Bloodwrack Medusa

[gerryb56]

Anybody used any of these and what were the results ?

Are they on 40mm or 50mm bases ?

[gerryb56]

60+ views and not a comment

[Thraundil]

They are on a 40x40 mm square base, being monstrous infantry and all.

I used one in a few games. Mostly as a redirector... But she usually manage to kill a few models off of the unit that she redirects. I'm not super impressed though, but I only have those few games to compare. In my meta, chaff = easy, cheap and fast points if you shoot it down. So she doesnt really live long.

[Dalamar]

Again, GW defines the "legal" base size as whatever the model comes from.

The Cauldron of Blood/Bloodwrack Shrine kit happens to come with a spare 40mm square base for the medusa in case you build the cauldron (and two spare 20mm square bases for Death Hag and Hellebron in case you build the Bloodwrack Shrine)

[Languste]

I generally like her... if you have better targets in your list and keep her from beeing shot at, she is nice vs low ini-armies. It's kind of hard to keep her in range of your general (especially when your general sits on a pegasus). The last time I played the Medusa she lost combat on her own and I didn't know the stats so well back then and was like "yeah I lost combat but i got this high dark elve leadership of... 2!!!??"
I converted that model into a sorceres after that :-) Now after having improved in the game and having tried all the superb choices of the book I'm about to buy the kit again with the option to build both, the cauldron and the shrine, I wanna give her a new chance. I kinda see where her place is now. Well played she sure can add some spice vs Ogres or Dwarfs.

[dms505]

Medusa can work as a sort of a bodyguard for characters nearby since they can generally gaze wound monsters down a bit or just run interference.

High movement
3(4) attacks at ASF and probable rerolls to hit
Murderoud Prowess for better wounding
Extra possible "Avert Your Gaze" hits
Fear
Stomp
Shooting attack if nothing else to do or to pop a few wounds off a monster, MI or MC.

Your looking at a fairly probable 4-6 wounds on most basic core unit or chaff.

I would be happier is she were around 65-75 points but it's not horrible. There are better troops but she can find a niche if you want to use her.

[danatoth689]

In my group I have found her quite useful at killing ethereal creatures. Spirit hosts are only I1.

[direweasel]

In my group I have found her quite useful at killing ethereal creatures. Spirit hosts are only I1.

Oooh excellent idea, hadn't considered that as a particular target.

[Clockwork]

In my group I have found her quite useful at killing ethereal creatures. Spirit hosts are only I1.

That's a great point!

Personally, I just wish her shooting and base contact attacks hit automatically. With that I think they'd be a lot better.

[Marchosias]

Do not overestimate what a medusa's shooting can do. With march, multishot and long range she will be hitting at 5s most of the time. This means the spirit host will probably last for turns at least. If she charges it, well, charge+flank+wound from avert your gaze could crumble it outright but then you might be blocked by the medusa herself.

The shooting starts to get interesting, though, when you direct it at certain characters. I have shot at the remnants of a VC deathstar this way - there was the last blood knight and four heroes. The killing blow, no armour shots were suddenly interesting. I needed 5s or 6s to wound but with the chance of killing a full hero outright with a lucky shot.

And saurus scar-veterans are only I3. In the common build, one only has a dawnstone which does not help at all against a medusa... They will be in a unit of skinks most of the time, however.

Another nice target is the hellcannon, also at I1, if you can get the medusa near enough. Which is not that easy, sadly. As her shooting has only a range of 12 inches and she cannot march and shoot, her targets are quite limited.

From my experience, she really is good at fighting chaff and redirecting, though. I have also often protected bolt throwers with her. In addition, she might slip under the radar and flank charge something.

[danatoth689]

It's more the KB on the Gaze that gets the ethereal creatures. Taking out 2 whole spirit hosts in combat was nice. And won me combat enough to crumble the rest.

[Omnichron]

Spirit hosts are swarms, so KB won't work on them.

[dms505]

With march, multishot and long range she will be hitting at 5s most of the time.

She cannot march and shoot.

[Marchosias]

Sorry - wanted to say, with move, multishot and long range.

[Dalamar]

I love my behol... i mean Medusa.

[dms505]

It's an eye with a frickin' laser beam on it's head.

[Deadsun]

I was considering makimng my own Medusa post until i saw this one. glad someone started it:)

I have been using the Blood Wrack Medusa a lot recently (mainly because i had just assembled it from the cauldron kit)and have found it surprisingly useful and fun. Ok its 90pts, has no save, 3 T4 wounds, an terrible leadership and very vulnerable to frenzy baiting, but its an awesome model so had to give it a go.

In my games i have used it for wandering around the flank, chasing off chaff and deterring smaler units of heavy cav coming around your side it has been very effective for me at keeping a lot more than her points out of the game.

Typically the dance is something like this. I leave her on the flank, first turn or two she chases around, runs off or nobbles some chaff, occasionally she gets shot at this point (i have only had this from high elves and wood elves to date) but has took up the attentions of way more than her own points for the privilage of this. When she lives these few turns she is then in a position to slither back into the game weakening heavy units (chariots, knights, heavy infantry) with her gaze before getting in position to charge back into the game on turn 4.

Most recently I have had a few games where I have tried keeping her behind my lines to pile in later. This has been useful as a drop to keep enemy scouts away from my bolt throwers and has proved useful in finishing of a master on a dark steed that was running amok.

I have yet to use her for going into warmachines as I have thought that getting all the way to the otherside of the battlefield would be a very big ask.

I appreciate that she isn't something that can be relied upon (perhaps i have just had a string of gpood luck) but I find the chaos and disruption she brings is the nearest thing to some of the wacky orc and goblin units that we can get. I have yet to play someone who uses frenzy bating to drag her into the way of my other units, so that may change my opinion about this being a good thing.

[dms505]

It'a also worth remembering that unlike most monsters or monstrous infantry she has the bonuses of Terror, ASF, Hatred of High Elves and Murderous Prowess which means that even after taking a couple of wounds she has a decent chance to finish off some chaff units late in the game before they can strike back. At first glance he seems like a way too expensive ogre but after thinking about strategy and her uses she is worth it on occasion.

[Akholrak]

It'a also worth remembering that unlike most monsters or monstrous infantry she has the bonuses of Terror, ASF, Hatred of High Elves and Murderous Prowess which means that even after taking a couple of wounds she has a decent chance to finish off some chaff units late in the game before they can strike back. At first glance he seems like a way too expensive ogre but after thinking about strategy and her uses she is worth it on occasion.

The Medusa only causes Fear, not Terror. I think she is credible at taking out chaff although you probably want to aim to take out enemy chaff early on. She can, however, be used to redirect enemy combat blocks as a means of points denial by not letting them touch your own combat units.

[marcopollo]

90 pts is too much in most scenarios. In bigger point games, you don't want your general in a babysitting role, but may be able to prioritize her. In smaller games, the medusa doesn't meet the cut as other units are generally better. I would start to consider her at 75 pts (like harpies).

[Dalamar]

Most damage my medusa ever did was charging, breaking and running down 3 Skullcrushers... or would charging, breaking and running down 10 Inner Circle knights be worth more?