Uthuk Infantry Command

[Budgernaut 6,255]

This is ... interesting.

https://www.fantasyflightgames.com/en/news/2017/7/3/uthuk-yllan-infantry-command-expansion/

Edited July 3, 2017 by Budgernaut

[Parakitor 5,656]

So that's their interpretation of a Grotesque...that'll take some getting used to.

Loving everything else I see, though. They definitely feel more evil than Waiqar.

[Budgernaut 6,255]

So, I'm in the unlucky position of having a lot of preconceived notions of what the Uthuk Y'llan should be like. In my mind, sure, they're evil and they love blood, sacrifice, and awful rituals, but they were still basically spiky men and women assisted by cool-looking demons. It's clear that the Uthuk aesthetic for Runewars is not going the way I hoped it would. The Witch model is fantastic. The Warsprinter model is fine, too, and a bit creative. But the Grotesque and Shrieker are not what I'm looking for in this army. They're too disgusting for my tastes. I don't like the blood vessels on the Shrieker, nor do I like the open sore on the neck of the Grotesque. I mean, we've seen Grotesques in BattleLore -- and as far as looks, Grotesques were my second favorite unit -- but they were nothing like this. Well, they were something like this, because they had over-sized arms, but that's about where the similarity stops. I miss having the enlarged arm covered in spines. Also, the Runewars Grotesque's arm is a little too big, in my opinion. It doesn't look like this thing could actually battle that well. 

Another thing that's really disappointing me about the Uthuk models is the bone-growths. I wanted to see actual spikes coming out of their arms and legs. Instead, we're getting these disk-like things and small, roundish cones. On Ravos, his belly spines look more like pustules than spikes. And the thing that gets me is that the BattleLore: Second Edition models were even spikier and they were smaller figures! 

So, we'll see how I feel in a little bit, but for now, I feel like I'm losing steam.

Gameplay-wise, though, I'm liking what I'm seeing, mostly. The abilities fit what I expect for Uthuk and look interesting. I don't necessarily like that the complexity is taking a huge jump upward with their upgrade cards, though, but it'll be fine as long as all the factions have decent balance. I just don't want a bunch of people feeling like the Uthuk Y'llan are overpowered.

[Tvayumat 3,637]

23 minutes ago, Budgernaut said:

So, I'm in the unlucky position of having a lot of preconceived notions of what the Uthuk Y'llan should be like. In my mind, sure, they're evil and they love blood, sacrifice, and awful rituals, but they were still basically spiky men and women assisted by cool-looking demons. It's clear that the Uthuk aesthetic for Runewars is not going the way I hoped it would. The Witch model is fantastic. The Warsprinter model is fine, too, and a bit creative. But the Grotesque and Shrieker are not what I'm looking for in this army. They're too disgusting for my tastes. I don't like the blood vessels on the Shrieker, nor do I like the open sore on the neck of the Grotesque. I mean, we've seen Grotesques in BattleLore -- and as far as looks, Grotesques were my second favorite unit -- but they were nothing like this. Well, they were something like this, because they had over-sized arms, but that's about where the similarity stops. I miss having the enlarged arm covered in spines. Also, the Runewars Grotesque's arm is a little too big, in my opinion. It doesn't look like this thing could actually battle that well. 

Another thing that's really disappointing me about the Uthuk models is the bone-growths. I wanted to see actual spikes coming out of their arms and legs. Instead, we're getting these disk-like things and small, roundish cones. On Ravos, his belly spines look more like pustules than spikes. And the thing that gets me is that the BattleLore: Second Edition models were even spikier and they were smaller figures! 

So, we'll see how I feel in a little bit, but for now, I feel like I'm losing steam.

Gameplay-wise, though, I'm liking what I'm seeing, mostly. The abilities fit what I expect for Uthuk and look interesting. I don't necessarily like that the complexity is taking a huge jump upward with their upgrade cards, though, but it'll be fine as long as all the factions have decent balance. I just don't want a bunch of people feeling like the Uthuk Y'llan are overpowered.

Weirdly on the opposite side of this coin.

I've always loved the tendency of Uthuk toward bone spine-ery, but I'm glad to see FFG opening up the aesthetic avenues a bit to explore the other horrific side effects that generations of drinking demon blood and engaging in ritualistic blood rites can wreak on a people.

I agree, I was expecting a different look for the Grotesque, in particular, but find his gigantic "OH GOD KILL ME" mutant arm to be a nice change of pace, particularly for the role he is filling. I look at this guy and think "Oh, well then we will probably see the bone spine ranged attack grotesques as their own unique unit, and subtype of "Grotesque"

Now we can really have all *sorts* of different Grotesques. If this game gets as many expansions as I'm hoping for, I'm glad for the variety.

Similarly, the Shriekers are a nice change of pace. Yeah, they're gross, but I mean... the Uthuk are pretty icky, and only having one specific type of mutation is a little limiting for a full sized wargame.

EDIT: Just read the description of how the shriekers come to be. Yeesh.

Besides, everyone knows the coolest Uthuk unit (for now and all time) is the Flesh Ripper, and their models are great.

Edited July 3, 2017 by Tvayumat

[Hawkman2000 352]

The Grotesque might skip leg day, but apparently not left arm day. 

Those models looks great, very unique for the setting. I don't think I've seen anything like it in Descent. 

[Budgernaut 6,255]

3 minutes ago, Tvayumat said:

Besides, everyone knows the coolest Uthuk unit (for now and all time) is the Flesh Ripper, and their models are great.

I don't think I can argue with that!

[Tvayumat 3,637]

16 minutes ago, Parakitor said:

So that's their interpretation of a Grotesque...that'll take some getting used to.

Loving everything else I see, though. They definitely feel more evil than Waiqar.

Well, of COURSE they do!

Waiqar isn't evil! He's the guy who wanted to destroy all these horrid, demonic abominations back during the first darkness, but Timmoran was all NOOOOOOOOOOO!

People are just prejudiced against the dermally challenged.

[Budgernaut 6,255]

I just realized that you can roll a hit AND a surge with the Grotesque Slasher, thus granting BOTH a stun token and an immobilize token. That's a pretty neat trick. Of course, you could also blank out.

[Tvayumat 3,637]

Just now, Budgernaut said:

I just realized that you can roll a hit AND a surge with the Grotesque Slasher, thus granting BOTH a stun token and an immobilize token. That's a pretty neat trick. Of course, you could also blank out.

Everything I've seen for the army seems to lean toward a high risk/high reward playstyle. This fits.

[TallGiraffe 3,454]

Bloodfire witch unique 

After energy tokens are cast during setup and the end phase you may either

exhaust this card to recast an energy token 

suffer 1 wound to recast one rune with an inactive(?) unstable rune even if this card is exhausted. 

[Budgernaut 6,255]

As I said before, the witch is practically perfect, and that extends to the one revealed upgrade for that model. I really like the interplay between Ravos' setup ability, the Spined Threshers' static ability, and Psychosis Siren. Lots of ways to hand out panic, and then use the Psychosis Siren to trigger a morale test and increase its severity with the panic tokens already on the enemies.

EDIT: So of course, someone points out that there is a second revealed upgrade when I say "one revealed upgrade."

Edited July 3, 2017 by Budgernaut

[stet2 132]

Managed to glean a bit of info from the general picture, 3 of the other upgrades (in addition to the 4 spoiled in the article):

Bloodfire Witch (Unique) Cost 5 Defence 3 with 1 Wound

After energy tokens are cast during setup and the End Phase, you may either:

Exhaust this card to recast 1 energy token

Suffer 1 wound to recast 1 energy token with Inactive (Red) runes, even if this card is exhausted

Edit : Ninja'd by TallGiraffe

 

Tactical Shrieker Cost 2 Defence 4 with 1 Wound

You do not receive panic tokens for disengaging from enemies

Fortuna's dice

 

Of the other 11 Upgrades there is a Neutral Champion (likely File Leader), a further 3 Uthuk specific Champions (one of these is likely to be an artefact bearer of some sort), 1 other Uthuk specific Musician, 1 other Uthuk specific Heraldry, 1 indeterminate Uthuk specific Upgrade and 4 Neutral Upgrades.

 

 

Edited July 3, 2017 by stet2

[Waywardpaladin 419]

With such a focus on morale tests it may end up that Waiqar's forces are our best bet against the Locust

[Xargonaut 165]

9 minutes ago, Budgernaut said:

As I said before, the witch is practically perfect, and that extends to the one revealed upgrade for that model. I really like the interplay between Ravos' setup ability, the Spined Threshers' static ability, and Psychosis Siren. Lots of ways to hand out panic, and then use the Psychosis Siren to trigger a morale test and increase its severity with the panic tokens already on the enemies.

Ooooh... I did not realize you could spend any of a unit's current panic tokens when it is targeted from the Psychosis Siren morale test... I thought it would be limited to a severity-1 test, but you're right. That makes this power really awesome .

[Daverman 253]

Hey!  I correctly guessed the Grotesque would be their tough-guy champion upgrade

Kind of grossed out at the shriekers though.  Ugh.

 

[Budgernaut 6,255]

6 minutes ago, Daverman said:

Hey!  I correctly guessed the Grotesque would be their tough-guy champion upgrade

You sure did! I meant to post that in the original post.

[Willange 682]

I'm in love with those models, especially the grotesque and the shrieker.  The witch was okay and the sprinter is sorta confusing to me but it'll probably look better in person. I've found my opinions on the models change when I get my hands on them.

[maxam 815]

I really like the witch figure - although I wish her hand was less of a "pleased to meet you "handshake and more of a "I'll crush you all" evil gesture like the concept art...

Edited July 3, 2017 by maxam

[Mep 2,292]

2 hours ago, Parakitor said:

So that's their interpretation of a Grotesque...that'll take some getting used to.

No kidding. When I look at that model all I can think of is that dude is doing something grotesque WAY too much.

[Bhelliom 602]

Wow, warsprinter makes them seriously fast. They can take it on any size unit of berserkers, so I'd expect one in virtually every list. Assuming berserkers have the same white action modifier that all three other basic infantry have, that means they can advance up to 4 as a bonus action. Even if their left dial only has a 3 speed advance, that's 7 in one activation, which can benefit from aggressive shrieker. Serious speed.

The more I think about it the more I expect this one upgrade to be faction defining.

Edited July 4, 2017 by Bhelliom

[Daverman 253]

I'm still not liking the gray-skin look to these guys, but that's easily fixed by painting them differently   For the Battlelore miniatures I avoided tattoos because they were so small... might go for it on these larger figures.  I also prefer the Battlelore Grotesque as well...

[Budgernaut 6,255]

29 minutes ago, Daverman said:

I'm still not liking the gray-skin look to these guys, but that's easily fixed by painting them differently   For the Battlelore miniatures I avoided tattoos because they were so small... might go for it on these larger figures.  I also prefer the Battlelore Grotesque as well...

SO SPINY!!!!!

Seriously,  they need to work on more spine-like growths with the Runewars models. It looks like rocks coming out of their skin instead of bone spurs. (Yes, I'm a broken record.)

[Darthain 1,747]

All I could think was.

 

[Vineheart01 6,403]

Of the four they spoiled, the witch is probably the only one i like. You can easily cause some pretty intense morale checks with that

The others are kinda meh to me. The sprinter i see uses for but depending on their dial it could be overkill

More than likely the other 2 variants for these models are even crazier, since i dont remember being all that impressed with waiqar or daqan infantry upgrades until it was fully spoiled.

[Orcdruid 500]

One of the shriekers is likely to be Marching Shrieker, as we have already seen aggresive(x) and marching(x) be the base figure upgrades for the other two factions.

I agree with @Vineheart01 these upgrades are kinda meh. Maybe this just isn't the faction for me.