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...and yet I decided to try it out. Warmachine seems quite appealing to me, especially that you do not need really big armies but just around 5-15 models. Also, I really like PoM's theme - pyromaniacal fanatics, whats not to like?
But as I said I know nothing about the rules or what is good to use. What I have is the PoM book, Vindictus and a Templar... Could you perhaps help me build it up, and also give a brief summary of the rules?

Welcome to the Iron Kingdoms ^_^ If you're curious about the basic rules-

http://privateerpress.com/warmachine/the-game

That will provide a link to download the Quick Start rules which covers the basics of how Warmachine works.

Also- The fellows at Beasts of War website have put together a good video:

http://www.beastsofwar.com/warmachine/play-warmachine-part1/

http://www.beastsofwar.com/warmachine/play-warmachine-part2/


After those- you can poke around the BoW 'Daily Tips' which cover different units and rules usage and can help alot to see them used on a game table rather than trying to visualize it

You should still pick up a copy of Warmachine Prime MkII though- having the book available makes looking up the rules alot easier ^_^

I'm not too up on what would make a good PoM force as I've only just started playing myself; however, on this page: http://privateerpress.com/warmachine/the-game there's the quick start rules available. These are the same rules that come in the battle boxes and while they omit some of the rules from the main game (mainly those pertaining to infantry/units), you should be able to get a good idea of how the game plays.

Most people suggest that people start off with the battle boxes but as you already have a jack and a caster I'm not sure what would be best for you. Hopefully somebody else can chime in with some more information.

Edit: Ninja'd

Warmachine is super skirmish so although the smallest games use around 5 models a tournament size game (50 points) will use around 30-50 models.

However, since you are just starting out you'll probably want to try out some small 15 point size games to begin with. You're first purchases should be some more warjacks and a couple of units you like, the battle (starter) box is still a good purchase for you even though you won't be able to use Kreoss and Vindictus in the same army. I would also recommend a Choir of Menoth unit.

Vindictus is fairly new, I don't know much about his playstyle, so I can't give specific advice for him. You say you have a Templar, is it already built as one or is that the warjack you like most from the kit?

As for a list, the following are solid all rounders that will make a good introduction to the game and employ the models you already have.

Vice Scrutator Vindictus (+6)
Templar (8)
Crusader (or Revenger) (6)
Repenter (4)
Choir of Menoth (max - 6 models) (3)

or

High Exemplar Kreoss (+5)
Templar (8)
Crusader (or Revenger) (6)
Repenter (4)
Choir of Menoth (min - 4 models) (2)

Both come to 15 points and can be made from the models you have, a starter box and a unit of the Choir of Menoth.

Thanks all for that! I have heard of the Choir being sort of a must-have, and the battlegroup does seem like a good start too. And you're saying that it includes starting rules?

@Spiggott - Yes, I have assembled and painted the Templar.
(Though, it was the jack I liked the most, too!)

Saintspirit wrote:Thanks all for that! I have heard of the Choir being sort of a must-have, and the battlegroup does seem like a good start too. And you're saying that it includes starting rules?

@Spiggott - Yes, I have assembled and painted the Templar.
(Though, it was the jack I liked the most, too!)

Yes there are starter rules in the starter box along with a Kreoss (warcaster) and three warjacks.

If you've kept the spare parts from the 'Templar' kit you can magnetize your Crusader to make it into a Vanquisher as well as a Crusader. Depending upon how well glued your Templar is you could do the same with that as well. Having the option to choose your warjack can be very useful.

No, unfortunately I didn't think of magnetizing it until it was too late... Though, I can of course magnetixe the crusader in the battle group so that it can be a vanquisher.
Humm... Anyone here who uses Vindictus? I heard he should be used along with zealots...

Saintspirit wrote: I heard he should be used along with zealots...

That's pretty much the extent of my knowledge about him too. Zealots and the Monolith Bearer (their UA) are a good cheap tar pit unit with powerful short range grenades. They can make themselves almost immune to damage for one turn. In short Zealots are a good unit. It is possible they may be re-sculpted this year.

Malfred will probly have some advice for ya- he's one of them dirty holy fanatic luvin types

Actually- he just posted a Vindictus Vs Caine battle report on his blog the other day:
http://pokeminiatures.blogspot.com/2011/03/battle-lieutenant-allister-caine-vs.html

I see. Let's see if malfred discovers this thread then, otherwise I guess I might contact him.

Two questions: I understand you may only have one warcaster in the battlegroup, right?
And: What does the text "warjack points +6 mean? Is it that using that warcaster allows you to use 6 more points on warjacks that the original points allowment (such as 36 in a 30 pts match)?

Yes to both questions.

Vindictus is kind of weird.

He's one of two Menite warcasters with Pathfinder, has two
melee weapons (and one that ignores spell defenses) and he
has a passive synergy with Zealots, cheap menite irregular
troops with firebombs. He can use them defensively (Sac
Pawn to prevent Vindictus from being hit by ranged attacks,
and he WILL need them for that), and when he kills models
he can generate new Zealots.

His signature spell is True Path, a buff that grants Pathfinder
and additional movement to warrior models (not warjacks)
additional movement. Note that the spell doesn't affect
himself since the wording states "Models that begin their
activation..." The trouble with his signature spell is that it
must be re-cast every turn to get the most out of it. Nothing
makes people feel the hate more than realizing that your
Paladins of the Wall are moving 8" every turn while Impervious
thanks to Dartan Vilmon. Even your Covenant of Menoth
moves 7", Exemplar Bastions move 6" and run 10", etc.

This is in a faction of slow movers that often takes Rhupert
Carvolo as an auto-include in order to get its grindy troops
into and through rough terrain.

So you're committed to spending 3 focus every turn to
cast True Path, leaving him with 3 focus. What to do
with 3 focus?

Well he has Defender's Ward, a spell he's going to cast
either on a unit of screening troops (beginning of the game)
or on himself (late/end-game). So that commits you to
4 focus points total (3 for true path, 1 to upkeep Def Ward).

Assuming you have Wracks and a Hierophant, your
actual focus commitment is going to leave you with 2
focus to allocate focus to warjacks, which might lead you
to believe that he's supposed to be super troop heavy.

But then there's this odd spell called Sacrificial Lamb.

You spend one focus, sac one troop (probably a choir
member) and ALL your battlegroup warjacks get a focus
point. You get more out of the spell the more warjacks
you have.

So your list is torn in different directions. How much
do you put into troops to benefit from True Path? An
8" moving shield wall of Flameguard or 8" running unit
of Bastions (either with Defender's Ward cast on them)
is truly a good thing. But how much do you put into
warjacks to benefit from Sac Lamb?

Me, I forgo the Sac Lamb. Our best warjack, the
Avatar, generates its own focus and doesn't benefit
from Sac Lamb. In addition, relying on both True
Path and Sacrificial Lamb is resource intensive and
means you're relying on warjacks that are focus
efficient, i.e. get a lot out of 1 focus point.

I don't think Menoth has a lot of those.

THEN you add in the weirdness of Vindictus's feat,
and if you haven't realized it yet, realize now that
this makes him not only an attrition 'caster, but
an attrition 'caster without a true assassination
alternative.

Penitence damages enemy models for damaging
one or more models in his control area. You can't
really prevent an assassination run with this feat,
as all you're doing is guaranteeing that the enemy
will free up their own charge lanes as single wound
models charge Vindictus and die, or charge his
troops and die. And if you're running a typical
Menite Horde, that means you have a lot of
single wound models that still die if you kill them.
On top of that, you generally end up trading
multiple models for a single damage point in
return against templates and models with Thresher
or other multiple attacks (sprays! bleh).

Then think of some of Menite's best elite infantry
in the Bastions or Exemplar Errants. If they use
their special Sanguine Bonds or Bond of Life,
passing the damage negates the feat.

It's enough to make you go mad trying to make
it all fit together.

The feat itself, I theorize, requires some kind
of multi-wound models to both absorb damage
and punish attackers. You also need a counter
attack of some kind for when an enemy charge
clears your screen.

True Path requires you to have credible threats
in your army that can fulfill assassinations on
their own and only need Vindictus for Pathfinder
or additional movement.

Sacrificial Lamb requires you to have models to
sacrifice (choir, usually, or maybe a Wrack will
work in a pinch) and multiple 'jacks that operate
well with a single focus.

I'm still working on my Vindictus list. Right now I'm
trying it with lots of medium based Exemplar. My
current list uses three units, which is probably too
many. There's some excellent infantry out there
like Errants w/ UA + Errants Seneschal or the
(expensive) Idrians w/ Chieftain, but I'm loath
to include models that already have Pathfinder
in a True Path spell army.

I might have to get over that.

I'm thinking of working my Vindictus list around
Errants and Idrians with a flotilla of Dervishes
to Sac Lamb for, but I'm not really sure how well
that will work out.

Hope that helps.

I say, that was some advice indeed! Thanks a lot!