If I wanted the variety to win, I'd have to say Orcs. From the base 2.0 set, Orcs had the best special sub-faction abilities hands down. Yes, Rally can get annoying, and Revenant is quite potent, but overall, Orcs got the best pair. Come Sorcery, their new one is also quite dangerous; two actions the same turn... TWO! Sure, there's the potential you'll fry your own figure first, but to deal the 8 damage necessary to take out that Throne Monk before she can use a Potion of Vitality is usally worth it.

Non-uniques, you have some of the best close combat figures available for the point cost. Harka Orcs, any one of 'em, are Broken Tusk, with a potential for 5-6 damage if left alone. Even the *** Orc Marauders, at 20pts, cannot be ignore if they get the hit off to use Reckless. Also, *** Ub-khans. If you ever faced a player who had a couple of these guys, you know that you have the fear the deadly 8" charge with Crushing Blow and 11 attack. Even worse, these guys can fight long down their dial, and thanks to Reckless, are deadly at any click. Other dangerous notables are the ** (SK) Orc Wolfkin and the ** (SK) and *** Orc Violator.

For uniques, Orcs have a great variety. Aside from the Avatars, Scorch is the most expensive and survivable rider that can use a decent variety of mounts. Also the first Orc wand type. Everyone knows, and should resepect, the infamous Khan Rava, and Khan Harrowblade should never be allowed you surge you. Ever. Thunder Drummer makes a great utility piece that works for ANY faction, and Bloodhawk is one of the deadlier spellcasters from Sorcery.

But Orcs would be my 2nd choice.

After all this text, I'd still have to play my true colors; Black Powder Revolutionaries. Overall, you see a lot of decent figures; nothing spectacular, but noteworthy. Khamsin Artillerists are great ranged pieces whose only downfall is a 6" movement. In fact, BPR is overall the slowest faction in the game with more figures with 6" movement than any other (EF is not too far behind ala trolls and trees).

Is there some goodness to BPR? Of course!

Black Thorn is one of the more interesting Uniques out there whose only downfall is an average attack value; nothing a relic won't fix. But she's the first to have the Parry/Counterattack combo that's now a favorite of many CC figures (Chroma and Throne Monk are among the more popular ones). Prince Warden is a decent rider, and at 47 points, quite a bargain for the Toughness and Smite.

BPR has arguably the best bombarders in the game between the *** Steam Maulers with their 24" range and Pierce and the LE Scattershot, with a 20" range and 3 clicks of damage.

The Galeshi Sorceror is a great :wand: figure who can fight and heal (and as one of only 2 Magic Healers for BPR).

For CC Healing, the Khamsin Surgeons (and the LE) are the best you can find, thanks to the ability to MC/Heal on a Pegasus. For ground healing, the *** Dwarven Forgemaster has an amazing 10 attack (Healing) and a whopping 4 damage! No other figure can boast that.

The Steam Tinkers from Sorcery are among my favorite figures; besides looking cool, every single one of them are self-sustaining being the only :golem: type figures with Regen that don't have to worry about repair markers. And with Sorcery out, the :mi: becomes a blessing.

Speaking of Sorcery, two important figures are in this set, Kenaz Stoneheart and the ** Dwarven Forgemages.

Kenaz can have the ability to shoot just about anyone on the field, thanks to the Spellbreach sub-faction ability. Combined with the Stone of Scrying, only a handful of relics can prevent magical death from striking down his foes. He's also a very potent close combat fighter, too, and at 99 points, he can fit into many armies that need his assets.

Finally, with the coming of the ** Dwarven Forgemages, BPR can build a survivable swarm army! They start out with only average stats (the 8 Speed is nice for a dwarf), but surge them... and bam! 10 attack Weaponmaster with Crushing Blow. For 3 clicks straight at a cost of only 28 pts each. It's almost like a BPR Harka Orc!

The last thing to top this all off with is the Crown of Khamsin! For a mere 31 points, ALL of your BPR figures just got a hefty +1 damage (range and dial) and a +1 attack. So now, those lil ol 28pt dwarves now have a 11 attack on that 2nd click with a potential to deal 2-7 clicks of damage, averaging at 4.

This is why I play BPR. We have decent stuff that works for any faction, and we're probably one of the most well-rounded factions period. We don't have the daunting swordplay of the Dracs, mystical magics of the EL or DC, nor the sheer brute force of Imperial Legionaires and angry Orcs, but we have the ability to take them on without too much weakness in any one spot.

BPC

PS: Because of this... play BPR for the Revenge of Rivvenheim! Really! Pleeeease? :D

LOL!

To be completely honest, and as anyone on this site will tell you, I have always been partial to the Knight's Immortal, with a little Mage Spawn mixed in.

With 2.0, I went the way of my *insert non-politically correct adjective here* Elves in the Elven Lords. At first, I was disappointed with most of the EL figures, and the subfaction abilities are pretty weak, to say the least.

I kept looking at other factions for what I wanted in an army build, and it just wasn't feeling right for me. I really wanted a melee beast and I think he arrived in Sorcery, via a Sub-faction ability. It will be nice to use that with my ranged strategy.

I know I probably don't even play them right, but win or lose, I will now be able to be competitve with my little elves! They got some decent lovin' recently, and i can make something work.

So for me, playing for fun and trying to be competitive, my choice is the Elven Lords.

To be honest, and as someone who has been dedicated to them since the inception, I was quite surprised to see the number of people who have selected the Elven Lords.

The Elven Lords are finally deemed acceptable in the MKWorld, much like Queer Eye for the Straight Guy is acceptable in today's society.

"It may not be for me, but it can be entertaining and I can see its purpose."

Life is good!

Whoops... meant Dark Riders there!

well in 1.0 I started with KI for the honor and collness of being a knight then I switched to atlantis for the power and cool golems. When upriseing came out I was so happy that KI and AG allied (hencev my name)

but in 2.0 I have to go with Atlantis, They got good magic, golems and troops, plus

flying cities supercharged for living large.

I still dream of the day AE and EL make an alliance, but because of AE's betrayel the only thing that will make that happen is the coming of the Apoc.

Black Powder is my personal choice. Rebel or Revolutionary, it makes no difference to me. I try to play as pure a faction as I possibly can. They very rarely let me down. I once played a 1200pt BPR pure army against a 1200pt Drac army. And I'm talking the BIG guns! Chroma, Vithzerai, Throne Monk, Drakor, Caldera, Pathis Arcana and Nepherea Pike on an EF Sky Dragon, all of them tricked out. I ripped them apart with my BPR team!

My favorite character has got to be Golemkiller. She has an 11 attack, 12" range, two targets, 3 ranged damage and Pierce. By herself she's dangerous. But if you give her Snow's Fuser Rifle, she becomes an army unto herself! She gets 14 attack and 48" of range! That's 24" of which she can use the Point Blank proficiency. Add the Crown of Khamsin bonus and she can do 4 damage with Pierce. If someone has the Stone of Scrying, no one can hide from her!

Tymara os Korgas is another favorite figure. She has saved my arse many, many times. She can be either an assault character or a support piece. The ability to do a Mounted Charge and Heal combo has come in very handy in tight situations.

I love Scattershot, too. His Bombardment ability is very intimidating. It is a good way to scatter opponents. Just lay down a Bombardment token in a crowd of enemies. Watch them run because they know the sky will start falling. Altem Acabrias? Phah! Scattershot? Run away!

A formation of *** Khamsin Troopers is a true blessing. A single Trooper is just a little weenie, but if you get a formation of them, they become a major threat to your enemies. With each one having the Sniper ability, just imagine the damage you can do.

Draconums? You can keep your big guns. Elves? I don't need any divas. Solonavi? I don't like Jolly Ranchers. Atlanteans? Their haircuts are too weird.

Just hand me a pair of pistols and point me in the right direction!

It's good that some people still restrict themselves to certain factions. It can show your skill in the game if you do. Furthermore, it feels like an RPG if you do. Solonavi all the way! Aloof, mysterious, manipulative, political, powerful, makes for good decorations!

It's good that some people still restrict themselves to certain factions. It can show your skill in the game if you do. Furthermore, it feels like an RPG if you do. Solonavi all the way! Aloof, mysterious, manipulative, political, powerful, makes for good decorations!

You can say that again!!;)

I'm a huge fan of the Dark Crusaders (big surprise, eh?). I think the faction is very self sufficient, and that means a lot to me. I like having harassers like the * Blood Demon who keeps himself kicking for a long time (gotta love the double Vampirism), big sticks like Kossak, a monsterous ranged peice in Valkyrie Tazia... If you lose a peice, you can Necro it back (yeah, it doesn't always work, but I think a 50/50 chance of your enemy having to fight Kossak twice is still pretty good odds). We lack defence, but make up for it with 'recouperative power'. Our peices hit hard enough. We don't have any great :wand: guys (Deathspeaker Aeradon is too expensive to use unless you're running an enormous game with the 5 OotNC guys), but it's hardly a requirement.

I've been picking up a healthy respect for the Draconum as of late, though. I used to just swear when I had to look across the table at Chroma w/Inferno... Now I'm starting to get the same reaction out of the other guy. Not that I think Dracs are better than DC... but the big Dracs tend to be very intimidating.

draconum ....croma was my first unique..considering I just started at DR, and she's been my centerpiece to all armies and tnow w/sorc. we've got awsome nons like the champion and firecaster.....we're really becoming a full faction now instead of a minority

I don't know how I missed this thread for the past couple of months.

I'd probably quit the game before I'd choose a single faction to play. Sticking with one faction (indeed, even sticking with exclusively faction pure) would just take my interest from the game. I like playing a variety.

However, if forced to choose and forced to play....

I'd like to say I'd choose Elven Lords. I've been a staunch Knights Immortal player since I started playing the game regularly (around the release of Dungeons). I still like the faction a lot.

However, the Elven Lords as they are now aren't the Knights Immortal I that drew me. The swarm armies are mostly gone as a viable tactic. Their range is outclassed by the Orcs (mostly because of a single figure). Their magic ability is starting to show in Sorcery...but it's not something they were known for back when they were KI (at least, in the gameplay).

I like playing the Draconum and Solonavi. The Solonavi aren't as rounded a faction as I like. They would be if the Oathsworn measure up. The Draconum are nice, but overused. They do have my absolute favorite LE to play in 2.0 (Shatter).

I've been a fan of the Atlantean Empire. However, before Sorcery they were just lacking. I think they are still lacking, they just gained a few powerful spells. However, when faced with an army to counter magic, they are back to square one.

I'd consider Mage Spawn. With the Order of the Ninth circle appearing, they are an interesting group. Of course, their subfaction is useless in "faction" pure.

About the only groups I wouldn't consider choosing are the Dark Crusaders and the Apocolypse (even though this would mean leaving my Avatars on the shelf). Orcs used to be on this list, but my brother has seduced me a bit towards the dark side.