Cheltenham Warchiefs

Warmachine is a fast-paced skirmish game that can be played with as few as two models per side, though its best with at least four. Besides models and game rules, all that is needed are record sheets, six-sided dice and rulers.

It is set in the Iron Kingdoms, an environment that combines the best of traditional fantasy with steam power and gunpowder. Across the realm, ancient rivalries among nations are about to explode into all-out conflict. In Warmachine, players take on the role of an elite soldier-sorcerer known as a “warcaster.” While a warcaster is a formidable force on the battlefield, their true strength is in their ability to magically control and coordinate the actions of their mighty warjacks—steam-powered combat automatons that represent the pinnacle of military might in the Iron Kingdoms.

Warmachine focuses on battles between warcasters and the titanic forces that they control. A match is fought with a warjack's thundering cannons, ripping iron claws and crushing hammer blows, as well as devastating spells wrought by the warcaster himself. When the dust settles, one side is victorious and the other is nothing but smoking scrap metal!

A Warmachine game can be played in as little as 30 minutes on a table as small as 30" across, or atop epic landscapes as large as you are willing to craft. The central strategy of Warmachine is in the allocation of the warcasters resources to the battlegroup. Should the warcaster concentrate on destroying a fleeing enemy by allocating "focus points" for a nearby warjack to charge? Or are the resources better spent on a shield spell for an allied warjack in a tight spot?

Each turn, players make tough tactical decisions, while making sure that the warcaster is close enough to the action to remain effective. Retreat is not an option, for the cunning warcaster will emerge victorious. Lines have been drawn, and the time grows near when we will all have to choose sides.

The standard advice is always to start with the battle box, which contains Coleman Stryker, an Ironclad, a Lancer, and a Charger. Once you've played a few games you should get a feel for the faction. Excellent ranged attacks, and good defensive abilities backed up by powerful utility spells like Earthquake.

Once you've got a few games in with the battle box you'll want to start your additional purchases with two solos. The Journeyman Warcaster, and the Gun Mage Captain Adept. Both are powerful, useful and thematic additions to any Cygnar force. If you want more warjacks and warcasters, or if you don't feel like starting with the Battle Box, Victoria Haley is a good starting warcaster as is Markus 'Siege' Brisbane.

The other warcasters are more specialized, but equally playable with a bit of practice. No warjack is better than any other, but because they're channelers Lancers are almost required. The only warjacks you might want to avoid are the Stormclad and Sentinel. Both are good jacks, but best in larger games of 750 points or more. One of the best jacks for starting players is the Centurion, which is slow, but strong and tough.

Once you start building up to forces of 500 points or more you'll want to use units of warriors. Long Gunners are a signature troop for Cygnar, easy to use, and quite deadly. Trenchers and Stormblades are also useful and thematic starts to a Cygnar force.

Some models work better with some warcasters than others. The Sword Knights are fairly powerful melee fighters, but are almost required in a 750 point army built around the jack heavy forces of E. Dominic Darius. They also make ideal warriors in armies that make heavy use of the Lancer, because both it and them will be up near the enemy. Other models work in conjunction with certain other units. The Grenadier is a useful jack, but even more useful when a pair of Trenchers are increasing its ROF for free!

The standard advice is always to start with the battle box, which contains Warwitch Deneghra, two Deathripper Bonejacks, a Defiler Bonejack, and a Slayer Helljack. After you play a few games with this collection of models you should have a pretty good feel for the faction. Fragile, fast, and good at crippling opponents models with magic.

Once you decide to move beyond 350 point Mangled Metal games a Skarlock should be at the top of your list for models to buy. This thing is just super handy no matter what warcaster you field, and is included in virtually every Cryx Tournament list. After that, or if you don't feel like buying the battle box at all, I highly suggest two or four more bonejacks. My own personal favorite is the Nightwretch. Bonejacks are essential to winning with most of the Cryx warcasters, and are handy even for those that don't necessarily need them.

Most Cryx armies can do well without Helljacks, but there's nothing particularly wrong with any of them. Even the much disparaged Reaper Helljack has won me the odd game. The only jacks that I have any personal ambivalence towards are the Leviathan, Harrower, and Stalker because they are difficult to assemble and have a habit of popping off their bases during play.

Once you start building up to 500, 750, 1000 points or more you need to start getting solos and units of warriors. For Cryx there is no better start than the Mechanithralls, Bile Thralls, and Pistol Wraiths. After those you'll need at least six Bane Thralls if you want to use the warcaster Goreshade the Bastard, and they're pretty cool no matter what warcaster you choose to field.

Some models work better for some warcasters than others. Revenant Crew are good with all the warcasters, but are practically must have models with Lich Lord Terminus. Many of the ranged attack units like Bloat Thralls and the Leviathan Helljack have trouble hitting their targets, but Warwitch Deneghra can "debuff" enemy models by as much as -4 DEF and -4 ARM so their ranged weapons change from being just OK to amazing.

The standard advice is always to start with the battle box, which contains Kommander Sorcha, a Destroyer, and a Juggernaut. Once you've played a few games you should get a feel for the faction. Brutal melee power backed up by an in-your-face warcaster that has an array of offensive spells for boosting her own or other model's attacks and defenses.

Once you've got a few games in with the battle box you'll want to start your additional purchases with Widowmakers. These deadly snipers are just too useful not to field in most games. Most people also swear by the Greylords Ternion, and many Khadoran forces feature the Manhunter because he's an easy way to fill in the last twenty-two points in a list. If you want more warjacks and warcasters, or if you don't feel like starting with the Battle Box Vladimir the Dark Prince is a good starting warcaster.

The other warcasters are more specialized, but equally playable with a bit of practice. No Warjack is better than any other, though some warcasters function better with certain warjacks. The Berserker is often maligned, but with Kommander Karchev it's a fearsome beast. The Devastator will almost always deliver the goods, and it's hard not to like the Kodiak.

Once you start building up to forces of 500 points or more you'll want to use units of warriors. There isn't any one unit of warriors available to Khador that isn't hard-as-nails. Starting players should probably begin with a unit of Iron Fang Pikemen and Winter Guard Mortar Crews. Some models work better with some warcasters than others. For example, the Man-O-War Demolition Corps will do well in any force where you can screen them from enemy fire or conceal them from attack while they close in, and Vladimir the Dark Prince has a spell called Wind Wall that will do just that, which makes him one of the best warcasters for Demo Corps.

The standard advice is always to start with the battle box, which contains High Exemplar Kreoss, a Repenter Light Warjack, a Revenger Light Warjack, and a Crusader Heavy Warjack. Once you've played a few games you should get a feel for the faction. Effective melee power backed up by a powerful warcaster that has an array of spells that protect your own units while hosing over your opponent's warcaster.

Once you've got a few games in with the battle box you'll want to start your additional purchases with Choirs of Menoth. The Wracks are great not just because they're so thematic, but are also an excellent way to fill in those last few points on an army list. Most people swear by the power of the Exemplar Seneschal, and for some warcasters the extra commander is essential.

If you want more warjacks and warcasters, or if you don't feel like starting with the Battle Box a good starting warcaster is Grand Scrutator Severius. Severius demands the purchase of at least one Revenger Light Warjack or Guardian Heavy Warjack. Those two warjacks are channelers, and are handy no matter what warcaster you're using. Of the remaining warjacks no one is better than any other, though the Repenter Light Warjack is much maligned. The Devout Light Warjack works as a body guard for your warcaster, and is almost essential for most Menite warcasters. In fact, the Devout is a "must have" if you want to use the Harbinger of Menoth or Amon AdRaza.

Once you start building up to forces of 500 points or more you'll want to use units of warriors. The Deliverers are very good at wiping out masses of enemy infantry, but can slow the game down a lot. Many veteran players will insist that you pass them over for the Redeemer Light Warjacks. The Knights Exemplar don't care if they die, and get stronger with each death! The last unit that's most easy to get use out of are the Holy Zealots & Monolith Bearer, a fearless unit that's thematic for getting meaner and stronger as they're killed. If you've got a lot of Cryx players in your area give Exemplar's Errant a serious look, as their crossbows will put down those annoying Pistol Wraiths!

Some models work better with some warcasters than others. For example, the Temple Flameguard and the Flameguard Cleansers are both great units, but are even better with Feora, Priestess of Flame because she makes them fearless.

The standard advice is always to start with the battle boxes. There are two of them: Magnus' Battle Box contains Magnus the Traitor, a Talon, a Renegade, and a Mangler. Once you start building up your force to 500 points or more start with a second Renegade. Gorten's Battle Box contains Gorten Grundback, three Grundback Gunners, and a Ghordson Driller. There is no Battle Box for Ashlynn, but you can build a 314 point force with Ashlynn D'Elyse, a Talon, a Vanguard, and a Mule.

No Quarter Magazine #1 has two mercenary contracts that let you field armies of mercs. It's a very challenging faction to play. Highborn Covenant lets you use Gorten and Ashlynn together, and Four Star Syndicate lets you use Magnus and Gorten together. There's no one generic warjack better than another, but the Vanguard is specialized and sometimes difficult to get good use out of. Once you start building up to forces of 500 points or more you'll want to use units of warriors. The Steelhead Halberdiers and the Hammer fall High Shield Gun Corps are the only generic units available. The others are built around unique characters and specialize at one thing or another. Look at their profiles and keep the merc contracts in mind for what you can and cannot use.

Mercenary forces will be dependant on utility solos to work at maximum efficiency. The two standouts in my mind are Rupert Carvolo, and Alexia Ciannor. Both solos require two or more units of warriors to work at their best. Eiryss and Gorman Di Wulfe are both also excellent solos for bolstering the power of a merc force. If you use all four solos you'll find that in tournaments you'll be handing a lot of victory points to your foe if you start taking casualties.