Bull Snapper - Amazingly sweet, or just really good?

Ah, the Bull Snapper. He is all man. Gatorman. Well, masculine at least. Let's say that he has a mean pair and makes all the females swoon. So what is it that about this light warbeast that makes him so delectably good?

Overview

The Snapper is a 3pt light warbeast. That's cheap. His stats are pretty average for a light beast, with 16 damage boxes and a single non-reach P+S 12 attack. Nothing really impressive there.

He has a few neat rules:

• Blood Thirst - +2" when charging living things. Hungry gator is hungry.
• Man-Eater - Eats men. And women. In the literal sense. Also charges living warrior models for free (which are usually men or man-shaped/scented).
• Torpid - After killing a living thing, he immediately goes to sleep and you can remove a fury from him.
• Also, amphibious. Of course.

 

Survivability

So... average DEF, as much ARM as a Bog Trog, and 16 boxes. You'd think this guy would die to a stiff breeze and/or Reckoner shot. And he probably will, given the chance. However, because of his abilities and animus (see 'Buff Bot' below) this guy very, very rarely dies in a game. In a losing game, he will probably amongst my last few models to die. Distance is the greatest defense, as they say.

Damage

Again, not remarkable on the surface. Single non-reach P+S12 bite attack. He does have sustained attack though, which helps make up for his low MAT. As mentioned he can be quite quick too, and fury efficient at killing warrior models.

Utility

This is why you take this little guy: animus - Spiny Growth.  Gators, being an attrition-oriented army, benefit hugely from this ARM buff animus by placing it on your warlock, beasts, or key trooper models. 3pts is worth it for this animus alone.
The neat thing about having this in Hordes is that your caster can put it on another beast, and your Snapper on your caster - and you've effectively spent nothing in terms of resources.

Tactica

Buff Bot

Early game, the Snapper is best staying back within a few inches of your warlock and heavy beasts, and just put Spiny Growth on something every turn. This deters away from ranged assassination attempts on your caster, or protects your bests from the occasional shots. Simple. If that's all this guy does all game, every game along with providing Spiny Growth to your caster, he's already paid for himself (a bit like a Journeyman).

Pretty good non-standard caster uses for Spiny Growth:

• Barnabas triggering Bloon Boon on his axe after killing something - sometimes you don't want to move Iron Flesh, and another Swamp Pit won't do much good. Might as well put a Spiny Growth on Barnabas or elsewhere.
• Sometimes you will get pretty high amounts of fury under Calaban's feat, such that it would seriously hamper your ability to leach fury off your beasts next turn. Why not burn that extra fury as it comes in by casting 2-4 Spiny Growths?
• Wrastler + Spiny Growth + Death Pact + Maelok's feat = ARM 25 = Devastator. Just don't get shot by eEyriss, or try this against Cryx.

Solo-killing Missile

As mentioned, the animus alone makes this guy worth his 3pts. His extra utility as a speedy Gonzales solo-killing machine is what really makes the little guy shine.

Let's say you are playing an opponent who has taken one of those FU stealth power solos like Eyriss, Gorman, or Mage Hunter Assassin. And this douchebag solo is moving in on your flank about to totally take a dump over your carefully laid plans. Up steps the Snapper:

Charge range: 6" base + 3" charge + 2" Blood Thirst + 0.5" melee = 11.5" threat, with a potential extra 1.5" from Elasticity.

Your Snapper is now in melee with their solo and has spent no fury on account of Man Eater. You boost your charge attack:

• If you miss, you have another boosted shot to hit (2 fury). 
• If you hit, and don't kill, you've got another P+S 12 damage roll or two thanks to Sustained Attack.
• You can even cast Spiny Growth on something before charging if you're confident of killing your target with the charge attack.
• Finally, after killing the solo, the Snapper removes a fury and his activation ends, making him a viable transfer target if you need one.

5 gold stars. Very well designed model, everything just flows smoothly and allows good decision making to make the difference.

Sexy Beast

Check it his pose:

And he knows it.

Judges say: 10/10

Slam Bot

He is a light warbeast. Light warbeasts all pull off a game winning slam at some point in their career. It might not be today or tomorrow, but someday.

Conclusion

The Bull Snapper is the closest thing to auto-include in a Blindwater list, after at least one Gatorman Posse.

 Fillet'o Fish |-------------------------------------------------X----| Baklava

The Snapper - so good, it makes the Galleon even better, and the Boneswarm seem even crappier.