only there to tie up your enemy’s troops and give you the ability to focus your big guys elsewhere. To best fulfill this role, equip them with Swords. The +1 in DEF isn’t great but could mean the difference between parrying or not. Also, with their RES 1 you’ll want to give them the best opportunity for survival that you can.
Army List #1
Kumite (35)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
Musician (10)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
Standard Bearer (10)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
Hoosu Uzo (50)
-Blood of the Earth (14)
-Cleaver of Destiny (8)
-Perseverance (8)
-Devotion (8)
War Troll (69)
Dai Bakemono Ogre with Master Strike (37)
Dai Bakemono Ogre with Master Strike (37)
Goblin Bushi (15)
Goblin Bushi (15)
Goblin Keihohei with Sword (9)
Goblin Keihohei with Sword (9)
Goblin Keihohei with Sword (9)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
Goblin Ashigaru with Sword (6)
Goblin Ashigaru with Sword (6)
Totals: 400 AP, 17 Figures, 8 Cards
This is a list with a couple of big guys who will be the main damage dealers with lots of little guys there for support. With the War Troll’s Survival Instinct, Regeneration/5, and RES 12 he should have stay on the table for quite a long time. Also, Hoosu Uzo is equipped with the Blood of the Earth miracle that allows you to heal a single fighter of up to two wound levels. This miracle could potentially be Persevered, but it is a Temporary Faith drain. Uzo is given this miracle to keep the Ogres healthy and fighting, but it can also be called on any other friendly fighter who needs it as well. Typical strategy for this list is to pair each Bushi up with a Dai Bakemono and send them into combat together. With any luck, you should get the first strike in and be able to Feint away a Defense die with your Bushi setting up the Dai Bakemono for a free Master Strike. The War Troll could potentially charge into combat all by himself but his low INI should be supported by at least another Goblin of any type. Kumite and his War Staff are there to keep all the Goblins in line but to also provide you with a combat oriented Character who gets +2 RES, Survival Instinct on a 5+, and a DIS of 5 with two dice from Leadership for Tactical Rolls. Hoosu Uzo is there to keep your Ogres healthy (as mentioned above) but to also give your other lowly Goblins some wounding potential with his Cleaver of Destiny miracle (gives Ferocious to target). Also, since he has been giving the Devotion Virtue, his Aura of Faith is now 15 cm and he should be able to generate a lot of Temporary Faith thanks to this.
Army List #2 (using Uraken theme from Goblin Clans card pack)
Bazuka (100)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
-Solo / Thunderstruck (6)
Musician (10)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Standard Bearer (10)
-Uraken Ideogram of Protection (6)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Dai Bakemono Ogre with Master Strike (37)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Dai Bakemono Ogre with Master Strike (37)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Dai Bakemono Ogre with Master Strike (37)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Bushi (15)
-Clan / Code of Honor (2)
Goblin Bushi (15)
-Clan / Code of Honor (2)
Ninja Goblin with Toxic/1 (24)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Ninja Goblin with Toxic/1 (24)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Ninja Goblin with Toxic/1 (24)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Keihohei with Mace (9)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Ashigaru with Sword (6)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Goblin Ashigaru with Sword (6)
-Clan / Code of Honor (0)
Totals: 400 AP, 16 Figures, 6 Cards
The Uraken Clan theme requires that you take a Character with Leadership and for this reason I chose Bazuka. In my opinion, the Thunder Struck Solo ability is underpriced for what it can do. Leaving the target of an attack by Bazuka Vulnerable can be deadly for those who oppose him as they suffer from their Vulnerability prior to the damage roll is made and for all that follow. Therefore, even little Goblins who are helping Bazuka out (or whom Bazuka is helping out) can deal some hefty damage thanks to this. Also, the three Dai Bakemono Ogres should be paired with the three Ninja Goblins to benefit from their INI 4 and Vivacity. With the Ninja’s Assassin and the Ogre’s Master Strike, the enemy fighter will be forced with the situation of having to choose which attack to parry or even forced to attempt to parry both.