Dawnlord Vyros

Template:Retbox This model is playable only in an Unlimited format.

Dawnlord Vyros views the military might of the new Retribution as a sword in his hands, one sufficient to sunder any obstacle. He has the loyalty of the Dawnguard and the volunteered assets of dozens of other houses. The Dawnlord has a reputation as a bold and forthright general who leads by example. Even pursuits such as falconry Vyros extends to applications in war, linking his mind to his hawk’s to look down from above and survey the battlefield.

Basic Info

Warcaster abilities:

• Focus Manipulation

• Battlegroup Controller

• Power Field

• Spellcaster

• Independent Model

• Leader

Feat : Perfect Execution

While in Vyros' Template:CTRL range, warjacks in his battlegroup gain Flank [friendly Faction warrior model]. Perfect Execution lasts for one turn.

Template:Flank-alt

Abilities

• Template:Bird's Eye
• Template:Flank

Weapons

• Justicar - 2" reach, P+S 14 melee weapon
  • Template:Magical Weapon

Spells

{{Category: Template:EliminatorTemplate:Hallowed AvengerTemplate:Inviolable ResolveTemplate:MobilityTemplate:Stranglehold }}[[Category: Template:EliminatorTemplate:Hallowed AvengerTemplate:Inviolable ResolveTemplate:MobilityTemplate:Stranglehold ]]

Theme Forces

• Template:Defenders of Ios
• Template:Forges of War
• Template:Legions of Dawn
• Template:Shadows of the Retribution. He gains "optional take down" in this theme.

Thoughts on Vyros1

Vyros1 in a nutshell

Master of the combined arms approach, Vyros is a very strong support caster. He has excellent spells for both his battlegroup and for a selected unit in his army, and a feat, which incentives you to take both. His personal combat output is respectable close to his jacks due to Flank, but that should only be a backup plan when playing him. Bird's Eye gives huge advantage in SR2017 scenarios, as the center is always dominated by a LOS blocking terrain piece, and quite often it will be a forest patch. Screening models mean nothing to your battlegroup (even if they're within 1" to each other, like in the case of Arcing Fire) and the more exotic defensive measures (smoke walls and the like) won't hold back your jacks either.

Feat thoughts

It requires careful coordination between your warrior models and your battlegroup to make the most out of it. Terrain can also hinder your movement, so fast units with Pathfinder are strongly advised. Finally, it is fairly obvious what you want: engage with your warrior models, so then you can charge in with your jacks. Watch out for traps your opponent might set up for you, including countercharges, out-of-activation movements like Admonition, or simply getting out of your melee range with Dodge and the like. Perfect Execution has the same built-in weakness, as Siege1's Breach: if you overstretch yourself, and try to catch all of the enemy's force in the bubble, your forces can spread thin, and the enemy can easily open up lines for retaliation. Try to get the most important pieces, possibly heavy hitters, and win through attrition.

Spell thoughts

• Eliminator - Pretty restrictive on your FOCUS pool, and have quite corner-case applications. First, you want to move in for killing the enemy caster. Second, you want to extricate Vyros from a likewise threat. Third, you want Vyros to reach a scenario element for killing / scoring. And all three situation assumes that Mobility wouldn't take you far enough.
• Hallowed Avenger - Ensure that the enemies will get your jack even faster into their faces, if they start killing your forces.
• Inviolable Resolve - Your main support spell. Place it on a core infantry unit, especially if you expect pushing tricks, like in a Rahn mirror match, or against a Sons of the Tempest force. It also helps to anchor a key jack of yours into a zone, and keep it there.
• Mobility - Your bread and butter spell. If you didn't cast it on turn 1, something odd is going on. Know your enemy's threat ranges though, it is really annoying, if you overcommitted yourself, and they jam up your lines.
• Stranglehold - A somewhat odd zap; usually too weak to damage low DEF high ARM models without damage boost, and your FOCUS 6 is too low to reliably cast on low ARM high DEF models without attack boost. However, if you manage to land it on a target, who is knocked down, or stationary, that one is pretty much out of action for a turn (unless it can shake the above mentioned effects).

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Anti-charge abilities (Polarity Shield, Vindictus' feat, etc), or running (Zerkova1's feat) will make the delivery of your feat extremely difficult
• With all those great support spells he is short on FOCUS
• Rough terrain can severely affect your army outside your battlegroup.

Tricks & Tips

• Bird's Eye affects Vyros too - use it to charge through walls of smoke, forests, or simply let loose some Eliminator into casters, hiding behind their comrades.

List Building Advice

Strategy

Vyros offers an extremely mobile battlegroup. Going first with Mobility will get even your slowest jack up to 21" from your table edge. Mount pressure early on the enemy, deliver an alpha strike to cripple the enemy force and get ahead on attrition using your feat.

Theme Thoughts

Durable 2" reach infantry beside your Jacks, what's not to love? For example, the low speed on your Dawnguards. Your Mobility-enhanced battlegroup can get way ahead of the Dawnguard lines, making Flank difficult to happen. If you bring this force, a Scyir is a must for its Tactician, and strongly consider Cylena's Hunters to have someone triggering Perfect Execution in time.

• Dawnguard Sentinels - They rarely reach the front faster than your jacks, but between Inviolable Resolve, Wall of Steel and Iron Zeal they can weather most of the things the enemy might throw at them on the advance.

Defenders is a great theme for him because you can have Aeternae that accumulate off of, and Flank with, House Ellowuyr models, who all have 2" reach.

• House Ellowuyr Wardens are the perfect unit for Inviolable Resolve and the feat due to having boxes, Unyielding and 2" reach.
• Elara1 - Lack of Pathfinder on your units can really sting; Elara brings Ghost Walk for a better version of Pathfinder.
• Ryssovass Defenders under Inviolable Resolve cannot be pushed push out of their Defensive Line and their 2" reach also triggers your Flank bonus from afar. Plus at SPD 6 they can keep up with your battlegroup.

Ever wanted a battlegroup who can keep up with your pointy-eared assassins? Well, Vyros' surely can! You also get access to strong melee solos, like the Mage Hunter Assassins, or Narn, who can dig deep into the enemy lines. Terrain is also rarely an issue for your troops. You may also want to consider adding Eiryss3 for Advance Deployment. Also, you can spare Inviolable Resolve on your troops, as the +2 ARM will hardly make any difference - even against blasts, the most common tool against them.

• A Bird's Eye and Mobility enhanced Moros can be a potent assassination tool.

• Sylys - Any FOCUS strapped caster likes free upkeep and help with your offensive spells.

Battlegroup

File:Retribution Imperatus.jpg

Imperatus is his pet warjack that he can take in any theme.

• Griffon - Cheap, durable and with a high threat range they only need a damage fixer to be real super stars. Enter Vyros's feat.
• Aeternae gain extra focus from House Ellowuyr models and have a potent ranged and melee profile, so they are perfect for Flank, Righteous Vengeance, Mobility and Bird's Eye.
• Imperatus is his pet warjack that he can take in any theme. It has a respectable 13" threat range under Mobility. The free charge from the bond ensures a certain degree of protection against Disruption too, should an Arcanist Mechanik be too far away to help.
• Hyperion and Helios - Shooting behind screening models with either the strongest gun on the game, or with a pushing cannon is not something you easily turn down.

Other

Trivia

Released in Forces of Warmachine: Retribution of Scyrah (Novermber 2009)