Simple Q and A

[Dungeon Lord]

So I am part way through reading the Warmachine Rulebook and was wondering if Warcasters cost any points. Are they all the same value??

[Primarch]

Warcasters are all free. In fact, they give you extra points to spend on Warjacks, though the number of free points you get may be some indication of how powerful they are themselves.

[Dungeon Lord]

So if u were playing a 20point game and ur warcaster gives u an extra 5 points to spend on warjacks, u get 25 points for 20??

[Primarch]

So if u were playing a 20point game and ur warcaster gives u an extra 5 points to spend on warjacks, u get 25 points for 20??

Yes, exactly.

[me_in_japan]

yes. Exactly so, but the 5 points the warcaster gives you MUST be spent on jacks. So, you couldnt take 25 pts of infantry, for example. As Prim says, 'jack points can be taken as an indication of how much the caster is "worth". Weaker casters get more 'jack points.

Warcasters are the drawing pin from which your whole army hangs, in Warmachine. They are not to be confused with warhammer 40k HQ units, which are often great big silly points sinks which your army can largely do without and still function as per normal.

Always, always, ALWAYS remember - if your caster is dead, you lose. At naghammer we played 3 very scenario driven games, all of which were oficial PP tourny scenarios. I won all three games with casterkills, scenario win conditions be damned. This is the single piece of advice I feel qualifed to give to a newbie warmachine player (aside from, yknow, rules stuff.) I dont know much, but I know that if you punch their caster with a heavy jack, you've probably just won.

[Primarch]

Same here.
First game I won due to my opponent conceding as 3 Heavy Jacks were about to charge the enemy caster.
Second game I lost due to having my caster harpooned, dragged across the table and then ganged up on by the entire enemy army for 2 full turns. (I did kill the harpooner though )
Third game I won by caster kill.

[Dungeon Lord]

Wish I had gotten into it sooner. Sounds like a nice change. Thanks for the tips too.

[AndrewGPaul]

Always, always, ALWAYS remember - if your caster is dead, you lose.

Actually, that's not a universal rule. It is the case in all the Steamroller scenarios, but several of the scenarios in the Warmachine rule book do not have that victory condition.

I realise I'm nitpicking now. However, if you want to get away from the tyranny of the Warnachine tournament scene, it's something to consider.

[me_in_japan]

nitpicker!



actually, me and Prim are still pretty new to warmachine, so actual competitive play is still a loooong ways away. We just play for fun.*


*and harpooning the butcher, from time to time

[Primarch]

*and harpooning the butcher, from time to time

And butchering the harpooner if the chance presents itself.