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I'm new to Warmachine and looking to buy my first models. I love most of the models for the cryx and I'm looking for some advice for a starter force in the neighborhood of 15-20 points. I know a lot of people start with the battlegroup boxes but my only real hold up with that is I really don't care for the look of the ripjaw bonejack models for the cryx. Everything else for the most part I really like but if I'm going to invest in some new models I want to really like them. I'm looking for a good starting base of models that doesn't include any ripjaw or defiler models. Would I be shooting myself in the foot competively for not including these models in my army? Any advice?

Are the Nightwretch and Deathripper bone jacks ok then?

Edit:

Ok, slight expansion on what I just asked. There are the bone jacks and they are nicknamed bone chickens for a reason. But there are the old smaller metal ones and the new plastic ones. Here is a comparison shot with defilers:



Also some guy converted them to look less like chickens:



The reason I'm trying to clarify is that there are Cryx casters who have little to no use for an arc node and are still very good but most of the casters will be wanting an arc node or two to control the battlefield and help them stay away from the big threatening things.

If you don't like all the arc nodes then I think the casters you should be look at are Mortenebra, Terminus, Goreshade1 or Goreshade2. Those really have no need of an arc node. Asphyxious2, Skarre1 and Skarre2 have a little need for one but it will restrict them slightly if you don't take them.

As for other base models: Bane Thralls/Knights, Satyxis Raiders, Mechanithralls (with necrosurgeon) for units. Seether, Slayer, Reaper for the heavy warjacks. Stalkers for the lights. Solos include Bane Lord Tartarus, Satyxis Raider Captain, Gorman Di Wulfe, Warwitch Siren and Skarlock Thrall.

Sorry, I guess I should have included those too. Still getting familiar with all the models available. In general I really don't like the design of those jacks that look similar to the ripjaw. However, I do like the Stalker and the the scavenger is okay. I love most of the cryx units like the bane thralls and mech thralls to name a couple.

Gah, too slow on the edit.

From the edit:

If you don't like all the arc nodes then I think the casters you should be look at are Mortenebra, Terminus, Goreshade1 or Goreshade2. Those really have no need of an arc node. Asphyxious2, Skarre1 and Skarre2 have a little need for one but it will restrict them slightly if you don't take them.

As for other base models: Bane Thralls/Knights, Satyxis Raiders, Mechanithralls (with necrosurgeon) for units. Seether, Slayer, Reaper for the heavy warjacks. Stalkers for the lights. Solos include Bane Lord Tartarus, Satyxis Raider Captain, Gorman Di Wulfe, Warwitch Siren and Skarlock Thrall.

I agree with Yastobaal - although try to consider using the Deathjack as he is a pseudo arc node of sorts!

hmm, those conversions look better but.... they still look bizarre. bawk bawk bawk. I'm sure I could make them look a little cooler and I'm not completely set against running a couple but I don't want them as a substantial part of my force.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Thanks for your input guys. Any sample lists that'd you'd recommend at least as a starting point. I must admit I feel a little overwhelmed with the wealth of options for building a cryx force. And like I said I'm okay with having a couple of the chicken jacks in the list.

Sample list without an arc node. 25pts

Pirate Queen Skarre (aka Skarre1, pSkarre) +6
Skarlock Thrall - 2
Mechanithralls (max) - 5
Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls - 2
Satyxis Raiders (max) - 8
- Satyxis Sea Witch - 2
Satyxis Raider Captain - 2
Scrap Thralls - 1

And this leaves 9 points for a Seether, Slayer & helldiver, 2 helldivers & 3 Brute Thralls or some other combination that takes your fancy.

Going through this list:

Skarre1: She'll make any cryx model better in melee and protect from reprisals with her feat. She is fast and hard to hit while still having reasonable armour. Dark Guidance will let your stuff hit. Ritual Sacrifice gives you more focus per turn giving you protection or hitting power via Skarre or her jacks. Finally her feat will boost the melee power to ensure that things will be hurt when you hit them and the extra armour will keep you around for next turn.

Skarlock Thrall + Scrap thralls (aka focus battery): 3 points gives you three turns of extra focus before you start removing other models. Keep these guys behind the main line and use the skarlock to cast ritual sacrifice on one of the scrap thralls per turn.

Mechanithralls + Necrosurgeon: You know how zombies keep coming back for more. That's these guys but with extra punching power. Easy to hurt but they'll keep coming back with the necrosurgeon support. With Dark Guidance they can hit what they normally wouldn't and with the feat they'll kill most if not everything.

Satyxis Raiders: Very fast troops. Use to jam up the enemy shooting so that more of your mechanithralls can get to the enemy or target the enemy warjacks to get the damage on the caster. With power swell they can put the hurt on and are helped greatly by the feat again.

Satyxis Raider captain: Use mostly as a support piece to stop Skarre from being knocked down. But she is a weapon master so will hit hard in combat as well. Also remember she has a gun if you aren't going to be using desperate pace on the raider unit.

Warjacks:
The seether is a big heavy that is very focus efficient due to its soul drive and chain attack. As the only big thing in the army it will be targeted by the enemy but if they don't they will the next time they play you.

The helldivers are slowish but will always get whatever you want them to kill. Keep burrowing them till you have the target in range, fill them up with focus and then kill.

But that's something to build towards. Start with this

Skarre1 + 6
- Seether - 9
- 2x Helldiver - 6 (or 2x Stalkers - 8)

Play a few games with this till you feel that you are happy with how focus works. Then upgrade to 15 points with the above list minus the satyxis raider unit. Playing these smaller games will get you used to this game and the various synergies that you can do.

As Cryx is a mostly melee army Skarre1 can make whatever you fancy using better. Play around as you build.

Have fun.