Warmachine Tip – Zealot Wall

Menoth is my main Warmachine army and, as expected, I field the Zealots with the Monolith Bearer.  Usually Zealots are my flanking force I put a full unit on either side of my main force along with a Seneschal and they spend the first turn or two running and putting pressure on my opponents flank.   The Seneschal is there to issue orders in case the leader dies and to slam any warjacks/warbeasts out of the way of the Zealots. 

Usually I use the Monolith Bearer’s mini feat the turn after the enemy engages some of my zealots. That way the zealots can leave combat, ignoring the free strike because they are invincible, then throw fiery death.

My last two games, however, I used the Zealots as impassible terrain instead of offensively. The first game I placed them on the flank as usual and ran the first turn towards a gap (5′ or so) between two pieces of terrain in the middle of the board. My Khador opponent, who had a good mix of jacks and troops, sent a good chunk of his army towards that gap (Kovnik, Behemoth, and Dragoon). Usually I would have waited a turn to use the Monolith Bearer’s mini feat or hung back a turn but in the spur of the moment I decide to instead move all the Zealots into the gap then pop their mini feat.

This really caused grief for my opponent. I had basically plugged the gap and there was no way he could through. Trampling wouldn’t work as I had spaced the Zealots out enough to prevent that. The result was my 84pt flanking force delayed over half of his army for one round which helped me win the game.

The second game I faced Khador again (different opponent). He played Karchev with two Devastators, a Berserker, and a couple Gray Lords. I was also playing a ‘jack heavy force with Zealots and Kreoss as my warcaster. Instead of running the Zealots on the flank I put them in front of my ‘jacks. On turn two when his Devastators where in range of my Zealots I popped their mini feat so they wouldn’t be wiped out. Again I had them spread out and staggered to block him from getting to my ‘jacks in the back.

He moved some ‘jacks to engage them but was basically stuck for a round. I then popped Kreoss’s feat which knocked everyone down and freed up my Zealots so they where no longer engaged. They then moved around the knocked down ‘jacks to bomb Karchev. It didn’t kill him but the next turn did.

That is my tip of the week, month, whenever I think of it.

Warmachine Tip – Deneghra vs. Kreoss

My main Warmachine army is Menoth and I often use Kreoss as my Warcaster. He can really shut down an enemy Warcaster that likes to fling spells, such Deneghra, with Lamentation. With Lamentation up the enemy warcaster is either forced to hang back to cast spells or move into the action but have effectiveness greatly reduced.  I generally prefer if your Warcaster is far back and out of the action, that way they have less of an impact on the game.

If you play Deneghra you can try this trick on a Kreoss player that has lamentation up. First move aggressively forward into Lamentation range, about 4-6 inches inside then act frustrated because you “forgot” Lamentation was up. Camp on a bunch of your focus because you can’t cast any spells. Make sure you have a couple arc nodes in running distance of Kreoss.

The next turn Kreoss will hopefully try for an assassination using his feat but Deneghra is hard to kill with stealth and high armour from camping on the focus. Hopefully the Kreoss player spends most of his focus.

When it’s your turn first stand up an arc node that was knocked down and run within spell range of Kreoss (i.e. ~6″). Then stand up Deneghra and pop her feat. This will instantly reduce Kreoss’s control area by 4” and therefore reduce Lamentation by the same. You still might have to move back a bit to get outside his now 10” control area but you shouldn’t have to move much. Now arc venom on Kreoss with his effective ARM of 12 till your hearts content.

P.S. – NOT pictures of my paint job, pictures borrowed from Privateer Press gallery.