I decided to repost this in the site just because I could... Be warned that this is a fairly long read that also happens to be extremely thorough. If you have a short attention span, reading this article is not recommended. Tharsis-5 is a relatively straightforward monster with Mega Zor-maxim-like damage potential, but he still requires you to make sure your opponent doesn't exploit some really nasty weaknesses in order to succeed.
Tharsis-5. Who is he?
He's an armored brawler who can shrug off power attacks fairly easily and in return deliver massive amounts of damage while super rampaging through your power structure to both gain dice and deny you YOUR dice.
Advantages
1)He simply does massive amounts of damage in his ultra form... Enough that you can sometimes take out a form in one hit. Pretty much the nastiest brawl attack in the game.
2)He also has Flight, a huge advantage for a brawler, which means that not only is it easier to get to the enemy monster, but that building that you would have had to brawl if you couldn't get past it is now potential damage if you happened to push your opponent into that general area.
3)Super Rampage is absolutely amazing for crushing your opponents units, power structure, and gaining power dice (on top of those from your power pods) at the same time. Beware that the use of super rampage is fairly situational. I'll talk about it later.
4)Armored on his alpha. No damage from collisions. Absolutely awesome. It makes it feel as if Alpha Tharsis had a health total of 6-7 instead of 5.
Disadvantages.
1)His unit buffs are eh..... Energy Cycle is only going to save you 1 or 2 dice at most, and Energy sap is
probably only going to occur once per game... I'd rather take blue Radar. Not a huge disadvantage.
However, he has 2 big weaknesses.
2) His alpha is defense 5. Given that this form is the one you want to be in when your enemy monster counterattacks, you will usually be in this form. However, units will absolutely rip him apart with combined attacks. If you're unlucky enough, you might even take 2 points of damage. What makes this worse is the fact that you're probably going to be in your opponent's side of the board if you follow my suggestions and therefore right in that person's spawn zones.
3) His ultra is Speed 5 (ouch). Even though Tharsis-5's alpha is speed 6, he is quite slow. If you're not careful, a faster monster can outrun you and put itself out of beatback+superdamage range and if you're playing in a cluttered map (which you should be), the buildings may limit your movement options even with flight. It also makes you step more, which can become a problem.
4) He doesn't like playing against super damage. Oh well.. Neither do most other monsters.
Exploiting your Advantages...
1)Play in a building-cluttered map. This is obvious with Tharsis. Not only do you provide Tharsis with potential beat-back targets, but you can limit your opponent's movement options with the threat of massive damage while not affecting your own because of the Armored ability.
2)When you take multiple monster activations, it is unlikely that you'll be able to pull off a crunch-beatback combo for several turns in a row, since your opponent will probably be doing his best NOT to get in a situation where you can do so. Instead, use your first couple of turns (and the turns when you can't use the combo) to set up your planned attack. Super rampage through a few buildings and/or units, or just move to a safe location (easier with Armored) so that you can get a brutal hit in the next turn. If your opponent's unit turn is next, it only gets easier.
Another option with Tharsis (and is the one that some people prefer since it's simpler) is to keep beating your opponent back into building after building to rack up the damage. If at all your opponent allows you to do this, then do it!
3)Remember that brawls can be performed anywhere adjacent to the enemy monster, so it will harder for your opponent to effectively unit-screen against Tharsis.
4)Super Rampage is great, but it's a bit hard to set up (and situational), so plan your steps well. Remember that the ability is on both of your forms. Do it when you aren't concerned with unit retaliation.
5)Even when most of the city is flattened, the hazards left behind still give you a chance to do 3 damage with an attack.. Your crunch-beatback combo is still potent and should be enough to finish your opponent off.
Preventing your opponent from exploiting your disadvantages...
1)When you're in Tharsis' ultra form and you sense an enemy unit turn coming up, stay in ultra form. The Defense 7 from your ultra is a whole lot harder to scratch than the pitiful 5 on the alpha. I consider it a whole lot better to take 1 damage on your ultra than 2 on your alpha. The only time you do NOT do this is when you are out of dice in your monster pool, as his monster will activate before yours and will happily power attack you now that you don't have Armored.
2)You CAN take an oil refinery and secure it just for Tharsis, but I wouldn't, because it's another fire hazard (and if you follow what I do, you're already running 2 fire buildings). I would instead use the monster activations to move around and gather dice for the inevitable super-punch. Plan your attack. That way, the speed 6/5 won't hurt nearly as much as it says. A dense map full of buildings and the power pod's refuel also helps.
3)Expect to step more with Tharsis than with other monsters, both for setting up super-rampages and for getting to the enemy. That being said, don't expect to take an insane number of multiple-monster activations, even with shuffle, although it helps immensely. However, if you opponent decides to stick near you, then go ahead and take those monster activations and punch your opponent around. Just be sure you have a good power base (shouldn't be hard with martians) before you decide to do so. Oh, and have the Government Building secured.
General Tips
1)Bring those Power Pods: Yes, even though you have super rampage, you're not going to be using it all the time. The power pods are a far more reliable way of getting dice, given that they survive (and power pods don't last long). I bring 3 in every game, along with 3 saucers. Pretty much a given with any MM monster.
2)Super Rampage is Situational: Learn when to use it and when not to. You can get a bunch of dice from rampaging buildings, but destroy ones too close to the action and you don't get the extra collision damage from your beat-back. You can rampage towards your opponent's side, but risk getting shot up by units. However, if it means getting rid of your opponent's entire power structure, do it, even if it costs you a point of health. Yet, in some cases, a stomp is better.
3)If you punch someone until the form has 1 life remaining, consider using your units to finish it off: It's a waste to use such a good punch on a 1-health form, and using your fast units to combine on him is certainly more efficient. Shooting a <7 DEF monster and/or having radar really helps.
4)Bring the Crystalline Building and an Insurance Building, as well as lots of Nuke Plants. You want as many hazards (preferably radiation) as possible when playing with Tharsis, even if it means placing a couple fire hazards on the map, as the benefits of the two buildings outweigh the fact that you're putting fire hazards in your list. The Crystalline Building is still a double-edged sword, but a sword with the duller edge pointing towards you. The Insurance from the Insurance HQ is valuable with the amount of building destruction you will do, and shuffle with that is just great.
5) Destroy your opponent's power base (pretty much a given for any monster): With MM, you should be playing fairly aggressively, as their units are not suited for a defensive strategy. MM must claim the power dice advantage in order to win, so try to do it every game!
6) Protect your Pods and Saucers: It's pretty hard to do with Def 2 units, but you should be using your Vanguards with a Marauder to destroy any unit clumps that are out of super-rampage range. This uses up some of your A-dice, but also forces your opponent to use theirs, and they may end up using their attacks to destroy your strike-team rather than go for your valuable power mushrooms and saucers.
7) Whatever you do, you should try to keep both forms operational for most of the game. If you lose your alpha midway through the game, you're in bad shape. Tharsis needs both forms to run effectively, and if you do lose the alpha form (which you may), be in a position where you can win the game easily.
8) If you happen to lose Tharsis Alpha form, alter your train of thought immediately! The last thing you want to do is place Ultra Tharsis near some buildings only to forget that he doesn't have Armored anymore!
9) If you really need to (and you probably won't be in the position to do so if you play like I do), grab some fission power from a Nuke Plant for health. It's a really situational form of healing, so don't count on it. You're much better off outdamaging your opponent (which Tharsis does admirably) than outlasting it.
10) If you're used to playing conservatively with dice management, consider putting in more dice than you usually do in each attack. Remember that Crunch is not a guaranteed 100% chance of super damage, and with Tharsis, you NEED to put in as much damage as you can. Plus, it helps your odds of success and you should be generating lots of power dice with martians anyway.
Matchups.
Good Matchups.
Both of the ICNY Cthul Monsters: Not only is their healing somewhat negated by a possible 1-hit kill with your ultra, but their units pose the least threat to Tharsis (You're only getting hit by spitters). Just beware of Overload on the Elite Corrupter. And Snatchers.... They love to nab tasty fragile Martians.
Ulgoth: Volatile is a joke against something with beat-back. Low stats, no jump or flight, and the inability to use Volatile against you (if you're punching his side of the board) makes him fairly easy. If he decides to go to your side of the board, destroy his power structure while sending Vanguards after him to deal damage to a 5-def alpha. Even if he destroys your buildings, you have power pods and he doesn't. The only issues you may have could be with Massive and Annihilation Damage.
Mogroth: Decoy will only affect your combined blasts, Mire will rarely do anything, and terrify is useless against MM. If you keep the pressure up, he won't have the dice to hit you with super-damage blasts reliably.
Terrasaurs: Their units can be nasty if you get too close, but the P-die advantage should be enough to win the game. Their monsters rely mainly on power attacks, which are partially negated by the Armored ability (and your abundance of nuke plants) Beware of Spikodons, Raptix, and Pteradactix. Spikodons blow up DEF 2 martians easily, Raptix are annoying as hell to a DEF 5 flyer, and Pteradactix can tow your power pods to the middle of nowhere. To counter the latter strategy, I recommend splashing a Pteradactix of your own so you can counter-tow the pods back to their rightful position.
In terms of monsters, just beware of Feeding Frenzy on TK's alpha and lightning-attack on the ultra.
Bad Matchups
Both of the ICNY Shadow Sun Monsters: In terms of units.. What have they got? They're fast... check. They have good blast stats... check... The only difference is that their units are often DEF 3 to 4 while yours are a pitiful 2. Expect Katanas to kill your guys, and chain react a couple more. Also, Shadow Gates mess up combined attacks, and Underground Network makes it easier for them to get to your power pods.
Zor-Magna: I played against her in that tourney I mentioned, and it was not fun. She can multi-shot your power pods easily while putting a damage on Alpha Tharsis at the same time.. In addition, when she gets to Ultra form, she'll be putting damage on you, while at the same time shooting up you DEF 1 units (because of sniper) with Katanas. Simply put, multi-shot/sniper with DEF 2 enemy units doesn't mix. Against Magna, it's a lot easier for her to destroy your power structure than it is for you to destroy her power base. Plus, she's gaining dice every time she blows up one of your units, and it adds up eventually.
Zor-Voltis: His biggest strength is that he's quite versatile, and so he'll be keeping his distance while shooting you with super-damage blasts. Keep close and ruin his power base or else you will die. On top of all that, he can jump.
GUARD: Shooty units capable of hitting DEF 5 twice on occasion.. You'll have a better time destroying enemy units if it's a Sky Sentinel Force, but their wing leader bonus in addition to low flyer gives his planes a huge advantage.
Sky Sentinel: The one monster capable of doing 2 points of damage on both his unit turn AND his monster turn. Even if you screen your alpha using your ultra, you're still taking a total of 3 points of damage after his monster turn (1 from the units, 1 from lightning-attack blast from monster). Also, he flies, and has range 7. All I can say is, kill him quickly or else the repair healing will enable him to outlast you, and be very aggressive with your units, as this is one of the few times you're against DEF 2 units (if there is not cover), and so take advantage of Power Gorge on your Vanguards.
Nova ESR: Another bad matchup for you. She can hit you, and run far enough that you won't be able to catch her, since a good Nova player will be putting buildings in your way to limit your step options. In addition, she will probably have radar, and if you trap her in a corner, she can simply fly out of your way, then sprint even further. Use your units. DEF 5 is not hard to hit. Oh, and blow up Mobile Ops whenever you can. Unlike Sky Sentinel, the units benefit the monster, rather than the other way around. At Def 2, it shouldn't be too hard. However, one good hit will be enough to destroy a form. Ultra Nova will be easier for you to catch, but you're getting shot up with super damage while your pods are going away at the same time. That's still bad.
Conclusion
Tharsis is a somewhat-matchup dependent monster with excellent damage potential balanced by some really nasty limitations. I find that the key to playing him is to make sure that he doesn't use those to screw you over. He's a fun monster and fairly well-balanced in my opinion. He's not incredible, but he's good. Other good reads: Tactics Overview: Power Die Denial by 011121. http://forums.monsterpocalypsegame.com/viewforum.php?f=12&sid=a6b5a2f57d09b326cb2f8ce18b6b6ada (You can't post links or pictures without pasting in the entire URL? Lame...) |
