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TABLE OFCONTENTS
WELCOME TO WAR! . . . . . . . . . . . 3
MULTIPLAYER TACTICS. . . . . . . . . 4
CYGNAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
PROTECTORATE OF MENOTH . . . . 17
KHADOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
CRYX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
TACTICS CAMPAIGN GUIDE . . . . . 35
GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
CREDITSWARMACHINE Creator
Matthew D. Wilson
WARMACHINE: Tactics
Game DevelopmentWhiteMoon Dreams
No Mans Land StoryMatthew D. Wilson
Project Manager
Michael G. Ryan
WriterStu Liming
EditorsMichael G. Ryan
Michael Sanbeg
Graphic Design DirectorJosh Manderville
Graphic DesignBryan Cutler
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WELCOME TO WAR!
WARMACHINE: Tacticsis the rst video game based on the
award-winning tabletop game WARMACHINE. If youre
already familiar with the tabletop game, youll recognizethe world of the Iron Kingdomswarcasters, warjacks, and
bloody clashes between enemy factions. If youre new to
the world of WARMACHINE, youre about to discover a
place where magic and technology blend together to make
warfare especially brutal and unpredictable.
This guide will arm you with knowledge and strategy to
help you compete in online multiplayer matches as well
as conquer the No Mans Land single-player campaign
effectively and efciently. By the time you reach the end
assuming you survive that longyoull have encountered
an incredible array of heroes and villains. Get ready to take
your rst step onto the battleelds of the Iron Kingdoms toexperience war like never before!
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SPD bonuses are affected by any multipliers, like a run. A run
will always be double a units SPD in distance.
MAT:This stat refers to how accurate the unit is with its melee
attacks. You wont need to do the math, thoughwhen you
select a target, the menu shows you the hit percentage.
RAT: This refers to a units skill with crossbows, guns, and
any other ranged attacks.
MAG:This is used to represent a units accuracy with spells.
Dont worry: spells that target friendly units, such as Defenders
Ward and Boundless Charge, automatically hit. Your MAG stat
only comes into play if youre targeting an enemy unit with a
spell, such as Earthquake or Crippling Grasp.
DEF:This is used to represent your units ability to evadeattacks. Its used against all forms of attacks.
ARM:ARM reduces the damage from an attack for every
point it has. Some units, such as the Lancer, gain a bonus to
their ARM unless they are attacked from behind.
WEAPONS
Each weapon in the game is
categorized as melee or ranged.
Within these categories, each
weapon has a name. The DAM
stat tells you how much damage
the weapon can do, to withina few points. Just as with MAT,
during an attack command, a
rough estimate of the damage
it will inict is displayed. These
predictions are adjusted if you
are spending focus, gaining
charge bonuses, and so on.
There is also a word that follows in parentheses. This is
the damage type. Most weapons in WARMACHINE: Tactics
are the Physical type. Occasionally, a weapon will have a
different type, like the Purier ranged attack here, which is
Fire type. Some units and abilities grant immunity to certaintypes of damage. Immunity means the affected units do not
suffer damage or effects from any attacks of that type.
So, in the example of the Flameguard Cleansers Purier
weapon, Cleansers are also immune to Fire type damage,
meaning if one Cleanser hits another Cleanser with the
Purier attack, the other Cleanser is safe from harm! Units
have this information under the Advantages section.
Some units have spells they can cast, and they have the
same prole as ranged attacks, with the exception of the
associated focus cost, if any.
THE BASICSPlaying head to head can introduce challenges and issues
you would never face during the WARMACHINE: Tacticscampaign. This section includes a few tips for surviving
against the hordes of other players out there.
THE FIRST RULE OF WARMACHINE
There is one immutable rule to WARMACHINE, no matter
the faction or the point size: dont let your warcaster die.
Warcasters are sorcerer-soldiers trained to ght not only
with martial and arcane prowess but also with the rare gift
of being able to mentally control warjacks. Warjacks are
hulking, mechanikal constructs built for destruction. Normal
soldiers might be able to direct warjacks with coded phrases or
gestures, but the degree of control a warcaster can exert over awarjack is exponentially better, and warcasters have the added
bonus of being able to command several warjacks at once.
The battles in WARMACHINE: Tactics multiplayer currently
can only end one way: with the death of a warcaster.
ANATOMY OF A UNIT
Units have numerical representations of their battleeld
prowess. These are abbreviations of which aspects they
represent. Consider Commander Coleman Stryker.
First, notice the HP and Focus callouts are next to the units
portrait in the red and blue gear. This allows you to view
them at a glance from the activation queue.
HP:This represents how many points of damage the unit
can take before it is destroyed.
Focus: Some units have a
Focus stat, showing how many
focus points they currently
have. Warcasters are unique in
that focus points add to their
ARM stat if those focus points
remain unspent. This is called
overboosting.
SPD: This refers to how fast a
unit can move. Each point of
SPD allows the unit to move one
square in a straight direction.
Diagonal movement does not let
you move as far. Occasionally,
bonuses are granted to either
SPD or movement. Movement
adds only statis squares to your
movement potential whereas
MULTIPLAYER TACTICS
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ADVANCED TIPS
THINKING MOVES AHEAD
Thinking moves ahead means you need to think not just
in terms of what you want to do on your turn but also in
terms of what your opponent is likely to do in response to
your moves. Lets look at a prime example.
Here we have a few troopers just a turn away from dishing outsome pain. Lets move our Stormsmith Stormcaller to here
with the Stormblades backing him up left just a bit behind.
Its not because theyre slower but because they want to be
in position for the Temple Flameguards response:
Sure, that poor Stormcaller is in dire straits, but now we
have a Temple Flameguard and a Cleansereach worth
more than the Stormcaller cost usin assault range of our
Stormblades. This technique of baiting out units by offering
a weak or sacricial unit in exchange for luring other units
into charge or attack range of your more powerful units is
a basic demonstration of thinking moves ahead. Knowing
that your moves not only advance your cause but also affect
your opponents decisions is a big advantage, and you
should keep it in mind at all times. Notice the Exemplar
Cinerators are waiting for the Stormblades to charge in to
counter on the Cinerators turn!
KNOWING YOUR RANGES AND
MEASUREMENTS
Being able to see a grid gives you a lot of information, and
that information can be put to great use. Ranged attacks
have a RNG stat that is measured in grid squares. So, a RNG
6 gun on the Nightwretch can shoot a target in line of sight
within 6 grid squares of him.
If you count the grid squares, you can already see the
Nightwretch cant shoot any of the Flameguard. Yet.
Oh...thats why.
An aggressive stance for Cygnar but not as aggressive as it
could be... Why not?
Hmm. Close enough to arc some spells but not for the
Nightwretch to get in on this action.
COMBINED RANGED AND
COMBINED MELEE ATTACKS
Some Units have a Special Ability of Combine Ranged
Attack (CRA) or Combined Melee Attack (CMA). To
perform a CRA/CMA:
1. A unit declares the CRA/CMA Special
ability and chooses a target. All other units
of the same type can now only move andcontribute to the CRA/CMA. (Those units
have the CRA/CMA icons above them.)
2. When other units of the
same type (i.e., Winter Guard,
Trenchers, etc.) activate, the
squares in which they can
contribute to the CRA/CMA are
highlighted.
3. Once all units you want to have contribute to the CRA/
CMA are in position, re-select one unit and execute the
CRA/CMA (for added help with a CRA, choose the unit
that didnt move, if possible.).
4. The attack resolves and the round continues. Note that
until the CRA/CMA resolves, units of other types cant
activate.
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Fortunately, the Deler doesnt have these problems! With
its spray template, it can potentially hit many targets at
once. The yellow lines show potential targets.
Additionally, while highlighting a square or set of squares
where your unit can go during its movement, the game alsodraws lines to all available targets, giving you a nice visual
reference of what you can and cannot shoot. Since you still
need line of sight, be mindful of your facing before you
commit to an attack.
KNOW YOUR ABILITIES AS WELL AS
YOUR OPPONENTS
Every unit in this game has Special abilities. Knowing what
options you both have is your key to victory. I wouldnt
bunch up my Mechanithralls when Winter Guard Infantry
Rocketeers have AOE attacks that can deal damage to
multiple targets at once!
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SPEND
ALL YOUR FOCUS
It can be tempting to allocate all your focus and let your
warjacks cut loose, but that may not always be the best
course of action. While warjacks are powerful, they are still
vulnerable and can be destroyed like any other unit in the
game. Sometimes allocating focus judiciously is the wiser
course of action.
YOU CAN MOVE IN PARTS
Many times, you will just select where you want your unit toend its movement and select it. You can move less than your
maximum distance, however, and still have the remainder
to use. Heres an example:
There we go! The Defiler can have his pick of
Menite targets there!
Time to hand out a bunch of damage to those undead!
Deneghra on the left has
a much better chance of
surviving to see the next
turn with cover and several
focus points than she does
with a more aggressive
stance, on the right.
This Winter Guard moves forward cautiously...
...and, upon seeing that the coast is clear, goes on to
complete his movement. Use this to get in position while
avoiding free strikes.
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YOU DONT HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD
While instinct might suggest you need to always move
forward, many times that is not necessary. Sometimes, its
wiser to back up.
This Arcane Tempest Gun Mage could charge in and show
that Man-O-War his mettle, but he decides his pistol is what
makes him valuable, not his sword, and so he backs up...
...to take a smaller shot now but, more important, to
survive to take more shots in the future. This also allows
the Stormblades, who tend to do much better in melee, to
charge in.
Even not moving at all can have an advantage. By forfeiting
your movement, you gain a bonus to your ranged attack values.
ARC NODES KEEP YOUR
WARCASTER SAFE
Spells have ranges, just like ranged attacks, and sometimes
putting your warcaster forward to cast a spell can expose
him or her to danger. The Revenger, Lancer, Deathripper,
Nightwretch, and Deler all have an important ability
called Arc Node. This allows the warjacks controlling
warcaster to cast a spell at a target as if he stood where the
Arc Node is, thus enabling the warcaster to add spells to
the fray without exposing himself to danger. The Arc Node
needs to remain in the warcasters Control Area in order to
be used, so dont let that warjack stray too far!
A GUIDE TO
COMMAND HINTS
When you place your cursor during a units activation,
the grid has a few hints to show you what will happen if
you commit to the command right then. Here's a quick
look at what they mean:
The blue circle means a unit moves
here and will get an attack or action to
perform. Remember, they may need to
change their facing in order to make
some attacks, so if you moved up to hit and cant attack,
check your facing!
The red circle means a unit moving here
is giving up its action in order to do
so. Early turns will typically see forces
running, but be careful about running up
so far you run right into your opponents attacks!
The shield icon shows that a unit
stepping here will gain cover from at
least one angle. Be sure the wall or
terrain is facing a probable angle of
attack to get the bonus, though!
This icon means that moving a warjack
here will place it out of the warcasters
current Control Range. The thin yellow
line you see around the battlefield shows
the current Control Areas borders. A
warjack wont lose focus on it by leaving the Control
Area, but it wont be able to arc spells or get more focus
until its returned to the warcasters Control Area.
When making a charge or assault
attack, these sections light up around
your current target. The red square (or
squares, for larger units) shows where
your unit ends its charge. Green squares
represent other squares your unit can
successfully end its charge in. If you want multiple units
to charge, make sure the previous units end its charges
with space for its allies to get in on the beatdown!
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CYGNAR
Known as the Jewel of the
Iron Kingdoms, the great nation
of Cygnar is beset by enemies onall sides. Against these threats
stands the elite army of the
Cygnus, including battle-hardened
trenchers, deadly long gunners,
and the legendary Storm Knights,
warriors whose weapons bristle with lightning. Armed
with the most advanced mechanika in the Iron Kingdoms,
the stalwart and courageous soldiers of Cygnar stand resolute
against those who seek to destroy their beloved homeland.
In play, Cygnar is very much a faction of position and
precision. Cygnaran units can typically play several roles
at once (think jacks-of-all-trades with no specializationslike some of the units found in other factions), or they are
dedicated to a single act in war but don't do as well if they
must act in another capacity. This requires you to use pieces
in specic roles and to understand that the forces of Cygnar
are more than just the sum of their parts. Your opponents
will often forget or ignore the exibility of your troops, and
this can be used to your advantage.
WARCASTERS
COMMANDER COLEMAN STRYKER
A paragon of Cygnaran virtue, ColemanStryker embodies the newfound hope in
Cygnar. Joining the Royal Guard at the
age of sixteen, Stryker would, within the
next few years, become a critical player
in his nations history, ghting during
the military coup that saw Cygnar's
leadership shift from a malignant king
to his benign brother. Diligently trained
in the arts of martial spellcraft, Stryker
has defended Cygnars borders with a
singular devotion to saving the lives of
his compatriots. Stryker is a man dedicated to duty, honor,and the preservation of the Cygnaran people.
Stryker can make everything seem easy: Snipe allows units to
shoot from impossible distances. Arcane Shield makes units
stand tough as nails against attacks. Blur prevents enemy
ranged attacks from nding their targets. Plus, Strykers
weapons cause Disruption, and his feat Invincibility causes his
squad to truly live up to its name. As if that werent enough,
Earthquake creates a massive AOE that causes Knockdown.
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MAJOR MARKUS SIEGE BRISBANE
Whenever Cygnaran leaders
are forced to crack fortied
positions, they call on Major
Brisbane for his infamous skills.
Armed with his mechanikal
hammer Havoc and his rocket
cannon, Siege has laid wasteto more enemy forces than
he can count. Major Brisbane
is famed for breaching the
notoriously impervious walls
surrounding the Protectorate
city of Sul, which had not
been penetrated for millennia. Uninterested in the politics
or intrigue some warcasters actively pursue, Siege is the
consummate soldier, and has served the Cygnaran military
faithfully for over two decades.
Sieges talents are represented by abilities designed to
bring the hurt to enemies who would otherwise be safe.
Spells like Foxhole protect your forces and can be used to
remove problem units blocking line of sight to juicy targets.
Mage Sight lights up units relying on Stealth to keep
them safe from Cygnars many ranged attacks, and Rift
can slow down your opponents approach and throw out
damage as a bonus. BreachSieges feateven allows you
to ignore all ARM and damage mitigation for one attack,
including any focus a warcaster kept to help him weather
your attacks. On top of all that, Siege can use an ability on
his rocket cannon called Ground Pounder, allowing him to
place an AOE in his Control Area and make attacks against
everything in that AOE.
COMMANDER DALIN STURGIS
Commander Dalin Sturgis is
a master duelist who believes
in leading his troops from
the front lines. Nimble and
deadly, Sturgis has honed his
impressive combat skills to
lend support to his warjacks
and soldiers even as he surges
across the battleeld delivering
death from his twin-bladedmechanikal staff. For those
who dare threaten his beloved
homeland, a urry of precisely
targeted blades rends their lives from their bodies before
Commander Sturgis disappears in a ash of arcane light to
track down his next opponent.
Commander Dalin Sturgis plays far more aggressively than
the average Cygnaran warcaster, using Snap Strike to get
two additional attacks for the price of a single focus point
and featuring Chain Attack: Flash, and both Feedback and
Electro Leap, as properties on his dual blades. His feat,
Dead on Arrival, pushes all enemy units three squares
closer to Sturgis, and those that end within three squares of
him take 4 DAM. Any units destroyed by his feat generate
focus points for Sturgis warjacks. With all this, you may be
tempted to let Sturgis loose and go all-out on the offensive,
but be cautious. Sturgis isnt invulnerable, even with his
Arcane Shield spell in place.
WARJACKS
LANCER (LIGHT WARJACK)
The Lancer is the pinnacle
of Cygnaran ingenuity and
technology, designed to
maintain and defend its arc
node on the eld of battle. Arc
nodes are expensive, made
of fairly rare materials, thus
necessitating a warjack with
the defensive capabilities ofthe Lancer. Built on the agile
chassis of the Charger, its shield generates a shock eld
that can disrupt the processes of an enemy warjacks cortex
when struck. Add in a heavy war spear, and the Lancer is a
formidable weapon for any warcaster.
Set Defense and the Shield ability allow the Lancer to stay at
the vanguard of a Cygnaran force, allowing its controlling
warcaster to cast spells from a position of safety and daring
enemies to approach. Once engaged, its Shock Shield causes
Disruption, blunting the capabilities of any warjacks that
hope to take it out. The Lancer can also be quite difcult to
eliminate, as the Shield ability gives it an effective 5 ARM,
and it has only two HP less than Cygnars heavy warjacks.
CHARGER (LIGHT WARJACK)
The Charger is the most
heavily produced light warjack
in history. Its exibility and
superior articulation make it the
prime choice for commanders
throughout the nation.
Employing the reloading
mechanism originally intended
for the Defender, the Charger'sdevice has been modied to allow the recoil of one shot to
load a second round almost instantly.
Dont let the Charger fool you: although it is the least durable
of Cygnars warjacks, it can put damage out like no other,
wielding a gun that is able to re twice in a single activation.
To make it even better, Powerful Attack means that giving
a Charger its full allotment of 3 focus points can allow it to
make two attacks with boosted attacks as well as boosted
damage! At a mere eight points each, a few of these can create
a serious threat for anything but the hardiest of enemies.
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IRONCLAD (HEAVY WARJACK)
The Ironclad is the mainstay
of Cygnars frontline heavy
warjacksit signied the shift
from creating jacks for labor
to designing them specically
for war. The Ironclad wields a
Quake Hammer it can slam tothe ground, causing anyone
nearby to lose their balance.
Not only does the Ironclad
have one of the highest natural
DAM stats in the game, it also has the Tremor special ability,
granting it the chance to knock down anything within two
squares. This means the Ironclad can be used as an excellent
face beater or as a synergistic piece, knocking down enemy
units to allow its allies to make short work of them.
DEFENDER (HEAVY WARJACK)
No other warjack has suchrange with a cannon. Though
ranged weaponry is nothing
new in warjack technology, the
Defender sets a new bar for
excellence with its heavy barrel
rapid reloading mechanism
and the ability to maintain a
melee presence. The Defender
features a signicant shift in
the Cygnaran armory, introducing long-range repower of
unprecedented accuracy.
A variant of the Ironclad, the Defender exchanges the
powerful Quake Hammer and Open Fist for a Disruption-
granting melee weapon and an impressive ranged attack.
Sporting RNG 16 and DAM 7, the Defender has the longest
potential threat range of any warjack in the game. Thanks to
Disruption, the Shock Hammerthough not as impressive
as the Quake Hammerforces enemy warjacks to think
twice before engaging the Defender. It is currently the most
expensive of all the Cygnaran warjacks, but it is also the
most exible, being a potent combatant both at a distance
and up close.
WARRIORSTRENCHER INFANTRY
The trencher infantry corps is made
up of common Cygnaran folk trained
for war, steadfastly representing the
enduring spirit of the nations people.
While trenchers are not brutal masters
of either melee or ranged combat, it is
certainly a mistake to underestimate
them. They are sometimes referred to
as gravediggers, as they typically precede the bulk of an
army to set up cover and trenches for the battle to come.
Trenchers can also cover their fellow soldiers advance by
dispersing small explosives, clouding an area with smoke to
hide their allies from enemy re. Interestingly, the trencher
infantry rst began as an experiment by Cygnaran generals
to see if they could discipline surly or insubordinate soldiers
into skilled combatants.
Trenchers are soldiers with many talents. They feature the
Assault ability, allowing them to combine a ranged attack
with a charge, making them one of the few units able to
potentially kill another unit in a single activation. With
Dig In, Trenchers can be very pesky to remove if they nd
cover on the battleeld. Their Smoke Bombs are also highly
useful, providing concealment and blocking line of sight
behind them. They also have Combined Range Attack,
allowing several Trenchers to assist the others in taking
down difcult targets. Trenchers are well suited to several
tasks but do not individually excel at any one thing.
TRENCHER INFANTRY GRENADIER
Trenchers with experience
and interest in demolitions are
often granted a newer piece of
military technology: a grenade
that can be red from a rie,
allowing these trenchers to
expend them with reasonable
accuracy. This ordnance is
essential for breaking tight
formations of Winter Guard
and those of other enemies of Cygnar.
Trencher Infantry Grenadiers have Grenade rounds, a
special ability that turns their ranged attacks into AOEs
ahd lower armor, though you cannot make Combined
Ranged Attacks with Rie Grenade rounds. Apart from the
Rie Grenades, The Grenadier is in all respects a Trencher.
For only one extra point to get an AOE attack each round,
however, a Grenadier can be a great value.
STORMBLADE
Pioneered by Leto Raelthorne
before he seized the crown,
Stormblades are trusted withthe most advanced mechanika
wielded by any soldier in the
Cygnaran military. Stormblades
undergo intensive training to
supplement ancient martial
tradition with state-of-the-art
weaponry, and are counted
among the nest ghting men
in service of the king.
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Short of heavy warjacks, Stormblades are the hardest hitters
you can bring. Their Storm Glaives hit for an impressive
DAM 7, and their ranged attack is DAM 6. RAT 1 and
RNG 6 means they arent going to be shooting opponents
down from across the board, but they do have access to two
excellent abilities: Assault and Thunder Thrust. These allow
Stormblades to dish out some incredible damage if they
can land the two attacks. Storms Eye also means rangedattack hits can hurt nearby units. Finally, if they truly have
a difcult time putting out damage, Stormblades have
Combined Melee Attack.
STORMGUARD
Eschewing the Storm Glaive in
favor of a Voltaic Halberd, the
Stormguard use a mechanikal
capacitor to discharge an
electrical arc with every swing.
The very air darkens around
them in combat, thick with thesmell of ozone and the promise
of death.
Stormguard are possibly the
best front line unit in Cygnar.
Reach and Set Defense allow them to get into melee early and
often. Once there, Electro Leap allows them to take down
nearby enemies. Electrical Charge lets them put damage out
to several units at once by charging past, zapping them with
their electrical elds. Stun Strike is a very solid ability to
lower the DEF of a target and to prevent it from moving as
wellperfect for locking down a big target!
ARCANE TEMPEST GUN MAGE
Elite arcanists trained to channel their magical energies
through specially crafted rune bullets imbued with deadly
effects, gun mages from the Militant Order of the Arcane
Tempest are unique problem
solvers. Their very presence
inspires condence among
other Cygnaran troops.
Gun Mages are not going to
be the star players, killing
everything in one shot. They
are, however, going to be keyin many games. When they
make a ranged attack, they can
choose between one of four
different effects:
Snipe:Snipe shots are given +4
RNG, allowing them to place a few potential damage points
on units that would otherwise be safely removed from the
front lines.
Brutal:Brutal shots provide boosted damage on a critical hit.
Thunderbolt: This shot will slam into the target, pushing
it back 13 squares and knocking it down on a critical hit.
Phantom Seeker:This allows the Gun Mage to ignore line
of sight considerations.
Phantom Seeker and Thunderbolt will often be your bestoptions, allowing you to dictate positions and to counter
clever moves by your opponent.
STORMSMITH STORMCALLER
Many of the best and brightest minds in Cygnars army are
recruited for their mechanikal aptitude and trained at the
Strategic Academy to become masters of the arcane, capable
of harnessing the power of the storm. Using complex devices
known as Stormcallers, they can conjure lightning from the
sky to scorch men or disrupt the
delicate cortexes of warjacks.
Multiple stormcallers can assist
in their fellows efforts andchain lightning between them
or into a large area.
Stormcallers dont cost a lot of
points and dont offer much in
the way of durability; however,
these critical units can affect a
huge portion of the eld. They
have three special abilities,
each dependent on how many
Stormsmiths are on the eld:
Stormcall: A RNG 10 attack that ignores Concealmentand Stealth, inicting 4 DAM (Electric). It can also cause
Disruption to warjacks.
Surge: If two Stormcallers are within 20 squares of each
other, they can draw a line of electricity between them. This
causes the same DAM and possible Disruption as Stormcall.
Triangulation: If there are three Stormcallers within 20
squares of each other, they form a triangle in which three
targets are selected. There is a separate attack for each
unit, and each attack has the same damage and effects as
Stormcall.
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FACTION FEELCygnar tends to cover its bases with specialists.
Stormblades, for example, are typically not elded to
contribute to a ranged attack threat. Fortunately, you can
rely on the more accurate Gun Mages or the more powerful
Defender to take care of that concern. This combined
arms thinking is required for success with Cygnar. There
are also several signicant themes in Cygnar that centeraround warjack supremacy.
Facing other Cygnaran armies can sometimes prove a
challenge, as a signicant number of your units are immune
to Electrical-type damage. If you believe you may face
Cygnaran opponents, consider how that could affect your
plansand what you can do to disrupt theirs.
POWER COMBOS
STRYKER, STORMBLADES, AND
TRENCHERS
Stryker has an oft-forgotten spell in Earthquake.Coincidentally, Stormblades suffer from difculty in hitting
with ranged attacks. Consider knocking a target down,
raining lightning down on that knocked-down target, and
then using Trenchers to either produce clouds or pump
more ranged attacks into the helpless enemy.
The Lancer is there to arc Earthquakes beyond the reach
of Strykers control area. Trenchers should lead the way
and use their Smoke Bombs to block line of sight to the
Stormblades until those Stormblades can unleash their
deadly assaults on the knocked-down target.
Be wary of losing Trenchers too quickly, and be especially
cautious of continuous effects like Fire and Corrosion.
Should your opponent neutralize your Trenchers defenses
too soon, do not be afraid to spend your feat and run
everything into melee just to rob your opponent of options
and to get into the thick of combat.
STORMSMITHS, GUN MAGES, AND
STORMGUARD
At rst, these three may not seem to have a lot of synergy,
but this combo shuts warjacks down. Disruption, Critical
Knockdown, and Set Defense all work together here, making
it an above-average task to take down these Cygnarans.
Toss in a couple of hard-working warjacks, and by the time
your opponent reaches your front line, youll be in a primeposition to deliver the hurt with a minimum of pain.
Major Markus Siege Brisbane really brings this list
together, assisting in the early game with Rift, Foxhole, or
even Force Hammer. He can use Mage Sight to circumventStealth and cloud effects, while Breach allows this army,
which might otherwise struggle against multiple heavy
warjacks, to unleash some surprising damage.
This list can be a little light in the HP department, so be
aware of effects like Wretched Rain that can chip off a few
points in a large AOE. Siege may want to concentrate Rift
spells or Ground Pounder attacks against models with such
attacks to put them down before they become too irksome.
STRYKER AND HEAVY 'JACKS
Another way to use Stryker is to cast Arcane Shield and
Blur to make your units nearly invulnerable. Its also wise
to place single-target buff spells on units that will hang
around long enough to enjoy them, so warjacks like the
Defender and the Charger make ideal targets.
Remember: stick with your buddy!
SAMPLE LIST
Commander Coleman Stryker
Charger x2
Lancer
Stormblade Infantry x5
Trencher x4Trencher Grenadier
SAMPLE LIST
Major Markus Siege Brisbane
Ironclad x2
Arcane Tempest Gun Mage x4
Stormsmith Stormcaller x3
Stormguard x5
Please come inplease.
Go on, try and take out a warjack. I dare you.
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Strykers feat needs to be timed very well to keep things
moving smoothly. Units like Stormsmith Stormcallers and
Gun Mages can pin down troublesome enemy elements as
you focus re into designated targets. A Lancer is useful
not simply for ring off spells as they are needed on the
front line, its also as a ne bulwark to take point against the
brunt of an enemy attack.
Keep in mind that, with this many warjacks and upkeep
spells, your focus points will be stretched pretty thin, and
youll still need to keep Stryker safe. Dont be afraid to
let warjacks take their chances with unboosted shots or
to transfer Arcane Shield to Stryker himself to maintain a
degree of safety.
STORMBLADES, STORMGUARD, AND
STORMSMITHS
What could be better than jamming all the factions
lightning-generating units together and making your
own Storm Division! The Stormguard can absorb the rst
wave, freeing the Stormblades to use Assault while the
Stormsmiths sit back and zap away at their leisure or set up
a massive Triangulation attack!
This army is all about setting up waves of attack. It may be
tempting to use Sturgis feat early to get the Stormguard into
the fray as quickly as possible, but they are primarily there
to keep the backeld alive and to stay in prime position
for a counter-assault. This list can really lay into an army,as all units but Sturgis and his battlegroup are immune to
Electrical damage.
Unlike the role they play in many other lists, the Stormguard
are not here to be thrown away. Sure, they are your front line
units because of Reach and Set Defense, but even they are
valuable, and you should not sacrice them lightly. Dont
be afraid to Arcane Shield one of them if he is staring down
several potential charges next turn.
SAMPLE LIST
Commander Coleman Stryker
Defender x2
Charger x2
Lancer
Arcane Tempest Gun Mage x2
Stormsmith Stormcaller
Mosquitos everywhere, beware!
SAMPLE LIST
Comander Dalin Sturgis
Lancer x2
Stormblade Infantry x4
Stormguard x6
Stormsmith Stormcaller x3
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enemies from casting spells, and any warcaster or other unit
that uses focus caught with the feat will not replenish focus
points on their next turn.
HIGH EXEMPLAR KREOSS
Kreoss is a prime example
of the virtues extolled by the
Exemplar order. Originallyfrom Khador but later taken
in by Protectorate Menite
pilgrims, Kreoss channeled the
feeling of loss that came with
separation from his family into a
relentless pursuit of perfection.
Members of both the clergy and
the military respect his prowess
as he directs interdictions of
zealous soldiers and warjacks
to key points in a battle, a living
legend among the people of the Protectorate.Kreoss offers an answer to any situation. If there are too
many upkeep spells or continuous effects, Kreoss can
cast Purication, which can also prevent more spells from
coming into play. Defenders Ward keeps his units safe
from harm. His feat, Menoths Wrath, knocks down all
enemy units in his control range, allowing your units to
disengage without free strikes and to land melee attacks
with incredible ease.
FEORA, PROTECTOR OF THE FLAME
Feora, Protector of the Flame
is the head of the TempleFlameguard, but her ambition
extends well beyond their
ranks. During the Cygnaran
assault against the Protectorate
city of Sul, Feora was nearly
crushed under the weight of
a destroyed warjack. Rather
than simply succumb to death,
she rose again to become
instrumental in repelling the
enemy from her city. Reforged
in purpose, she will purge in
righteous ames everyone who stands against her.
Feora plays with re in a very literal sense. She has a range
10 spray attack (the biggest in the game), two spells that can
cause re damage to enemy models (Ignite and Cleansing
Fire), and she prevents continuous Fire effects from expiring
within her control range. Her feat, Wild Fire, allocates
focus to her warjacks for each enemy unit suffering from
Fire and allows her to manipulate which units suffer from
continuous Fire.
WARJACKS
CRUSADER (HEAVY WARJACK)
As part of the peace accord
following the conict with
Cygnar that led to the
creation of the Protectorate of
Menoth, it was declared thatthe Protectorate would not
be permitted to maintain a
standing army. Yet warjacks
were still produced using
cortexes smuggled from
Khador and parts scavenged
from various battleelds, and the greatest of the new
Protectorate designs was the Crusader. Built with heavy
armor, the Crusader was made to endure any assault and
retaliate with devastating force, enhanced by the inferno
mace inspired by the aming maces of the Reclaimers.
Crusaders are simple but effective warjacks. Costing only12 points, theres certainly an argument for throwing one
in just to have a unit on the eld that can bring a lot of pain
and take a lot of punishment. The DAM 10 Inferno Mace
features the Critical Fire ability, but otherwise its not a
complex unit full of special rulesits simple and powerful.
VANQUISHER (HEAVY WARJACK)
The Vanquisher was built in
secret and not fully revealed
until the Protectorate had
entered into full revolt. It
lumbers across the eld
whirling its massive spiked
ail, known as a blazing star.
Deafening thumps emit from
its ame belcher as cannonballs
explode with a re so hot it
melts metal to slag on impact. Once the Vanquisher closes
in on its targets, its blazing star crushes bone and steel alike.
The Vanquisher is the Protectorates most expensive
warjack, but its well worth the cost. The Blazing Star, a
Chain Weapon with the Thresher special ability, inicts a
respectable DAM 8. The Flame Belcher ensures nothing
reaches the Vanquisher undamaged. Its impressive AOEattack covers a fairly large area and inicts continuous Fire
against any units within it, perfect for eliminating massed
troops and for taking on light warjacks.
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REVENGER (LIGHT WARJACK)
Protectorate forces captured
and reverse-engineered early
Cygnaran arc nodes to lengthen
the reach of the True Faiths
arcane warriors, while the
development of the repulsor
shield was a true Protectorateinnovation, allowing the
Revenger to rebuke opponents.
Once those enemies have been
pushed away, the Revenger uses its halberd weapon to
retaliate from a safe distance, giving it an edge in combat
against foes bigger than itself.
The Revenger, much like Cygnars Lancer, is a light warjack
that sports a heavy warjacks ARM, thanks to its shield.
Unlike the Lancer, however, the Revenger is suited to be
highly aggressive. Powerful Charge encourages you to charge
rather than bracing to absorb a charge, and Repel as a quality
on the shield allows the Revenger to push back would-be
assailants, denying them multiple attacks. The Revengers
arc node will make it a staple in almost any Protectorate list.
REPENTER (LIGHT WARJACK)
Menoths Fury, the volatile
oil found throughout the
Protectorates desert lands, is
rened to produce many of the
ery effects of the nations arsenal,
but the Repenter is armed with
the substance in its most basic
form. The Repenter pumps outthis substance as a spray, igniting
it to immolate those who would
reject the True Law of Menoth.
Should heretics survive this trial by re, the Repenters three-
headed war ail is sure to deliver them to the afterlife.
At only 8 points, the Repenter is a warjack of true value. Its
War Flail is not to be underestimated, but the real manner
in which the Repenter earns its keep is its spray attack,
causing continuous Fire to anyone hit by it.
WARRIORS
TEMPLE FLAMEGUARD
While many average citizens
of the Protectorate take up
arms in their nations crusade,
the Temple Flameguard were
formed in the Protectorates
earliest days to create a
permanent, dedicated order of
disciplined soldiers. Ostensibly
formed to guard the many
temples dedicated to Menoth, this order has over time
become one of elite infantry. A small, perpetually burning
reservoir of Menoths Fury in every Flame Spear inicts
burning wounds with each strike.
Flameguard are a cheap and potent unit that can hold
the line like no other. Shield Wall and Set Defense make a
formidable combo, but Protectors Rush gives you the bestof two worldsa charge attack and Shield Wall! This can
allow you to set the line of combat and force your opponent
to react defensively. Menoths Howl can also put re
damage out there and Terrify your enemies as well!
FLAMEGUARD CLEANSERS
Flameguard Cleansers are
charged with a grim duty.
Once, they were dispatched
to the homes and hideouts of
heretics within the Protectorate
to incinerate those structures
and anyone within them. Nowthey take to the eld with the
same zealotry displayed in the
execution of their sacred duties. With the ames of raw
Menoths Fury lighting the sky, Cleansers stand a grim
vigil to execute enemies with the curved blades at the end
of their purier weapons.
Flameguard Cleansers are the most common means for
players to put the Fire continuous effect onto the eld. They
are immune to Fire themselves, so dont be concerned if
Cleansers get in the way of each others attacks. If Cleansers
arent in range of an enemy unit, Flame Wall will provide
an excellent deterrent to their enemies, as any units moving
through take 2 DAM and are then affected by the continuous
effect Fire. Incinerate is also a handy ability to have, sending
out a ery cloud effect. While this may not hit as many units
as the Cleansers default Spray attack, blocking line of sight
with cloud effects is extremely useful when playing against
ranged-heavy forces.
EXEMPLAR CINERATOR
Only the most dedicated
soldiers are invited into the
Exemplar order, and to become
an Exemplar Cinerator, onemust endure punishing trials
of endurance and stamina in
preparation of the burden of
their massive armor. Years
of prayer and training allow
Cinerators to channel wounds
into a spiritual fervor, speeding these Exemplars ever closer
to their enemies. Their blades are imbued with countless
blessings, and their ickering suggests an unquenchable
ame that explodes when wielded in battle.
TFG
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Cinerators are the Protectorates heavy hitters with plenty
of HP and Weapon Master to let them dish out serious
damage. Flame Burst is also a real boon, setting nearby units
on re when a compatriot dies. Shield Wall is excellent,
Relentless Advance extends the Cinerators threat range,
and Melting Blade can, with clever placement of re, ignore
an opponents ARM to cause massive damage.
EXEMPLAR ERRANT
The Errants are an order within
the Exemplar brotherhood,
acting as its advance strike
force. Often deployed beyond
the Protectorates borders
for extended periods, they
understand that too often their
exploits and even heroic deaths
will go unrecognized, save by
their brothers awaiting them
in the afterlife. Armed withheavy crossbows inscribed with
blessed sigils to bypass heretical
magic and with a traditional
sword and shield for when the ghting gets close, Errants
stand ready to sacrice themselves for their righteous cause.
Exemplar Errants are a powerful advance unit. Their
crossbows are deceptively potent due to Blessed, which
allows them to ignore any spells enhancing an opponents
DEF or ARM. Like all Exemplars, they are Weapon Masters
in melee, but Self-Sacrice is their truly interesting ability,
granting them Tacticss only tool to heal units. This doubles
the amount of HP healed if an Errant gives his life for it,which could net a possible 10 HPperfect for keeping key
units alive. Be warned, however, that warjacks cannot be
repaired in this manner.
VASSAL OF MENOTH
Whether native born or
captured from foreign powers,
arcanists were once reviled
by the Protectorate but have
in recent years found a place
within its military, shackled and
convinced that their sorcerous
powers are shameful and
corrupt. As the Protectorates
army became a power to be
feared by its neighbors, its
reliance on arcane abilities
to maintain and construct
warjacks increased with the use of these poor souls.
Vassals of Menoth are not warriors in the traditional sense,
but they are still a potent addition to any Protectorate force.
Enliven allows a warjack to bait out an enemy unit only to
retreat to safety, while Ancillary Attack is perfect for when
you need just one more attack to seal an enemys fate. Arcane
Bolt is a basic but useful ability as well. Normally, standing too
close to a key target like a warjack can put a unit at risk, but the
DEF and ARM bonuses granted by Iron Sentinel, along with
immunity to Knockdown, can mitigate that concern.
FACTION FEELThe Protectorate of Menoths strength is built on the use
of abilities that must be activated in a specic order to
achieve maximum effectiveness. Unlike most factions, the
Protectorate often brings units that enhance other units
rather than contributing directly to combat. The Vassal of
Menoth is a good example of this, using Ancillary Attack or
Enliven to deliver victory. Protectorate armies also punish
opponents for not being able to completely eliminate
models such as the Exemplar Cinerators.
Most Protectorate warcasters serve to enhance their armies;
only Feora, Protector of the Flame is really a melee powerhouse.
Given that protecting your warcaster is of paramount
importance anyway, being called on to pay more attention to
your warcasters vulnerabilities isnt that much of a detriment.
Just a few Temple Flameguardto Shield Wall in front of your
warcaster, blocking line of sight, and to provide a hefty speed
bump for any units that want to engage with them in melee
may provide all the extra protection youll need.
POWER COMBOS
FLAMEGUARD CLEANSERS AND
TEMPLE FLAMEGUARD
Fire can be potentially more devastating that Corrosion.
While Corrosion does bypass ARM and other forms ofdamage mitigation, Firelike that of the Flameguard
Cleansersstarts at a whopping 5 DAM. Warcasters
suffering Fire damage are protected only by the ARM bonus
of unspent focus points from the previous round. This can
force enemy warcasters to hoard focus points instead of
spending them on warjacks or spells, which works to your
advantage. Combine this talent of the Flameguard Cleansers
with the inexorable wall of armor the Temple Flameguard
provides, and you can light the re and watch your enemies
burn to the ground!
Burn, baby, burn!
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With plenty of ways to put Fire out there, it will be
simplicity itself to mow down wave after wave of troops
while marching forward, giving the enemy warcaster
less and less room to maneuver. Enemy troops will crash
upon the shields of the Temple Flameguard while the
Flameguard Cleansers either make Incinerate attacks or
set up Flame Walls to punish heretics for attempting to
engage your forces.
You may nd yourself struggling to deal with high-ARM,
heavy-HP units like warjacks. Combined Melee Attacks
from the Temple Flameguard can alleviate that, and Feora
herself can certainly get into combat and help out. Her
naturally high ARM, combined with Escort, will allow
Feora to survive all but the heaviest blows.
HIGH EXEMPLAR KREOSS,
VANQUISHERS, AND REPENTERS
High Exemplar Kreoss brings a lot of powerful options to the
game, such as Defenders Ward and Purication, and his feat
can be used to extremely potent effect. Knocked down units
do not block line of sight and cannot engage your units in
melee, so Vanquishers and Repenters can use their ranged
attacks to lay down attacks against your opponents backlineincluding even the enemy warcaster himself!
Further, both warjack types have jacks with Chain
Weapon, allowing them to negate any attempts to bolster
ARM by forming a Shield Wall. Kreoss assassination
angle is very hard to counter, as no blocking and no units
to deny line of sight can stop Kreoss when he decides the
game ought to be over.
There are ways canny opponents can mitigate the powerof this list, and you should be aware of them. First and
foremost, cloud effects block line of sight, and you wont
have a way to remove that. Also, a warcaster can hoard
focus points to boost ARM, making it difcult to assassinate
him. While a warcaster with his full allotment of focus is
hard to injure, keeping all that focus means he isnt casting
spells or empowering warjacks to buy more attacks or boost
rolls. With this army, its best to concentrate on their units
and warjacks and wait until they have no choice but to try
and take you on personally.
GRAND SCRUTATOR SEVERIUS AND
REVENGERS
Like Kreoss, Grand Scrutator Severius has several great
spells, but in this interaction we want to focus on one in
particular: Eye of Menoth. Eye of Menoth adds +1 to all
attack stats and to the DAM of any weapon. This is huge,
and it affects all friendly units in Grand Scrutator Severius
considerable control area.
With Eye of Menoth, your units are getting an effective half-
focus point boost with each attack. This means handing out
your remaining focus for further boosting or for additional
attacks should give you all the edge you need. A Revengers
arc node allows Grand Scrutator Severius to put out any
spells he needs to even the odds. Ashes to Ashes, while
expensive, can remove smaller targets to lower the enemy
unit count in your favor.
SAMPLE LIST
Feora, Protector of the Flame
Crusader
Vanquisher
Flameguard Cleanser x3
Temple Flameguard x6
Vassal of Menoth
Normally, it would be a slog to try and kill all these Winter
Guard. Lets just cut to the chase, shall we?
SAMPLE LIST
High Exemplar Kreoss
Repenter
Vanquisher x3
Vassal of Menoth x3
The Eye has fallen on Kreoss . . . and found him wanting!
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With such a low unit footprint, be conscious of gettinganked by units that could bypass your front line and take
out the Grand Scrutator. If you're confronted by enemies
your own units can't cope with that may have a route to
attack to Severius, drop Eye of Menoth in favor of Defenders
Ward on Severius himself to increase his survivability.
EXEMPLAR CINERATORS AND
EXEMPLAR ERRANTS
Just as the two types of Flameguard units can assist one
other, exemplar units give each another synergistic support.
Exemplar Cinerators are nigh-unstoppable melee monsters,
but none in Immoren are truly invincible. Exemplar Errants,
however, can restore life to their allies wounded bodies.
Errants can inict early damage with their ranged attacks
to cover the Cinerators as they advance. Then, once the
Cinerators have joined the battle, the Errants should fall
back to use Self-Sacrice to keep the Cinerators alive.
The aw here is that Cinerators are slow, so they can take
a while to get into melee and will likely be charged rather
than charge the enemy themselves. Try to limit the models
your opponent can kill outright to a minimum by spreading
your forces out and staggering them rather than running
them all up in a line. Grand Scrutator Severius spells Vision
and Defenders Ward can blunt the damage inicted by
enemy charges, so cast your spells wisely.
SAMPLE LIST
Grand Scrutator Severius
Revenger x4
Temple Flameguard x3
Vassal of Menoth x4
That is a lot of HP to chew through.
SAMPLE LIST
Grand Scrutator Severius
Revenger
Vanquisher
Exemplar Cinerator x3
Exemplar Errant x5
Vassal of Menoth x2
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KHADOR
In the cold north of western
Immoren lies the mighty
Khadoran Empire, whose massivemilitary epitomizes the national
ideals of strength and resilience.
Legions of Winter Guard march
at the call of the empress, bent
on conquest. Led by powerful
warcasters as unrelenting as the Khadoran winter and
backed by elite soldiers such as the disciplined Iron Fang
Pikemen and the imposing Man-O-War troopers who stride
into battle in great steam-powered suits of armor, the army
of Khador is ready to crush all who stand against it.
In play, Khador is a faction of brute force. Its warjacks are
heavily armored and loaded with HP, and its troopsnotably the Man-O-Warspack a substantial punch. Even
the humble Winter Guard can shoot, chop, and spray into
the heart of their enemies. The faction has much more to
offer than just Winter Guard, however, and can readily
eld fearless Iron Fang Pikemen, those robust Man-O-Wars,
mysterious Greylords, and ruthless Assault Kommandos.
WARCASTERS
KOMMANDER SORSCHA KRATIKOFF
Driven by the image of herfathers death to survive the
rigors of war and excel as a
soldier, Sorscha Kratikoff is a
warcaster who channels her
strength and bitterness into
her arcane prowess. Fiery
rage and icy hatred! she was
once heard to say. These
things a good soldier makes,
not warmth and comfort. Her
fury has been described as that
of some goddess of frost anddeath; she is driven by her patriotism, but this is becoming
increasingly eclipsed by the darkness growing in her heart.
Sorscha brings a swift and surprising threat to the game, but
her high DEF can lead players to overcondence. Her feat,
Icy Gaze, makes enemies Stationary, locking them down as
theyre frozen in place. She has to tread a ne line between
aggression and arrogance, however. Fog of War keeps
her army safe on the approach, Boundless Charge allows
models to increase their threat ranges, and Tempest grants
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Knockdown. Sorscha herself can use Wind Rush to skyrocket
her DEF and in essence gain a second move. And Icy Gaze
freezes everything Sorscha can see in her Control Range,
which is more restrictive than one may think. Keep those two
caveats in mind before you commit to using her feat.
KOMMANDER STRAKHOV
When the Khadoran HighKommand requires a dangerous
operation to be conducted deep
behind enemy lines, they call
on Kommander Oleg Strakhov.
Fearlessly inltrating enemy
territory, Strakhov was crucial
in the early days of the war
against Llael. Strakhov was also
the driving force behind the
creation of the Assault Kommandos. If he has any weakness,
it is his impetuousnessoften, he executes maneuvers and
operations before his superiors have approved his actions.In WARMACHINE: Tactics, Strakhov plays as a dodgy,
sneaky warcaster until the moment arises when he or one of
his warjacks can eliminate the enemy warcaster. Occultation
removes the threat of ranged attacks, Battering Ram slows
the enemy advance, and Rift places rough terrain to slow
down an oncoming opponent. Sentry is excellent for keeping
enemies paranoid about their movements, and Superiority
gains one of Strakhovs warjacks an edge against any other
warjacks and warrior units. Strakhovs feat, Iron Fist,
increases units threat ranges, adding free Charge and Slam
attacks while granting Pathnder and an additional four
squares of movement when charging or slamming. This allmakes Strakhovs forces incredibly unpredictable, for an
enemy knows that at any moment impassioned Khadorans
may surge forth to crash into their lines.
ORSUS ZOKTAVIR,
THE BUTCHER UNLEASHED
Orsus Zoktavirs patriotism
may be beyond reproach, but
his methods have often been
criticized. Zoktavir earned
the nickname the Butcher of
Khardov after slaughtering
both the citizens of the village
of Boarsgate and his own
detachment of Winter Guard
who were unwilling to raise
arms against them. A mountain of a man, the Butcher
strides across western Immoren with his mechanikal axe,
affectionately named Lola, in hand. Anyone with any sense
fears the Butchereven those under his command.
The Butcher plays a fairly straightforward game, moving
ahead and destroying everything. Lola hits for a massive 8
damage and has both Reach and Weapon Master. Add to that
the Butchers spell Flashing Blade, and the focus point you
would have spent to make one additional attack can now
buy an attack against everything in melee range and line
of sight. The Butchers feat causes units to become Terried
automatically and replenishes his focus, and his Impending
Doom spell drags in units from beyond his melee range.
All in all, the Butcher is more than capable of killing almostanything in the game, and he can withstand an incredible
amount of damage before he will be put down.
WARJACKS
JUGGERNAUT (HEAVY WARJACK)
In Khador, bigger is usually
better, and the Juggernaut is a
testament to that attitude. Its
merciless Ice Axe encases its
target in layers of ice, freezing
pistons and gears and forcing
them to seize up. Size andpower are prized attributes in
Khador, and the Juggernaut is a
prime example of both.
The Juggernaut might seem
like a fairly basic warjack at
rst, but looks can be deceiving. While it lacks ranged
attacks or clever movement abilities, it more than makes
up for those decits with raw power. The Ice Axe inicts
a massive DAM 11 and causes Stationary on a critical hit.
Even its Open Fist has DAM 7, granting the Juggernaut
unparalleled damage potential.
DESTROYER (HEAVY WARJACK)
Whereas some nations develop
new warjacks and their
associated technology with
speed, Khadors development
cycle is on a slower track.
This is because Khadoran
workmanship, more so than
that of any other nation, is
designed to last. The Destroyer
has been Khadors warjack of
choice for siege warfare and troop dispersal for nearly acentury. Do not mistake the power of the Bombard Cannon
as an indication the Destroyer cannot perform in meleethe
Executioner Axe it wields is more than capable of rending
man and metal apart.
The Destroyer is able to handle several small threats with its
Bombard AOE attack or rush into melee with its Executioner
Axe, which can cause Critical Amputation to lower a units
MAT and RAT for the rest of the game. The Destroyer is a
warjack eager to earn kills every round.
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MARAUDER (HEAVY WARJACK)
Even when Khador builds a
secondary purpose into its
warjacks, these machines still
epitomize the brutal efciency
of the Khadoran temperament.
The Marauder, which was
designed to pulverize buildingsand heavily armored warjacks,
employs its ram pistons to
slam targets back and reduce
them to scrap. Other warjacks
require a running start to slam their enemies, but the
Marauder needs no such room.
The Marauder is a subtle unit some Khador players may
pass over in favor of more straightforward warjacks, but you
should not underestimate the effect the Marauders Combo
Smite can have. By sending enemy units ying about, you
can open charge lanes and create attack opportunities that
didnt exist at the start of your turn.
DECIMATOR (HEAVY WARJACK)
The Decimator was developed
to take on other warjacks with
direct re before ripping them
open with its enormous rip
saw. Mighty walls and heavy
warjacks alike have fallen victim
to the Decimators wrath. It is
brute force personied.
The Decimator, much like
other Khadoran warjacks, is
built to withstand the mightiest blows. It is, however, more
heavily dedicated to ranged warfare against other warjacks.
Whereas the Destroyer uses an AOE to affect several units
at once, the Decimator targets a single unit, knocking it
back each round and advancing in sync with that forced
movement. The Rip Saw is a potent melee weapon, using
Sustained Attack to eliminate its odds of missing with
subsequent attacks.
WARRIORS
MAN-O-WAR SHOCKTROOPER
Manufacturing warjack cortex-
es is both expensive and labor
intensive. The Khadoran solu-
tion to this resource drain was
to create steam-powered suits
men could wear to become
wrecking machines in their
own right. Wielding powerful
axes and shield cannons, they
stride through the battleeld,
smoke billowing from their armors engines, laying waste
to all they encounter.
Man-O-War suits grant their wearers massive HP bonuses
and make them excellent as smaller unit-count solutions to
enemy armor. They tend to fall into the same broad category
as light warjacks in terms of durability and damage output,
but they have a few other tricks up their metal sleeves.Armor Splitter removes armor mitigation from targets,
allowing less-powerful units in your army to make a
healthy damage contribution. Shove and Shoot is useful to
give your troops breathing room, as this ability pushes a
target back one square and then allows the Shocktrooper
to make a ranged attack. The Shocktroopers have Reach,
so this push will leave a target in their melee range, thus
blunting any ranged counterattacks. Further, Man-O-War
Shocktroopers have the Shield Wall and Combined Melee
Attack abilities.
ASSAULT KOMMANDO
Founded by the deadlyKommander Strakhov, Assault
Kommandos are well versed
in trench warfare. Girded with
alchemically treated armor and
masked for protection against
their own Strangle Gas attacks,
these patriots were critical
in the siege of the Cygnaran
fortress of Northguard during
the Llaelese War. Any Assault Kommando would be lled
with satisfaction after driving Cygnaran Trenchers out of
their own trenches.
Assault Kommandos work best in teams and boast
immunity to some of the games most insidious effects:
Fire and Corrosion. Shield Wall keeps Kommandos in the
game longer than one might expect, and Assault & Battery
is not to be underestimated, allowing a ranged attack to
precede a Charge or Run action. Combine this with masks
allowing them to ignore cloud effects, and they can bring
a counter-effect against every other faction in the game.
Finally, Strangle Gas is of interest to tactical players: the
Kommando makes a ranged attack, and if it hits, it centers
on the target a 3-x-3 square cloud effect that lowers DEF and
all attack stats, forcing anyone in the AOE to either sufferthose effects or ee from their position.
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ASSAULT KOMMANDO FLAME THROWER
As the Assault Kommando
program bloomed into a
success beyond the front lines,
High Kommand continued
to capitalize on its success,
introducing Flame Throwers
as a new addition to theKommandos. Training is
both rigorous and dangerous,
but there is no shortage of
volunteers.
This variant of the Assault Kommando forgoes gas grenades
and carbines for a spray attack with Fire as a continuous
effect. This also gains the Flush Out ability, which drives
enemy units from cover. Be cautious, though, as a Flame
Thrower that is destroyed will explode in a glorious ball of
ame, catching anything nearby on re.
WINTER GUARD INFANTRYIts ranks lled by the common
citizens of Khador, the Winter
Guard is the heart and soul
of the Khadoran war effort.
Whether they are volunteers
driven by a sense of duty and
patriotism or conscripts forced
to serve a mandatory tour of
duty, Winter Guard patrol their
nations cities and ll their
nations ranks on the front
lines.
Winter Guard are cheap, solid units. While Combined
Ranged Attack and Combined Melee Attack make them
dangerous in groups, both at a distance and up close, they
have a few other clever options they can offer as well. Grape
Shot exchanges a small bit of power in favor of a spray
attack, and Aim Low allows a few choice Winter Guard
to take point and trip up the enemy lines, giving the rest
of your force more rounds of shooting before the battle
degenerates into a melee brawl.
WINTER GUARD INFANTRY ROCKETEER
Following the fall of Llael, manyalchemists within that nations
Order of the Golden Crucible
have been captured and
forced to enhance the power
of Khadors growing arsenal.
Amid the various products
of this forced labor, portable
rockets have been fabricated
and distributed among the
more trusted members of the
Winter Guard, and war is now even more devastating to
enemies of the Motherland.
The Rocketeer has all the abilities of a normal Winter Guard,
along with the ability to re a Rocket to create a small AOE
to knock down small- and medium-based units. These units
are well worth an additional point for their added value.
IRON FANG PIKEMEN
Proud soldiers of the
Motherland, these hardened
soldiers are members of one
of the oldest military orders
in Khador. Far evolved from
the steadfast spearmen
who stood rm against the
roving horselords who once
dominated the edges of their
empire, modern Iron Fangs
wield pikes with blasting caps
at the tips that can knock anopponent off his feet, should an
explosive thrust fail to end that
foes existence.
Iron Fangs take an aggressive stance and are bent on taking
down enemies much bigger than themselves. Combined
Melee Attack allows them to gang up on a target while
Shield Wall helps them survive a counterattack, but their
tricks dont end there. Penetrating Blast can take advantage
of a knocked down target by inicting 5 DAM that cannot be
mitigated by ARM, and Dash allows them to move through
enemy troops, taking them out in the process.
GREYLORD
The premiere occult order of
the Motherland, the Greylords
Covenant began as a splinter
group of the Cygnaran-
dominated Fraternal Order of
Wizardry and is responsible for
bringing the secrets of warjack
cortex fabrication to Khador.
Some Greylords focus on arcane
mastery, some work closely
on warjack technology andmechanika, and others search
their frozen lands for forgotten
weapons from a terrible age.
Greylords can deliver Critical Stationary attacks and
provide rough terrain. They primarily set up obstacles for
the enemy rather than eliminating them. Blizzard shrouds
ally units in obscuring cloud effects that follow them, Rime
Blast places rough terrain on the map, and Ice Cage can
potentially freeze units in place. Even if Ice Cage doesnt
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succeed in making anyone Stationary, it still lowers the SPD
and DEF of the target.
FACTION FEELKhadoran armies can go in multiple directions, elding a
swarm of agile warriors or an implacable wall of armor, one
that is seemingly impossible to breach. While some players
may skew to one extreme or another, many prefer to bring abalance of the two, forcing their opponents to provide both
high accuracy and high damage. While Khadoran warjacks
are characteristically slow, each warcaster can mitigate this
to catch unsuspecting opponents off-guard.
Khador can also introduce interesting challenges that
opponents may not expect. Stationary can lock down
warrior units and force a warjack to spend a focus during the
Control Phase, just like Knockdown. Unlike Knockdown,
however, one cannot ignore it and still be productive that
activation, so youll force your opponent to deal with it or
accept that hes essentially lost that unit for the round.
POWER COMBOS
IRON FANG PIKEMEN AND
MAN-O-WAR SHOCKTROOPERS
These units can march forward in an impervious wall,
their ranks unbroken until it comes time to bring the pain.
Between Knockdown, Shield Wall, Armor Splitter, and
Combined Melee Attack, this is a list that is tough to crack
at range and even tougher to stop once youre engaged.
This list may lack speed and long-range threats, but Iron
Fangs and Man-O-War Shocktroopers are among the
hardiest units in the faction. Even after ve grueling rounds
of combat, this list remains very durable. Depending on
your ratio, you will have an average of 13 to 15 HP per unit.
The sample list here comes in at an average of 14.23 HP per
unit, which is pretty durable relative to the typical damage
output of most enemy armies.
The key to playing this list is in knowing when to shift
gears. Because you cant attack and Shield Wall, you need
to practice and learn when to Shield Wall, when to attack,
and when to use Combined Melee Attack, Armor Splitter,
and so on. Developing an intuition about when to change
tactics will make all the difference.
ASSAULT KOMMANDOS AND
GREYLORDS
Assault Kommandos ignore all sorts of things: Fire,
Corrosion, and even low-damage ranged attacks, thanks to
Shield Wall. Strangle Gas is great, but they need to directly
hit for it to function, and sometimes they struggle with that.Enter the Greylords, who can cast Ice Cage to lower DEF
values and make enemies more susceptible to Strangle Gas.
Not only are the
Kommandos immune
to Fire and Corrosion
damage, they can now
shoot and gas enemies
with impunity. The
Greylords Ice Cage
ability lowers DEF and
hits with regularity,
which in turn can allowKommandos to hit
more easily. Dont be
shy about having one
Kommando shoot gas to
further lower the DEF of
a target. While Strangle
Gas does create a cloud
effect, Kommandos
ignore cloud effects.
The calm before the Iron Storm.
Look at all the HP thats left!
SAMPLE LIST
Kommander Strakhov
Decimator
Marauder
Iron Fang Pikemen x8
Man-O-War Shocktrooper x2
You dont have to go home, but
you cant stay here.
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The only problem with this combo is that it lacks punch
against high-ARM targets. While you can make enemies
Stationary and distribute rough terrain, this list will not
casually remove warjacks from battle. Its best to let your
own warjacks take them on and to rely on their higher
durability to see them emerge triumphant. Save Sorschas
feat for when the Greylords cant afford to use Ice Cage.
IRON FANG PIKEMEN AND WINTER
GUARD ROCKETEERS
Winter Guard Rocketeers can knock down targets, and Iron
Fangs inict vast amounts of damage to targets sufferingfrom Knockdown, thanks to Penetrating Blast. This is a
pairing that can stall out an enemys offense and take down
just about anything in the game!
Penetrating Blasts biggest downfall is that it needs a
knocked down target to work, but the Rocketeers bring
more Knockdown to the ght and at range to boot!
Normally, youd have to rely on Critical Knockdown from
other Blasting Pike attacks or from Sorschas Tempest spell.
Rocketeers free you from having to try your luck with other
Iron Fangs or free you to plan Sorschas entire action around
one spell. This also allows you to bring another warcaster
who can make use of Knockdown to either clear a path
or make attacking a mere formality: Kommander OrsusZoktavir, the Butcher of Khardov.
Its important to be aware that Greylords need line of
sight to their target, but they cannot withstand a lot of
punishment. Iron Fangs should be positioned to block and
discourage enemy units from attacking the Greylords. Some
Greylords may want to use Blizzard on the lead Iron Fangs
and forward Greylords to protect them.
GREYLORDS AND ASSAULTKOMMANDO FLAME THROWERS
Khador brings more effects to the game than any other
faction, and thanks to Assault Kommandos, it can ignore
more effects than any other faction as well. Make good use
of Stationary, but follow it up by setting targets on re.
Combined with Rime Blast to slow them down, youll be
able to eliminate enemy units before they can even begin to
deal damage.
Assault Kommando Flame Throwers can Shield Wall to
protect the Greylords, while the Flame Throwers, immune
to their own spray attacks, can shoot with impunity without
fear of harming each other. On turns in which Greylord
attacks are not a priority, the Kommandos can Shield Wall
and the Greylords can cast Blizzard on them to make the
Flame Throwers nigh unstoppable.
One thing to beware of in this list is Flame Thrower death.
While other Flame Throwers wont be affected, Greylords
certainly will. These explosions can also be used to your
advantage, however, and any Flame Throwers near death
should be put into positions where their Fiery Blast would
be most devastating to your opponent.
SAMPLE LIST
Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff
Destroyer
Assault Kommando x5
Assault Kommando Flame Thrower
Greylord x6
SAMPLE LIST
Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff
Destroyer
Assault Kommando Flame Thrower x6
Greylord x5
SAMPLE LIST
Kommander Orsus Zoktavir, the Butcher of Khardov
Juggernaut
Greylord x4
Iron Fang Pikeman x4
Winter Guard Rocketeer x3
The bigger they are...
These bonejacks are about to get a little freezer burn.
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CRYX
Cryx focuses on massive swarms
of troops, lots of spells, and
bonejacks with arc nodes to slingthose spells from a safe distance.
Ruled by Toruk the Dragonfather
and overseen by his twelve Lich
Lords, Cryx is a nation of pirates,
slavers, and worse. Like all
dragons, Toruk radiates an unnatural blight, and this warps
and twists the populace of his island nation in terrifying
ways. Necromancy is a common and well-understood magic
here, and undead servants that would horrify mainland
folks are a common sight. From the cruel-but-alluring
Satyxis to the cannibalistic trollkin Bloodgorgers that dwell
across the islands of Cryx, this faction has no shortage oftroops to further the machinations of the Dragonfather.
Cryx typically relies on spells like Parasite and Crippling
Grasp to make up for its units generally lackluster attributes.
Under Crippling Grasp and The Withering, Deneghra can
threaten even the highest DEF units with nothing more than
lowly Mechanithralls. Debuffs arent the only tools in her
arsenal, though. Spells like Hellre and Venom are quite
capable of eliminating opponents from the battleeld. As
if that werent enough, Cryx has a number of units that can
capture the souls of fallen enemies and convert them into
focus the following turn, punishing your opponent beyond
simply losing a unit. Combine this with the dodgy anddeadly arc node-bearing bonejacks, and Cryx can put out a
spell just about anywhere!
WARCASTERS
WARWITCH DENEGHRA
Years ago, a Satyxis witch
under the command of Iron
Lich Asphyxious received a
portent that a girl born off the
coast of Cygnar would hold
unparalleled arcane potential.
Satyxis raiders massacredthe populace of the village of
Ingrane and stole the child,
bringing her back to Cryx. There she was subjected to horrors
and twisted rituals that nurtured her arcane gifts as her full
warcasters powers bloomed under Asphyxious tutelage.
Warwitch Deneghra, this abductee warcaster, is emblematic
of the playstyle of Cryx. Crippling Grasp and Scourge can
circumvent high DEF targets, and Parasite can mitigate
high ARM from the toughest foes. Combine this with her
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debilitating feat, The Withering, and she can threaten
almost anything your opponent dares to bring against you.
Deneghra doesnt care how high you stack your statsshe
can knock them down.
IRON LICH ASPHYXIOUS
A former druid of the Circle
Orboros, Asphyxious hasgreat power equaled only by
his ambition. Commanded by
Toruk to prove his devotion,
the druid who would become
Asphyxious cast himself
into the molten lava of the
dragons volcano. Toruk then
scooped the druids remains
from the volcano, pleased with
the mortals willingness to sacrice himself, and sealed
Asphyxious soul into a vessel of necromantic power.
Asphyxious came to serve the Lich Lords of Cryx, but hedesires their level of power above all else and has begun
scheming to ascend within Cryxs dark ranks.
Asphyxious tends to be more hands-on in the carnage,
with his Sustained Attack ability, Scything Touch, and a
feat that essentially gives him double his normal focus
points. This feat, Consuming Blight, also inicts 3 points
of damage and ignores all damage mitigation. Asphyxious
doesnt simply walk up and challenge all comers, though.
Teleport and Hellre allow him to engage only when and
where he is ready. He also brings Parasite to the table. With
these combined abilities, Asphyxious plays much more
aggressively than his protg Deneghra.
STURGIS THE CORRUPTED
Having pledged his immortal
soul in service to the
Dragonfather, Dalin Sturgis
is as corrupt as he was once
honorable. Death has done
nothing to curb the depraved
power of this once great
Cygnaran warcaster, who now
pits his formidable ghting
prowess against those he used
to call brother and friend.
Though he maintains the same reexes and skills he held in
life, Dalin Sturgis no longer seeks to use his power to protect
those around him; instead, his service to Lord Toruk has
turned his arcane strength to delivering death to his enemies.
Sturgis has already died in combat, but he hasnt missed
a step. His feat, Dead on Arrival, works exactly as it did
when he was alive, as do Relentless Charge, Snap Strike,
and Reversal. He has, however, traded Chain Attack: Flash
for Chain Attack: Dark Shroud, causing all enemy models
in his melee range to suffer decreased ARM. His spell list
features a few changes as well, trading Teleport and Arcane
Shield for Occultation and Parasite. Most interestingly, he
also picks up Blood Rain, which is a small AOE spell that
inicts 4 DAM and Continuous Effect: Corrosion to anyone
in the AOE.
WARJACKSDEATHRIPPER (LIGHT WARJACK)
Great beasts are blighted and
bred solely for the purpose
of harvesting their skulls for
these quintessential bonejacks.
Though a common sight on
the battleeld, bounding forth
on two legs while arc node-
spewing their masters foul
magic, these machines should
not be taken lightly.
While Cryx players will denitely include Deathrippers
in their armies for their high speed, high DEF, and Arc
Node ability, Sustained Attack can take some of the risk
out of attacking a target, should an enemy attempt to pin a
Deathrippers arc node down by engaging it in melee.
DEFILER (LIGHT WARJACK)
Other nations of Immoren
have only a few true
innovators of mechanika, but
Cryx is not bound by such
limitations. Toruk has blessed
the Nightmare Empire withlegions of necrotechsmad,
unstable, but brilliant minds
that ceaselessly labor to propel Cryxs war machines toward
brutal victory. The Deler is one such invention. Unlike the
Deathripper, the Deler stops short of charging into the
front lines, preferring to spray opponents with its Sludge
Cannon. Veteran troops know the wisest course of action is
to engage a Deler in close combat before it can wreak too
much havoc at range.
The Deler is a clever little bonejack, boasting a RNG 8
spray attack with Continuous Effect: Corrosion. Sprays are
a great way of mitigating the defense bonus of concealment
and are handy for affecting multiple units at once, if you can
line opponents up in a single shot. As with all bonejacks, the
Delers arc node is an ever-present threat.
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also provide a bigger target and cant get into all the small
places their man-sized counterparts can access.
SKARLOCK THRALL
The skarlock thrall isnt just
another mindless undead
automaton. Instead of the
dull icker of undeath mostthralls possess, skarlocks
are granted a higher degree
of intelligence. During the
creation of a skarlock, dense
rings of corrupt sigils are
carved into their desiccated
esh. Skarlocks are among the
few thralls crafted that retain
memories, bits of lore they
picked up in life, and they are
even capable of creating and pursuing their own agendas.
During the creation process, a warcaster leaves arcaneechoes in their skarlocks, allowing them to cast some of
that warcasters spells.
Skarlock Thralls can ease a warcasters burden of fueling
spells with precious focus points, freeing the warcaster to