My First Steamroller

This weekend, I participated in my first warmachine tournament. I've been playing the game for maybe two years, but hadn't previously felt ready. That was largely because I was terrified of deathclock.

I did find that during the tournament games, I got very shaky, couldn't do remedial math (ugh, what's 13 minus 7?!?), and made so many horrible decisions. I forgot to activate models, forgot to allocate focus, moved models into my charge lanes, forgot to feat, and lost at least one activation shooting at a stealth model. I didn't prioritize models, and basically had zero real plan much of the time. I played much of the game entirely without thought. This is not how I normally play warmachine. Deathclock stole my mind.

Novice Listbuilding: My First Steamroller

I've been playing Warmachine for just about two years now, since slightly before MK3 was announced. But it hasn't been until very recently that I've felt ready for a tournament. Now don't get me wrong - in many ways, I know that I'm still not ready, and may never be. But I'm not ever going to be any readier than I am now, so what the heck? Let's look at the list pairing thoughts of an utter amateur.

Battle Report: Durgen vs Nemo1

My friend and I will be attending a Steamroller tournament in a few weeks. It's my first, although he's been to a few in the past few years. To prepare, we both decided to practice one of the lists we'd be bringing to the tournament.

I was bringing my favorite caster, and the one with whom I'm most familiar: Nemo 1.

Battle Report: Stryker2 vs Gorten

I had a chance to get in a game with a friend recently, in his unused garage which he's dubbed "The Battlebarn". Interestingly, as we started pulling out models, a thunderstorm began rolling in. This would be quite the thematic battle for Cygnar.

3D Terrain Just Looks Better

The more I've gotten into Warmachine, the more I've come to appreciate the look of the game as one of its primary appeals. I love fully painted armies on great-looking terrain. I spend more time on the hobby aspect of the game than do I playing, and maybe that's why I'm so focused on how everything looks.

That said, I think 3D terrain is just so much better than flat terrain. Sure, the flat stuff is great for cramming in a bag if you've got to travel, but my meta has had better luck just using the terrain of either whomever's house you're at, or else the terrain available at the game store.

I'll grant you - some 3D terrain is terrible. Structures that make it impossible to see what's on the other side, hills on which you can't stand a model without it falling over, or angles that make line of sight difficult to determine. If you've got any of those, you're generally better off just getting rid of it.

Thunderhead Painted!

This one took quite a while, mostly because I had little to no time to spend on painting. It was done mostly in 30-minute spurts, when I had a few minutes to put a bit of paint on the model. As I type this, I've just finished touching up a few areas, painted the base brown in prep for laying down some grass and flock, and put a second coat of dullcote on the model. Here's a series of photos that show the progression of painting from start to finish.

Battle Report: Mercenaries (Ossrum) vs Cygnar (Stryker2)

I had time again this week for a game. Because my friend was likely getting sick of Nemo1, I brought Stryker2, my other favorite caster at the moment. After the heavy beating I took last time against his list, I brought a more infantry-focused list. The Siege Crawler's new CID rules had just come out, and I knew he'd bring it. This meant Forge Guard again, and I know that they wreck jacks. So I brought infantry. Let's see how that worked out.

Rules Brushup

Warmachine is a complex game. As well as many of us may know the game, there are always a few areas where the rules aren't crystal clear. A few rules questions popped into my head while listening to a podcast recently, and to highlight them here, I thought it would be fun to present them in quiz format.

Keep in mind that these are all questions to which my answer before looking it up was "I'm not 100% sure".

Q. A Cygnar journeyman warcaster with a RAT of 4 is firing at a knocked down Man-O-War which is B2B with a nearby Ironclad. Assume that the journeyman is not aiming. What does she need to hit?

A. Anything but snake eyes. If the Man-O-War were standing up, she'd need to roll a 10, since its defense of 10 would go up to 14 with the in-melee bonus. But since it's knocked down, it's DEF 5 and more importantly, doesn't gain the in-melee bonus.


Q. Three RAT 5 Cygnar long gunners want to make a CRA at a DEF 10 Man-O-War Shocktrooper who is engaged with an ironclad. What do they need to roll to hit?

A. This is a trick question. It's actually not possible to make a CRA into melee. The long gunners can't even roll. I had not known this at all until recently - it seems like a fairly obscure rule. Page 65 of the rulebook says "Combined ranged attacks cannot target a model in melee unless it has a huge base. Combined ranged attacks can target huge-based models in melee normally."


Q. A Storm Strider is engaged with a group of Mechanithralls and makes a lightning cannon shot at a distant bile thrall, which it can do due to its Dual Attack rule. Can it aim?

A. It cannot. The description of the Aim action reads as follows:

The model does not advance, not even to change its facing; then its Normal Movement ends. For the rest of the model’s activation, it receives a +2 bonus to every ranged attack roll it makes. A model in melee (p. 43) cannot use its Normal Movement to aim.


Q. A journeyman warcaster with a RAT 4 takes an unboosted shot at a pistol wraith, which is DEF 18 due to cover. What are her chances to hit?

A. About 2.7%. That's right, it's actually not impossible. The journeyman will hit on a roll of 12, even though it should need a 14 to hit. This may be the only situation where you actually have a better chance to hit by not boosting. On page 41 of the rulebook, under the "Attack Roll" section, you can see the following text: "A roll of all 6s is a direct hit unless you are rolling only one die, regardless of the attacker’s MAT or the target’s DEF."


Q. A model is B2B with a knocked down enemy model and wants to fire at a different enemy model in its range. Can it do so given that it's not being engaged by the knocked down enemy model?

A. It cannot. It's true that models that are knocked down or stationary can neither engage nor be engaged. But directly contrary to another blog article I uncovered while researching this one, the model that's looking to take the shot in this article is still engaging the knocked down model, and this means that it's unable to make that ranged attack. Of course, it would be easy enough for it to step back, avoiding any free strike since the enemy is knocked down, and then make its shot.

Old Arlan, New Arlan

As part of a lot that I purchased recently, I got a couple superfluous models. One was a second Arlan Strangewayes. I decided that as much as I'd liked the paint job I'd done on my first Arlan, I could do better. Plus, I had these nifty new bases that I wanted to put on some models. So the plan was to paint and base the new Arlan and sell the old one.

My First Handle For Painting

Recently, I bought a small lot on EBay and ended up with a second Arlan Strangewayes. I decided to paint him up better than my other Arlan, put him on a special base, and sell the original.

Last night, I was walking through my kitchen, saw a wine cork, and got an idea. I got a slit in the top, shoved the base in, and drove a paper clip through the cork to hold the model in place. It's not as firm as I'd like, but it ain't a bad first attempt.

I'm probably halfway done with Arlan number two. I'll show off the finished product when it's done.

Finished Painting Gibbs

Life is busy and I've had pretty much zero free time this past month. But thankfully, I actually just finished painting another model. Harrison Gibbs, a model I got for Christmas this year, is finally complete.

After I assembled the model, he'd been sitting there half-painted for a good 3-4 weeks while I finished painting a second firefly. Then I decided that I wanted to try out some of these spiffy custom bases they sell online.

After painting a few of the cobblestone bases, I decided I wanted Gibbs on the base that had a street curb so that his cat could be up a bit higher on the curb. Then I had to pry Gibbs off the stock PP base I'd glued him to and chop off the metal strip beneath his feet with wire cutters. A bit of green stuff, and he was affixed to the custom base.

I'm mostly happy with the paint job. I did a better job on the eyes here than I have at some points in the past. I wish I'd been able to get the cat to look a bit better than it does, but overall I'm happy.

Now I can brings Gibbs in the Stryker2 list I'm calling "Support Bloat", and serve Stryker up his hot meal.

Sealing Your Models with Tinted Floor Wax

A while back, I read on the PP forums that someone had done up a unit of sword knights by dipping them in floor wax. At that time, I'd just begun to consider sealing my painted models, and using something like Minwax as an alternative to Dullcote sounded interesting and very different.

The Impending Stormlance MegaNerf

Pretty much everyone expects the next errata to nerf storm lances in some way. Storm lances do pretty much everything. They can get POW16 shots with electroleaps when a firefly and Laddermore are around. They can make POW12 impact attacks en route to their targets, where they each get a POW15 charge attack, a shot that's up to POW16 with the already-mentioned boosts, and two electroleaps. We get it. They're good. So what will Privateer Press do about it? Let's examine a few of the posibilities that have been bandied about.

Jack Marshaling is OP

Alright, well, maybe only the Stormclad/SBC/Arlan combo is actually overpowered, but there are certainly some good uses for the ability in Cygnar. Let's take a closer look at the options for good jack marshals, and what jacks benefit the most from the jack marshal ability.

Cygnar Squire Assassinates All Other Crappy Caster Attachments

(or A Review and Assessment of Cygnaran Warcaster Attachments)

When I look at the lists I run, pretty much every one at this point has a squire. The squire is the only Cygnar attachment, and the most expensive attachment. But is it the best? When would you ever want anything else?

I Wish They All Could Be Character Warjacks

It might not be immediately clear from the title here what I'm talking about. I mean, you could sing that to the Beach Boys tune, but that's not what I'm doing here. Let me let you in on a secret: I name my models. Bit by bit, I'm making each of my warjacks, and every member of each of my units into a character model. Of course, the rules on the model won't change, but it's a lot of fun.

It all started with Roger. Early on, back in the mk2 days, my gun mage captain adept never got any work done. He was usually the first guy to die, and that after having spent a couple rounds doing nothing. I started visualizing him as Marvin from the old Superfriends cartoon, and I named him Roger. I played lots of games with Roger, and Roger was always totally ineffective. But he was my first faux-character model.

Shortly after that, I read Into The Storm and decided to name my stormblade infantry unit after the characters in that book. Madigan's Malcontents. I liked it so much that I made up names for my gun mages.

In reading the fluff, I found that many of the warjacks were named. So why wouldn't I do the same? I named my minuteman "Fiver" since he jumps, and named my firefly "Joules". My ironclad is "Bully", and my chargers "Whistler" and "Lil Brudder".

When I do these, I paint the jack's name on the back of its base in Cygnaran runes, and then on the underside of the base in English to make it easier to remember.

What I'd really love to do at some point is get a used stormclad and customize the crap out of it to make it resemble Headhunter from "Into The Storm". I could paint the warjack incredibly rusty, and then buy 2 or 3 Protectorate warjack heads, glue them to a small necklace linked chain, and hang it over the stormclad. It would be a fun project.

WarmaHordes: An EBay Buyers' Guide

In August 2015, I started playing Warmachine. I got the majority of my Cygnar models from EBay. Some people like to do this because you can get models already assembled and painted. Personally, I do it because you stand the chance to save a ton of money. I wasn't one of the guys who could drop $500 right off the bat to buy a full army. I started with my Stryker1 Cygnar battlebox, then within the next month or two bought the Black 13th, a Gun Mage Captain Adept, Long Gunners, and Arcane Tempest Gun Mages from EBay. I acquired models gradually, one or two per month.

All things being equal, I can see wanting to support Privateer Press. When prices are equal and models are disassembled, I'll buy models through a retailer like DiscountGamesInc or even Amazon. When possible, I've bought things at the friendly local game store. But for already-assembled dirt cheap models, there's nothing like EBay. Here are some tips to get the things you want dirt cheap.

All Your Focus Are Belong To Us: Profiling Nemo1

Nemo1 has been my favorite caster in the game for a while. Maybe it's because nobody would ever think to take him to a tournament, maybe it's for the same reason that I've vowed to never play a Haley, or maybe it's because he's been so disregarded for so long. Maybe all those reasons are actually the same reason. In any event, I loves me some pNemo. Let's do a deep dive on my favorite caster and see what makes the lecherous old coot tick.

Unplayable Trash: Stormsmith Stormcallers

I'm writing the "unplayable trash" series as a counter to the "in every list" series to discuss models that are respectively the worst and best in Cygnar. This week: stormsmith stormcallers.

I'll admit, since we went to Mk3 and they lost disruption on every shot, I don't think I've put stormcallers on the table once. Well, maybe once, but not much at all.

They have some very cool tools, but it's a pity how seldom those tools become relevant, especially in the current meta.

Module: Stormclad / Stormblade Captain / Arlan Strangewayes

In Warmachine, people will often refer to a "module", by which they mean a small group of models that have synergies and function very well together. I'm about to cover one of my personal favorites. I first used it in a Caine2 list, and more recently in my Stryker2 list. It's wicked good, guys.

Hobby Corner: Assembling Storm Lances

Storm Lances on the table

Storm lances. Every Cygnar player's favorite unit, and everyone else's most hated model. They're Cygnar's best (and arguably only good) unit, and the game's best cavalry.

Why do they have to have electroleaps on both their shots and their melee attacks? Why assault? Why do other cavalry have the lance rule but not storm lances?

Today, I'd like to talk about how to put together storm lances, not how to play them. I hit some unique problems when putting these together, and I found what I think were some pretty good solutions. I'd like to share those so that anybody else who finds themselves frustrated at the same thing might search, find this article, and maybe save themselves a bit of pain.

Unplayable Trash: Long Gunner Infantry

Back in Mk2, I had one game where a gun line made of 7 gun mages, 6 long gunners, and the Black 13th absolutely trashed a Cryx dudeswarm of mechanithralls and banes. But in Mk3, the long gunners are considered unplayable trash. I'd like to take a moment today to consider why. Are the long gunners really unplayable? And if so, what would it take to get them to the table?

In Every List: The Journeyman Warcaster

There aren't many models that you can legitimately claim are must-haves in every list you build. But if there is a single one in Cygnar, it's the journeyman warcaster. That model is indeed literally in every single list I use. Let's take a look at why, at which warjack options are best, and whether it's viable to ever build a list without a junior.

Battle Report: Mercenaries (Ossrum) vs Cygnar (Nemo1)

This past week, I had time to run down to the friendly local game store on a Wednesday night for a game of Warmachine with a friend. As I like to do, I wrote up a battle report.

As time has gone on, I've gotten more and more into the visuals of the game. The design of this site might have tipped you off. I like to set up 3D scenery and make sure as many of my models as possible are painted.

I brought Nemo1, my favorite Cygnar caster, and my friend brought Ossrum and his Rhulic Hammer Strike theme army.

Rules Brushup: Tactics vs Granted

Here's an obscure rule that I only really took note of after I'd been playing Warmachine for probably a year. I took note when I was looking at the gun mage officer's card. He had two interesting rules, but the peculiar part is that one was prefaced with Granted, and the other said Tactics. What is the difference between Granted and Tactics?

Back then, the abilities were entirely different (Tactics: True Sight) so let's focus now on the current Mk3 abilities on gun mages. One is Granted: Swift Hunter, and the other one is Tactics: Practiced Maneuvers. The key difference here is that "Granted" is granted only by that model's continued existence. If the officer is killed, the unit loses that ability. "Tactics" remains even if the model is killed. That's really the long and short of it. Simple, but important. Your gun mages won't lose Practiced Maneuvers, but when the officer dies, there goes the Swift Hunter ability.

Terrain Building: Stone Wall

I've got a bit of decent terrain for when I play games at home, but I didn't have anything like a stone wall template. Paper slips around too much, and you've got to tape it down, plus I much prefer 3d terrain when possible. Know what, though? I've got gravel in my yard. Why not make my own stone wall?

I had a bunch of that clay from the craft store which hardens when you bake it, so I grabbed some of that and some gravel and built a little wall on top of a base which I cut from some of that thin clear plastic. Then I baked it in the toaster over for 10-20 minutes at something like 200 degrees, since that's what the clay recommended. When it was done, I let it cool and crazy glued the crap out of it just to be sure.

The clear plastic base is a bit warped from the baking, but who cares? You can't tell. And now I've got a nice-looking stone wall. Only problem? It's surprisingly heavy, as it's actual stone. I wouldn't want to have to travel with it.

Combined Arms: Profiling Stryker1

The first caster post I've got is about the first caster I ever played: Lord Commander Stryker. I started out in the final year of Mk2 Warmachine playing the Stryker / Ironclad / Lancer / Charger battlebox. I played nothing but Stryker1 for about four months before I moved on to Caine1, who was actually pretty good back in those InfantryMachine days.

Back then, and until recently, Stryker1 was considered a middle-tier warcaster. It's only been very recently that he's risen to any kind of relevance in the tournament scene. I've thrown together a Heavy Metal list I really like with him, but I haven't yet had a chance to play it.

I'm not going to pretend that I'm able to throw together a better writeup on the caster than someplace like Battle College, but I'd like to lay down my own thoughts on Stryker1. If you're someone in the first year of playing the game and you're eagerly scouring the internet for anything you can find on Stryker, maybe you'll find some value in this.

Hello, World

This is more an obligatory introductory post than anything. My name is Greg, I'm a middle-aged software developer living in West Hartford, and I've been a warmachine player for something like two years. I don't pretend to be any good at the game - I've never played at any kind of tournament, and I've only ever even played against the three friends I've got who also play.

I play Cygnar, but I refuse to play any one of the Haleys. Call me a snowflake if you must. The casters I've played, in order, are Stryker1, Caine1, Nemo1, Caine2, and Stryker2. The three guys I play against play Khador, Rhulics, Trollbloods, Convergence, Cryx, and (rarely) Circle. Being a parent and working a sometimes-demanding job means I only get to play once or twice a month, if I'm lucky. But I think about the game daily. Hence, a blog as an outlet for the creative thought I've got nowhere else to vent.

I plan to share photos, strategy and meta thoughts, and battle reports, in the hoped that somebody will read this thing and provide some kind of feedback to any battle reports. I'm always open to input and suggestions.