Archon Tobias wrote:
I play 40k, and I don't know anything about warhachine. can someone explain the basics of the game?

 Archon Tobias wrote:
I play 40k, and I don't know anything about warhachine. can someone explain the basics of the game?

 Grey Templar wrote:
Ok, basic run down of the factions fluff for Warmachine.

Warmachine: The 4 main factions, and the minor factions labled together as Mercenaries, are the major powers of the area known as the Iron Kingdoms. Map attached at the bottom for reference.

A main componant of life for all the major players is the use of autonomous machines called Steamjacks. They have a mechanical brain called a Cortex that gives them a limited sentience and the ability to solve problems in a logical fashion. Steamjacks that are built for war are called Warjacks. Most factions Jacks are powered by coal fueled steam engines, although the elven kingdom of Ios's warjacks(called Myrmidons) have Nuclear reactors. Some Cryxian jacks are also powered by souls. Cygnar has also dabbling in experiments whereby Jacks are powered entirely by Lightining, although so far only one of these warjacks hasn't exploded shortly after activation(the Thunderhead character warjack)

Cygnar: The majority of the citizens of Cygnar worship Morrow as their principal diety. He is the god of arcane mechanica, fitting for a country on the cutting edge of warjack technology. They are currently locked in a war with Khador, which is to the north. Between Khador and Cygnar are the minor kingdoms of Llael and Ord. The current war with Khador began when Khador invaded and conquored Llael, Cygnar's ally.

The current king of Cygnar is King Leto. Who deposed his brother a few years ago. His brother is currently trying to retake his throne, using the help of Magnus. A very powerful warcaster who can be found in the Merc faction.

Khador: While Cygnar primarily worships Morrow, Khador is a little more divided. There are adherents of the Old Religion, an older sect of the Menite faith that worships Menoth, and those who worship the Devourer Wyrm(who is Menoth's adversary) Khador is ruled by the Empress, although there is a constant struggle between her and the various Noble houses. Notably the Tzepesci line, who tread a thin line between loyalty and rebellion. The most powerful Warcaster, and man, in Khador is the current head of the Tzepesci house. Valadimir, the Great Prince of Umbrey.

Retribution of Scyrah: The ruling faction of the elven kingdom of Ios. Their goal is religious. Their god Scyrah is dying, and the elves blame human magic and mechanical innovations. Thus it is their divine mandate to go and destroy all human magic users as well as their perverted warjacks. Elven Myrmidons are protected by energy fields and sport powerful weapons and magic, but are fragile if they start taking hits. Ios is located directly east of Llael.

Protectorate of Menoth: The protectorate is a theocracy led by the high priests of Menoth. Menoth is the creator god, the creator of man, the Lawgiver, the one true god of mankind, etc... For many centuries, mankind has slowely abandoned Menoth to worship other minor gods. But recently there has been a revival. The Protectorate was originally part of Cygnar, but when the kingdom officially abandoned the worship of Menoth there was a rebellion. The Menites were defeated and under the terms of the peace treaty the Protectorate was given semi-autonomy in exchange for laws forbidding the Protectorate from raising an army, including no Steamjacks built specifically for war. One exception was a clause that allowed the Protectorate to raise a defense force. The various religious martial orders were also allowed to exist. The Protectorate's capital was originally the city of Sul, the location of the primary temple, is actually only half the city. The other half lies accross the river and is called Caspia. The capital of Cygnar.

As a result, many of the Protectorate's warjacks sport Open Fists and simple melee weapons. This was to keep up the illusion of obeying the arms treaty.

As the years passed, the ruling Hierarchs began testing Cygnar's willingness to enforce the treaty. Building up the various martial orders till each in and of itself was a small army in its own right. Raids would be conducted on various Cygnarian interests along the border. And Cygnar reacted with timidity. So the Protectorate ramped up their army building. The capital was moved to the city of Imer farther to the east, closer to newely discovered mineral resources in the eastern hills.

With this new mineral resources and Cygnar distracted by a war with Khador, the Protectorate has launched the Great Crusades. Intended to reunite mankind and return them to the worship of the Creator. Menoth has responded with approval of their actions. The appearence of the Harbinger of Menoth, a young women who speaks with the voice of Menoth as his mouthpiece on Caen. In addition there is the Avatar, a warjack built under the direction of the Harbinger. It has no cortex and is controlled by no warcaster, yet it moves and fights on its own. It is controlled by Menoth himself as his Avatar.

Retribution of Scyrah: The ruling faction of the elven kingdom of Ios. Their goal is religious. Their god Scyrah is dying, and the elves blame human magic and mechanical innovations. Thus it is their divine mandate to go and destroy all human magic users as well as their perverted warjacks. Elven Myrmidons are protected by energy fields and sport powerful weapons and magic, but are fragile if they start taking hits. Ios is located directly east of Llael.

Trollbloods:
Background- Trollkin are a race of intelligent humanoids who are an offshoot of the troll species. They have interacted with humanity for thousands of years, but have now found their lands swallowed up and burned down time and again as a consequence of war. The faction has a desperate and ragtag feel, but also sometimes a tinge of savage nobility. There was even an epic poem written about a trollkin hero in No Quarter magazine.

Skorne:
Background- The Skorne are a hearty desert-dwelling race who have recently crossed over to the western side of the continent of Immoren where our story takes place hungry for conquest. They are a godless race of slavemasters who live by strict societal codes. They are undoubtedly evil, however it is not for the sake of wickedness, but the necessity of a harsh life and tormented afterlife. One would not be far off the mark to think of Skorne as fantasy Klingons.

Circle of Orboros:
Background- The druids of the Circle of Orboros take up the responsibility of keeping the savage god of entropy and chaos at bay. They siphon his power and tame the most savage beasts of the wilds to subdue the creeping growth of civilization and maintain the balance that keeps the gods of chaos and law from clashing on the mortal plane. As noble as their cause sounds, the circle employ vicious tactics and savage cannibal tribes. These are not tree-hugging, granola-eating hippies, but instead well-poisoning, plague-starting eco terrorist anarchists. A common misconception among new players is that the circle employs wood elves, but they are in fact all human.

Legion of Everblight:
Background- The nearly immortal dragon Everblight was defeated centuries ago and entombed in an icy prison atop the tallest arctic mountain his subduers could carry his eternal essence. It was an ogrun(ogre) named Thagrosh that freed him after being compelled by voices from the dark corners of his mind. The dragon now lives again as a plague-like blight spreading across the north. The empowered Thagrosh quickly conquered the native nyss(winter elves) with the help of their traitor queen. His devilish intellect has since seen he rapid rise of a legion fanatically bearing his name and glorifying Thagrosh as their messiah. Where the dragon’s forces tread corruption is spread like radiation from it’s wicked heart.

Minions – Blindwater Congregation:
Background- Cajun gatormen witchdoctors. The blindwater congregation is a union of many swamp-dwelling races under the banner of the would-be demigod Bloody Barnabas. His ruthless pursuit of power has claimed dominion over a small stretch of swampland near blindwater lake where he has bent other races and gatormen tribes to his will.

Minions – Thornfall Alliance:
Background- Pigmen meet Frankenstein’s monster. The porcine Farrow race have recently banded together under a deluded would-be conqueror, “Lord Carver Bringer of Most Massive Destruction Esquire.” Carver has found assistance from a human mad scientist who specializes in “molding” flesh and “improving” on nature named Dr. Arcadius. Arcadius has brought the farrow warlord and his followers massive cyborg abominations who can stand toe to toe with the common warbeasts of other major forces in western Immoren.

Khador:
Background- The empire of Khador has had a history dating back nearly three thousand years to the ancient priest-king Khardovic and at a time before the Orgoth invasion the first khardic empire ruled most of western Immoren. The modern descendants of that great empire seek to reclaim the land their ancestors lost in the Corvus treaties. Khadoran patriots unite in the glory of battle to restore their motherland to it’s rightful place as the dominant unified human nation. Every man born a khadoran citizen is required to serve at least one tour of duty in the military keeping the ranks of the winterguard replenished and the khadoran war engine pushing ever further south. Khador is heavily influenced by imperialist and tzarist Russia. They have some minor themes from the soviet and cold war eras, but those are not pervasive. Ice, winter, and cold are semicommon themes in khador but appear less frequently than other armies elemental themes. Endurance and military might are spotlighted in the khadoran background. The pristine red armor of their valorous troops presents a notion of khadoran pride and honor, but the use of murderous doomreavers wielding cursed orgoth blades reveals that high kommand may not hold the same moral scruples as the common khadoran infantryman. Khadoran models have a utilitarian and chunky feel to them creating a very strong image of strength.

Protectorate of Menoth:
Background- At first glance The people of the menite faith appear to be stereotypical fire and brimstone “burn the heretic” zealots. In reality this stance has been a very recent development in mankind’s oldest faith. At it’s core the menite faith demands only that one adhere to the canon of true law, the laws set forth by Menoth himself. Over the last few centuries their culture has been shaped more by the scrutators, a caste of priests who’s traditional role it was to judge and execute herectics and oversee priests’ adherence to the true law. In recent times certain passages have been reinterpreted by the now ruling-class scrutators to further support their control over the church and government. With perhaps the exception of the valiant paladins of the wall, the faithful masses are eager to crusade against the nonbelievers in the pitched and fervent state the priests rile them to. Menites however, are not blind followers. Miracles and divine magic are well known and commonplace examples of their god’s favor.

Retribution of Scyra:
Background- The Retribution of Scyra was once a group of outlaw extremist elves waging a secret holy war on human magic-users but has recently gained favor within the elven nation of Ios. They have gained the favor of the people and are now escalating their operations to full-scale war with the aid of the Iosan military. The reason for their intense enmity toward human spellcasters is based on the belief that human magic is slowly killing their last goddess and their race will go extinct if she is not saved. Ios has a mystique about it in the setting that no other nation can match, They have silently held their territory for millenia and withstood even the Orgoth. No outsider who enters Ios has ever returned. The nation itself has been insular and had closed borders for as long as anyone can remember, but even their emissaries and ambassadors were withdrawn about a hundred and fifty years ago due to a brutal civil war they have thus far kept as secret as anything else that goes on behind those veiled borders. Most recent events have had retribution forces recover Nyssor, the god of their Nyss cousins after the Everblight tragedy thought to have been lost ages ago with the rest of the missing elfen pantheon.

Cryx:
Background- The undead forces of the dragonfather work tirelessly and mercilessly in hidden conclaves across Immoren to support the dark industries that fuel their hidden war machine. They build horrible machines and undead abominations under the nose of mortal forces using the corpses of the fallen and battlefield debris as material. Their only objectives are to bend the world to their dragon god’s will and slay his draconic offspring.

Cygnar:
Background- The kingdom of Cygnar is an affluent nation in the heartland of the iron kingdoms. In recent decades this nation has come under fire from a multitude of threats from a ruthless king’s inquisition, a civil war in which that king’s brother deposed him, Khadoran Invasion, Cryxian incursions and raids, a second civil war with the Protectorate of Menoth, a Trollkin uprising, And the same deposed king retuning with an army of Skorne invaders to retake his crown. Cygnar has endured all of this but the battles are taking their toll. This nation was the home to the only city that withstood the ancient Orgoth invasion and the birthplace of the steamjack, arc node, and many other technological marvels.

Mercenaries- Four star Syndicate and Highborn Covenant:
Background- These two contracts are both highly inclusive mercenary armies with a great deal of overlap. The Highborn Covenant is a mercenary contract funding the resistance effort of the loyalists of Llael, a nation recently conquered by Khador. The Four Star Syndicate is a contract run by the crime lords of the nation of Ord. These subfactions can represent freedom fighters, cold blooded killers-for-hire, traditional blood and coin mercenaries, or several other interests that may not have a standing army.

Mercenaries – Talion Charter:
Background-The Talion Charter is an exclusive mercenary contract composed of only privateers and warjacks. This is a subfaction made entirely of pirates! Surprisingly this subfaction has a compelling narrative story told in the mk1 “pirates of the broken coast” book, though their current rules are in mk2 mercenary forcebook. The story tells of a raid on a port city by Cpt. Shae and the crew of his ship the Talion, alliance with Broadsides Bart and Fiona the Black, their fated meeting with Lady Aiyana, and their battle with the Cryxian ghost pirate flagship.

Mercenaries – Searforge Commission:
Background-This is another highly exclusive Contract, this time consisting entirely of dwarves and ogres representing the army of the nation of Rhul. Rhul is the dwarven homeland in the mountainous north that adopted the refugee Ogrun long ago. Rhul is one of the two ancient nonhuman nations that resisted the Orgoth invasion and has never been invaded by a foreign force. The great houses allow some of their military to hire themselves as mercenaries for training, profit, and a closer proximity to Rhul’s lucrative trade routes. Should the safety or trade of Rhul be threatened these mercenaries quickly react and form into a defensive force loyal to their home.