MK III Consolidated and Updated Spoilers

I’m going to try to keep this as up to date and accurate as I can. (edit, I cannot keep up!! I will try to get more, but it has been just a non-stop barage! – JL) This is not meant as a place where one can go to skewer PP for Saying X, Y, or Z. They are being awesome at feeding us information and keeping us on the edge of our seat. Its simply a place to go when I want to remember where I saw something. If you have anything to add, and the Source, Let me know in the comments and I’ll add it.

 

Sections:
Announcement
Primecast
Insiders
Forum Threads
Warroom
Organized Play
Fiction
Images

New Stuff

Added on 4/27

Its been a week. Sorry its taken so long.

 

• Images for Wrongeye’s Back of Card
• Primecast 31 – Faction Titdbits
• New Insider by Will Hungerford  – Steamroller (4/27)
• New Insider by Jason Soles – Weapon Melee Ranges (4/25)
• New Insider by Will Hungerford – Organized Play (4/22)
• New Insider by Will Shick – Army Construction Changes (4/21)
• Forums Threads 4/21
  • Krielstone fairly unchanged
  • Shield Guard on Warder Unit
  • Long Riders stay Dourable
  • Champs get no knockdown
  • Empower Ability (Replaces Power Booster?)
  • Cavalry and Cavalry Solo FA
  • Necrotech Create Scrap Thrall
  • Weaponmaster Clarification
  • More on Power up
  • Condition Changes
  • Protectorate Jacks
  • Trollblood Threshold
  • Fury Implications
  • Skorne Warcasters
  • Ally Rule
• Forum Threads 4/22
  • Convergence Models
  • Agonizer
  • Legion Shepards, Forsaken, and battlegroups
  • Archangel Spoilers
  • Protectorate Jack Spoilers
  • Morghoul 2’s Feat, Return of Blackout
• Twitter:
  • Wrastler has Rage Animus
• Forum Threads 4/27
  • Some Terrain Rules
  • Arkadius Raw Adrenaline

Added on 4/20

• New Insider by Will Shick in the Insider section. (4/20)
• New Insider by Will Shick in the Insider Section (4/18)
• Card Images in the Images section for Eiryss, Angel of Retribution, Slayer, Mountain King and Trenchers
• A number of Thread posts by Jason and Simon and Will Clarifying rules and spoilers in the Forum Section
• Fiction Updates (new one every Thursday)
• Seether and Inflictor Point Costs (13) from Bell of Lost Souls

Added on 4/17

• Added Image of Magnus, Stryker and Maddox to Images

Announcment Page: All New War

Announcement Insider Here

Official PP FAQ on the New Edition Here

Primecast Including Many Tidbits of Information: Here

More information to come fairly consistently:Simon: We’ll be revealing more specifics in blogs, Primecast, and other venues multiple times per week leading up to the release on June 11th, the Saturday of Lock & Load.

Availability:

• Simon: We will definitely be sharing lots of information between now and the pre-release at Lock & Load. The full core rules for both Prime and Primal will be available digitally on June 12th as part of the pre-release leading up to the general release of the game on June 29th.

Announcements  

New Battle boxes include Battlegroup and Warcaster

• 2×2 battlemat
• Paper Terrain Wall
• Measuring stick/Tape
• 4 Dice
• Mini token set
• Mini Rulebook
• Faction Guide
• Basic Training Manual

• Simon:They are the same PVC plastic we have been using for the Mk II Battlegroup boxes and numerous other models for years.
• Battlebox Plastic is colored – Confirmed via PP in PG forums
• Simon: The new warcasters in the battlegroup kits will not initially be available separately. At some point in the future alternate models for those casters will be release in metal/resin but it may be some time.
• No minions Battlebox

Primecast (and following clarifications)

Primecast 31 Notes:

• Cygnar
  Ironclad, 12 points. It’s hammer knocks down everything within 4″ AOE, centered on the thing you hit.
• Trolls:
  Tough is only if not knocked down.
  Kriel Warriors cheap, Warders durable ( and have Shield Guard ), Champions hard hitting.
  Far Strike cheaper and range: self.
  Some Trollbloods moving to Alchier subcontinent. Northkin love coming.
  • Jason Soles on Trolls: “Toning Tough and rolling back damage boxes was in the cards. As well as changes to certain animi. However, for the Trollbloods specifically I will confirm that the Krielstone Bearer is essentially unchanged (aside from a point cost reevaluation) and that the Faction as a whole remains incredibly hardy. While some heavy infantry have lost damage boxes the Long Riders for example remain the sturdiest cavalry in the game. The Champions retain their ability to avoid being knocked down while being in base contact with one another and the Warders picked up Shield Guard. And that is my spoiler quota for the day. I’m getting lunch.”
  • Clarification Later: I mean each model in the unit has Shield Guard. There were a couple other changes to their rules as well, but you will have to wait to see those…
• Protectorate
  Protectorate “schism.” Expand, including missions to Zu.
  Protectorate Warjacks MAT boost +1. Because, Choir changes. (States that it adds “to Strength” )
  • Jason Soles Choir/Mat Bonus clarification: “Not all Protectorate warjacks gains a MAT bonus. The Guardian chassis did. Hymn of Battle is +2 to damage rolls.”
    All cavalry get reposition moves.
• Circle
  Circle in a tough position after the time jump. Krueger’s plots are playing out. Repair and rebuilt ley lines, dealing with Convergence.
  Tharn Ravager Chieftain, mini feat: Mass Carnage, Overtake for a turn. Granted: Vengeance. Skinwalkers more defensive.
  Tharn Ravagers cheaper.
• Khador
  Conquest: High Explosive POW 10 AOEs on secondary batteries.
  Man O Wars massively retooled. Most durable Heavy infantry in the game. eight damage boxes.
  Most Heavy Infantry dropped down to five damage boxes.
  Shock Trooper officer coming. Makes them an immovable wall. Can’t be moved or knocked down. Now repairable.
  Sorscha is still Sorscha. Khador is licking their wounds. Khador unifying.
• Skorne
  Immortals now have Souls.
  Skorne Empire are tenacious warrior people. They’ve suffered in Ios, but have managed to hold on to some pieces of it.
• Cryx: The lich lords have been busy. Read the book. Something Deneghra’s been working on involving sacrificing children.
• Legion:
  Legion does still exist. They’re scattering a bit, to keep all of their eggs out of one basket. The Twins have entered a new relationship with Everblight.
  More troops. Lost some Fury mitigation abilities.
• Retribution
  Retribution are in Prime.
  Pending fiction on the Skorne-Ios war. The Iosian Gods may be coming back somehow. More houses are joining the Retribution cause
• Convergence
  Convergence are not in Prime, will be in a Forces of book down the road. ( Restated new Induction rules. ) Overall, they are closer to their Mk2 version.
  The Convergence has had successes with their war against Circle.
• Minions
  Pigs and Gators working together, mass hysteria! The shackles are off.
  Barnabas has transcended to a new state of being. There is a lot of Mercenary action in the Blood of Kings, by Douglas Seacat. Magnus has some time in the limelight.

Primecast 30 Notes:

MKIII has been in development for 3-4 years. Codename: Egg Roll [Insert Chinese PTSD]

What has changed? – [3:50]

• We have rebalanced every model in the game.- Jason Soles
  • 4/13 Clarification:I don’t want to get to granular just now, but I will say that we reworked every spell, special rule, and feat in the game with the current ruleset in mind.
  • 4/13 Addtion: I’m not going to spoil any thing just yet, but ‘jack marshals did get some love.
  • 4/13 Addition:Without delving into the rules… The Corollary remains a solid tool in the Convergence’s toolbox.
  • 4/13 On Repair: It is. We got rid of the skill check, so Repair is just a die roll to see how much damage you remove.
• Each warcaster has a unique, flavorful spell/ability. Some casters already had, some had to be added.
  • Jason Clarification: And not absolutely every warlock and warcaster got a unique spell or ability. I have already found one warcaster whose one time unique quality was replaced with something that is actually more compelling but that does exist elsewhere. So I guess I meant most warcaster and warlocks have received a truly unique spell or ability in addition to their feats.
• Doubled the point scale.
  • Conquest is 4x cost of a Juggernaught
  • Jason Clarification: That said, the cost of the Conquest is not four times the cost of a Juggernaut. It is more like three times… Well, actually it is more like 3.083333333333333 times.
• Addresses difference between Focus and Fury
• New Mechanics:
  • Power Up = Warjack are allocated a focus for starting in the caster’s battlegroup.
    • 4/13 Clarification on Journeymen having/getting Power Up/Lesser Warlocks having Spirit Bind: Yes
    • 4/13 More on Power up: It means warjacks gain focus from Power Up from being within their battlegroup controller’s control range whether that model is a warcaster or a solo that is able to control a battlegroup.
      • And Stacking can’t come up:
  • Spirit Bonds: As warbeasts die, Warlocks can gain fury “from the grave”
    • 4/13 On Focus v Fury: I can say that we have only begun to scratch the surface of what this edition has in store. From a new point scale to a multitude of core game and model changes there is a lot more to take in and evaluate. I am very happy with the balance of the game right now and I am very certain that the debate between fury and focus will continue… That is just the nature of the beast. But lets wait to have that discussion until we are all on the same page.
  • No more Fear/Terror (includes massive casualties)
  • 4/13 Additional Clarification: “Allocation” is now clearly defined as the focus points a warcaster gives to the warjacks in his battlegroup during the Control Phase after resolving Power Up. At any other time the warjack is “gaining focus”, not being “allocated focus”.
  • 4/13 Control Range Clarification: Mk II uses “control area”. We changed the terminology slightly and I wanted to make sure it was clear I knew what I was talking about.
• Upped warjack/warbeast points. 28-30 points now.
• Games are still similar sized.

Why MK III vs MK 2.5?

• Felt like the right time.
•  “MKII got to a point where it was a time to readdress [interactions and power level].”
• “Look at the whole picture.”
• Simon: Why no Beta: I absolutely get what you’re saying, but quite honestly, our players never stopped field-testing the game. We have spent the past half-decade gathering data on games of WARMACHINE and HORDES, observing organized play events and convention games, reading forums feedback, and conducting thousands of hours of internal playtest. With nearly six years of information, we feel we have produced the most fun and balanced game possible.
• Simon: we will definitely be posting a number of blogs and articles detailing the changes and the developer’s thoughts on why they were made.
• 4/12 Simon on one book with both rules:HORDES and WARMACHINE are both owned by the same people, namely Privateer Press, Inc. That said, the new Prime and Primal will each contain the rules for Focus/Fury and other game-specific rules, so if you only want to purchase one, that’s all you’ll need.

What were some lessons from MKII?

• “Punctuated by “setting huge base models free in the wild.”
• “Played huge base models conservatively in places. Push them more in places”
• Global reset of the rules. Smooth things outs.
• Rework presentation. Organization to (hopefully) make information more accessible.
• Differences in Fury and Focus are addressed (in a meaningful way)

PREMEASURING

• “It already exists, felt like a loophole.”
• No more ‘Gotchas’
  • 4/11 Simon: “We feel that there already existed the necessary mechanics in Mk 2 for a savvy player to pre-measure, so allowing it officially is not much of a change. We have come to believe that eyeballing spatial relations should not be a required skill to play WARMACHINE and HORDES.”:

Other Changes

• No more Fear/Terror
• Change with Huge-Base Models [15:00]
• They feel like the monsters of the battlefield like they should.

Presentation of Story [17:00]

•  Time-skip! Two-year jump.
• Flash-Point. First installment in a trilogy.
• Story line stuff. Resolutions and new things.
• No favorite character is safe. Plot armor is off! [~21:00]

Lock n Load

• Pre-purchasing and distribution stations to solve line issues
• New Hordes Faction [Preview – LnL 2017] [29:00]
  • Unlike anything they have ever done. “Weird stuff”
  • “Things you have never been able to do before.”
  • Built from the ground-up under MKIII rules.
  • “Feels like a complete little ecosystem as a faction, interesting reason for being in existence.”
  • Simon: It’s not the Orgoth.

 

 

Insiders

Will Hungerfords Competative Play Insider (4/27)

• Steamroller has been updated top to bottom
• 75-point army in the new editions is roughly the same as a 50-point army in Mk II (in terms of model count and game length); similarly, a 50-point army in the new editions is roughly the same as a 35-point army in Mk II.
• Character restrictions are gone in multi-list events.
• l must be led by a different warcaster or warlock from your chosen faction—and yes, different iterations of the same named caster (i.e., Kreoss 1, Kreoss 2, Kreoss 3) count as a “different warcaster” to meet this requirement.
• models that are FA: C can now be included in as many of your lists as you like
• we’ve rebalanced every single model in the game, so there shouldn’t be a single character model that dominates an entire faction anymore and that shows up in all lists
  • And if that does actually happen, we have a plan for how to address it (more on that in a future insider).
• new scenarios, new objectives, and new terrain rules
  • the amount of terrain per table is increasing from 5–7 pieces to 6–8 pieces
  • the rules for how and where terrain can be placed—specifically in relation to scenario elements—are much more relaxed than before
    • If you want an obstruction in a zone, go for it. Want to put an obstacle near a flag? Feel free.
    • Want to shove all of the terrain to the edges of the table? No can do. In fact, terrain can’t even be placed within a certain range of the table edges
  • whole new way to play called Rumble.
    • played on a 30″ x 30″
    • unique scenarios specifically designed for quicker engagement
    • feels like you’ve just started a WARMACHINE game on a 4′ x 4′ table right around the third round in terms of model positioning.
    • each player begins the game with only their Advance Deploy models in play.
    • the rest of that player’s models either advance onto the table as if they were marching onto the battlefield from their table edge or are placed in play (for those models that can’t advance normally).
    • Thus, the first player gets to advance up the field and prepare for an alpha strike early on, but the second player gets to effectively “deploy” in response to the first player’s entire turn and prepare his or her own counterattack
    • games play fast and furious
    • some casters will love and some will…well, have to deal with.

Jason Soles Melee Range Insider (4/25)

• we have reevaluated melee ranges and decided to introduce a new 1″ melee range. Reach is gone and has been replaced with a variable melee weapon RNG box exactly like those used for ranged weapons
• we limited melee weapon ranges to .5″, 1″, and 2″;
• Chain Strike (with its 4″ melee range) remains alive
• all heavy warbeasts and heavy warjacks a minimum of 1″
• part of our push to hone the effectiveness of battlegroups
• reevaluating the melee ranges of every model in the game, using design intent as our guide
• align everything as closely as possible so that a model with a 2″ melee range looked like it should have a 2″ melee range.
• ltimately, a few models with Reach became RNG 1″, but a great deal of models that never had Reach were also bumped up to a melee range of 1″.
  • Trencher Infantry,
  • Knights Exemplar
  • Trollkin Champions.
• Follow up Notes:
  • Will: Lances still exist in the new edition. However the rule has been retooled for clarity per the new melee ranges:
    • More from Will: Lance – This weapon can be used only to make charge attacks. This weapon’s RNG is 0 unless this model charges. When this model charges, this weapon’s RNG is 2 until the charge attack is resolved.
  • Hungerford: There will still be spells and abilities that effect a model/unit’s melee RNG, such as the Swamp Horror’s animus Elasticity, which now reads:
  • Hungerford on Elasticity:Target friendly Faction model’s melee weapons become RNG 2. Elasticity lasts for one turn.

Will Hungerfords Insider on Organized Play (4/22)

• All of the new Organized Play documents are releasing the week immediately after Lock & Load
• The overall goal and format of Journeyman also remains the same:
• Aside from that… Well, a fair amount has changed.
• First off, the rules for Journeyman have been completely rewritten to be more streamlined and easier to understand than ever before
• All the tables and charts for scoring league points are gone!
• When a player signs up for the Journeyman league, that player receives a centerpiece patch.
  • Next, a player can earn up to three chevron patches, which build down from the centerpiece. For every two weeks a player participates in the league, that player receives a chevron patch. Participation counts as having played a single game that week. Easy as that! Play a game each week of the league, earn your three chevrons. Nothing else to track.
  • Destroyer award, a.k.a. the Best Player award. Each week, players record how many games they have won. The player with the most games won for that week scores a single Destroyer point. If that player painted a new model from his or her collection that week, the player is considered to have won a single bonus game. If the result at the end of the week is a tie for most games won, the player who also lost the least amount of games breaks the tie. At the end of the league, the player with the most Destroyer Points (max 6) wins the Destroyer award. That means a player can’t frontload all of his or her points scoring in the first couple of weeks—you have to do well every single week of the league for a chance to win the Destroyer award.
  • Best Painted award. There is no longer a table of points scored per model painted and so on. Instead, at the beginning of the league, the event organizer simple names a category: “best single model,” “best battlegroup,” “best unit,” etc. At the end of the league, hobbyists can put their models in that category on display, and a winner is chosen either by event organizer decision or by a blind vote held by all participants.
  • Best Sport award. You know what’s fun? Playing against someone who displays a real sense of fellowship and camaraderie whether they are winning or losing. That should be rewarded, don’t you think? At the end of the league, either the event organizer chooses or a blind vote is held to determine the winner of the Journeyman award.
• three new scenarios specifically designed with new players in mind.
  • easy to understand, but they also help prep a new player about some of the basic concepts they’ll find in Steamroller if they choose to move from Journeyman into the competitive circuit
• new doc to run battlebox-only and end-of-event tournaments, with players using their final army selection in the latter.
• the new Journeyman uses only the new battleboxes that are releasing with the new edition. For those few factions that are not receiving a retail battlebox, don’t worry, there will be “stand ins” provided in the rules document so that no matter which faction you want to play, you are covered!
  • later Will Clarified: Hey All,Recently I talked about some of the changes coming to the Journeyman league in an Insider, check it out here:http://privateerpress.com/community/…der-04-22-2016In this, I mention that the Factions that are not receiving a retail battle box in the new edition will have a “stand-in” for players wishing to play in a Journeyman League. With the new edition right around the corner, I wanted to let you all know what those models were so you could plan ahead for any purchases / painting you wanted to do before the new edition of WARMACHINE & HORDES, and all of the new organized play drops this June.

    Convergence: Syntherion 1, Montior, Galvanizer, Diffuser

    Mercenaries (1 of 2): Magnus 1, Manger, Rover

    Mercenaries (2 of 2): Ossrum 1, Driller, Blaster, 2 x Gunners

    Minions (1 of 2): Helga 1, War Hog, Battle Boar, 2 x Razor Boars

    Minions (2 of 2): Barnabas 1, Wrastler, Boneswarm, Bull Snapper

    Enjoy!

 

Will Shick Insider on Themes and Army Construction (4/21)

• • “We realized we had diluted their theme-y goodness by trying to be too specific with all the numerous theme forces released over the course of Mk II.A primary culprit in this matter was the fact that we had centered Mk II theme forces on an individual warcaster or warlock. Thus, as our pool grew, so too did the number of “unique” theme forces required. Ultimately, we realized this original decision had arbitrarily pigeonholed warcasters, and the true expression of theme forces as the core and compelling themes themselves was far bigger than any individual warcaster. After all, why shouldn’t Stryker be able to lead the Gravediggers or Morghoul a contingent of the Army of the Western Reaches? What tactical and strategic possibilities would be opened up if Intercessor Kreoss were to lead a ragtag army of faithful zealots over someone like Vice Scrutator Vindictus?”
  • “we actually needed to make them less restrictive rather than following the path of more restrictive.”
  • “theme forces in the new editions began to represent sub-factions rather than razor-specific and extremely limiting force compositions.The new editions’ theme forces can be used by every warcaster/warlock within the faction, and the list of models it includes is far broader in terms of scope, as each theme force now focuses more on unit type keywords (for example, allowing all Trencher units/solos), giving them greater options and providing for future additions without sacrificing their inherent thematic feel. Of course, this was only possible through the careful re-examination of unit keywords and the rules for how these are applied throughout the new editions.”
  • ” The ability and freedom to explore ways to make each new theme force feel distinct from its fellows and, most important, from a standard constructed faction army itself. Thanks to the reduction in the number plus the more open nature of the new theme forces, we were able to ensure they have a greater impact on the actual in-game experience rather than solely on pre-game benefits. In the new editions, theme forces contain thematic and exciting in game rules that further differentiate the models within them from their non-theme force counterparts.”
    • Arcane Tempest Gun Mages in the “Sons of the Tempest” theme force all gain CRA
    • In the Trollbloods “Power of Dhunia” theme force, all Trollbloods warbeast gain +2 THR to represent the calming power of the mother goddess that surrounds the army.
  • “we also needed to work hard to ensure a smooth transition between Mk II and the new editions in every place possible”
    • Doom Reavers (now called Doom Reaver Swordsmen) and Trencher Infantry moving to FA: U
    • Dr. Arkadius being allowed to take Gorax Ragers in his battlegroup
  • it was impossible to account for every single player’s collection and the millions of potential army combinations in MK II, we nevertheless spent a great deal of effort ensuring the vast majority of them were accounted for in some manner in the new editions.
  • the new editions have done away with both contracts and pacts when it comes to how you build an army for either group
    • Now when you build a Mercenary or Minion army, you can build it from pretty much whatever models you like from within the specific faction
    • you still can’t mix Mercenaries and Minions
    • Precursor Knights are just never going to be cool with Thamarites, no matter the situation
    • with rare exceptions, you aren’t going to be able to have your gatorman warbeasts in your Farrow warlock battlegroups

Will Shick Insider on Points and UA/WA’s (4/20)

• • “In addition to turning a critical eye on models or units that the theme force changes from Mk II to the new editions (more on that tomorrow!), we also took the opportunity to do a complete re-examination and rebalancing of every model in WARMACHINE and HORDES to look at FA and its impact on the game as a whole. One of the most exciting revelations we came to was concerning unit attachments.Between the changes to theme forces and the immense rebalancing, we realized we no longer needed to limit the FA of unit attachments like the Trencher Infantry Officer and Sniper or the Praetorian Swordsmen Officer and Standard, which in the new editions are now identified as Command Attachments.
    Instead, we were able to balance them from the ground up to have an FA equal to the unit to which they could attach”
  • “Another extremely exciting result from our look at unit attachments was the decision we came to about how weapon attachments would interact with units. Specifically, units can now take a maximum of three weapon attachments from any valid weapon attachment options they have. So, in the future, units with multiple weapon attachment options will be able to mix and match between their various options, so long as they do not contain more than three total weapon attachments.”
  • Cards for Slayer, Mountain King, Trencher Infantry and Eiryss, Angel of Retribution(cards below in Image section)
    • Simon on the cards:These cards are final and at the printer.
  • All have date and Version tag int he upper right
  • Slayer:
    • added Construct Icon
    • Lost Helljack Moniker
    • Melee Weapons now Have RNG Stat. All are 1
    • PC 10
    • Added Hard Head (from Titan Gladiator)
  • Mountain King:
    • Added Icon for Assault
    • Added Icon for Pathfinder
    • +1 Mat (now 6)
    • RNG 2 on its Big Meaty Fists
    • PC 36
    • Lost Terror
    • Gained Gunfighter
    • Animus Changed to Rage
      • Animus now have Duration Stat
    • Gained Bulldoze
      • Bulldoze wording changed. Normal Movment instead of During Activation.
    • Kill Shot now triggers on any enemy model, not simply living
    • Snacking Changed. Now you choose to RFP, and if you do, you then heal.
    • Gained Deafen on Deadly Roar.
  • Trencher Infantry
    • Gain Tough
    • Gain Assault Icon
    • Gain +1 RAT (now 6)
    • RNG 1 on their Melee attacks
    • 10/16 points. Mildly equal to 5/8
    • FA changed to U.
    • Dig In looses Man Made or Solid Rock qualifier
    • Smoke Bombs are now centered on the model
    • Gained Brutal Charge
  • Eiryss, Angel of Retribution
    • Lost both Character and Epic monikers
    • Gained Assault
    • Lost Fearless
    • Gained Magical, Blessed, and disruption on all three weapons.
    • Gained Weaponmaster on her Melee Weapons
    • 6 points
    • Partisian Changed to be Templated
    • Gained Reposition 3
    • Gained Spellbreaker
    • Gained Witch Hunter
    • Gained Purgation
    • Lost Arcane Interference
    • Lost Camoflauge
    • Lost Sniper
    • Lost Technological Interference
    • Lost Wiplash

Will Shick Pruning Insider

• On Pruning or trimming rules
  • In HORDES, the rules for Frenzying were significantly simplified and yet, at the same time, brought back in line with the original intent of this risk/reward system. In the new edition, the Frenzy rules simply state that a frenzying warbeast shakes all effects that can be shaken, then charges the closest model and makes a single attack against that charge target, using its highest P+S attack. That’s it. No more long if/then chart to check against. Just shake, charge, and attack.
  • …we soon realized during the development of the new editions that model psychology really didn’t fit the vision we had for the tabletop experience and for the world of the Iron Kingdoms. By removing psychology entirely, we were able to significantly reduce the total volume of rules and create a more fun, rewarding play experience.
  • …removing wreck markers from WARMACHINE.
  • …removal of skill checks from both games. The removal of this random element created a huge shift in some very underutilized models, as they were now guaranteed to be able to do what they were meant to do without having to worry about a random die roll to determine success. Of course, this cut did not come without some serious retooling and testing of former skill check abilities to account for the now guaranteed success.
  • …, we spent a huge amount of effort in reviewing and scrutinizing every single model rule and ability. Our goal was to achieve a total rebalance, better realizing each model’s specific role and purpose both within its faction and on the tabletop. But we also significantly streamlined the vast repository of model rules, combining and eliminating rules that had only minor differences.

Jason Soles Rules Insider: Here

• Talks about Focus and Fury Rules
  • Power Up: “With the addition of Power Up, every warjack with a functional cortex in its warcaster’s control range (yes, it is control range now) gains a focus point at the start of the Control Phase. The warcaster can then allocate up to two additional focus points to each warjack in its battlegroup.”
  • Spirit Bond:”n addition to the fury a warlock leeches each turn, that warlock also can gain up to one additional fury point for each of his light, heavy, and gargantuan warbeasts that have been destroyed or removed from play during the game. It seems warbeasts now continue to serve their masters from the grave, at least for a little while”
  • 4/13 Clarification: Spirit Bond does not grant fury for lost Warbeast Pack Beasts or Lessers
  • Clarification on Monstrosities and Vectors – Jason Soles
    • “I just wanted to jump in here because I feel like I should have addressed these questions in my Insider. My apologies for neglecting to explain the changes to monstrosities and vectors. Not being warjacks, Cephalyx monstrosities do not benefit from Power Up. Instead, a monstrosity gains 1 focus point each time it suffers damage as a result of a continuous effect or from an attack (whether made by a friendly model or an enemy). And instead of having these focus points removed during the Maintenance Phase, monstrosities retain their focus points until they have been spent.Likewise, Power Up does not affect the vectors of the Convergence of Cyriss (which are actually considered warjacks in the new edition, albeit warjacks without a cortex). Instead they rely on Focus Induction to keep the focus flowing. Focus Induction now simply states: “When a Convergence warjack spends a focus point during its activation, you can give a focus point to another Convergence warjack if the two are in the same battlegroup and are within 6˝ of one another.” That’s it. So, one warjack can spend all of its focus to fill up the next warjack and so on until the same 3 focus points have flowed through every warjack in your battlegroup.I think these differences really help add flavor to the Cephalyx and Convergence and truly set them apart from the other Factions in the game. And rest assured, they certainly have been taken into account with regards to the balance of their armies.”
  • 4/13 Additional Clarification: Three is the cap for monstrosities (and virtually all warjacks).
  • 4/13 Additional Clarification They keep all the focus they gain, whether allocated or gained from suffering damage, up to the limit of 3. These rules for monstrosities and vectors are in an appendix in Prime and Primal.
  • 4/13 Affirmation: Your control range is still equal to double your FOCUS stat.

 

Mike Valincourt Art Insider: Here

• Over 100 new pieces of art
• Trollblood art and concepts redone.
  • 
• Wants more interactive art pieces
  • 
• New artist to go alongside older Legion Art
  • 

 

 

 

Future Insiders

• Non sequitur: Any chance we can learn about the Minion pacts and Merc contracts sometime soon?
  • 4/13 RE: Yes, sometime soon. I’d love to tell you more, but that is going to be a topic for another Insider…
  • 4/14: Regarding Reach/1″ melee range for jacks: I have another Insider on the way…

Forum Threads

Insider Thread 4/27

• Will: “Toe-ing in” is no longer a thing. Terrain features like forests and clouds only provide their benefit to models completely within that terrain feature. Similarly clouds only provide concealment to a model completely within the cloud.
• Will: You still stuffer the movement penalty for rough terrain as soon as you hit it, you just no longer get the benefits unless you are completely within the feature.
• Will: You can still toe into a scenario zone for Steamroller. The sizes of those zones hasn’t changed from 2015 to 2016 either (12″ diameter circles and 6″ x 12″ rectangular zones)

Random Bits of Information: 4/25-27

• Jason on if lances are going away: No. It has always done exactly what it was supposed to do.
• Jason Answering if Lances can be used B2B: Nope. All clarified in the core rules.
• Jason on Models gaining the Lance Rule: I don’t believe any models gained it.
• Jason on stalkers thematically needing AD: I have to agree.
• Jason on Psychology: Abomination and Terror are gone. There are some spell effects though that somewhat model the effects of supernatural fear.

Random Thread Info 4/22Jason on the Point Scale: Its really like the point scale was doubled. Then the models were tweaked, recosted, and play tested. Followed by more changes and point cost adjustments.

• Jason on Convergence:There are new Convergence models in the works. They will be in the Convergence Force Book.
• Jason on Agonizers: Well, they are lesser warbeasts now…
• Will on Legion: Let me clear something up, Legion still runs their battlegroup like few others in the new edition. Between Shepherds and Forsaken (while Shepherds can now only pull or put on 1 Fury with Condition, Forsaken can still consume up to 5 fury) Legion battlegroups can get serious work done and potentially mitigate the overall risks of running hot. The big difference is now you simply can’t count on completely and easily removing all of that risk. HORDES is after all a game about risk management.
• Will, Same Post, Archangel!:As far as things to get excited about? While let’s talk about one of my all time favorite WARMACHINE or HORDES models, the Archangel.The Archangel is now SPD 7 and is the first gargantuan or colossal to have a rule that allows it to move outside of its normal movement in Deceptively Mobile (I argued really hard that it should be called Insanely Fast, but I was overruled). Deceptively Mobile simply says that at the end of an activation this model did not run or fail a charge it can advance up to 3″, then its activation ends. This rule replaced the Archangel’s Ride By Attack but I think in the end you’ll quickly see it was well worth the trade as this nimble gargantuan effectively gained 4″ of potential movement.Oh and its RAT went up to 6. So it’s way more accurate with those d3+1 AOE 3 POW 14 dragon fire shots!
• Jason on Light Artillery: I will have an Insider up on this very topic in a couple weeks.
• Will on Protectorate Jacks:the tried and true Crusader is pretty much the same warjack Protectorate players know and love. Albeit it now has that sweet RNG 1 on its melee weapons. The big thing to consider in the new edition is that this jack comes in at a bargain 10 PC. As many have postulated 10 PC puts it at a cost less than several light warjacks. I don’t care how “basic” you may consider the Crusader, when your opponent throws down 3 of them for free with each getting a guaranteed focus a turn they are a force to be reckoned with!But what about another example I hear you (and not the deep menacing growl of PPS_Simon) say! Well let’s look at the Templar. In the new edition the Templar’s shield gained a point of POW and, more importantly the Templar now has Shield Guard! And at a PC of 15 it’s even slightly cheaper than it was in Mk II.And for a final point of comparison, the Redeemer is now 11 points (so again slightly cheaper) and, are you ready for it, thanks to the change in how ROF works in the new edition just flat out gets to make three skyhammer shots per activation, no focus required (nevermind that you still have one for free).
  • Jason Adds: I’m surprised you didn’t mention that the Reckoner’s Flare removes Stealth now…
  • Does the Reckoner ignore stealth: Jason: Not natively, no. I guess I should have also stated that Flare kept its –2 DEF penalty though, so the Reckoner can paint targets for other models in the Faction is blast apart.
• Will on Morghoul 2’s Feat:eMorguhl’s Feat
  Feat: Blackout
  Enemy models currently in Morghoul’s control range and LOS suffer Blind for one round. (A model suffering Blind cannot make ranged or magic attacks, suffers –4 MAT and DEF, and cannot run, charge, or make slam or trample power attacks. It must forfeit either its Normal Movement or Combat Action during its next activation. Blind can be shaken.)
• Hungerford on Twitter: 

Random Thread Info: 4/21

• Will, Feeling bad for Pig Players: “Arkadius’ needle got some nifty upgrades, and he doesn’t just stick enemy models with them anymore. I mean, one of his options is to fill one of his own warbeasts with Raw Adrenaline, which reads: If a living warbeast is damaged by an attack with this weapon, all attack and damage rolls resulting from its next basic attack this turn are boosted.”
• Jason Soles on Spoilers: There is an inherent problem with spoilers which is that they do not give the complete picture. There are changes across each of the Factions and these changes were taken into account when considering the balance of each Faction as a whole. These changes also have to be balanced against the core rules and the capabilities of the other Factions.
• Jason Soles Spoilers: Toning Tough and rolling back damage boxes was in the cards. As well as changes to certain animi. However, for the Trollbloods specifically I will confirm that the Krielstone Bearer is essentially unchanged (aside from a point cost reevaluation) and that the Faction as a whole remains incredibly hardy. While some heavy infantry have lost damage boxes the Long Riders for example remain the sturdiest cavalry in the game. The Champions retain their ability to avoid being knocked down while being in base contact with one another and the Warders picked up Shield Guard.
• Will on Power Booster: Arcanists still put on the focus (though its important to point out that the term “gains” does not allow a warjack to have more than 3 focus unless it has a rule stating otherwise)
  Empower (★Action) – RNG CMD. Target friendly Faction warjack. If the target warjack is in range, it gains 1 focus point. If the warjack was Disrupted, it is no longer Disrupted.
• Jason on Cav FA: All existing cavalry units went to FA 2. Along with, I believe, all cavalry solos that are not characters.
• Will on Necrotechs: Since you asked so nice and I did forget to talk about it despite having opened the question with my Insider on Monday here you go:From the Necrotech –Spare Parts – When a warjack is destroyed in this model’s command range, it gains one scrap token. This model can have up to three scrap tokens at any time. Before making a Repair roll, this model can spend one scrap token to add +2 to its roll.

  Create Scrap Thrall (★Action) – When this model uses this ability remove one or more scrap tokens from this model, then roll a d3 for each scrap token removed. Place up to that number of Scrap Thralls into play completely within 3˝ of this model. A placed Scrap Thrall must forfeit its Combat Action the turn it is put into play.

• Jason on Weaponmaster: Weapon Master is unchanged. This has been figured into the point cost and balance of each model. Some models did lose Weapon Master. Some gained it.
• Jason on Protectorate Jacks: Power Up is a big deal and its implications take a bit to be absorbed. It is in effect a power multiplier and it has changed the balance of the some Factions. That said, right now in my opinion the Protectorate’s warjacks are in a good place and I am happy with them. They are solid and do the job they were designed for. You may disagree, but you should at least wait to see their final rules before making your mind up.
• Jason on Frenzy:I am presently working from home away from the current rules and my database, so I’m working without a net. But I will try to shed a little light for you. In our early evaluation of the game as we went into this new edition we determined that frenzy was too predictable. It seldom happened and did not seem like the balancing factor against running beasts too hot that we were looking for. In short, that risk management aspect was just not there. So we we slightly reduced THR stats were it seemed most reasonable, with the most savage beasts having the lowest THR and the most disciplined having the highest (Nephilim and Titan Sentries come to mind as high THR models).We also reduced the effectiveness of the Condition special rule so that instead of being able to add or remove any amount of fury, the conditioning model could only add or remove 1 fury point.Those were the most substantial and uniform changes though there are certainly other tweaks elsewhere.
• Jason continues on Frenzy and Condition:Yeah… I agree that a little sugar would have made the medicine easier to swallow.But to the topic at hand, one of the balancing Factors we have not discussed is the point cost of the Protectorate’s warjacks, which a pretty reasonable for what you get. They are all costed in a vacuum based on their inherent capabilities. You actually get a lot of damage output and some real resilience for their price. Protectorate warjacks, even without the Choir, hit pretty hard. And their warcasters carry a fair number of their own buffs. And with the Choir you can remove a lot of threats from the game by decided you don’t want to let your warjacks get shot up or crippled by spells.And that 6 focus caster can now effectively run a battlegroup like never before and have focus left over to cast a spell (or two). No, you likely cannot do everything you want to do every turn, but that is by design. This is a game of resource management. However, we just made management a lot easier.
• Jason on Condition being only once per turn: Oh yeah… That bit is gone.
• Jason on the Threshold of Full Blood Trolls being better than Goraxes: Seems reasonable.
• Jason on Frenzy being a penalty: Diminished volume of attacks because it means either fury will linger from turn to turn (if the beast does not frenzy) or because it frenzies and makes only one attack (possibly in the back of a friendly model). That said, in practice beasts are still devastating on the tabletop either because if you play smart their is still plenty of fury mitigation in the game or because when you play your beasts hot they still wreak a lot of havoc before you see the repercussions.
• Jason Soles on Balance and Skorne Warcasters: Every Faction is going to have some changes. Everything was reevaluated and rebalanced. That said, we will be releasing Insiders that feature an overview of each Faction which will cover what you are looking for coming in the next weeks.I will say that we looked closely at each of the Skorne warcasters and I think unlocked some really interesting potential play styles.
• Will on Taking MKII into MK III: You should take nothing as it is now as truth of how it will be in the new edition. The ally rule for instance no longer exists in the new edition. Models simply have the Partisan rule which was previewed on Eiryss 2’s card in yesterday’s Insider.

Insider Thread 4/20

• Jason On ROF: That assumes Rate of Fire means the same thing, which it does not. The rule book now defines ROF as the number of initial attacks a model can make with the ranged weapon during its activation.
  • Addressing changes in Rat of Fire:
    • Question: “if the Manticore remains unchanged ROF wise, it makes 3 shots a turn without any focus expenditure?”
    • Jason Answers: “That is precisely what I am telling you. If its ROF remained unchanged… In that case, however, the ROF was changed to d3.”
  • Jason Further on ROF: “… the ability to buy ranged attacks, it is Reload [XXX]. The XXX being the max number of attacks that a model can buy or be forced to make.”
• Jason on Additional Attacks:In the new edition, models can only spend focus/fury or be forced to make additional melee attacks. A model can only buy additional ranged attacks if it has a rule enabling it to do so.
  • Clarification: “I am only addressing purchasing extra attacks with focus/fury and/or forcing. Boosting remains unchanged.”
• Jason on Light Cav and Reform being packaged together under Reposition: That is a good bet.

Thread on Insider 4/18

• Jason on Changing abilities from using Wreck markers to triggering on warjack destruction: That is a good bet.

Random Threads

• Simon: “There are new models in Prime and Primal.Primecast Episode 31 has been recorded and is being produced. I think you guys are going to be very happy with the amount of spoilers discussed.”
• Simon on Release and Schedule of said Primecast: Don’t hold me to it, but hopefully this week. Early next week at the latest. And no, we have an accelerated schedule for Primecast through Lock and Load. You can expect at least 2-3 more episodes between now and June 10th.
• Will: …yes, facing as you know and love it is absolutely part of the new edition.
• Will: I thought I’d put this one to bed now since it seems to be a hot debate, but Fire and Corrosion are non-shakable just like now in the new edition.

Announcement Thread: 

• Simon: All models will be playable
• Simon and the Card re-purchase justification: While some systems make miniatures obsolete, we have endeavored to protect the value of your model collections while transitioning to the new edition. Cards, however, are good for the duration of an edition and end up getting replaced in an edition change. They’re the equivalent of our software. It is not possible for us to replace the cards for free or we would not be able to cover the costs of developing or producing them. A team of several game designers have spent three years working on the new edition, with the majority of their work represented by those cards, and this is a substantial expense for Privateer in game development. We do understand that this represents an expense to collectors with large collections and this is why we will be giving a discount on War Room purchases to those who made Mk II deck purchases.

Book and Template Threads:

• Lyle: Fear not; these templates are definitely made with the new edition in mind.
• Simon: Force Books are coming. We’ll have more news about them later in the year.
• Simon: Prime and Primal contain a selection of model entries for each faction. All models released through Mk II and included in the new Prime and Primal will be available via War Room and the Faction Decks.

 

Thread on Standards: 4/15

• Jason Soles on Standards and What they do: “Since I have a spare minute… And I don’t think anyone has written an Insider on it for any reason…The Standard Bearer special rule now reads, “While this model is within 5˝ of its unit commander, the unit commander gains +2 CMD.” Practically speaking, what this does is add +2˝ to the unit commander’s command range. To make sure the standard bearer remains compelling (and not the first thing you sacrifice in your unit), we also dialed back the CMD stats of the officer models that come with standard bearers.”
• On Standards with Weapons: We did not weaponize any flags that were not already weaponized (looking at you Xerxis 2), if that is what you are asking. The standard bearers remain as armed as they were in Mk II.
• On reducing Officer Command: In most cases (all I can think of), the officer’s CMD stat is the same as the unit leader’s. I think we would have some complaints if the officer actually had a lower CMD than the unit it was added to.
• On Musicians: The musicians I can think of acquired a Granted Reposition ability that enables their unit to advance 3˝ at the end of each activation. That more granular response than I like to give just yet, but there you are.
• In Step (Kriel Warriors): While this model is in formation, models in its unit that are in its command range are considered to be in formation.On the other hand the Kriel Warrior Piper picked up Granted Reposition in place of In Step because it is paired with a Standard Bearer.
• On Massive Casualties: No version of fleeing remains as a concept in the game.

Primecast 30 Thread

• Simon on: Blood of Kings: Blood of Kings, a novel by Doug Seacat is coming in May and will wrap up the Mk II storyline. As for theme force tiers, we have reworked Theme Forces in a dramatic way and will be discussing more about that in the coming weeks.
  • Will be in eBook
• On completing the Story Lines: Wanted to note that we had a number of unresolved plots in process, and we do have plans to feature them, though not necessarily all in one place. My upcoming novel (Blood of Kings) will conclude some of these threads. The novella “Wrath of the Dragonfather” by Zachary C. Parker will conclude some others (I think this will be going online very soon), and there is one other pending (as yet unnamed) fiction piece we hope to put out in the near future touching on a separate important event unconnected to those two stories but which takes place in the intervening time period.

 

WarRoom

• MK3 WarRoom: War Room has undergone a tremendous amount of new development on the back end as well as adding new features. This is a new edition of WARMACHINE and HORDES with all new decks, and just as you’ll need new faction decks for your army, you’ll need new faction packs in War Room. In consideration of existing players who have used War Room in the past, there will be a discount for faction decks that you have previously purchased. As well, players who purchased a WARMACHINE or HORDES Mk II deck after January 1st, 2016, will receive the new edition equivalents free of charge.
• on Discounts: We’ll have more details to share about the War Room founders’ discount and other material soon.

Organized Play

• From Will Hungerfords Twitter
  • 75 is the new 50 (ie the new equivalent to 50 will be 75 points)
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• Simon: Information Comin’ soon

 

Fiction

Future Fiction

• Doug Seacat: Wanted to note that we had a number of unresolved plots in process, and we do have plans to feature them, though not necessarily all in one place. My upcoming novel (Blood of Kings) will conclude some of these threads. The novella “Wrath of the Dragonfather” by Zachary C. Parker will conclude some others (I think this will be going online very soon), and there is one other pending (as yet unnamed) fiction piece we hope to put out in the near future touching on a separate important event unconnected to those two stories but which takes place in the intervening time period.

No Man Left Behind

• Cygnar, focusing on Major Beth Maddox
  • She uses two spells, one that is an elecrtical Lightning blast, possibly Chain Lightning, though I think its more of an Electrical Blast or Lightning Storm. The other seems to clearly be Snipe.
  • Her most powerful magic (feat, I assume) pulls on her inner rage to increases the Kinetic Force of her battlegroup.
  • To me, The Ironclad hammer seems to work in addition to an attack, instead of as a seperate attack.

Images