Warmachine: Best of the Best – Ranged Weapons
Ranking the top three Warcaster or Warlock ranged weapons in Warmachine and Hordes.
Chalkboard here from Chalkboard War, continuing my series of articles on Warmachine and Hordes that examines the “Best of the Best” attributes across all models and factions. We’ll examine the top Feats, Spells, Abilities, Weapons, Stat Lines, Damage Grids, and anything else that appears on model entries in the game. All to give you a sense for which models are among the best on those categories.
This Week, Ranged Weaponson Warcasters and Warlocks. Unlike Melee Weapons, which which we covered a couple of weeks ago, this category was a bit more limited in terms of numbers. That said, there are still more than a few casters who pack quite a punch when it comes to shooting. Whether it’s simply high destructive power or some trick effect with the weapon, Warcasters and Warlocks with a great ranged weapon can often contribute a lot to a match.
So let’s get right to it! The following are my list of the top three Ranged Weapons in Warmachine and Hordes. As a special note, this was the most difficult of this series so far. Many deserving Warcasters and Warlocks. At the end is a bonus “Dishonorable Mention” for the most feeble pea shooter out there.
Number Three: Rocket Cannon (Major Markus “Siege” Brisbane)
Ground Pounder is an amazing ability for a weapon, and doubly so when carried by a Warcaster. The ability to simply place the template where he wants it within the 14″ range of the gun is alone impressive. To ignore concealment, elevation, and stealth with it? All the better. And then to ignore the melee penalty, well it’s simply epic for target selection.
Siege’s abilities make the weapon really shine, as his spells enable all the more shenanigans with the weapon. But it’s the utterly nasty 14″ bubble of “I can hit who I want” that makes this a weapon to be reckoned with.
Number Two: Spellstorm Pistols (Captain Allister Caine)
Let me paraphrase Samuel Jackson’s line from Jackie Brown. “Caine2. The very best there is. When you absolutely, positively got to kill every Winterguard in the room, accept no substitutes.”
Yes, it’s not as powerful as it used to be before the Errata. That’s why I’m listing him as the number two spot. But it’s still unbelievably impressive. Reload [Infinity] gives the real edge, as Caine can plunk out a whole lot of shots after the initial two with these. If he needs options, then he can buy them. Target in melee? No problem. Target tough? No problem. Target impossible to hit, but has a model within 4″? No problem. Caine2 just plain gets it done with these guns, and they’re what make him such a deadly Warcaster. Accept no substitutes, indeed.
Number One: Fell Blast (Grissel Bloodsong, Marshal of the Kriels)
Yeah, I know. This leaves Kaelyssa’s and Rask’s great flexibility in the lurch, Sloan’s impressive Weapon Master knocking at the door, and Ossyan’s and Tanith’s debuffs only peeking in the window. But follow me on this one for a bit.
Wouldn’t you like a Warlock who has a ROF 3, AOE 3, POW 14 magic ranged weapon, which can be Range 12″ for the cost of 1 Fury (and having a great Warbeast–the Dire Troll Bomber–in the battlegroup)? That’s impressive alone. But it’s the attack types that make this weapon so powerful. Each shot can be one of three options. Crescendo leaves an AOE hazard in play that does damage. Quake knocks models down. Sonic Eruption turns the weapon into a 10″ spray. And Grissel2 can choose different ones for each.
That’s an impressive weapon, both in terms of what it can leverage on the battlefield and in terms of flexibility. Because it’s magical, there’s little that is safe from her shooting. In a game where foes are constantly paper-rock-scissors their victories, power lies in the weapon that is paper, rock, and scissors anytime you need it.
Dishonorable Mention
Did you know that the Butcher has a ranged weapon, in all three versions? Have you ever seen him shoot it? It’s an 8″ range, ROF 1, POW 12 Blunderbuss with no special rules. On a model that wants desperately to be in melee. I had trouble picking which version it was worst upon: #2, where he only really functions when he’s melee-ing each turn? #3, where he can basically draw in any models at almost the same range as the pistol? Or #1, where it’s simply a garbage gun on a melee caster?
The answer: all three. It’s weak range and the person carrying it means this ranged weapon is the absolute pits.
~ Does this ranking fit your thoughts? Did we miss a critical attribute? Was a great model overlooked, or a powerful interaction missed? Is Number One really that good? Do you think the “Dishonorable Mention” is not so dishonorable after all? Let us know in the comments below!
To watch the worst of the worst hit the tabletop, check out Chalkboard’s Warmachine and Hordes blog at:
www.chalkboardwar.com
