Hobby Update: Varangur Magus Circles

While I haven't kept on top of competitive lists, I know enough to know that Magus Circles have been pretty popular picks for Varangur players. And what's not to like? They are a pretty neat unit. I succumbed to the infatuation with the Fallen and hobbied some up, so I'll close out 2019 with some Magus Circles of my own!

Best I could manage for a group shot. Close-ups are awkward with these crowded bases. 

A few years back I read the (entire) Wheel of Time series. One of the tactics of the casters in that series is to "link," more or less combining powers to accomplish big tasks. I don't know if anyone on the RC read WoT, but the parallel is there to me and I love it. The Magus Circle is a very unique and striking unit.

Love love love this guy's helmet. I think I need to add in some teal/blue to the visor slits though...

The bases are all a bit crowded, but I think they work ok. The models are a mix of ranges. The frenzied-looking women in the rear are Tharn Bloodweavers from the Hordes game. The leading magi are GW models I had sitting around: two Warshrine guys I picked up on a bits spree, and an old finecast Ahriman model that had been done up to be used as a Sorcerer Lord on Disc for WHFB. I still need to affix a new weapon on the center guy (the old one broke off and I lost it), but other than that, these are done and ready for the table!

I don't know why they need to channel Perseus to do their magic, but we'll roll with it.

The Magus Circles are a very unique war machine. Typical of such a unit, the Circle has Blast, but only an unmodified D3. Sure their range is *only* 36", but that still covers a lot of board space, so most turns you should have something in range to shoot at. They can grab Famulus to reroll ones on their spellcasting, which is great, since their ranged attack hits on a 4+ , which is better than most war machines. Good for them. All in all, the Circles should be much more reliable than your typical engine of war, 

The pic is more off center than I remember. Darker than I remember too. Sorry!

What really sets the Circle apart from other war machines though is the mobility. The unit has the Individual rule, letting it move and shoot, and suffer no penalties for doing so. While Clash of Kings 2019 brings the "Steady Aim" rule to some war machines (like the ones mounted on the KoM Beast of War), this looks to me to be largely an attempt to even the playing field for the unusual war machines; to get the other units buffed up to compete with the Circle. The Circle is still better than many though, as they are still hitting on 4+ rather than the usual 5+.

These are cool units, and I really, really dig the concept. Fielding all three at once is unlikely, but at least one will work its way into my next Varangur list for sure!