Which is the 'must have' of the 4 new soldiers?

[Harry]

Not being a man who can look at numbers and predict the usefulness of the new soldier types I am interested to hear from anyone who can or who has played any of the new soldiers from Thaw of the liche lord in their warbands.

Which is the most useful?
Are any of them 'Must haves' ?
Any thoughts ....

[flytime]

I think there is no real must have among them. My Favorite is the Mule. The Bard is to expensive in m oppininion.

[Magos Kasen]

I think they all have merits. Early on the javelineer offers a good loot grabber. Late game the bard probably offers the most, can fight and buffs nearby soldiers nicely.

[Coenus Scaldingus]

Rather like the idea of the crow master. My early warband had 2 dogs running all over the place, taking on enemy soldiers or random creatures together. Fast and cheap to replace, they always proved useful - if only by being really quite annoying. Crow should be even better at that, which then even leaves the handler free to run off with some treasure (all for just a single slot in the warband).

The real question is, how many crow masters are too much? Unleash a true murder of crows that could well live up to its name?

Javelineer also sounds fun for starting bands. Shooting tends to be very hit and miss (literally), but 4 cheap shots for just a hundred gold sounds good.

[djicelatte]

when we reroll im going 8 crowmasters and maybe a school i can buff the crows with

[Awesome Adam]

Just remember that you need the base upgrade for each Crow Master, so you're looking at a 1,600GC investment between soldiers and upgrade costs.

The stat lines aren't great either, but you would have 8 disposable Crows to harass the enemy while you're 8 crow masters run around gathering treasure, asct as meat shields, and +2 bonuses for outnumbering.

[djicelatte]

Just remember that you need the base upgrade for each Crow Master, so you're looking at a 1,600GC investment between soldiers and upgrade costs.

The stat lines aren't great either, but you would have 8 disposable Crows to harass the enemy while you're 8 crow masters run around gathering treasure, asct as meat shields, and +2 bonuses for outnumbering.

what ya mean "base upgrade" shouldnt it just be 800 gold?

[Awesome Adam]

100GC for each Crow Roost + 100GC for each Crowmaster

You need a Crow Roost for each Crowmaster in your employ

[Digitarii]

100GC for each Rookery + 100GC for each Crowmaster

You need a Rookery for each Crowmaster in your employ

He's quite right. The book states you have to have one Crow Roost per Crow Master.

[Awesome Adam]

Crow Masters are the most expensive soldier tyoe in the game. Considering that teh crow and master operate as seperate models, and you can replace the crow for free if it dies, and it lets you take your warband above 10 models, it seems about right.

[Philhelm]

I'm thinking that I might want an Owl Master in my warband.

[Awesome Adam]

I need to find a supply of inexpensive suitable birds of prey, before I attempt a nine man Crow Master team.

[Mithras]

I need to find a supply of inexpensive suitable birds of prey, before I attempt a nine man Crow Master team.

For a necro warband these could work: http://www.games-workshop.com/en-NL/Vampire-Counts-Bat-Swarm.

EDIT: these are pretty cool as well http://www.games-workshop.com/en-NL/Dark-Eldar-Razorwing-Flock

[Green_Knight]

The Javelineer is a good choice at the low Levels, but later useless (i wish they included an upgraded Version for maybe 80-100 GP)

The Bard is too weak, you only get +1 will and he did not fight very well (maybe the Bonus should have been to resist all Magic or +2 at least)
Right now i thik youre better of with a Knight/Templar or Babarian

The Crow master has to be checked, most expensive model (if you include the base upgrade) but a disposable,fast creature can prove useful.
Depends on your playstyle i think.

The Mule is not great, not bad. But a solid choice i think.

For crows maybe the raven from this range: http://www.dungeoncrawler.com/dcm/#set002
or the falcon repainted: http://www.plasticrypt.com/pfb_07.php
(you can sheck out hte other ranges for an owl or a bat if you prefer These creatures.

[Coenus Scaldingus]

Let's see.. got a raven and vulture from Reaper, two spare crows from their crow swarm that should arrive any day now, two small bats from an Avatars of War vampire.. plenty of small flying creatures for a good bunch of 'crow' masters, now just to assemble the neccessary funds! (And wait for my normal guys to die, so these can take their place. But that can be arranged...)

Seriously though, 2-3 is the very most I can see myself using.

As for the Bard, it depends massively on your regular opponents. Anybody who frequently faces a caster with Beauty, Mind Control, Curse, Blinding Light etc. will probably be glad to have the choice. And if not, you can always use that mandolin to smash somebody's head in.