impressives and the AI

[the sandwich]

so... feel free to correct me if im wrong but... does the AI only deploy impressives if you do?
and if thats the case is it really worth it?
im curretly running a extremely tank heavy SoS warband atm and seeing as the vast majority of downs has been at the hands of an enemy impressive im starting to think it might be for the best to simply skip sigmars maiden.
maybe drag her along for story missions but besides that i feel like she is just going to collect dust.
thoughts?

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by the sandwich:

so... feel free to correct me if im wrong but... does the AI only deploy impressives if you do?
and if thats the case is it really worth it?

First answer is yes
Second answer is depends on what you are looking for

[Papa Yash]

I guess 2 heroes is far better than her.

[Penny Royal]

Originally posted by Telamoont:

I guess 2 heroes is far better than her.

I never leave this Maiden behind (lvl 9):

S 18/20
T 15(13)/17(15)
A 9/17

L 12/16
I 20/20
A 10/13

W 19(18)/21(20)
B 3/3
A 13/16

She's my favorite tank in the game by far, next to a Doomweaver I'm working on at lvl 7 in my Possessed band.

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by Telamoont:

I guess 2 heroes is far better than her.

2 heroes are better than any impressive, if you are just after the best. An impressive has as many Offensive Points as a regular hero. So having two heroes means you have an entire offensive point bar extra.

[Boink]

I think the major advantage you get against AI if you bring an impressive is that most 3 out of 5 factions field a large impressive which often gets stuck. Now if you bring 4 man team this value increases due to the inept AI impressive handling.

As far as damage goes 2 heros base on just normal attacks can get off 3 max with dual wield/2h. Impressives can put in 4. So approximately 2 heroes can put in 2 1/2 higher damage value than of an Impressive. Carry weight goes with 2 heroes than a Maiden.

The problem you have is that like you mentioned you are fielding a heavy tank build and I can only assume that your Maiden is fairly new. You absolutely have zero high damage value when you do face an enemy AI impressive 500+ hp to cut down is just hard.

Maybe sticking in your highest M.R. henchman tanks x 2 against enemy impressive (just engage, go on a defensive stance and forget hitting it, rely on counterattacks). That is what I do often. Then have your all your units focus down on the others. Bringing her in Story Missions is not bad either just try to make her do all the killing blows for xp. Maiden is good at max level, of course it can't fulfill a 2 man hero but she is a good alternative when your hero decided to go on a vacation due to injury.

[the sandwich]

thanks for the awnsers guys.

[Mr. F]

It would be really nice, if the AI would choose randomly, wether it deploys an impressive or two heroes. So you would be free in your own decision.

[ZoidbergsFriend]

I always bring my impressive for regular missions, mostly because I love those units and how they can demolish almost every unit they engage, except for other impressives obviously.

But another reason, and this is really cheesy I know, is that the AI's impressive only makes it into combat 50% of the time max. If you're up against a warband with a large impressive the pathfinding gets it stuck on terrain within 10 meters of its spawnzone.
Two days ago, I played a round where the AI managed to get its demon spawn all the way up to the fight, but then the AI decided that it was best used humping a doorway, while the fight was raging within two meters of it. Fun times.
So you get a huge advantage. This has changed up a little with the Witch Hunters coming into the game, since it's not only SoS that have an impressive that doesn't suffer from the same pathfinding issues as the rest.

But it's just fun setting up a nice ambush with your ogre, ratogre, executioner etc. and then having them run amok through the enemy warband.

Edit: Just saw that Boink mentioned the pathfinding issue, so disregard that.
Just take your impressives with you because they are fun! :b

[Summanus]

The Executioner is awesome! He can deal out huge damage. He can dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge with the best of them (especially with Sidestep). He has no trouble climbing walls. And he can fit through all doorways! I never leave camp without one.

[3rd Dementor]

For me, it very much depends on which warband I'm playing.

Sisters - yes. I love how the Maiden doesn't have the restrictions of large impressives (can't pick up items, fit through doorways, or climb). Plus, she's my only non-henchman dodge tank (I max her agility, it works well even with her heavy armor). Need her against those pesky armband/bracer users and certain daemons.

Mercenaries - no. The ogre just doesn't do anything special. His tankiness is limited because he can't wear heavy armor, he can't be a dodge tank because his max agility is 12, and he doesn't ignore parry like the Chaos Spawn or Rat Ogre. He's balanced and overall decent, but there's nothing really special about him, and I find him not worth the risk of the enemy having an impressive. Furthermore, I like the Mercs' heroes. Champion, promoted Marksman, Warlock, maybe even a smuggler. 2 hero slots just aren't enough for all that goodness.

Witch Hunters - no. To be honest, I haven't delved very far into the Witch Hunters yet, but I did my research, and it looks like they have plenty of dodge tanks already with both the Flagellants and the Captain filling that role, and I happen to like their heroes as well: I plan to run two Warrior Priests, a Templar Knight and either a Smuggler or a promoted Zealot (for Trial by Pain). Or maybe switch the numbers of the priests and templars. Bottom line: their heroes are great, and while the Executioner's very powerful, he just doesn't fill any particular niche for me.

Skaven - yes. Yeah, the Rat Ogre has stupidity, and yes he requires a Sorcerer to babysit him, but the Sorcerer is great to begin with, and the sheer damage potential... imagine it: Adrenaline Rush (Mastery) with Black Hunger (Mastery) combined with the Sorcerer's Bless with Filth. It'll cost 90 Wounds, yes, but with 6 attacks at a 25% crit chance (35% after Fatality kicks in, 45% with Swarm) and that poison - which stacks - the Rat Ogre could very well kill an enemy impressive in one turn, and generally wreak untold havoc on the enemy team. Besides, we can heal him back up with the trusty Globadier.

Cult of the Possessed: Can't say, as I haven't played them yet. I know how difficult they are, so I'm saving them for last.

[Summanus]

Originally posted by 3rd Dementor:

Witch Hunters - no. To be honest, I haven't delved very far into the Witch Hunters yet, but I did my research, and it looks like they have plenty of dodge tanks already with both the Flagellants and the Captain filling that role, and I happen to like their heroes as well: I plan to run two Warrior Priests, a Templar Knight and either a Smuggler or a promoted Zealot (for Trial by Pain). Or maybe switch the numbers of the priests and templars. Bottom line: their heroes are great, and while the Executioner's very powerful, he just doesn't fill any particular niche for me.

The great thing about the Witch Hunters is that they're just as good with or without the impressive. The Executioner can easily dispatch 3 enemy units at once all by himself with his crit rating/stuns built up at lvl 10 and he provides that great pyre that helps your other warriors to hit and makes them all virtually immune to Alone / Fear / Terror.

My Executioner once took on a lvl 10 Chaos Spawn and Magister at the same time by himself and killed them both with more than half his hit points still intact!

On the other hand, the Templars and Warrior-Priests are also awesome, and can be made to be virtually indestructible while they whittle down their opponents. So they make excellent replacements for the impressive.

In my opinion you just can't go wrong with the Witch Hunters, whichever way you play it.

Edit: Flagellants are great at dodge, but very squishy. Hit them once at level 10 and they suddenly start looking like they're in a whole heap of trouble! They're no substitute for the Executioner.