®
®
® ®
™
®
STEP INTO A WORLD FORGED OF IRON AND TEMPERED BY WAR. In WARMACHINE, the very earth shakes during fierce confrontations where six-ton constructs of iron and steel slam into each other with the devastating force of a locomotive, where lead-spewing cannons chew through armor plating as easily as flesh, and where bold heroes set the battlefield ablaze with a tempest of arcane magic as they forge the fates of their unyielding nations in the fires of destruction. Take control of an elite battle mage known as a warcaster and his army of devastating warjacks and deadly soldiers in this fast-paced and aggressive 30 mm tabletop miniatures battle game set in the steam-powered fantasy world of the Iron Kingdoms. WARMACHINE: Prime Mk II thrusts you into this war-ravaged world with:
™
• Complete core rules for the WARMACHINE tabletop miniatures game. • In-depth histories of the nations of the Iron Kingdoms and the conflicts that have shaped them. • Detailed profiles and game stats for the powerful characters, warjacks, and soldiers that will make up your army. • An instructional painting and hobby guide that will show you how to bring your tabletop battlefield to life.
Charge into the metal-on-metal action of WARMACHINE Mk II and brace yourself for battle like you’ve never experienced before!
Play WARMACHINE against
®
™
ISBN: 978-1-933362-53-3 • PIP 1021 • $29.99 • www.privateerpress.com
PIP 1021
™
SPINE
®
™
CREDITS WARMACHINE created by
Concept Illustration
Development
Chris Walton Matt Wilson
David Carl Michael Faciane
Graphic Design & Layout
Product Line Coordinator
Kris Aubin Kim Goddard Sean Jones Josh Manderville Stuart Spengler
Rob Stoddard
Additional Development
Studio Director
Sherry Yeary
David Carl Brian Putnam
Miniature Sculpting
Matt Wilson
Sean Bullough Gregory Clavilier Christian Danckworth Brian Dugas Roy Eastland Chaz Elliot Will Hannah Jason Hendricks Mike McVey Ben Misenar Jerzy Montwill Paul Muller Jose Roig Ben Saunders Steve Saunders Kevin White
Executive Assistant
Darla Kennerud Sheelin Arnaud
John Winter
Jack Coleman
Resin Caster
NQM EIC
Cover Illustration
Sean Bullough
Eric Cagle
Miniature Painting
Licensing & Contract Manager
Matt Wilson
Project Director Bryan Cutler
Game Design Matt Wilson
Lead Designer Jason Soles
Art Direction Kris Aubin
Lead Writer Douglas Seacat
Additional Writing Simon Berman Rob Hawkins Ron Kruzie Jason Soles Matt Wilson
Continuity Jason Soles
Illustrations Daren Bader Chippy Matt Dixon Illich Henriquez Andrew Hou Imaginary Friends Studios Luke Mancini Slawomir Maniak Karl Richardson Brian Snoddy Greg Staples Andrea Uderzo Chris Walton Eva Widermann Matt Wilson Drew Wolf 2
Ed Bourelle
President
Ron Kruzie
Editing
Andrea Uderzo
Creative Manager
Matt DiPietro
Hobby Manager Rob Hawkins
Terrain Ambrose Coddington Alfonzo Falco Todd Gamble Rob Hawkins Pat Ohta
Photography Kris Aubin Matt DiPietro Rob Hawkins
Development Manager Erik-Jason Yaple
Chare Kerzman
Marketing Coordinator William Shick
Customer Service Adam Johnson
Convention Coordinator Dave Dauterive
Community Manager Simon Berman
Volunteer Coordinator
Brent Waldher
Production Director Mark Christensen
Technical Director Kelly Yeager
Production Manager Doug Colton
Production Trey Alley Max Barsana Alex Chobot Doug Colton Joel Falkenhagen
Joe Lee Michael McIntosh Jacob Stanley Benjamin Tracy Clint Whiteside
Sys Admin/ Webmaster Daryl Roberts
Infernals Jeremy Galeone Peter Gaublomme Brian Putnam Gilles Reynaud John Simon Donald Sullivan
Playtest Coordinator David Carl
Playtesters Greg Anecito Kris Aubin Alex Badion Simon Berman Ed Bourelle Dan Brandt Erik Breidenstein David Carl Kevin Clark Jack Coleman Our Player Community Dave Dauterive Michael Faciane Joel Falkenhagen Rob Hawkins Field Test Participants Adam Poirier Douglas Seacat William Shick Jason Soles Rob Stoddard Chris Walton Erik-Jason Yaple
Proofreading Ed Bourelle David Dauterive Darla Kennerud William Shick Rob Stoddard Brent Waldher
WELCOME TO STEAM-POWERED MINIATURES COMBAT! WARMACHINE is a game of cunning strategy, brutal tactics, and epic clashes between armies of steam-powered warjacks, battle-hardened soldiers, and elite battle mages. The game is
as present as cannonballs or battle axes. The Iron Kingdoms are
among whom the most bitterly contested battles are waged: Cygnar, Khador, Cryx, and the Protectorate of Menoth. Each has its own history and viewpoint, and each is looking to Finally, WARMACHINE is more than just a game. It’s also miniatures representing the warriors, machines, and creatures
warcaster behind enemy lines attempts his mission of sabotage while unknowingly walking into a trap. It then continues with a historical account of the land’s history and varied nations and peoples before diving into the nuts and bolts of how to
moves into descriptions of four nations of the Iron Kingdoms
Prime models but also helpful instruction on how to get started yourself with the miniatures hobby. We sincerely hope you’ll enjoy WARMACHINE as much as we do. With this book and a few miniatures, you’ll be on your way to ultimate steam-powered miniatures combat. Your tabletop will never be the same!
TABLE OF CONTENTS FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
THE FACTIONS OF WARMACHINE . . . . 94
THE IRON KINGDOMS, A HISTORY . . . . 14
CYGNAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
THE GAME . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
PROTECTORATE OF MENOTH . . . . . . . . 122
MODELS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
KHADOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .148
PREPARING FOR WAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 GAMEPLAY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
CRYX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
COMBAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
MERCENARIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
ANATOMY OF A UNIT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
MODEL GALLERY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
WARJACKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
HOBBY AND PAINTING GUIDE . . . . . . . 235
WARCASTERS AND FOCUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 ADDITIONAL RULES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
APPENDIX A: TIMING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
COMMAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
APPENDIX B: BONDING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
TERRAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
RULES INDEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
SCENARIOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
TEMPLATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Visit: www.privateerpress.com Privateer Press, Inc. 13434 NE 16th St. Suite 120 • Bellevue, WA 98005 Tel (425) 643-5900 • Fax (425) 643-5902 For online customer service, email [emailprotected] This book is printed under the copyright laws of the United States of America and retains all of the protections thereof. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks herein including Privateer Press®, Iron Kingdoms, Immoren, WARMACHINE®, WARMACHINE: Prime Mk II, Forces of WARMACHINE: Cygnar, Forces of WARMACHINE: Cryx, Forces of WARMACHINE: Khador, Forces of WARMACHINE: Protectorate of Menoth, Forces of WARMACHINE: Retribution of Scyrah, Forces of WARMACHINE: Mercenaries, HORDES, Formula P3, Formula P3 Hobby Series, Full Metal Fantasy, Play Like You’ve Got a Pair, Steam-Powered Miniatures Combat, Monstrous Miniatures Combat, Cygnar, Cryx, Khador, Protectorate of Menoth, Retribution of Scyrah, Trollblood, Circle Orboros, Legion of Everblight, Skorne, warjack, warcaster, warbeast events is purely coincidental. No part of this publication may be stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form without written permission from is strictly prohibited. In the event that permissions are granted, such duplications shall be intended solely for personal, noncommercial use and must maintain all copyrights, trademarks, or other notices contained therein or preserve all marks associated thereof. Product information is subject to change. You should know the drill by now. Don’t steal from us. We have several years’ worth of steam-powered necromantic badness awaiting those who violate our copyrights. Third printing: August 2011. Printed in Hong Kong.
WARMACHINE: Prime Mk II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ISBN: 978-1-939480-14-9 . . . . . . . . . . . . PIP 1021e
3
FOREWORD Each and every cut, every new join in the materials of our “writing is rewriting.” In our own world’s history, there are times new information comes to light—discovered from new sources, concluded after deeper scrutiny, or revealed through more enlightened interpretation. So it goes for this next era of WARMACHINE. We, the creators, have approached this as a second draft, an opportunity to improve on that which we felt did not fully meet our original vision or stand solidly among the ranks of our otherwise esteemed work. While some details have changed, the spirit of WARMACHINE remains intact, both in game and cinematic paradigm, with an eye to epic storytelling that will allow us to spin this convoluted yarn more eloquently and through broader narrative media. We have approached unnecessary material, streamlining the gaming experience, and rebuilding frameworks to better support the engine and the components of the game.
meticulous examination and maternal care and is toward one single, overriding goal: to make the WARMACHINE experience better for you. upon these pages with trepidation, for what immediately known so well and now have transformed into something the true connoisseur of WARMACHINE will realize these changes are for the good of the whole and will deliver a much more satisfying experience. For it is from a studious and laborious examination of community feedback that we approached the renovation of this game, heeding a clarion call for reform sent from the breast of those who in the same breath avowed their unabated love for WARMACHINE. Here begins a new epoch for WARMACHINE, forged with the same passion as the original but guided by nearly a decade of experience developing the game and interacting with our community. Looking back, it is amazing to see how far we have come, and whether you are a veteran of our inaugural publication or are experiencing WARMACHINE prospects of this game’s future as we are. With enduring thanks to our dedicated players,
Matt Wilson
4
THE FIVE RULES OF PAGE 5—MK II In keeping with a tradition as controversial as it is revered, Page 5 continues as a manifesto of our disposition, the philosophy with which we have created WARMACHINE. Contained in these paragraphs is the doctrine of our players and the common ground upon which we do battle. Whether a grizzled vet or fresh meat, here are a few things you need to know if you’re going to survive in the unforgiving arena of steam-powered warfare.
3) GIVE AS GOOD AS YOU GET The proof is in the punishing—the one you give and the one you take. There’s no honor in clobbering the smallest kid in the yard, and there’s no pride to be won by blazing a path to the well for your fail-safe formula. The real bragging rights come from taking down the big dog with a move that jams his pizza hole open like a he just had a Juggernaut in a tube sock applied vigorously to the back of his skull. Damn the status quo. Defy convention! Tempt defeat, then wipe wrecking ball.
1) THOU SHALT NOT WHINE This game is not suitable for wussies. If you cry when going to lose. If it hurts your fragile sensibilities to see your favorite character get pounded unmercifully by a rapid succession of no-holdsbarred iron fury, you’d better look the other way. If you’ve ever whined the words, “That’s too powerful,” then put down the book and slowly walk away. Now. This is a game about aggression. This is metal-on-metal combat. This is fuel-injected power hopped up on steroids. This is WARMACHINE.
2) COME HEAVY, OR DON’T COME AT ALL In every dark alley is a ruthless bastard waiting to carve another notch in his bat with your face. And across every table, in his unassuming faded black T-shirt, is a coldhearted killer mentally tearing you limb from limb. WARMACHINE favors the aggressor. You’ve got to throw for your opponent to come to you, you’re going to get steamrolled. You’ve got to have big [metaphorical] balls to play this game. You’ve got to charge your opponent and hang it all out there! You’ve got to break his formations. You’ve got to be relentless with your onslaught. You’ve got to go for the jugular and latch on like a rabid dog that hasn’t eaten in days. Anything less, and you’ll be hamburger.
4) WIN GRACIOUSLY AND LOSE VALIANTLY Page 5 is about honesty. It’s a self-awareness of what we’re doing, why we’re doing it, and who we’re doing it for. It’s about the kind of people we are and the kind of people we want to face across the table. Page 5 is a cultivated attitude designed to get the most out of the gaming experience. It’s about showing up, playing your hardest to win, feeling satisfaction in a game well lost, and respecting your opponent for the accomplished competitor he or she is, no matter what the outcome.
5) PAGE 5 IS NOT AN EXCUSE Most importantly—and let’s state this loud and clear for the record—Page 5 is not permission to be a jackass in the name of competition. It’s not a shield to hide behind down the clock, gaming a scenario, or rules lawyering your hapless opponent to death. Page 5 doesn’t discriminate between genders. And Page 5 is never, ever, EVER a license vertically challenged self-esteem. Remember, we all come here to battle out of a common love. Respect Page 5. Respect each other. And now that we’re all on the same page . . .
PLAY LIKE YOU’VE GOT A PAIR.
5
FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION
SUMMER 603 AR, EAST OF THE BLACK RIVER The distinctive shriek of incoming rockets split the air, one blending into the next to be followed by explosions that shattered rock and packed earth. The weapons were extremely inaccurate but compensated with sheer quantity. Leaning against the rough surface of a tall, craggy boulder, Lieutenant Allister Caine shielded his face as debris and a spray of dust spilled over him. He held a magelock steelalloy revolver in each hand, their barrels inscribed with arcane runes—priceless custom-crafted prototype weapons worthy of a gun mage warcaster. He was wearing light warcaster armor and a reinforced leather overcoat backed by a small coal-fed arcane turbine. The Cygnus on his left
The incessant blasts were enough to put anyone on edge, even someone protected by the thrumming energy of an assured, completely in control of the situation. Meanwhile, his mind was frantically concocting and discarding potential plans to prevent them from getting killed here amid the lifeless sands on the fringes of the Bloodstone Marches. by helmets and armor but also by their position atop the hill. They were all trenchers of the 2nd Army, a squad from the 211th who were no doubt starting to regret volunteering for this “simple little operation” across the Black River. Caine suspected his colonel had placed him in charge of the to duty still nursing a severe hangover after a late night spent with the attractive daughter of one of Corvis’ many bureaucrats. Even so, it was lucky he was there. Otherwise, these soldiers would already be dead. “What are we dealing with here, sir?” Sergeant Kiel Cartway shifting sands. Between the strong winds that had kicked up clouds of dust all around their position and the need to keep under cover, visibility was poor. “More Menites than should be in this godforsaken dust bowl. I could do with a few less, so get cracking!” Caine had the advantage of being able to see through the eyes of his warjacks in addition to his own, giving him a slightly better perspective. What he saw did not reassure him. with cloth wrapped tightly across their noses and mouths
6
the breach and sliding another silk-wrapped cartridge into place with practiced ease. Most of the Menites, including those launching rockets onto their heads, were staying “You got a plan to get us out of this, sir?” Cartway asked. Something in his voice reminded Caine how young the necked, broad-shouldered man who looked like a brawler, his tanned face dirty from sweating under the unrelenting sun besides. He seemed tough enough to chew shoe leather, but he wasn’t more than twenty. The situation reinforced Caine’s preference for working alone rather than being shackled to a bunch of kids barely old enough to shave, however well trained they happened to be. The worst part was the complete faith they had in wizards whom young soldiers viewed almost as living gods. If he told them to charge the deliverers, they would sense of power, but holding other men’s lives in his hands gave Caine no joy. Caine showed no sign of these thoughts as he answered, “Keep your shorts on, son, I’m working on it.” He was distracted, looking through the eyes of the two light warjacks linked to him. Through force of will warcasters mind inside the torsos of their metal chassis. His ’jacks included a Sentinel he had sent to guard the only approach at the edge of the rocky promontory. While battered by unrelenting impacts, it had yet to sustain severe damage. deep report of the Charger’s cannon, each shot followed by the crisp metal clank of its reloading mechanism. Its glowing eyes scanned the surrounding ground for targets, and occasionally its cannon bucked. Earlier Caine had sent arcane energies to bolster its long-range accuracy. Caine
Caine had considered their position well chosen just a few minutes before, but now he suspected his men were stuck in an elevated deathtrap. The crag had excellent cover and only a single route of easy approach, up the gentler slope behind them, but they would be exposed the moment they left cover. Caine’s Sentinel stood down below to shred any foe that got too close from that direction. Caine heard the clanking buzz of its chain gun barrels spinning up to
rapid sequence. Plunging his mind into the Sentinel to peer through its eyes, he saw several emboldened zealots fall to the dirt in a ragged line after trying to make an abortive run toward the incline. These appeared to have broken from greater numbers before rushing the crag. Sergeant Cartway shouted over the noise to Caine, “I thought they said no one was guarding this place, sir!” “At a guess, I’d hazard we got some bad intelligence.” Caine gave a grim smile. Suddenly the sergeant yelled, “Incoming! Get down!” Everyone except Caine hunkered down as a larger volley of rockets pounded the boulders and sprayed them with shrapnel and rock fragments. Unfazed, Caine continued to scan his surroundings like a bird of prey, seeking an opportunity. To the east through the choking dust and debris, Caine saw the tantalizing sight of rig towers above the sandstorm haze. This was an extraction site for Menoth’s Fury, the volatile oil the Menites pulled from the desert wastes and
were concerned about increased weapon production by the Protectorate, which was technically prohibited by law from producing weapons of war. The order had come down to take out several of their weapons facilities. As far as the Menites should have been concerned, this location was secret. The ranger who had located the site two weeks prior had reported minimal protection. Clearly something had changed. With the dust, they couldn’t even see the deliverers whose rocket barrage had initiated this ruckus, although smoke taken a position atop a dune to the northwest. What worried Caine was the fact that the last volley had come from the opposite direction. Warjacks were coming from the southeast—Redeemers, he’d guess. In that direction was a low wall of unnaturally thick black smoke. Several hulking shapes moved within the smoky depths. Caine felt a faint approach of another warcaster. At any other time he might have enjoyed the prospect of pitting his skill and speed
7
FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION against such an enemy, but pinned down as they were, another warcaster was the last thing he wanted to see. “Look!” The warning came from Niels, one of the younger black haze a single light warjack had emerged, running toward them at top speed. Its stacks were pouring smoke as it pushed its engine to its limits.
of heat surged from the Revenger to strike Niels, whose
transformed into an ash statue. This began to disintegrate in the wind as if the air itself were chewing away the man’s face and arms before exploding the column that was once his body. Flames leapt in quick sequence to the four nearest trenchers, who were similarly obliterated. The air around
Revenger. Like all Protectorate light warjacks this one was clenched his teeth. “You goddamned fool!” made them slower but also more durable than their nimble Cygnaran counterparts. With its left arm, the Revenger of the Menite religion. It carried a long halberd with its right arm. The gun mage’s gaze slid over these weapons to rest on the much bigger threat: just above the machine’s shoulders and connected to its protected cortex was an arc node, by which a warcaster could channel his magic to deliver death at a distance.
They heard the sound of the Sentinel’s chain gun whir to life behind them as zealots below the incline rushed their position.
The High Reclaimer felt deep satisfaction as he watched unbelievers burn to ash by the powers he invoked. Faith intense and unwavering. Those who had stared into them
hole in the Revenger’s shield and the second exploded one of the pistons in its left arm, but the running ’jack did not falter. Caine left his position, counting on his speed,
approaching ’jack. He shot with an expert’s precision, his bullets glowing blue with sorcerous power as they struck
the casing to the arc node’s delicate internal workings. The machine was battered but could still channel. Caine glanced over his shoulder and saw several trenchers the incoming ’jack. He felt a presentiment of dread as one moved completely into the open to take his shot. “Niels, for the love of— Get down, you idiot!” It was too late. From the black haze a heavily muscled man in blackened armor strode forward. He was carrying a weapon that looked
His face was obscured behind a thick metal mask with tubes extending to a furnace strapped to his back. This Menite warcaster raised his right hand and pointed toward the crag. A yellow light ignited between the battered slats of the Revenger’s arc node with a crackling hiss like sensation in his chest while some tremendous pressure squeezed his head like it was caught in a vice. A wave
8
Flame of the Temple of Menoth. Dozens of zealots and deliverers pressed in on the enemy without his command. The High Reclaimer did not function like most leaders of men, for he had taken a vow of silence and his mind was focused on a higher calling. In the absence of spoken orders, those who followed him relied on faith and instincts, heeding impulses they did not fully understand. This gave his forces the appearance of a chaotic mob, but one that moved at times with uncanny coordination. As the High Reclaimer had passed towns and villages on his march north, zealots had poured from nearby churches to join him. None of those gathered could have explained what compelled their steps. A number of Temple Flameguard had similarly abandoned their posts to join the throng as they witnessed his march. They brought their shields and spears, knowing they would soon be hurled as weapons against the faithless. Other volunteers had also joined him, including village youths tasked with driving the wagons laden with coal and water. Their long march had been nearly silent except for the endless prayers chanted by the choir priests and acolytes following behind his warjacks. The machines had been borrowed from Tower Judgment without explanation. Those who maintained them had either joined him or watched to Menoth and it was not their place to question his actions. Periodically during their trek the High Reclaimer allowed a short reprieve. This allowed those behind him to refuel
the warjacks, water the horses, and make quick meals for night’s sleep out of three, during which he stood tireless vigil. No one had seen him sleep or rest. Those who followed him were united by both overpowering faith and an unspoken fear. This silent man was no priest. He was not one for words of encouragement to ease their spirits and inspire them with reminders of and terrifying order, a man who was perhaps the greatest of those who had taken the Oath of the Reclaimer’s Last Breath. That he had no name beyond his title reinforced how far removed he was from humanity. He could recall any of the faithful to Urcaen at any time,
transitory, a brief lull when the soul hid in skin and bone to do the work of the Creator. It was said that a reclaimer’s gaze laid bare the soul with all its myriad sins, doubts, and inequities. To such a being even the greatest man was no more than the sum of his failings. Because the High Reclaimer did not speak, no one who joined him knew his destination or purpose. They could not comprehend that he answered a divine call that impelled the opportunity to annihilate an enemy who, if left alive, would become an impediment to the Protectorate of Menoth in the years to come. Receiving such mandates was were conduits for the will of the divine. The knowledge of where he must travel to confront this foe seared into the High Reclaimer’s mind. Now, amid the dunes and with the oppressive heat of the sun bearing down upon him, the High Reclaimer felt righteous anger stir. Here were interlopers: a Cygnaran warcaster with pistols in hand, and behind him a pitiful handful of soldiers. These were clearly enemies of the faith, but this was not the foe he had seen in his vision. This was not his true adversary. This fact did not deter him. Menoth had sent him to this place with the faithful and his blessed machines of war. He would eliminate this enemy and then seek out the other. Opportunities to annihilate enemies of the faith must be embraced. A Crusader marched alongside its master, hefting its smoldering mace as if eager for battle. The High Reclaimer mentally bade it stay near his side and wait and then closed his eyes in prayer. Without warning, a young zealot behind the High Reclaimer suddenly wavered on his feet and collapsed. His skin shrunk upon itself as though all liquid
was being pulled from him. A harsh orange glow covered his body and then moved to imbue the High Reclaimer’s warjacks. The Menites around the youth looked fearfully at their master but said nothing as they collected their comrade’s body. The nearest village priest whispered a brief prayer, his hands shaking. The High Reclaimer beckoned to his three Redeemers, directing their attention to the warcaster below the crag. These ’jacks strode forward and their underslung Skyhammer rocket pods pivoted toward the enemy. Numerous small metal hatches along the conical forward sections of these tubes sprung open, followed by the roar of launching rockets. The chanting voices of the choir behind them swelled to add majesty and spiritual power to this attack.
Caine had shouted his warning too late to stop Niels, and now he found himself in the same predicament. There were dangers that could not be easily dodged. Redeemers emerged from the black smoke to unleash a barrage. Time seemed to slow as the rockets spun like a nest of angry hornets toward him in an expanding cluster. He sprinted to the left and leapt into a tumble. He knew after he had expended so much sorcerous energy trying to shoot down the approaching Revenger.
OPPORTUNITIES TO ANNIHILATE ENEMIES OF THE FAITH MUST BE EMBRACED.
His Charger moved without prompting to intercept that same Revenger by jumping heavily and awkwardly down from the crag. This was a risky maneuver given its weight, and it landed poorly. The weight of its chassis partially buckled the strut comprising the lower half of its left leg, but it managed to limp forward while raising its hammer to strike the Menite ’jack. With a metallic clang its swing hit into the Revenger’s already damaged shield, partially buckling the steel along its upper edge and knocking it repulsor mechanism in the shield, which otherwise would have knocked the Charger back. began to erupt around him. A close blast made the world
9
FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION he felt himself blown into the nearby sand. Something solid tore into his left side just below the ribs, but he was
had absorbed a portion of the impact and likely kept it from being a more grievous injury. For now he ignored it. Coughing, he regained his feet and stumbled to the cover of a nearby outcropping of reddish sandstone. A few dozen yards behind him, Caine heard his Sentinel knew it was dealing with a mob of zealots rushing the trenchers’ crag. Its merciless chain gun tore through them but not fast enough to prevent several from hurling powderpacked bombs. It used its assault shield to protect the more vulnerable elements of its chassis, such as the connecting rods above its hips that transmitted the power of its steam engine down to its legs.
FOR EVERY MENITE THEY SHOT DOWN, SEVERAL MORE ARRIVED TO TAKE HIS PLACE.
Other zealots and Flameguard advanced from several from the elevated crag. Ignoring the blood seeping down his side, Caine raised his pistols and leaned past the stone to unleash deadly shots into the nearest Temple Flameguard. His Charger, having beaten the damaged Revenger to scrap, limped closer to keep watch behind him. He felt a sense of futility as more black smoke rose to hide the Menite warcaster and his Redeemers. For every Menite they shot down, several more arrived to take his place. Caine heard the sound of a ’jack bearing down at full steam toward his position. Wincing against the pain in his side he leaned out to see an approaching Crusader. It was a slow machine, but one hit from its tremendous mace would end him. “Bloody hell!” Caine cursed as he mustered his arcane energy, preparing to teleport to a new position out of desperation. He knew retreating would leave his Charger to face the Crusader alone and would buy only a little more that would just leave his men even more vulnerable to the enemy that so greatly outnumbered them. From between two dunes behind his position emerged a warjack sprinting toward the Crusader. It was a Lancer, Cygnar’s equivalent to the Menite Revenger, armed with
10
arc node. Well before the Lancer reached the Crusader, its ground beneath the Protectorate ’jack suddenly heaved and buckled to topple the top-heavy Crusader mid-stride. It fell back heavily and sank partway into the packed sand. Even to open a deep rent in the armored chest of the downed machine with the tempered point of its war spear. Looking back in the direction from which the Lancer had come, Caine saw an Ironclad rushing forward as quickly as its mass allowed. Running ahead of the warjack was warcaster armor. In one hand the man held an enormous sword, its pommel alight with a blue glow and thrumming with mechanikal power. In his other he brandished a similarly augmented pistol, occasionally taking shots at the nearest Menites. Caine groaned, his relief turning to chagrin. Why couldn’t it have been anyone else? He would rather take on another entire Menite army than endure being saved by Commander Coleman Stryker. Caine reacted with instinctive speed, turning on the nearest Menites with pistols blazing to cover Stryker’s advance. The Ironclad ran past the gun mage’s position to stand like a metal wall between Caine and the enemy beyond. It peered left and right while holding its quake hammer in hand. It eyed the clash between the Lancer and the Crusader as if eager to join that fray, but clearly it was being kept on a short leash. Commander Coleman Stryker was breathing hard and scowling as he stopped alongside Caine. The gun mage leered and asked, “What’s wrong, Cole? Shouldn’t you be somewhere else right about now?” The senior warcaster frowned but did not bother to rebuke The two had known each other too long to expect anything else. “Our rangers spotted a large force heading this way. I came to pull you out.” Caine looked past him, hoping to see more Cygnaran soldiers, but all he could see were Menites closing the gap Stryker had temporarily opened. A number of bodies littered the sands in that direction. “Where are your people?” “It’s just me.” Stryker answered. Seeing Caine’s blank stare, he added, “It’s a long story, and we don’t have time for it. You’re surrounded and outnumbered. Get your men and let’s withdraw before anyone else gets killed.”
man who could do no wrong in the eyes of the generals. “We don’t need your help.” Stryker did not seem amused. “This mission is over!”
“I have it under control.” He was too angry to recognize the absurdity of his statement. “Go play hero somewhere—” Caine’s next words were rendered inaudible by a fresh volley of Redeemer rockets even as the deliverers on the further dune renewed their own assault on the crag, blanketing the entire area in explosions. Stryker extended a hand toward the crag and Caine could sense his gathering of arcane power as a ring of glowing runes encircled his trenchers who were hunkered down in fear for their lives. This was an additional layer of protection that might help preserve them once they were on the move. Several Redeemer rockets exploded against Stryker’s Ironclad, and it staggered back a step. Once their ears stopped ringing, Caine shouted, “I’m here the direction of the exposed towers, just past the smoke concealing their adversary. “. . . And I’m not leaving until that thing is ablaze!” The Crusader regained its feet and began hammering its mace into the Lancer’s upraised shield with armor-crushing
looked beyond his Ironclad, nicknamed Ol’ Rowdy, to the approaching High Reclaimer and his ’jacks. The Cygnaran heavy was standing in the way of another rocket salvo, but already the Redeemers were spreading out to gain better angles. Stryker’s Lancer was not quite demolished, but it was badly damaged. The rigs loomed just behind the Menites. The winds and swirling sand had momentarily died down, and he could see massive rusting metal tanks at Fury. He turned back to Caine and scowled. “If whatever you’re planning doesn’t work, you’d better beg Morrow for a merciful crossing before I catch up to you.” He had hardly spoken before Caine sprinted away. Stryker holstered his pistol and hefted his blade Quicksilver in both hands, turning toward the High Reclaimer. He exchanged a quick look with Ol’ Rowdy and then they both began to move. As his pace increased, he unleashed a battle yell. Coleman Stryker and his Ironclad charged at the enemy, running headlong into a steadily closing ring of Menites.
the Lancer’s shield but still managed to knock the smaller with a screech of tormented metal. Amid this clash the High Reclaimer approached once more, emerging from a wreath several clusters of Temple Flameguard and zealots. Stryker stared at Caine, his face implacable. “We can get the rigs later. Saving the lives of these men is more important.”
The High Reclaimer felt the familiar sensation of the world aligning with his divine imperative. The enemy he was sent to intercept was before him. More remarkably, the foe ran straight toward him as if rushing to meet his own death. A sudden and unexpected explosion of light and motion behind his quarry managed to break the High Reclaimer’s focused concentration. The other warcaster, the gun mage,
Caine sent his Charger to help the Lancer deal with the respond to the other threats closing on their position. and starts as it struggled to aim after enduring sustained punishment. The trenchers on the crag had noted Stryker’s arrival and were giving up their position. They scrambled approaching Menites as they joined the warcasters. This in turn prompted the deliverers on the hill behind the crag to advance, likely hoping to wipe out the exposed soldiers with their next volley. Caine’s jaw clenched. “I have a mission, and I’m completing it.” What angered him most was how blind Stryker was to the fact that his trenchers wanted to complete the mission as badly as he did. They were willing to put their lives on the line to get the job done. Pulling them out now would be an insult to those who had died to get them this far. He pointed toward the enemy warcaster. “Keep him busy! I have an idea.”
Redeemer. A ring of blinding runes surrounded the pistol’s barrel, which immediately disgorged a wave of raw,
second Redeemer to topple both in an ear-splitting crunch of colliding machinery. This same warcaster became an impossible blur of motion as launched glowing rounds of screaming lead with impossible speed and unerring accuracy as the barrels glowed with heat and arcane power. The advancing deliverers were annihilated in a cascade of blazing death. An entire squad of Temple Flameguard met a similar fate. Zealots fell by the handful. It was such an amazing display of sorcerous gunplay that it took even the High Reclaimer by surprise, and he was a man well accustomed to the miraculous. There was a howling only the High Reclaimer could hear as the souls of the dead were shaken from their bodies. Those
11
FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION
nearest to him swept inward, crying out in rage. They swept around him with such power that they became visible as a took these souls into his embrace to deliver them to Urcaen, meanwhile gaining power from the turbulent storm of their spiritual energy. In moments those souls would pass through him, but in their wake he would have the strength to annihilate all his enemies in a single, great outpouring of vengeance. For now he must endure. The High Reclaimer received Commander Stryker’s charge and fell back several steps along the ridge of the dune as he tried to block the sword’s blows with his mace. The Cygnaran blanched when he entered the swirling tornado of souls that sucked the warmth from his blood, and the Menite leader took delight in his enemy's deep gash through the muscles of the High Reclaimer’s left
12
arm, but he stubbornly refused to relinquish his hold on his ceremonial torch Cremator. He ignored the pain of his shattered shoulder when the Ironclad’s blow penetrated the his injuries erased by the reclaimed souls of the faithful. The High Reclaimer did not realize how close he was to the reservoirs of Menoth’s Fury behind him. He was focused on siphoning energy from the souls he bore as they crossed through the barrier to the afterlife. His injuries began to mend as he lifted his great mace to annihilate this enemy of Menoth.
Caine did not have time to observe the clash between Stryker and the High Reclaimer. Nearly exhausted from blood loss as well as the outpouring of energy, he pushed on. Adrenaline
kept his legs from collapsing as he rushed past a dozen Menite corpses to where the deliverers had fallen. He was too far from the rigs to hope to hit them with pistol tubes and turned back to face the towers, simultaneously calling on his remaining reserves of arcane strength. Runes erupted along the rocket tube as he augmented the weapon’s range and accuracy as he had done earlier for his Charger. Caine held the rocket tube awkwardly, never piece of hardware designed for easy operation. With a little prayer to the scion of luck, he yanked the self-igniting fuse and aimed at the rigs. With a jolt he realized that Stryker was closer to those towers than he had anticipated, but there was nothing to be done now. He decided grimly that if worse came to worst the man would probably enjoy going out in a blaze of glory. and soared forward in an erratic spiral. He held his breath the wrong direction before it suddenly fell straight down toward the tanks of Menoth’s Fury. There was a dull thump and a sound like a gigantic indrawn breath. Caine barely had time to teleport away, vanishing
like an enraged dragon. Searing heat washed over him.
left standing while the other two labored to regain their feet. Coleman Stryker was facing the extraction rigs as he pressed forward with his sword locked against the shaft of the High Reclaimer’s blazing torch. His eyes were watering, and he could barely breathe from the strange wind that whipped around his enemy. He thought he could hear the howls of angry ghosts. That unnatural vortex suddenly extinguished to be replaced by a palpable aura of mystical strength as the High Reclaimer’s entire body shimmered with a protective halo.
and he felt himself thrown backward and away from the tumbled head over heels down the opposite slope of the rise where they had battled. He lost sight of the High Reclaimer entirely. Around him he heard the anguished screams of Menite soldiers and zealots caught in the inferno. Commander Stryker knew all too well the High Reclaimer would gain enough power amid such carnage to become nearly invincible. His loathsome order thrived on death. his left arm as he stumbled back toward the bewildered trenchers, who seemed to have emerged unscathed. Spotting the gun mage behind a boulder, he shouted, “Caine! Let’s go! Move it or I’m leaving you for the crows!”
For once Allister Caine had no ready retort, and he ran painfully toward the others without protest. He looked
air shimmered with waves of raw heat that tore at their throats and stung their eyes. There was no sign of the High Reclaimer, but both Cygnaran warcasters were certain he had survived. Caine held his side, which was still bleeding, and staggered as he came near. Stryker grabbed his arm to steady him and allowed the gun mage to lean on him as they hurried west. Ol’ Rowdy—the only ’jack left standing— followed protectively, occasionally checking behind them for signs of pursuit. Caine gave one look over his shoulder as they went and grinned at Stryker, his face pale. “Looks like I earned a medal. I’ll trust you to put in for that.” His voice shook. Stryker grimaced. “Just be happy we can’t demote you any further.” “Don’t worry, I’m sure we can talk them into giving you a medal too, so you can add it to your extensive collection.” Caine’s sarcasm prompted Sergeant Cartway to chuckle, but he stopped at a glare from Stryker, swallowing nervously. the Cygnarans limped toward home.
Something moving quickly in his peripheral vision caught Stryker’s attention: a descending projectile heading straight toward the rusting metal tanks. His eyes widened. In that instant he unleashed a surge of protective energy, sending arcane runes over himself and Ol’ Rowdy. They stretched far enough to reach the surviving trenchers hunkered behind cover a couple dozen yards behind him.
13
THE IRON KINGDOMS
FORGING A WORLD IN BLOOD AND METAL From the journals of Rhupert Carvolo, an Ordic mercenary and chronicler also called “the Piper of Sorrows” REFLECTIONS ON WESTERN IMMOREN ON THE LAST DAY OF 607 AR
I am a traveler. of strife to another. I call no land my home, yet I confess a sentimental attachment to every plot of ground on which I have marched, fought, or sought shelter. It seems inevitable some peril will end my journeys one day, as is the fate of a man such as I in times such as these. With this in mind, I have collected my recent thoughts and assembled them in the hopes that these words might outlast me and prove an adequate description of our varied lands and peoples. As I travel these embattled lands I speak of what I have seen to those who will listen. I have walked the length and breadth of western Immoren, this beautiful and rugged land split from the unexplored east. Even were the world limited to this region, there would be more places to see
wonders, but here I will speak only of what I have seen, read, or heard described in tales. The kingdoms of this land are both young and old, a paradox that creates some of the tension within and between them. Each is rich in culture, tradition, pride, and the potential for bitter enmity. In the north stands the vast nation of Khador, its lands noted mostly for the frozen bite of its ice-encased mountains and less for the milder plains, rivers, lakes, farmland, and hills of its southern expanses. A few years ago Khador declared itself an empire and I should probably speak of it as such, but old habits are hard to break. Khadorans have a long history as warriors and conquerors, having arisen to dominate any rivals they encountered as well as their rugged land. East of Khador and enjoying its share of rugged and frozen peaks is the dwarven nation of Rhul. Their unbroken civilization predates all human claims. Politically, they seem to lack the desire for war that consumes our human nations, although recent battles have lured many individuals forth to test their mettle. In the west is Ord, the land of my own birth. It is a small kingdom boasting hardy people but not blessed with an abundance of resources. Ord is a land of fog-shrouded moors, imposing hills, and a stretch of coastline where our proud ports seek to dominate the seas.
14
Northeast of Ord and south of Rhul was Llael, once famed for its vineyards and clever merchants but recently fallen to foreign invasion. Llael has been swallowed up by Khador, churned by the boots of Cygnaran soldiers, and exploited by zealots of the Protectorate of Menoth. Some few Llaelese resist their occupiers, and there are those who still dream of freedom. of mankind is the enigmatic nation of Ios, home to the elves. Unlike Rhulfolk, who are seen often in cities abroad, the Iosans have kept to themselves. I have heard rumors they say their soldiers are on the march. Given their fearsome reputation, I pity any who stands in their path. South of Ord and Llael is the mighty nation of Cygnar, long Khador’s hated enemy. Cygnar is a large kingdom and one particularly rich in resources and fertile lands. Accordingly it boasts the largest population and one of the mightiest militaries in western Immoren. It holds the southern peninsula along the Broken Coast and thereby has the longest stretch of shoreline of any of the Iron Kingdoms, with a powerful navy to match. As large as the kingdom appears on a map, it is worth noting how much of its southern and western lands are covered by the dense mountains of the Wyrmwall, uncivilized and treacherous peaks never tamed by man. It is a diverse nation with a strong-willed and well-educated populace, but because of this its leaders sometimes become distracted by internal disagreements, impeding their ability to commit to decisive action. For all Cygnar ’s power and wealth, I do not envy them. They are surrounded by enemies and in recent years have been beset on every side. In addition to their Khadoran rivals to the north, they must guard against the Protectorate of Menoth to the east and Cryx to the west. Even the wasteland called the Bloodstone Marches that occupies much of their northeastern border has recently become a menace, disgorging a race called the skorne to assail them. That Cygnar still stands against so many is a testament to the resolve of its people as much as to its strength of arms. Cryx exists apart from the rest as a collection of horrors and of Cygnar, across the Broken Coast, amid the swampy and rank Scharde Islands, dwell immortal and unimaginably powerful creatures that are a plague upon the living. There are people who live in Cryx as well, horrible as that thought might be, but their lives are not the same as ours. There the
15
THE IRON KINGDOMS dead walk alongside the living and the land itself is tainted by the unholy radiance of the dragon who rules that empire and forces his vassals to worship him as a god. The only way for Cryx’s citizens to rise above the misery and misfortune of their squalid lives is to serve the dragon in any capacity he demands. Many become brutal pirates and raiders and spend their lives preying on others. The the islands, but they scour the main coastline on countless ships geared for war and slaughter. In recent years they have become more brazen in their attacks and have begun to send armies onto the mainland, a development I fear our nations are not taking seriously enough.
rose, chosen by the Lawgiver to bind us together and teach Man. I am not deeply religious, but even a wine-sodden pipe-blower and teller of tales gives deference to him who created us.
FACT AND LEGEND, BUT I KNOW
I live to chronicle man’s endless appetites for destruction and strife and his search to redeem bloodshed through heroics. Some distinguish between fact and legend, but I know the two are inseparable. That Menoth once strode Caen is to me a fact as solid as the count of those who fell in the Boarsgate Massacre. Menoth’s priests shaped our earliest villages and farming communities into towns and cities.
THE TWO ARE INSEPARABLE.
Some of our oldest buildings today stand on the bones of
SOME DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
That is the general lay of the land, but what does it mean?
be undone completely. The past is the foundation for the present in all things. REFLECTIONS ON ANCIENT HISTORY
Though Ordic born, I have no living family there and few remaining ties to that land. I must confess I feel more comfortable outside its borders, as its murky hills and moors remind me of tragedies I have struggled to forget. In these times of increasing strife it seems Cygnar is the only place I
city rather oppressive, the simplest peasant can recognize Caspia as among the grandest of man’s works. Its ancient streets mark the entire course of our history brick by brick. In another time it was named Calacia and was the home of the priest-king Golivant, who beat back the Molgur tribes and erected a great wall against them and who also gave us Such accomplishments—great cities, statues of ancient kings, libraries with walls stacked high with weighty tomes—pale before man’s unquenchable thirst for war. During the Warlord Era, the people of western Immoren fought endless battles. I am inclined to believe it was Menoth’s will, a means to test the strength of both rulers and ruled.
peace. Even Caspia, the City of Walls, is a haven for me now, although its warren of towering bulwarks and clustered humanity unsettles my mind with countless reminders of the ancient past. My writings from the public houses of that city invariably plunge into examinations of history rather than accounts of the present.
Even between vast cycles of history, some events are so
How many bloody wars have unfolded in sight of Caspia’s great gates? How many swords and spears have pierced
all men were slaves to their gods and kings. They left their footprints across Immoren and drew thousands of followers to learn from their example. We always speak of Morrow before his sister Thamar, as her legacy is as dark as his is bright, but their destinies were joined. One need not be a theologian to appreciate the complexity of the philosophies they birthed. Their ideas shook the very foundations of civilization.
buildings destroyed by Menites during recent clashes. It is the city that forged the colossals, the giant war machines Too often in studying the past many look no further back than the Rebellion, as if our history began with our freedom from the Orgoth.
16
For an era long beyond reckoning mankind roamed Immoren in wild and savage tribes, incapable of recording their deeds. Menoth, our Creator, left us in this state to test our strength. After a time we drew his attention when we
It was in Caspia that the Twins were born, and their rise to enlightenment was one such moment. The Twins were
Morrow taught there was more to life than battle and blind obedience to law. He claimed a good man must think of others before himself. Thousands followed his example and
looked inward for answers. He said that leading a good life required the will to protect the well-being of others, to warrior-philosopher such as the world has yet to see again. His ideas spread faster than the Menites could contain them.
he the light. She felt true power was boundless and came from the strength of the individual to exert his will over the masses. Thamar taught that morality was the prison of truth and freedom. She delved into forgotten occult lore and profane secrets in the pursuit of illimitable power. She ascended by freeing her mind from the shackles of conscience. As a divine being she became the goddess of temptation, indulgence, dark magic, and deception. The rise of these ascended gods marked the beginning of the Thousand Cities Era. After the Twins rose and crossed over to Urcaen—the realm of the gods and the afterlife of the dead—the shaping of mortal history was left once again to mortal hands. Like a stained glass window fallen from its casing to shatter on the ground, the map of western Immoren fractured. Citystates of various sizes arose, each with its own warlord or petty king. Tavern-born treaties and back-alley allegiances lasted only long enough to muster men-at-arms for days extended beyond humanity. We battled trollkin and ogrun tribes, and we foolishly encroached on the ancient lands ruled by the dwarves of Rhul and the inscrutable They punished us for these violations but did not commit to conquest outside their lands. Though warfare never ceased, the claims of kings began to consolidate as they seized the lands of their rivals and brought more people under their control. Caspia expanded. Thuria rose and Tordor consumed it. The the north to absorb the Kos, Skirov, Umbrean, and Ryn
Cathedral in the Sancteum. Khardic engineers invented the steam engine and began to realize its potential. Ships fueled by coal plied the rivers without relying on currents or winds. Among my ancestors, the dirgenmast captains of Tordor formed an armada stronger than the world had ever seen, and the sails of a thousand ships spread across the ocean from horizon to horizon. Who can say what heights we might have reached had we been able to capitalize on these achievements? Alas,
17
THE IRON KINGDOMS
ships that fell upon our shores. The arrival of the Orgoth would eclipse even the ascension of the Twins and leave an indelible stain across our history. We were thrown into an even darker age, and all the progress hard won through so many bloody quarrels was undone. The Orgoth possessed a rapacious hunger for slaughter and enslavement. They seemed human enough but proved crueler and more calculating than any race our ancestors had ever encountered. Although it is true we were also warlike, our old warlords had fought for understandable goals, obeyed codes of behavior, and sometimes heeded priestly advice. In contrast, the Orgoth embraced slaughter and cruelty with dreadful enthusiasm. The Tordoran armada sailed to meet the Orgoth ship to ship, but they sent our proud vessels to the deep, spawning the Sea of a Thousand Souls. Countless longboats then spilled cruel warriors onto the beaches of Immoren. The once-warring tribes and towns of the Thousand Cities fought valiantly failed to stop the invaders.
18
The Orgoth consorted with dark powers. They boasted infernal magic and wielded weapons terrible beyond reckoning. Our Menite war priests and Morrowan battle chaplains brought the power of their gods and fought as best they could, but we were undone. The Orgoth subdued us with rivers of our own blood in a slow but inexorable conquest consuming two centuries. The Orgoth did not seek to destroy western Immoren. No—they subjugated and enslaved us instead. Camps of starving men and women compelled by the whip and the today. Thousands of stone-torn hands erected the basalt fortresses and towers of our conquerors. Of all our cities, Caspia alone held them at bay, kept safe only by her towering walls. Despite this small victory, Caspian armies were soundly defeated every time they ventured forth to meet the Orgoth in battle. For four centuries the Orgoth occupied our lands all but uncontested, plunging our people into enduring darkness.
Our eventual revolt against the Orgoth proved to be as painful and excruciating a time as our initial defeat, requiring the span of two centuries to succeed. A tide of
some few battle wizards awakened to their potential to communicate mentally with the cerebral matrixes that of will, these battle wizards guided the colossals in battle.
their eyes. This spirit of resistance was not enough in itself. Every rebellion requires weapons and carries a cost payable only in blood. While some do not like to speak of it, evidence suggests the dark goddess Thamar played a part by giving us the Gift
This sharing of minds between man and machine was something the Orgoth could not match, and over the next few years their fortresses fell one by one to the Rebellion armies that brought together soldiers from each of the future
The arcane power and mechanikal wonders we take for granted today were unknown before that time. Miracles had been the sole province of gods and the priests who became
the sea but did not go quietly. As they retreated, the Orgoth
Thamar was something else again: the ability to manipulate the very laws of nature through the application of will. It would be long centuries before arcanists understood the extent of this power, if they do even today, but it quickly proved to be a formidable weapon for the Rebellion.
THE COLOSSALS WERE TOWERING, SMOKE-BELCHING, STEAMPOWERED CONSTRUCTS THAT WALKED ON LEGS OF STEEL AND WIELDED WEAPONS SO POWERFUL
aside. The tyrants had their own weapons, wicked and unholy, as well as warwitches capable of tearing a man’s It was the development of mechanika, coupling the old principles of engineering with the new sciences of magic, that provided the key to eventual victory. The early colossal as a steam-driven, war-ready construct of gears,
monsters without detection by the Orgoth. Man’s commitment and resourcefulness so impressed the dwarves of Rhul that they pledged their aid. The Orgoth had never conquered that northern people, having been rebuked from the great southern fortress of Horgenhold after a single massive assault. They had thereafter ignored that nation, leaving them isolated amid their remote mountains. Rhul did not send armed forces to confront the Orgoth directly, but their supplies of iron ore, fabricated steel, and mechanical expertise helped transform the colossals from an engineering dream to a towering reality. This heralded a new age of mechanika. The colossals built from Rhulic materials in the factories of Caspia were truly monumental achievements: towering, smoke-belching, steam-powered constructs that walked on legs of steel and wielded weapons so powerful even the gods would envy them. As impressive as they were, their successes in battle relied on the warcasters who learned to
EVEN THE GODS ENVIED THEM.
Following the defeat of the Orgoth, we rediscovered what it meant to govern ourselves. The leaders of the victorious armies, called the Council of Ten, met in Corvis, Cygnar’s City of Ghosts. This council hammered out the map of the new Iron Kingdoms on their political anvils. Deliberations lasted weeks. The negotiations resulted in the Corvis Treaties, which drew the borders for the newly formed territories and created the kingdoms of Cygnar, Khador, by peace—but soon enough, old rivalries set them once again at one another’s throats. REFLECTIONS ON THE KHADORAN EMPIRE
Every year I try to return to Midfast on the Day of Markus. I look north and consider the rugged and cruel men who dominate the expanse called Khador. At Midfast the people of Ord beat them back in 305 AR. From those walls our tired soldiers witnessed the ascension of Markus to join Morrow. the city and proved that few can defend against many if courage holds. I will make plain my feelings. I loathe the descendants of the Khardic Empire, and I find in them little to praise. Such men ruined my family, and the blood they have spilled in their unrelenting drive for conquest stains the pages of history. I prize truth and scorn those guilty
19
THE IRON KINGDOMS of dangerous rhetoric, so I will attempt to restrain my distaste and write of the northerners with what measure of neutrality I can muster. Without question Khador’s people are tough, irascible, weathered, and proud. They learned well from those ancient days when man endured through strength and cruelty and see no reason to temper those qualities now. The north keeps deep and ancient customs derived from the time when barbaric horselords roamed and ruled the Khardic Empire alongside their pompous, gold-laden Menite priests. The Khadorans took to Morrow’s message later but heeded only select words of his teachings. They lauded the wise philosopher-god’s advice on nobility in battle while ignoring his condemnation of unrestrained aggression. To understand these cold northerners, consider that much winds snap trees in half, and sudden snows sweep in so fast that entire wagon trains have vanished in mere seconds. Only a harsh people could hope to survive in such a harsh huge warjacks thundering along next to steel-hearted men and women armed to the teeth with axes and guns. Perhaps in such a frozen place the concept of freedom becomes meaningless. Khador has conscripted its soldiers since the time of the old empire. Every adult male and any woman who wishes and is not with child serves their “Motherland” for at least one period of duty. Their mastery of mechanika is nearly the equal of Cygnar’s. Even I who loathe them will admit there are many Khadorans as shrewd and cunning as they are implacable. Morrowans form the majority of this nation, but not an overwhelming one as in Cygnar, Ord, and Llael. The Menite faith is stronger in the north than anywhere outside the Protectorate of Menoth. Whether Menite or Morrowan, however, Khadorans love their sovereign above all. They part of why they are so obnoxious to outsiders. Khador has always chafed at the compromises made in the Corvis Treaties, for they glorify the days of the old Khardic Empire and seek every opportunity to restore its power. Every generation a new sovereign ascends the throne and declares the time ripe to reclaim lands “stolen” from the Khadoran people. It is unfortunate the Kossite and Skirov tribes no longer remember that they once stood as their own kingdoms, free of the rule of Khards. Now all Khadorans are alike in their blind devotion to the rebirth of the old empire and heedless of the consequences of their savagery. Recent events have shown that the desire to restore that empire is more than an idle dream. Following the recent
20
occupation of Llael, Queen Ayn Vanar named herself empress of the Khadoran Empire to the tremendous until all of western Immoren bows before her. After the successes in Llael, Khadoran forces swept on to batter the Cygnaran northern border. They have since claimed the entire Thornwood Forest. Its capture presages bitter battles to come between these two great nations. REFLECTIONS ON THE MIDDLE KINGDOMS OF ORD AND LLAEL
I like to compare my homeland of Ord to a walnut: it nourishing meat at its center. My land lacks the resources of some great kingdoms, being a moody realm of foggy castellans maintain themselves on herds of cattle and horses, aloof from the masses struggling to put food on the diversion in song, gambling, and ale rather than dwelling on life’s inequities. Ord’s coastal cities are a sailor’s paradise, and we boast the best mariners ever to live. The sea has brought a bounty of and other hazards. The Ordic Royal Navy is counted a peer among the greater powers of western Immoren. Our army does not have similar acclaim, but make no mistake, they are tough as trollkin and have courage to spare. Talk to the of any. Despite our resolve, however, Ord lacks the modern weapons and engineering necessary to battle on equal terms with our neighbors. Khador has often come snapping at Ord’s heels like a wolf after a famished deer, but we have held. The number of Khadorans we have sent to their graves speaks to their underestimation our defenses. I hope my kingdom can maintain the security of her borders in the days ahead, but I fear the rabid northern beast will come to consume us just as they did Llael. Llael’s primary geographical advantage turned out to be its greatest weakness. It shared its borders with four kingdoms with few natural barriers to inhibit trade—or the movement of armies. This served to line the pockets of certain entrepreneurial nobles and merchants who from Rhul to the Gulf of Cygnar. Llael’s merchants were centrally located to serve as middlemen for a variety of lucrative exchange routes, leaving its farmlands to the east of Khador almost unprotected and making them a very inviting target. Cygnar allied themselves with Llael three centuries ago, and with their protection the smaller nation weathered Khadoran assaults for many generations. In
perhaps inevitable does nothing to reduce the sting of Llael’s loss among the survivors of those who fought to preserve it.
well as those in the heart of ancient Thuria and the wily Morridanes of the Thornwood Forest, inheritors of the bloodlines of Morrdh.
though my countrymen shed few tears over its fall. Its fate is an abject lesson on the danger represented by Khador: just as Llael was consumed yesterday, Ord could follow tomorrow. Ord’s peril is all the greater now that Khador has pushed Cygnar out of the Thornwood that comprises Ord’s eastern border. My former homeland stands more vulnerable than ever.
Cygnar has no lack of iron, gold, timber, food, gems, quarries, or any other resource coveted by a modern nation. Coming as I do from poorer lands, I view these people as overly fortunate and do not believe they properly appreciate their many blessings. Cygnar’s technology and alchemy is superb and improving daily, yet it is their mechanikal engineering that gives them the edge. Their warjacks boast inventive armaments and bow to the will
REFLECTIONS ON CYGNAR, THE GOLDEN SWAN
At the southern extreme of the Iron Kingdoms lies Cygnar, Cygnar emerged from the Corvis Treaties as the strongest and wealthiest nation of western Immoren. They were able to unite the diverse and powerful peoples of the ancient lands of Caspia and the sweeping Midlund farmlands as
academy in the Iron Kingdoms. From the time of the Corvis Treaties, Cygnar bordered each of the original Iron Kingdoms. These included Ord to the northwest, Khador to the north, and Llael to the northeast. The Bloodstone Marches made up their entire eastern border until the Cygnaran Civil War. The end of that war resulted in the establishment of the Protectorate of Menoth, their
21
THE IRON KINGDOMS newest eastern neighbor and enemy. While they marched bravely to defend Llael during Khador’s recent invasion, Khador from its northernmost lands. The subsequent loss of the Thornwood has separated Llael from its southern ally and further diminished any hopes for that small kingdom to regain its freedom. I have mixed feelings about Cygnar. I prefer them by far to the Khadorans, and Ord has reason to appreciate their support. But they do seem to enjoy putting their head into the bear’s mouth. I wonder if the rivalry between Khador and Cygnar will consume all lesser nations in a funerary pyre. Would it not be better if these two powers focused on the greater threat of Cryx in the southwest? It is my opinion that Cygnar has been short-sighted about the dark since the Civil War has failed to keep the Protectorate of Menoth in check, and this has led to the rise of that nation Cygnar endured political upheaval in recent times when Leto Raelthorne, “the Younger,” ousted his tyrannical brother King Vinter IV, “the Elder.” The deposed king managed to escape before being put to trial for his crimes, only to reappear from the Bloodstone Marches after almost a decade with strange allies: an inhuman race from eastern Immoren called the skorne. Since his return these inhuman invaders have been a constant peril on Cygnar ’s eastern border, including a failed attempt to seize Corvis in 603 AR. While it has never been easy to wear the Cygnaran crown, King Leto has borne more burdens than any sovereign deserves. Giving a proper accounting of Cygnar ’s victories and defeats would fill a lengthy tome, so I must gloss over them. Suffice it to say that even diminished by the loss of its ally Llael and its territories in the Thornwood, Cygnar remains among the mightiest powers of the region. They have suffered the invasion of their own capital by the Menites but drove the enemy from their lands. Their northern border has been compromised, yet their soldiers stand at fortresses along the Dragon’s Tongue River ready to fight and die for their king. A more stubborn people I have yet to meet, and I think Khador may have underestimated the Cygnaran fighting spirit. I hope that to be true, as I am not eager to see these lands crushed under Khadoran boots. REFLECTIONS ON THE PROTECTORATE OF MENOTH
I am not a comfortable guest in Sul, and they watch me with mistrust. Still, I have friends among the alleyways of employment there. It is impossible not to be reminded of the
22
strength of faith in such a place, where all facets of everyday life are steeped in religious ritual and symbols. For years historians and politicians both have pretended the Protectorate was not a nation of its own because the agreements that ended the Cygnaran Civil War left them technically beholden to Cygnar’s crown. Over time those obligations proved to be a farce, and now it is clear the Protectorate of Menoth stands as the youngest of the Iron Kingdoms. Indeed, they have now outlasted Llael, and their survival seems more certain with each passing year. Caspia was divided in the aftermath of the Cygnaran Civil War, with the eastern portion becoming Sul, the capital of the Protectorate at that time. This placed bitter enemies in close proximity, a powder keg awaiting a spark. The rest of the Protectorate stretches east and southeast into an arid and resource-poor region adjacent to the dangerous Bloodstone Marches. Sul-Menites practice a strict form of worship and believe endless punishment awaits them in the afterlife if they do not obey the True Law. Priests and scrutators instill a terror of the clergy in the population from an early age, and they teach the people to obey without question and to expect the lash for expressing the slightest doubt. Nowhere except the Protectorate are the priests of Menoth obeyed so completely kings of old. Perhaps because of these harsh measures, the Menite faith has been in slow decline for many centuries, and it was clear the ruling priests sought some means to rise back to prominence. The recent emergence of the Harbinger has provided the spark the Menites have long sought to revitalize their faith. This young woman emerged from an obscure town on the fringes of the Protectorate and displayed clear signs of miraculous contact with the divine, including most notably the fact that her feet refuse to touch the unclean earth. It is said she sometimes communes directly with Menoth and can speak his words. While violence between the Protectorate and Cygnar has long threatened the security of both powers, these tensions erupted into open war following Khador’s invasion of Llael. The leadership of the Protectorate took advantage of Cygnar’s distraction to initiate a great crusade against unbelievers, one that succeeded in inspiring the people. hearts and minds of the Sul-Menites with unprecedented for the cause. Violence between Cygnar and the Protectorate escalated to a crescendo that exceeded any even in the old Civil War. The Protectorate besieged Caspia in 605 AR but were repelled.
Cygnar counterattacked and Sul’s walls were breached, allowing Cygnaran soldiers to pour into the streets of Sul. Following a year of grueling battles throughout the city, eventually Protectorate forces drove the Cygnaran invaders back and in turn spilled through Caspia’s gates to march on Castle Raelthorne. Cygnar’s home garrison narrowly achieved victory, for a time quieting the constant warfare between the two nations—a tenuous situation that could
Through necromancy Lord Toruk boasts an eternal army that grows with each victory. The full scope and strength of Cryx’s potential to wage war has long been underestimated, a fact I consider now with growing apprehension. For many centuries Cryxian attacks were isolated and random, limited to piracy and terrorizing villages along the shores of western Immoren. Yet as battles erupted elsewhere, Cryx stretched its unliving claws to reach places we thought safe from its clutches. Cryxian soldiers and necromancers were ready with tools of war deep within the mainland. They emerged in great numbers
Menoth. Its Northern Crusade has met with great success brazenly marching through Khadoran-occupied Llael and
know Cryxian motives or goals, it is clear the Dragon has
city of Leryn, a center of alchemical production and one of the greatest fortresses ever built.
if so, they have devices enough to accomplish that end. I fear their designs are both more ominous and more profound.
One thing that must be remembered about these people is that the manifestation of divine power gives them unpredictable strength beyond their raw numbers. No one would have predicted a year ago that the Protectorate could seize territory from Khadoran hands. What further miracles lie in store? REFLECTIONS ON THE NIGHTMARE EMPIRE OF CRYX
From the crow’s nests of steamers crossing the heaving Meridian waters I have seen the slender watchtower called Hell’s Hook on the eastern tip of the island once called Scharde—now the heart of Cryx. Only a few outsiders, myself included, have walked the black soil amid the undying hordes and necromechanikal constructs that call this place home. Even venturing close to it invites destruction. I consider myself fortunate to have avoided that dark fate and plan never to return. The Nightmare Empire is made up of the sweltering and Cygnar. Skell is its capital, and I fear that place more than the hellish wilds of Urcaen where the gods wage their War of Souls. There Lord Toruk landed sixteen centuries ago to claim the islands as his own. He is the father of all dragons, and he rules Cryx without question. Toruk’s ancient talons have ground entire towns to dust, and thousands heed the merciless orders of his undying generals. Still more fail to escape the call to war even in death. Cryxian raiders sail from their island home in search of plunder and spill thousands of bloodthirsty pirates and mainland shores. Innumerable slaves end up conscripted into Cryxian armies, where they become undead thralls fused with mechanika or else have their souls stripped to feed the dark appetites of the Dragonfather’s lich lords.
TORUK’S ANCIENT TALONS HAVE GROUND ENTIRE TOWNS TO DUST, AND THOUSANDS HEED THE MERCILESS ORDERS OF HIS UNDYING GENERALS.
REFLECTIONS ON THE OUTER REACHES OF WESTERN IMMOREN
When we speak of the “Iron Kingdoms” it is understood by scholars to refer to those kingdoms created by the Corvis Treaties, expanded in the aftermath of the Cygnaran Civil War to include the Protectorate of Menoth. In common use the term has grown to refer to all the adjoining lands as well, including those of our neighbors, both hostile and friendly, that are populated and led by species other than humanity. The elven land of Ios lies nestled in a vast forest valley between barrier mountains that prevent the encroachment of the Bloodstone Marches. Even in friendlier times Ios was a nation we could never have claimed to know. The Iosans seldom accepted visitors and conducted only a trickle of trade with outsiders. Sadly, Ios has kept its borders completely sealed for the entirety of my adult life, and I have never had the opportunity to walk its fog-shrouded borders never return. I would like nothing more than to chronicle the history of that mysterious people, but I must admit my ignorance. Rumor holds that the Iosans have powerful magic and their own mechanika, quite dissimilar to that created by either mankind or the Rhulfolk who are their neighbors. At one time Ios dispatched ambassadors to human lands,
23
THE IRON KINGDOMS but even then they wore veils to obscure their faces and kept their own counsel, listening more than speaking. The Rhulfolk, who have maintained written records far longer than our own ancestors, say that in ancient times the region called Ios stood uninhabited. By their account, the Iosans traveled to their present home from farther in the east after and smoke covering the entire eastern horizon. Regardless of past tribulations, Ios’ role in the future of our region remains to be seen, and I am wary of any sign of activity from that quarter. There has been bloodshed in recent months all too close to their border, during both the invasion of Llael and subsequent battles. It could be this unfriendly nation hopes to remind its neighbors of why even the Orgoth steered clear of them. INEXPLICABLY THE FORMER KING RETURNED IN 603 AR, BRINGING TERRIFYING ALLIES NEVER BEFORE SEEN IN THE WEST: THE SKORNE.
Rhul, on the other hand, is a mountain nation governed by a council of clan lords. In addition to the dwarven people, Rhul is populated by a large number of the towering ogrun with whom Rhulfolk have long had strong ties. The dwarves of Rhul are honorable and stoic people boasting a culture that has changed little in thousands of years. They pride themselves on their mastery of stonecraft but do not believe the stories that they live only below the soil. They have erected tremendous castles, vaulted halls, and towers that scrape the sky, and their industrious nature is one we could emulate. Rhulfolk trace their heritage back to the original thirteen clans who founded their nation and appear to revere the clan fathers as gods. Just as Menite priests once ruled the land by the dictates of the True Law, the Rhulfolk obey their Codex, which serves as both a holy text and a summary of their convoluted laws. Rhulfolk, unlike Iosans, enjoy the company of mankind. While they defend their borders from intrusion just as tenaciously, they also trade large quantities of manufactured goods and mined materials to Khador and Cygnar in
With the onset of recent wars a large number of armed and trained Rhulic warriors have turned to the life of the sell-sword, earning a living as mercenaries. They seem to enjoy battle in a way unique to their people. Mankind over abstract ideals or when pushed to violence by hatred, but the Rhulfolk seem to derive genuine satisfaction from a good battle. Perhaps it is simply that the long-enduring stability of their nation makes war seem an entertaining enough and seen sorrow enough for many lifetimes. REFLECTIONS ON PERILS FROM THE WASTES AND THE WILDERNESS
I have looked out over the storm-blown sands of the Bloodstone Marches and wondered that any would scorched and windswept wasteland. Beyond the perils of howling winds, mirages, and indigenous beasts lies a blasted expanse called the Stormlands. It is a withered realm plagued by constant lightning strikes and deafening thunder. Other than the Protectorate capital of Imer, the only human settlement abutting the Marches is a series of shacks and hovels called Ternon Crag where miners pry gold and coal from the reluctant mountains and mercenary companies often camp between contracts. These men face peril daily without hesitation, but both make a point to stay out of that void to the east. Following the Lion’s Coup of 594 AR, Vinter Raelthorne IV was hurled into the east in an imperfect balloon intended to to have killed the man, since no one had ever made it across those wastes alive. Inexplicably the former king returned in 603 AR, bringing terrifying allies never before seen in the west: the skorne. I know little about these skorne except that they are powerful warriors with a cruel temperament. They march of their own invention. I wonder what the appearance of these new invaders heralds, whether it presages another dark era to test man’s strength. Thus far the skorne have yet to penetrate Cygnar’s border, but not for lack of trying. Determined to the end, they have constructed fortresses and holds just east of the Black River. Those are lands mankind suitable enough.
they pay greater attention to happenings abroad, and many venture south to make their fortunes. While the Iosans are rare in human lands, Rhulfolk are widely accepted and have earned their places as valued members of various communities from Khador to Cygnar.
24
Nor are the skorne the only dangers arising unexpectedly out of the wilderness in recent years. Strange horrors have emerged from Khador’s northern mountains, creatures alongside savage and deformed warriors, all intent on
slaughter and destruction. In recent months I have heard greatly. This seems destined to be an age noted for the rise of monsters. by recent warfare, violence has erupted elsewhere. Trollkin kriels that once peacefully inhabited the untamed regions have taken up arms and begun harassing trade routes and train lines in Cygnar, Khador, and even Ord. There have been accusations that Cygnar put the trollkin kriels in the path of the skorne to brunt their invasion. Whether this claim is true seems immaterial, as the kriels and soldiers of Cygnar’s 4th Army have recently engaged in bloody skirmishes, with horrendous casualties on both sides. As if this were not enough to show the wilds are stirring, an ominous group of mystics we call the Blackclads have been on the move with well-armed bands engaged in similar clashes. They walk with wild beasts from the deeper forests, gathering in number for reasons only they can comprehend.
war, yet I cannot escape the feeling that we are on the cusp of disaster. I hope it is just age catching up with an old mercenary too long on the march. Mankind is a destructive come in the tumult of battle. I have found that Immoren’s by the wars and skirmishes around and within it. Each of us must choose a side, raise a weapon, and lift our banner to join in the strife to come. Better to fall in heroic charge than to waste away nursing sullen regrets. We who own blood. For better or worse, war has become my meat and drink, my bane and muse. As long as I can I will keep accounts just as I have always done, for surely within events to come will be countless tales of glories and triumphs that will endure even past the shroud of death.
25
26
RULES BASICS
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE FOR COMBAT IN WARMACHINE GAME OVERVIEW
Victory favors the bold! So bring it on, if you’ve got the metal.
SUMMARY OF PLAY
WHAT YOU NEED In addition to this book and your army of WARMACHINE models, you will also need a few basic items to play: • A table or playing surface where you can conduct your battles (typically 4´ x 4´ ). • A tape measure or ruler marked in inches and fractions thereof to measure movement and attack distances. • A few six-sided dice. Six will be plenty. • A handful of tokens to indicate focus points, spell effects, etc. • The appropriate stat cards included with each model. We suggest you put them in card sleeves and use a dry erase marker to mark damage. • The markers and templates on pp. 255±-256 of this book. You may photocopy them for personal use.
27
RULES BASICS
DICE AND ROUNDING EXAMPLE: A model that hits a target with a charge attack gains a boosted damage roll, meaning it adds an extra die to its damage roll. Because this roll is boosted, the model cannot spend focus to boost the damage roll again for a total of two extra dice on the roll. + +
GENERAL GUIDELINES
GAME TERMS
advantage is
DICE SHORTHAND A six-sided die is referred to as a d6. When you need two or more of these, a numeral before the small d indicates the number of dice to roll. Two six-sided dice are abbreviated as 2d6, three dice as 3d6, and so on. The term d3 is a shortcut for “roll a d6, divide by 2, and round up.” Quite a mouthful! Here’s how to read the results of a d3 roll quickly: 1 or 2 = 1
friendly models enemy models
3 or 4 = 2 5 or 6 = 3
ADDITIONAL DICE AND BOOSTED ROLLS additional die
28
RULES BASICS
RULE PRIORITY
EXAMPLE: A model has a rule stating it cannot be knocked down, and it is affected by something that states it is knocked down. Since the rules make no specific mention of each other, follow the second guideline, and the model is not knocked down.
29
RULES BASICS SPORTSMANSHIP AND SHARING INFORMATION
RESOLVING RULES ISSUES
MEASURING DISTANCES
within
WITHIN VS. COMPLETELY WITHIN completely within
B
A
C E
D
Bile Thrall A does not have any portion of its base in the shaded area, so it is not within the shaded area. Bile Thralls B and E do have a portion of their bases in the shaded area, so they are within it. Bile Thralls C and D are completely within the shaded area because each of their bases is entirely within the shaded area.
30
MODELS—THE DOGS OF WAR MODEL TYPES, STATS, AND DAMAGE CAPACITY
model types as warriors
living models
INDEPENDENT MODELS Independent models
WARCASTERS
A warcaster
warjack has a medium base has a large base
A battlegroup
light heavy warjack
SO, YOU GOTTA BE DIFFERENT Cryx light warjacks are called “bonejacks,” and Cryx heavy warjacks are known as “helljacks.” Retribution warjacks are sometimes referred to as “myrmidons.” Bonejacks, helljacks, and myrmidons are all warjacks.
SOLOS
warlock
Solos
UNITS
WARJACKS
A steamjack
construct cortex
A warjack
TROOPERS
Troopers
31
MODELS
Iron Lich Asphyxious: WARCASTER
Ironclad: HEAVY WARJACK
Paladin of the Order of the Wall: SOLO
Iron Fang Pikemen Officer & Standard Bearer: UNIT ATTACHMENT
Iron Fang Pikemen: UNIT
GRUNTS
Grunts UNIT COMMANDERS, LEADERS, AND OFFICERS
MODEL STATISTICS statistics
stats
stat bar
ATTACHMENTS
Attachments
STRYKER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
MODEL PROFILES
6
7
6
16 15
model entry
Commander Coleman Stryker
army list entry SPD, Speed STR, Strength Forces of WARMACHINE stat card
32
MAT, Melee Attack
9
MODELS EXAMPLE: Stationary models have a base DEF of 5, and cover grants +4 DEF. Therefore, a stationary model behind cover has a current DEF of 9 (base DEF 5 + 4 DEF for cover). A stationary model (base DEF 5) affected by Deneghra’s feat The Withering (–2 DEF) would still have a current DEF of 5.
RAT, Ranged Attack
Note that these limitations apply only to the stats themselves and not to attack rolls. A Deliverer's Skyhammer with RAT 5 affected by Deneghra’s feat The Withering (–2 RAT) has a current RAT of 3. The Deliverer suffers –4 to his attack roll from his weapon’s Inaccurate rule; what would have been 2d6 + 3 becomes 2d6 – 1 even though the stat itself is not less than 1.
DEF, Defense
ADVANTAGES Advantages
ARM, Armor
CMD, Command
EIRYSS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
FOCUS, Focus
7
BASE STATS, CURRENT STATS, AND MODIFIERS
4
6
9
16 12
9
These symbols show that Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios has Advanced Deployment, Fearless, Pathfinder, and Stealth. Abomination
base stats
Advance Deployment
Arc Node current stats,
Combined Melee Attack Combined Ranged Attack
Commander
33
MODELS
Construct
Eyeless Sight
Fearless
’Jack Marshal
Incorporeal
Standard Bearer Stealth
Terror
Tough
Undead
IMMUNITIES Immunities
Immunity: Cold Immunity: Corrosion
Immunity: Electricity Immunity: Fire
34
MODELS IMMUNITY TO CONTINUOUS EFFECTS
POW, Power
P+S, Power plus Strength
L/R/H, Location
WEAPON STATISTICS
WEAPON QUALITIES Weapon qualities
QUAKE HAMMER
SPELLSTORM PISTOL RNG ROF AOE POW
12
2
— 12
POW
P+S
7
18
CREMATOR Sample Ranged Weapon Stat Bar for a Pair of Identical Weapons
Sample Melee Weapon Stat Bar
POW
P+S
7
14
These symbols show that the High Reclaimer’s melee weapon Cremator has Continuous Effect: Fire, Magical Weapon, and Reach.
MOUNT POW
10
Buckler
Sample Mount Weapon Stat Bar RNG, Range Continuous Effect: Corrosion
*
Continuous Effect: Fire Critical Corrosion
ROF, Rate of Fire Critical Fire
AOE, Area of Effect
Damage Type: Cold Damage Type: Corrosion Damage Type: Electricity
35
MODELS
Damage Type: Fire Magical Weapon Open Fist
FEATS
Open Fist
Reach
SPECIAL ACTIONS (
ACTIONS)
Shield
SPECIAL ATTACKS (
ATTACKS)
Weapon Master
SPECIAL RULES
special rules that take ORDERS
DAMAGE CAPACITY AND DAMAGE GRIDS damage capacity ABILITIES
damage boxes wounds damage grid
destroyed
system boxes
36
MODELS
DAMAGE
completely
Sample Damage Grid
L L
L
R M
C
R
M M
C
C
SYSTEM L STATUS
R
M
directly facing
Sample damage grid from a warjack stat card
R
FACING AND DIRECTLY FACING
C
Crusader
BASE SIZE AND FACING
BASE SIZE
base size medium bases
Stryker small bases large bases
Defender
FACING
facing front arc
back arc
Stryker and the Defender are within the Crusader's front arc, so the Crusader is facing both Stryker and the Defender. The center of the Crusader's front arc also lines up with the center of the Defender's base, so the Crusader is directly facing the Defender. Note that although it is facing the other ’jack, the Defender is not directly facing the Crusader.
Front Arc
MARKING YOUR MODEL’S FACING Model Facing
We recommend players paint lines on their models’ bases to define their facing clearly.
Back Arc
37
PREPARING FOR WAR
ARMIES, SETUP, AND VICTORY CONDITIONS BUILDING YOUR ARMY
DUEL
Max. Warcasters: 1 Army Points: 15 Est. Play Time: 20–45 Minutes
SKIRMISH
Max. Warcasters: 1 Army Points: 25, 35, or 50 Est. Play Time: 45–90 Minutes Forces of WARMACHINE: Mercenaries
GRAND MELEE
Max. Warcasters: 1 Army Points: 75 or 100 Est. Play Time: 90–120 Minutes ENCOUNTER LEVELS
encounter level army points
BATTLE ROYALE
Max. Warcasters: 2 Army Points: 100, 125, or 150 Est. Play Time: 2–3 hours
warjack points
EXAMPLE: Kris and Rob are playing a 25-point skirmish. Kris chooses Captain Victoria Haley as his warcaster, and Rob chooses Warwitch Deneghra. Because Kris chose Haley, he has 5 warjack points to spend on warjacks in her battlegroup. Based on the encounter level, he also has 25 points that he can spend on whatever models he chooses.
WAR
Max. Warcasters: 3 Army Points: 150, 175, or 200 Est. Play Time: 3–4 hours
APOCALYPSE
Max. Warcasters: 4+ Army Points: 200+ Est. Play Time: 4+ hours
EXAMPLE: Rob has 25 army points from the encounter level and 5 warjack points from Deneghra. He wants to add a pair of 4-point Deathrippers to Deneghra’s battlegroup. He spends his 5 warjack points toward the point total of 8 for the two ’jacks and pays for the remaining 3 points with army points.
38
PREPARING FOR WAR BATTLEGROUPS
battlegroup
CHARACTERS
characters
designated as character units
SAMPLE ARMY The following army illustrates the force creation rules of WARMACHINE. This army is designed for a 100-point battle royale encounter, so each player can field up to two warcasters. WARCASTER: COMMANDER STRYKER (+6 warjack points) Stryker’s Battlegroup Army Point Cost 1 Defender Heavy Warjack .................................................9 1 Ironclad Heavy Warjack ..................................................7 2 Lancer Light Warjacks .........................................12 (6 ea.)
real
WARCASTER: CAPTAIN HALEY (+5 warjack points) Haley’s Battlegroup Army Point Cost 3 Defender Heavy Warjacks ...................................27 (9 ea.) 1 Charger Light Warjack .....................................................4 1 Lancer Light Warjack ......................................................6 Units
POINT COSTS
Army Point Cost
2 Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Units (FA 2) .................12 (6 ea.) 1 Long Gunner Infantry Unit (FA 2) with 6 troopers .............6 3 Stormblade Infantry Units (FA 2) with 6 troopers ..15 (5 ea.) 1 Trencher Infantry Unit (FA 2) with 6 troopers...................7 2 Field Mechanik Units (FA 3) with 6 troopers .......... 6 (3 ea.) TOTAL
111 Points (100 army points +11 warjack points)
The chosen warcasters are Commander Stryker and Captain Haley, avoiding duplication since they are named characters. Stryker adds 6 warjack points and Haley adds 5, so the army can include up to 111 points of models in addition to the warcasters. The nine warjacks in the army are assigned to specific battlegroups.
FIELD ALLOWANCE Field allowance (FA)
The unit of Long Gunners and Trenchers are minimumstrength units with only six troopers each, as allowed by the unit options. There are two units of Field Mechaniks, each with six troopers as allowed by their unit option. We also included two Gun Mage units that always include six troopers each. There are three units of Stormblades, which also always include six troopers each. With the unit’s FA 2 and two warcasters, this army could have a total of four such units. The total of army points spent is 111, so no points are left unused.
39
PREPARING FOR WAR TEAM GAMES
team game
SETUP, DEPLOYMENT, & VICTORY CONDITIONS
FREE-FOR-ALL GAMES
TWO-PLAYER GAMES ´
free-for-all game
´
starting roll EXAMPLE: Matt, Jason, Mike, and Steve roll 6, 5, 5, and 3 Jason and Mike reroll their tie, getting a 4 and a 2, respectively. Jason chooses next, followed by Mike. As the lowest roller, Steve gets the remaining position in the turn order.
deployment zone
´
turn order
MULTIPLAYER GAMES
SCENARIOS scenario
40
´
PREPARING FOR WAR STARTING THE GAME
VICTORY CONDITIONS victory conditions
A WARMACHINE battlefield as two armies prepare to clash
41
GAMEPLAY—THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT TURN SEQUENCE, MOVEMENT, AND ACTIONS THE GAME ROUND game rounds
ACTIVATION PHASE round
THE PLAYER TURN phases
ACTIVATING MODELS
WHAT A MODEL DOES WHEN ACTIVATED MAINTENANCE PHASE
Generally an active model moves before going on to its action. Depending on the movement option chosen, the model might be able to make either a combat action or a special action. A combat action lets a model make attacks. A special action lets a model perform a unique battlefield function such as digging in or creating Scrap Thralls.
ACTIVATING INDEPENDENT MODELS
CONTROL PHASE
ACTIVATING UNITS
42
GAMEPLAY
INTERVENING MODEL
intervening model HOW ELEVATION AFFECTS LOS
LINE OF SIGHT line of sight (LOS)
USING REFERENCE OBJECTS
volume
DETERMINING MODEL VOLUME A small-based model occupies the space from the bottom of its base to a height of 1.75 . A medium-based model occupies the space from the bottom of its base to a height of 2.25 . A large-based model occupies the space from the bottom of its base to a height of 2.75 . A model is considered to occupy a standard volume regardless of its pose or the size of the sculpt itself.
Mechanithrall Small Base = 1.75
The Wrack Medium Base = 2.25
Behemoth Large Base = 2.75
43
GAMEPLAY
LOS AND TARGETING Flameguard 2 Crusader
Butcher
Flameguard 1
Revenger Kreoss The Butcher obviously has LOS to the Revenger. Since the Revenger has a medium base, it blocks LOS to other models with medium and small bases. The Butcher has LOS to Flameguard 2 because you can draw an unobstructed line from the Butcher’s front arc to the edge of Flameguard 2’s base that does not cross the Revenger’s base. On the other hand, the Butcher does not have LOS to Flameguard 1 because you cannot draw a line between their bases that does not cross the Revenger’s base. Because they have smaller bases than the Crusader, the Revenger and the two Flameguard do not block LOS to it. The Butcher can draw LOS to the Crusader as if those models were not there. The Butcher has LOS to Kreoss because Kreoss’ base is not completely obscured. If the Butcher were on terrain more than 1 higher than the other models, the Butcher would have LOS to Flameguard 1. The Revenger does not block this LOS because its base is the same size as the Butcher’s and it is within 1 of Flameguard 1.
LOS AND ELEVATION The Charger is on a hill 1 higher than the other models.
Charger
The Charger has LOS to the Manhunter because the Manhunter is on a lower elevation and there are no intervening models that would block line of sight within 1 of it. The Charger has LOS to the Battle Mechanik because none of the intervening models has a base larger than the Charger’s. The Charger does not have LOS to Sorscha because the Berserker is an intervening model that is within 1 of Sorscha and has a larger base than the Charger.
Sorscha Mechanik
Manhunter
44
Berserker
Iron Fang Pikemen
GAMEPLAY
LOS AND TERRAIN Vanquisher
Stormblade
Vanquisher
Stormblade
Here, the Vanquisher has line of sight to the Stormblade because an unobstructed line can be drawn from its volume to the Stormblade’s volume.
Here, the Vanquisher does not have line of sight to the Stormblade because there is no unobstructed line between their volumes.
This wall is shorter than 1.75 . It will not block line of sight to any of the models behind it.
This wall is taller than 2.25 but shorter than 2.75 . It will block line of sight to small- and medium-based models behind it.
This wall is taller than 1.75 but shorter than 2.25 . It will block line of sight to small-based models behind it.
This wall is taller than 2.75 . It will block line of sight to all models behind it.
Although the Trencher Sharpshooter’s pose has it hidden below the stone wall, its defined height is greater than the wall’s height. The Trencher Sharpshooter can see over the wall to the Repenter, and the Repenter can also see the Sharpshooter.
Similarly, although the top of the Guardian’s banners can be seen over the wall, its defined height is lower than the wall's height. The Trenchers do not have line of sight to the Guardian.
45
GAMEPLAY BASE TO BASE AND CONTACT
BY ANY OTHER NAME
base-to-base (B2B) contact
Remember that all intentional movement, whether full advancing, running, or charging, is considered advancing whether or not it takes place during the movement portion of a model’s activation.
EXAMPLE: A model running as its normal movement would same model then runs outside its normal movement, it would move at twice its SPD.
MOVEMENT
normal movement Advancing
FULL ADVANCE full advance
RUN runs
MEASURING MOVEMENT
CHARGE A charging
2
3
46
GAMEPLAY
charge attack
successful
failed charge
charge
CHARGE DIRECTION
Winter Guard
Winter Guard
Deathripper
CHARGES OUTSIDE OF ACTIVATION
Deathripper
Either of these charge moves would bring the Winter Guard to within its melee range of its target, the Deathripper. The gray area represents the Winter Guard’s melee range.
47
GAMEPLAY MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS
PLACED placed
• Model A Must Move Toward Model B
• Model A Must Move Directly Toward Model B
• Model A Must Move Away From Model B
ACTIONS action types
• Model A Must Move Directly Away From Model B
COMBAT ACTIONS
normal attack combat action
MOVEMENT PENALTIES
initial
movement penalties
melee attacks
DIRECTLY TOWARD AND DIRECTLY AWAY Paladin of the Order of the Wall Directly
Directly
Away
Toward
Deathripper The dotted line represents the line connecting the center points of the Paladin and the Deathripper. To move directly toward or directly away from the Deathripper, the Paladin must travel along this line.
48
GAMEPLAY
initial ranged attacks
SPECIAL ACTIONS special action additional attacks
SKILL CHECKS
skill value skill check
EXAMPLE: The Cygnar Field Mechanik Crew Chief has the special action Repair [9]. The Mechanik’s Repair special action will succeed on a 2d6 roll of 9 or less.
49
COMBAT—THROWING DOWN
MELEE ATTACKS, RANGED ATTACKS, AND DAMAGE COMBAT OVERVIEW
MELEE RANGE AND ENGAGING
melee range
MELEE RANGE, ENGAGED MODELS, AND REACH WEAPONS
Normal Melee Range: 0.5
MELEE COMBAT melee attacks additional melee attacks
Reach Melee Range: 2
MELEE WEAPONS
Melee Damage Roll = 2d6 + POW + STR
50
If a model is in melee range and line of sight, it has engaged its opponent in melee combat. When opposing models are in each other’s melee range, they are both engaged. However, a model with a Reach weapon can take advantage of its greater melee range to engage an opponent that has only normal melee range weapons without becoming engaged itself. Though both models are considered to be in melee, a model is engaged only if it is in its opponent’s melee range!
COMBAT • Free Strike • Intervening Terrain
• Knocked Down Target engaged
• Stationary Target
POWER ATTACKS
engaging in melee
MELEE RANGE AND ELEVATION
FREE STRIKES
: :
free strike
MELEE ATTACK ROLLS
HEADLOCK/WEAPON LOCK
Melee Attack Roll = 2d6 + MAT A target is directly hit
MELEE ATTACK MODIFIERS
Maintaining Locks and Being Locked
• Back Strike
51
COMBAT
Being Pushed
EXAMPLE: Rob’s Juggernaut successfully locks the head of Erik’s Slayer with its Open Fist. The Slayer cannot make Tusk attacks or special attacks (including Combo Strikes or power attacks), and the Juggernaut cannot make attacks with its Open Fist until the headlock is broken or released.
SLAM
slam
HEAD-BUTT
head-butt
successful
PUSH
push
52
slam
COMBAT
Slam Damage
slam damage
Collateral Damage Being Slammed
A slammed
collateral damage
THROW
throw rule of least disturbance
SLAM MOVEMENT AND COLLATERAL DAMAGE Wa ll
A Juggernaut declares a slam attack against a Crusader. Because it moved more than 3 to make contact with the Crusader, the Juggernaut will be able to slam its target. The attack succeeds, and the Crusader is knocked back d6 . The roll comes up a 6, but the Crusader stops when it hits the wall 4 behind it. During the slam, the Crusader passes over a Temple Flameguard, and the Flameguard suffers collateral damage. In addition, because the Crusader was slammed into a wall, it suffers a damage roll of 3d6 plus the STR of the Juggernaut (2d6 plus an extra die for colliding with a solid terrain feature). This damage roll can still be boosted on top of the additional die.
Flameguard
Juggernaut Crusader
53
COMBAT
POWER ATTACK EFFECTS FROM OTHER SOURCES A model can be pushed, slammed, or thrown as a result of a spell or an ability rather than from a power attack. The resolution of a push, slam, or throw caused by an effect might differ slightly from the resolution of one caused by a power attack. For example, a model slammed as a result of Lieutenant Caine’s Thunder Strike spell suffers a POW 14 damage roll instead of suffering damage based on Caine’s STR. When the Marauder Combo Smites a model, the POW of both of its weapons is added to the damage roll in addition to its STR.
Throw Damage
EXAMPLE OF A THROW
n
ttac
ctio
of A
Dire
k
Actual Point of Impact
Being Thrown
Intended Point of Impact
Deathripper
thrown
Crusader
A Crusader throws a Deathripper. Since the Crusader has a STR of 11, measure 5.5 from the thrown model to determine the intended point of impact and determine deviation from that point. The Crusader rolls a 3 for deviation direction and a 6 for distance. On a d3, that equals 3 of deviation, reduced to 2.75 because the deviation cannot exceed half the throw distance. Measure the deviation distance in the direction indicated by the deviation diagram to determine the actual point of impact. The Deathripper moves from its current position directly toward the point of impact.
54
COMBAT
Collateral Damage
DOUBLE-HAND THROW
double-hand throw
TRAMPLE
trample
55
COMBAT DECLARING A TARGET
MEASURING RANGE
RANGED COMBAT
ranged attacks
RATE OF FIRE
RANGED ATTACK ROLLS
RANGED WEAPONS Ranged weapons Ranged Weapon Damage Roll = 2d6 + POW
56
Ranged Attack Roll = 2d6 + RAT
COMBAT • Knocked Down Target • Stationary Target • Target in Melee RANGED ATTACK ROLL MODIFIERS
CONCEALMENT AND COVER
• Aiming Bonus:
• Back Strike • Cloud Effect • Concealment
• Cover • Elevated Target
higher concealment
• Elevated Attacker
Cover: +4 DEF
higher than the
Cover: +4 DEF
Cover: +4 DEF
Concealment: +2 DEF
Examples of Concealment and Cover 57
COMBAT
CONCEALMENT AND COVER IN ACTION Butcher
Juggernaut Winter Guard A C
B
Defender It might appear at first that the Defender has several targets from which to choose, but many of them are actually well defended. The forest grants concealment (+2 DEF) to the Juggernaut, and the crates grant cover (+4 DEF) to Winter Guard A and Winter Guard B. The Defender cannot draw line of sight to the Butcher at all because there is a forest between them. Winter Guard C is behind the crates, but because he is more than 1 from them, he does not receive the cover bonus.
EXAMPLE: Using a d6, if there are three
will become the new target on a 1 or 2, the second on a 3 or 4, and the third on a 5 or 6. If the attacker cannot draw line of sight to one of those models due to an obstruction (e.g., it’s around the corner of a building), ignore that model and randomize the attack between on a 4, 5, or 6. If one of those two models cannot be targeted for some reason, only one model is an eligible target and thus a random roll is not necessary. cover
TARGETING A MODEL IN MELEE
EXAMPLE: Stryker is in melee with a Revenger affected by the Protection of Menoth spell. A Charger forfeits its movement, aims, targets the Revenger with its dual cannon, and spends 1 focus point to boost its attack roll. The Charger’s attack roll gains an additional die for boosting the attack roll, gets +2 to the roll for the aiming bonus, and suffers the –4 penalty for targeting a model in melee. In addition, the Revenger’s DEF against this attack is enhanced due to the spell affecting it. If the attack misses, the Charger rerolls the attack, this time targeting Stryker. It still includes the additional die for boosting the attack roll, the +2 aiming bonus, and the –4 penalty for targeting a model in melee. If Stryker is behind cover in relation to the Charger, he gains +4 DEF against this attack.
58
COMBAT
TARGETING INTO MELEE EXAMPLE
direct hit
Charger blast damage
Deathripper Blast Damage Roll = 2d6 + 1/2 POW
Stryker Deneghra Defender Stryker is in melee with Deneghra and a Deathripper. A Defender enters the fight from the side to engage Deneghra but not the Deathripper. A Charger makes a ranged attack against the Deathripper and misses. Since Stryker is in melee with the Deathripper and Deneghra is in melee with Stryker, they are both in the same combat as the intended target. The Defender is not included because it is not in melee with the intended target (the Deathripper) or with another model in melee with the intended target (Stryker). It is far enough from the intended target not to be attacked accidentally. A random die roll determines Deneghra is the new target. Unfortunately, since the Charger is more than 5 away ability makes the attack from Deneghra, her Stealth automatically miss without even rolling. Even though Stealth prevents Deneghra from being hit, she can still be targeted. Since the attack missed both its intended target and the new target, it misses completely with no further chance of hitting Stryker or the Defender.
DAMAGE POINT OF ORIGIN
DEVIATION
deviation
AREA-OF-EFFECT (AOE) ATTACKS an AOE attack
59
COMBAT
DEVIATION EXAMPLE Point of Impact
Redeemer
A Redeemer makes a ranged attack with its Skyhammer rocket targeting the Mechanithrall in the middle of the unit 11 away. If the target is hit, the Skyhammer will catch four Mechanithralls under the template! The Redeemer’s ranged attack roll misses, however, and since the attack is an AOE attack, the Redeemer’s controller must roll deviation to determine the attack’s point of impact. The roll is a 5 for direction and a 4 for 4 of deviation. Measure this distance in the deviation direction from the center of its original target to locate the point of impact. Models under the template suffer blast damage and are subject to the attack’s special effects. The Redeemer does not hit as many Mechanithralls as it wanted, but it still catches one under the template.
Direct of Att
Mechanithralls
SPRAY ATTACKS spray attack
60
SPECIAL COMBAT SITUATIONS
ion ack
COMBAT
EXAMPLES OF SPRAY ATTACKS A Bile Thrall makes a spray attack against a group of Winter Guard. The Cryx player centers the SP 8 spray template laterally over an eligible target, choosing the centermost Winter Guard. Targeting that trooper also lets the player cover the greatest number of Winter Guard without covering his own nearby Deathrippers. He makes a ranged attack roll against each of the four Winter Guard in the spray. If an attack roll against the Winter Guard in melee with the Deathrippers misses, it will not hit one of the Deathrippers.
Winter Guard
Bile Thrall
Deathrippers
Mechanithralls
Repenter
A pair of Mechanithralls has advanced to within range of a Repenter’s Flame Thrower. The Cryx player has been careful to place them far enough apart so a spray attack targeted against either one of them will not catch the other under the template. Unfortunately he has not taken the Deathripper behind them into account. The Repenter has line of sight to the Deathripper Deathripper and therefore can target it with its Flame Thrower even though it is out of range. Doing this will cover both Mechanithralls with the spray template.
ATTACKS THAT HIT OR MISS AUTOMATICALLY ATTACK-GENERATING ABILITIES
hit automatically
miss automatically,
BACK STRIKES A back strike
61
COMBAT
MAKING A BACK STRIKE Cannot Make a Back Strike EXAMPLE: Four members of a Protectorate Temple Flameguard unit make a combined melee attack against a Cygnar Defender. One model is chosen to make the melee attack for the group, adding +4 to his attack and damage rolls since there are four models participating in the attack. Two other troopers in the same Flameguard unit make a combined melee attack against a nearby Sentinel. The trooper declared as the primary attacker makes one melee attack and adds +2 to his attack and damage rolls.
Can Make a Back Strike
COMBINED RANGED ATTACKS Back Arc
Front Arc
combined ranged attack
COMBINED MELEE ATTACKS
Each model in a combined ranged attack = +1 to the attack and damage rolls
Each model in a combined melee attack = +1 to the attack and damage rolls
EXAMPLE: Four members of a Cygnar Long Gunner unit that are in formation declare a combined ranged attack against a
62
COMBAT Khador Juggernaut. When measuring range, the player discovers one trooper is out of range. That model’s participation in the attack will not add to the attack or damage roll, though it still forfeits its attack. The model chosen to make the ranged attack for the group gains only +3 to its attack and damage rolls since only three of the four models participating in the attack contribute to it.
GUNFIGHTER
EXAMPLE: A model falling 3 suffers a damage roll of 2d6 + 10. One falling 5 suffers a damage roll of 3d6 + 10, and one falling 7 suffers a damage roll of 4d6 + 10!
MODEL DESTRUCTION AND TOKENS
KNOCKDOWN knocked down
FALLING
falling
63
COMBAT
next
REPLACING MODELS When replacing
ENTERING enters
BEYOND THE PLAY AREA
STATIONARY MODELS A stationary model
POINT OF ORIGIN point of origin
LEAST DISTURBANCE
origin of damage direct hit any other
64
COMBAT total
SWITCHING TARGETS
FORFEITING
DAMAGE
DAMAGE ROLLS damage roll
Damage Roll = 2d6 + POW (+ STR if melee) damage point
RECORDING DAMAGE disabled
REROLLS damage boxes
wounds damage grids
65
COMBAT Shock Shield attack, the warjack hit suffers 1 damage point to its first available Cortex system box. This damage is applied to an unmarked Cortex system box, not to the warjack’s force field.
CRIPPLING SYSTEMS
and crippled
FORCE FIELDS
EXAMPLE: When damage is dealt to column 2, mark damage
• Crippled Arc Node:
result of a special rule such as Eiryss’ Death Bolt).
• Crippled Cortex:
• Crippled Movement:
EXAMPLE: with his Molten Metal spell. That spell deals 1 point of damage to each column on the warjack’s damage grid; the damage grid has six columns, so the spell deals 6 damage points. If the
• Crippled Arm or Head Weapon System:
damage points are assigned to columns 4, 5, and 6.
WARJACK DAMAGE KEY On a warjack’s damage grid, the following letters represent the warjack’s systems: C: Cortex
M: Movement
L: Left Arm weapon system
A: Arc Node
R: Right Arm weapon system
G: Field Generator
• Crippled Field Generator:
H: Head weapon system
DISABLED AND DESTROYED disabled EXAMPLE: If a warjack with a force field is hit by a Lancer’s
66
COMBAT
DESTROYED WARJACK
boxed it is destroyed
REMOVED FROM THE TABLE AND REMOVED FROM PLAY removed from the table,
removed from play
WARCASTER DESTRUCTION
67
COMBAT
inert
Cold
Corrosion
Electricity
Fire
Immunity: Cold
Immunity: Corrosion
Immunity: Electricity
Immunity: Fire
REACTIVATING WARJACKS
EXAMPLE: The Stormclad is a warjack with Immunity: Electricity . If it were hit by an attack that caused electrical damage and Disruption, the warjack would not suffer a damage roll from the attack but would still suffer Disruption.
HEALING, REPAIRS, AND REMOVING DAMAGE
is healed, repaired
MAGICAL WEAPONS
damage removed
SPECIAL EFFECTS
RETURN TO PLAY return to play
DAMAGE TYPES damage type
AUTOMATIC EFFECTS
68
COMBAT EXAMPLE: The Repenter’s Flame Thrower has the Continuous Effect: Fire weapon quality. Any model hit by the Flamethrower automatically suffers the Fire continuous effect.
Critical Corrosion
CRITICAL EFFECTS
Critical Fire critical hit
CLOUD EFFECTS A cloud effect
CONTINUOUS EFFECTS Continuous effects
EXAMPLE OF A CLOUD EFFECT Winter Guard B A
EXAMPLE: A Crusader attacks a Defender with its Inferno Mace and rolls a critical hit. The Inferno Mace has Critical Fire , so the Defender now suffers the Fire continuous effect. It takes next Maintenance Phase, the Defender’s controller rolls a d6. The result is a 5, so the Defender suffers a POW 12 damage
C Charger
and rolls another critical hit, but since the Defender is already the Defender’s controller’s Maintenance Phase comes around
The Charger has line of sight to Winter Guard A and C, but they both gain +2 DEF from concealment against any ranged or magic attacks from the Charger for being in the cloud effect. The Charger’s line of sight to Winter Guard C crosses a solid terrain feature that's within 1 of Winter Guard C, so Winter Guard C gains +4 DEF from cover against the Charger’s attacks instead of gaining concealment (since concealment and cover are not cumulative). The Charger and Winter Guard B do not have line of sight to each other since the cloud effect is between them.
another damage roll.
Corrosion 1 damage point each turn
Winter Guard A and C can make ranged or magic attacks against the Charger at no penalty.
Fire POW 12 damage roll each turn
69
ANATOMY OF A UNIT
COMPONENTS, FORMATION, AND MOVEMENT OFFICERS
units
An
UNIT COMPONENTS
OTHER TROOPER MODELS
STANDARD BEARER
standard bearer
GRUNTS Grunts
LEADER Leader
70
UNITS
UNIT FORMATION in formation
UNIT COMMANDER unit commander
OUT OF FORMATION out of formation
ATTACHMENTS Attachments
unit attachments and weapon attachments
IN AND OUT OF FORMATION A
B
TACTICS
Tactics
Unit Commander
WEAPON CREWS Weapon crews
E D C
Mechanithralls B, D, and E are in formation since they are within the command range of the unit commander. Mechanithralls A and C are out of formation since they are not within the command range of the unit commander.
71
UNITS
MOVING UNITS
ISSUING ORDERS Orders EXAMPLE: The Kapitan of a Man-O-War unit is destroyed. The unit’s controlling player decides to make a Grunt with four unmarked damage boxes remaining the new unit commander. He replaces the Grunt model with the Kapitan model. The new Kapitan model has the same number of unmarked damage boxes remaining as the Grunt it replaced. If the Grunt was also suffering from the Fire continuous effect when it was replaced, the new Kapitan would continue to suffer from the continuous effect. EXAMPLE: is destroyed. Instead of replacing a Grunt in the unit with the becomes the new unit commander. EXAMPLE: Boomhowler is destroyed during play he does not replace another model in his unit. Instead, the player controlling Boomhowler’s unit chooses a Grunt in the unit to become the new unit commander. EXAMPLE: If a Trencher Infantry unit currently consists of a Leader, a Sniper, a Grenade Porter, and a Grunt, and an AOE attack destroys both the Leader and the Grunt, the controlling player must make the Sniper or the Grenade Porter the unit commander. In either case, the model is not replaced by the Leader because neither is a Grunt.
SPELLS AND EFFECTS FIELD PROMOTION
72
WARJACKS—MACHINES OF WAR
SPECIAL RULES, SPENDING FOCUS POINTS, AND POWER ATTACKS
FOCUS: SHAKE EFFECT
WARJACK SPECIAL RULES DAMAGE GRID
WARJACK MELEE RANGE WARJACK POWER ATTACKS
CONSTRUCT
FOCUS: ADDITIONAL ATTACK CORTEX FOCUS: BOOST
73
WARCASTERS AND FOCUS—TRUE POWER
SPECIAL RULES, MANAGING FOCUS POINTS, AND CASTING SPELLS
COMMANDER
FEARLESS
WARCASTER SPECIAL RULES
FEAT feat
BATTLEGROUP COMMANDER
battlegroup
FOCUS MANIPULATION replenishes
POWER FIELD
ALLOCATING FOCUS POINTS
overboost
74
WARCASTERS SPELLCASTER cast spells
THE POINT OF FOCUS Players should use coins, colored beads, or tokens to represent focus points. During a player’s control phase, place a number of tokens equal to the warcaster’s current FOC next to the model. These tokens can be allocated to eligible warjacks in that warcaster’s battlegroup by moving them next to those models. Remove focus point tokens from the table as they are used. Each of a warcaster’s unspent focus points next to the warcaster gives him a +1 ARM bonus.
FOR THE MATHEMATICALLY INCLINED Some effects use terminology like “increases control area by 2 .” Inches are a unit of length, not area, and so the phrase may seem a bit odd. Likewise, some effects “double the control area.” The correct interpretation is that the length of the line extending out from the model’s base is the value being modified, not the area enclosed by sweeping that line around the model.
FOCUS: BOOST
CONTROL AREA control area
MEASURING CONTROL AREAS
FOCUS: SHAKE EFFECT
PERFORMANCE POWER Remember that a warjack must spend focus to run, charge, or make a power attack. Warcasters can also spend their focus points to cast spells or heal damage.
SPELLS EXAMPLE: A warcaster casts a spell that turns his control area into rough terrain. That warcaster’s controller does not have to measure his control area prior to an enemy model entering it. The opposing player will have to adjust his model’s position after completing its movement if it entered the warcaster’s control area and had its movement reduced by the spell’s effect.
FOCUS: ADDITIONAL ATTACK spend focus
75
WARCASTERS
COST RNG, Range
“ EXAMPLE: A warcaster could cast a spell, move, use his combat action to make a melee attack, cast two more spells, and then spend another focus point to make an additional melee attack.
SPELL STATISTICS
“
”
POW, Power “—” AOE, Area of Effect
76
”
WARCASTERS
MEASURING RANGE
measure “
”
UP, Upkeep (Yes/No)
OFF, Offensive (Yes/No)
* MAGIC ATTACK ROLLS EXAMPLE: A spell that has an AOE but does not use one of the standard 3 , 4 , or 5 templates would have “*” as its AOE stat and include rules explaining how its AOE is measured.
OFFENSIVE SPELLS AND MAGIC ATTACKS
magic attack roll
Magic Attack Roll = 2d6 + FOCUS
An offensive spell
*
CASTING A SPELL
MAGIC ATTACK ROLL MODIFIERS
• Back Strike • Cloud Effect
77
WARCASTERS
• Concealment
• Cover
EXAMPLE: Warwitch Deneghra attempts to cast Crippling Grasp on a Protectorate Temple Flameguard trooper in melee with one of her Deathrippers, which is itself in melee with two other Flameguard troopers. Thus, there are four models in the combat. If she misses, determine which of the other three models might be hit by the spell instead as usual.
• Elevated Attacker:
UPKEEP SPELLS Upkeep spells
• Elevated Target:
higher
• Knocked Down Target • Stationary Target • Target in Melee
SPELL TARGETING
EXAMPLE: A unit of Khador Iron Fang Pikemen currently has the Iron Flesh spell in play on it. The Khador player decides it EXAMPLE: The Witch Coven of Garlghast’s spell Infernal Machine states “target warjack in this model’s battlegroup gains +2 MAT, +2 SPD, and Terror .” Therefore when a witch casts this spell it can target only a warjack in the Coven’s battlegroup.
instead and casts it, which immediately removes the Iron Flesh spell when he pays Fury’s COST. During the Cryx player’s turn, Deneghra casts Crippling Grasp on the unit. This does not remove the Fury spell because an enemy upkeep spell does not replace a friendly one.
MULTIPLE SPELL EFFECTS
78
WARCASTERS
CONTROL AREA AND CHANNELING is
Deathripper B EXAMPLE: Haley casts Deadeye on a unit of Arcane Tempest Gun Mages already under the effects of Arcane Shield. Arcane Shield does not expire when Deadeye is cast because Deadeye is not an upkeep spell.
Revenger
CHANNELING channelers
Kreoss Deathripper A
High Exemplar Kreoss has FOCUS 7, so his control area (represented by the shaded area) measures 14 from his base. Kreoss can channel spells through his Revenger warjack as long as the Revenger is within his control area. A warjack must have line of sight to a target in order to be used to channel spells at it. Therefore Kreoss can use the Revenger to channel spells at Deathripper B, but he cannot use it to channel spells at Deathripper A even though Kreoss himself has line of sight to it.
CHANNELING 101 Channeling a spell does not require the spellcaster to have line of sight to either the channeler or the spell’s target. The channeler must have line of sight to the spell’s target, though. A warcaster can channel a spell through only a single channeler at a time. Spells cannot be relayed from one channeler to another. The warcaster casts the spell, but the channeler is the spell’s point of origin. A warjack cannot be the target of an offensive spell channeled through it.
79
ADDITIONAL RULES
MARSHALING, CAVALRY, EPIC, AND MORE ’JACK MARSHALS
’jack marshals,
UNITS
EXAMPLE: leaves play, the Leader of the Arcane Tempest Gun Mage unit becomes the new unit commander and gains the ’Jack Marshal advantage. DRIVES
ALLIES Allies
Forces of WARMACHINE: Mercenaries EXAMPLE: The Highborn Covenant mercenary contract says it can include mercenaries that will work for Cygnar, so Precursor Knights (Cygnar allies) can be included in a Highborn Covenant contract army.
80
ADDITIONAL RULES CAVALRY
CAVALRY CHARGE EXAMPLE Exemplar A
as cavalry
TALL IN THE SADDLE
Exemplar B Exemplar C RIDE-BY ATTACK
ride-by attack
Storm Lance
MOUNT
Mount
Mount Melee Attack Damage Roll = 2d6 + POW of Mount
The Storm Lance declares a charge targeting Exemplar A. The Storm Lance then moves in a straight line toward his target. After moving 4 , he stops short when he moves into base-to-base contact with Exemplar B. He then makes impact attacks targeting Exemplars B and C since both models are in his Mount’s melee range. After hitting and destroying Exemplars B and C, the Storm Lance continues his charge movement to Exemplar A.
CAVALRY CHARGE
If Exemplar C had not been destroyed, the Storm Lance could have continued the charge anyway, although he would have suffered a free strike. If Exemplar B had not been destroyed, the Storm Lance’s charge would have been unable to continue, and the charge would have failed.
81
ADDITIONAL RULES LIGHT CAVALRY
light cavalry
CHARACTER WARJACKS Character warjacks
DRAGOONS
Dragoons
AFFINITIES
IMPRINTS
imprints
ELITE CADRES Elite Cadre
EPIC MODELS
82
ADDITIONAL RULES MAGIC ABILITY
Magic Ability Epic models
Magic Ability Attack Roll = 2d6 + Magic Ability Score
MERCENARY WARCASTERS AND WARJACKS A mercenary warcaster
EPIC WARCASTER BONDING
Warjack Bond
Mercenary warjacks
THEME FORCES Theme Forces
Campaign Play
In campaign play
Forces of WARMACHINE
83
COMMAND—OF MICE AND MEN COMMAND CHECKS, FLEEING, AND RALLYING
EXAMPLE: A Khadoran Manhunter has a CMD of 9. The Manhunter passes a command check on a 2d6 roll of 9 or less.
advantage
COMMAND RANGE command range
Commander
advantage
MASSIVE CASUALTIES massive casualties
COMMAND CHECKS TERRIFYING ENTITY command check,
Passed Command Check: 2d6
CMD
Failed Command Check: 2d6 > CMD
84
A terrifying entity Terror
Abomination
COMMAND
EXAMPLE: If the terrifying entity the Butcher of Khardov moves make a command check against
EXAMPLE: If Iron Lich Asphyxious moves into melee with a Temple Flameguard, the Flameguard’s unit makes a command check as soon as Asphyxious ends his movement. If a Flameguard moves into melee with Asphyxious, however, make a command check for his unit after all the troopers in the unit finish moving. In either case, make the command check before any model makes an action. If Asphyxious used Teleport to place himself into the melee range of a Flameguard, make the command check after the placement is resolved.
RALLYING rally
FEARLESS MODELS Fearless
FLEEING
85
TERRAIN—YOUR BEST FRIEND THE BATTLEFIELD, HAZARDS, AND STRUCTURES
BEFORE PLAY TERRAIN TYPES
OPEN TERRAIN Open terrain
SETTING TERRAIN DETAILS When discussing the specifics of terrain features, it may be handy to keep the following questions in mind: • Does it provide cover or concealment?
ROUGH TERRAIN Rough terrain
• Is it rough terrain? Impassable? • Does it provide elevation? If so, does it have a gradual or sloped surface? Are some parts of the elevated terrain feature gradual while others are sheer? • Does it have any special rules? Is it forest, shallow water, a trench, a structure, or so on? • What characteristics of terrain are likely to become important during the game due to the abilities and spells of the models in my army?
BATTLEFIELD SETUP
86
IMPASSABLE TERRAIN Impassable terrain
TERRAIN FEATURES
TERRAIN
OBSTACLES An obstacle
LINEAR OBSTACLES
linear obstacle
OBSTRUCTIONS MOVING OVER OBSTACLES
2
An obstruction
VARIABLY SIZED TERRAIN FEATURES
FORESTS forest
87
TERRAIN
TRENCHES Trenches
HILLS A hill
TRENCHES
WATER B
C
A DEEP WATER
deep water
D
E
Assault Kommandos A, B, and C are completely within the area of one or more trench templates, so they have cover and do not suffer blast damage unless the origin of the damage is in a trench template they are touching. Assault Kommandos D and E are not completely within the area of one or more trench templates, so they do not gain the benefits of being within the trench.
STRUCTURES SHALLOW WATER
structure is any terrain
Shallow water
EXAMPLE: A burned-out building that has only its exterior walls remaining might be large enough that models deep within
88
TERRAIN
Capacity Structure Material ARM Damage (points per inch) 12 5 Wood 14 5 Reinforced Wood 16 10 Brick 18 10 Stone 20 20 Iron 22 20 Steel its interior are far enough away from those walls not to suffer damage when the structure collapses. EXAMPLE: Those walls and fences are best treated as separate structures from the house itself even though they are part of the single terrain piece. After all, shooting at a fence should not cause the house to collapse!
EXAMPLE: A 1 -wide or so wooden door in an otherwise stone building would contribute only 5 points to the structure’s damage capacity. The door has ARM 12 while the surrounding stone has ARM 18.
EXAMPLE: A 3 -wide stone wall is destroyed once it suffers a total of 30 damage points (3 length 10 points per inch), but a 3 6 stone building collapses when it suffers 90 points of damage (18 perimeter 10 points per inch ÷ 2). collapses
DAMAGING AND DESTROYING STRUCTURES
EXAMPLE: A warjack inside a three-story brick building when it collapses suffers a POW 48 (brick structure ARM 16 3 levels) damage roll. Whatever is left of the warjack is then knocked down.
ENTRYWAYS entryways
EXAMPLE: A model can enter a ruined building that is missing its roof or one that has a removable roof. It cannot enter a way to allow access to the models inside of it.
EXAMPLE: Players might decide that a heavy warjack is unable to pass through a doorway much smaller than its base size or windows.
89
SCENARIOS—WHY WE CAN’T ALL BE FRIENDS VARIATIONS OF GAMEPLAY
RANDOM SCENARIO DETERMINATION If both players agree, instead of choosing a scenario for battle, you can roll a d6 and consult this table to determine the scenario you will play.
Roll
Result
1
Break the Line
2
Killing Field
3
Mangled Metal
4
Mosh Pit
5
No Man’s Land
6
Throw Down
BASIC BATTLE ´
´
A mortal man is never so close to divinity as when he commands an army in battle. The tides of war rise and fall by the will of generals. DESCRIPTION
OBJECTIVE MARKERS objective markers
SPECIAL RULES VICTORY CONDITIONS
MULTIPLAYER GAME
90
SCENARIOS
BREAK THE LINE
KILLING FIELD
There is a method to exploiting the chaos of war. If your orchestration of battle deafens them with its cacophony, so much the better.
Victory can be measured in terms of both ground gained and casualties inflicted. DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
SPECIAL RULES
SPECIAL RULES
territories
control points
VICTORY CONDITIONS
VICTORY CONDITIONS
MULTIPLAYER GAME MULTIPLAYER GAME
10
Deployment Zone
10
Deployment Zone
14 16
8
Objective Markers
10
Deployment Zone
8
Territories
10
Deployment Zone
91
SCENARIOS
MANGLED METAL
MOSH PIT
There’s nothing like the glorious clamor of warjacks crashing together, hulls ringing and furnaces spewing ash with gouts of sparks and flame, and the deafening screech of metal as one rends the other apart.
Their sacrifice is meaningless. With each death we gain ground. DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
SPECIAL RULES
SPECIAL RULES mosh pit
VICTORY CONDITIONS
MULTIPLAYER GAME
VICTORY CONDITIONS
MULTIPLAYER GAME
10
Deployment Zone
10
Deployment Zone
16
Mosh Pit
10
92
Deployment Zone
10
Deployment Zone
SCENARIOS
NO MAN’S LAND
THROW DOWN
In Menoth’s name, we shall consecrate this land with the blood of their fallen!
Striking the killing blow is meaningless if you open yourself to a fatal retaliation. This is as true for an army as when fighting blade to blade.
DESCRIPTION
DESCRIPTION
SPECIAL RULES no man’s land
SPECIAL RULES
control zone
VICTORY CONDITIONS
MULTIPLAYER GAME
VICTORY CONDITIONS
MULTIPLAYER GAME
Section ends. 10
Deployment Zone
Deployment Zone
10
4 4
10
10
10
Control Zone
Control Zone
No Man's Land
Deployment Zone
10
Deployment Zone
93
THE FACTIONS OF WARMACHINE KHADOR |KAY-dohr|
Prime
Forces of WARMACHINE
CYGNAR |SIG-nahr|
CRYX |kriks|
THE PROTECTORATE OF MENOTH |MEN-awth|
94
OTHER NATIONS OF THE IRON KINGDOMS
LLAEL |layl|
IOS AND THE RETRIBUTION OF SCYRAH |EYE-ohss| and |SIGH-rah|
MERCENARIES
RHUL |rule|
BEYOND THE IRON KINGDOMS ORD |ohrd|
95
96
THE HEAVY CROWN
AN OVERVIEW OF CYGNAR’S HISTORY
The history of Cygnar is as rich as its diverse citizenry. May no mortal —King Leto Raelthorne speaking at the expansion of the Royal Cygnaran University
The following is a transcription of a lecture by Professor Gertrude Wickens, professor of Cygnaran history at Corvis University, delivered at the end of the year in 607 AR.
the old Khardic Empire. Even during the rebellion period against the Orgoth, the generals of the north and the south were distrustful of one another and frequently at odds.
The history of the people of these lands stretches back much further beyond our founding as a single nation. We are the inheritors of ancient and mighty kingdoms whose peoples settled this region long before the landing of the Orgoth invaders.
Since the founding of Cygnar our kings have oft been both warriors and sages, and one of the most notable to occupy the throne was the legendary King Woldred the Diligent. Woldred was Cygnar ’s fourth king and came to power at a time when the royal bloodline had yet to be firmly established and remained bitterly contested. He was our first great king, a man who laid a solid foundation for his successors.
Our capital Caspia, the City of Walls, was once Calacia and stood thousands of years ago as the center of civilization against the Molgur barbarians. The Midlunds, from whom we here in Corvis trace our roots, brought stability and commerce to a region otherwise fractured by constant warfare and bloodshed. The western Thurians reached intellectual heights and created architectural wonders in an age otherwise dominated by barbarism and fear. Cygnar is a bastion of higher thought, reason, morality, and civilization. This is as true now that we stand united under the Cygnus must hold fast to these values even in the face of enemies who would tear down everything our ancestors have built. In 202 AR the Corvis Treaties brought with them a brief pause in hostilities and ushered in a short golden era. These treaties established our borders and gave birth to the kingdom of Cygnar stretching from the Thornwood and the Dragon’s Tongue River in the north to the Broken Coast and the Gulf of Caspia in the south. This new kingdom encompassed an expansive territory boasting fertile farmlands in the northwest and east but also hundreds of miles of trackless wilderness, including the Wyrmwall Mountains, the Gnarls, and the Thornwood Forest. Cygnar is known for its wealth, but those riches have been gained only through the determination and back-breaking toil of its people. The brief respite following the Corvis Treaties was not to last, as old grudges and ancient feuds were not forgotten. While Khador and Cygnar were “new” nations after the Corvis Treaties, the peoples of these regions had been bitter enemies since the long-gone days of the expansion wars of
King Woldred was immediately hurled into the chaos of war upon the death of his father, King Benewic II, in the that presaged the nature of modern war. The same colossals by which we had overthrown the Orgoth were now our most formidable weapons. year of his rule, he led a coalition including Ord and Llael to crush Khador’s thirst for conquest. Khador was so soundly defeated in the war that its sovereign was forced to accept the harsh terms of the Disarmament Conferences of 257 AR, which included the dismantling of the north’s mighty constructs and the establishment of the Colossal wage war and allowed for four decades of peace. In 286 AR Woldred would voluntarily give up Cygnar’s colossals as well. A series of bloody skirmishes with unruly trollkin populations in the interior demonstrated the inherent vulnerabilities of these hulking machines. With the extreme costs of maintaining the great machines, the Colossal Guard proved unsustainable. This gave rise to the modern warjacks, smaller yet equally formidable constructs that Woldred’s last act was the establishment of “Woldred’s Covenant,” by which he reformed Cygnar’s laws of succession. This stated that each king could abdicate the throne on his own terms and choose his successor, thereby avoiding “kin of bad quality.” Primogeniture would apply
97
only if other terms were not provided. The Temple of Menoth—which had clung tenaciously to its standing as the state religion despite dwindling numbers—supported the contract only under the condition that their priesthood retained the exclusive right to witness and notarize each king’s terms. Though the Morrowan faith was already dominant among the wider population, Menites remained a political, spiritual, and moral force in Cygnar’s capital. When Woldred died unexpectedly in 289 AR, his terms of succession could not be found, though Menite priests insisted they had been drafted. Within a fortnight his nephew Malagant the Grim seized the palace with a force of of Menoth refuted Malagant’s right to rule and called him a usurper. As a result of this interference, Malagant ordered over two hundred Menite priests arrested and hung over the next several years.
PREVIOUS CLASHES WERE NOTHING COMPARED TO THE RIFT THAT WOULD TEAR CASPIA IN HALF STARTING IN 483 AR.
In 293 AR Malagant proclaimed the Church of Morrow as within the government. Public sentiment was strongly in favor of this declaration of a change in state religion; oppression in earlier eras when the Menites had dominated the halls of power. Malagant was seen as a beloved champion of the faith. The Menite minority seethed and protested, prompting some to fear civil war. The growing strife had consequences abroad. Like a wolf on a blood-scent, Khador’s Queen Cherize initiated a border war with Cygnar in 293 AR that lasted until 295, when Queen Cherize suddenly disappeared. King Malagant died shortly thereafter. Ill omens and superstitious rumors surrounded the loss of both sovereigns. They suggested Queen Cherize had relied on dubious allies, such as barbaric cultists twisted into the service of dark and forbidden gods. While Queen Cherize’s hostilities were cut short, Khador had not seen its thirst for conquest diminished. in Khador. Because she was too young to rule, she was represented by Lord Regent Velibor. This charismatic noble exploited his position to initiate an aggressive campaign to expand Khador’s borders. Lord Velibor was a warmonger, it is true, but he was also a cunning and shrewd governor.
98
He proved his ingenuity by turning what could have been a Just as the trollkin inside Cygnar undermined Woldred’s peace, Khador struggled with its own tribal peoples, remnants of a forgotten age. A large number of barbarian tribes persisted on the periphery of that nation, particularly dwelling in its frozen northern mountains and forests and its untamed eastern hills. The last great alliance of these tribes assembled during Velibor’s rule, intent on pillaging the fertile farmlands of Khador’s interior. Velibor met with tribal leaders and convinced this horde that greater gain could be found to the south. He enticed them with promises starting with those dwelling in Ord. He intended to dispatch his own forces to follow in the wake of the barbarians and fall upon the weakened armies that stood against them, after which he could conquer new lands. Velibor hoped such tactics would allow him to reclaim territories once held by the Khardic Empire, including swaths of northern Cygnar. This plan might have succeeded if not for the Siege of Midfast at Ord’s northern border in 305 AR. Captain Markus Graza, an Ordic champion of Morrow, single-handedly turned the tide and humbled the northern barbarian chieftains. Ordic reinforcements arrived and swept the barbarians savage tribes, which never again recovered. The Khadoran Army was left unscathed and pursued their border wars for another decade. As a result, Khador seized lands from both Ord and Llael, including the Ordic city once known as Radahvo that is now Port Vladovar. In time this city would become vital to the Khadoran Navy, perfectly situated as it was to harbor mighty war vessels and stage assaults on southern shipping. Unfortunately nations can be proud, and even these losses did not serve to unite the enemies of Khador. While a formal alliance was sealed between Llael and Cygnar after the border wars, Ord remained neutral and aloof. It is likely they believed Khador had seized enough to satisfy. History has proven the gluttony of that nation knows no bounds. years, Cygnar simmered with an ever-rising tide of religious animosity. The Menites sowed constant unrest. its adherents as heretics against the True Law, despite Morrowan attempts to appease them. Many innocents on both sides lost their lives. Previous clashes were nothing compared to the rift that would tear Caspia in half starting in 483 AR. The eastern city—that portion across the Black River—had always been a haven for the Menite minority. Their charismatic and vocal leader, Visgoth Sulon, called for a pilgrimage of all
Cygnaran Menites to rally to him. Word spread quickly, and tens of thousands of Menites made the trek, coming from all corners of the kingdom. As the masses gathered, Sulon proclaimed himself hierarch of the faith and seized control of Caspia east of the river, pushing out any non-Menites who lingered. Thinking a riot was looming but unaware of the organized and incensed nature of the Menite throngs, the Caspian city watch tried to disperse the crowds. The Menite leaders had violence on their minds, though: thousands of pilgrims rose against the Cygnaran militia and slew over three hundred guards in a frenzied revolt. This incident ignited the Cygnaran Civil War, which raged from 482– 484 AR. Zealous Menites nearly razed the river districts on the west bank of the City of Walls in the Fueled by a clash of faiths and opportunistic looting, the battles the general peace that even the normally restrained priests and defenders of the Church of Morrow The fate of our capital might have been sealed but for the timely fall of Sulon. His death in battle dealt a great blow to the morale of the Menites and opened the door for peace. High Prelate Shevann, head of the Morrowan Church treasury and a woman of spotless reputation and honesty, stepped forward. Serving as spokeswoman for King Bolton Grey V, she entreated Sulon’s successor, Visgoth Ozeall, for an end to the violence. After protracted discussions that elicited concessions on both sides, the Protectorate of Menoth was created in the hopes of ending the religious strife. For a time this succeeded.
King Grigor Malfast led the nation into an era of growth not seen since the days of Woldred the Diligent. Steamjacks became more common, and the once-depleted Cygnaran trusted vassal, Archduke Vinter Raelthorne II. Raelthorne was instrumental in transforming King Malfast’s grand schemes into pragmatic reality. The Raelthorne bloodline was already inextricably woven into the fabric of the
The Menites were ceded an expanse of land east of the Black River and the entirety of eastern Caspia, which they immediately named Sul in honor of Hierarch Sulon. The Protectorate had leave to govern their people as they saw
king decades before and their blood claims tracing back to ancient kings of Caspia and Calacia. Without Vinter II to manage the details of the kingdom, King Malfast would have wasted much of his treasury and this era may have
understood that the Protectorate was nominally part of Cygnar and subject to disarmament and taxation.
The Khadoran king of the day, Ruslan Vygor, was a misanthrope with a dark heart, and Cygnar’s prosperity
99
stoked his jealous rage. He gathered the largest war host yet seen in the north and executed a wild scheme. In late 510 AR, he sent a portion of this force, including the bulk of the renowned Khadoran cavalry, to the borders of Llael. He knew this would force Malfast to respond. Cygnar’s king back the impending invasion. No one suspected this was only a ruse. Vygor personally led an even larger force of warjacks and the full might of Khador’s heavy infantry straight into the forest hoping to drive south and take key Cygnaran territories all but unopposed. They chopped straight
A few short years later, King Malfast fell ill. He drafted terms from his deathbed according to Woldred’s Covenant and handed his crown to then-titled Archduke Vinter Raelthorne II, who accepted the burden. In 515 AR, Vinter Raelthorne II was crowned king, and Cygnar entered the Raelthorne Era.
s t a n d s i m Vinter II ruled with the same prudent l he had adopted e p approach w e managing Malfast’s kingdom, e r priding the utilitarian over
e
i
j
month Thornwood War, which ended with Vygor’s demise on the blade of Vinter Raelthorne II.
over matters of state, he was called the StoneFaced King. He survived two assassination attempts and developed a reputation as both an opponent of unregulated sorcery and a man suspicious of leaders who relied on religious sentiment over common sense.
y
s
t
I
n
leagai n st ab
mitable o t d
h
h
s
n
andda r kn ny
e
s
The Battle of the Tongue, in early 511 AR, remains one of the bloodiest clashes in Cygnaran history. It took all our superior training and leadership to hold the river. The confrontation saw the loss of more warjacks in a single battle than any in the history of western Immoren, only recently exceeded at the Fall of Northguard. It took decades to replace and repair the warjacks destroyed in the comparatively short four-
a
If not for the work of scouts from Fellig who discovered this secondary force, Cygnar would have felt the full brunt of an unexpected Khadoran army deep behind its borders. Hastily gathered soldiers from Corvis, Point Bourne, and Rivercleft met the Khadorans at the Dragon’s Tongue even as the main army previously rushing to aid Llael turned back in a desperate forced march to intercept the Khadoran advance.
r
through the Thornwood itself, razing a path two hundred miles long that later came to be called the “Warjack Road.”
100
the frivolous. Typically found deep in thought
In 539 AR the crown passed to his son, Vinter Raelthorne III. taxes in order to bolster the navy and fund privateers to secure the western sea-lanes rife with pirate vessels. Many people hated him for his rigid demands despite his successes against raiders along the Broken Coast. He earned The Stoneheart was stern and brooked no nonsense. He claimed to be surrounded by self-interested bureaucrats and sycophants and concluded he could trust no one. He had no use for priests, be they Menite or Morrowan. He dismissed his courtly advisors and looked to “the counsel of his own mind” for making the kingdom’s decisions. He
may not have been widely praised, but Vinter III moved Cygnar toward greatness. His taxes were harsh, but he was a pragmatist, and his collected monies went to strengthen the kingdom. He did not allow debtors to waste away in prison; citizens who could not pay were instead put on Many died, but by their toil the kingdom prospered. Vinter III had two sons: his heir, also named Vinter, and Leto, our good king. When Vinter III died suddenly—some say suspiciously—in 576 AR, the kingdom fell to his eldest son Vinter IV, as no other instructions were found. If the Stoneheart was stern, it is fair to call Vinter IV both paranoid and tyrannical. He was a king of dark demeanor and a violent temper. His father and grandfather had been suspicious of religion, but Vinter IV nursed a hatred of the benevolent
on the mainland, at least for a time. Over the years of brutal treatment and harsh taxation, otherwise loyal citizens who had once sung Vinter’s praise fell silent. As rumors of torture and barbarity at the hands of the Inquisition persisted, many began to doubt their king’s sanity. Prince Leto watched his brother, appalled at what had become of Cygnaran law and justice. He served his kingdom as best he could, attempting to mitigate the king’s tyranny by good works. Unlike his father and brother, Leto had long been a pious Morrowan. Primarch Arius, the current leader of the Church of Morrow, stood as his mentor and spiritual advisor, and in his youth Leto had nearly entered the clergy. Certainly his convictions played a role in the eventual Lion’s Coup, a revolt led by Leto in the winter of 594 AR, a decade after the brothers joined together to battle Cryx.
Stoneheart had taken no time for Woldred’s Covenant. Vinter IV suspected enemies everywhere. Perceived rivals and dissidents were silenced or forced into obedience. His paranoia gave rise to the Inquisition, when he transformed his father’s discreet network of spies into a merciless system of judges and executioners. With their assistance Vinter ruled by terror and murder. Those who opposed him disappeared in the night never to be seen or heard from again. It was a dark time, and the people grew increasingly eager for reassurance that the government was protecting them from dangers both known and unknown. The targets of the Inquisition were alleged witches and sorcerers, those accused of practicing fell magic and consorting with dark powers. Most people did not realize how often those targeted and invariably convicted were innocent of any crime. Adding to this fear of supernatural horrors was the sudden rise of Cryxian activity in the midst of Vinter’s reign as Cygnar was battered by a series of coastal assaults known as the Scharde Invasions. From 584–588 AR, blackships emerged from the mists and rain to send rapacious raiders into unsuspecting villages and towns, bent on slaughter, arson, and pillage. Graves were despoiled and slain soldiers were dragged away to feed the industries of the Nightmare Empire. Counterstrikes against the Scharde Islands resulted in the loss of a great number of ships and their crews. For years after these battles, survivors related the tales of the merciless but uncompromising King Vinter “the Elder” Raelthorne IV and his willingness to personally lead Cygnaran forces in battle, while his younger brother Leto “the Younger” was praised for his own valor along the coast. Both the royal brothers led armies in this war, and eventually the Cryxians were driven from our shores. Such heroics made the people far more ready to accept the extreme measures by which King Vinter enforced the peace
VINTER RULED BY TERROR AND MURDER. THOSE WHO OPPOSED HIM DISAPPEARED IN THE NIGHT NEVER TO BE SEEN OR HEARD FROM AGAIN.
After the Scharde Invasions, Vinter named Leto his Warmaster General. Such a decision proved prophetic, as close to his own thinking and weary of their tyrant. These
endure their sovereign’s profane orders. These included: the Magus Arland Calster now head of Caspia’s Fraternal Order; Kielon Ebonhart IV, heir to the Northern Midlunds; Alain Runewood, heir to the Eastern Midlunds; and the Scharde Invasion war hero Commander Adept Sebastian Nemo; among others. This force waged battle through Castle Raelthorne, consuming the east wing of the palace. Whatever his failings as a king, Vinter was a man with no equal with the blade. His blood thirst and practiced skill made him Vinter himself cut down scores of Leto’s men. Bearing his grandfather’s sword Kingslayer, he waded through plate Cygnaran blood. In the end he stood alone, his own allies defeated, surrounded by the corpses of those who had come against him. He refused all entreaties to surrender. Leto was a veteran of battle and an accomplished bladesman, but he could not match the peerless skill of his older brother. After a short and brutal duel, Vinter dealt Leto what seemed to be a fatal wound.
101
One moment Leto seemed defeated, but in the next the elder brother was disarmed and laid low and the younger brother’s own injury miraculously vanished. Most who have examined the events agree they show signs of Morrow’s intervention, likely through Primarch Arius. If anyone short of Morrow could conjure such a miracle, it would be that wise and resolute priest.
city by the inhuman skorne. These cruel invaders from across the Bloodstone Marches were a new threat that
Leto declared himself king and cast Vinter into the royal dungeons. Sadly the Elder had many secret allies, who moved immediately. Operatives of the Inquisition took hostage Lady Danae Cresswell, Leto’s beloved wife and now queen, and demanded Vinter’s release. Leto felt he had little choice and gave the command. It was a ruse; the queen was never seen again. Vinter escaped in an experimental airship at the top of the palace. He rose out of reach of his pursuers but fell mercy to the whims of the wind and drifted east over the arid and desolate Bloodstone Marches.
Fortunately the resolve of the city was more than he had
The grief-stricken King Leto Raelthorne was crowned in a solemn ceremony while noblemen still whispered of the grim circumstances leading to his coronation. The Royal Assembly conducted a trial for the Elder in absentia whereby they stripped him of all Cygnaran rights for his proven crimes and dark alliances. He was convicted of high treason, and his life was declared forfeit.
WE ARE LIVING IN DIFFICULT TIMES. OUR WAY OF LIFE IS THREATENED.
Leto Raelthorne proved true to his word in the years after the coup by abolishing the Inquisition and restoring our nation. We experienced a decade of unprecedented growth,
of a fair and just government. Still, enemies began to stir around our great kingdom while we remained entranced by our good fortune. Cryx demonstrated it had recovered from what losses it had along Cygnaran shores. Skirmishes with Protectorate of Menoth zealots along our eastern border began to escalate into organized assaults backed by formidable weaponry as well as blind faith. This gave rise to considerable religious tension in eastern Cygnar as Morrowans became wary of all Menites, even their neighbors. To the north our great ancient enemy, Khador, renewed its dreams of empire.
an unexpected direction. This was the assault on this very
102
Raelthorne IV leading them. It became clear that the tyrant had done the impossible: he had led an army across the desert to strike at Cygnar. He planned to use our city as a stronghold and from here move south to attack Caspia.
events, and some say Morrow had a hand in our preservation, sending the spirits of soldiers slain in the time of King Malagant to our aid. By force of arms and the help of these unexpected allies, Corvis was rescued and Vinter and the skorne withdrew back across the desert dunes for a time. We should count our blessings; the skorne have a predilection for slavery that nearly matches the Orgoth’s. It is easy to second-guess those entrusted to shoulder the crushing weight of responsibility. Recent accounts suggest King Leto considered a preemptive strike against one of our many enemies as early as 604 AR, not long after the liberation of Corvis. His military advisors analyzed the merits of a costly attack on Cryx or a punitive campaign against the Protectorate of Menoth for its countless treaty violations. Both plans anticipated very high casualty rates for Cygnar and could not guarantee success. I side with those who believe these hypothetical campaigns would have emboldened whichever enemies we ignored and cost too much for too little gain. Striking in one direction would have weakened our defenses in another. Yet even as King Leto’s war council debated their options, Khador hatched new plans of conquest. With little warning they massed their full might against the small nation of Llael. Likely they hoped Cygnar would be too preoccupied to aid its longtime ally. Llael’s own prime minister may have collaborated in its betrayal, which would explain why the country’s defenses folded rapidly under the merciless Khadoran assault. The western border was penetrated in mere days during the winter season, and later attempts to shore up interior garrisons proved futile. Cygnar rushed to its ally’s defense and was quickly caught up in a series of increasingly desperate battles. Our soldiers bolstered the garrisons at Redwall Fortress and died by the hundreds when it fell. More of our men and machines rushed to the defense of the Llaelese capital, Merywyn, when it was besieged. The Cygnaran Army fought on every front to preserve their freedom, but Khador had strong momentum. Swift and merciless, their invasion swept through Llael like the slaughter of the citizens of Riversmet. They razed the entire city to the ground. The entire war lasted less than six months before Llael’s corrupt nobles surrendered and
armies withdrew to protect our own borders. The timing of this invasion could not have been worse. While many of our soldiers were diverted away to die on foreign soil, to the east the Protectorate of Menoth rose up
destruction through the ancient capital, annihilating every gate and defender that stood before his fearsome wrath. It will be long before Caspia recovers from this campaign. This has been the darkest year in Cygnar’s history. Despite the slim victory in Caspia, our shores have been raided and our navy occupied battling an endless supply of Cryxian
saboteurs who destroyed our train lines and burned our
northern border, Khador managed to reverse the course
our people and sent his forces abroad, striking wherever we were most vulnerable. So too did Cryx reveal they had been burrowing into the mainland to prey on the living. The Thornwood—our greatest natural barrier against Khador— became riddled with the walking dead and foul necrotiteburning machines led by the tireless lords of the Nightmare Empire. Cryxian forces kept our army and navy occupied by assaulting Highgate, sending ships to intercept trade from Mercir to Ceryl, and otherwise continually harassing our coastal defenses.
previously impregnable bastion. Despite brave deeds and
The events of recent months within Sul and Caspia are particularly chilling, as we can see in them echoes of the old Cygnaran Civil War. After numerous acts of Menite sabotage, the authorities felt compelled to isolate Cygnaran citizens of that faith lest they commit treachery. These fears Harbinger, a young woman they say speaks Menoth’s will. She has united their faith as never before. Allegedly the mere glimpse of this woman can turn a rational Cygnaran Menite into a zealot for the Protectorate cause. I do not know if such tales are exaggerated, but events of recent years have proven the truth of many supernatural wonders and horrors previously thought to be mere superstition or rumor. In response to the Protectorate’s failed siege on Caspia, the army launched its own invasion of Sul, an unprecedented and historical feat. Cygnaran warjack cannons breached the supposedly invulnerable walls of Sul and allowed the army to sweep into what was once eastern Caspia, there to disabuse its people of their intended violence. Religious fervor gave the enemy desperate strength and led to an Cygnar’s army unable to seize a quick victory, the Menites regrouped and repelled our forces.
their soldiers to the Dragon’s Tongue River, to the very gates of Corvis. Even as I deliver this lecture, we stand not far from those who would seize this city. Nor is this the end of our troubles. The Skorne Empire returned to test our eastern border, and trollkin tribes in our interior have risen up from the wilderness to harass our trains and beset our roadways. Here in the streets of Corvis we have seen the army arrive in great strength to preserve the city. I have no doubts regarding the courage of these soldiers, yet there is no one in Cygnar who does not fear for the future of our nation. For a short while the cannons have been silent. After the death of Hierarch Voyle, the Protectorate pulled back to tend its wounds. Khador has slowed its advance, perhaps sated for the time being. History has proven, though, that the only way to convince them to return to their cold northern soil is to break the resolve of their leaders. Our defenses must hold. threatened. Kingdoms come and go; there is no longer any Morrdh, Tordor, Thuria, Umbrea, or Ryn. One day Cygnar also could be relegated to a historical footnote like these vanished nations. Our future lies in the hands of our military and the young, men and women such as you who listen to me today. It may be that some of you will decide to put aside the quill and
these troubling times, and in particular may he shield those who stand watch and protect us from the wolves at the gate.
Caspia itself was invaded as Hierarch Voyle led a massive crusade to annihilate our capital. Our good and brave king marched forth with sword in hand to confront the enemy directly, rallying the defenders, but was grievously injured. It was not until the Menites were nearly at the gates of Castle Raelthorne that the tide turned at last. Like Sulon in the Civil War, Hierarch Voyle was struck down and killed by the righteous defenders of the City of Walls. But this victory arrived only after Voyle had carved a tremendous path of
103
LIEUTENANT ALLISTER CAINE CYGNar WarCaster
Some men do not wear the uniform comfortably yet are such prodigious killers a nation must put them to use or risk them turned against it. —Warmaster General Olson Turpin
Feat: MaelstroM
CAINE SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
7
5
4
8
17 13
DeaDeYe
RNG ROF AOE POW
2
— 12
sNIpe
POW
P+S
3
8
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS SMALL BASE
6 15 C +6
2
6
–
–
No No
2
6
–
–
Yes No
ranged attack roll this turn.
SWORD Caine makes a normal Spellstorm Pistol attack against every enemy model currently in his control area, ignoring intervening models. Caine cannot use Maelstrom while he is in melee. When resolving Maelstrom, Caine has no back arc and his front arc extends to 360°.
CaINe – When this model casts a spell and is the point of origin for the spell, the spell gains +5 RNG.
spellstorM pIstol Magical Weapon
The Militant Order of the Arcane Tempest requires a great degree of control over its students, for each is expected to graduate as an elite soldier. When it inducted an intense and troubled former hoodlum by the name of Allister Caine, the order had no idea what it had on its hands. He would soon become a warcaster who would single-handedly pioneer gunplay into an art of war. Caine’s warcaster capability was revealed by accident during his gun mage training. His Arcane Tempest instructors were relieved, for the discovery allowed them to speed the brash him to other hands. Even after being urged to enlist as a warcaster by King Leto—based on a demonstration of his impressive talents—Caine chafed under instruction and thirsted to put his skills to use in battle. Shortly after Caine graduated from the Tempest Academy, he made an unfortunate visit back to his hometown of Bainsmarket. There he was incarcerated for the murder of a attempt to deny his guilt. Rumors suggest invisible hands were involved in extricating the up-and-coming warcaster with a black mark that has never entirely faded.
gained a reputation as a loner, drifter, and scoundrel. He
104
Cost rNG aoe poW up oFF 2 6 – – Yes No
Target friendly model/unit gains +3 DEF against ranged and magic attack rolls.
8
SPELLSTORM PISTOL 12
spells Blur
Target friendly model’s/unit’s ranged weapons gain +4 RNG.
teleport
2
selF
–
–
No No
Place this model anywhere completely within 8 of its current location, then its activation ends.
thuNDer strIke
4
8
–
14
No Yes
by Thunder Strike is slammed d6 directly away from the spell’s point Collateral damage from this slam is POW 14.
taCtICal tIps MaelstroM – Remember, if Caine forfeited his movement to gain an aiming bonus this activation, he gains +2 on all Maelstrom attack rolls. These attacks are simultaneous. range aMplifier – teleport – This model cannot be placed in an obstruction or in impassable terrain as a result of this spell. thunder strike – Incorporeal models are not slammed; they just
frequented seedy dives along the borders of Cygnar and Ord. He enjoyed slumming in the guise of a common drunk He spent many nights sleeping in jail cells. His drinking, improprieties with countless women, unrelenting swagger, and insubordination all precluded him from advancement. In fact he is the only warcaster in recent memory to lose his captain’s rank just weeks after his initial promotion for Despite his reputation, those who have fought alongside determination in his eyes when he is outnumbered by an enemy before he unleashes a blazing storm through his pistols, there is no question why he has kept his commission and the right to lead men to war. Observant soldiers who have survived these bloody engagements note with which threats to Cygnar have been neutralized in the ensuing chaos of these supposedly chance encounters suggests some more deliberate providence.
105
CAPTAIN VICTORIA HALEY CYGNar WarCaster
Burn the dead, consecrate the bones, and render them to ashes lest they return to haunt us. —Captain Haley, after a decisive victory over a Cryxian invasion force
HALEY SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
5
6
5
16 14
8
Feat: BlItz
spells arCaNe Bolt
a regimented and conservative
Magical bolts of energy streak toward the target model.
arCaNe shIelD
HAND CANNON 1
ChaIN lIGhtNING
— 12
VORTEX SPEAR POW
P+S
6
11
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS SMALL BASE
7 15 C +5
2
6
–
–
Yes No
–
10
No Yes
Target friendly model/unit gains +3 ARM.
RNG ROF AOE POW
12
Cost rNG aoe poW up oFF 2 12 – 11 No Yes
3
10
managing the energy and
roll , and lightning arcs from that model to d6 consecutive additional models. The lightning arcs to the nearest model it has not already arced to within 4 of the last model it arced to, ignoring this model. Each model the .
Friendly Faction models beginning their activations in Haley’s control area can make one additional attack during their activations this turn regardless of a weapon’s ROF.
DeaDeYe
haleY – This model can immediately negate any spell that targets it or a model within 3 of it by spending 1 focus point before the RNG of the spell is measured. The negated spell
Magical Weapon
2
6
–
–
No No
3
10
–
–
No Yes
ranged attack roll this turn.
sCraMBle
Target enemy warjack immediately advances its current SPD in inches in a direction determined by the deviation template. During this movement, it moves through models with smaller bases if it has enough movement to move completely past their bases. Models it moves through are knocked down. The warjack is knocked down if it contacts an obstacle, an obstruction, or a model with a base equal to or larger than its own. A
teMporal BarrIer
4
selF Ctrl
–
No No
models beginning their activation in this model’s control area cannot run or charge. Temporal Barrier lasts for one round.
reach – charge, slam power attack, and impact attack rolls against this model.
A strong-willed woman capable of both grim resolve and singular heroism, Victoria Haley has risen from meager origins to become one of the greatest assets of the Cygnaran Army. She was born in Ingrane, a small but once-thriving Frog’s Bight. Her parents were humble folk who endured a hard existence to provide for Victoria and her twin sister. Their lives were simple but happy, and it would have stayed that way were it not for the horrifying intervention of Cryxian raiders. 584 AR when raiders from the Scharde Islands landed on the wooden docks. They charged into the peaceful village and met little resistance. Their mother barely had enough time to push Victoria and her sister Gloria through the cellar trapdoor before the Cryxian forces battered their way in horror as her mother was murdered. She sat frozen in the dark corner as the trapdoor was wrenched open from above, but Gloria was spotted and dragged whimpering from the cellar. Victoria never saw her sister again.
106
taCtICal tIps Blitz – You do not have to spend focus for the additional attacks. Chain lightning – The lightning can arc to models with Immunity: Electricity; it just cannot damage them. Damage from Chain Lightning strikes is magic damage and is not considered to have been caused by a hit. sCraMBle – Position the deviation template normally, with 1 pointing directly away from the origin of the attack. teMporal Barrier – If a model cannot charge, it cannot make a slam or trample power attack either.
Nothing but dark memories and restless spirits dwell in the ruins of Ingrane. Now the village is a place of shadowy scrape across the necks of travelers and sailors who venture too near. The few survivors of that night gathered what they could of their old lives and made the voyage through moors and woods to the larger nearby town of Ramarck. Victoria Haley was fostered at a nearby Morrowan abbey. There she was not treated unkindly, but the sisters of the order tried to curb her budding arcane power, believing school, made her way to New Larkholm, and found employ a laboring steamjack on the docks that her warcaster talents manifested and she caught the eye of military recruiters. In
the army her latent power was ultimately fostered and unleashed, like water rushing through a broken dam. Two years later in 599 AR at the age of 20, she powerful warrior and a determined warcaster. Captain Victoria Haley has a furious loathing for anything Cryxian. Where the armies of the Nightmare Empire assemble she is soon found throwing everything she can muster toward the undead hordes. She has attracted the attention of a particular warwitch, and the two seem hell-bent on mutual destruction. Where Haley moves, Deneghra maneuvers to counter, and more is clear: there will never be enough bloodshed to balance what the minions of
107
COMMANDER COLEMAN STRYKER CYGNar WarCaster Coleman in a word? Patriot. —Captain Victoria Haley
spells arCaNe Blast
STRYKER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
6
7
6
16 15
A magical energy blast radiates from a single point to strike all models in the AOE.
9
DISRUPTOR PISTOL
arCaNe Bolt
RNG ROF AOE POW
10
1
— 10
Cost rNG aoe poW up oFF 3 10 3 13 No Yes 2
12
–
11
No Yes
–
–
Yes No
–
–
Yes No
Magical bolts of energy streak toward the target model.
arcane energies he shields those
arCaNe shIelD
2
6
Target friendly model/unit gains +3 ARM.
QUICKSILVER POW
P+S
7
13
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS SMALL BASE
Blur 6 17 C +6
2
6
Target friendly model/unit gains +3 DEF against ranged and magic attack rolls.
While in Stryker’s control area, friendly Faction models gain +5 ARM for one round.
DIsruptor pIstol Magical Weapon – A warjack hit loses its focus points and cannot be allocated focus or channel spells for one round.
earthquake
3
10
5
–
No Yes
–
–
Yes No
Models hit by Earthquake are knocked down.
sNIpe
2
6
Target friendly model’s/unit’s ranged weapons gain +4 RNG.
taCtICal tIps earthquake – This means every model in the AOE is knocked down, friendly and enemy alike.
Magical Weapon – A warjack hit loses its focus points and cannot be allocated focus or channel spells for one round.
Coleman Stryker was only nineteen years old when King Leto took the throne in 594 AR. He fought during the Lion’s Coup palace revolt, and though he started the day on the side of Vinter’s loyalists, in the end he was instrumental in Leto’s success—forever changing the course of history as well as his own destiny. Born with sorcerous ability, Stryker was a hotheaded youth who wanted nothing more than to become a celebrated hero. Time and experience would temper his passion, and eventually a senior warcaster named Sebastian Nemo would forge him into a great leader. Under the direct tutelage of Commander Adept Nemo, Stryker mastered the art of martial spellcraft and honed his natural abilities to control the Cygnaran warjacks. They obeyed him with uncanny precision, and he demonstrated none of the usual fumbling and uncertainties of other fresh warcasters. One notable early demonstration of this talent was his ability to tame and control a particularly ornery Ironclad, a battle-seasoned ’jack nicknamed Ol’ Rowdy that
heavy-handed guidance of Nemo, Stryker’s course was realigned, and he stalwartly pursued his role as a champion Not content to idly await the call to battle, Stryker committed to proactive patrols along the border regions, spending time Cygnaran soil. He has had to kill many enemy soldiers and seen close friends die ugly deaths, and at times their faces preserve the nation he loves. His dedication to Cygnar’s defense allowed him to advance rapidly through the ranks to the coveted position of commander—a distinction he achieved at a remarkably young age. King Leto himself was present for Stryker’s
Though Commander Stryker sees himself as just another deceive some into believing he has not earned his rank compared to the aged generals leading the king’s army, He goes to great lengths to preserve the lives of his men.
It was with no small measure of pride that Stryker accepted his mentor’s pronouncement that he was ready to hold his own as a full warcaster. He had come a long way, inducted into military life by a less-than-scrupulous benefactor who had set the naive youth on an initially darker path. Had
108
accomplished warcasters in the Iron Kingdoms, Coleman Stryker was born to be a hero of Cygnar and expects to die defending her.
109
CHARGER
CYGNar lIGht WarjaCk If the first shot doesn’t get them, the second one will. —Commander Coleman Stryker
CHARGER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
8
6
6
13 16 —
DUAL CANNON RNG ROF AOE POW
L
12
2
— 12
Dual CaNNoN
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 8´7 / 2.6 TONS
– When attacking with this weapon, this model can spend 1 focus point to boost all attack and damage rolls for the attack.
ARMAMENT: DUAL CANNON (LEFT ARM), BATTLE HAMMER (RIGHT ARM)
BATTLE HAMMER R
POW
P+S
4
12
2
3
4
L L
5
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
R
U 4
ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: CYGNARAN ARMORY
remains a dependable element stationed at nearly every forward post of the army.
factory assembly lines and been hammered
The combination of a powerful and reasonably accurate light dual cannon and a heavy battle hammer allows this ’jack to operate with equal ease at range or in close melee. Many journeyman warcasters have cut their teeth with Chargers, sending them forward to blast shells into oncoming infantry and support the advance of heavier warjacks.
Chargers
steamjack shops than any other light warjack in history. Commanders continue to rely on the Charger to bring versatility to the modern
R
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST MEDIUM BASE
110
6
CORTEX MANUFACTURER: FRATERNAL ORDER OF WIZARDRY
have
More
DAMAGE
1
FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 297 LBS / 6.5 HRS GENERAL, 75 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 567 AR
The Charger is an improvement on the old reliable Talon, its immediate predecessor. The newer ’jack retains the Talon’s powerful pistons and compact steam engine capable of driving it forward at surprising speeds. In addition, a number of subtle upgrades to the leg and hip components it to react more quickly to threats in combat. Its cannon utilizes the reloading assembly originally developed for the Defender’s heavy barrel but adds a recoil-based mechanism that helps reload the second cannon barrel for another shot.
LANCER
CYGNar lIGht WarjaCk
The Lancer is the most perfect tool of war at our disposal. Give me half a dozen, and keep the factories cranking. —Captain Victoria Haley
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 9´1 / 3.15 TONS ARMAMENT: WAR SPEAR (RIGHT ARM), SHOCK SHIELD (LEFT ARM), ARC NODE FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 363 LBS / 7 HRS GENERAL, 70 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 601 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: CYGNARAN ARMORY ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: CYGNARAN MECHANIKS COALITION AT THE ROYAL CYGNARAN UNIVERSITY
laNCer
LANCER
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
shoCk shIelD
6
8
6
– When a warjack is hit by this
used in the Thornwood War and the Arcane of later years, but neither of these predecessors performed adequately. After several decisive Cryxian victories along Cygnar’s western coast, King Leto pressured Warmaster General Turpin to heed the warcasters’ assessment and challenged the Royal Cygnaran University to provide a better platform for the costly arc node. Adapted from the reliable Charger chassis, the Lancer is a rugged yet agile masterpiece. The Lancer was
P+S
1
9
WAR SPEAR
– If a warjack in this model’s front arc hits it with a melee attack, immediately after the attack is resolved the attacker
box. This model loses Shock Field while this weapon system is crippled or locked.
War spear reach – A model in –2 on charge, slam power attack, and impact attack rolls against this model.
POW
P+S
4
12
R
Cortex system box.
For years before the creation of the Lancer, Cygnaran warcasters complained about lacking a proper chassis to support this arcane relay. Cygnaran mechaniks had
13 16 —
POW
L
The development of the arc node and its precursor, the modern warfare. A device of unquestionable utility, the arc node allows a warcaster to extend his arcane reach across
6
SHOCK SHIELD
DAMAGE
1
L
2
3
4
5
L
A
A
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST MEDIUM BASE
6
R
U 6
taCtICal tIps Cortex daMage – when the model is hit, mark it before making the damage roll.
developed with an emphasis on defense and survivability. The machine’s main weapon is a heavy spear designed to keep adversaries at bay, and its sturdy shield generates on contact. These innovations are the basis for arguably the most valued light warjack in the Cygnaran arsenal.
111
SENTINEL
CYGNar lIGht WarjaCk I’d give my left jewel for a pair of those. —Lieutenant Allister Caine
seNtINel
SENTINEL SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
8
6
6
13 16 —
CHAIN GUN RNG ROF AOE POW
R
10
1
— 10
ASSAULT SHIELD L
POW
P+S
2
10
- Once per round, when a friendly model is directly hit by a ranged attack during your opponent’s turn while within 2 of this model, you can choose to have this model directly hit instead. This model is automatically
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
5
6
cannot use Shield Guard if it is incorporeal, knocked down, or stationary.
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 8´6 / 3.25 TONS ARMAMENT: ASSAULT SHIELD (LEFT ARM), CHAIN GUN (RIGHT ARM) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 300 LBS / 6 HRS GENERAL, 65 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 573 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: CYGNARAN ARMORY ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: ALBERE GUNGRIA, ARCANE MECHANIK AT ROYAL CYGNARAN UNIVERSITY
taCtICal tIps strafe – These attacks are simultaneous. Attacks against targets beyond this weapon’s range will automatically miss.
ChaIN GuN L L
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST MEDIUM BASE
assault shIelD
112
R
U 4
– Make d6 ranged attacks targeting a primary target and any number of secondary targets within 2 intervening models when declaring secondary targets. A secondary target cannot be targeted by more attacks than the primary target. Strafe counts as one attack for ROF.
swathes of infantry, making it invaluable against charging platoons of Winter Guard, tides of Menite zealots, or waves of Cryxian mechanithralls. Closing with the Sentinel costs enemies dearly. Once within striking range of the machine, they encounter the crushing power of its assault shield. The warjack has few rivals when deployed in the hands of cunning warcasters who know
CYCLONE A single Metal Storm cannon can rotate through its barrels nearly once per second, giving it a maximum fire rate in excess of two hundred rounds per minute. The Cyclone has two of them. —Senior Crew Chief Davlin Rodgers HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 12´3 / 6.5 TONS ARMAMENT: DUAL CYCLONE CHAIN GUNS FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 638 LBS / 5 HRS GENERAL, 50 MINUTES COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 599 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: FRATERNAL ORDER OF WIZARDRY/CYGNARAN ARMORY ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: ENGINES EAST
taCtICal tIps rapid fire – Roll for each Metal Storm.
The Cygnaran Armory prides itself on its innovation and technological superiority. This tradition of excellence has been maintained with the recent introduction of the Cyclone, a singularly deadly warjack capable of terrifying
older counterparts on the smaller Sentinel, with smoother cycling of ammunition and a reduced likelihood of jamming its disposal, this hulking ’jack is a nightmare to Cygnar’s
of smoke and lead.
Metal storM – Place two 3 AOEs anywhere completely within this weapon’s RNG, centered on points in this model’s LOS, ignoring intervening models. Place one less AOE for each crippled arm system on this model. A model entering or ending its activation in roll with POW equal to the POW of this weapon. The AOEs remain in play for one round. If this model is destroyed or removed from play, immediately remove the AOEs from play. – When you decide to make initial attacks with this weapon at the beginning of this model’s combat action, roll a d3. The total rolled is the number of initial attacks this model can make with this weapon during the combat action, ignoring ROF.
opeN FIsts
CYCLONE
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
11
7
6
12 18 —
METAL STORM RNG ROF AOE POW
L
10
1
— 12
METAL STORM RNG ROF AOE POW
R
10
1
— 12
OPEN FIST POW
P+S
3
14
L
OPEN FIST POW
P+S
3
14
R
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
L L
5
6
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST LARGE BASE
R
U 9
Cyclone Cygnaran commanders have a tool capable of
and when they choose.
113
DEFENDER Today we have revolutionized warfare. With the Defender there is no need to wait to see the whites of their eyes. We will engage the enemy before he realizes the battle has begun. —Lord General Everett Cathmore upon observing field trials, 563 AR
shoCk haMMer
DEFENDER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
11
7
6
12 18 —
– When a warjack is hit by this
L
16
1
— 15
SHOCK HAMMER R
POW
P+S
5
16
1
2
3
4
L L
5
6
in melee. It is a deadly machine no enemy can ignore, as dangerous at a distance as when it closes.
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST LARGE BASE
Cortex system box.
The Defender is a stout heavy warjack boasting unprecedented longrange and accurate
DAMAGE
R
U 9
ARMAMENT: HEAVY BARREL (LEFT ARM), SHOCK HAMMER (RIGHT ARM) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 655 LBS / 5 HRS GENERAL, 45 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 564 AR
HEAVY BARREL RNG ROF AOE POW
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 12´2 / 6.5 TONS
The primary weapon of this impressive warjack is the enormous heavy barrel, a dec-
CORTEX MANUFACTURER: FRATERNAL ORDER OF WIZARDRY ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: CYGNARAN ARMORY
taCtICal tIps Cortex daMage – when the model is hit, mark it before making the damage roll.
eptively simple-looking cannon. In addition to a rapid reloading mechanism, the cannon has mechanikal stability ranges, aided by custom-designed targeting protocols in the machine’s advanced cortex. The armory also provided the ’jack with a shock hammer whose electrical jolt causes immediate damage to an enemy cortex. in Cygnaran military tactics. After bloody clashes with Khador along the northern border during the reign of Vinter III, Cygnaran generals demanded more accurate delivered by modifying the chassis of the Ironclad to create a uniquely powerful warjack that has yet to be surpassed in
114
IRONCLAD Six tons of tempered iron and a hammer that can split the earth to knock a ’jack on its exhaust pipes? Pure perfection. —Gamack Redhammer, Engines East, Corvis HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 12´3 / 6 TONS ARMAMENT: QUAKE HAMMER (LEFT ARM) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 582 LBS / 5.5 HRS GENERAL, 60 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 556 AR
quake haMMer – On a critical hit, the model hit is knocked down.
CORTEX MANUFACTURER: FRATERNAL ORDER OF WIZARDRY/CYGNARAN ARMORY
IRONCLAD
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
emitting from its mechanikal eyes gives it a fearsome demeanor. Armed with a powerful quake hammer, the
– Tremor
When it came time to upgrade Cygnar’s frontline heavy warjack in the 550s, the contract went to Engines East in Corvis. This independent shop had earned its fame a century earlier creating several mainstays of the Cygnaran Army. As good as those predecessors were, they were designed on old principles evolved from mundane
6
12 18 —
POW
P+S
7
18
L
2 of this model and does not require a target. Make one melee attack roll. If the roll equals or exceeds model, it is knocked down. This attack roll cannot be rerolled. This model can make a Tremor special attack if it charges.
7
QUAKE HAMMER
ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: ENGINES EAST
The Ironclad is a walking behemoth of metal twice the height of a man. Gigantic smokestacks blow sooty “breath”
11
OPEN FIST POW
P+S
3
14
R
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
5
6
opeN FIst L L
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST LARGE BASE
R
U 7
laborjacks. The Ironclad, by contrast, was built from the ground up to be nothing but a weapon of war. The two most notable advances in this design are the use of a more sophisticated cortex, allowing considerably better performance in combat, and the addition of its signature quake hammer. Even when completely surrounded, the Ironclad can seize victory by smashing the earth with its hammer to send surrounding enemies tumbling to the ground. If an Ironclad cannot break something, it is safe to say that thing cannot be broken.
taCtICal tIps treMor – This attack roll is boostable.
115
ARCANE TEMPEST GUN MAGES CYGNar uNIt
Deliver the thunder and fire of your pistols to smite the enemies of our nation. —Warmaster General Laddermore at the founding of the Militant Order of the Arcane Tempest
leaDer & GruNts
LEADER & GRUNTS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
4
5
7
15 11
8
MAGELOCK PISTOL RNG ROF AOE POW
10
1
— 10
SWORD POW
P+S
3
7
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 5 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
2 6
– Models that received this order can participate in a combined ranged attack this activation. The unit commander must be the primary attacker. When resolving this attack, the AOE of the unit commander’s ranged an attack type for this attack. A unit can make only one Arcane Inferno attack per activation.
– Each time this model makes a normal ranged attack, choose one of the following abilities: On a critical hit, gain an additional die on this weapon’s damage roll against the model directly hit. • snipe – This attack gains +4 RNG. Enemy models hit are pushed d3 directly away from the attacking model. On a critical hit, the enemy model is knocked down after being pushed.
MaGeloCk pIstol Magical Weapon
Gun mages represent an elite caste of gun two decades the Militant Order of the Arcane Tempest has trained pistol-attuned sorcerers to harness their unique powers. Tempest members focus arcane energy into ammunition for their magelock pistols, which are crafted from an expensive steel alloy noted to be particularly responsive to arcane forces. In the hands of members of the Arcane Tempest these pistols unleash a torrent of deadly When gun mages of the Arcane Tempest march to join their comrades on the front line, the Tempest uniforms pyrotechnics to come when these elite gunslingers spring into action. Working as a smoothly oiled machine, they unleash a hail of rune-carved bullets enchanted by their unique sorcery. been born with the talent to become gun mages. Such
116
extend their power through the gun’s barrel. Only recently organized by the Cygnaran military, this once secret and exclusive fellowship of duelists has been absorbed into the ranks as gun mages. Arcane Tempest instructors temper talent with discipline and instill each gun mage with unwavering patriotism and utter loyalty to the crown. Gun mages must earn the right to wield the magelock pistol and wear the uniform of their order. Gun mages are deployed as precision teams to take down adversaries by attacking with coordinated strikes that can knock back enemy warjacks or tear entire ranks of soldiers to shreds
FIELD MECHANIKS CYGNar uNIt
There’s nothing heavier, more expensive, or more useless than a disabled warjack a hundred miles from home. —Commander Coleman Stryker
down.
CreW ChIeF
CREW CHIEF
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
commander if it were not for the mechaniks who brave the combat zone. These staunch soldiers dive into the midst of battle wearing little in the way of armor. They shun anything that would impede their ability to move into be miraculous, and many battles have been turned at the point of defeat by the reappearance of a warjack thought to have been destroyed just moments earlier.
taCtICal tIps repair – A wreck marker cannot be repaired. Crew Chief – Note that as the unit commander, this model is a ’jack marshal while it is in play. When it is destroyed it does not replace a Gobber Bodger model. Instead a Gobber Bodger in the unit becomes the new unit commander and ’jack marshal.
4
– This model can attempt repairs on any damaged friendly Faction warjack. To attempt repairs, this model must be B2B with the damaged warjack and make a skill check. If successful, remove d6 damage points from the warjack’s damage grid.
GoBBer GruNts
3
4
12 11
7
RIVET GUN
– While B2B with a friendly Faction warjack, this model gains +2 DEF and ARM and cannot be knocked down.
RNG ROF AOE POW
4
1
— 10
MONKEY WRENCH POW
P+S
2
6
GOBBER GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
4
2
2
14
9
4
MONKEY WRENCH POW
P+S
2
6
FIELD ALLOWANCE 3 CREW CHIEF & 3 GRUNTS 2 CREW CHIEF & 5 GRUNTS 3 SMALL BASE
– This model can make this special action only when B2B with a friendly Faction warjack. When this model makes an Assist Repair special action, choose another model in this unit with the Repair ability also B2B with that warjack. The chosen model gains a cumulative +1 to its Repair skill on its next Repair skill check to repair that warjack this activation. If it passes the Repair check, remove 1 additional damage point from the warjack for each model that used Assist Repair on the chosen model. – This model can attempt repairs on any damaged friendly Faction warjack. To attempt repairs, this model must be B2B with the damaged warjack and make a skill check. If successful, remove d6 damage points from the warjack’s damage grid.
mechanik can never have enough gear, as not having hundreds of soldiers. This is why they keep company with the ever-present and everwilling gobber bodgers. Gobbers love to tinker—no matter what, where, or how. They earn a pittance for the dangers they endure to carry extra parts and tools for their crew chiefs, but to them the adventure and excitement of the work is at least half its reward. Nevertheless, the buggers are known for tossing equipment and diving for cover until danger has passed.
117
LONG GUNNER INFANTRY CYGNar uNIt
“I heard they were going to start taking missed shots out of our wages.” “Well, I reckon we don’t miss, then.” —Two long gunners conversing at the Falling Star tavern
leaDer & GruNts
LEADER & GRUNTS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
4
4
5
13 12
8
REPEATING LONG GUN RNG ROF AOE POW
14
2
— 10
SWORD POW
P+S
3
7
FIELD ALLOWANCE 2 LEADER & 5 GRUNTS 6 LEADER & 9 GRUNTS 10 SMALL BASE
– When this model forfeits its movement to gain the aiming bonus it can also make one additional ranged attack this activation.
Since the advent of the long gun, Cygnar has
to support its vast armies. Originally the guns were muzzleloaders, and gunners had to line up in pairs with one gunner shooting while the other reloaded each ball down the barrel by hand. The introduction of the breechloader eliminated the
long guns employ the ammo wheel, with which single gunners can cycle up to six shots by cranking a lever atop the gun. Preloaded replacement wheels are easy to substitute even in the heat of combat, allowing ranks of long gunners to deliver a constant Long gunners make up the majority represent Cygnar’s relatively modern
were once seen only in small squads
118
taCtICal tIps dual shot – This is how the model gets to take the second shot allowed by the ROF 2 of its weapon.
line, but now Cygnar relies on them to man its garrisons and defend its borders. Working together with squads of hardened trenchers, the long gunners are the face of the contemporary Cygnaran soldier. They are well trained in shots that tear through even thickly armored enemies and warjacks. Fresh recruits who have just learned to handle earned widespread fame and notoriety for their skill.
STORMBLADE INFANTRY
CYGNar storM kNIGht uNIt
Gods use lightning to wage war. Now Leto can, too! —Chief Mechanik Garrison Grohl immediately after firing the first storm glaive
Stormblades are ready to face insurmountable odds and Part of an initiative begun by Warmaster General Leto Raelthorne in the years before he seized the crown from his brother, these heavily armored soldiers were each handpicked to become knights of storm. They have become ancient martial tradition with state-of-the-art weaponry. Upon selection for the Stormblades, each soldier begins intensive training in the use of the storm glaive. This ingenious weapon builds on the Caspian enthusiasm for sword warfare with powerful mechanikal storm technology. The blade itself, forged to exacting conductive
materials
to
direct
electrical energies from its storm chamber. In properly trained
leaDer & GruNts
LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5 – The Leader and models in this unit
6
7
5
9
RNG ROF AOE POW
4 to ranged attacks and +2 to melee and ranged attack damage rolls.
12 15
STORM GLAIVE BLAST 1
— 12
STORM GLAIVE POW
P+S
7
13
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 5 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
2 5
hands, a storm glaive can even send lightning forth to blast enemies at a distance.
of his unit and capable of conducting massive electrical surges. In wielding this weapon, the sergeant becomes the heart of an electrical storm that feeds on the energy of each glaive weapon’s charge.
electrical
A Stormblade’s armor insulates him against the currents of his weapon and is designed to withstand the deadly member to the next. In combat Stormblades lightning, a sight that represents a fearsome presage of the future of Cygnaran warfare.
119
TRENCHER INFANTRY CYGNar uNIt
They endure a life hunkered down in hip-deep mud as explosions rattle the landscape. Armed against war’s horrors with only a rifle and courage, it is by their sacrifice our borders stay safe. —King Leto Raelthorne
leaDer & GruNts
LEADER & GRUNTS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
6
6
5
13 13
9
MILITARY RIFLE RNG ROF AOE POW
10
1
— 11
BAYONET POW
P+S
3
9
FIELD ALLOWANCE 2 LEADER & 5 GRUNTS 6 LEADER & 9 GRUNTS 10 SMALL BASE
– models must charge or run. As part of a charge, after moving but before making its charge attack, make one ranged attack targeting the model charged unless they were in melee with each other
model’s activation. Models that received this order cannot make combined ranged attacks this activation. When resolving an Assault ranged attack, the attacking model does
the ranged attack before its activation ends. – blast damage, and does not block LOS. The model remains dug in until it moves, is placed, or is engaged. The model cannot dig into solid rock or man-made constructions. This model can begin the game dug in. – Place a 3 Its center point must be within 1 of this model. This AOE remains in play for one round.
The trenchers have earned a reputation as being men of grit who can be found at the forefront of
often the last to leave. It is the trenchers’ duty to Across trench lines and hastily dug emplacements, they seize ground
taCtICal tIps assault (order) – The assaulting model ignores the target in melee penalty even if is not in melee range of its charge target after moving.
120
and hold it, enduring the concussive blasts of cannon and These steadfast soldiers embody the courage of young Cygnaran patriots, and each is aware that every day he or his friends may be returning home in a box. Trenchers are bayonets, and they carry hazer smoke grenades that emit thick, gray clouds of smoke to obscure their position from the enemy. When the time is right, trenchers charge forth from their ditches to decimate the enemy with bayonets Trenchers began as an experiment by Cygnaran generals to see if hard training could shape surly or even insubordinate youths into skillful warriors. Every trencher endures a harsh regimen to be forged into a soldier capable of enduring war’s horrors. Over the years many retired veterans have eagerly answered the call back to duty to train the next generation always a trencher.”
JOURNEYMAN WARCASTER CYGNar solo
When you can caress a flower with the same hand you use to render stone to dust, only then are you ready. —Ideal given to apprentice warcasters by their mentors
spells arCaNe Bolt
Cost rNG aoe poW up oFF 2 12 – 11 No Yes
Magical bolts of energy streak toward the target model.
arCaNe shIelD
2
6
–
–
jourNeYMaN WarCaster
The tales of warcaster accomplishments have brought many hopefuls to the Strategic Academy to see if they have the to meld his mind with a warjack cortex. Those who prove promising begin training with veterans of the warcaster discipline in the hopes of unlocking their potential. Finding new warcasters is one of the kingdom’s highest priorities. Becoming a warcaster requires a soldier to reinvent himself. Many fresh warcasters have already served for years before realizing their ability to sense cortexes and must work hard
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
Yes No
Target friendly model/unit gains +3 ARM.
JOURNEYMAN WARCASTER –
This model is not a warcaster but has the following warcaster special rules: Battlegroup Commander, Control Area, Focus Manipulation, Power Field, and Spellcaster.
MeChaNIka BlaDe Magical Weapon
5
5
4
14 14
7
HAND CANNON RNG ROF AOE POW
12
1
— 12
MECHANIKA BLADE POW
P+S
5
10
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST SMALL BASE
3 5 1 3
to master these new skills. Beginning as apprentices, they control labor-exclusive steamjacks. Soon they move to disarmed warjacks and eventually earn the right to command a warjack—albeit typically an old or battered one—when reaching journeyman rank. As part of a tradition as old as the Strategic Academy, each journeyman spends a tour of duty under the tutelage of a veteran warcaster before graduating to the title of magus. In a time of war, this means journeymen must learn vital lessons while evading death, and some will not survive the tour. New warcasters are juicy targets of opportunity, and enemies seek to kill them before they can mature into greater threats. alongside their mentors and learning to become leaders of men and machines. Some mentors wince at allowing a rookie to command a six-ton powerhouse with lives on the line, but most know it is a crucial step in their development. Only the heat of battle burns hot enough to forge even the strongest talents into accomplished warcasters.
taCtICal tIps JourneyMan warCaster – This model is a non-warcaster model warcasters. Models with the Attached rule cannot be attached to this model.
121
122
TRIALS OF FAITH A HISTORY OF THE PROTECTORATE OF MENOTH —Hierarch Sulon, welcoming pilgrims to Caspia, 481 AR
The following were the words of Grand Scrutator Severius on the topic of the Protectorate’s history, recorded in 604 AR for posterity. As long as man could speak the words of prayer, he has worshipped Menoth. Mankind arose from the froth when the shadow of the Creator fell on the still-forming waters of the world. Since that creation, we have been His. Never He may reclaim us whenever it suits His needs. In the dawn of our creation the Creator did not coddle us because He knew our strength must rise from travail. lands where every shadow hid a threat and every nightfall presented the uncertainty of waking. Great beasts stalked us, and we learned to hunt them in turn. Our tribes wandered for millennia, enduring the elements and toiling to survive. We became stronger and more worthy. In our ignorance we did not know, even then, that we fought the Creator’s ancient foe, the Devourer Wurm. We were being forged into weapons by His hand. We know not the extent of the tribes of ancient man, but we gathered on the fertile land by riverbanks and the coasts of the ocean seeking to learn our place in the world. In the beginning man was a trivial thing to his Shaper, but our resilience did not go unnoticed. Man ascended above the beasts. To those deemed worthy Menoth gave the gifts of these men we know of was Cinot, to whom Menoth revealed the True Law transcribed in stone as the Canon at Icthier. We made structures to glorify Menoth and walls to shield our people from the wilderness. caste above all lesser citizens, and each man knew his place in the order of things. Menoth’s covenants ensured we led our lives in obedience to His priests, who themselves in recognition of our Creator so that He would never
be forgotten, lest we lose all and surrender our rightful dominance over beast and wilderness. This was the birth that would burn in every temple, uniting them as one and symbolizing our promises. Villages arose; some few survived and still stand as cities today. Heed my attention to these ancient times. You must feel in your bones and sinew that we are part of a sacred covenant with our Creator from the dawn of mankind. The ills of this world arise from those who have forgotten or shamelessly is our Creator and Lawgiver, and He gave us everything we required to foster civilization and thrive. When He in His place. Men are akin to children—so easily do they go astray. Even a priest may lose his path if we scrutators do not remain
fell to worshipping false idols and revering his ancestors rather than the Lawgiver. Some wayward tribes entered a the Beast of All Shapes, enemy of the Creator. Lesser gods Menoth, while those they led astray forgot to praise Him without whom they would be only dust. Time is as nothing to Menoth and at long last He turned back to survey his creation. When He saw how many had forgotten the True Law, He was much displeased, and His wrath was awakened. In spite of His anger, Menoth did not yet wish to destroy His creation. Rather, He sent a peril to test us: in 600 BR, the Orgoth arrived on our shores. Their invasion would be a lesson of what might come to us if humanity neglected its faith. Without Menoth’s favor, our bones would lie moldering in the earth, or we would be adrift in a void of lawlessness. Mankind experienced absolute despair under the grip of
123
the Orgoth and were thereby humbled. Menoth allowed
generations attempting to reconcile ancient Menite law with the increasingly corrupted revisions created through
rectify our follies. After the Orgoth quit our lands, the priesthood rebuilt our temples and walls and erected monuments to His glory. We helped the peoples of Immoren recover while spreading His word. Some listened, but others chose to abide by heretical teachings, once more turning their backs on the Creator. Our missionaries walked among them to teach the lesser faiths their place, particularly those calling themselves Morrowans—members of a dangerous faith increasing in popularity. Those who followed the creed of their deceitful god and his even more wretched sister were seduced by easy and slothful tenets and showed a devotion requiring no discipline or adherence to ancient laws. We tolerated this unworthy rabble only as long as they acknowledged Menoth as supreme. Perhaps we were too indulgent.
THAT THE POPULACE TOLERATED SUCH UNFORGIVABLE ACTIONS WAS A SIGN OF HOW MANY HAD FALLEN FROM GRACE.
Man is lazy and weak, so the lesser faiths spread over time, especially among the uneducated and lowborn. Those descended from the ancient priest-kings understood better that each man must know his place, both those born to govern and those born to be governed. During the rule of Woldred the Diligent in the 280s, our right to oversee the proper passing of the Cygnaran crown was formalized in law. Woldred understood the priesthood should be entrusted to recognize and authorize a worthy king, yet those who would undermine our faith were busy seeking to overthrow divine law. When Woldred became ill and died suddenly, our priests ushered his soul back to the Creator, but heretics calling themselves Morrowans unleashed their plot. The usurper Malagant toppled the rightful order by removing our priesthood from the halls of power and replacing them with those more amenable to his designs. Malagant went so far as to order the murder of hundreds of our priesthood. His blasphemy went unchecked. That the populace tolerated such unforgivable actions was a sign of how many had fallen from grace. Our priests sought too hard to preserve the peace when it had already been broken. They fought in the Cygnaran courts for
124
very courts had lost all legitimacy and that violence would be required to restore the divine order. Menoth watched and was displeased with the Cygnaran kings. His wrath stirred. The Cygnarans had turned away from Him in great numbers. They were like sheep scared away from their shepherd by a howling wolf intent on devouring them, and that wolf was their heretic king. Things could not have been bleaker for the faithful when the Creator sent us Sulon. A visionary, he proved to be the greatest mortal leader since the ancient priest-kings Khardovic and Golivant. Sulon was granted the holy sight, and he quickly rose to the station of visgoth of Caspia. Soon his words were known in every corner of Cygnar. He announced a great pilgrimage by which all servants of the Creator should join him in Caspia. In eastern Caspia, Visgoth scrutators, and trained the faithful as warriors, knights, and war priests. Knights Exemplar and others willing to bear arms were called from their posts and temples throughout the kingdom to join the visgoth at the new era’s birthplace. A vast number journeyed to the site of our new beginning, the City of Walls. This was the city that had once been Calacia, the birthplace of Priest-King Golivant. It was holy ground long before the heresy of the Twins and the building of their indolent Sancteum. By 482 AR Visgoth Sulon stood atop the ancient Great Temple of the Creator. His vision had become reality. From the summit of this temple’s elevated altar platform open spaces with faithful men and women involved in the industry of arming and preparing for what must come. Eastern Caspia had become the largest temple to Menoth in the world. Hundreds of thousands of our brothers and sisters joined in prayer. On the holy day we now call the Birth of Sulon, Sulon donned new vestments and became of the Orgoth. Those amassed wept, overcome by rapture. Though the overly proud Khadoran visgoths refused to acknowledge Sulon’s claim, among those gathered he was embraced as the uncontested leader of all the Faithful. That same year, the hierarch banished any unbelievers lingering in eastern Caspia to west of the bridge, seeking to make room for the faithful in the crowded streets of the district. We were overly indulgent in those times, for we allowed them to depart in peace and take what possessions mercy would soon take up arms against us.
The jealous heretic puppets in the Cygnaran court and their primarch master sent armed soldiers to the bridges in preparation to disrupt our holy gathering. Their excuse that they sought to enforce order was a transparent ploy for what was clearly an assassination attempt. Hierarch Sulon, knowing this would come to pass, implored the Menites to “Send them to Urcaen!” With that, the faithful fell on the Cygnarans with righteous fury and overcame them. Hierarch Sulon gave the order, and our River into western Caspia, igniting would soon be forged. Amid the battles the bridges fell, and soon all roads joining the two halves of the city were barricaded on either side. Caspia was a city besieged from within. For two years we fought. It was a tremendous test of our faith. reinforcements from the north entered Caspia, and Sulon fell in shadow of the Sancteum. Sulon had done enough, and it was Menoth’s will His hierarch should join Him in Urcaen. It became clear to those who fought that this would not be the day the Menites would claim Caspia. Their times of trial and testing were not over, and a
Sulonsphar—our tongues remain still and our hands stay idle for the entire day. Shortly after the hierarch’s defeat, King Bolton Grey V agreed to send an emissary to meet with Visgoth Ozeall, Sulon’s most trusted subordinate, and the conflict was soon declared over. A long stretch of land on the southeastern corner of Cygnar became ours to rule as we would. The crown feigned agreement that the Cygnarans would not impose their political will upon us. We were ceded eastern Caspia, for they knew they could never root us out from this sacred land. No longer wishing to be tied to the Cygnaran title, we declared this a new city named
Sul in honor of the first hierarch of the new age. We were Caspians no longer; through our faith we became Sulese. We knew the land so close to the Bloodstone Marches was bitter and hot, but as Hierarch Sulon once said, “Hardship is the coin of Urcaen.” Menoth would be proud of His children should they survive in such a place. Within the borders of this new protectorate, we could mold the vision for which the True Law and utterly dedicated to Menoth the Creator! So pure a theocracy had not been seen in western Immoren since ancient times. Unhindered by secular distractions we were able to recreate the proper castes of our faith and a society driven solely by worship of the Lawgiver. There were, of course, terms. This new protectorate would remain part of Cygnar in title and taxes, if not in law or religion. A percentage of coin, Ozeall stated, was a small
125
cost to pay for control over our own destiny. Another term disallowed us from maintaining a standing army, but Ozeall’s foresight ensured we would be allowed to raise what defenders were required to preserve our borders from the hostile tribes to the east and to defend our temples. This became the seed from which the true military of our new nation would grow by slow but inexorable measures. A stream of humanity ventured out from the walls of Sul to claim farmland east of the Black River. It was the new land of the Protectorate of Menoth,
land won by the blood of the faithful. The land was not easily worked, but increasingly the people realized the fruits of providence. Here had once stood Icthier, one of the most ancient cities of mankind where Cinot had discovered the True Law. Other holy and forgotten temples of those ancient and primal days of our faith awaited our discovery. They would be well worth the looming dangers of the Bloodstone
forgotten regions. Something far better than unearthed relics also presented than a blessing. While we erected our temples amidst brambles and dust and worked to carve our homes from the red sandstone from which the Marches takes its name, the
126
howling Idrian tribes descended upon us time and again. Sulese and Idrian blood watered the desert from repeated raids, but we remained unwavering. Emboldened by our visgoths and scrutators, we retaliated in kind, putting them know the name of our Creator or could not accept our holy mandate, they would perish into the earth. The greatest clash came in 504 AR well to the east of Sul as we moved on the collection of crude huts and hovels of their largest city, called Imer. Suddenly the hand of Menoth struck the earth as a sign,
shaking the ground in a tremendous earthquake that sent the Idrians prostrate but left the faithful standing. This was His sign that the slaughter would not serve us nearly as well as converting the savages to His faith. The Idrians had been ignorant, but they were not easily seduced by false gods. They recognized the hand of the divine. Immediately the majority of those tribes, particularly the masses native to Imer, converted to the True Faith and joined us. Our battles against the Idrians did not end on that day. It would take decades of strife and bloodshed to bring the southern tribes into our faith, but this was the great beginning of the unity of our people. The Idrians brought much-needed numbers to our young nation and showed themselves to be capable warriors and zealous citizens. Imer experienced the fruit of our knowledge and became a modern city with true walls and temples. The converted
Idrians soon proved their loyalty and usefulness to the Temple and later the armies of the Faith. It was the Idrians who led us to the diamonds beneath the Marches. We have no lust for wealth, but the heretics of the west crave such jewels, and trade was necessary for us to prosper. Harvested gems trickled into the hands of the Cygnaran tax collectors to blind them to our activities and to allow us to retain our more important resources. As long as the shining stones fell into their pockets, they paid no attention as the hierarchs who followed after Sulon began to build the strength of our nation. Idrians also aided in discovering the pure and blessed weapon known as Menoth’s Fury under the rule of Hierarch
it becomes truly potent. The oil becomes so volatile it can ignite the instant it is exposed to air, roaring like the manifest wrath of Menoth. Praise Him for revealing this to defy His word.
during which the Synod of Visgoths underwent many changes. It was nineteen years after the death of Turgis before Hierarch Ravonal took the mantle. We were relatively blessed that Ravonal’s death presaged only eight years of uncertainty among the ruling Synod. A number of visgoths and senior scrutators sought to elevate themselves at this duty was to Menoth. Visgoth Garrick Voyle rose from this storm of bickering voices, silenced all opposition, and took absolute control over our destinies. Here at last was a man worthy of Ravonal’s legacy who would carry us forward into a new age. It was in 588 AR, at the height of Vinter Raelthorne IV’s rule, when Voyle seized power and proclaimed himself hierarch. The divided visgoths and their followers were forced either to recognize his claim or oppose him. Most realized his invincibility and chose the wise course, but for some it would require an abject lesson and punishment. Aside from those few malcontents who soon received their discipline at Tower Judgment, the Temple bowed to him. His strong voice was just what the faithful needed to stand united and more powerful than ever before.
Fifty years after the foundation of the Protectorate, King Vinter Raelthorne III was crowned in Cygnar. He was a man who would tax and harass us mercilessly. The PRAISE HIM FOR REVEALING THIS
the bounty of our diamonds. Tensions rose as our people starved. Vinter III died in 576 AR, and the crown passed to his eldest son. Vinter IV embodied Cygnar’s corrupt ways in his treatment of his subjects. He found solace in life from his people. He was a richly deserved plague on them for having given themselves over to false faiths. The paranoia through which he saw his own followers was a boon to us, for we were able to gather our strength without interference. By Menoth’s will, Cygnar was further distracted as horrors from the western islands beset their coasts. As they bled, our strength grew. We are a people who thrive on strong leadership. Sadly not all leaders of the faith have the same uncompromising strength of character. Hierarch is a title that must be earned and is not given. The founding of the Protectorate saw this from the earliest days when Visgoth Ozeall refused to take the title. He knew his limits and recognized he was not the same caliber of man as Hierarch Sulon. The death of each hierarch has brought a time of turmoil and transition as the Temple adjusted to a new voice, a new manifestation of Menoth’s will in the form of man. Sometimes there is contention among the visgoths; this strife is natural, since we must ensure Menoth’s will above petty aspirations. After the death of Hierarch Luctine it was thirteen years before the ascension of Hierarch Turgis,
WEAPON TO US, AND LET ITS FIRE CONSUME THE HERETICS WHO SEEK TO DEFY HIS WORD.
The hierarchy of Garrick Voyle was also accompanied by a miraculous manifestation. He stood before the subjugated visgoths and showed where the True Law had emerged of its own accord upon his skin. Every word of the holy text
Hierarch Ravonal, to sever all ties with Cygnar and see our rise as a truly independent nation. Hierarch Voyle brought our nation to its greatest height since its inception. It was he who relocated the capital from Sul to Imer. It was he who made arrangements with our brothers and sisters across Immoren to ensure warjack cortexes could be crafted in number within our borders rather than relying on the spoils of war or the charity of the faithful in other nations. The Vassals of Menoth were instituted at his insistence. They captured and subdued foreign arcanists and bent their unholy skills to a sacred purpose with our powers of persuasion and torment. The Creator has allowed us to adapt to the challenges of the battles ahead without losing sight of our divine purpose.
127
monarchy has been made clear even to their citizens. In 594 AR Cygnar’s prince overthrew the king and gave us King Leto, a man of false faith who could not even heed the laws of his own nation, having usurped the throne from his brother. Cygnar is surrounded by enemies, and we will be
corruption of the west is about to erupt in a war that will decide the fate of humanity.
WE SHALL FINISH WHAT HIERARCH SULON BEGAN SO MANY GENERATIONS BEFORE. WE WILL CONVERT OR CONQUER THE LESSER FAITHS, BEGINNING WITH THAT OF MORROW THE BETRAYER.
Shortly after penning the preceding history, Grand Scrutator Severius embarked on his greatest campaign, leading an army that would in time become the Northern Crusade. The impetus for this campaign was a vision delivered by Menoth directly to the Harbinger. She revealed to Hierarch Voyle an imminent threat arising in Cygnar’s Thornwood Forest that required her personal intervention. Hierarch Voyle entrusted the leadership of her army to the grand scrutator and decreed that many of our greatest and most holy warriors should accompany them. In addition to confronting the enemies of the Harbinger’s vision, the in the north, one that could reach out to the countless wayward Menites living in Khador and elsewhere. Deep within the vile and corrupted Thornwood—long a haven of those who cleave to the Devourer Wurm—the Harbinger and her holy soldiers clashed with darkness incarnate. I am forbidden to reveal the exact details of this battle to those not of the cloth, but consider that the clash had been the site of countless atrocities.
In the last year we received the greatest sign that our rise to triumph is imminent—the emergence of a prophetess and oracle long presaged in our holy texts. She is the Harbinger refuses to touch the unclean soil. She is the embodiment of Menoth’s will and speaks with His voice, arriving unto our capital of Imer for the Synod of the Visgoths to receive her great labors our people have endured in the last few years to create hidden factories, stockpile caches of arms and supplies, and build weapons enough to arm every citizen— young or old—will soon come to fruition. generations before. We will convert or conquer the lesser faiths, beginning with that of Morrow the Betrayer. Every one of our faithful, and even some of our estranged brothers in Khador, will answer the call and recognize the miracle of the Harbinger. Never before have we come together so quickly and with such great purpose. The following was appended to the preceding historical account by Visgoth Juviah Rhoven of Sul and was widely distributed among the faithful by 607 AR. It is my honor to record the continuing history of our righteous people. We stand in a time of transformation, and I am struck by Grand Scrutator Severius’ foresight. He understood that the sound of our actions today would echo down the ages for eternity. Nothing great is gained
128
During this battle the Harbinger made the ultimate sacrifice to save the souls of thousands of Menites. In giving up her life she thwarted a plan that threatened the integrity of the afterlife itself. Her holy stewards risked terrors and countless threats to return her to Imer for burial. Menoth demonstrated she still had work left to do here on Caen when he graced Hierarch Voyle with the awesome power to restore her to life. Hundreds of thousands of the faithful witnessed her draw breath again and arise to inspire us anew. While these miracles transpired, the Northern Crusade marched on. Even the temporary loss of the Harbinger was not enough to deter Severius in the tasks set before him. His victories in the north were beyond counting, including the razing of the faithless town of Fisherbrook, the obliteration of a heretical Morrowan monastery outside Fellig, and countless battles against those who would stand in the way of Menoth’s glory as he advanced his army into occupied support and far from our holy lands, each of these victories
Here in the south other trials of faith awaited us. Our enemies are many, and they are cunning and dangerous. Victory is never a foregone conclusion. I learned this painful lesson in 606 AR.
At that time here in the great and holy city of Sul, we prepared for a massive attack on Caspia while our Cygnaran enemies were distracted by wars abroad. Our battles had become increasingly bitter in recent years as the heretics focused malignant hatred on the destruction of our faith. They went so far as to root out faithful among their own citizens and strip them of lands and liberty, preparing to send them to a squalid island prison for no crime other than paying respect to the Creator. Even as these prison barges steamed down the Black River toward the Gulf of Cygnar, we readied our forces. To our surprise the Cygnarans succeeded in what we believed was impossible. For weeks they had committed to the apparently futile bombardment of Sul’s walls, blessed structures that had never succumbed to force. We underestimated the enemy and paid a great price as those our sacred streets. The Knights Exemplar and Temple Flameguard gathered to face them resolutely, but the attack wounds when led by those skilled in battle. Never has my heart fallen so low as when I beheld the wound in Sul’s walls, and yet never have I been so proud of our people as when they rallied to the city’s defense. As we fought in the shadow of Sulon’s tomb it seemed the souls of warriors from throughout the ages lent us their strength in Menoth’s name. Sul was invaded, but it would not fall. We protected the Great Temple of the Creator. We proved that any built of stone. This interminable battle was carried from street to street in Sul for over a year, a grinding stalemate that earned both sides little besides blood and grief. After several reversals we began to gain ground. Upon the fall of one of their most clever, if treacherous, commanders, we pushed Cygnar out of Sul. Our soldiers surged into Caspia, but progress soon stalled and the stalemate resumed.
The Harbinger warned Hierarch Voyle that this would not be the time for our ultimate triumph, but he was not deterred. Garrick Voyle had always been a man of uncompromising principle and inviolable resolve. It was not in his nature to turn aside from an enemy once committed. He accepted the our enemy. After securing a long chain of divinely inspired victories through the streets of Caspia, Voyle eventually reached his limit. Like Sulon over a century before, he fell in battle. Menoth reclaimed him in his hour of glory, while his might lay undiminished. This was a reminder to us that we should be humble and remember that our wars are as nothing compared to the War of Souls in Urcaen. Our army withdrew in grief from Caspia, and yet we had reclaimed our holy city and demonstrated the strength of our faith. Cygnar witnessed the power of the Creator and countless of their citizens have crossed to join our ranks. In his history of our nation, Grand Scrutator Severius spoke of how we as a people are at our best when led by a strong leader. How prophetic those words seem. He described the long years of confusion that typically follow a hierarch’s time in our history, after Voyle’s death we were immediately granted divine omens that made plain the will of Menoth. It was decreed that none other than Severius could assume the governance of our people. The crusade continues without interruption, and we must focus on the battles at hand. The need to wage war upon the faithless is more crucial now than ever. Whether we do battle here in the lands of our ancestors or abroad with the crusades to bring new faithful to the fold, we must never shrink from the trials that Menoth sets before us.
While we had broken through the outer walls of Caspia, we lacked the strength to push aside its desperate defenders entirely. Hierarch Garrick Voyle paid close attention to the reports of these battles from the heart of his temple in Imer, where he eventually tired of this stalemate. Knowing there could be no victory without his personal invocation of Menoth’s powers, Hierarch Voyle marched for Sul with the armies of Imer at his command. I feel blessed indeed that my eyes have witnessed the wrath of a hierarch incited to battle backed by Menoth’s own hand. With Hierarch Voyle leading the way, we charged into the midst of the Cygnarans and left them shattered and destroyed. Everything changed in that hour as we marched through the winding streets of Caspia and won victory after victory.
129
THE HIGH RECLAIMER
pRotectoRate WaRcasteR no soul can escape his grasp. —High Exemplar Mikael Kreoss
Feat: ResuRRection
HIGH RECLAIMER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
7
6
4
14 15
8
CREMATOR POW
P+S
7
14
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS SMALL BASE
speLLs asHes to asHes
cost RnG aoe poW up oFF 4 8 * 10 no Yes
If target model is hit, it and the d6 nearest enemy models within 5 of it .
BuRninG asH
1
ctRL
3
–
no no
2
8
–
12
no Yes
1
ctRL
–
–
no no
Place a 3
5 18 C +6
Return d3 + 3 friendly destroyed Faction troopers to play. Place those models in formation in their original units completely in the High Reclaimer’s control area.
HiGH RecLaiMeR terror oath of silence – This model does not have the Commander advantage. Reclaim – This model gains one soul token for each friendly
AOE remains in play for one round.
iMMoLation .
sacRiFiciaL LaMB
Remove one friendly living Faction model in this model’s control area from play to allocate 1 focus point to each warjack in this model’s only once per turn.
tacticaL tips ResuRRection – You cannot return models to a unit that has been completely destroyed. Remove all damage from returned models. They can activate normally this activation. sacRificial lamb – A warjack cannot exceed normal focus
an enemy attack, or collateral damage from an enemy attack in its control area. During your Control Phase, after this model replenishes its focus but before it allocates focus, replace each soul token with 1 focus point. soulstorm – While this model has one or more soul tokens, enemy models entering or ending their activations within 2 of
cReMatoR Magical Weapon Reach
Menoth creates, and He destroys. It is the job of the Reclaimant Order to assist in the latter. They are an extension of Menoth’s will, and they return souls to the Shaper of Man to add strength to his wars in Urcaen. Even other religious orders of the Protectorate balk at the unbending standards and principles to which reclaimers adhere. Their severe masks of iron are bolted shut anytime their wearers walk from the unadorned cells in which they live and eat in solitude. Their last spoken words are their oath to the order before their masks are sealed, and forever after no words escape their lips. Even their prayers are silent. One man who took the Oath of the Reclaimer’s Last Breath has risen above his peers. Through this man the divine
Voyle publicly recognized him as the High Reclaimer, a title denoting absolute unity with the will of the Lawgiver. Never before had a man of this order demonstrated the warcaster talent, and it was immediately obvious that he would bring tremendous strength to the upcoming crusades. The High Reclaimer’s sole weapon is a ceremonial torch concentrated Menoth’s Fury. One crushing blow from the High Reclaimer’s great weapon smashes limbs and collapses anything it does not immediately demolish. Those soldiers who have marched at his side in battle attest that they know his will without being told. To prepare for hours in meditation and tests his limits with a rigorous regimen of exercises and fasting that tempers his body into corded muscle and sinew akin to iron. No one is safe from reclamation. It is said Menoth whispers to the High Reclaimer during his prayers, naming those who are to be returned to Him. Enemies, allies, even socalled innocent bystanders are oft reclaimed with no more foreknowledge than the sudden pressure of a crusader’s grip or Cremator’s hiss as it delivers a killing blow. Even lesser
clouds of burning ash and causes the unworthy to burst for failure means their own reclamation, perhaps by the High Reclaimer himself.
130
131
HIGH EXEMPLAR KREOSS
pRotectoRate WaRcasteR If you didn’t believe in the Creator before, you will today. —Long Gunner Sergeant Terschel Bannock to a fresh recruit sent into battle against the Knights Exemplar
KREOSS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
6
7
4
14 15
Feat: MenotH’s WRatH
8
P+S
8
14
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS SMALL BASE
cost RnG aoe poW up oFF 3 8 3 14 no Yes .
SPELLBREAKER POW
speLLs cLeansinG FiRe
DeFenDeR’s WaRD
2
6
–
–
Yes no
Target friendly Faction model/unit gains +2 DEF and ARM.
iMMoLation 7 18 C +5
2
8
–
12
no Yes
–
Yes no
.
LaMentation Enemy models currently in Kreoss’ control area are knocked down.
speLLBReakeR
3
seLF ctRL
Enemy models pay double the focus or fury point cost to cast or upkeep spells while in this model’s control area.
puRiFication
3
seLF ctRL
–
no no
immediately expire.
Magical Weapon Reach chain Weapon – This attack ignores the Buckler and Shield weapon qualities and Shield Wall. Dispel – When this weapon hits a model/unit, upkeep spells on the model/unit hit immediately expire.
Though few are blessed enough to know Menoth’s will directly, the god’s mandates are set in stone and passed from one generation to the next by orders devoted to divine service. These have perfected the means to prepare the Lawgiver’s chosen followers for the wars of Caen. Mikael Kreoss, a high exemplar of the Knights Exemplar, is
tacticaL tips Dispel – Because they expire immediately, upkeep spells that had
his destiny rested with neither the clergy nor the paladins he had admired as a youth. A visiting member of the Knights Exemplar overheard the acolyte at prayer and was impressed enough to invite Kreoss to join their brotherhood. Exemplars say their initiation is their true birth, when old lives and family are put aside. Kreoss left his past behind to pursue his true calling. Mikael Kreoss quickly rose in Menoth’s grace and in the
by mortal man. Kreoss was born into a community of the Old Faith in the rugged north of Khador. Bereft of his mother from birth, the young Mikael aspired to become a paladin of the Order of the Wall to serve as a guardian of the people after debtors conscripted his father into forced labor. The elder Kreoss was overwhelmed with the unrelenting work to reduce his debt while trying to raise his son alone. At last, in hopes of giving his child a better life, he entrusted Mikael to the care of a group of visiting Protectorate pilgrims who took him south to the Protectorate to provide him a proper upbringing surrounded by the faithful. Mikael channeled the pain of separation from his family into a quest for perfection. So strong was his conviction that he sought to enter the priesthood. As an acolyte, he encountered a band of heathens robbing a sacred crypt. Enraged, Mikael assailed them with no more than his Towering over his quaking foes, the Khadoran-born Menite seemed a wrathful, unstoppable giant. After crushing these desecrators, he prayed to Menoth for direction at the adjoining temple. While in vigil, Mikael Kreoss realized
132
in stamping out heretics and blasphemers wherever they were rooted. Even before the Protectorate initiated its larger crusades, Kreoss dedicated himself to going where “the wayward masses spurned Menoth’s laws.” Kreoss believes every man and woman lives as a gift of the Creator, and those who take Menoth for granted are soul to Urcaen for judgment. High Exemplar Kreoss’ concentration is unmatched as he directs interdictions of thousands of zealous soldiers and warjacks to key points in a battle. So strong is his faith that a mere touch from his blessed weapon can revoke the unwholesome sorcery granted by lesser gods to their wayward followers. Among the people of the Protectorate, Kreoss has become a living legend. When the decision was made to renew war with the Cygnarans, thousands gathered to listen to him stir thick rune-inlaid armor enhance his impressive physique, while his unwavering faith makes him a leader upon whom
133
GRAND SCRUTATOR SEVERIUS pRotectoRate WaRcasteR
—Hierarch Garrick Voyle to the assembled Synod of the Nine Visgoths
SEVERIUS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
5
4
5
14 14
Feat: Divine MiGHt
9
STAFF OF JUDGMENT POW
P+S
8
13
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS SMALL BASE
8 16 C +6
For one round, enemy models cannot cast spells and lose the Arc Node advantage while in Severius’ control area. While in Severius’ control area, enemy models with the Focus Manipulation ability do not replenish focus points during their controller’s next turn.
seveRius convert ( action) – RNG CMD. Target living enemy noncharacter trooper model. If the model is in range, it must pass a command check or it becomes a friendly Faction solo under your control for the rest of the game. The converted model cannot activate this turn. sacred Ward – This model cannot be targeted by enemy spells.
staFF oF JuDGMent Magical Weapon Reach
Scrutators require a singular strength of presence; they belong to the inner circle of priests responsible for policing the clergy itself, who in turn control the entire Protectorate of Menoth. They must be able to snap the minds of the faithless and overwhelm them with feelings of piety, servitude, and fear of a divine reckoning. Scrutators cannot show the slightest weakness or doubt. Grand Scrutator Severius is the stoutest pillar holding up the grand Temple of Menoth. Severius answered only to the hierarch and was given command over the entirety of the Protectorate’s military. Severius has single-handedly converted thousands of
ambassador of the faith—one too powerful to ignore and too dangerous to confront. After a particularly fruitful trip to Khador in the 570s, he was banned from that nation for the thousands who abandoned the Motherland and answered his call to join the Protectorate. Since the Protectorate has mounted increasingly militant and aggressive crusades, Severius has ceased these missions to focus on leading Menite forces in battle. Conversion remains a priority, but he conducts it now on subjugated villages and towns whose defenders have been slaughtered or driven away.
134
speLLs asHes to asHes
cost RnG aoe poW up oFF 4 8 * 10 no Yes
If target model is hit, it and the d6 nearest enemy models within 5 of it .
DeatH sentence
2
8
–
–
Yes Yes
When a friendly Faction model misses target enemy model/unit with an attack, it can reroll the attack roll. Each attack roll can be rerolled only once as a result of Death Sentence.
DeFenDeR’s WaRD
2
6
–
–
Yes no
Target friendly Faction model/unit gains +2 DEF and ARM.
eYe oF MenotH
3
seLF ctRL
–
Yes no
While in this model’s control area, friendly Faction models gain +1 to attack and damage rolls.
iMMoLation
2
8
–
12
no Yes
2
6
–
–
Yes no
.
vision
The next time target friendly Faction model is directly hit by an attack, it
In a parallel to Menoth’s ancient war with the Devourer, Severius lives to battle the enemies of his faith. He has a powerful thirst for the blood of blasphemers and brings a commanding presence and undeniable genius to the as his converts. His plans are laid well in advance, for he has a brilliant grasp of both strategy and tactics. Indeed, Severius has a plan in motion that will not come to fruition until far past his lifetime. While he is a visionary, he is also deeply traditional and strives to return the world to a state ordained by Menoth at the dawn of civilization. Age may have withered the warcaster and stolen his former strength, but what he lacks in bodily prowess he makes up for with divine power. As the blaze of Menoth’s wrath, he is able to breach the minds of non-believers with a single word. So potent is his righteousness, he wades through otherwise deadly arcane attacks as if they were no more than illusion. Severius is the eye of the hurricane and a center of focused spiritual control willing to annihilate anything around him that threatens his faith. Severius’ divine nature is so strong that if he so chooses, he can thunder the Litany of Menoth declaring the Creator’s glory. With a great boom, this divine rite reverberates to all enemy warcasters within earshot, rending their blasphemous connection to their impure mechanika. The litany proves that all things are Menoth’s and neither pagan sorcery nor heathen witchcraft can stand against Him. Through Grand Scrutator Severius, Menoth’s glory is unmistakable, and His voice shall be heard.
135
REDEEMER
pRotectoRate LiGHt WaRJack to nothing, scattered by Menoth’s hand. —Senior Scrutator Vorn
skYHaMMeR
REDEEMER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
9
6
5
12 17 —
SKYHAMMER
ARMAMENT: SKYHAMMER ROCKET POD (LEFT ARM), BATTLE MACE (RIGHT ARM)
with this weapon.
INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 545 AR
FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 154 LBS / 5.5 HRS GENERAL, 1.2 HRS COMBAT CORTEX MANUFACTURER: VASSALS OF MENOTH
RNG ROF AOE POW
L
16
3
3
12
BATTLE MACE R
POW
P+S
4
13
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
L L
5
6
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
R
Armed with devastating long-range rockets, the Redeemer was designed to deliver judgment from afar. This warjack carries an ample supply of Menitemanufactured explosives and a mechanikal rig to launch them. Borrowing technology developed for the Repenter’s ignition system, the Redeemer
light the propellants. The simple rockets are launched recklessly into enemy ranks to explode in a cascade of deadly debris that leaves enemy infantry with horrible lacerations and extensive burns FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST MEDIUM BASE
U 6
to heal. The Redeemer can deliver devastating though the inaccuracy of its weapon usually spreads the projectiles across a wide area, and it wields a brutal mace for In the earliest decades after its production, the Redeemer was instrumental in expanding the borders of the Protectorate to the east and south. It was often employed against rugged and determined bands of
136
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 9´10 / 4.85 TONS
inaccurate – This model
ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: ENGINES EAST/KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY (MODIFIED BY THE SUL-MENITE ARTIFICERS)
Idrian holdouts who refused to convert. Since that time the warjack has been more actively turned against Cygnar and other enemies of the Protectorate, deploying to support both border defenses and active assaults abroad. Many Cygnarans still wait hopefully for long-lost kin, not
REPENTER
pRotectoRate LiGHt WaRJack Such excruciation forces repentance before death claims them.
—Grand Scrutator Severius HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 9´10 / 4.25 TONS ARMAMENT: FLAME THROWER (LEFT ARM), WAR FLAIL (RIGHT ARM) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 165 LBS / 6 HRS GENERAL, 1.5 HRS COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 533 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: VASSALS OF MENOTH ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: ENGINES EAST/KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY (MODIFIED BY THE SUL-MENITE ARTIFICERS)
The Protectorate of Menoth uses the volatile oil known as the faith’s burning wrath. Older warjacks like the Repenter of Menoth’s Fury, as it is readily available in quantity.
against any who dared to trespass.
FLaMe tHRoWeR
REPENTER
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
Damage type: Fire
5
9
6
5
WaR FLaiL
RNG ROF AOE POW
chain Weapon – This attack ignores the Buckler and Shield weapon qualities and Shield Wall.
L
SP 8 1
— 12
WAR FLAIL POW
P+S
4
13
R
When they designed the Repenter decades ago,
12 17 —
FLAME THROWER
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
5
6
armed the light warjack with a great threeL
other arm they integrated L was little more than a pipe and an ignition system attached to a reservoir with a simple pump, but newer versions utilize fanning spray nozzles
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST MEDIUM BASE
R
U 4
directly into the fuel. is the impact of a Repenter’s blaze on enemy morale. Those of weak faith who face the Protectorate in battle have no stomach or fortitude for seeing their friends burned alive, screaming in terror while allies try desperately to extinguish delivering Menoth’s wrath to any enemies who defy his will.
137
REVENGER
pRotectoRate LiGHt WaRJack —Hierarch Caltor Turgis to his scrutators
RevenGeR
REVENGER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
9
6
5
12 17 —
REPULSOR SHIELD L
POW
P+S
1
10
POW
P+S
4
13
Repel – When this model hits an enmy model with this weapon during its activation, the model hit is pushed 1 directly away from this model. When this model is hit with a melee attack made by a model in its front arc, after the attack is resolved the attacking model is pushed 1 directly away from this model. This model loses Repel while this weapon system is crippled or locked.
DAMAGE
1
L
2
3
4
5
L
A
A
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST MEDIUM BASE
RepuLsoR sHieLD shield
HALBERD R
arc node
6
R
HaLBeRD Reach
U 6
powerful charge – This model gains +2 to charge attack rolls with this weapon.
The prayers of Protectorate warcasters have long been means to extend the reach of these holy warriors has always been a top priority. The capture of several Cygnaran Javelin warjacks and their arcantrik relays aided that research. In engineered the devices and laid the groundwork for the creation of the Revenger. Though the creation of these warjacks is celebrated openly today, their origin was plagued with controversy about the wisdom of using anything derived from Cygnaran mechanika. Employing the same procedures used to sanctify warjacks, mechaniks disassembled the arcantrik relay while the supervising priests
it to channel divine power properly. This remarkable divine endorsement of these weapons of war.
138
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 9´8 / 4.45 TONS ARMAMENT: REPULSOR SHIELD (LEFT ARM), HALBERD (RIGHT ARM), ARC NODE FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 165 LBS / 5.5 HRS GENERAL, 1.2 HRS COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 546 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: VASSALS OF MENOTH ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: ENGINES EAST/KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY (MODIFIED BY THE SUL-MENITE ARTIFICERS)
protect this vital weapon in battle. Aided by priests, the If the powerful runes come into contact with an enemy, the foe is immediately rebuked and hurled away. This has given the Revenger the ability to distance itself from superior combatants like heavier ’jacks so that it may retaliate from a safe distance.
CRUSADER
pRotectoRate HeavY WaRJack combined strength we will wrest a nation loyal to the Creator from these forsaken sands! —Hierarch Gerard Luctine, at the unveiling of the Crusader
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 12 / 8 TONS ARMAMENT: INFERNO MACE (RIGHT ARM) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 253 LBS / 6 HRS GENERAL, 1 HR COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 513 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: VASSALS OF MENOTH ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: ENGINES EAST/KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY (MODIFIED BY THE SUL-MENITE ARTIFICERS)
open Fist open Fist
inFeRno Mace
battle. Those early ’jacks were designed with open hands to pass as laborjacks in casual inspection. Meanwhile, wield as Menoth willed.
Reclaimers, can easily rend
The greatest of the new Protectorate designs was the Crusader, a massive warjack boasting heavy armor and capable of crushing attacks. The chassis originated during the reign of Hierarch Luctine, who devoted himself to subjugating outlying Idrian tribes. Even after most converted after the earthquake of 504 AR, many tribes resisted and continued to harass the young nation. The Crusader was unleashed to provide an unstoppable force in the battles to come. It also proved its strength against Cygnar when friction between the two nations prompted clashes along the Black River.
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
4
11
critical Fire
Already possessed of an immensely durable armored frame and powerful laborjack arms, after the development of Menoth’s Fury the Crusader was enhanced by the inferno mace. This weapon, inspired by the
In its peace terms after the Civil War, Cygnar decreed the Protectorate could not keep a standing army. Visgoth Ozeall acquiesced but secretly commanded engineers to build warjacks using cortexes smuggled from Khador down the
CRUSADER
5
10 19 —
POW
P+S
3
14
L
INFERNO MACE POW
P+S
7
18
R
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
L L
scrap. When the call to arms sounds, Crusaders assemble at the front line ready to hammer and burn the foes of Menoth to dust and ash.
6
OPEN FIST
5
6
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST LARGE BASE
R
U 6
139
TEMPLAR
pRotectoRate HeavY WaRJack Like the Wall with which Menoth blessed us, so is the Templar unassailable. With the judgment of the righteous the Templar strikes down our enemies. These are essential virtues of war. —Hierarch Caltor Turgis
sHieLD
TEMPLAR SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
4
11
6
5
10 19 —
POW
P+S
1
12
FLAIL R
POW
P+S
6
17
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
L L
FLaiL Reach
SHIELD L
shield
5
6
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
R
Beat Back – Immediately after a normal attack with this weapon is resolved during this model’s combat action, the enemy model hit can be pushed 1 directly away from the attacking model. After the enemy model is pushed, the attacking model can advance up to 1 . chain Weapon – This attack ignores the Buckler and Shield weapon qualities and Shield Wall.
The Templar embodies the Protectorate’s simple FIELD ALLOWANCE U philosophy of war: POINT COST 8 smash enemies with LARGE BASE overwhelming force from an unassailable position. The strength with which this warjack hurled back, their shields smashed from their hands and their armor crushed. Even as the Templar beats down enemies of the Faith, it advances further into their midst with unstoppable wrath. Those lucky few who survive its initial onslaught are doomed to fall beneath its inexorable enforcement of the Lawgiver’s will. When former Hierarch Caltor Turgis reunited the Temple in 535 AR, he broadened the Protectorate’s borders and ordered the construction of Templars created to guard of the Tower was such that the Temple dispensed with the usual practice of convincing the Cygnaran
140
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 12´2 / 8.4 TONS ARMAMENT: SHIELD (LEFT ARM), FLAIL (RIGHT ARM) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 253 LBS / 4 HRS GENERAL, 50 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 539 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: VASSALS OF MENOTH (CURRENTLY) ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: ENGINES EAST/KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY (MODIFIED BY THE SUL-MENITE ARTIFICERS)
tacticaL tips beat back – The attacking model can advance even if the enemy model is destroyed by the attack.
authorities that the warjacks were actually laborjacks. Freed Templars with simple but impressive weaponry—forever associating the warjack with defending the Protectorate’s a common sight marching among the crusading ranks of the faithful.
VANQUISHER
pRotectoRate HeavY WaRJack The Canon of the True Law states that his children will walk as giants among men. —High Exemplar Mikael Kreoss
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 12 / 9.75 TONS ARMAMENT: FLAME BELCHER (LEFT ARM), BLAZING STAR FLAIL (RIGHT ARM) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 275 LBS / 5 HRS GENERAL, 1 HR COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 598 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: VASSALS OF MENOTH ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: ENGINES EAST/KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY (MODIFIED BY THE SUL-MENITE ARTIFICERS)
The Vanquisher is one of the more recently designed warjacks in the Protectorate’s arsenal. Originally assembled in secret in the late 590s from imported parts and armed with distinctive Menite weaponry, this heavy warjack is as subtle as the faith it serves—in other words, not at all. Some would later come. whirling harbinger of death. One arm wields a length of chain nearly as long as a man is tall, its end capped with the “blazing star”—a viciously spiked sphere. It visits swift
FLaMe BeLcHeR
VANQUISHER
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
4
Damage type: Fire
11
BLazinG staR
thresher ( attack) – This model makes one melee attack with this weapon against each model in its LOS and this weapon’s melee range.
In addition to the perilous blazing star, the Vanquisher also wields from
5
10 19 —
RNG ROF AOE POW
chain Weapon – This attack ignores the Buckler and Shield weapon qualities and Shield Wall.
destruction
6
FLAME BELCHER
afar.
L
10
1
4
POW
P+S
5
16
R
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
L L
5
6
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST LARGE BASE
one devastating movement.
14
BLAZING STAR
R
U 8
of Menoth’s Fury that requires only exposure to air to ignite. Compressed into a heavy cannonball, these shells burst on impact, spreading an oily blaze hot enough to melt metal before consuming itself.
tacticaL tips thResheR – The melee attacks are all simultaneous.
141
CHOIR OF MENOTH
pRotectoRate unit Let the True Law be delivered by word as well as deed. Speak Menoth’s holy mandates as a shield against those who oppose us. Voiced by the faithful in our righteous cause, these words will become miracles made manifest. —Hierarch Sulon during the Cygnaran Civil War
LeaDeR & GRunts
LEADER & GRUNTS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
4
4
4
12 12
8
BATTLE STAFF POW
P+S
2
6
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 3 GRUNTS LEADER & 5 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
3 2 3
Hymn – RNG 3. Target friendly Faction warjack. When a model in this unit performs a Hymn special action, choose a hymn. Each activation, all models in this unit performing a hymn must perform the same one. If the target warjack is in
hymn, a warjack cannot be • Battle ( action) – The warjack gains +2 to attack and damage rolls for one turn. • passage ( action) – The warjack cannot be targeted by nonmagical ranged attacks. Passage lasts for one round. • shielding ( action) – The warjack cannot be targeted by enemy spells. Shielding lasts for one round.
BattLe staFF Reach
The Protectorate has long had an uncomfortable relationship with the mechanikal tools upon which its military relies. Since shortly after the Cygnaran Civil War, the Menites have seen the need to use the laborjacks and warjacks they had collected and cobbled together, armored, and of the tenets of their faith, however, such fabrications are inherently blasphemous. sanctify the use of these arcane machines fervent prayer and blessings. Successive accomplishments in battle are taken as a sign of Menoth’s favor, for it seems the Creator smiles alongside the iron-and-steel giants to further empower them with holy chants and prayers.
142
Sacred scrolls in hand, devout warpriests lead the choirs from among those deemed most likely to demonstrate the rare gift of connecting to and controlling warjacks in battle. The warpriest directs a powerful, ancient canticle reinforcing the existing bonds between warjacks and their warcaster masters. The choir’s prayers turn aside incoming projectiles, unravel enemy spells before they can reach their targets, and divinely guide warjack weapons to smite unbelievers. Requiring unassailable concentration and
DELIVERERS
pRotectoRate unit I choose to stand with the faithful and deliver Menoth’s judgment upon the faithless as long as I am able.
—Arms Master Krill Mayven
Whistling through the air in long and deadly arcs, the Skyhammer rockets of deliverers rain down across the thundering explosions. Few enemies are brave or hardy long enough to close, knowing entire formations can be Expanding the Deliverers from a niche auxiliary unit into a mainstay of the Protectorate was one of several achievements made during Hierarch Garrick Voyle’s push to reform the Protectorate military. After assessing the
Unlike expensive warjacks, the faithful could be easily replaced and thus could be deployed in far greater numbers. Early deliverers launched the dangerous, self-propelled explosives by hand, holding a length of wood aloft until the fuse burned down and the rocket spiraled into the
LeaDeR & GRunts inaccurate – This model with this weapon.
LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
4
4
5
12 11
7
SKYHAMMER
Rocket volley – Instead RNG ROF AOE POW of making ranged attacks 16 1 3 12 separately, two or more SWORD models in this unit can POW P+S make a combined ranged 3 7 attack. Do not add a damage bonus for the number of FIELD ALLOWANCE 1 models participating in the LEADER & 5 GRUNTS 5 combined ranged attack. If LEADER & 9 GRUNTS 8 3–5 models participate in SMALL BASE the attack, it has base AOE 4 and base POW 14. If 6 or more models participate in the attack, it has base AOE 5 and base POW 16.
air. Most of the time the rockets landed within the enemy Sometimes, however, they detonated immediately or fell to the ground woefully short of the foe. Ranking arms masters developed reinforced cylindrical tubes that could be aimed at the enemy and provided more control. Even with these improvements, only the most devoted become deliverers: walking into battle loaded down with explosives requires deep and abiding faith and courage.
143
HOLY ZEALOTS
pRotectoRate unit many so eager to die to preserve their faith. —Hierarch Sulon to the faithful
LeaDeR
LEADER & GRUNTS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
4
4
4
12 12
8
FIRE BOMB RNG ROF AOE POW
5
1
3
12
prayers – The Leader of this unit can recite one of the following prayers each turn anytime during its unit’s activation. Each model in listed.
MACE POW
P+S
3
7
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 5 GRUNTS LEADER & 9 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
3 4 6
• Fervor – models gain +2 to attack and damage rolls this activation. • Warding – cannot be targeted by enemy spells for one round.
FiRe BoMB Damage type: Fire critical Fire
One of its concessions in the treaties with Cygnar was that the Protectorate was not permitted to retain a standing army. Even as Visgoth Ozeall penned his name to those papers, he knew that should any leader of the Protectorate put forth the call to arms, he would not lack for enthusiastic volunteers. Many regular citizens feel the stirrings of their religion so strongly they would gladly give their lives to confront the enemies of the faith. They are willing to employ any weapon, even bare hands if need be, to serve that cause. The Menite clergy prepared their citizens, secretly training them for combat and creating massive stockpiles of weapons with which to arm them at a moment’s notice. When the zealots heard the call, they knew
144
to rush to one of these weapon caches and prepare to hurl themselves into the chaos of battle. Even after the need Protectorate citizens are given the liberty to go about their normal lives, be it farming or other industry, so long as they To bolster the faith of their people—and to remind them of the just torments of a coward’s death—Menite priests walk among the zealots in combat, sermonizing and leading them in prayer. Should a priest fall in battle, one among the zealots will invariably take up his prayers and lead the faithful. If one fanatic is a dangerous foe, a hundred thousand promise to be utterly apocalyptic.
KNIGHTS EXEMPLAR pRotectoRate unit
—High Exemplar Kreoss
Many scholars compare the various aspects of the Protectorate to Menoth himself: the faithful serve as the body of Menoth on Caen; the hierarch represents his head; the scrutators his mouth; the masses of the laboring faithful his bones; and the battle-ready zealots his blood. In this analogy, the Knights Exemplar are undoubtedly the weapons in his hands. Heavily armored in blessed plate engraved with rites and wards of protection, these fanatical warriors stand
LeaDeR & GRunts Fearless Bond of Brotherhood – Models in this unit gain +1 STR and ARM for each model in this unit that has been destroyed or removed from play. The bonuses for a model are lost if it returns to play.
LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
6
7
4
12 15
9
RELIC BLADE POW
P+S
5
11
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 5 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
3 5
ReLic BLaDe to a hammer striking an anvil. The mere unsheathing of their relic blades in war is considered a sacrament. Though formidable in their own right, the Knights are made nearly unstoppable by the divine gifts they receive from the Creator. They will not be deterred from their cause; even seeing their brethren fall in battle and pass into Menoth’s hands makes them stronger, fueling their faith and righteous anger. within the City of Walls during the Cygnaran Civil War. At that time only a few hundred of the holy warriors served the clergy. Now their numbers surge with thousands of the faithful who feel the calling to take up the sword.
Magical Weapon Weapon Master
tacticaL tips bonD of bRotheRhooD – Do not apply these bonuses until after by a simultaneous attack, such as Strafe or an AOE attack, the bonus does not increase until after damage has been dealt to all the models.
145
TEMPLE FLAMEGUARD pRotectoRate unit
They have proven their dedication watching over our sacred walls and holy temples. —Hierarch Garrick Voyle
LeaDeR & GRunts
LEADER & GRUNTS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
5
6
4
13 13
8
FLAME SPEAR POW
P+S
5
10
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 5 GRUNTS LEADER & 9 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
combined Melee attack shield Wall (order) – For model gains a +4 ARM bonus while B2B with
3 4 6
The Flameguard train ceaselessly with their seven-foot steel
its unit. This bonus does not apply to damage originating in the model’s back arc. Models in this unit can
liquid is piped to surface vents in the barbed tip and ignited by a mechanism triggered from the base of the spear. In excruciating wounds. Since the time of Sulon, the stated purpose of the a well-trained, well-armed military. Over time, these pious
Shield Wall.
FLaMe speaR Reach set Defense – charge, slam power attack, and impact attack rolls against this model.
Outside the temples of Menoth, the Flameguard stand ever vigilant. The great Hierarch Sulon created the order as it is presently known by conscripting able-bodied Menites in the days leading up to the Cygnaran Civil War. Though the temples had long gathered armed guardians from among the faithful, instruction and discipline to become true soldiers of the faith. gleaming helms and trained to use spear and shield, the Flameguard protect temples and holy sites and preserve In return for making themselves useful to Menoth, they are granted indulgences by order of Sulon and earn favored status and comfort for their families.
146
and last line of defense in battle, where they become a living wall protecting the clergy from harm.
PALADIN OF THE WALL
pRotectoRate soLo —High Paladin Dartan Vilmon
With members who embody ideals at odds with the harsh dictates of the ruling scrutators, the Order of the Wall has experienced a turbulent past. Its enrollment has periodically dwindled to near extinction, only to surge back again in periods of turmoil to reassure the population that Menoth
of the True Law, acting as bastions of stability when the wilderness threatened to overthrow civilization. The wall of their namesake stands for every barrier erected to shelter a community from external threats. Paladins prioritize mercy and protection of the innocent, which can force them to disobey orders given by the scrutators. Priests take this as a sign that paladins lack the
paLaDin
PALADIN
Fearless
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
stone-and-Mortar stance – During its activation, this model can forfeit its normal movement or action to
6
model cannot be knocked down. Stone-and-Mortar Stance lasts for one round.
DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST SMALL BASE
FiReBRanD
7
8
4
13 16
9
FIREBRAND POW
P+S
7
14
5 2 2
critical Fire Magical Weapon Weapon Master
obedience that is the hallmark of the Knights Exemplar. Paladins prefer to protect the members of Menoth’s flock rather than drown them in rivers of blood, and they believe even the wayward can be guided back to the path of the Creator—a philosophy for which they are beloved by the people. Encased in the protection of tempered steel and trained to hold against any enemy, each paladin is akin to an unbreakable fortress. When a paladin strikes with his Firebrand sword, it erupts in holy witness a paladin in combat cannot doubt For every soul saved by a paladin’s actions, two are lost to the wracks and thumbscrews of the scrutators. Paladins cannot be deterred in their sacred obligation to protect the faithful, believing that each martial order has its function in Menoth’s temple. If theirs is to be
147
148
LEGACY OF STRENGTH A BRIEF HISTORY OF KHADOR No other people have as rich a history of breeding strength and courage.
in blood.
The following is a transcript from Kommandant Grezko Antonovich’s “A Concise History of the Khadoran Empire and a Call to Action,” printed winter 607 AR. We must remember that our current greatness rests on the shoulders of countless generations stretching back to the Khardic Empire. A nation cannot endure without weapons wielded by strong hands, and our ancestors forged their strength in war. They united the Kossites of the Scarsfell Forest, the Skirov of the northern mountains, and the Umbreans of the eastern plains under one Khardic emperor. At the height of our glory, our hand stretched east to conquer the weak-willed Ryn and south to throttle the
greatest under Orgoth oppression as punishment for the ferocity with which we fought them. Your kin of times past were forced to feed the Orgoth by working the soil, enrich them by mining the earth for gems, and please them submit or die. They could kill our people but could never subdue our spirit, and we endured. Each nation has taken credit for victory over the Orgoth. It Iron Fellowship failed utterly and was quashed almost before it began. The Tordorans and Thurians put up a brave Again the Orgoth returned in force and obliterated those
bowed to us and swore eternal fealty to the horselords of the north. Our civilization stood poised on the cusp of total dominion before the arrival of the damnable Orgoth. Our battles today serve to restore the path of our proper destiny. Remember this when you hear the weeping indignation of those who fear us. Our cause is just. Those lands others squat upon as scavengers, scrabbling for our leavings, are ours still by right of oaths sworn in blood. I leave it to you to remind them with axe and cannon of what they have forgotten. The Orgoth defeated us, but there was no shame in this. They unleashed accursed sorceries and weapons against which we had no defense. We fought them for every inch and took many of them with us into Urcaen. We forced them to send more ships to our shores and to overwhelm us by sheer numbers. If the southerners had been as strong as we, the Orgoth would be nothing but a forgotten speck in history. The soft underbelly of the south is where they sank them in a quagmire of their own blood spilled by Khadoran blades. The Orgoth ruled for generations and defaced our great and ancient cities with their grotesque fortresses, strange
Llaelese subjects describe with misty eyes. That was their single valiant moment in an otherwise forgettable history. the invaders in 147 AR. An enormous gathering of strong They razed it, leaving only a jagged scar upon the earth, and deliberately excised its name. They then wrested the great city of Korsk from the Orgoth grasp. The Orgoth regrouped and beset the city. They sent infernal of destruction against her walls, but the city stood strong— as strong as she does to this very day. Korsk never shook and never again allowed hostile forces entry beyond her beloved walls. This was our turning point. Inspired by our success, a ragtag group of infant nations came together as the Iron Alliance in 160 AR and soon declared all-out war. give rise to the colossals. Other nations do not speak much of this period and pretend revealed the depths of their treachery even in this dark hour when we fought against a common foe. The southerners feared our strength and spoke poison words in the halls of the Rhulfolk, convincing them to assist in the creation of the
149
colossals. They isolated us from their debates and selected
many smaller gains, we combined northern and southern
to this plan, for they had long feared our warriors.
victory. The Orgoth turned back like a swarm of locusts,
When we learned of their schemes, we duplicated the colossal plans without their knowledge as a means of safeguarding our people. It was a small deception made necessary to safeguard the success of the alliance. Our secret factories in Korsk began their work.
as innovative and capable as any in other lands—better!— for they have strength of heart and loyalty bred into their bones. They proved that their hatred exceeded all sense when in 188 AR the southerners or the Rhulfolk—we know not which—betrayed us to the Orgoth. Against all bonds of alliance they pretended to hold sacred, they used spies to learn the location of our factories and revealed them to every front, they now turned their wrath completely against our people. They brought an immense army of inhuman warriors against our ancestors.
ALWAYS THEY UNDERESTIMATE US. CYGNARANS FORGOT IT WAS WE WHO INVENTED THE FIRST STEAM ENGINE.
The Motherland itself has ever been our greatest ally. She her skin, and conjured a winter to meet the armies of the great enemy. Razor-sharp winds and tower-deep snows immobilized the armies. Trapped in the valleys and the plains, the Orgoth were beset by a vicious cold that stole the very breath from their lungs. Khador herself had saved us. While the Orgoth could not obliterate us as they had hoped, they managed to destroy the factories we had erected. Who knows how many lives would have been saved had this not come to pass? We would have emerged from the rebellion against the Orgoth stronger than ever before. Instead our strength was for the moment exhausted, and our leaders were forced to be prudent. The obliteration of the Orgoth was too important, so our leaders cooperated treachery. If one must sleep beside a foe to guard against a greater one, so be it. 191 AR. Our great generals and warriors fought alongside southerners as we pushed back the invaders. In 198 AR after
150
swath of destruction called the Scourge. The day came sailing across the Meredius back to whatever infernal land had spawned them. Immoren was once again ours. Never forget what our ancestors endured for our freedom!
plans only to burn the parchment and begin again. The maintain the lines drawn by our former captors for their provinces. They insisted the claims of the Khardic Empire ambition, or fear, the council agreed to this preposterous idea! What had become of our heritage? The southerners took advantage of our armies’ tremendous losses and the fact that we had no colossals to back our demands. Subtle threats made it clear our cities might see the same fate as the Orgoth fortresses if we did not comply. room for the upstart kingdoms of Ord and Llael, built on the tattered remains of old Tordor and Ryn. Though the Tordorans had earned our respect as a tough people standing bravely in battle, the claims of the Ryn were the base of the mountains. Their squabbling people were unworthy of a place in the company of their betters. Treaties. We had earned what was ours by right of conquest, yet at that moment, with our strength diminished, they set upon us like jackals. The northern reaches of our land are nearly worthless to modern industry. Our mines, few and in
our southern reaches support the farmland needed to feed our people. Our empire stretched forth its mailed gauntlet because we had need of resources, and in the time of the oaths from those who surrendered to our benevolent rule. suits them. had manipulated border negotiations to avoid confronting a barrier between their soldiers and our axes. Leaders of those two nations were their puppets. The so-called kings
fawned for favor. Much blame has been heaped on our representatives who agreed to those treaties, but those of us who understand history know they perhaps impossible—situation. It was not yet the time to reclaim our our strength. Yet after decades had passed, learned men in Korsk brought to light an interesting fact. The had, for whatever reason, no a blessing from the gods. Perhaps it was a sign of Menoth’s approval of our respect for the written law, Treaties, the old agreements no longer had any hold. None who had agreed to those tenets lived, nor did their descendants hold power in the halls of our sovereigns. The lands refused us by those deceitful papers could be ours again without any inherent dishonor. In 242 AR King Lavash Tzepesci sent forth the call for all loyal Khadorans outside our borders to return home. Our kinsmen had scattered to earn wages and learn skills during the reconstruction but educated Khadorans gave up lives abroad and returned to the embrace of the Motherland. Most important were those who had learned the arcane mysteries of the Fraternal Order of Wizardry. The returning arcanists severed ties to that corrupt and foreign fellowship. In 243 AR the Greylords These men carried magic and occult lore back to our cities in a great tide of power and brought modern arcane and mechanikal weapons with them. This included knowledge of the construction of cortexes, which at long last allowed us to build our own colossals. No longer subject to the
the massive constructs wreaked havoc upon their lands and people. These glorious battles proved to the world that Khador could not be dismissed. It required all three of these nations to defeat us, like dusty farmers struggling to restrain a mighty ox. Although in the end our colossals were dismantled, we had proven the strength of our people.
strong but enigmatic leader. She brought unusual allies to Thornwood called Tharn. These tribes hurled themselves as they were by association of their bestial god.
we had put together an army mighty enough to stand Velibor, who ably represented the throne while the child
151
Queen Ayn Vanar V grew into her maturity. These so-called
nimbler constructs that had replaced the formally retired colossals a decade earlier. These warjacks now played an important part in our armies, particularly in the battles at the years to come we pushed Llael and Ord back and reclaimed our rightful borders.
e
exploit any vulnerabilities opened by their hordes. The plan nearly succeeded. say, laid siege to Midfast. There seemed little hope of the city surviving such a horde, but clearly divine will stood against Velibor’s victory. Some took it as a sign that only a true king of Khador could accomplish such a deed. I do not pretend to understand the will of the gods.
ledgefe p a lt sI s
y
l m
Tothe em
t
p
e
r
of barbarian tribes from the mountains and plains of Khador assembled. These were the last
tide of savages might succeed where more organized forces
la
nd
pilledbl ys o
d
r
o
u
shtheM o ri t
h
e
Though most southerners are cowardly and weak, the men of Midfast in Ord had proven their ability to withstand siege time and time again. They had even endured an attack
o
the tribal leaders of the enormous spoils awaiting them in the fat southern lands of Ord.
n
remnants of heathen tribes that had never properly joined our nation. Some were primitive and savage. Others were crude but noble, a legacy of the once-great line of horselords stretching back before Priest-King Khardovic. These men came to plunder the wealth of our civilization. Drawing on the example of Queen
Whatever the case, the Ordfolk fought well. They lack the stomach to meet us
forth from their border holds, but they remain resolute when cornered.
We recognize the rare occasions a great warrior arises Markus—perhaps descended of Khadoran blood—stood to rally the defenders of Midfast in their hour of desperation. for a week and remained an inspiration to his soldiers. To buy reinforcements time, he went out alone and challenged the chieftains of every one of the barbarian tribes to personal combat. I wish I had been alive to see those battles, two a confrontations but ignored them and fought on. It was only
claimed a sizable piece of the lands north of Midfast and its line of rugged hills, the Ordic Army had proven tenacious when pressed against this natural wall. Velibor sent the barbarian tribes against this fortress city to see if an endless
152
grave injuries and death took him. Ordic reinforcements
witnessed the event, and I believe it was a true miracle. It was not destined that those lands would be ours that day. This was a small defeat that did not cost the army of bided our time it may have served us better, but one cannot fault Lord Velibor for his ambition. Perhaps it was his lack of royal blood that prevented his success. When Queen Ayn Vanar V came of age and took the throne, she decided we had accomplished enough for a time. She was a softhearted queen and called for peace in 313 AR to allow our and fertile lands north of Midfast. Port Vladovar became one of our greatest port cities and the heart of our naval shipyards. Its capture is worth a dozen dry and barren fortress-holes like Midfast.
without a declaration of war there is never rest for our though the two religions devoted to Menoth and Morrow have their occasional tensions, they still exist side by side. Protectorate has challenged our national resolve, but even
what we take for granted. The state heavily favored one religion over the other, which resulted in division and
the wisdom of Morrow and his benevolent ascendants.
THE CYGNARAN COWARDS REFUSED TO FACE THE STRENGTH
including the loss of lands we had taken from Llael on our eastern border. At the time we considered these lands of region had been heavily despoiled during the wars with the Orgoth, noted primarily for their littered ruins and nobles protested we must reclaim Old Korska, once the eastern capital of the Khardic Empire, most were content to leave such ruins to the Llaelese. It is from this time that our troubles with the Umbreans began, a topic worthy of some attention. Once the Umbreans were part of the old Khardic Empire, like the conquered peoples of Kos and Skirov. They too had been horselords in few equals. We made a tactical mistake in our settlements a divided people. While the region claimed by Llael was strategically unimportant, it included the ancestral homes of thousands of proud Umbreans, a people as rooted in their lands as any tree in the Gallowswood. In letting them go we gave to the otherwise meek and cowardly Ryn stalwart allies, Umbreans of real mettle and warrior spirit. Llaelese merchants may be weak of arm and worth. They took in the Umbreans and rebuilt their homes, restoring Old Korska to create a new city they named Laedry. won the hearts and minds of the easternmost Umbreans, confusing their loyalties. While a goodly number of Umbreans remained loyal to the Motherland, almost as many began calling themselves Llaelese. These in turn
OF OUR ARMY DIRECTLY. HATE THEM, BUT DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THEIR CUNNING.
Our King Ruslan Vygor was a devoted Menite who learned by genuine visions, King Vygor claimed to be Priest-King Khardovic reborn. When he took the crown, he decreed he would use whatever force was required to ensure a new
forces carved the path through the perilous Thornwood that we now know as the Warjack Road hoping to reach
armies met them.
their cunning. Their tactics are slippery and elusive like the twisting of a snake—a lesson Vygor learned too late bombarded our army from across the river. Thousands of soldiers died, and scores of warjacks obliterated each other What sealed our fate was the betrayal of our mercenaries,
Tongue. As the vice closed on our army from both sides, the
as is to be expected of our distant kinsmen. It would be centuries before we could rectify our error.
153
Even in defeat we were not cowed, and many of our people
women on the southern border, the Thornwood War never truly ended; they continued to sap the resources of our enemy even in times of apparent peace. We must be thankful for their constant vigilance. Their experiences in myriad battles provided invaluable training and intelligence. Unbeknownst to those who witnessed the event, the crowning of Queen Ayn Vanar XI would mark the coming in this era was the peerless stewardship of her mentor and
to strengthen our nation during the long years that Ayn Vanar grew to adulthood before receiving the crown that who pioneered the rail lines that would connect our cities like vital arteries stretching across the long miles between. and ironworks proliferated, adding sinews of steel to the to lay a solid foundation for the rule of the woman who was like a granddaughter to him and who would become a
THE LOVE OF THE PEOPLE FOR OUR QUEEN DEVELOPED INTO ABSOLUTE FAITH AND DEVOTION
We cannot fault the people for being uncertain when in throne. The people were so accustomed to the wisdom of
The love of the people for our queen developed into absolute faith and devotion, particularly as she bridged the divide between Morrowan and Menite. She had been raised as a pious Morrowan but nonetheless convinced the Menite
Meanwhile weapons and ammunition were produced at a prodigious rate, with a steady line of warjacks emerging from our factories. Young men and women eagerly rushed to take our mastery of warfare for granted but instead to prepare our sons and daughters properly for battles ahead. All of this Queen Ayn fostered to ensure that her entire nation stood at her side as she initiated a bold plan of conquest. When we launched a massive assault on Llael’s western border in the winter of 604 AR, its defenders were was the proof not only of our strength in matters of war but also of the genius of our military commanders. There is no better example of what our nation can accomplish when our nobles, our military, and our society are of one mind. Llael’s western defenses crumbled under a simultaneous threepronged assault against northern Laedry, Redwall Fortress, and the southern city of Elsinberg. Many ignorant observers may try to cheapen this victory by suggesting the Llaelese Army was no worthy foe. Such a force could not hope to stand before Khadoran troops, true, but do not undervalue the valor of our soldiers or the accomplishment of conquering this nation in a handful of months. No one thought it could be done so quickly. The misguided Umbreans who bolstered the Llaelese defenders fought hard and well against us, their former kinsmen. hundreds of warjacks armed with sophisticated weapons to intercept our advance. Such a battle could have ground on for years, but in just a few months we surrounded Merywyn, Llael’s capital, and forced the capitulation of its Prime Minister. Those refusing to bow were executed. Some few armed malcontents and the last remnants of
The nobles quickly came to understand her merits and to of kings and Khardic emperors. This was not a sovereign content to stay the course and meekly accept historical injustice. She chose instead the far harder path of restoring our ancient birthrights. years in power strengthening the nation and overhauling the military to eliminate excesses and hone our strengths. She saw many corrupt and self-indulgent nobles, kayazy, more faithful servants of the Motherland.
154
was once Llael and have occasionally stirred like buzzing hornets, but this is a minor inconvenience. After the fall of Umbrean kinsmen back to their rightful place at our side. This process will not be quickly completed, as centuries of mistrust and Llaelese lies have infected these people, but in time they will realize how much better their fortunes stand with us. Even the Ryn will see that life in the empire is far superior to what passed for culture in corrupt and degraded Llael.
This great victory brought tremendous wealth and resources to Khador as well as proving to our enemies they had little
she announced that we existed as a kingdom no more but as an empire reborn, and she proclaimed herself Empress Ayn Vanar of the new Khadoran Empire. Yet this was not by any means a declaration that the battles had ended, as there remained far more to accomplish before we could claim to have met or exceeded the glories of our ancestors. back. Our army chased them from Llael and made them fear for their own borders. We beset their entrenched defenders at Fellig, Deepwood Tower, and the massive fortress of Northguard. There is nothing sweeter than the resumption of battles against old and worthy adversaries. our strength. No army can resist a superior foe forever, and we bled them unrelentingly. After years of harsh warfare, their great border fortress fell to our victorious forces. The once-proud castle had been battered by the merciless onslaught of our cannons, the defending network of trenches slowly emptied as entire ranks of their soldiers were slain. Still, they clung to the belief that they could best us, and the them as an inexorable red tide. That ancient forest, the Thornwood, has been a barb in our side for centuries and stood in the way of a clash on proper ground against our southern rival. Now it belongs to us. Our borders have expanded once again, and now our lands stretch from the northern Shard Spires all the way to the Dragon’s Tongue River. Across those waters, defenders of
south to view this miraculous manifestation, abandoning their loyalties and common sense. Even now a sizable force of the Sul-Menites from the Protectorate battle with our soldiers in eastern Llael, where they seek to contest our supremacy and turn our people against one another. Our loving empress has been forced to resort to harsh measures to curtail treason, making an example of any who would forsake their vows in favor of a foreign sovereign. Menoth is a foreign sovereign, not simply the head of the southern branch of the Menite faith. Swearing fealty to him while asserting loyalty to Empress Ayn is a contradiction. increased religious tensions at home and abroad, the majority of Khador’s Menites remain steadfast and loyal, looking to their local priests and not to foreign-born, selfappointed prophets or potentates for guidance. It is the responsibility and honor of those of us in uniform to risk our lives in battle to ensure our empire prospers and grows. The work of the farmer, the laborer, the merchant—
defended you and kept you safe now calls upon you. It is your strength that will overcome our enemies in the battles strength, and accept nothing less than total victory!
they witness our might and think of the inevitable day we will besiege their walls. Despite recent defeats, our southern enemy remains strong. They hope to drive us back and reclaim the Thornwood. There are many great battles ahead of us. Other enemies beset us at every turn, seeking to weary our resolve or distract us from our destiny. Rebels still persist in our occupied lands, and new threats have arisen, including strange terrors from the frozen mountains or the wilderness. Inexplicable horrors plague our western coast and seek to despoil our wealth. We have in recent years clashed with the fanatical Sul-Menite Menoth has proven it has grandiose ambitions and seeks to undermine the sovereign rule of all nations. During the will in the south. Far be it for me to dispute or legitimize
155
ORSUS ZOKTAVIR, THE BUTCHER OF KHARDOV KHador WarCaster Zoktavir is a force of nature as wild as Khador itself. Some say his manners and methods are crude and shortsighted, —Queen Ayn Vanar XI
Feat: Blood Frenzy
BUTCHER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
8
9
5
14 18
7
BLUNDERBUSS RNG ROF AOE POW
8
1
The Butcher’s rage runs deep.
— 12 P+S
8
16
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS MEDIUM BASE
6 20 C +6
Cost rnG aoe poW Up oFF 2 6 – – yes no
–1 DEF.
to lead his forces into battle. When the Butcher relinquishes
LOLA POW
spells FUry
bloodlust. control area, friendly Faction models gain an additional die on attack damage rolls this turn.
BUtCHer terror
Iron FlesH
2
FUll tHrottle
3
6
–
selF Ctrl
–
yes no
–
no no
Warjacks in this model’s battlegroup beginning their activations in its control area can run, charge, or make slam or trample power attacks without spending focus that activation. While in this model’s control area, models in its battlegroup gain boosted melee attack rolls. Full Throttle lasts for one turn.
oBlIteratIon
4
10
4
15
no yes
The force of this attack blasts apart the earth itself.
of eighty-eight warriors were simply dismembered parts strewn about the village square. Those who witnessed the aftermath told of blood so thick in the muddy streets that rats leapt from one body to the next to avoid drowning. The
lola Magical Weapon reach Weapon Master
The varied cultures of Khador’s vast lands are proud of of each of these proud lines. Although his parentage is uncertain, each of the peoples of Khador have at times claimed him as their own. Seven and a half feet tall and over half as wide, he is a massive man who manifested natural arcane skills early in life. Orsus’ past is wrapped in mystery; none seem to know of his life before he appeared in Korsk with two old warjacks
Khardov.” The news ultimately reached the ears of the newly crowned Queen Ayn Vanar. The pragmatic young queen absolved the warrior of blame, openly condoning his behavior as the reaction of any true patriot. Most of her kommanders guessed at the queen’s true intent. In parading a new weapon against internal dissent, she instilled fear that to speak or act against her could result in a visit from the
a strong monarch. strength and a potent symbol of the consequence of treachery. Younger warcasters view him with disdain and
the Orgoth fortress turned industrial city named Khardov, Tzepesci see him as nothing more than a weapon. Orsus Zoktavir wields his axe Lola—rumored to be named after a love whose loss fuels his rage—with singular fury. withdrawal from Khador to join with Ord. Orsus took it upon himself to crush the “traitorous rebellion.” When a waiting contingent of militiamen tried to parley, Orsus through the slaughter the militiamen surrendered, but tried to restrain him, but in a wild rage he turned on his own men and with his massive axe rent every living man
156
was shaped from the hull of a warjack to suit his frame by loyal battle mechaniks once in his service. In its protective wrecking crew. Soldiers across western Immoren cannot forget the vision of the axe-wielding giant from their warfare and bloodshed.
157
KOMMANDER SORSCHA KHador WarCaster She is a perfect example of what a woman should be: pale as the ice that blankets us, beautiful but distant as the starry sky, yet deadly as a winter storm. —Lieutenant Yurik Belavdon of the 12th Iron Fang Uhlan Kompany
Feat: ICy Gaze
SORSCHA SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
6
6
5
16 14
spells Cost rnG aoe poW Up oFF BoUndless CHarGe 2 6 – – no no During its activation, target friendly model can charge without spending when it focus or being forced and gains +2
9
HAND CANNON RNG ROF AOE POW
12
1
— 12
through sorcery, storing up
FoG oF War FreezInG GrIp
FROSTFANG POW
P+S
7
13
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS SMALL BASE
3
selF Ctrl
–
yes no
Models gain concealment while in this model’s control area.
4
8
–
–
no yes
becomes stationary for one
Enemy models without
6 17 C +5
round.
razor WInd
2
10
–
12
no yes
currently in Sorscha’s control area and LOS become stationary for one round.
A blade of wind slices through the target model.
sorsCHa
This model can immediately make a full advance and gains +2 DEF for one round. Wind Rush can be cast only once per turn.
Immunity: Cold
FrostFanG
teMpest
4
8
4
12
no yes
WInd rUsH
2
selF
–
–
no no
Magical Weapon
taCtICal tIps
reach
TempesT – This means every model in the AOE is knocked down, friendly and enemy alike.
Critical Freeze – On a critical hit, the model hit becomes .
father’s face at the age of thirteen winters and asked to be a soldier like him, he just smiled, patted the black hair on her head, and strode out the door to join his unit. Later that month her mother received word of the massacre at
Sorscha lied about her age and joined the Winter Guard. She fought against all odds and excelled as a soldier, surviving the rigors and mayhem of war fueled by the image of her father’s bloody end. Sorscha served in three consecutive tours of duty with the prestigious border garrisons at Ravensgard and participated
at the Druzhina in Korsk before returning to her men as a lieutenant. She advanced quickly through the ranks to kapitan and kovnik. A warcaster named Torisevich valued
armored machines even before she demonstrated her gift for warcasting. Sorscha had already shown hints of inborn sorcery but had kept them to herself, for she had been raised in a rural border area where such powers prompted superstition and dread.
158
Ordic border when Torisevich was slain in an ambush and his ’jacks suddenly fell dormant. In desperation, Sorscha charged unescorted into the combat. She cut men down like stalks of grain, but her troops were demolished and she found herself far outnumbered. One foe sliced her thigh and she fell. Suddenly, the world froze. Everything around her, including her enemies, stood encased in a layer of ice and frost. Leaning against one of the nearby Juggernauts, she found herself able to reach within its mind. She reactivated its cortex by mimicking the arcane sequence her untrained vision had perceived from her kommander. Sent forth at her bidding, this warjack charged into the nearby enemies.
began to learn to control her sorcery and warcaster ability from the enigmatic and gifted Umbrean prince, Vladimir Tzepesci. In her year of study with the nobleman, she fell in love. She saw in him ancient nobility, a sense of profound duty, and devotion to the memory of his ancestors. They had a brief romance before duty called her away to service at the height of their passion. Since their parting she seems to have become more embittered and pours her strength into the tasks at hand. Those who see her now would never suspect any ardor lingering beneath her iron discipline and unfaltering dedication to Khador.
Only the infrequent presence of Dark Prince Vladimir can thaw her soul, if but for a moment. “Fiery rage and icy hatred!” she was once heard to say. “These things a good soldier makes, not warmth and comfort.” Despite these words, there are those who believe her fate is tied to Tzepesci by a cord that will not be easily broken.
159
VLADIMIR TZEPESCI, THE DARK PRINCE KHador WarCaster Not long will any Tzepesci sit upon the throne, yet their blood nourishes the soil of the land. When the last perishes, so too shall a darkness descend without dawn, and a winter come where ash falls like snow. —The Tzepesci Prophecy, spoken to King Vladin Tzepesci in 210 AR
VLADIMIR SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
6
7
5
15 16
9
Feat: ForCed MarCH The strategic and tactical
SKIRMISHER
spells Blood oF KInGs
Cost rnG aoe poW Up oFF 4 selF – – no no
Vladimir gains +3 SPD, STR, MAT, DEF, and ARM for one round.
BoUndless CHarGe 2
6
–
POW
P+S
7
13
POW
P+S
A blade of wind slices through the target model.
4
10
sIGns & portents
throughout the Motherland
razor WInd
RUIN
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS SMALL BASE
7 18 C +5
Warjacks in Vladimir’s battlegroup beginning their activations in his control area double their base SPD and can run or charge without spending focus. Forced March lasts for one turn.
VladIMIr parry – This model cannot be targeted by free strikes.
sKIrMIsHer Magical Weapon Blood Boon – Once per activation, immediately after resolving an attack in which it destroyed a living enemy model with this spending focus.
rUIn Magical Weapon
–
no no
During its activation, target friendly model can charge without spending when it focus or being forced and gains +2
2 4
10
–
selF Ctrl
12
no yes
–
no no
While in this model’s control area, friendly Faction models gain an additional die on attack and damage rolls. Discard the lowest die in each roll. Signs & Portents lasts for one turn.
WInd Wall
3
selF
–
–
no no
This model cannot make ranged attacks, and non-magical ranged attacks targeting it automatically miss. While completely within 3 of this model, models cannot make ranged attacks and non-magical ranged attacks targeting them automatically miss. Wind Wall lasts for one round.
and his noble bearing is testimony of an ancient lineage. A prophecy delivered to the Tzepesci kings of old tells of a great doom to befall Khador when the Tzepesci line comes to an end. Those who know of this legend call Vladimir Tzepesci the Dark Prince. So powerful is the blood in his accustomed to being heard when he speaks. As some are born to capture strength and beauty with paints or to write great works of poetry, Vladimir was
Even in times of old before the Iron Kingdoms, when certain lands in Khador were the provinces of barbaric tribes, among those who rode to battle were some possessed of rugged honor who united their people with a clarity of vision.
service of his nation as a brilliant tactician as well as a potent warcaster. A swordsman with few equals, he brings swift death to all who dare cross blades with him. Worthy opponents are treated to longer duels, but most enemies are dispatched with little consideration.
chieftains. Of noble stock, horselords ruled for generations with oppressive strength, calculated cruelty, and a will to organize the chaos of the world. The Tzepesci, one of the strongest families to rule the provinces of Old Umbrey, are among the last of the great families. Indeed, a millennia ago the Tzepesci were the governors of Old Korska before it fell into ruin, and they even controlled the throne of Khador for
Vladimir takes great pride in wearing the ancient plate of his forefathers. Although it has seen some sorcerous repair over the centuries, it is the same suit of crimson mail his the Orgoth. Vladimir has trained other warcasters, and it is no great secret that he became intimately acquainted with the
resonates with Khador’s eastern people. Vladimir Tzepesci is the Great Prince of Korskovny Volozkya, one of the eighteen great houses that govern Khador, yet he represents much more. The ruling families of Umbresk and southern Gorzytska owe his family fealty wields in this region is enough to stir uneasy rumors in the
160
abruptly and left Sorscha distinctively changed. There is heritage, but those who know Vladimir cannot credit such a motive and believe the situation may have been more complicated than it appeared. Whatever the case, he seems determined to stay true to the legacy of his forefathers, who were always strong and faithful in their duties even at the
expense of their own happiness. There are those who call such notions—and his adherence to ancient tradition— exercises in vanity, but for Vladimir Tzepesci it is part of a Though Vladimir is respected for his great accomplishments, not all who meet him love him. It is whispered in secret
among the courts that the time of the Tzepesci has passed, and Vladimir is but an unpleasant reminder of a vanished era. These conspirators anticipate the day when the Dark Prince falls and the vast treasures of the Tzepesci family are annexed into the vaults of the Khadoran Treasury.
161
BERSERKER KHador HeaVy WarjaCK Respectfully, Kommandant, I must submit that even Zoktavir has questioned the Berserkers’ stability. —Excerpt from a report to Kommandant Gurvaldt Irusk
BerserKer
BERSERKER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
4
11
5
3
11 18 —
WAR AXE L
POW
P+S
5
16
WAR AXE R
POW
P+S
5
16
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
L L
5
6
M
M
M
C
R
R
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST LARGE BASE
ARMAMENT: TWIN WAR AXES (LEFT AND RIGHT ARMS)
Unstable – At the end of any activation in which this model spent 1 or more focus points, roll a d6. If the roll is equal to or less than the number of focus points spent, this model explodes and models within 3 unboostable POW 14 blast damage roll. Remove this model from play.
ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY
U 6
Chain attack: Brutality – If this model hits the same model with both its initial attacks with this weapon, after resolving the attacks it can immediately make one head-butt power attack against that model.
There is something uniquely terrifying about the still in service, it is also among the oldest relied upon by any modern nation. Some proudly view this fact as proof of both the genius of Khadoran engineering and the timelessness of their weapons of war.
manufacture well over a century ago, and the ’jacks are prone to charge without orders when near the frenzy of combat. The bloodthirsty manner with which they slaughter enemy infantry has long been legendary. Worse yet, their cortex alloys and the alchemical mixtures in which their cortexes bathe have become critically compromised by decay and are prone to massive concussive overload if stimulated with too much arcane energy. Those who know their merits make excellent use of these brutal machines. Armed with a pair of immense axes, cortexes and propensity for violence become assets when
162
FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 715 LBS / 5 HRS GENERAL, 55 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 430 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: GREYLORDS COVENANT
taCtICal tIps Aggressive – UnsTAble – Do not replace this model with a wreck marker. ChAin ATTACk: brUTAliTy – A model with a crippled weapon system cannot use it to make chain attacks or special attacks, including power attacks. CorTex sysTem
War axe
R
L
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 10´11 / 8.4 TONS
aggressive – This model can run or charge without spending focus or being forced.
facing their iron and steel counterparts from other nations. A Khadoran general with one in his army views it as a rampaging force of destruction to be unleashed at the right moment and expended in battle.
DECIMATOR
KHador HeaVy WarjaCK Subtlety is a word for strategy; brutality, for tactics. Even the most complex battle plans eventually require the application of brute force. This is where the Decimator excels. —Kommandant Gurvaldt Irusk
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 11´7 / 9.8 TONS
dozer
ARMAMENT: DOZER (LEFT ARM), RIP SAW (RIGHT ARM)
Beat Back – Immediately after a normal attack with this weapon is resolved during this model’s combat action, the enemy model hit can be pushed 1 directly away from the attacking model. After the enemy model is pushed, the attacking model can advance up to 1 .
FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 783 LBS / 4 HRS GENERAL, 45 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 587 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: GREYLORDS COVENANT ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY
taCtICal tIps beAT bACk – The attacking model can advance even if the enemy model is destroyed by the attack.
rIp saW As the Khadoran Empire has expanded its borders and come up against the toughest defenses of its enemies, it has needed increasingly powerful tools to sow destruction. Enter the Decimator, which Khador engineered to annihilate thunderous cannon smashes its victims to the ground before it closes and tears them to unrecognizable scrap with its mighty saw. The heart of the Decimator’s dozer repeating cannon is a revolving chamber housing the weapon’s
sustained attack – During this model’s activation, when it makes an attack with this weapon against the last model hit by the weapon this activation, the attack automatically hits.
DECIMATOR
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
4
12
6
4
10 20 —
DOZER RNG ROF AOE POW
L
10
2
— 15
RIP SAW POW
P+S
6
18
R
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
L L
L
5
6
R M
C
R
R
M M C C oversized ammunition. The impact of one of these FIELD ALLOWANCE U massive slugs smashes POINT COST 9 its unfortunate target LARGE BASE backward—if not annihilating it outright—and punches a hole in the enemy line. In close combat, the Decimator relies on its massive rip saw, a wicked weapon capable of shredding anything in its path. The ’jack has been used extensively in recent years to assault the most where it deals staggering punishment to their heaviest defenders.
163
DESTROYER Khador hEavy WarjacK —Harisc Vokmir, Khadoran Mechaniks Assembly
BomBard
DESTROYER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
4
12
6
4
10 20 —
BOMBARD RNG ROF AOE POW
L
14
1
3
14
EXECUTIONER AXE R
POW
P+S
5
17
2
3
4
5
ExEcutionEr axE critical amputation – On a critical hit, warjack head and arm systems that
DAMAGE
1
arcing Fire – When attacking with this weapon, this model can ignore intervening models except those within 1 of the target.
6
attack are crippled.
Compared to that of other nations, technological advancement of warjacks L R in Khador has been L L M C R R slow—mostly because the country’s mechaniks M M C C build their warjacks to FIELD ALLOWANCE U last. A prime example POINT COST 9 is the Destroyer, which LARGE BASE has served in various iterations as the premier Khadoran siege-assault warjack for almost a hundred years, gaining particular fame in the First Thornwood War. The whistling of its shells arcing overhead is a prelude to destruction, heralding the thunderous blasts that tear apart everything in the target vicinity. The Destroyer’s current design has not changed in nearly 70 years, but the series goes back as far as 480 AR. Even with antiquated armament, those impressive early from across the Dragon’s Tongue River. Improvements to the bombard cannon in 537 AR cemented the Destroyer as the centerpiece of Khadoran war engineering. Though most famous for its role in delivering a punishing bombardment, the Destroyer is no less formidable when engaged in close combat. Its designers did not skimp on armor: its iron-plated chassis is as heavy as the Juggernaut’s and provides formidable protection. One mighty stroke from a Destroyer can shear entire limbs from an enemy warjack.
164
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 11´7 / 9.5 TONS ARMAMENT: BOMBARD (LEFT ARM), EXECUTIONER AXE (RIGHT ARM) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 815 LBS / 4 HRS GENERAL, 50 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 537 AR (ORIGINAL CHASSIS 480 AR) CORTEX MANUFACTURER: GREYLORDS COVENANT ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY
tactical tips CritiCal amputation – On a critical hit, warjack head and arm
JUGGERNAUT
KHador HeaVy WarjaCK —Major Markus “Siege” Brisbane
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 11´7 / 9 TONS ARMAMENT: ICE AXE (RIGHT ARM) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 798 LBS / 4.5 HRS GENERAL, 50 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 516 AR (ORIGINAL CHASSIS 465 AR) CORTEX MANUFACTURER: GREYLORDS COVENANT ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY
mechaniks employ this principle with each successive warjack they design. As brutally efficient in modern warfare as when it was first conceived, the Juggernaut is a mammoth of plated armor regarded as the embodiment of Khadoran temperament and an example of the supremacy of the Khadoran martial warjack. Fewer Juggernauts come off the assembly lines today than in past decades, but they can endure brutal punishment and be rebuilt and repaired countless times before being scrapped. Some Juggernauts serving on the front lines have persisted for more than a hundred years.
open FIst open Fist
ICe axe
JUGGERNAUT
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
4
Critical Freeze – On a critical hit, the model hit becomes stationary for one round unless it has .
12
6
4 POW
P+S
3
15
L
ICE AXE POW
P+S
7
19
R
The current Juggernaut’s armament and chassis date
10 20 —
OPEN FIST
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
5
6
chassis is older, having
model. In fact, this chassis design is the basis for those in the majority of today’s Khadoran warjacks. The Juggernaut combines the most powerful steam engines her mechaniks can design with as much armor as its chassis can carry.
L L
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST LARGE BASE
R
U 7
Mechaniks Assembly created the ice axe for the Juggernaut causing it to seize up. Even glancing blows can freeze enemy warjacks in their tracks and cause their engines to screech protest against their frozen limbs. Khadorans respect power, and there is not a soul in the Motherland who does not admire the storied Juggernaut and its endless list of accomplishments in battle.
165
MARAUDER KHador HeaVy WarjaCK Praise to the Creator, who has sheltered our cities and delivered unto us such a weapon to shatter the —Visgoth Ruskin Borga of the Old Faith blessing a Marauder being sent to battle
raM pIstons
MARAUDER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
4
12
6
4
10 20 —
RAM PISTON L
POW
P+S
4
16
RAM PISTON R
POW
P+S
4
16
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
5
6
Combo smite ( attack) – Make a melee attack. On a hit, instead of making a normal damage roll the target model is slammed d6 directly away from damage roll with POW equal to the STR of this model plus twice the POW of this weapon. The POW of collateral damage is equal to this model’s STR.
Designed to pulverize buildings and armored warjacks with equal L R ease, the Marauder is L L M C R R armed with a pair of M M C C pneumatically driven battering rams. Though FIELD ALLOWANCE U originally developed POINT COST 7 to aid in siege warfare, LARGE BASE these crushing rams are even more useful for obliterating or displacing enemy warjacks, and they provide unsurpassed tactical control to their commanding warcasters. The Marauder can hurl ten tons of enemy bear knocking aside a man. An industrial mechanik named Targh Fedro was inspired to try this design after observing stonemasons in a quarry. After replacing an old laborjack’s broken arms with battering rams, he tested it against the quarry walls and nearly brought down the entire face with a single blow. Excited at the military potential, he took the design to the Mechaniks Assembly to build a prototype using the ubiquitous Juggernaut chassis. Those who witnessed trials against similarly heavy Khadoran ’jacks were astonished at the power wielded by the pistondriven rams.
166
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 11´7 / 10.25 TONS ARMAMENT: TWIN RAMS (LEFT AND RIGHT ARMS) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 860 LBS / 4 HRS GENERAL, 45 MIN COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: 522 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: GREYLORDS COVENANT ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: TARGH FEDRO (CREDITED), KHADORAN MECHANIKS ASSEMBLY
taCtICal tIps Combo smiTe – This ability cannot be used while either of this model’s arm systems is locked. A model with a crippled weapon system cannot use it to make chain attacks or special attacks, including power attacks.
Though any warjack can knock away an adversary if it achieve similar results standing still. With the devastating power of its ram pistons, a Marauder can send lesser of torn metal and shattered pistons.
BATTLE MECHANIKS KHador UnIt Get ready to have burns on your burns and calluses on your calluses. You’ll be covered in oil and grime with nothing but a wrench and your wits to get the job done. —Battle Mechanik Chief Usten Magrechev to trainees
No matter how heavily armored the great Khadoran warjacks are, even they are eventually worn down and
leader & GrUnts
are the skilled and brave individuals who dodge bullets and evade explosions to get the huge battle machines
assist repair ( action) – This model can make this special action only when
execution of their duties. Steadfast at the sight of spilled blood or oil, they are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to conduct repairs. redeployed as battle mechaniks, many of these skilled workers served their expected time in the Winter Guard, so they are often older and more seasoned than the freshly recruited youths bearing blunderbusses next to them. Few enemies are foolish enough to underestimate battle
’jack Marshal
warjack. When this model makes an Assist Repair special action, choose another model in this unit with the Repair ability also
LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
6
5
4
13 12
8
MONKEY WRENCH POW
P+S
2
8
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 3 GRUNTS LEADER & 5 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
3 2 3
The chosen model gains a cumulative +1 to its Repair skill on its next Repair skill check to repair that warjack this activation. If it passes the Repair check, remove 1 additional damage point from the warjack for each model that used Assist Repair on the chosen model. Iron sentinel – model gains +2 DEF and ARM and cannot be knocked down. repair [7] ( action) – This model can attempt repairs on any damaged friendly Faction warjack. To attempt repairs, this skill check. If successful, remove d6 damage points from the warjack’s damage grid.
mechaniks bearing wrenches—implements as capable of crushing skulls as they are of loosening oversized and stubborn warjack bolts.
down! Injured mechaniks repair their own broken bodies with cleverly improvised mechanikal limbs,
ingenuity shows the same spirit and optimism as the ways in the most challenging circumstances to engineer machinery that can outlast any one battle and stand ready for the next.
taCtICal tIps repAir – A wreck marker cannot be repaired.
167
DOOM REAVERS KHador UnIt I am not sure of the wisdom of employing such madmen. Our control over them seems tenuous at best. —Great Prince Vladimir Tzepesci
leader & GrUnts
LEADER & GRUNTS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
7
7
4
13 14
7
abomination advance deployment Fearless
FELLBLADE POW
P+S
6
13
Berserk – When this model destroys one or more models with a melee attack FIELD ALLOWANCE 2 during its combat action, LEADER & 5 GRUNTS 6 immediately after the attack SMALL BASE is resolved it must make one additional melee attack against another model in its melee range. spell Ward – This model cannot be targeted by spells.
FellBlade Magical Weapon reach Weapon Master
Khador is dotted with ancient ruins from the Orgoth era, and many of the black stone temples, fortresses, and hidden catacombs are now buried below ground. Occult scholars have picked through several of these sites, such as the ones below the great city of Khardov. It was there the Greylords fellblades, swords adorned with howling faces that shift eerily at the fringes of vision and are painful to the sight. Saturated with tainted magic, the dark blades seem to come alive when wielded. Swordsmen unfortunate enough to pick up these powerful weapons descended into savage and homicidal madness as they experienced incomprehensible whispers in their minds. Even in their sleep the swordsmen heard foreign babbling stoking them to acts of bloodshed. These men lashed out with berserk abandon and doubled strength, killing anything that crossed their paths. blades to wayward prisoners, particularly soldiers who had been found guilty of gross insubordination or other military crimes. The Greylords turned these men into doom reavers chained to their fellblades and directed in
168
taCtICal tIps spell WArd – This model is shielded from friendly and enemy spells alike. berserk – Spread them out if you do not want them killing each other.
battle by their urges. The maddened swordsmen can be wizards have done what they can to restrain them. Doom reavers undermine the morale of even the stoutest veterans, but despite this they have earned their share of bloody victories. So long as they persevere they will continue to be employed despite the argument that fellblades are too dangerous and should never have been unleashed in the
IRON FANG PIKEMEN KHador UnIt thousand years. Iron Fangs do not quail in the face of the enemy—even if it is six tons of iron and steel. —Dhurgo Bolaine, decorated Iron Fang Kapitan
The Iron Fangs are proud examples of the Khadoran powered machines that can crush the life out of them in a single blow. These hardened soldiers are part of an ancient tradition of spearmen who once fought the northern bear and later evolved into pikemen deployed by settled Khards to stand against the roving horse lords who dominated the southern plains and eastern hills of their empire. Just as warlords on muscled horses, they now form up behind their shields and bring weapons to bear against the warjacks that powerful explosive charges, Iron Fangs can blast through infantry and heavy warjack armor with equal success.
leader & GrUnts Combined Melee attack shield Wall (order) – For model gains a +4 ARM
its unit. This bonus does not apply to damage originating in the model’s back arc. Models in this unit can
LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
6
6
4
13 14
9
BLASTING PIKE POW
P+S
7
13
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 5 GRUNTS LEADER & 9 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
2 5 8
Shield Wall.
BlastInG pIKe reach Critical Knockdown – On a critical hit, the model hit is knocked down.
advance. They have trained to regard their heavy armor as a second skin, able to ignore its weight and even sleep comfortably in it. In battle they move with military precision, interlocking their shields to form a nearly impenetrable mobile wall. After centuries of service, the Iron Fangs have become a heralded tradition of the Khadoran Army, their fraternal bond legendary. Upon acceptance into the legion of Iron Fangs, a life he lived before, and dedicates himself to his fellow soldiers, his country, and the art of war.
169
MAN-O-WAR SHOCKTROOPERS KHador UnIt Soldiers who retire from battle become no more than old, sad men. They shrivel away to nothing and huddle by their hearths to await death’s release. I will not fade like that. When the time comes, I will die in steam! —Deidric Harkinos, veteran man-o-war shocktrooper
leader & GrUnts
LEADER & GRUNTS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
4
9
7
5
11 17
9
SHIELD CANNON RNG ROF AOE POW
6
1
— 14
Combined Melee attack Fearless shield Wall (order) – For model gains a +4 ARM
ANNIHILATOR BLADE POW
P+S
5
14
DAMAGE 8 EA FIELD ALLOWANCE 3 LEADER & 2 GRUNTS 6 LEADER & 4 GRUNTS 9 MEDIUM BASE
its unit. This bonus does not apply to damage originating in the model’s back arc. Models in this unit can Shield Wall.
annIHIlator Blade reach
in Khador requires rare materials in short supply, the Khadoran Mechaniks Assembly had long sought a viable supplement to these expensive and precious weapons. In 470 AR Jachemir Venianminov came upon a solution that transforming men into steam-powered wrecking crews called men-o-war. The suit of armor worn by a mano-war is a miraculous creation imbuing the soldier with almost the same strength, durability, and protection against the elements as a warjack. There are drawbacks to wearing heavy battle armor powered by a steam boiler, however. Men-o-war are susceptible to heat stroke, exhaustion, and the occasional steam leak that can cook them alive in minutes. Despite these possibilities, one will never hear a man-o-war complaining or asking for comfort, for they are proud of their tradition and willingly embrace the risks in the service of the military.
170
Man-o-war shocktroopers wield powerful annihilator blades, one stroke of which can split the armor of a light warjack or wholly eviscerate a mere man. As with more ranks and lock their shields in formation, but each shield also boasts a powerful short-range cannon. Though the shocktroopers prefer to rely on their blades, the cannon blast Only the most steadfast soldiers earn the right to join the men-o-war, though many jump at the opportunity. After all, it is not every day that one can experience the world from a warjack’s perspective.
WIDOWMAKERS KHador UnIt With every bullet you carry death. —Widowmaker Kapitan Govoyen Krinevich
Widowmakers are the elite scout-sniper division of the Khadoran military, which has embraced and elevated them to the status of national heroes. The standards to join the Widowmakers are among the most exacting of all Khador’s
membership is open to any who aspires to bring death from afar, whether peasant-born, rural hunter, or of noble blood. skill that cannot be overstated, able to take apart incoming warjacks piece by piece with well-placed shots. Killing a man is as automatic as drawing breath.
leader & GrUnts advance deployment
LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
5
4
7
14 11
– This model gains an additional +2
HUNTING RIFLE
concealment or cover.
SWORD
sniper – When damaging a warjack or warbeast with a ranged attack, choose which damage. Instead of rolling damage on a ranged attack,
8
RNG ROF AOE POW
14
1
— 10
POW
P+S
3
8
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 3 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
1 4
damage point. A model that participates in a combined ranged attack loses Sniper until the attack is resolved.
to facilitate chaos among the enemy. They frequently advance ahead of the main battlegroup, their arrival
strategic withdrawals by ensuring their own wounded do cannot be retrieved, Widowmakers make sure he does not fall into the wrong hands for interrogation. A true patriot knows it is better to die by a comrade’s bullet than to be placed in irons on an enemy’s torture rack. Widowmakers know that inspiring fear and hatred come
kayazy suspected of disloyalty to the crown. Widowmakers expect little charity from their enemies if captured; indeed,
taCtICal tIps CAmoUflAge – If a model ignores concealment or cover, it also
171
WINTER GUARD INFANTRY KHador UnIt It is the joy of every son and daughter of the Motherland to take up arms and defend her to the death. He who would avoid this service does not deserve to breathe the same air as the patriot who stands next to him. —Lord Regent Velibor
leader & GrUnts
LEADER & GRUNTS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
5
5
5
12 13
Combined ranged attack
8
When a Khadoran male reaches seventeen winters, 8 1 — 12 he is conscripted into the AXE Winter Guard. Women POW P+S are also accepted into 3 8 the ranks, though they FIELD ALLOWANCE 3 are discouraged from LEADER & 5 GRUNTS 4 volunteering if they have LEADER & 9 GRUNTS 6 children in their care. Some SMALL BASE conscripts are assigned to police forces that patrol the towns and cities of Khador, while others are sent to the front lines. As the war escalates and unexpected threats manifest even within Khador’s borders, the people increasingly look to the Winter Guard for protection. BLUNDERBUSS
RNG ROF AOE POW
Winter Guard equipment has changed only slightly since their inception. Their battle axes are stout and well suited for into the enemy should they close. Most infantry, however, rely on the blunderbuss, a powerful if somewhat inaccurate capable of penetrating the armor of a warjack. Though weapons, there is no doubt they pack a powerful punch, particularly when Winter Guard concentrate ammunition that can be produced in bulk, these guns place little strain on the Khadoran treasury.
172
The Winter Guard make up the majority of the Khadoran military and are found at the core of every garrison and substantial combat force. Their training is designed to get the young soldiers immediately into battle. Empress Ayn Vanar has been able to maintain constant reinforcements many Winter Guard training camps across Khador, from the largest complexes at Volningrad to the rural outposts near Uldenfrost. Through their training, members of the Winter their nation by risking death in battle.
MANHUNTER KHador solo Blood is the coin of this realm now, and he is the paymaster. —Kommander Sorscha Kratikoff
rural areas of Khador. Khadoran hunters tend to be held in higher regard than those of other kingdoms, particularly in the cold and rugged northern mountains and forests. Experts at tracking and killing dangerous game, some have
ManHUnter advance deployment Fearless
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
8
8
4
14 14
9
AXE stealth
First and foremost, manhunters are trackers skilled at traversing the hostile wilderness. Lowland brush, forests, and snow are all as well-paved roads to a manhunter. Long years of harsh life in the Khadoran wilds have hardened their
MANHUNTER
– This model gains an additional +2 concealment or cover.
axes
POW
P+S
3
11
DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST SMALL BASE
5 2 2
Weapon Master
scouts, and sometimes assassins, for the right price. Manhunters often accompany reconnaissance groups of Widowmakers and their Kossite peers to strike at the enemy from unexpected directions, usually operating behind enemy lines. Whether stalking prey in silence or swinging
taCtICal tIps CAmoUflAge – If a model ignores concealment or cover, it also
frightful killers. The hiring of such men by the Khadoran Army is an old tradition, and their value on the fringes has been exploited in many wars. In exchange for their services, they are well provided for by the armies that hire them. There are dark whispers of manhunters who enjoy the hunt too much and give in to their animal urges and the euphoria of the kill. These hunters often possess track however—and there are none better at chasing an enemy to ground.
173
174
DEATH DENIED
HISTORY OF THE NIGHTMARE EMPIRE Your claim to power is meaningless. There is only servitude or annihilation. Make your choice. —Emissary of Lord Toruk to the fourteen pirate kings of the Scharde Isles
The following is a treatise on the Cryxian mission written by Darragh Wrathe, winter 607 AR. I will endeavor to chronicle Cryx’s origins with special attention to the crucial events of recent years as we enter
every soul at our disposal is a weapon to be expended resource toward total victory. Serve well and the rewards may surpass your life’s
plans. In the coming days we must act swiftly if we are to capitalize upon opportunities that have arisen even as we God is everlasting and patient and can penetrate the future
will fall
against us and delay his everlasting dominion. Better
our innumerable legions set upon them and consign their fragile nations to ruin will they see the truth.
judged according to your capabilities. Should you be found
from your bones and rendered in our necrofactoriums. If
soul will be submitted to agonies beyond description as our masters consume the scant energies of your pitiful immortal essence. and power you possess to deliver death to those who would resist us. Set the machines created by our ceaseless respite and no mercy.
will begin to understand the immortal glory that is the life or servitude in death. Every village that falls brings us another legion. Every city slaughtered becomes another enemies would be made even more fearful were they to realize that their subjugation is not our true goal but simply an expedience.
he is everlasting and beyond the strength of even the mightiest armies.
for the land or resources that consume the petty politics of was alone in strength and might and therefore sought to duplicate his perfection by creating a brood that would
175
primal athanc—and from these slivers of living crystal
from their master as we their servants are from them. before their creator. Each considered itself a god in turn
beset by the fury of fang and claw.
FOR SIXTEEN CENTURIES CRYX
and together they had yet to meet a threat they could not
bathed and battle-tested.
HAS EVOLVED WHILE LORD TORUK SHAPED EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE AND DEATH.
wills and wits that has persisted for thousands of years.
He sent an emissary to reveal his demands. Ignorant of
them to muster their armies and prepare to battle our god. Atramentous was a dirgenmast ship once of the Even in those ancient days it had earned a reputation as a
Each was a great and mighty serpent that perished beneath
its merciless crew would sail forth to pillage. Proving his
their destruction. Even the mightiest of them could not stand against our lord alone. Sixteen centuries ago the survivors put aside their sibling hatred to create a tenuous
Atramentous and obliterated
spirits bound to their ship so tightly it could retain them against so many he could gain no advantage. While they At last he conceded and withdrew. He descended on the
been forged into a weapon to conclude a war between immortal powers.
Atramentous came upon the
unliving crew poured forth across the piers to light the ships of the harbor ablaze and sweep through the mortal their number.
exist among us his greatest servants who have been witness to the entirety of our history. No other nation can Moorcraig absented himself. Perhaps some oracle had to the experience of our immortal host.
176
it to ruin beneath his terrible prostrated themselves in the surviving tower. Stubborn to the
souls were enslaved and they chosen by him as vassals to rule
and perhaps that disgraced former
castle and hoped his collection of ancient relics would protect him.
schemes burned and were buried in rubble.
empire and were privy to secrets
worthy of our master and capable of bringing to heel the progeny that had betrayed him. Few of the began in this era and grew into a tradition passed down through the centuries. We are the recent inheritors of secrets
replace them. In those early centuries the lich lords divided the reanimation and soul extraction that would become the and united their servants and demonstrated their freshly
forth from our lord himself have shaped the very land and its people. What some call the “blight” seeps inevitably
and pirate hold to heel and made brutal examples of those his brand upon all in his domain. people clung to and gave them the choice of servitude in and master of these islands.
those chosen to aid the lich lords in building armies
177
the manipulation of death-born power. He was not one
insight into their tactics and potential use. to lend strength to his mission. advancement m a s t e r e r o h f t u a
Even as the moment arrived when Cryxian armies were ready to crush the petty
t ll
o u s D r a g i r o
a
n
s
f
waters and thereby
and invention. Even
lo
o r m e n t e t e n
G
r
a
though the lich lords of Cryx had created an entire occult science and applied its mechanisms to perfect our industries
ld
t h d e n e a i e d
It has long been our philosophy to turn the tools of our
to salvage debris and reclaim the corpses of those who had measures we learned all that was necessary to construct our own engines of war. invaders were allowed to occupy the northern island of was destroyed.
acted with patience rather than attempting their immediate
178
We
have
since
fueled
our
industries
with
every
places that have seen mass torture and death and where life energy bleeds into mud and ash to saturate the stones
the lich lords in the form of handful of living prisoners and
even more powerful one in the souls of the living. We who master the arts of necromancy can feed upon these souls and use them as fuel for the marshalling of our power.
nations remain ignorant of the full strength of our naval anticipated this eventuality. For years the necrotechs of
have confused their assessment of our true capabilities. In
to assail them. their corpses had proven resistant to initial attempts to
TIME IS MEANINGLESS TO US. AN AGE TO MORTALS IS AS THE BLINK OF AN EYE TO THE DEATHLESS.
mainlanders ignorantly believe their rebellion had sent
leave for additional forces to emerge from the inner island and extend our tendrils deeper into the continent. He
from the spoils of their defeat. When they saw Cryx
power were extended. In the aftermath of the destruction
purpose toward which all our strength is set. changed. Forced into somnolent recovery after the near
179
legions—yet legions we have in ample supply.
is to improve our intelligence gathering and access to dragons such as the pair hiding in the distant north. Another such diversion was a string of raids Cygnar
made gathering details a challenge. Blighterghast is the were orchestrated solely to lay the foundation for our
organized the lesser spawn into their alliance against the
the establishment of permanent bases on the continent. We
vigil for any sign that the great lord stirs so it can put forth the call to summon the others to battle. Cygnar counted themselves the victors of the Scharde EVEN THE LEAST DRAGON IS THE EQUAL OF LEGIONS—YET LEGIONS
of our outer islands were the cause of our defeat. Finding
WE HAVE IN AMPLE SUPPLY.
For many decades our agents deeper inland had been
and coastal army forces for protection. Blighterghast
too distant to react to the chaos of war and too vulnerable
has not interfered with that nation. Before we can expect
coastal fortresses. Wyrmwall Mountains and seeded them with unliving thralls that wait in deathless torpor to be mobilized by our must be reinforced considerably before we can expect to
secret necrofactoriums. By these underground tunnels our freshly created machines and soldiers could move accumulate undying armies beneath the soil to await the call to battle.
target of our wrath. became hidden for a time. We awaited a properly large when they would become too caught up in their own remote side of the Abyss. While such expanses of land and mortal armies between them are just annoyances to
furtive movements inside the interior that will ultimately
180
consumed in Everblight’s place. dead and dying. Asphyxious’ army gathered in subterranean strongholds
hiding in 390 AR to obliterate the Iosan city of Issyrah.
guidance they penetrated the forest and swept into the achieve lasting victory. Every dragon holds a piece of the from these battles provided raw materials for industrious Protectorate of Menoth became embroiled in the expanding Everblight would return despite its apparent annihilation. by adding their own corpses to the fertile harvest.
doing so have drawn the attention of the mortal nations. interfere with our operations through the intervention of It has instead gone so far as to prove itself their enemy their holy might.
crude and pathetic force compared to those at our master’s disposal. While no doubt Everblight was strengthened by audacious plan focused on the corruption of the spiritual draws much strength from this supernatural emissary of lords to initiate several attempts to divert or undermine her power to our own ends. She has thus far evaded these
he needs to destroy them all.
those shielded by divine providence. It is clear we need to erase this emissary and those who obey her.
to his illimitable glory. Recent years have brought intelligence regarding the
While our enemies must succeed in defending against us
of nations are but stepping-stones along our true path toward his eternal dominion. is a reminder that we must never underestimate even the least of our lord’s brood.
of our lord’s accomplishments from before the founding of our nation relate that he nearly devoured Everblight
181
IRON LICH ASPHYXIOUS Cryx WarCaster
I grant you new flesh, a form worthy to serve a god. —Attributed to Lord Toruk
ASPHYXIOUS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
7
6
3
15 16
7
SOULSPLITTER POW
P+S
8
15
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS MEDIUM BASE
Feat: Consuming Blight Constant death follows in the behind a raging leviathan, and it is on this death that
7 18 C +6
spells Cost rng aoe poW up oFF Breath oF Corruption 3 8 3 12 no yes
demonstration of necromancy, this terrible undead warcaster may leech the life from the earth itself as well as all those upon it.
.
hellFire
3
10
–
14
no yes
parasite
3
8
–
–
yes yes
sCything touCh
2
6
–
–
yes no
selF
–
–
no no
models gain Critical Corrosion
teleport currently in Asphyxious’
2
then its activation ends.
Asphyxious gains up to 7 focus points. He cannot have Consuming Blight.
taCtiCal tips
asphyxious
Cull Soul – as a result of Cull Soul.
terror undead Cull soul – enemy model destroyed within 2 of it. When this model
soulsplitter magical Weapon
Breath of Corruption – damage. teleport – impassable terrain as a result of this spell.
undying lich lords.
reach sustained attack –
instrument on the mainland and the unholy general of the rapacious unliving army of Cryx. His campaigns have carved out a bastion for Cryxian forces in the depths of the
promises but challenged the mortal to prove his willingness
screams were swallowed by the magma as it stripped his
was placed into a metal vessel of power so as to evade
realized the true shape of ultimate power. acts by which the Cryxian Empire was born. He saw the dread ship Atramentous and imbued with the strength and durability of alloyed
182
powers of necromancy.
his iron talons wield the ensorcelled Soulsplitter—a twinpronged spear bathed in raw entropy. Asphyxious is a terrible foe crafty beyond measure and
183
WARWITCH DENEGHRA Cryx WarCaster
She is proof of the malleability of young flesh and minds, as well as its infinite potential. Asphyxious shaped what was once frail and gentle into a cruelly sublime weapon. —Skarre Ravenmane
DENEGHRA SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
7
5
5
4
16 14
8
SLIVER POW
P+S
7
12
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS SMALL BASE
7 16 C +5
Feat: the Withering Darkness and death obey the beck and call of the warwitch. With mere spoken words and an arcane gesture, Deneghra blankets an area with a web of debilitating despair.
spells Crippling grasp
Cost rng aoe poW up oFF 3 8 – – yes yes
ghost Walk
3
6
–
–
no no
Ghostly can advance through terrain and obstacles without penalty and can advance through obstructions if it has enough movement to move
Enemy models currently
Deneghra stealth Cull soul – enemy model destroyed within 2 of it. When this model
inFluenCe
1
10
–
–
no yes
parasite
3
8
–
–
yes yes
sCourge
4
8
3
13
no yes
venom
2
sp 8
–
10
no yes
expires.
.
parry –
sliver magical Weapon
taCtiCal tips the Withering –
reach shadow Bind – and when it advances it cannot move except to change facing. Shadow Bind expires after one round.
Cull Soul – as a result of Cull Soul. Crippling graSp – SCourge –
trees and walls whenever she wills it. She need but whisper
have been drained of all humanity.
beloved wife—at her command. indicated a mortal birth of a sorceress with unbridled potential. After informing her master Asphyxious of this
hand the weapon turns her foe’s shadow against him by entwining him in a writhing mass of umbral coils. Rather a single birth. Asphyxious discovered the nature of these cages dangling at her side. personally under his wing and twisted the young woman
184
iron lich sent forth his protégé as a lieutenant in his army. of a Cygnaran sorceress who had stolen her essence
Some scream in horror at her approach and others beg her
185
PIRATE QUEEN SKARRE Cryx satyxis WarCaster
She’s the drowning tide, the black wave that sends all hands to the deep. —Satyxis raider on the Widower
Feat: BlooD magiC
SKARRE SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
7
6
7
4
16 15
9
TAKKARYX POW
P+S
7
13
her own blood to imbue her followers with dark power to enhance their abilities.
BLOODWYRM POW
P+S
3
9
As the dark queen of the Broken Coast, Skarre Ravenmane wields her natural powers of the ancient, island-born black magic with ease. She hesitates
GREAT RACK POW
P+S
4
10
FOCUS DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE WARJACK POINTS SMALL BASE
spells BaCklash
Cost rng aoe poW up oFF 3 8 – – yes yes
BlooD rain
3
8
3
12
no yes
–
no no
Blood Rain causes corrosion damage .
Dark guiDanCe
4
selF Ctrl
hellFire
3
10
–
14
no yes
ritual saCriFiCe
2
6
–
–
no no
damage points. While in her
6 16 C +6
ARM for each damage point Blood Magic. Blood Magic lasts for one round.
skarre action) –
can be cast only once per turn.
taCtiCal tips SaCrifiCial Strike – damage roll is boostable.
removed model.
takkaryx magical Weapon life trader –
BlooDWyrm magical Weapon life Drinker – When it destroys a living enemy model with
her a millennia-old ritual dagger she uses to drain the willing or captive—to fuel its enchantments. Alive with
heals d3 damage points.
great raCk knockdown –
island of Satyx blighted by ancient dragon blood to become Widower
lead is proven in battle and not inherited. Even as a youth power of her magic and the strength of her will. She has the
rhyme or reason. Following the guidance of mystical omens she braves the storm and lands ashore to deliver panic and grief. For decades anxious mainland admirals and captains entrusted to guard the coastline have tried and failed to predict her movements. Any foolish enough to confront her directly have been destroyed to fuel her legend.
She has made a point of destroying any who would dare plot against her. Cryxian intrigues have occasionally caught
any single lich lord.
186
hiding within.
187
DEATHRIPPER Cryx BonejaCk
Something primal in us fears the skulls and jaws of untamed beasts. It is singularly frightening to be —Professor Viktor Pendrake, Corvis University
Deathripper
DEATHRIPPER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
7
7
6
5
15 14 —
POW
P+S
6
13
2
3
4
5
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6´4 / 2.5 TONS ARMAMENT: MANDIBLE (HEAD), ARC NODE FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 44 LBS NECROTITE, 88 LBS COAL / 18 HRS GENERAL, 3 HRS COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: UNKNOWN, FIRST REPORTED IN 502 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: UNKNOWN ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: UNKNOWN
with this weapon against the last model hit by the
DAMAGE
1
manDiBle sustained attack –
MANDIBLE H
arc node
6
Arc node technology was the pride of Cygnar when initially
H
H
C
A
A
M
H
C
C
M
M
M
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST MEDIUM BASE
U 4
weapon of surprising speed and bestial ferocity that charges forward to tear apart its enemies while serving as a magical conduit for the horrifying spells of
innovative engineers and pulling forth their secrets through
to cheapen and accelerate manufacturing. Now Cryxian
arcane power wielded by its controlling warcaster.
has been written about for decades in fevered war journals. It is a sound rarely forgotten.
Powered by steam engines driven by necrotite— jaws leverage enough power to sever limbs and shear through armored
188
DEFILER
Cryx BonejaCk ’Tis a shame they are so effective. They leave so little for us to salvage. —Warwitch Deneghra
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6´4 / 2.6 TONS ARMAMENT: SLUDGE CANNON (HEAD), ARC NODE FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 44 LBS NECROTITE, 88 LBS COAL / 17 HRS GENERAL, 2.75 HRS COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: UNKNOWN, FIRST REPORTED IN 512 AR
DeFiler
DEFILER
arc node
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
sluDge Cannon
7
7
6
5
15 14 —
SLUDGE CANNON
CORTEX MANUFACTURER: UNKNOWN
RNG ROF AOE POW
Damage type: Corrosion
ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: UNKNOWN
H
SP 8 1
— 12
BASH in form and weaponry commonly noted. Mainlanders often wonder how the Nightmare Empire can produce such a swarming profusion of fast and deadly constructs.
its
worth
as
a
—
light
POW
P+S
7
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
5
6
H
H
C
A
A
M
H
C
C
M
M
M
an enemy warcaster in endless innovation even as they hoard secrets and compete with one another for the favor of their unforgiving masters.
has scarcely begun. Its arc node remains ever ready to deliver arcane death.
endless supply of nightmarish fabrications.
on the enemy from a distance with its sludge
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST MEDIUM BASE
U 5
of its arc node and the horrendous wounds caused by
before their allies are torn apart.
189
NIGHTWRETCH Cryx BonejaCk
I wish I could say I’m happy to see them using something that doesn’t burn us, dissolve us, or chew us to bits—but I’m not. —Captain Aleksandr Radu, Skrovenberg militia
nightWretCh
NIGHTWRETCH
arc node
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
7
7
6
5
15 14 —
Doomspitter Blaster – When this model
DOOMSPITTER RNG ROF AOE POW
6
H
1
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6´4 / 2.75 TONS ARMAMENT: DOOMSPITTER (HEAD), ARC NODE FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 44 LBS NECROTITE, 88 LBS COAL / 17 HRS GENERAL, 2.5 HRS COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: UNKNOWN, FIRST REPORTED IN 590 AR CORTEX MANUFACTURER: UNKNOWN ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: UNKNOWN
— 14
BASH POW
P+S
7
—
3
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
5
For centuries Cygnar has had the dubious privilege of being the testing ground for Cryxian
6
H
H
C
A
A
M
H
C
C
M
M
M
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST MEDIUM BASE
U 4
Army out of Highgate and Westwatch has had to face the unveiling of weapons too dreadful to be imagined. None who serve along this stretch of open coastline consider
Nightwretch is one example. Cryxian landing party had been sighted two leagues south
but not enough.
190
Carrying a particularly volatile mixture of lead shot and a concussive blast that could be heard for miles. No one
mission a success. Necrotechs soon began mass production.
CORRUPTOR Cryx helljaCk
To kill is simple, but to turn the enemy’s flesh against him is divine. —Necrosurgeon Fylis
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 12 / 6.7 TONS ARMAMENT: NECROSLUDGE CANNON (LEFT ARM), NECROJECTOR (RIGHT ARM) FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 91 LBS NECROTITE, 203 LBS COAL / 9.8 HRS GENERAL, 1.2 HRS COMBAT INITIAL SERVICE DATE: UNKNOWN, FIRST REPORTED IN 606 AR
Corruptor
CORRUPTOR
immunity: Corrosion
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
attack type – Each time
10
CORTEX MANUFACTURER: UNKNOWN ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: UNKNOWN
7
5
13 17 —
NECROSLUDGE CANNON RNG ROF AOE POW
choose one of the following
L
12
1
— 14
NECROJECTOR
• Burster – When this
POW
P+S
5
15
R
DAMAGE
1
remove the model from
with venomous weapons designed to consume both body and soul. these venomous distillates. Both its necrosludge cannon and insidious necrojector drip with toxic alchemical sludge.
vitality to the Corruptor’s warcaster or increasing the bond
corrosion damage roll
2
3
4
5
6
.
• Distillation – When a living enemy model is while this model is in its warcaster’s control
the warcaster heals d3 damage points. • psycho venom – When a living enemy model is
L L
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
R
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST LARGE BASE
U 8
spells through the enemy model as if it were a model in his the enemy model is destroyed.
neCrojeCtor open Fist
taCtiCal tips BurSter – Because the boxed model is removed from play before
191
REAPER
Cryx helljaCk When that thing reeled in a six-ton Ironclad like a dragonfish on a line, all bets were off. —Commander Coleman Stryker
REAPER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
10
7
5
13 17 —
harpoon
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 11´10 / 6.5 TONS
Drag – If this weapon damages an enemy model
ARMAMENT: HARPOON (LEFT ARM), HELLDRIVER (RIGHT ARM), TUSKS (HEAD) INITIAL SERVICE DATE: UNKNOWN, FIRST REPORTED IN 557 AR
HARPOON
CORTEX MANUFACTURER: UNKNOWN
RNG ROF AOE POW
8
L
1
— 12
HELLDRIVER R
POW
P+S
6
16
the damaged model can be pushed any distance directly toward this model. After the damaged model
TUSKS H
POW
P+S
2
12
model pushed. After
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
5
6
during its combat action.
hellDriver reach sustained attack –
L L
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST LARGE BASE
R
with this weapon against the last model hit by the
U 7
disturbingly similar to fused with the implements of industrialized slaughter. A
emerge from the necrofactoriums of Cryx. single-minded determination of a vicious hunter. With a thunderous report and the grinding peel of rapidly uncoiling
192
FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 88 LBS NECROTITE, 196 LBS COAL / 10 HRS GENERAL, 1.5 HRS. COMBAT
ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: UNKNOWN
SLAYER
Cryx helljaCk I do not credit that thing is a machine. It was as if I stared into the face of death itself. —Unnamed survivor of an attack on Southshield
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 11´10 / 6.25 TONS ARMAMENT: TWIN DEATH CLAWS (RIGHT AND LEFT ARMS), TUSKS (HEAD)
Death ClaW open Fist
FUEL LOAD/BURN USAGE: 100 LBS NECROTITE, 200 LBS COAL / 12 HRS GENERAL, 2 HRS COMBAT
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
attack) –
INITIAL SERVICE DATE: UNKNOWN, FIRST REPORTED IN 531 AR
SLAYER 6
10
7
5
13 17 —
DEATH CLAW
CORTEX MANUFACTURER: UNKNOWN ORIG. CHASSIS DESIGN: UNKNOWN
POW
P+S
6
16
L
DEATH CLAW POW
P+S
6
16
R
TUSKS metal claws are powerful enough to rend metal and powder bone on impact. It is further armed with some greater intelligence. After decades of Cryxian terror
amputated from great beasts and bolted crudely
“Cryxlight” by superstitious travelers.
use in vicious charges. powered by the remnants of life trapped within its tend to these murderous machines insist they run best on necrotite scavenged directly
POW
P+S
2
12
H
DAMAGE
1
2
3
4
L L
5
6
R
L
M
C
R
M
M
C
C
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST LARGE BASE
R
U 6
taCtiCal tips ComBo Strike –
193
BANE THRALLS Cryx unit
Our scout’s torch and lantern went black, and we heard him scream. A moment later a horrible chill washed over us. We could feel them before we could see them. —Swift Sergeant Tyrell Forlaine, Cygnaran Reconnaissance Service
leaDer & grunts
LEADER & GRUNTS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
7
6
4
12 15
8
WAR AXE
stealth undead Dark shroud – While in this
POW
P+S
4
11
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 5 GRUNTS LEADER & 9 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
with no fear of death can possess. Bane thralls are a profane clue that Cryxian necromancers
3 5 8
War axe Weapon master
Bane thralls—cunning undead warriors inscribed
are versatile and deadly soldiers among more mindless that both permeates their being and seeps into the world
of necromancy can begin to understand the nature of the malignant power from whence they arise. that siphons the very light from the air and is utterly
display a malevolent glimmer in their eyes that
194
charge into battle and sow death. Sometimes they can even
to some force beyond Caen that thrives on extermination.
blasphemies.
BILE THRALLS
Cryx unit
Dead flesh is more versatile than machinery alone. With the proper application of our art, even the wreckage of battle can rise to serve us once more. —Master Necrotech Mortenebra
noted for their bloated and distended bodies and the gurgling
leaDer & grunts undead
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
Bile Cannon Damage type: Corrosion attack) – Each model within 6 of this model that is in its front arc is automatically hit
the potent dissolving agents. Metal melts into slag
4
2
3
10 13
7
BILE CANNON
store volumes of corrosive digestive and decomposition
to perform a particularly powerful explosive discharge. It compresses its overpressurized intestines in a massive
LEADER & GRUNTS
RNG ROF AOE POW
SP 8 1
— 12
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 5 GRUNTS LEADER & 9 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
3 5 8
corrosion damage roll
Cryxian commanders unleash dozens of bile thralls at a time. Powered by their sloshing and throbbing
until just the right moment to disgorge their innards. Bile thralls serve as much to obliterate an enemy’s morale as to destroy the creatures in action have been
toe-to-toe with them cannot forget the putrid stench.
195
MECHANITHRALLS Cryx unit
The Dragon feeds on our wars. Every dead soldier is another weapon in the hands of our enemy. While we weaken, Cryx grows stronger. —King Leto Raelthorne
leaDer & grunts
LEADER & GRUNTS
undead
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
7
5
4
12 12
6
steamFist attack) –
STEAMFIST POW
P+S
4
11
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 5 GRUNTS LEADER & 9 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
3 3 5
for the Cryxian army. Mechanithralls are further augmented steam pressure coursing through the conduits and pipes
this weapon.
over bodies with as little concern as over any other terrain have been seen using cover and lying in ambush—perhaps tactical habits from their former lives reappearing in endless
were among the first horrors Cryx unleashed on the
soldiers who survive an engagement may well experience the horror of seeing their fallen friends among the next
while steam-powered pistons promise an impending and brutal death.
as well as for salvageable pipes and steam engines to integrate into them. Inscribed with basic
196
SATYXIS RAIDERS Cryx unit
Like the poisonous Morovan tiger vine, Satyxis look fair from a distance but bring nothing but agony and swift death. Steer well clear, lads. —Captain Halford Bray of the Palaxis
leaDer & grunts advance Deployment Combined melee attack
are the waters sailed with impunity by the Satyxis raiders.
laCerator reach
stand above the rest. Belonging to an ancient tradition in women believe nothing in life to be sweeter than plunder and slaughter.
Chain Weapon –
Shield Wall. Critical knockdown –
Feedback – If this weapon
LEADER & GRUNTS
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
7
5
6
4
14 12
8
LACERATOR POW
P+S
4
9
HORNS POW
P+S
3
8
FIELD ALLOWANCE LEADER & 5 GRUNTS LEADER & 9 GRUNTS SMALL BASE
2 5 8
but transformed the women into something other than human as horns grew from their soldiers to serve at the whims of the lich lords who rule in his name. Foremost among these soldiers are the raiders born
by the acts of these raiders and to dread the terrible sound of their war horns as they land ashore to
taCtiCal tips feedBaCk –
197
NECROTECH & SCRAP THRALLS cryx SoloS
They are mad, secretive, and dangerous, but they are industrious. They spawn our every helljack, bonejack, and thrall, sculpting steel and bone into the death that walks. —Lich Lord Thalassina
necroTech
NECROTECH SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
6
6
3
12 13
7
VISE CLAW POW
P+S
4
10
DAMAGE 5 FIELD ALLOWANCE 3 NECROTECH & 1 SCRAP THRALL 1 MEDIUM BASE
Undead create Scrap Thrall [8] ( action) – To use this special action, this model must be in base contact with a wreck marker. Make a skill check. If it passes, d3 Scrap Thralls are created from a
from a heavy or colossal wreck marker. Remove the wreck marker from play and place the Scrap Thralls within 3 of repair [8] ( action) – This model can attempt repairs on any damaged friendly Faction warjack. To attempt repairs, this
warjack’s damage grid. Steady – This model cannot be knocked down.
ViSe claw reach
Scrap Thrall
SCRAP THRALL SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
5
4
5
3
11 12
1
MECHANO—CLAW POW
P+S
4
8
FIELD ALLOWANCE 3 SCRAP THRALLS SMALL BASE
3 1
Undead Thrall Bomb – When this model is disabled, center a 4 AOE on it and then remove this model from play. Models in the AOE are damage roll.
Mechano-claw Death Burst ( attack) – This model makes a melee attack. If that attack hits, instead of dealing damage normally, center a 4 AOE on the model hit and remove this model from play. The center the AOE on this model and remove this model from play. Models in the AOE other than the model directly damage from this attack is not considered to have been unboostable.
necrotechs blend talent and terror. Tasked with the details of constructing the undead soldiers and machines of the Cryxian army, they deliver steady reinforcements to the lines and do not hesitate to use their own dead and necromechanikal augmentations.
198
TacTical TipS Create SCrap thrall [8] – The number of Scrap Thralls that can be created is not limited by FA. repair – A wreck marker cannot be repaired. Death BurSt ( attaCk) – special attack even if it charges.
When not designing the next wave of horrors, necrotechs skitter into battle with their “pretty little children.” They are quickly able to repair their infernal constructs using whatever materials fate and carnage provide. Necrotechs improvise scrap thralls from heaps of bone and metal taken from corpses and destroyed ’jacks. Once animated, these thralls shamble forth as delivery vehicles for necrotite-enhanced bombs. Likely to explode when struck by shrapnel or a wayward bullet, each ramshackle undead seeks to grab and hold an enemy in its unrelenting clutch until the bomb detonates in a shower of metal-andbone destruction. These hastily contrived creatures suggest the hideous potential a necrotech can unleash with enough time, the necessary materials, and a proper workshop.
SKARLOCK THRALL Cryx solo
As thou art an extension of my will and power, so wilt this thrall become an extension of thine. —Iron Lich Asphyxious instructing young Deneghra
skarloCk thrall undead
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
attached – Before the start
personalities and agendas. More than any other constructed
model to a friendly Faction warcaster for the rest of the game. Each warcaster can have only one model attached to it. soul taker –
the inscription of their animating runes. From its very
SKARLOCK THRALL 6
4
3
3
14 12
6
CLAW POW
P+S
2
6
DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST SMALL BASE
5 1 2
a living enemy model is destroyed within 2
tremendous necromantic power and sorcerous potential into their physical forms. action) –
forth to unleash this power from a
that each represents the eyes and ears of a malevolent and powerful master.
taCtiCal tips attaChed – destroyed or removed from play. Spell Slave –
199
200
GLORY AND COIN
MERCENARIES OF THE IRON KINGDOMS My favorite two colors are blood and gold, and on a good day I see a lot of both. —Herne Stoneground
The following is from an anecdotal conversation between Greygore Boomhowler and a new recruit. Aye, I met many an army sod what turns his nose up at mercs. As if their own coin spends better. They got fancy uniforms t’be sure, but what else they got t’be so proud about? Most never seen battle afore. A bunch o’ milk-drinkin
strung up on the gallows. We dinnae put up with that. My name is known from Caspia to Blackwater cause my word is good and I give what service I promise. When Boomhowler signs his mark on the page, he puts his gun and his axe where they tell him. If ye dinnae like it, hire on to a pirate ship and leave me be. I’m the boss, so dinnae worry about anyone else here. In
the other. Sneeze too loud and them baby-faced recruits soil their britches and drop their weapons. Take yer average merc. We been in scraps every chance we could just to get by. Need coin for payin the boys, coin for supplies and ammo, coin for drinkin. If we cannae hold mistake. It’s a hard livin, with ever day the risk o’ bein put down for good. Only thing’ll keep you alive is skill with blade or gun. Ne’er know where a job’ll take you. Might be up to the frozen north where spit’ll freeze afore it leaves yer mouth or down in the Marches sloggin through dust storms and eatin sand. Bein a merc is tough. If you want to kick up day with my company ye best be ready to hunker down that axe at yer belt. What ye most gotta understand is we got rules we follow. Tis my name on the company and my name on our charter, and yer actions in battle’ll come back to me. Make me regret down yer gullet. Bein a proper merc ain’t like bein a bandit. We live by the Charter set up in ancient days like any good company. When we hire on we see the course. It dinnae
ranks from ye, know which ones to salute and which ones yer na supposed to look at, and hope na to run into em what with too many mugs under yer belt. We got freedom. We spend our money how we want and we have a good time when we’re na in battle. This company plays as hard cannae spend and enjoy it? has his own bag o’ tricks, and it’s good to know what to expect. Some’ll pretend t’be yer best friend so keep yer wits. We all earn our pay the same way, but every company’s got ditch bleedin fer takin a job they want. We work alongside some companies when the contract calls fer it, but dinnae trust em beyond that. Some mercs just want coin. Others got their own axe to grind. Maybe they’re holdin some past job we took against us and are lookin fer a scrap. Some pretend t’be proper mercs but dinnae even wear the company ink. They got na scruples and are just assassins. Watch yer back and keep yer axe at the ready. Ye seem to have a good head on yer shoulders. Follow my lead and duck when I say and we’ll all be rollin in gold afore ye know it.
na turnin about and sellin ourselves to the other side cause bandits what work like that and it’s a quick way to get
201
GREYGORE BOOMHOWLER & CO.
MERCENARy MiNiON TROLLkiN CHARACTER UNiT That sound! Like a lion riding a church bell in the middle of a landslide. I covered me ears in time, but not all me mates were fast enough. Some of ’em ain’t heard a sound since. —Reid Markus, Cygnaran long gunner
BOOMHOWLER SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
7
7
5
12 16
9
BLUNDERBUSS RNG ROF AOE POW
8
1
— 12
POW
P+S
5
12
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
4
12 16
8
BLUNDERBUSS RNG ROF AOE POW
8
1
BOOMHOWLER
Tough
GRUNT 7
Minions – These models will work for Trollbloods. Combined Melee Attack
GREAT AXE
6
Mercenaries – These models will work for Cryx, Cygnar, and Khador.
— 12
GREAT AXE POW
P+S
5
12
BOOMHOWLER’S DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE BOOMHOWLER & 5 GRUNTS BOOMHOWLER & 9 GRUNTS MEDIUM BASE
Fell Howl – This model can make one of the following fell calls anytime during its unit’s activation. A friendly Faction model/unit can be each turn.
8 C 6 9
– When a model in this unit that is in formation makes a Tough roll of 4, 5, or 6, it heals 1 damage point and is knocked down. one round.
• Call to Action – Knocked down models in this unit in formation immediately stand up. • Rage Howler – and warbeasts currently in this model’s command range
GRUNT Combined Melee Attack Tough
The legendary trollkin fell caller Bragg was quite virile and supposedly irresistible in his day, spreading progeny bestowed with his peculiar talents across Immoren. These special folk, known as “fell callers,” command a power of voice that staggers the imagination. One of the more notable examples is Greygore Boomhowler, a crass axe-for-hire with a great command of the Gift of Bragg. Those who have heard his vocal prowess are generally divided on whether the experience was positive or negative, but without exception they recount it with strong emotion. Boomhowler proclaims himself the reincarnation of Bragg. An admitted outcast among the wild trollkin tribes, he chooses to wear garish strips of colorful cloth in a style of his own design not related to any true quitari tartan patterns Indeed, some commanders have paid him and his mercs
202
TACTiCAL Tips Boomhowler destroyed he does not replace a Trollkin in his unit. Instead a Trollkin in the unit becomes the new unit commander.
double fees to stop singing and cavorting at all hours of the day and night. When Boomhowler is not singing, drinking, procreation. The trollkin’s legendary voice has entranced females of all races throughout the Kingdoms. Indeed, he is worth it once the battle has been joined. but his rumbling voice is his most powerful weapon. A single bellow sends forth a heavens-shaking cry—a rolling reverberation that rises above the clash of swordplay tsunami shatters glass, splinters wood, and rips gashes in the metal hides of warjacks. The sensitive inner workings of the mechanikal giants are susceptible to this swell of sound, Truth be told, Boomhowler’s wail taxes him a great deal, and he cannot sustain it for extended amounts of time. Some soldiers claim Greygore’s voice was key in winning mere presence has more than once caused entire hordes to
Among those who appreciate his unique talents is the outlaw warcaster Asheth Magnus, and the two seem to have come to an equitable arrangement. of axe and blunderbuss, though some traditional trollkin who have given up their tribal ways to join him abroad. Greygore is without question more comfortable in the cities than in the wilds, but he occasionally forays into the ancestral homes of his people to recruit for his unique mercenary company. The number of these volunteers waxes and wanes, but Boomhowler is never found without at least a few loyal followers. Whether Greygore Boomhowler is truly the reincarnation of the legendary Bragg or just a self-important merc with trollkin company are an impressive addition to any army, and between bouts of drunken revelry he has a wealth of talent and experience to spread among his troops.
203
HERNE & JONNE
MERCENARy RHULiC CHARACTER UNiT Eighteen degrees left! Seven degrees skyward! Three degrees for wind! This one’s going to kick them in the shorts. —Herne Stoneground to Arquebus Jonne in battle
HERNE SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
4
6
6
6
12 13
9
PISTOL RNG ROF AOE POW
8
1
POW
P+S
3
9
SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
6
4
HERNE
merchants. It did not take long for the adolescent ogrun to
BARRAGE ARqUEBUs
where merchants came to ask for him by name. This slight
Range Finder –
JONNE 8
12 15
9
BARRAGE ARQUEBUS
weapon. scattershot ( Attack) – To make a Scattershot special
RNG ROF AOE POW
12
1
of his conclave have served as guards and smith hands for
— 10
AXE
6
Mercenaries – These models will work for Cygnar, Khador, and the Protectorate.
3
One day during the delivery of a pair of Stoneground
14
GREAT AXE POW
P+S
5
13
HERNE’S DAMAGE JONNE’S DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST HERNE SMALL BASE JONNE MEDIUM BASE
5 8 C 3
While in the company he practiced his martial skills and worked as a sword-for-hire for any who might be in need of his muscle.
attack with this weapon. After determining point of impact for that attack, roll deviation for two additional 3
Stoneground himself. A pair of ill-fated brigands picked snatched up the two bandits and restrained them until the skill, the surrounding folk broke into applause as the ogrun
damage roll.
contract on the spot, and from that day forth the two were fated to become one of the most famous mercenary teams in all the Iron Kingdoms.
TACTiCAL Tips Scatter Shot - The additional shots deviate the full d6” regardless
adventures. The ogrun has gone far beyond the call of duty
each of them. herne commander.
alchemist’s assistant. As he roamed from stronghold to stronghold learning his mentor’s trade, he became increasingly curious about the sciences involved in gunsmithing, cannoneering, and demolition. By his second decade he had already mastered the manufacture of reputation among traders and military merchants alike. The Stoneground mark is hailed in some parts as a sign of the
less scrupulous employers might allow their hired muscle think of it, leaping to aid his ogrun friend without thinking of his own safety. agreed that small arms manufacturing was not the lucrative business it once had been and that true wealth lay in large task and soon unveiled the Stoneground barrage arquebus. to the road, hiring themselves out to potential customers in The arquebus, a triple-barreled contraption that launches three cannonballs at once, is a beautifully crafted weapon
delivering his wares personally. A Stoneground original can fetch a thousand Cygnaran crowns on the open market— and a select few sell at a much higher price behind closed his employ. That changed when he encountered a well-
204
trajectories. With its weight and kick, the barrage arquebus
fragmenting ammunition. The arquebus is devastating at
payment options with Khadoran kommandants, joined
combat with his mighty axe. Foes who survive the shelling
witnessed the prebattle prayers of Menite priests. They have earned a reputation as consummate professionals, and their fees are considered entirely reasonable for those in need of the kingdoms’ premier walking artillery platform.
pistol—neither of which he is reluctant to employ.
205
EIRYSS, MAGE HUNTER OF IOS MERCENARy CHARACTER sOLO
It’s a shame there’s not more mercenaries like her. What Eiryss hunts, dies. She’s as reliable as the setting sun. —Cygnaran Captain Morris Beaumayne
EIRYSS SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
7
4
6
9
16 12
9
CROSSBOW RNG ROF AOE POW
12
1
— 10
Mercenary – This model will work for Cygnar, Khador, the Protectorate,
EiRyss Advance Deployment Fearless
BAYONET POW
P+S
2
6
stealth
SABER POW
P+S
3
7
DAMAGE FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST SMALL BASE
5 C 3
Attack Type – this model makes a normal ranged attack, choose one • Death Bolt – Instead of rolling damage, a model
TACTiCAL Tips DiSruptor Bolt – prevent a model from gaining focus in other ways. A warcaster can still gain focus from soul tokens, for example. phantom Seeker – Keep in mind that Phantom Seeker does not ignore Stealth. camouflage – If a model ignores concealment or cover, it also
mercenary rules of procedure date back to the ancient days
among her own kind. This aura of mystery combined with her reputation as a
points. When damaging a warjack or warbeast, choose which column or branch • Disruptor Bolt – A model hit loses all focus points. A model hit with the Focus Manipulation special rule does
circulate among the various smoky halls, but most people dismiss them as a natural consequence of her successes. Without question there are other skilled bounty hunters and
loses its focus points and cannot be allocated focus or channel spells for one round.)
To those employing such soldiers, among a bewildering
• phantom seeker – This model ignores LOS when making ranged attacks. This model ignores concealment and cover when resolving ranged attacks. – Retribution partisan – Mercenary model.
is golden and her services always in demand. Despite this, some captains privately admit the very modest fees she sets are far below her worth. They speculate that perhaps human currency means less to her kind—but whatever her reasons, they are happy enough to leave their coin in their
Technological intolerance – When this model ends its normal movement within 5 of a friendly non-myrmidon warjack, its activation ends immediately.
Iosans have long been mysterious—doubly so since their who have ventured uninvited into that territory have
from the lowest to the highest ranks, with the same polite respect and quiet deference, often so unobtrusively that her employers nearly forget she is present during deliberations
power of the elves, nor do they understand Iosan technology and magic, but one Iosan hunter has risen to leave her mark in an instant and later perfectly recall the disposition of of the most reliable and formidable of lone mercenary operatives, a peerless hunter and shooter.
still largely a mystery among the mercenary community, as enigmatic as her Iosan people. The mercenary tradition is deeply ingrained in western Immoren, a part of the fabric
no instruction, vanishing into the undergrowth with her crossbow in hand to await the opportunity to kill. of the glowing reports of hiring bursars—is military
this area as well as for less arcane targets. She has never
206
explained her skill as a hunter of spell-slingers but clearly has much experience. Given the relative importance of wizards and warcasters decisive blows against enemy arcanists multiplies her
eager to see her assassinate Cygnaran gun mages. Being in the rare position to exterminate a ranking warcaster can completely change the fortunes of battle. Given that she has no particular loyalty to one side or the other, her talent in this regard is seen by members of these hunted professions as a matter of no small concern.
207
REINHOLDT, GOBBER SPECULATOR MERCENARy CHARACTER sOLO
What d’ye mean ye don’ know who I am? I’m famous, I am! Bloody famous! —Reinholdt, self-proclaimed world traveler
REINHOLDT SPD STR MAT RAT DEF ARM CMD
7
2
2
2
16
9
FIELD ALLOWANCE POINT COST SMALL BASE
4
C 1
Mercenary – This model will work for Cygnar and Khador.
REiNHOLDT – While
Among the gobber’s skills is a knack for speedily reloading volatile ammunition cartridges packed with explosive or pistoleers have found this ability alone enough to make hiring him worthwhile.
friendly warcaster, this model can use one of the
• Lucky Charm ( Action) – During his activation this turn, the warcaster can gain an additional die on an attack or damage roll. Discard the lowest die. • Reload ( Action) – During his activation this turn, the warcaster can make one additional ranged attack ignoring • spyglass ( Action) – Measure the distance between two models within the warcaster’s LOS.
Few men can claim they have ventured from one end of the Iron Kingdoms to the other and back, and even fewer gobbers can make such a bold statement. One of these
back a Cryxian pirate invasion near Berck—is one of his favorites. The glass allows him to spot potential dangers from afar and estimate just how long it will take for those perils to cause him personal harm. Though it might take an employer a while to adjust to this seconds-to-impact
mere presence has brought them luck, though proving such
have led a charmed life. Despite his presence at countless he downright insists he has been everywhere at least twice and seen it all at least once. a patch of thornbriar bushes just before the carriage burst into have seen many wondrous sights, from the throne room strange trinkets and baubles from all over Immoren, and his accent is nearly indistinguishable from that of the natives of wherever he happens to be at the time. Whatever the and sometimes useful advice. Not an expert at anything in particular, he seems at least partially versed in whatever comes up at the moment.
Immoren are willing to indulge him and periodically hire his services. Although he claims to have once worked as
is allowed to accompany those who hire him more for his conversational oddities than for any practical purpose. All the same he has proven his worth at unexpected times and places and has demonstrated a skill at several tasks that recommend him to his employers.
208
soup spoon in his pocket that he had “acquired” earlier that same day. Most often his survival has been the result of anticipating a threat and heading in the opposite direction. likely to run and hide than stick around if a situation gets too hairy. Indeed, he has been known to vanish from sight in typical gobber fashion when an enemy comes too close. If left with little choice, the resourceful chap searches his pockets and pouches for anything that might aid his escape. Few have the heart to hold these habits against him. Those who have become fond of his eccentricities often welcome him back to the table the next campaigning season.
209
CYGNAR MODEL GALLERY
210
COMMANDER COLEMAN STRYKER
COMMANDER COLEMAN STRYKER VARIANT
Warcaster
Warcaster
CAPTAIN VICTORIA HALEY
CAPTAIN VICTORIA HALEY VARIANT
Warcaster
Warcaster
LIEUTENANT ALLISTER CAINE
JOURNEYMAN WARCASTER
JOURNEYMAN WARCASTER VARIANT
Warcaster
Solo
Solo
IRONCLAD
FIELD MECHANIKS
Heavy Warjack
Unit
ARCANE TEMPEST GUN MAGES Unit
STORMBLADE INFANTRY Unit
211
CYCLONE
DEFENDER
Heavy Warjack
Heavy Warjack
LONG GUNNER INFANTRY Unit
LANCER Light Warjack
212
CHARGER Light Warjack
SENTINEL Light Warjack
TRENCHER INFANTRY Unit
CLASSIC COMMANDER COLEMAN STRYKER
CLASSIC LIEUTENANT ALLISTER CAINE
Warcaster
Warcaster
CLASSIC IRONCLAD
CLASSIC DEFENDER
Heavy Warjack
Heavy Warjack
213
CYGNAR AT WAR
214
215
PROTECTORATE OF MENOTH MODEL GALLERY
HIGH EXEMPLAR KREOSS
HIGH EXEMPLAR KREOSS VARIANT
Warcaster
Warcaster
THE HIGH RECLAIMER
GRAND SCRUTATOR SEVERIUS
Warcaster
Warcaster
PALADIN OF THE ORDER OF THE WALL Solo
216
CRUSADER Heavy Warjack
PALADIN OF THE ORDER OF THE WALL VARIANT Solo
KNIGHTS EXEMPLAR Unit
TEMPLE FLAMEGUARD Unit
CHOIR OF MENOTH Unit
217
TEMPLAR
VANQUISHER
Heavy Warjack
Heavy Warjack
HOLY ZEALOTS Unit
DELIVERERS Unit
218
REVENGER
REDEEMER
REPENTER
Light Warjack
Light Warjack
Light Warjack
CLASSIC HIGH EXEMPLAR KREOSS Warcaster
CLASSIC VANQUISHER
CLASSIC CRUSADER
Heavy Warjack
Heavy Warjack
219
PROTECTORATE OF MENOTH AT WAR
220
221
KHADOR MODEL GALLERY
KOMMANDER SORSCHA
KOMMANDER SORSCHA VARIANT
Warcaster
Warcaster
VLADIMIR, DARK PRINCE OF UMBREY
VLADIMIR, DARK PRINCE OF UMBREY VARIANT
ORSUS ZOKTAVIR, THE BUTCHER OF KHARDOV
Warcaster
Warcaster
Warcaster
IRON FANG PIKEMEN Unit
222
DECIMATOR
JUGGERNAUT
Heavy Warjack
Heavy Warjack
MAN-O-WAR SHOCKTROOPERS Unit
MANHUNTER
MANHUNTER VARIANT
DESTROYER
Solo
Solo
Heavy Warjack
223
BERSERKER
BATTLE MECHANIKS
Heavy Warjack
Unit
DOOM REAVERS Unit
224
MARAUDER
WIDOWMAKERS
Heavy Warjack
Unit
WINTER GUARD INFANTRY Unit
CLASSIC KOMMANDER SORSCHA Warcaster
EXTREME JUGGERNAUT Heavy Warjack
CLASSIC DESTROYER
CLASSIC MARAUDER
CLASSIC JUGGERNAUT
Heavy Warjack
Heavy Warjack
Heavy Warjack
225
KHADOR AT WAR
226
227
CRYX MODEL GALLERY
WARWITCH DENEGHRA
WARWITCH DENEGHRA VARIANT
Warcaster
Warcaster
PIRATE QUEEN SKARRE Warcaster
IRON LICH ASPHYXIOUS Warcaster
228
CORRUPTER
SKARLOCK THRALL
Helljack
Solo
REAPER
SLAYER
Helljack
Helljack
BANE THRALLS Unit
MECHANITHRALLS Unit
229
NIGHTWRETCH
DEATHRIPPER
DEFILER
Bonejack
Bonejack
Bonejack
NECROTECH AND SCRAP THRALLS Solos
SATYXIS RAIDERS Unit
230
BILE THRALLS Unit
CLASSIC WARWITCH DENEGHRA Warcaster
CLASSIC SLAYER
CLASSIC REAPER
Helljack
Helljack
231
CRYX AT WAR
232
233
MERCENARY MODEL GALLERY
REINHOLDT, GOBBER SPECULATOR
EIRYSS, MAGE HUNTER OF IOS
Solo
Solo
HERNE STONEGROUND & ARQUEBUS JONNE Unit
GREYGORE BOOMHOWLER & CO. Unit
234
HOBBY AND PAINTING GUIDE PREPARING MODELS AND TERRAIN FOR PLAY
Formula P3 Hobby Tool and Paint Racks
Formula P3 Paints Formula P3 Super Glue
Formula P3 Paint Brushes
WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS To learn more about painting and using tools and to pick up a multitude of tricks and techniques, check out the Formula P3 hobby DVD Modeling & Painting, Vol. 1: Core Techniques. It provides a solid visual databank of useful information for both new and experienced hobbyists.
235
HOBBY & PAINTING GUIDE
PREPPING YOUR MODEL
1. Clipping extra pieces from the model’s body.
2. Using a hobby knife to scrape mold lines off the shield.
3. Filing mold lines off the cape.
4. Gluing the shield together.
5. Priming the model (black) that is mounted on the box.
236
THE TOOLS FOR PAINTING
BASIC PAINTING ORDER AND TRICKS
TOOLS OF THE TRADE WORK AREA Chair • Light source • Table
ASSEMBLY TOOLS Cutting mat • Masking tape Formula P3 Clippers Formula P3 File Set Formula P3 Hobby Knife and blades Formula P3 Spray Primer Formula P3 Super Glue
PAINTING TOOLS Formula P3 Brushes Palette • Paper towels Water cups
BASING TOOLS Flock or static grass Hobby sand • White glue
237
HOBBY & PAINTING GUIDE
PAINTING TUTORIAL PRIMER
THE SECOND HIGHLIGHTS
BASECOAT
FINISHED
WASHING AND SHADING
THE FIRST HIGHLIGHTS
238
PAINTING THE FACTIONS
PAINTING TERMINOLOGY BASECOAT The initial coat of paint on which everything else will be built. It is important that the basecoat is very clean and every color is where it should be. Your shades and highlights will coordinate with the basecoat and main color choices. DRYBRUSHING The quick way to highlight a textured surface. Use a lighter color, but remove most of the paint from your brush by stroking the bristles on a paper towel until the paint is almost gone. Then carefully and quickly move the brush back and forth across the surface of the miniature. HIGHLIGHTING A lighter color applied to the basecoat in the raised areas of a miniature to create the look of light hitting the surface. When
highlighting in multiple steps, keep a little bit of the underlying color showing, overlapping them like the shingles on a roof. SHADING A darker color applied to the basecoat in the recessed areas of a miniature to create shadows. Exaggerating the shade and highlight colors will add to the visual appeal of a model. WASH A tinted mix liberally applied to the basecoat to create detailed shading. The wash will run into the smallest crevasses on a model and dry as a shadow, so it needs to be a darker color than the basecoat. The wash mix works well as 4 parts Mixing Medium, 1 part paint/ink, and 3 parts water.
CYGNAR
239
HOBBY & PAINTING GUIDE
KHADOR
THINNING PAINTS
THIN BLACK LINE
Try thinning down paint with ink instead of water to achieve a thin consistency without diluting the color. A little Red Ink added to Khador Red Base will yield a nice, red, thinner paint. You can even mix up the ink and paint colors for custom shades just as you can with multiple paint colors.
When two colors sit next to each other on a model, separating them with a thin dark line (either black or a very dark version of one of the adjacent colors) emphasizes them individually and helps the eye interpret the image more easily. In other words, it looks good!
CRYX
240
PROTECTORATE OF MENOTH
BASING YOUR MODEL
241
HOBBY & PAINTING GUIDE
BUILDING TERRAIN TREE STANDS
´
´
WOODS
the
FINISHING THE WOODS
woods
For lush woods, affix some foliage clusters to the tree armatures. There are a variety of spray adhesives and tacky glues that are specifically designed for foliage. If your trees will be handled a lot, super glue can provide a more durable bond.
242
For burned woods, affix small foliage clusters at the top or side of one or two of the tree armatures, but leave the rest bare. In short bursts, spray the tree trunks with black primer. Spray the edges of the foliage, the center of the stands, and the larger tree template as well. Drybrush some patches of Bastion Grey over the blackened areas for a charred, ashen look.
LINEAR OBSTACLES
WALL CONSTRUCTION
6
FINISHING THE WALL
CONCLUSION
243
APPENDIX A: TIMING
STEP BY STEP THROUGH ATTACKS, DAMAGE, AND ACTIVATIONS EXAMPLE: When a model is slammed, the slam damage is simultaneous with the collateral damage, so first resolve the damage roll on every affected model. Then resolve effects triggered by a damage roll being sufficient or insufficient to damage them. Finally, apply damage to every affected model. active player inactive player
EXAMPLE: A Repenter makes a Flame Thrower spray attack against some Scrap Thralls. The attack generates several damage rolls that all resolve simultaneously. Scrap Thralls destroyed by the attack do not explode due to their Thrall Bomb ability until after all the attack and damage rolls generated by the spray attack are resolved. EXAMPLE: Captain Haley targets a member of a unit of Knights Exemplar with Chain Lightning and hits three additional Knights. Resolve the damage rolls for the four Knights Exemplar hit by the spell before any of the Knights Exemplar gain the benefits of their Bond of Brotherhood ability.
AT ANY TIME DURING THIS MODEL’S ACTIVATION
except
EXAMPLE: A Bloat Thrall has the Death Blast ability, which causes it to explode when disabled. If it is also affected by Terminus’ Shadow of Death, which grants Tough to undead models, when an enemy model disables it, both Tough and Death Blast need to resolve as inactive player effects. If you resolve Death Blast first, the Bloat Thrall will explode and be removed from play. Tough then does not resolve. If you resolve Tough first and pass the check, the Bloat Thrall regains one wound and so is no longer disabled. Death Blast then will not resolve, as its condition is no longer met. If you fail the Tough check, Bloat Thrall will remain disabled; the condition of a disabled model will still be met, and Death Blast will resolve.
SIMULTANEOUS AND SEQUENTIAL
244
E XAMPLE : Warcasters can cast spells “at any time during their activation.” This means Goreshade the Bastard can cast a spell before and after moving, before and after an attack, before using his feat, and after placing all models from his feat. He cannot, however, cast a spell while he is moving, making an attack, or using his feat to place Bane Thralls into play.
ACTIVATION TIMING
ATTACK MAIN SEQUENCE
DAMAGE APPLICATION
ATTACK ROLL
DAMAGE ROLL
245
APPENDIX B: WARJACK BONDING MAKING A BOND, BREAKING A BOND, AND BOND EFFECTS bond
Established Bond = d6 + 1 for each qualifying battle
7
Failed Bond = d6 + 1 for each qualifying battle < 7 EXAMPLE: After finishing a campaign battle, Mike rolls to see if The High Reclaimer’s unbonded Crusader bonds to him. Since this was its third game under his control without being destroyed or removed from play, the bond forms on a roll of 4 or higher.
BREAKING A BOND
FORGING A BOND
EFFECTS OF BONDING
246
CYGNAR BONDS 2D6 + CMD RESULT 10 or less
Craven – This warjack gains +2 DEF and can run without spending focus. It can advance into an enemy model’s melee range only if that model is in the control range of this warjack’s controlling warcaster.
11
Dominator – When this warjack makes an attack against an enemy warjack or warbeast in the control area of this warjack’s controlling warcaster, this warjack gains +2 to attack and damage rolls against the enemy model.
12
Invigorated – When its controlling warcaster channels a spell through it, after the spell is cast this warjack can make a full advance.
13
Combat Positioning – At the end of any activation in which this warjack made at least one attack, it can advance up to 3 toward its controlling warcaster.
14
Marksman – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack can reroll missed ranged attack rolls.
15
Heightened Awareness – If this warjack begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, it gains Eyeless Sight for one round.
KHADOR BONDS 2D6 + CMD RESULT 10 or less Bloodthirsty – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack gains Berserk and cannot make Chain Attacks. (When a model with Berserk destroys one or more models with a melee attack during its combat action, immediately after the attack is resolved it must make one additional melee attack against another model in its melee range. During an activation that this model charges, it cannot gain additional attacks from Berserk until its charge attack is resolved.) 11
Appetite for Destruction – If this warjack begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this activation it can make power attacks without spending focus and this warjack’s first melee attack each activation must be a power attack. If this warjack cannot make a power attack, it must make initial melee attacks for its combat action instead.
12
Irresistible Force – Models slammed by this model are moved +2 . While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack can power attack slam without spending focus.
13
Indomitable – If this warjack begins a charge or a power attack slam or trample in its controlling warcaster’s control area, it gains Pathfinder during its activation. While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack gains +2 on trample attack rolls.
14
Demolisher – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack can reroll missed charge and power attack rolls.
2D6 + CMD
RESULT
16
Anchor – While this warjack is in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack and friendly warrior models B2B with it cannot be knocked down.
17
Protective – While B2B with this warjack, its controlling warcaster gains +2 DEF against melee attack rolls and cannot be knocked down. While B2B with its controlling warcaster, this warjack does not move when slammed.
18
Psychically Attuned – This warjack’s controlling warcaster can upkeep spells cast on it without spending focus and ignores LOS when targeting it with spells.
19
Nexus – This warjack’s controlling warcaster can allocate focus points to it during his activation. Additionally, during that warcaster’s activation, you can remove any number of focus points from this warjack and place them on him. The warcaster cannot exceed his current FOCUS in focus points as a result of this bond.
20+
2D6 + CMD
Extended Control – This warjack gains Extended Control Range. (When checking to see if a model with Extended Control Range is in its controller’s control area, double the area.)
RESULT
15
Dominator – When this warjack makes an attack against an enemy warjack or warbeast in the control area of this warjack’s controlling warcaster, this warjack gains +2 to attack and damage rolls against the enemy model.
16
All Terrain – If it begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack gains Pathfinder this activation.
17
Rassler – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack can make headlock/weapon lock, head-butt, throw, and double-hand throw power attacks without spending focus and cannot be knocked down or moved by a push or slam power attack made by a model with a smaller base.
18
Unstoppable – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack cannot be knocked down or made stationary. If it begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this activation this warjack can run or charge even if its Movement system is crippled.
19
Rain Shadow – While this warjack is in its controlling warcaster’s control area, friendly warrior models B2B with it do not suffer blast damage.
20+
Corrective Firing – When AOE ranged attacks made by this warjack deviate while it is in its controlling warcaster’s control area, it can reroll the direction and/or distance of deviation.
247
APPENDIX B: WARJACK BONDING PROTECTORATE BONDS 2D6 + CMD RESULT 10 or less Extended Control – This warjack gains Extended Control Range. (When checking to see if a model with Extended Control Range is in its controller’s control area, double the area.) 11
Demolisher – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack can reroll missed charge and power attack rolls.
12
Corrective Firing – When AOE ranged attacks made by this warjack deviate while it is in its controlling warcaster’s control area, it can reroll the direction and/or distance of deviation.
13
Wrathful – When a model in its battlegroup is targeted by an enemy attack, this warjack gains +2 to attack and damage rolls for one round.
14
Dominator – When this warjack makes an attack against an enemy warjack or warbeast in the control area of this warjack’s controlling warcaster, this warjack gains +2 to attack and damage rolls against the enemy model.
15
Rain Shadow – While this warjack is in its controlling warcaster’s control area, friendly warrior models B2B with it do not suffer blast damage.
CRYX BONDS 2D6 + CMD RESULT 10 or less Bloodthirsty – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack gains Berserk and cannot make Chain Attacks. (When a model with Berserk destroys one or more models with a melee attack during its combat action, immediately after the attack is resolved it must make one additional melee attack against another model in its melee range. During an activation that this model charges, it cannot gain additional attacks from Berserk until its charge attack is resolved.)
248
11
Man Killer – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack can reroll missed attack rolls against living enemy models.
12
Blood Hunter – When this warjack destroys one or more living enemy models with a melee attack while in its controlling warcaster’s control area, after the attack is resolved this warjack can advance up to 1 .
13
Craven – This warjack gains +2 DEF and can run without spending focus. It can advance into an enemy model’s melee range only if that model is in the control range of this warjack’s controlling warcaster.
14
All Terrain – If it begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack gains Pathfinder this activation.
15
Hound – When this warjack’s controlling warcaster destroys one or more enemy models with melee or ranged attacks during its activation, at the end of its activation this warjack can immediately advance up to 3 .
2D6 + CMD
RESULT
16
Protective – While B2B with this warjack, its controlling warcaster gains +2 DEF against melee attack rolls and cannot be knocked down. While B2B with its controlling warcaster, this warjack does not move when slammed.
17
Arcane Defenses – If it is in its controlling warcaster’s control range during your Maintenance Phase, continuous effects and enemy upkeep spells on this warjack automatically expire.
18
Anchor – While this warjack is in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack and friendly warrior models B2B with it cannot be knocked down.
19
Defensive – This model gains Shield Guard. (Once per round, when a friendly model is directly hit by a ranged attack during your opponent’s turn and this model is within 2 of the friendly model hit, this model can become the target of the attack and be automatically hit instead. This model cannot use Shield Guard if it is incorporeal , knocked down, or stationary.)
20+
Psychically Attuned – This warjack’s controlling warcaster can upkeep spells cast on it without spending focus and ignores LOS when targeting it with spells.
2D6 + CMD
RESULT
16
Invigorated – When its controlling warcaster channels a spell through it, after the spell is cast this warjack can make a full advance.
17
Nexus – This warjack’s controlling warcaster can allocate focus points to it during his activation. Additionally, during that warcaster’s activation, you can remove any number of focus points from this warjack and place them on him. The warcaster cannot exceed his current FOCUS in focus points as a result of this bond.
18
Predator – If it begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this activation this warjack can charge, power attack slam, and power attack trample without spending focus. If it charges, power attack slams a living model, or power attack tramples during its activation it gains +2 SPD this activation.
19
Prowler – If this warjack begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, it gains Prowl for one round. (While within a terrain feature that provides concealment, the AOE of a spell that provides concealment, or the AOE of a cloud effect, a model with Prowl gains Stealth .)
20+
Heightened Awareness – If this warjack begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, it gains Eyeless Sight for one round.
RETRIBUTION BONDS 2D6 + CMD RESULT 10 or less Wrathful – When a model in its battlegroup is targeted by an enemy attack, this warjack gains +2 to attack and damage rolls for one round.
2D6 + CMD
RESULT
16
Extended Control – This warjack gains Extended Control Range. (When checking to see if a model with Extended Control Range is in its controller’s control area, double the area.)
11
Demolisher – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack can reroll missed charge and power attack rolls.
17
12
Anchor – While this warjack is in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack and friendly warrior models B2B with it cannot be knocked down.
Heightened Awareness – If this warjack begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, it gains Eyeless Sight for one round.
18
13
All Terrain – If it begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack gains Pathfinder this activation.
Arcane Defenses – If it is in its controlling warcaster’s control range during your Maintenance Phase, continuous effects and enemy upkeep spells on this warjack automatically expire.
19
Psychically Attuned – This warjack’s controlling warcaster can upkeep spells cast on it without spending focus and ignores LOS when targeting it with spells.
14
15
Protective – While B2B with this warjack, its controlling warcaster gains +2 DEF against melee attack rolls and cannot be knocked down. While B2B with its controlling warcaster, this warjack does not move when slammed. Mage Killer – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack can reroll attack and damage rolls against enemy spellcasters and models with enemy upkeep spells on them. Each roll can be rerolled only once as a result of this bond.
MERCENARY BONDS 2D6 + CMD RESULT 10 or less Bloodthirsty – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack gains Berserk and cannot make Chain Attacks. (When a model with Berserk destroys one or more models with a melee attack during its combat action, immediately after the attack is resolved it must make one additional melee attack against another model in its melee range. During an activation that this model charges, it cannot gain additional attacks from Berserk until its charge attack is resolved.) 11
12
20+
Appetite for Destruction – If this warjack begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this activation it can make power attacks without spending focus and this warjack’s first melee attack each activation must be a power attack. If this warjack cannot make a power attack, it must make initial melee attacks for its combat action instead. Craven – This warjack gains +2 DEF and can run without spending focus. It can advance into an enemy model’s melee range only if that model is in the control range of this warjack’s controlling warcaster.
13
Hound – When this warjack’s controlling warcaster destroys one or more enemy models with melee or ranged attacks during its activation, at the end of its activation this warjack can immediately advance up to 3 .
14
Dominator – When this warjack makes an attack against an enemy warjack or warbeast in the control
2D6 + CMD
Field Booster – When this warjack spends focus to remove a damage point from its field damage track while in its controlling warcaster’s control area, the warcaster heals 1 damage point. When its controlling warcaster spends focus to heal a damage point while this warjack is in his control area, this warjack removes 1 damage point from its field damage track unless its field generator is currently disabled.
RESULT area of this warjack’s controlling warcaster, this warjack gains +2 to attack and damage rolls against the enemy model.
15
Demolisher – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack can reroll missed charge and power attack rolls.
16
All Terrain – If it begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this warjack gains Pathfinder this activation.
17
Combat Positioning – At the end of any activation in which this warjack made at least one attack, it can advance up to 3 toward its controlling warcaster.
18
Corrective Firing – When AOE ranged attacks made by this warjack deviate while it is in its controlling warcaster’s control area, it can reroll the direction and/or distance of deviation.
19
Playin’ Possum – While in its controlling warcaster’s control area, this model gains Feign Death. (A model with Feign Death cannot be targeted by ranged or magic attacks while knocked down.)
20
Prowler – If this warjack begins its activation in its controlling warcaster’s control area, it gains Prowl for one round. (While within a terrain feature that provides concealment, the AOE of a spell that provides concealment, or the AOE of a cloud effect, a model with Prowl gains Stealth .)
249
RULES INDEX abilities, 36 attack-generating, 60–61 range of (RNG), 35 Abomination advantage, 33, 84 actions, 48–49 and fleeing, 85 forfeiting, 65 out of formation, 71 and knocked down models, 63–64 and stationary models, 64 Activation Phase, 42 and channeling, 79 forfeiting, 65 timing, 244 active/inactive player, 244 additional attacks, 49 spending focus for, 49, 73, 75 additional dice, 28 advancing, 46–47: charge, full advance, run and entering an area, 64 and fleeing, 85 out of formation, 71 and stationary models, 64 Advance Deployment advantage, 33 advantages, 33–34: Abomination, Advance Deployment, Arc Node, Combined Melee Attack, Combined Ranged Attack, Commander, Construct, Eyeless Sight, Fearless, Gunfighter, Incorporeal, ’Jack Marshal, Officer, Pathfinder, Standard Bearer, Stealth, Terror, Tough, Undead affinities, 82 aiming bonus, 57, 63 allies, 80 allocate, 74–75 animi, animus, 63, 64
Animi are the spell-like abilities utilized by warbeasts in HORDES.
army list entry, 32 army points, 38 attachments, 32, 71 attack rolls additional dice on, 28 for AOE attacks, 59 automatic hit/miss, 61 and back strike, 61 boosting, 73, 75 for charges, 47, 82 for combined attacks, 62 for critical effects, 68–69 vs. damage roll, 50 and Gunfighter, 63 and Incorporeal, 34 for magic attacks, 77–78, 83 for melee attacks, 33, 51 for Mounts, 81 for ranged attacks, 56–58 for spray attacks, 60 rerolling, 65 timing, 245 attacks additional, 49, 73, 75 AOE, 58–60 combined melee or ranged, 62 and fleeing, 85 out of formation, 71 impact, 82 and knocked down models, 63 magic, 75–79 melee, 50–56, 81–82 normal, 48–49 power, 51–56 ranged, 56–60 ride-by, 81 sequence of, 244 special, 36, 49, 61 spray, 58, 60, 256 timing, 245 types, 50–60: magic, melee, ranged automatic effects, 68 hit/miss, 61 autonomous warjacks, 80
apocalypse encounter level, 38 arc nodes, see also channeling Arc Node advantage, 33 and battlegroup commanders, 74 crippled, 66 arcs, front and back, 37 area of effect (AOE), 35 of spells, 77
B2B, 46 back arcs, 37 back strikes, 61, 77 base stats, 33 of knocked down models, 63
area-of-effect (AOE) attack, 58–60 blast damage roll for, 59 damage point of origin, 64 deviation, 59–60 direct hit, 59 templates, 255–256
bases base-to-base, B2B, 46 contact, 46 overlapping, 64 and replacing models, 64 sizes, 37 and volume, 43
arm locks. see weapon locks
battlefield, 40, 86
arm systems, and crippled, 66
battlegroups, 39
Armor (ARM), 33
battlegroup commanders, 74 reactivating inert warjacks, 68
armies building, 38 versions of models in, 83
250
away from vs. directly away from, 48
battle royale encounter level, 38 beyond the play area, 64
blast damage roll, 59 and structures, 89 template, 255 and trenches, 88 bonds, 82, 246 epic, 83 bonejacks, 31 bonuses aiming, 57, 63 back strike, 61 Buckler, 35 cavalry charge, 82 for combined attacks, 62 concealment, 57 cover, 58 and crippled system, 66 and current stats, 63 free strike, 51 and inert warjack, 67 overboosting power field, 74 Shield, 36 warjack points, 38 boosting rolls, 28, 73,75 boxed, disabled, and destroyed, 66–68 Buckler, 35, 66 buildings, 89 can, cannot, must, 29 cavalry, 81–82 charging with, 81–82 dragoons, 82 light cavalry, 82 Mount weapon, 81 special rules, 81: ride-by attack, Tall in the Saddle channeling, 79, see also arc nodes and control area, 75 and knocked down models, 63 characters, 39 epic, 83 units, 39 warjacks, 82 charging, 46 outside activation, 47 attacks, 47 with cavalry, 81–82 successful/failed, 47 checks command, 71, 84 skill, 49 warjack bonding, 246 cloud effects, 69. 78 combat actions, 48 and cloud effects, 69 damage, 65 melee, 51 overview, 51 ranged, 56 special effects, 68 special situations, 60 combined melee attacks, 62 advantage, 33 damage roll for, 62 primary attacker, 62
combined ranged attacks, 62 advantage, 33 damage roll for, 62 primary attacker, 62 Command (CMD), 33 command checks, 84 out of formation, 71 Commander advantage, 33, 74, 84 command range, 84 concealment, 57 and cloud effects, 69 and magic rolls, 78 conflicting rules, 29 Construct advantage, 33, 73 contact, 46 continuous effects, 69 immunities to, 34–35 control and affinities, 82 and battlegroup commanders, 74 of friendly and enemy models, 28 and ’jack marshals, 80 of mercenary warjacks, 83 and weapon crews, 71 control areas, 75 and AOE, 77 and channeling, 79 and focus point allocation, 74 and RNG, 76 and upkeep spells, 78 Control Phase, 42 Corrosion/Critical Corrosion, 69 Cortex and crippled Cortex, 66 and focus allocation, 73 COST, 76 cover, 57–58 and magic attack rolls, 78 and wreck markers, 67
comparing to ARM, 65 with crippled weapons systems, 66 and critical effects, 68 direct hit on, 59, 60 multiple, 244 rerolling, 65 resolving with simultaneous effects, 244 simultaneous, marking, 66 damage rolls, in specific cases for AOE attacks, 59 blast, 59 for collapsed structures, 89 for collateral damage, slam, 53 for collateral damage, throw, 55 for combined melee attacks, 62 for combined ranged attacks, 62 for direct damage, 65 for falling, 63 for Fire continuous effect, 69 for head-butts, 52 and knocked down models, 63 for magic attacks, 65, 77 for melee, 65 of a Mount, 81 for pushes, 52 for ranged weapons, 56, 65 for slams, 53 for spray attacks, 60 for throws, 54 for tramples, 56 Defense (DEF), 33 deployment, deployment zones, 40–41 destroyed boxed, disabled, and, 66–68 and removed from play/the table, 67 and returning to play, 68 warcaster, 67 warjacks and wreck markers, 67 deviation of AOE attacks, 59–60 template, 255
continuous, 69 critical, 68 targeting units, 72 shaking, 73, 75 elevation elevated attacker, 78 elevated target, 78 and falling, 63 hills, 88 and line of sight (LOS), 43, 44 and melee range, 51 elite cadre, 82 encounter levels, 38: apocalypse, battle royale, duel, grand melee, skirmish, war enemy vs. friendly, 28 engaged, engaging, 51 channelers, 79 and knocked down models, 63 and stationary models, 64 entering an area, 64 entryways, 89 epic models, 82–83 epic warcaster bonding, 83, 246 excuses, 5 Eyeless Sight advantage, 34 facing and directly facing, 37 with rule of least disturbance, 64 Faction, 29 falling, 63 damage roll, 63 and overlapping bases, 64 Fearless advantage, 34, 85 feats, 36 and knocked down models, 63 and stationary models, 64 field allowance (FA), 39–40
crippled/non-crippled systems, 66: Arc Node, Cortex, Field Generator, Movement, Weapon, no longer crippled
dice, 28 additional, 28 d3 and d6, 28 reroll, 65 shorthand, 28
critical effects, critical hits, 68
direct hits, 51, 64, 77
first player, 40
current controller, 28 stats, 33
directly away from and directly toward, 48 facing, 37
fleeing, 85 out of formation, 71
d3, d6, 28
disabled, boxed, and destroyed, 66 healing while, 68 and leaving play, 67 no longer disabled, 66
focus points allocating, 73, 74 and autonomous warjacks, 80 and bonded warjacks, 246 and channeler, 79 in teh Control Phase, 42 and COST, 76 and crippled Cortex, 66 and crippled Field Generator, 66 FOCUS stat, 33, 74 how to represent, 75 in the Maintenance Phase, 42 manipulation, 74 removing, 42 replenishing, 42, 74 spending, 73, 75, 82 unspent, 74
damage capacity, 36 healing/removing/repairing, 68 marking, 65 point of origin of AOE, 59 timing, 245 types of, 68: cold, corrosion, electrical, fire damage grid, 36–37, 65, 73 damage boxes, 36–37, 65 marking, 65 system boxes, 36–37, 66 unmarked, 66 first “X” box on, 66 force fields, 66 wounds, 36, 65 damage rolls additional die with, 53, 54, 63, 65 boosted, 65
dismounted, 82 disputes, resolving, 30 double-hand throw, 55 being thrown, 54 damage, 54 and deviation, 55 dragoons, 82 drive, 80 duel encounter level, 38 duration, 29, 42 effects automatic, 68
Field Generator system, and crippled, 66 field promotion, 72 Fire/Critical Fire, 69
Focus Manipulation, 42
force fields, 66 Forces of WARMACHINE books, 80, 83
251
RULES INDEX forfeiting, 64–65, 71 for one round, 42 forests, 87–88 formation and activating units, 42–43 and cavalry attacks, 81–82 and combined attacks, 62 and command check, 84 in/out formation, 71–72 rand placement, 48 and rallying, 85 receiving orders, 72 and standard bearer, 70 free-for-all games, 40 free strikes, 51 and Gunfighter, 63 resolving against trampler, 56 friendly vs. enemy, 28 front arc, 37 full advance, 46 gaining dice, 28 game rounds, 42 grand melee encounter level, 38 granted, 28 Grunts, 70 field promotion, 72 Gunfighter advantage, 34, 63
intervening terrain, 45, 51 obstructions, obstacles, 87 Iron Kingdoms, 27, 94–95 ’jacks, see warjacks ’Jack Marshal advantage, 34, 80 and mercenary warjacks, 83 reactivating inert warjacks, 68 knocked down, 63 channeler, 79 standing up, 64 target, 78 Leader, 70 field promotion, 72 and unit commander, 71 least disturbance, rule of, 64 leave play, 67–68 light cavalry, 82 linear obstacles, 87 line of sight (LOS), 43–45 and channeling spells, 79 and cloud effects, 69 and focus point allocation, 74 and knocked down models, 63 and point of origin, 64
half (of a stat), 28
living models, 31 non-living (Construct, Undead), 34
hazards, 52, 88
location (L/R/H/–), 35
Head system, and crippled, 66
Magic Abilities, 83
head-butt, 52
magic attacks, 75–79
headlock, 51–52 and knocked down models, 63 and Open Fist, 73 helljacks, 31
magic attack rolls, 77 for Magic Ability special attacks, 83 modifiers, 77–78: back strike, cloud effect, concealment, cover, elevated target, elevated attacker, knocked down target, stationary target, target in melee
hills, 88
magic damage, 65, 77
hit
Magical Weapon, 36 and Incorporeal, 68
healing, 68
automatic, 61 direct, 64, 77
Maintenance Phase, 42
HORDES, 27, 31, 95
markers, 67, 90
hulls, 66
massive casualties, 84
immunities, 34–35, 68: Cold, Corrosion, Electricity, Fire, continuous effects
materials needed for play, 27
impact attacks, 81–82 impassable terrain, 86 imprints, 82 Incorporeal advantage, 34 and magical weapons, 68 independent models, 31, 74: solos, warcasters, warjacks inert warjacks, 67–68, 80 initial attacks and Gunfighter, 63 with light cavalry, 82 and locked weapons, 52 with melee weapons, 48, 50 with ranged weapons, 49, 56
252
intervening models, 43 and cavalry charge, 81 and knocked down models, 63
maximum range, 30 measuring command range, 84 control area, 75 deviation, 59–60 distance, 30 melee range, 50 movement, 46 for ranged attack, 56 spell range, 76, 77 a throw, 54 tools, 27 within vs. completely within, 30 melee additional attacks, 50 attack modifiers, 51 attack rolls, 51, 63 and cavalry, 81
and cloud effects, 69 damage rolls, 50 and elevation, 51 engaged, 51 free strikes, 51 and knocked down models, 63 Melee Attack (MAT), 32 power attacks, 51–56 range, 50–51 and stationary models, 64 targeting a model in, 58, 78 mercenaries and allies, 80 contracts, 38 and field allowance (FA), 40 warcasters, warjacks, 83 miss AOE attack, 59 automatic, 34, 61, 77 combined attack, 62 melee attack, 51, 58 and range, 35, 56–57 rerolls, 65 spells, 77–78 spray attack, 60 models activating, 42 entries, 32 field allowance (FA), 39–40 independent, 31 intervening, 43–44 living, 31 point cost, 39 stationary, 64 types, 31: solos, troopers, warcasters, warjacks volume, 43 warrior, 31 model statistics (stats), 32–33: ARM, Armor; CMD, Command; DEF, Defense; FOCUS, Focus; MAT, Melee Attack; RAT, Ranged Attack; SPD, Speed; STR, Strength Mounts, 81 movement advancing, 46 beyond the play area, 64 and facing, 46 forfeiting, 65 and knocked down models, 63 measuring, 46 modifiers to, 46 Movement system, and crippled, 66 normal, 46 penalties, 48 restrictions, 48 unit movement, 72 multiplayer games formats, 40: free-for-all, team scenarios: Basic Battle, 90 Mangled Metal, Mosh Pit, 92 multiple spell effects, 79 must, 29 myrmidons, 31 names, 28–29, 82, 83 objective markers, 90 obstacles, 87–89 obstructions, 87–89
offensive spells, 77
record sharing, 30
Officer advantage, 34 and drives, 80 and field promotion, 72 issuing orders, 72
reference objects for LOS, 43
Open Fist, 36 and locks, 51, 73 and power attacks, 51, 73 open terrain, 86 orders, 36 issuing orders, 72 and fleeing, 85 out of formation, 71 and knocked down models, 63 and ride-by attacks, 81 and stationary models, 64 origin of damage, see point of origin overboosting a power field, 74 Pathfinder advantage, 34 penalties and charging, 46 movement, 48 for obstacles, 87 for rough terrain, 86 with spray attacks, 60 for targeting a model in melee, 58 phases of the turn, 42 placing, 48 beyond the play area, 64 play materials, 27 point cost, 38–39 point of impact of AOE magic attacks, 77 and deviation, 59–60 of a throw, 54
removed from play, 67 and returning to play, 68 removed from the table, 67 and returned to play, 68 repairing warjacks, 68 and wreck marker, 67 replacing models, 64
Speed (SPD), 32 modifiers to, 46
rerolls, 65
spellcasters, 75
resolving attack, 245
spells, 75–79 Arc Node advantage, 79 attacking a structure with, 77 casting, 77 casting while out of formation, 71 channeling, 79 and fleeing, 85 magic attack, 77 multiple effects, 79 point of origin of channeled, 79 point of origin of normal, 75 range, measuring for, 77 and stationary models, 64 stats, 76–77: *, Area of Effect, COST, Offensive, Power, Range, Upkeep targeting, 78 targeting a model in melee, 58, 78 targeting restrictions, 77, 78 targeting units, 72 upkeep, 78
return to play, 68 ride-by attacks, 81 rough terrain, 86 rounds, 42 rounding, 28: distances, numbers rule priority, 29 rule of least disturbance, 64 rules issues, resolving, 30 running, 46 scenarios, 40, 90–93 multiplayer, 90, 92 objective markers, 90 random determination of, 90 specific Basic Battle, 90 Break the Line, 91 Killing Field, 91 Mangled Metal, 92 Mosh Pit, 92 No Man’s Land, 93 Throw Down, 93 shake effects, 73, 75
Power (POW), 35, 76
Shield, 36 and crippled system, 66 on inert warjacks, 67
power fields, 74 Power plus Strength (P+S), 35 primary attacker of combined attacks, 62 priority, 29 push, being pushed, 52 rallying, 85 range measuring, 56 and point of origin, 64 Range (RNG) stat, 35, 36, 76 ranged attacks and concealment and cover, 57 declaring target, 56 maximum number in an activation (ROF), 56 modifying ranged attack rolls, 57 Ranged Attack (RAT), 33 ranged attack rolls, 56–57 targeting a model in melee, 78 ranged weapons, 56 rate of fire (ROF), 35, 56 Reach, 36, 50 reactivating warjacks, 68, 80, 82
special rules precedence, 29 of warcasters, 74–75 of warjacks, 73–74
replenishing focus points, 42, 74
point of origin of AOE damage, 59 of attack or effect, 64 power attacks, 51–56. 73
special effects automatic, 68 continuous, 69: resolving, and upkeep, Corrosion, Fire critical, 68–69: and AOE attack, Critical Corrosion, Critical Fire, critical hit
sharing information, 30
simultaneous, 244 AOE attacks, 59 continuous effects, 69 damage to force fields, 66 damage with slam, 53 damage with throw, 54–55 fall damage, 63 multiple attacks/damage rolls, 65 spray attack, 60 trample attacks, 56
sportsmanship, 5, 30 spray attacks, 60 boosting, 60 that miss, 58 and terrain, 60 template, 256 Stall, 33 Standard Bearer advantage, 34 standing up, 64 starting roll, 40 stats bars, 32–33 base vs. current, 33 cards, 32 continuous effects, 69 model, 32–33 modifying, 33 weapon, 35
skill check, 49
stationary, 64 channeler, 79 targets, 78
skill value, 49
steamjacks, 31, see also warjacks
skirmish encounter level, 38
Stealth advantage, 34
slam attack, 52 being slammed, 53 damage, 53 damage, collateral, 53 and knocked down models, 63 and overlapping bases, 64 successful, 52
Strength (STR), 32
solos, 31 special actions ( action), 36, 49
structures, 88–89 systems and crippled systems, 66: Arc Node, Cortex, Field Generator, Head, Left Arm, Movement, Right Arm system boxes, 36–37 table, 40 beyond the table edge, 64 tactics, 71
special attacks ( attack), 36
253
RULES INDEX Tall in the Saddle, 81 targets elevated, 78 stationary, 64, 78 switching, 65 unit vs. model/unit, 72 targeting a model in melee, 58 and point of origin, 64 team games, 40 templates, 255–256 terrain, 86–89 details to discuss, 86 elevated, attacker/target on, 78 as spell target, 77 types, 86: impassable, open, rough wreck markers, 67 terrain features, 86–89 elevation, 43–44 entryways, 89 forest, 87–88 hills, 88 linear obstacles, 87 obstacles, obstructions, 87 structures, 88–89 trenches, 88 variably sized, 87 water (deep, and shallow), 88 terrifying entities, 84–85 Terror advantage, 34, 84–85 theme forces, 83 throw attack, 53–54 being thrown, 54 damage, 54–55 and overlapping bases, 64 timing, 244–245 tokens for model destruction, 63 soul, 67 Tough advantage, 34 toward vs. directly toward, 48 trample, 55–56 trenches, 88 troopers, 31–32 activating, 42 cavalry, 81–82 charging, 47 combined attacks, 62 command check, 84 damage capacity, 36 fleeing, 85 in/out of formation, 72–72, 84 making a ride-by attack, 81 models, 70–71 movement, 72 orders, 72 placed, 48 rallying, 85 running, 46 turn order, 40 two-player games, 40 scenarios, 90–93 Undead advantage, 34 unit attachments, 32, 71 tactics, 71
254
unit components, 31–32, 70 attachments, 32: unit attachments, weapon attachments Grunts, 32, 70 Leaders, 32, 70 Officers, 32, 70 standard bearers, 70 troopers, 31, 70 unit commanders, 32, 70 weapon crews, 71 units activating, 31, 42 in an army list, 38–40 cavalry, 81 character, 39 charging, 72 combined melee and ranged attacks, 62 command checks, 84 control, 28 deployment, 40 as effect/spell targets, 72 FA, field allowance, 39–40 fleeing, 85 in and out of formation, 32, 71–72, 84 and ’Jack Marshal, 80 leader or unit commander replacement, 70 massive casualties, 84 moving, 72 multiple spells or animi, 79 orders, 72 point cost of, 32, 39 profile, 32 rallying, 85 returning models to play, 68 ride-by attack, 81 tactics, 71 targeting, 72 and terrifying entities, 84 in theme forces, 83 and upkeep spells, 78 upkeep spells, 67, 78 victory conditions, 41 volume, 43 warcaster special rules, affinities, 82 allocating focus points, 74 Battlegroup Commander, 74 casting spells, 77 Commander, 33, 74 control area, 75 destruction, 67 epic, 83 Fearless, 34, 74 feats, 36, 74 and focus, 74 FOCUS stat, 33, 74, 75, mercenary, 83 power field overboost, 74 special rules, 74–75 Spellcaster, 75 spending focus, 75 theme forces, 83 Warjack Bond, 83 war encounter level, 38 warjack bonds, 83, 246 Cryx, 248 Cygnar, 247 Khador, 247 Mercenary, 249 Protectorate, 248 Retribution, 249
warjacks, 73 autonomous, 80 base size, 31 bonding, 83, 246 channeling, 79 character, 82: affinities, bonding, imprints Construct advantage, 73 damage grid, 36–37, 65–66 destruction, 67 force fields, 66 ’jack marshals, 80 inert, 67 mercenary, 83 points, 38 reactivating inert, 68 repairing, 68 restarting, 88 special rules, 65, 73 systems, 66 and trample, 55–56, 73 types, 31: bonejacks, heavy, helljacks, light, myrmidons volume, 43 in water, 88 warlocks, 31 warriors, 31 base size, 37 in deep water, 88 restarting warjacks, 88 volume, 43 water (deep/shallow), 88 weapon attachments, 71 weapon crews, 71 weapon locations, 35, 66 weapon locks, 51–52 and knocked down models, 63 and Open Fist, 73 Weapon Master, 36, weapon qualities, 35–36: Buckler, Continuous Effect: Corrosion, Continuous Effect: Fire, Critical Fire, Damage Type: Cold, Damage Type: Corrosion, Damage Type: Electricity, Damage Type: Fire, Magical Weapon, Open Fist, Reach, Shield, Weapon Master weapon statistics, 35 AOE, Area of Effect, 35 L/R/H/–, Location, 35 P+S, Power plus Strength, 35 POW, Power, 35 RNG, Range, 35 ROF, Rate of Fire, 35 weapon systems, 66 and Buckler, 35 crippled, 66 locked, 52 and Shield, 36 whining, 5 within vs. completely within, 30 wounds, 36, 65 wreck markers, 67 x2, 35 you and yours, 28
TEMPLATES
DIRECTION OF ATTACK
3 B LAST 4 BLAST 5 BLAST
BLAST
WRECK MARKERS Photocopy these templates for your personal use. 255
TEMPLATES
SPRAY
TRENCH 6” SPRAY
8” SPRAY
WALL
Photocopy these templates for your personal use. 256
10” SPRAY
SPINE