Warmachine: Short Range? No Problem!
Figuring out how to use a ‘Jack or Beast with a long ranged weapon (12″+) like a Defender or Destroyer is easy. Getting the most from one with a short ranged weapon (10″ or less) is tougher. Here’s how you can get more out of them….
On a tactical level, single purpose models are easy to understand and normally easy to use. A light Warjack with a long ranged gun like a Cygnaran Charger sits back and shoots. An all-melee Beast, say a Warpwolf, runs up and punches things in the mouth. What’s hard to understand about that? But what about those models that are in between? Well, if you’re talking about a ‘heavy with a long ranged gun and a solid melee ability (ex: a Khadoran Destroyer, or a Skorne Titan Cannoneer), then you can move up, taking boosted shots at good targets on the way in before charging into the thick of things and wreaking face. Or, you can field them in lists that stay back and shoot. You lob enough long-ranged shots at your opponent to force him to come to you. When he moves inside your charge range, you pounce. The long range of the guns make things relatively easy.
But what if the gun doesn’t have a long range? What happens when the maximum range of your gun is inside the charge distance of many of the models you’ll be facing? Now this isn’t unique to ‘Jacks and Beasts. Numerous units also have this issue. Many players struggle to get the most from those types of models, feeling like they’re paying extra points for ranged weapons they never use or melee abilities that just don’t stack up. Consequently people end up always leaving them on the shelf. I’m here to help get those neglected models back on the tabletop.
There are a few simple tips to get the most from your short ranged guns. Every faction has them. Dire Troll Bombers and Blitzers, Seraphs, Repenters, Black Ogrun, Harrowers, Basilisk Drakes, Vanquishers, Cleansers, Assault Kommando’s, the list goes on. Now, I don’t have space and you don’t have the patience to cover all of the possible scenarios and abilities of every unit; those will have to wait for their own separate articles; but when you’re fielding one of those types of models or units, keep these ideas in mind….
1) Waves
This is the single most important concept to keep in mind if you want to get the most out of models with short ranged guns. Attack in waves, and put those models in the second wave. This works better at 50 point or higher games where you can fill out your list a bit, but depending on your army composition, I’ve often seen it done at 35, too. The multi-wave army works best in a more “objective-minded” force that’s going more for scenario wins than caster assassination. Menoth, Trolls, and Skorne can play this style very, very well, though other factions can do it as well with the right build. Even alpha-strike glass cannon factions like Legion can play this type of game. I know, I’ve done it.
Consider this. You’ve got a front line of good durable (or expendable) models. Say Man of War Shocktroopers, Exemplar Bastions, Cataphract Cetrati, or even a horde of Mechanithralls. That first wave is your anvil. It’s designed to take a punch, get in the way, absorb your opponents’ time, energy, and attention, and hopefully dish out at least a few punches of its down before going down. That’s where the second wave comes in. All the while, your shorter ranged guns are sitting back a little, taking shots at the enemy. Clearing out charge paths, finishing off units. Once your opponent has been whittled down a bit and gotten tied up by the first wave (or whats left of it), the second wave charges in and finishes him off. The often-lessened combat abilities of models with a mix of ranged and melee attacks doesn’t matter as much here, because your first wave should have already done some damage to the enemy. Those multi-role models just have to have enough punch to deliver the final blows.
The reason your shorter ranged guns can work well in this type of game is simply because you don’t need the range. The guns aren’t there to do all the killing themselves. They’re more of a compliment to that first wave of bodies. The shorter ranged models can sit behind that first wave, using the ranged weapons and confident that the models in front will block off charge lanes to them. Spray attacks can work very well here, since sprays can be fired right into combat without any penalty. And if you hit your own guys…well…such is war….especially if your own models you’re hitting are cheap infantry that aren’t expected to survive the battle anyway. And if your multi-role infantry unit is only MAT 6 and P+S 8 on the charge? So what! Assuming you’ve whittled down the enemy at least a little, those stats are still good enough to have reasonable odds of hitting and killing nearly every single wound infantry unit in the game.
2) Scenarios and scenario play
If you’re playing scenarios…..(you are playing scenarios right?)….. then multi-role models can really shine. See, most of the steamroller and core rulebook scenarios have holding an area or objective as one of the victory conditions. In those scenarios, you’ll often find yourself holding models back to keep control of those points/areas instead of chasing off after the enemy. Multi-role models can do this well. An all-melee model is wasting its potential if it isn’t engaging the opponent in melee, and a ranged-focused model is out of luck in melee, but a mixed unit can help out no matter the situation. You’ll often find that the lines get pretty close in rounds 3 and higher. Being more than 10″ or 12″ away from at least one enemy model is a rarity. This is prime ground for mixed-role units since they can hold an area and still do some damage. Just ask Retribution players about their Invictors with RNG 10, POW 12 guns. Now yes, the UA for them can give them snipe for one round per game, but I’ve seen them fielded without the UA plenty of times, and perform well even on those turns the extended range isn’t going.
The flexibility of multi-role models is what makes them good. And this is where they can be good at 35 points, since you can put them into a list and be confident of having an answer to whatever situation arises.
3) Special Rules
Many multi-role models come with special rules that can really help you out. Maybe it’s the assault ability, letting you shoot as part of a charge action. Maybe it’s pathfinder, letting you stick the model in the woods somewhere to help protect it from being charged before it can shoot. Being able to shoot into melee with sprays is an awesome ability, especially considering how many annoying rules (stealth, cover, concealment,…) that sprays ignore. Heck, several factions even have ways to increase weapon ranges (Snipe, Farstrike, etc). Take a look at the units and see if they’ve got any good special rules you can capitalize on.
Thats all for now. There’s so much more to say, but we’re already running long. If you want help with a specific model/unit, post here in the comments, or head over to the forums and I’m sure you’ll get some decent answers.
