Troll light

It's spiky

No stats yet though I will keep my eyes out for spoilers. Could even be just a new swamp troll which I would also be happy about

Santa Spoiled

Gargantuans is out March 13th and I'm starting to get excited. With the books printed and starting to be sent out expect spoilers to start leaking over the next two weeks. First up is Santa:

Lylyth, Reckoning of Everblight
SPD: 9
STR : 8
MAT: 6
RAT: 8
DEF: 14
ARM: 16
CMD: 8
FURY: 5

Same bow as her epic version RNG 12 POW 12
Her sleigh also has two scything blades and P+S 12 which can be used for tramples (also she can trample).
She also has a mount attack POW 12. She's regular cav though not light cav so she has ride by attack, and can only use her mount attack on the charge. She is not a warrior model.
She loses gunfighter but gains weapons platform which is way better than gunfighter. (make melee and ranged attacks every activation even if engaged, she can also trample and shoot)
Her bow also has Auto Fire [3] so she makes 3 ranged attacks a turn (but have to be at the same target or targets within 2"). She has blood boon so after killing a model with her bow she can immediately cast a spell that costs less than 3 focus. That's all of her spells, one of which she will be upkeeping and the other two are pretty useful. She can also shoot backwards.

Spells:
Wind Wall (can't make ranged attacks and can't be targetted by enemy non-magical ranged attacks. Also applies to models completely within 3" of her). Keeps her alive when your opponent has shooting since you can't block off her huge bast. Probably going to be cast for free by shooting an enemy model.
Escort (+2 movement to all her beasts, she gains 2 ARM if she's within 3" of one of her beasts)
Frost Hammer (8" spray, POW 12, crit stationary).

Feat:
All ranged attacks cause death chill (have to sacrifice movement or action).

Thoughts:
First and most obvious though was that Legion used the be the faction with the most movement buffs and the least movement buffs that worked on its Gargossal. Now legion has one movement buff that works on its gargossal. Still wouldn't take it with her. Escort really helps your threat ranges. I think you are almost certainly taking a Seraph with her (she can be slipstreamed, she's a battle engine not a colossal so she can be moved by place effects). She is a monster against infantry. She'll kill 3 herself and then she can cast a spray. She can do this on a ride by attack or at max range through some spell martyrs. Only problem is that the sprays will be at her abysmal fury stat.

I had 0 hopes for Lylyth3, I was pretty much of the opinion that battle engine warcasters would in general be terrible. I'm still pretty much in this camp but I am willing to at least let other people do the play testing and see if she can be made playable. She can actually be pretty survivable. She goes to 15/19 with escort and tenacity or 14/20 with spiny growth instead. Wind wall cast for free (since her auto fire ranged attacks are simulaneous you can still kill 3 infantry before you cast it). Escort makes legion pretty damn fast. Here is hoping that there is a souless unit in the new book so she can get sac pawn too.

A Thing I Want to Run

First draft of rules for:

The Mayhem Cup

The idea behind the Mayhem Cup is to pit gaming groups, clubs and stores against each other. Players compete in events and earn points for their gaming group. The

group with the most points is declared the winner, the first tie breaker being total points from the main event and then highest placed player in the main event.

The Mayhem Cup compromises the following events:

The Main Event
50 point steamroller.
Standard steamroller, character restricted, full painting not required, 2 lists allowed.
3 rounds on Saturday, the top 8 (using standard steamroller rules) qualify for the final on Sunday.
3 Rounds on Sunday will decide a winner.

1st place: 7 points
2nd place: 5 points
3rd place: 3 points
4th place: 1 point

The top 4 will also earn an additional point if their armies are fully painted and based. *Possibly places 7 and 8 go to the top placed members of a club for which no members have qualified for the final.

Also on Sunday:

Easy Rider
25 points. Relaxed timing, 1 list allowed.
1st place: 4 points
2nd place: 2 points
3rd place: 1 point

Points will also be scored for the best painted lists. These will be judged by an impartial judge or (should one not be available) one person from each group (nominating their top 3 armies from other groups)

Master Craftsman
1st place: 4 points
2nd place: 2 points
3rd place: 1 point

Prizes will be drawn from a German artillery helmet. Everyone is entered in the draw. Those who have earned points for their team will gain additional tickets in the hat.

When registering, registering for the main event will gets you in either the final of the main event or the alternate tournament should you not qualify for the second day. You can also choose just to register for day two.

Anyway any ideas, feedback or other comments would be appreciated. I want to have a basic outline of the rules for when I start to track down and harass the other people who run stuff (the process has begun). My goal here is to have a greater South Coast cup challenge, build some kind of inter club rivalry  get everyone to meet everyone else. I want to make sure new players feel welcome, I want to encourage painting and those who are painters/modellers (if that is a real word) before they are gamers. 

Also if anyone other that Uli and Graham (who have been banned from the naming process) has an alternative name for the cup speak up. So far it is named after the US cup I based it on. 

Product Blurbs for New Stuff

Product blurbs are out for new stuff:

The Tactical Arcanist Corps always work in threes. They undergo training and drilling together until they can meet and even exceed the exacting standards imposed by the Brand of Odom for Rhul’s elite battle mages. They defend those they are contracted to protect with scorching salvos of arcane fire, incinerating those that challenge them.
The Tactical Arcanist Corps unit comes in a blister (PIP 41102). A player may field up to two Tactical Arcanists Corps units in a Cygnar, Khador, or Mercenary army.

It's funny because they sound awful. The searforge players went nuts when this unit was announced, and a magic unit with nothing but probably crappy AOE spells, particularly a slow dwarf unit with AOEs is really going to struggle to be good. So I'm just going to wallow in my own crapulence here for a minute. HAHAHAHA!

Ranging far ahead of a main body of attackers, Tharn blood packs move through the densest thickets with speed and agility surprising for such hulking warriors. With massive bows they loose arrows that could be mistaken for small javelins before closing with frightening speed to slaughter their prey.

Pathfinder, maybe tree walker like the ravagers.  Advance Deployment. Possibly thunderbolt. They could go either way. Assault or Assault and Battery? Before the Incendiary medium based shooting units were pretty bad but I don't think they are going to be as good as the Incendiary. In fairness Warspears are pretty good with their new UA too.

Mage hunter infiltrators specialize in hunting and killing enemy arcanists. At home in any environment, they take advantage of their surroundings to close on their target in silence, their blades slicing through arcane wards with practiced ease. From out of the darkness they strike, quickly and efficiently dispatching those whose very existence threatens Scyrah. 

 Arcane assassin was always a given. This one doesn't tell us anything except maybe pathfinder. Maybe stealth.

Such is the power of faith in an Exemplar bastion seneschal that his presence allows brother bastions to endure impossible punishment while firmly holding the line against the Creator’s enemies. Exemplar bastion seneschals are uniquely entrusted with the command of the Protectorate’s warjacks in support of their fellow Exemplar knights, joining the power of those machines to the bastions’ unbreakable wall.

The Exemplar Bastion Seneschal solo comes in a blister (PIP 32090). A player may field up to two Exemplar Bastion Seneschals for each warcaster in a Protectorate army.  

This one just from the blurb is off the hook amazing. Bastions were already fantastic anything he gives them (defensive line? holy crap defensive line would be amazing) is just gravy. What makes him bonkers though is that he is Menoth's first jack marshal. That's silly good. I doubt he'll have a drive (or he'll have a garbage one) but choir buffs, focus from reclaimers and Vassal shenanigans all work on marshalled jacks. So does the sancifiers soul gathering shenanigans. There is a reason Menoth have not got a jack marshal up until now.

The Crack Widens

Check the leaderboard, some people can choose upgrades. Links to those posts (upgrades and the leaderboard) are across the top.

Models for next club (I fixed my scanner, well I went and bought a new cord but that's pretty much the same thing) :

Upcoming Tournament

It's at Hall of Heroes

u1/60 Queen St  Campbelltown NSW 2560

Event - Warmachine and Hordes Tournament
Event Name: Warmachine and Hordes Tournament
Date/s: 9th and 10th of March
Time: 10am Day One 11am Day Two
Game Limit: 35pts
Cost: $30. Includes Breakfast both Days. Covers cost of Trophies and Prizes.
Positions: Awaiting the minimum number of players (6).     

Key Information:Warmachine/Hordes Steamroller  – 35 pointsThe 2013 Stearmroller pack will be used in this Tournament,  it is attached above.
Tournament Organiser: Eric Iwasenko
Points Values: 35 points
Rounds: 3 Rounds Day one 2 Rounds Day 2
Army Lists: Tier Lists are allowed as normal. If the Tier List is from a NQ Magazine, please have a copy of the NQ with you for checking
Players are only allowed one army list.
Please email all army lists to info@thehallofheroes.com.au by the wednesday prior to the event.
Match Timing: Each round will have a set length and at the end of this time the TO will call “dice down” as per the 2013 Steamroller pack.
Each player will have a set time to complete each turn and one extension as per the 2013 Steamroller pack. The specific values are stated below.
All scenarios will be determined by the TO before the event from the Steamroller 2013 pack.  The scenario to to be used in each round will only be announced prior to the begining of the round.
Prizes: Each person that attends will receive a ticket to enter a draw for prizes. An additional ticket will be awarded for each game a player wins. At the end of the Tournament, a raffle will be drawn to determine prize winners.  Players placing 1st to 3rd will be awarded a trophy.  The player with the best painted army will also be awarded a trophy.
Rankings: This is an unranked event and results will not be placed on Rankings HQ.
Approximate Timing of Rounds(There will be breaks between each round)
Day One
10.00am:         Registration
10.30am:         Round 1 Starts
12.00am:         Lunch
12:45pm:         Round 2 Starts
2.30pm:           Round 3 Starts
4.00pm:           End of Day
Day Two
11.00am:         Round 1 Starts
12.30am:         Lunch
1:15pm:          Round 2 Starts
2.45pm:          Round 3 Starts
4.00pm:          End of Day 

One list only is very interesting, it rules out a lot of my favourite casters as they have too many bad match ups. I want to go fully painted so I'll try and make a decision about what I am taking early. Options:

Bart-Galleon: A fantastic skew list at 35 points but falls apart if you have multiple options that can take down an ARM 24 colossal i.e. Cryx.

Haley2 Stormwall: Can I really inflict that upon another human being? Yes, yes I can. Interestingly I think this list loses to Bart Galleon but massacres Cryx.

Vayl2 - Purification and the 25" feat assassination is pretty good. Not so good in scenario and I don't think it takes on colossals.

Doomshaper2 - Very fast beast brick. Stacks up very well against colossals, struggles against assassination lists.

Doomshaper1 - Purification and the beast brick. Struggles in scenario but probably has the least bad match ups.

Saeryn - Does not like Gunlines. Though you see a lot of gunlines at super series or higher level competitive play you don't see a lot at. 35 points doesn't help a lot either.

Siege - Excellent assassination list, particularly against colossals. Also does pretty well in scenario.

New stuff

Top picture is on a huge base, Not sure if it's convergence looking enough to be from the Convergence of Cyriss (but they do have a colossal and a battle engine coming) and a dwarf colossal is also coming.

PIP 32090 Preorder only PRIVATEER PRESS Warmachine: Protectorate Exemplar Bastion Seneschal Solo (white metal)
Street Date: 05/30/2013

PIP 74075 Preorder only PRIVATEER PRESS Hordes: Skorne Reptile Hounds Lesser Warbeasts (2) (white metal)
05/30/2013

PIP 41102 Preorder only PRIVATEER PRESS Warmachine: Mercenary Tactical Arcanist Corps Rhulic Unit (3) (white metal)
05/30/2013

Lessers for Skorne, more dwarf stuff and Exemplar Bastion Seneschal, most interested in the last one. Lessers with skorne are going to be interesting, with their beast support they have the potential to be very good. Magic dwarves could be fun, something with push/pull will be awesome for Gorten. another Merc damage buff would also be spectacular. I expect something along the lines of hex bolt but not as good.
Also santa Lylyth has a name:

Lylyth, Reckoning of Everblight

Games Workshop are Jerks

Nothing to do with Warmachine but I wanted to mention the company that got me into wargaming. Games Workshop have decided that they have a common law trademark on the words "Space Marine" despite the concept having existed for as long as science fiction has existed and has been harrassing independant authors to get their books pulled from sale. They've been targeting specifically independant authors knowing that they  would not be take the claim to court because of the time and money involved in that, depsite the fact that GWs claim has little to no merit. It's a common bullying tactic that you often see from big companies and would have worked in this case but it looks like the Electronic Frontiers Foundation are going to take up the case, they have at the moment got Amazon to put the book back for sale (which should stop GW at least with that retailer, there is no way they can win in court). There is a savespacemarines hastag going around twitter and news of it is up on the EFF page and Boing Boing if you are interested in reading more. Here's a link to the independant authors blog:

http://mcahogarth.org/?p=10593
and the EFF:
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/02/trademark-bully-thwarted-spots-space-marine-back-online

I'm very disappointed. I wish I could say that I was shocked but it seems like exactly the kind of dick move I have come to expect from GW. 

Galleon Has Arrived

Woo! Assembling it right now. I don't even have a colour scheme for my mercs (they're supposed to be ragtag and that suits me as I never stick to a colour scheme anyway, always want to try new things). I could always go with the Keith Christiansen method:

The story behind this is that you have to have painted and based models for hardcore at Templecon and the Galleon came out 2 days before Templecon so Keith got a bunch of volunteers to paint different parts, no overarching colour scheme or style and put it together to get this. 

Anyway, Bart Galleon is coming out next week. Will probably inflict it on Uli.

Templecon and Haley2 Double Stormwall

Something I wanted to point out as a trend from other players at Templecon.

Marc-Andre Leblanc - 3rd in Standard Issue, 5th in Masters.
Major Victoria Haley

• Stormwall
• Stormwall
• Squire

Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team
Arcane Tempest Gun Mages
Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Officer
Journeyman Warcaster

Chris Root - 5th in Standard Issue
Major Victoria Haley

• Stormwall
• Stormwall
• Squire

Arcane Tempest Gun Mages

• Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Officer

Journeyman Warcaster
Gun Mage Captain Adept
Stormsmith Stormcaller
Stormsmith Stormcaller

Billy Robin - 7th in Masters (and I think he won something else)
Major Victoria Haley

• Stormwall
• Stormwall
• Squire

Arcane Tempest Gun Mages

• Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Officer

Black 13^th  Gun Mage Strike Team
Journeyman Warcaster

That's one of the lists of every Cygnar player whos lists are available. Everyone who did well at Templecon with Cygnar was rocking Haley2 double Stormwall. This is almost entirely Billy Robin from the Texas Renegades (and the podcast Road to War)'s fault. It seems though that Haley double stormwall is now a list that is going to keep popping up at tournaments. So I'm going to explain a bit about it.

How does it work - Bond + temporal acceleration = SPD 9 Colossal. Arcane shield goes on one (the bonded one), they both get the benefit of Deceleration taking the bonded one to ARM 24 against shooting and the other one to ARM 21 against shooting. You can make a line about 16-19" wide that no model can advance through without taking a POW 12 damage roll making you relatively safe from infantry. You use the feat, your SPD and your hitting power to remove as much stuff as possible, taking out anything that can take out an arcane shielded stormwall. Gun mages with deadeye if needed kill all the enemy infantry safely from behind the covering fire templates and they are DEF 17 if your opponent tries to shoot them (from Deceleration). Now the bottom list of the two I posted doesn't have the B13th so it's wrong. I generally don't like to say a list is wrong but in this case I'm pretty confident about that. If you take them out your wall drops to 12-14" (and you lose some high RAT shots and the ability to let your Stormwalls shoot stealth models), I think that's alright if you are going to add in something with a lot of utility like Eiryss2, Gorman, Aiyana and Holt, Anastasia Di Bray or even some mechanics but for a gun mage captain adept I think that is a big mistake (the two Stormcallers aren't bad though). 

What should you take against it? - Strangely enough even though my description included a Stormwall at ARM 24 this isn't the meta bending list for ARM cracking, it gets worse. Bartolo Montador is capable of fielding two ARM 24 Galleons and they are both ARM 24 all the time, to shooting and melee. So if you are building a 50 point list to crack ARM that's the one you have to build for. If you have a list that can crack that much ARM then take that list here and you should be fine. Unless it's based on single woumd weapon masters in which case those covering fire templates are a problem. Other than that standard colossal tech applies. Countermeasured boomhowlers are an option, shooting Haley is going to be hard with Deceleration up but it can be done if you can shoot through the colossals. She needs to be further forward that usual to hand out temporal acceleration and deadeyes.

The good news is (though I'm stretching the definition of good) is that this list is prevalent enough that people will net-deck against it. This list and the other meta benders (Asphixious2, Bart Galleon, winterguard death star, and the Harbinger gun line) tend to grab attention and so people plan for them. It reduces their effectiveness at a tournament level, not enough to make them bad but enough to make them less ball breaking. The other good news (stretching even further) is that this list is really hard to play. You make a mistake with your stormwall and it's gone and that's half your army. Give it up cheaply and your opponent will still have enough left to kill the other one. The thing that I dislike about this list is that it is not fun to play against, it's possibly the least fun list to face in the game. I think Asphixious2 and Bart Double Galleon are probably better lists but both are much more fun to play against. 

Templecon Masters Winning Lists

From endgamgegaming. Mike Puryear was the winner (came second at warmachine weekend). My comments after the lists.

The Harbinger of Menoth
    * Devout
    * Reckoner
    * Redeemer
    * Repenter
Choir of Menoth Min
Exemplar Errants Max
    * Exemplar Errant Officer and Standard
Visigoth Juviah Rhoven and Honor Guard
Vessel of Judgement
The Covenant of Menoth
Vassal of Menoth
Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord
Wracks

The devout is something I think Menoth will see more of in 2013. It brings shield gaurd, spell ward and defensive strike to protect its warcaster. With Harbinger in particular it can't be slammed through her or knock otherwise be use to knock her down so that removes its biggest drawback. Errents, Covenant, Rhupert with Harbinger I have talked about before. Vessel also helps with that and it brings some boosted shooting that doesn't use Harbinger's focus. Rhoven brings some help against stealth/clouds.

Feora, Protector of the Flame
    * Reckoner
    * Reckoner
    * Judicator
Choir of Menoth Min
Holy Zealots Max
    * Monolith Bearer
Temple Flameguard Max
Vassal Mechanik
Vassal of Menoth
Eiryss, Angel of Retribution

Epic Feora with a Judicator. All the Judicators AOEs cause fire, and it can be allocated 4 focus and she speeds it up and she can ignite it. Reckoners help it hit (if you need direct hits with the AOE guns). Reckoners are also just awesome. Temple Flameguard can hopefully set more things on fire before she feats.

Intercessor Kreoss
    * Fires of Salvation
    * Crusader
    * Redeemer
Exemplar Errants Max
    * Exemplar Errant Officer and Standard
Exemplar Vengers Max
Exemplar Vengers Max
Choir of Menoth Min
Vassal of Menoth

This one is interesting. Double Vengers will scrap any colossal. It's also incredibly fast and has shenanigans. It's also very magic resistant. The thing I especially like about this list in the current meta is fast, blessed, weaponmasters. They even get a 5th dice and drop the lowest. They do not care about ARM stacking.

Comments in general - At Warmachine Weekend both of Mike Puryear's lists were Menoth gunlines. Now only the Harbinger list is a true gunline. I think SR2013 has gone part of the way to beating the gunline out of the Meta and I think people are starting to expect it as well. Hopefully this year will be different than last year and won't see the total gunline domination that last year brought.

Playing Against Mercenaries

Bartolo Montador

What does he do - his feat knocks down anything that moves and stays in his control area (and also gives -3 on attack rolls). He adds ARM to all his warjacks, hot shots one (boosts all ranged damage rolls), and can make everything in his battlegroup shoot again outside of activation. 

What does he bring - Galleon

How do you play against him - Armlock your heavies, get the behind walls or bring a shield guard and hide it behind your heavies (so it shield guards and gets pushed to B2B with your heavies). Spread out your infantry, have a plan, if you can't kill an ARM 24 Galleon set up the assassination or do something else to take it out of the game. 

Phinneas Shae

What does he do - Makes his pirates stupid fast, pulls assassinations out of nowhere, Storm Rager (a warrior model becomes awesome) and Phantasm (reduces the RNG of some ranged attacks when you shoot at one unit).

What does he bring - Pirates and all the solos, Nomads

How do you play against him - You are going to eat the alpha strike. Shae has one of the longest in the game. Set yourself up to survive it. You won't be able to pick match ups either the pirates are too fast and have advance deploy. Take out the solos, make use of things that stop tough. Watch for the assasination there is the commodore cannon (keep your caster away from your jacks) Blow the Man Down (stay clear of Shae) Storm Rager can make a warrior model awesome and Veil Of Mists (which will let Shae's stuff move through your stuff). 

Gorten Grundback

What does he do - Slides a chunk of stuff 8". Reduces their SPD, RAT and DEF. No blast damage, no knock downs, puts up a rock wall and his jacks hit stupid hard.

What does he bring - Dwarves and/or gun mages or Kayazy. There are a number of different builds with him that work.

How do you play against him - Same advice as for Galleon when it comes to avoiding being pushed by Gorten's feat (armlock your heavies, block of models with terrain). Watch the scenario, he has no problem dominating and will push all your stuff out of the zone with his feat. Use the advantage you have with threat range (particularly over his jacks) and be careful he can't slide half your army forward and kill it with his feat as that's really the only way he's going to alpha strike you.

Durgen Madhammer

What does he do - Blows up all the things. He makes his infantry awesome but also explody (if I can make up an adjective). He personally will kill all your infantry. 

What does he bring - low ARM infantry (Nyss, Steelheads, Kayazy), Dougal and Reinholdt

How do you play against him - Spread out your infantry. You'll still lose a bunch but don't make it easy for him. Durgen tends to get assassinated so keep on the look out for that. 

Hardcore

That's right, I'm making another post. No I don't think I have a problem, I can quit posting about Warmachine whenever I want.

I just wanted point out that there is a different scenario in the hardcore rules packet which looks very interesting. It has killbox and a 12" by 12" square in the centre. Instead of scenario points though your warcasters take 5 damage if you killbox yourself and you take 5 damage if your opponent Dominates the zone (domination only that means they have their warcaster in the zone and you have no models). Warcaster/warlocks taking that damage also lose tough and can't or have damage removed for one round. I'm including this scenario in the possible league scenarios but since it's not on the random table it'll be something that people pick to do instead of the rolled up scenario.

Also my ear hurts so everyone has to go easy on me.

(For those who don't know Hardcore is a particularly nuts kind of tournament, the time limits are shortened making it very difficult to play a normal list, all armies must be fully painted (normally they allow unpainted models so that they don't scare off any players), one list only and if they game goes to time everyone loses, you don't check tie-breakers. Hardcore has 4 awards and they are all about equally valued. There is Vanquisher (the winner), Mage Hunter (fastest caster kill, now changed to caster kill while destroying the least other models), Executioner (most army points destroyed) and Master Craftsman (best painted).)

Spoilers Greylord Cav

Since I haven't posted enough today I'm pointing you all to this from end game gaming:


Greylord Outriders: Khador Light Cavalry Unit
SPD 9
STR 5
MAT 5
RAT 4
DEF 13
ARM 15
CMD 9
FA:1
Point Cost: Leader & 2 Grunts: 6
Leader & 4 Grunts: 9
Base Size: Large
Damage: 5 each
Immunity: Cold
Pathfinder
Magic Ability [6]

• Frostbite (Star Attack) – Frostbite is a RNG SP 8 magic attack. Models hit suffer a POW 12 cold damage roll
• Winter’s Wind (Star Action) – RNG 5. Target friendly Faction model with Immunity: Cold. When an enemy model without Immunity: Cold ends its activation within 2” of the target model, the enemy model becomes stationary for one round. Winter’s Wind lasts for one round.

Snow-Wreathed – This model always has concealment.
Weapons
Rune Axe [1x] (None) POW: 5 P+S: 10
Magical Weapon
Mount [1x] (None) POW: 10

Thoughts - Holy crap they kept the sprays. Magic Ability 6 spray 8 and you can move 5" afterwards. And SPD 9 to get right alongside a unit for the best spray vector. I thought Winter's Wind looked really good too but then I checked and Beast 09 does not have immunity cold. Pretty sure the only models that do are Sorscha, the Greylord Cav and Zerkova. Ha, Zerkova (there's a bet going on at templecon today, If Flanzer can beat Michael "Chilly" Winters with Zerkova then he has to get some kind of Flanzer tattoo). So yeah DEF 15 against shooting, light cav move and magical RAT 6 sprays an it's 9 points. I was right, this unit is awesome with Strakhov, give them stealth and laugh at your puny opponents attempts to kill them. The Old witch can give them Weald Secrets, they always have concealment so they are always DEF 17 against shooting. Iron flesh takes them to DEF 18 against shooting 16 in melee. Signs and Portents and Hand of Fate will let them kill all the infantry as will Fortune. With Vlad3 you can give them hand of fate (additional dice to hit and damage drop the lowest dice) and Dash (+1 SPD to SPD 10) and on feat turn they get sprint (so they can charge, side step 2", then they move 10" from sprint and then 5" from the light Cav move). You can also use your light cav move to stay out of charge range (by killing guys or moving into back arcs) and put Winters Chill on the closest two cav so running to engage doesn't do anything since your guys become stationary.

You could also put Winter's Wind on Zerkova and charge her forward camping all her focus so when your opponent charges at her and fails to kill her you make as much stuff stationary as possible (Note: not trolling at all with that last bit of advice).

Edit - Just to be clear because I've already seen a couple of people get it wrong on the forums - The Vlad3 trick mentioned requires you to charge. In order to get sprint (and put your cav way round the back of your opponents army) you need to kill something with a melee attack. I've changed the word attack to charge above just to make sure I don't add to the confusion, should not assume everyone knows all the rules. Also I forgot that Vald's feat also grants side step so it's even worse than I originally thought.

Thoughts on the Convergence of Cyriss

So my brain is stuck here for the moment (if you don't know what I'm talking about look at the post I wrote this morning).

Warjacks using the MAT and RAT of the caster has some consequences. It's going to result in having a very specialised army, even more so than usual. For example if you are taking Axis the Harmonius Enforcer you are going to have RAT 2 warjacks which is going to sway you pretty heavily against ranged attacks but with MAT 7 all your melee warjacks will be awesome. As it stands now you often see for example ranged warjacks being taken with a melee warjack focussed caster (like Stryker2) because he can make them good in melee and they add ranged potential. That's not going to happen with Cyriss. 

Speaking of Stryker2 super-solos are also is not going to happen in Cyriss, because the caster's share their stats you are never going to get super solo casters like Caine2, the Butcher, even Ashlynn. Having all your warjacks MAT or RAT 9 is too broken. They won't go above MAT 8 RAT 7 and expect them to pay for that with their other stat. Though that fits the theme of the army, they are meant to be a clockwork faction, everything effects everything else, synergy over individual power. 

Passing focus between jacks is awesome, it takes a warcaster like the Iron Mother who is already Focus 8 and makes her closer to focus 10 or 11. Especially with ranged jacks who generally only need two focus (boost hit and damage) and are going to be the focus of her battlegroup anyway as she is MAT 5 (RAT 5 too but it's a lot easier to boost all your guns then to buy and boost melee attacks when you charge) and makes all her jacks arc nodes (you can't arc when engaged). 

What does the Servipod Mortar on the Cipher do? It has no POW. I want to know. I doubt it would be fire, that doesn't fit the theme of the army. Maybe it allows you to take control of jacks that it hits? An auto point of corrosion damage? Blind (holy crap that would be broken)? I bet those piston spikes has sustained attack too. 

Here is Father Lucant as he appears in the Witchfire Trillogy:

He's massive and he shoots lightning bolts (in the RPG) as well as having standard clerical spells. 

Keynote is Back On!

I believe in miracles! Woooo! (Edit - I've woken up and I'm adding in some more video links)

Going to live blog this.

They have started talking about a Level 7 Expansion (EDIT - from Q&A not an expansion, a stand alone game set after the initial Level 7 game) - you guys are jerks. GET TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT! Looks OK. None of their board games are bad.

2:15 - We're updating Journeyman rules - GET TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT!

Iron Gauntlet - Warmachine and Hordes world championships - 2014 lock and load qualification tournament. World wide qualifiers, fully painted. two lists, don't have to be from the same faction. (Keith from Muse on minis has just wet himself - Asphixious2 + Bart Galleon). Will be a qualifier in Austrlia (one at least)

Oh Announcement music and....
Deck building card game - High Command. GET TO THE ANNOUCNEMENT YOU JERKS! THAT WAS MEAN! Meant to represent a season of warfare, there are different locations you can capture , each faction has its own market so each faction retains its own unique feel. Don't start with Retribution, Mercs or Minions. Hordes is being released after warmachine (about a month or two).

More dramatic music. Better not be more bullshit. It's the runes from NQ!
NEW FACTION CONVERSION OF CYRIS. Humans inhabiting robots. Every warcaster has a different battegroup wide ability. When you spend a focus you can transfer it to a nearby warjack (called vectors) once per turn. Warjacks share MAT and RAT with their warcaster. Man this looks awesome. I'm blown away.

There is already a battle engine and a colossal, at least 5 units, one of the warcasters is Father Lucan from the Iron Kingdoms games (he gives his entire battle group shield guard).

There are plans for a rhulic battle engine or colossal but the guys aren't going to elaborate. Rhluic colossal comes out this year.

One of the warcasters (the iron mother) gives all her battlegroup arc node. The PP guys won't say whether that warcaster has telekinesis.

Convergence of Cyriss - transfinite emergence projector (name of battle engine). Prime Axiom (Colossal). They will get their own forces book and battle group launch set. No cav as yet.

There is a new hordes faction in the works. Won't come out this year (maybe next years big announcment?)

CC - 5 warcasters in the forces book. - not going to be compatible with mercenaries (they don't like fleshy creatures - humans inhabiting robots).

Video is up! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na_ehW6hm5A

Great, now how am I supposed to get back to sleep?

Live Stream Cancelled

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BOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I know it's not their fault that their freight company seems to have misplaced all their AV equipment but still BOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!