The Necrotechs Workshop XXXIII – Not All is Roses

It is a new year, and I think that means its time for new Image art. This one is from the forthcoming Cryx Command book, cropped a little to make it easier to use. Let me know what you think! Keep the old one, or move on to this one. However, we have bigger fish to look at, today. 

As I type this, the theme lists have been spoiled, as well as the two new models from the Cryx Command book. I want to take a look at all of it and the spoilers as well, and see what we have brewing, and give my opinions. . 

Warning – This post will start off hot, but will eventually cool off. Let the Seething Commence. 

An Entirely New Tier

I am looking over the new tier lists. I just cannot see it, and I mean that in the most disgusted way I can dig up. Privateer Press had a clear chance to show both the Cryx community and the Skorne community that they understood what the faction woes were[this was written pre-Skorne errata – JL]. They had the opportunity to show that they were listening, and while they might not agree – or even if they do – and they have plans to correct the problems seen in the faction. Instead, we get this. 

I don’t get it. 

The Revenant Crew are much maligned, and rightly so, in my opinion.  I can see how they fit a theme list because its an awesome theme to create a list around. This is the kicker – they had three to choose from. This list is simply not what anyone in Cryx wanted or asked for. Honestly, this list seems like it could be glorious, the list could self-churn itself into the middle of the board and stay there forever, earning victory after victory against the similar balanced or melee lists. There is some serious potential in a recursion list that gets more guys, easily, and stays on the board. 

That type of list isn’t what a Cryx players needs, though. What we need, and what Privateer said that they would address in the errata and in every way I can think of failed too address, was the ability to survive shooting. This list, and the errata preceding it, does very little to change that. To a point, it paints a picture of a company continuously out of touch with what its players desire and what its factions are lacking. This is why I am optimistic, if only cautiously so, about their Community Integrated Development. Though, if they haven’t listened yet, what makes me thing that now is the time? 

Beyond that, beyond the interesting lists that can be built or the diverse set of casters that we can use, what infuriates me the most, and I really am infuriated, is that the solution to all of this is in this document. Its right here, in front of everyone, but they decided to give it to other factions. Scratch that, they provided a viable solution to three different factions. Three! None of which really have a problem with being able to survive a shooing game. 

• Retribution
• Khador
  
• Convergence
  

Giving models (Say, light jacks, gimme a reason to play hell divers)  Shield Guard, or our casters Sac Pawn [Revenant crew] would have enabled us to feel that there was an ear, somewhere, that was listening to our woes. We don’t need the ability to kill more things – we already have that. We didn’t need a way to keep light infantry on the board, What we need is a way to make sure our casters aren’t removed from the game while playing it, and staying in a killbox and isn’t a three time only solution anchored to a terrible unit. 

Maybe that is what is in our command book. But, at that point, why didn’t they just give us the theme now. Placate us and give the list to us that helps us now, not make us wait 4 more months for it. It seems shortsighted and cruel. 

I guess, honestly, that is what feels the worst. I Don’t know where its comming from, but someone in Privateer feels really out of touch with the community, the players, and their own game. Its really, really weird given the excellent track record that the company had during most of MKII of being right there with its players. Warmachine, from everything I see and feel, portends a coming winter. It might not be that long, but it very well could be. Warmachine won’t die, I’m sure of that. There will always be nut jobs like me playing it, regardless. It might, however, become a lot harder to get opponents to play against.

Ah well! onto the things I am excited (more) about! 

The Command Book

In case you’d not seen it by now, and it’ll have been a while, We’ve got two new models comin’ out for the Cryx Command book in April. 

First, Mortenebra 2, The Numen of Necrogenesis

Mortenebra is the dark mistress of the Cryxian war industry. With her cold and penetrating mind, she has worked behind the scenes to further the development of the Nightmare Empire’s necromechanikal horrors. Driven to seek insights through the crucible of combat, she has continued to augment her own physical form through iterative reimaginings of her mechanikal frame. Now, with the chance to observe her creations in battle, Mortenebra’s dark mind has been stirred to new and greater heights.

Somewhere I saw it, and I can’t remember where, her feat is Flank [Battlegroup] for her battlegroup. Maybe just warjacks, I don’t know. She also has Field Marshal: Scavenge( when an enemy warjack is destroyed in a friendly warjacks melee range, the friendly warjack can remove damage) 

Anyway!

This caster has potential, though I hope they didn’t spoil the best of the model. I’m really hoping for something cool. I would personally love Decel or Wind Wall, as either of those two would help deliver her jacks for the feat. At P+S 16+, many of her heavy jacks are going to be punching way above their weight class. Scything touch, too, would be a good one. Convection as a nuke could be useful. Say she gets five spells. 

Deceleration
Convection
Hex Blast (Its my favorite, if we are wish listing here it goes on everyone!) 
Scything Touch
Hand of Fate (seriously. Its her old feat as a spell, and they do it all the time)
or 
(spell that grants battlegroup Pathfinder)
or, as we are the debuff faction – Affliction

That would be pretty rad to me. Field Marshall: Flank and Sac Pawn: Friendly Faction Light Jacks, and I’d be ok. 

I’d have a good list of jacks to take advantage of Decel, while having something to put on my units with Hand of Fate or their units in Affliction. 

There isn’t a lot of optimism here. I expect her to be steady, pathfinder, high armor, low defense, high wounds. Mat 6ish, ect. Nothing to light the world on fire, stat wise, though I could be completely wrong.  and besides, I love her freaking sculpt. Its a cool model and I look forward to grabbing it and getting her painted. 

Next we have Kharybdis