Aztecs A2Z PtIII
A Y A R
!!RUN!!
That's what I did the first time I laid eyes upon this jumbled monstrosity! Straight to the shop to pick up what is to date my favorite mini (max of a mini really, Ayar = big) in the Mythic Americas' line. Not simply because it's a beautiful mess of peyote induced nightmare visions, in the best way possible. But also because it truly represents "Monstrosity" on the table.
Choosing to include an Ayar in your Aztec Warband is very much not a haphazard choice for most players, present company excluded, I'm a fool for this model. The Ayar comes with some decision-making responsibilities. This menagerie of horror may fill both offensive and defensive roles on the battlefield. But how does he stack up against other monstrosities?
Well... In straight up HtH combat the Ayar is near the bottom of the list when compared to his older sibling Quetzalcoatl and in fact to any of the other Monstrosities lumbering or winging or slithering their way around the Mythic Americas. Ayar has fewer attacks, lower Str (than most) and he's also slower. I mean, look at him/her/it. How fast could this heap of blood and bones move?
Artist Marcus Kelligrew
But, (there's always a but)... what he does bring to the battlefield makes this bundle of bestial berzerkery a thing to be feared and avoided. That's if you can manage to avoid him, which is easier said than done because of his special rule, "Stuck in." We're going to talk about that in a bit. But first:
Let's talk about THROW CORPSE! If there was nothing else for me to love about this guy Throw Corpse would be enough! The Ayar is a living, well Undead piece of artillery. WHAT! That's right... Ayar throws corpses Overhead like some grotesque mockery of a medieval catapult handing out D6 SV1 damage. Ouch!
Full disclosure; The Ayar has horrible aim and will scatter if it does not bullseye its target. Which is why I try to aim for spots where the enemy is dense. Chances are if it's a miss the corpse will still hit an available target. With a 20" range I can keep my Ayar well away from the fracas while he lobs his carrion 'pon the enemy. Side note: While it is infrequent a bullseye from the Ayar is a wonder to behold, definitely a Smile of the Week.
Another great feature of the Beast of a Thousand Corpses is his MOD2 stat. The Ayar generates two Order Dice for his use. He must use a FIRE order to Throw Corpse. So a typical tac of mine is to keep the Ayar hidden, use the first order die to move him into firing position, then use the next as a FIRE order to catapult some poor unfortunate dead guy, or gal.
Conversely, if I'm out in the open I may use the Fire order first then move the Ayar back into cover.
What also raises the Ayar above the others in the Monstrosity menagerie is his RES which is insanely high. His damage output may not be anything to celebrate but once you're Stuck In with him you are, well, Stuck in! So let;s talk about that...
See those Tribal Nations Mohawk Warriors? They're on the way to grabbing an objective. All they need to do is bypass the Ayar...
Not so easy to do with the "Stuck In" rule which forces the unit within the Ayar's aura to take a Command test at -1. Fail and you MUST charge the Ayar and at his RES he is the ultimate tar pit. Once you're Stuck In it is super difficult to get "unstuck." So now instead of grabbing an objective and scoring some points the Mohawks are stuck in the fight of their lives. Oh, and by the way don't forget that he gets to attack twice. Thank you MOD2!
Hungry for some more? Here is the icing on the corpse cake;
If I'm playing Everchanging I tend to be a bit more aggressive with my Ayar. I want to get him within Aura distance and flip this Blessing card. Remember that scene in A Bronx Tale? Well this is the Ayar saying, "Now, youse can't leave!" This can be incredibly effective to hold onto in case it's a tight game and you need to keep an enemy unit away from whatever it is they're trying to accomplish. This is a deceptively powerful passive aggressive Blessing.
The Everliving Ayar Blessing is neither deceptive or passive. It's simply harrassingly, annoyingly, incredibly useful! I like to slither my Ayar quietly behind a valuable unit and when the time comes for reinforcements; BAM! D6 warriors added back to that hurting unit. Are you KIDDING ME?!
I said it earlier and I will say it again; The Ayar is, as I see it not a haphazard choice but one that needs to be played and placed on the table with a purpose and plan in mind. But the Ayar is also very versatile, able to fill a defensive or offensive role in your Aztec Warband making the choice to include one an easy YES, at least for me...
Words and Content by Eric J Goldstein
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