How do you run the Lurkers?

[Bergh]

Hi every cultist!

I have had a few Strange Aeons games, playing as the Lurkers. It was alot of fun. I did on purpose not make the "best choice/maximised" lurker crew, as I'm not a power gamer. Not being a power gamer, I can still be very good at calculating the "best options", in a game.

One of my friends was playing a very nice Threshold team, 1 Characters (with double pistols). 2 agents with tommy gun and double barreled shotgun. and a Civilian with the standard pistol. A very hard hitting crew, but no way maximised. was 16 or 17 points at that time.

We rolled a missing and it was "escape....into danger". one of the harder basic scenarios. I choose a varied lurker crew. Had a fun game. The threshold team won.

I was thinking on how much the game would be ruined if I had taken this lurker crew:
1 Cult leader with Rifle and Improved command: 7 points.
3 Cultists with blot Action Rifle and improved Dex: 9 points
I could have stood and waited for the threshold to come within range and then just shoot them with 4 rifles. It would depend on luck if I would win the game, but I would with standard rolls, take out half the crew easy. BUT IT WOULD BE BORING!!!

How do you run your lurkers? I think the games works best if you forget about "power gaming", and make a lurker crew who is fun.

[mdomino]

We just used to play the lurkers by quickly and sort of randomly picking a lurker list right before the game. We still do that sometimes but it can lead to pushover wins for the Threshold team. I sat down and designed an entire list of focused lurker lists for various points- 16-18, 20, 25, and some that are scenario specific. Good for just grabbing a basic list and then add/subtract to meet the Threshold point list. These aren't power gamer lists, just an attempt to provide a challenging foe for some tough Threshold players. I'd be happy to post them if anyone is interested, and would like to see what combinations other people like. For example, I would like to see how people use serpentmen. I can't seem to figure out how to use them/vs the cost.
Mike D

[Bergh]

@mdomino: Sound nice if you would post some of your lists.
I have been thinking the same thoughts, to have some "standard" Lurker lists, where some models have some synergies, and then just add extra models if more BP.
Balancing them for some challenge and fun.

This thread would also serve nicely as a discussion on using the lurkers, like the Serpentmen.

[styx]

I did a few articles on my blog for Strange Aeons that touched on player Lurkers. The main focus was building a good team with a good command structure and building fun lists (not power gamer lists) that have a solid theme to them.

I have only  had two solo games so far, both times I took cultists and some mix of undead and it was pretty tough. Now that I have more stuff to the mix I figure I can make some good tough challenges for future games.

[mdomino]

Here we go. 16-18 pt lists.
Base List-18 pts
2x cult leader with improved command-12
3x cultists w/club-3
3x cultists w/.22-3

Improved List-18 pts
cult leader with improved command-6
cult leader-5
3x cultists w/club-3
2x cultists w/bolt rifle-4
or 2x zombie dogs-4

HtH list-18 pts
cult leader with improved command-6
cult leader-5
2x cultists w/cleaver-4
or 4x cultists w/club-4
or 2x zombie dogs-4
cultist with 2 barrel shotgun-3

Shooting list-18 pts
cult leader-5
cult leader w/ bolt rifle and -1 dex-7
3x cultists with shotgun-6

Mike D

[Sheerluck Holmes]

I put my lurkers together in a few different ways.

 1) I like to use a theme, so I wont mix lurker types that are too different (so I won't mix werewolves and fishmen for example) and,

 2) The weapons my lurkers have must be carried by the figure I am using; thus I won't arm them all with tommy guns if none or only one my my figures has a tommy gun.

 If this means the lurkers have different point values to the Threshold agents, then so be it.

 

[Bergh]

I'm also going to make Theme-based lurker lists.
I will soon begin painting my "Dagon'ites"; cultist and lurkers in a Deep One/harbor town theme. So most games will be in this setting, until I get more models.

I have been thinking on the weapon option and available models in my selection. I have a couple of Cultists models,with no weapons on the model.
I will have been thinking that they just have a "common weapon". And all models should have the same in the specific scenario not to make it complicated.
.22 pistols, clubs or whatever. This is just to make it easier for the Threshold (and lurker) player they are armed the same way. I need to play more games to see if this is working properly.

[Mason]

To be honest, I always try to go the thematic route.

We have been playing a semi-campaign (which has stalled a little recently due to real life stuff), a series of linked games with me getting the honour of playing the Lurkers most of the time.

As the games are linked, I decided to start off with fairly low-powered stuff and slowly up the ante.
So far it has been mostly Cultists with the occasional, Zombie, Ghoul or Maniac thrown in for a bit of variety.
We did have a Blaspemous Construct in one game, that caused serious carnage to Bert's team, but that came from a Zombie being injected and was not actually 'bought' as a Lurker.
(Poor old Bert!  )

I go along with Sheerluck Holmes on the weapons front.
I try to make sure that everything on the table is WYSIWYG, or as near as possible, to avoid any confusion.
Concealed items are a possibility of course, but it would be hard to hide a Bolt Action Rifle under a loincloth!

[Black Cavalier]

I'm working towards my running my first SA game for my group.  I have the twist though that while they are interested in playing the game, they not interested in developing their own Threshhold or Lurker bands.  & we usually have 3-6 people show up to play whatever's on tap for the night.

So I've decided to take over developing the Threshhold group myself, & generating the scenario before game night, so I can tailor the game to my collection of figures.  & I'll be putting together 2 Threshhold & 2 Lurkers groups to be run in the game to accomodate who ever shows up.

So my Lurkers are going to be based on the theme of the scenario, & some vague storyline in my head.  For the 1st game, I'll have a Cultist group with 2 rifles, 1 tommy gun & the leader' pistol, plus 2 more knife armed drones.  & then also a maniac with 4 vermin for the 2nd group.  So I envision the Cultists performing some sort of ritual that the Threshhold will interrupt, with the maniac with his vermin minions as kind of the gibbering figure head of the cult. 

The Threshold will have significantly more guns than the Lurkers, but that's more because of what I have in my collection than a conscious plan.

[Mathyoo]

When I play, I tend to use as various lurkers as possible, so I could try all the options. Generally, I like to have something that can still be competative (elephant gun versus main char with 8/10 con!), but I prefer lurkers that are fun to play...for example, monster hunt 21 pts, my werewolf got minor injuries on all 3 treshold guys -.-

[Bergh]

The Threshold players should always keep in mind, that if they ASAP go for a Character with Con 8/10 + Elephant gun. Then the gloves are off and the lurkers will be made to match, and possible punish him for trying too powergame the game into ruin.
But if my threshold player-opponent still are using .22 and other "low-damage" weapons, i would never make Lurker tougher with Con boosts or finding lurkers with nautral high Con, then there weapons actully could harm them. That would ruin the game really.

Last time I played we in-game began making funny names for the cultist and such, and making funny jokes about how this scenario would be a silly low budget horror movie, and such.
Other players just see small games as Strange Aeons as stupid and just want to play to show how he have "conquered the rules" by finding all the weak spots and exploited them into something which was not intended in the first place for the theme of the game.

This can very easily begin trolling into a power-gamer discussion, which is not the purpose yet! I'm just happy that so many people can agree that Strange Aeons is best when played with a theme and on the purpose that both players are having fun!

[Mason]

Last time I played we in-game began making funny names for the cultist and such, and making funny jokes about how this scenario would be a silly low budget horror movie, and such.

Whilst I agree with the power-gaming comments 100%, this part of your statement really caught my eye.
We have taken to calling all Cultists 'Bob'.
For instance, there is 'Shotgun-Bob', Tommy-Bob', Suicide-Bob' etc, etc...
It may sound a little childish, but it is fun, and everyone knows straight away which fella that you are refering to!
 

[styx]

Whilst I agree with the power-gaming comments 100%, this part of your statement really caught my eye.
We have taken to calling all Cultists 'Bob'.
For instance, there is 'Shotgun-Bob', Tommy-Bob', Suicide-Bob' etc, etc...
It may sound a little childish, but it is fun, and everyone knows straight away which fella that you are refering to!
 

Not really, the idea of gaming is having fun and venting off life with a moment of fun distractions.

[superflytnt]

I beat the hell out of the wife with the following against her Threshold lists, 15 points:

Cultist Leader
Dual .22 pistols
Command
2 Fisted
-1 Dexterity

Cultist
.22 Pistol
Sneaky
Shotgun

Cultist
Knife
Sneaky

Cultist
.22 Pistol
Ambush

Cultist
Knife

I use the Sneaky Cultists to put them in advantageous positions behind cover or up high, but far enough back that Threshold will have to take some turns doing move+move to get into range. During my first turns I use Command to move the two non-sneaky ones into position, with the Ambush guy getting into a spot where he has a clear line of sight but is under heavy cover if possible.

I use the knifey guys to funnel them into a kill zone, and then use Command and my dual .22s to blast the hell out of my wife's agents, until they get in range of the shotgun.

So far she's beaten me a couple of times and I just add another Cultist or Cultist+skill.  I wish she'd win more so I could break out other models, but shooty guys work really well against her "Jules Winnfield" and "Vincent Vega" guys. Her "Mia Wallace" character has been wounded so many times at this point that she may need to get to the cloning tanks and be restarted...