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If I choose to Berserk as my Controlled Warping ability, it says "Blah blah blah, it must make one additional melee attack against another model in its melee range." Does this mean he can attack things behind his front arc too? I am going to guess he couldn't, but I thought I would ask since the Lord of the Feast rule states he can do a similar thing, but the models must not only be in melee range, but also his LoS. I question the rule since didn't they add the LoS thing to the Berserk ability too.

Well, unless it's got something that provides a 360 degrees front arc, then no, it can't attack in it's back arc.

Your melee range is defined as your front arc, unless you have a 360 degree front arc for some reason.

The LoS stipulation is a bit of unnecessary verbiage as melee attacks require LoS normally. Its just some extra clarification.

If you really want to attack something in your rear use the argus' animus.

But beware, Lightning Strike (Stalker's animus) can only activate if you use it before killing a model, so no killing everything, using the animus and running away.

Your melee range is defined as your front arc, unless you have a 360 degree front arc for some reason.

The LoS stipulation is a bit of unnecessary verbiage as melee attacks require LoS normally. Its just some extra clarification.

Thanks, that clears it up 100%. An Argus's Animus with Berserk could be quite deadly in certain situations then. A lot of people say to take Gorax instead, but I don't see much use out of his Animus really. All your opponent has to do is throw some expendable model by your Stalker and you basically lose a round of killing with him, plus it potentially gives your opponent a free round to set himself up to take out the Stalker.

And thank you yastobaal for pointed that out about the Animus. As a somewhat new player, I didn't pick that detail up when I read it.

If you can't see the usefulness of Primal you aren't trying hard enough. Its why the Gorax is the best light beast in the game.

Generally, you use it to send in a Warpwolf on a suicide mission to take out an enemy heavy. Its for when something absolutely has to die or you're running really hot on Fury and don't care if a beast Frenzies. One of the subtleties of playing Hordes is realizing when its a good idea to let something Frenzy. Primal just makes sure you get as much as you can out of it.

You don't usually use it if you are just sending a Stalker in to chew up some infantry, but if he's wailing on something big that MUST die then Primal will make sure it happens.

This game is about trading pieces for advantages. I'll sacrifice a Heavy to take out a key enemy heavy if it will give me a positional or point cost advantage.


The point is that your Wolf(doesn't have to be a Stalker) just killed an enemy heavy, and maybe seriously dinged up another one. It doesn't matter if he dies, and it certainly doesn't matter if you lose a turn with him. And really, he's still going to make 1 fully boosted attack into something. That's hardly nothing.

This tactic is one of the more basic tactics that Circle has. Shoot a Primal'd wolf and the enemy and make them deal with it. It facilitates piece trading.


Piece trading is the basic concept of Chess. I give up a piece to capture a more valuable piece. Note that "more valuable" is =/= higher point cost necessarily. Its whatever is more valuable in the game at that moment in time, generally as it relates to Scenario play.

Yea, Primal compared to the argus' animus... whatever it is called... is a really big part of Circle. Our wolves don't hit super hard when compared to things that trot around with 20+ Arm, but with Primal a stalker warped for strength is swinging at even dice, and a feral is only down one or two, with lots of attacks. Attacks that almost certainly hit as well, due to the +2 Mat.

Generally you want to be using Primal when a model HAS to be gone, like a jack contesting a zone or blocking an important charge lane, or being big and scary. More importantly, especially with the Stalker sitting at Mat 6 base, Primal lets you hit casters with a fair bit of accuracy. Who cares if they would Frenzy next turn if the wolf ends his activation gnawing on the severed leg of the enemy caster?
Ferals with Primal hit even the most dodgy casters on average dice. You don't even need to boost.

Generally, I find I use Primal maybe one or two times a game. I generally Frenzy as a result zero times. The wolf was either a sacrifice to trade for some bigger piece, or I just won. In both cases, Primal made the game.

One thing that really shocked me when I started playing Hordes was how much little stuff like +2 Str and Mat really matter. I remember looking through some of the books and wondering how a Feral with P&S 15 base was supposed to do anything to a Juggernaught with 20 arm, etc. Hell, the jugger costs less and swings at P&S 19! I found out later that with controlled warping and Primal, the wolf will just shred the jugger more often than not. There were a few games where I had to figure out what to do with my other beasts after accidentally one rounding an enemy heavy with a feral or stalker.

And man... did I feel like an idiot when I finally realized why Shifting Stones were good Not only good, but amazing. My face palm of shame could be heard round the world


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Oh, another good use of Primal is on the Gorax himself. He hits pretty hard then, and it isn't like he was doing much anyway if he Frenzies next turn; he is pretty much an ambulatory animus. Plus he can throw things 5" with Frenzy up, and has just enough Fury to Primal, force to throw and boost the to hit. Fury that is going to go away automagically the next turn anyway. Since it is a two handed throw, you can whip the enemy model at another enemy model too, rolling on Mat 8 to hit. Good times all around.

Yeah. I saw a lot of +1 and +2 or -1 or 2 bonuses/penalties and thought, meh. I actually was really NOT impressed by pDenny when I was first starting. Then I started to realize how those things work, especially when you start stacking things.

As for the Gorax he is great. You can use him as a fury battery early on. He is a great transfer target as wounding him makes him even better. You can primal your warbeasts. And he himself is a pretty good late game piece more than capable of busting up a caster who leaves themselves open.

Ugh, yes, bloody pDenny.

"Hi, my main spell is the alpha and omega of debuffs. All other debuffs are just a lesser version. Oh, and my feat does the same thing, and stacks with it. Have fun, good luck!"

I am kind of lucky that I never bumped into a Cryx player my first year. It probably wouldn't have made me rage quit, but it would have added a layer of frustration that would have slowed my progress. Cryx to me is a very interesting example of how a faction can be balanced but still deliver some negative play experiences.