I don't necessarily like playing cheesy armies, but sometimes I just can't help my self...

Nepheria Pike-41
Giant's Wrath-40
Bracers of the Giant-34
riding
Blue Sky Dragon-72

*Scalesworn Honorgaurd-34 x 2
riding
Blue Sky Dragons-72

Total: 399

That isn't a cheesy army. Your using Giant's Wrath instead of Frostlance. Frostlance is the uber cheesy with miss pike. I had a friend that used to use that to not only tie up any big figure on the board, but kill them off with out being touched. Other than that this army is highly vulnerable to range, but if you can bait the other player correctly, it would be a very hard army to beat

True. Frostlance can be brutal on Neph.

Nepheria Pike-41
Frostlance-40
Bracers of the Giant-34
EF Skydragon-72

*ScaleswornHonorgaurd-34
EF Skydragon-72

**Blackwing-24
**Blackwing-24
*Shyft Summoner-46
*Shade-12

Total:399

I agree this will be weak against ranged armies.

How about:

Lady Ciara on EF Skydragon
w/ Frostlance
w/ Wand of Reanimation
w/ Bracers of the Giant

With this set up, Ciara is a threat both at range and up close, dealing 4 damage either way. You can also exchange the wand for an Apprentice Folio if you want a spellbook. Or you can exchange the bracers for PoV for a little staying power.

Another thing that shouldn't be missed with Ciara is her ability to become a mobile healer with her Magic Healing, making her both a deadly damage-dealing centerpiece and an excellent support figure.:)

Ok, so I'll be the first to admit that dark riders confuses me, but why are sky dragons considered cheesey? Why are they really so great? I never take them or play them in games.

Is it because they are fast? They are fast, and the mounts are actually pretty decent, but the riders are horrible imho.

As for Nepheria Pike and the Scalesworn, they don't even do more than 2 damage starting. Bracers of the giant are an obvious answer to help there. Frost lance is cool as it keeps people from using their figs. However Giant's wrath can be avoided by toughness.

Any clarification on these issues would be appreciated. I thought they (pretty much all mounts and riders) were utterly useless. If someone gives me a reason to use them it would be great.

@ODJN7, how do you get 4 damage? 1+1+1=3 damage.

Elemental (blue) Skydragons:
14 speed w/charge

Mounted Charge-cavalry unit proficiency The cavalry unit may move up to its full speed value and then make a close combat attack.

A mount with charge can give a cavalry unit (cavalry unit= mount with rider) the ability to perform a charge/mounted charge. It can move and attack twice in one turn, costing only one action.

Charge w/skydragon into an opposing unit 14 inches away and attack w/dragon, then mounted charge another 14 inches and attack w/rider. Maximum capable strike distance:28 inches.

Rider proficiency: Impale-when a rider makes a close combat attack to a single opposing figure while part of a cavalry unit, you may add 2 to its damage value.
Scalesworn Honorgaurd(SSGH)
SSHG damage=4
on
EF Sky dragon
Mounted Charge 1st enemy, attack w/SSHG for 4 damage (2-SSHG's damage value +2 from impale) crushing blow, then charge same enemy w/dragon for another 3 damage.

It doesn't matter if you use mounted charge first or charge first.

Another plus: Cavalry units don't take pushing damage for moving on 2 consecutive turns.

Of course this can be viable if you doesn't play in our group; the double move in the two charges was the first we disabled in a house rule. :p

More reasons to use mounts:
With mounted bound, you can use a special ability which states "give this warrior a ranged combat action". So, you can mounted bound to Mage blast, Mounted bound to stormfire, even mounted bound to bound (MB/B=move and shoot twice).

All Cavalry units have auto damage: Cavalry proficiency- Trample: Give the cavalry unit a move action when it is at ground level; it cannot use the double-time proficiency.
Measure a movement path in a straight line through the mount’s front arc. This movement path can cross other figure bases. Resolve the movement. Any figure at ground level whose base is crossed by the movement path is dealt 1 damage.

Not only is it auto damage, it's auto damage to multiple figures without having to make base contact.

If an opposing figure shoots at one of your riders, it gets -2 to its attack value.

Both rider and mount benefit from the relationship. If a rider has healing, it can heal the mount. If the mount has defend, the rider gains the mounts defense, +2 if being shot at because of Horsemanship. If the mount is aquatic, the rider gains the aquatic bonuses as well.

War Wolf already explained most of it.

With the mounted charge/charge trick using Lady Ciara, her mounted charge can deal 4 crushing blow damage (1 base damage+2 impale damage+1 additional damage from the bracers) with a 13 attack thanks to the Frost Lance. With just 1 action, you can practically deal 7 damage to a single target or 4 and 3 damage to 2 targets! That and I haven't even mentioned the deadly potential of her Frost Lance! :)

She can also use her Magic Healing with mounted bound!

Really, the versatility of cavalry units are second to none thanks to their proficiencies. Just remember that riders are as fragile as they get and most, if not all, will not take more than 5 or 6 clicks of damage.

All I want to say is the basing is a damn to all powerful, but high point costed figures. A good swarm army has a relatively high chance to defeat this. Think of not only mage spawns, but all types of armies with high damage and at least average attack(and many low costed figures). When you kill one-or two from them, they dont stop, but instead, keep coming, and eventually hit you-and that would be painful.
And of course, cavalry units especially vulnerable to basing, because of they lack of free spin.

It is still a powerful army, however.

It looks very powerful, but very brittle; a good hit will shatter about a third of your army, and riders aren't known for their ability to take a lickin' and keep on tickin'. Call me crazy, but in your first army (with the three Dragons) I would drop the Bracers and upgrade both Scalesworn to ***Dragon Priests. That leaves you with no Crushing Blow, which can be a problem, but I think the double MB-MH (and plain 22" MB) makes up for that. With the extra 23 points you can add a few harassers; if you're feeling particularly creative, you can up a Priest to Shale and add the Folio.

The second army looks good, with the MS to give the Dragons cover. While it reduces your harassment options, you can replace the 'Wings and the Shade with two ***Werewolves for a bit more muscle.

Call me crazy, but I can't help but think crushing blow is a staple to any worthy MK army. I don't like the thought of fielding an army without the benefit of crackin a few toughness, invulnerability, or dodge nuts.

Nepheria Pike-14
Wielding:
Giffon's Lance-26
on
EF Skydragon-72

***Dragon Priest-40
on
EF Skydragon-72

***Dragon Priest-40
on
EF Skydragon

*Shade-12

**Blackwing-24

Total: 399pts

Heh, it's been so long since I've played competitively, that me and my group will often find once the game has started that none of us have any CB or Pierce -- I think subconciously, we're hoping no one uses them, so we'll get to make a Dodge roll once in a while :p

I don't think, however, that the Priests is a lost cause, even if you want the defense-evasion: just give Shale the Folio with Archer's Aim. Your army would look something like this:

Pike w/ Frostlance - 81
EF Dragon - 72

Shale - 44
Folio - 12
^Archer's Aim - 2
^Centaur's Gait - 3 (let Pike double-freeze!)
^Mending Touch - 4 (so the DP can be healed)
EF Dragon - 72

***Dragon Priest - 40
EF Dragon - 72

**Imp/Gobbo/Whatever - 7

::400::

Just a thought... If you're intent on uber-Pikes (with CB), I like either your latest army, or your Summon engine.