Warmachine: Thoughts on Flamebringers
Light cavalry for Protectorate? This is kind of different… Time to take a close look at Flamebringers.
The Good News
They’re called Flamebringers, although there aren’t any fire effects involved with this unit. Instead they have, ostensibly, the same daggers as their sisters in arms: the Daughters of the Flame. Despite appearances there are some pretty crucial differences. The Flame Bringers have traded in Anatomical Precision for Weapon Master, making them more versatile than their infantry counterparts. They’ll be able to put a much more significant dent in hard targets than the Daughters, and have the power to be able to bring down most enemy infantry – which is good, since the Flamebringers have Sidestep. Every enemy model they hit will let them move 2″ ignoring Free Strikes. And the fact that they’re Light Cavalry means they get a third attack from their mount – and a 5″ move at the end of their activation. Between all these attacks and all this extra movement they can really mop up that enemy infantry. At least that’s the theory.
The Bad News
The problem is that the P+S on their daggers is still set at a paltry 9. So while Weapon Master makes their hitting power more significant, it’s not exactly overwhelming. Their MAT also hasn’t gone up now that they’re on horseback. While the rules for cavalry will give them a +2 to hit with their charge attack, any attacks afterwards can only really be relied upon to hit targets with a DEF 12 or less. Between that mediocre accuracy and mediocre hitting power, this unit occupies a middle ground that makes them seem a little… well… meh. At least at first.
Using the Unit
Fortunately The Protectorate doesn’t rely on stats alone. If you’re reading this at all you probably know this faction can pretty much cherry pick the ways it buffs its troops. If you want accuracy there’s a whole host of spells and feats to choose from. My thoughts first turn to Thyra, Flame of Sorrow, whose tier list has included this unit since before we even knew what it was. With Carnage adding 2 to their Mat score these ladies can tear through enemy troops. Since Thyra also has Silence of Death to cast, the Flamebringers can ignore Tough, and absolutely shred popular tarpit units lke Boomhowlers and Sea Dogs before spreading out and/or moving back with their Light Cavalry move. Then anyone in range can charge or shoot the gap – if you plan everything out well enough ahead of time. You could also take the Flamebringers with Kreoss2, whose feat will mean all their attacks hit automatically. If you choose to do this, be aware that attacks gained through Strength of Arms will not grant Sidestep moves, since they are not initial attacks. If you want the Flamebringers to hit harder, any of the Protectorate Warcasters with Ignite will bring them up to P+S 11.
While those are a few ways you can make this cavalry unit better in combat, lets not forget what makes them really special: their maneuverability. While the Protectorate does have a few options for speed, this new unit is by far its most nimble offering. While a SPD stat of 9 might not give them the highest threat range in the Protectorate, they can do something no other unit can: cross more than a third of the battlefield when they run. Even if they don’t run, they can still penetrate deep within enemy lines after a charge with those light cavalry moves (although it will be up to you to keep them safe from free-strikes). Even better, they come Pathfinder-equipped so forests and rough terrain do not impede them. This has obvious benefits in a game where controlling and denying control of objectives is enormous.
Of equal importance is the way a fast moving unit like this can erode enemy plans. Running these guys up a flank can force your opponent to send valuable resources after them. Having to rethink their strategy on the fly like this can throw even the best opponents off balance. If that’s what you want, just taking this unit might be enough to get you started. So many Protectorate armies are slow moving bricks, that the presence of such a fast moving unit might be enough to make them hesitate.
When you combine SPD and survivability you’ve really got something special. So it’s also worth considering taking the Flamebringers with one of the many Protectorate warcasters with a defensive upkeep spell. While Inviolable Resolve or Holy Ward can be great, Defender’s Ward is the spell that will really make this unit tough to bring down. A unit of 5 models with 5 health boxes, DEF 16, and ARM 17 is the sort of tarpit that can take an entire army to bring down. And while they’re up front, sacrificing themselves for the good of the creator, you can have the rest of your army moving up to take objectives. This strategy works particularly well with Vice Scrutator Vindictus who can get them moving even faster than normal. But that’s not all. This Warcaster’s feat will also really put your opponent in a bind, as any of their models that wound the Flamebringers will suffer a point of damage. Of course there’s also Vice Scrutator Severius to consider. He can’t get the unit moving any faster, but he’s the only caster who can dish up Defender’s Ward while boosting the combat potential of the Flamebringers with Eye of Menoth.
In Closing…
To sum it all up, the Flamebringers have a lot of potential, and offer a lot to their faction with enough shortcomings to keep them from being an auto-include. Their difference in playstyle from the Protectorate norm might even shake up your meta a little bit. But there will still be a place for Exemplar Errants and Zealots with their Monolith Bearers.
~Hope you enjoyed the article. While I’m really excited to try these ladies out, my painting table is full of Cryx right now. So come back soon and I should have a Bane Thrall painting article ready for you.
