A Series on Improving Your Warmachine Game

~Chris “Hashmal” Taylor

To read part 1 of our Leveling Up Series, please check out here https://boosttohit.home.blog/2024/08/12/leveling-up/

To read part 2 of our Leveling Up Series, please check out https://boosttohit.home.blog/2024/08/27/leveling-up-2/

Introduction: Part 3

And we’re back. Today’s article’s about scenario play. We’re covering scenario before assassination because, while assassination is a huge component of the game, scenario is the beating heart that makes it tick. It is the element that forces engagement, centralizes the piece-trading nature of the game, and dictates force positioning both across games at large and tactically on a turn-by-turn basis. It’s also a very fast way to win or lose a game, depending on how savvy your approach is compared to your opponent’s. Improving scenario play is an easy way to level up your whole Warmachine game.

In this article, we’ll focus on a few elements: list building for scenario; the differences between going first and second, as well as which you should pick and why; deploying for scenario; and how to approach scenario, leveraging overlapping threat ranges to juice the piece-trading machine.

Scenario-Focused List Building

Scenario is vital to keep in mind when building a list. There are definitely lists out there that eschew scenario in favor of assassination, but you’ll find these aren’t played often because they’re unreliable. When they work, they’re amazing, but if your opponent has solid defenses, your plans can unravel. Most players build lists to be active and engaging on scenario elements (and some also bake in those sneaky assassinations too…).

To build lists focused on scenario play, it’s important to keep the various elements in mind.

• All elements can be scored by your Leader, but they cannot contest.
• All models except for your Leader can contest unless a rule says they cannot (there are very few of these).
• 30mm objectives can only be scored by a solo within 3” of the element.
• 40mm objectives can only be scored by a unit, with all models currently in one unit within 3” of the element.
• 50mm objectives can only be scored by a Cohort model within 3” of the element.
• 20mm Caches can be scored by any model that sacrifices its Combat Action base to base with it. These can only be scored once per game.
• Objective Terrain can be scored by any two models within 2” of the identified terrain piece.

Covering all scenario elements in one list leads to varied forces, as every element of an army’s options are covered. Since scenarios are rarely, if ever, previewed in advance, it’s important to prep to cover as many options as you can when building a list. You’ll certainly see lists that skew heavily in a given direction. That’s a topic for another day: those lists have specific goals in mind and are a bit outside the purview of this discussion.

Here’s a sample list I put together that I’ll use in the following examples that keeps these principles in mind.

Horruskh, The Thousand Wraths

27          Gharlghast

  7             HEAD – Spider

  4             RIGHT FOREARM – Infernus Cannon (Right)

  6             RIGHT FIST – Rending Claws (Right)

  4             LEFT FOREARM – Infernus Cannon (Left)

  6             LEFT FIST – Rending Claws (Left)

5       Grhotten Champion 1

5       Grhotten Champion 2

5       Grhotten Keeper 1

5       Grhotten Keeper 2

4       Halexus the Warlord

3       Reaver Commander 1

3       Reaver Commander 2

9       Gnashers 1

9       Gnashers 2

8       Ulkor Axers 1

8       Ulkor Axers 2

9       Ulkor Barragers

TOTAL POINTS  100/100

You’ll see above that all scoring elements have discrete answers with a mix of solos, units, Cohort, and a large number of durable models to help my presence on 20mm objectives.

Notice the weakness in the list above? I only have one Cohort model: the Gharlghast. I’m going to be weaker on 50mm objectives as a result. This can be overcome on the table, and I’ll get into how a bit below, but if I were building a stronger scenario-focused list I’d look to have 2-3 Cohort models as opposed to the one chonker. The Gharlghast looks good on Wartable though, and I have an affinity for her, so it’s in the list.

We’ll be walking through some examples below, so it only makes sense to post the opposite list. For all the Caine enjoyers out there (this channel has more than a few), here’s Caine4 taking his Warjacks for a walk.

Major Allister Caine

7           Courser 1

  1             HEAD – Shield Guard

  4             RIGHT ARM – Heavy Stormthrower

  2             LEFT ARM – Voltaic Punching Spike

7           Courser 2

  1             HEAD – Shield Guard

  4             RIGHT ARM – Heavy Stormthrower

  2             LEFT ARM – Voltaic Punching Spike

14          Stryker 1

  1             HEAD – Relentless Charge

  6             RIGHT ARM – Voltaic Halberd

  7             LEFT ARM – Heavy Mag-Bolter

14          Stryker 2

  1             HEAD – Relentless Charge

  6             RIGHT ARM – Voltaic Halberd

  7             LEFT ARM – Heavy Mag-Bolter

3       Legionnaire Officer

3       Specialist Tyson Vas

3       Weather Station 1

3       Weather Station 2

7       Zephyr

5       Arcane Mechaniks

5       Storm Callers 1

5       Storm Callers 2

10     Storm Lance Legionnaires 1

10     Storm Lance Legionnaires 2

4       Storm Vanes

TOTAL POINTS  100/100

Please note that I’m not pretending that either of these lists are super optimized. They’re workshop lists I had in the Warmachine app and they work for this exercise, so we’re going with them.

Going First vs. Going Second

Playing scenario impacts your game the moment the die is rolled to determine whether a player is going first or second. The winner of the roll gets to decide whether they will take the first turn or the second. In most war games, going first provides a discrete advantage: you move first and usually get to strike first. Warmachine is no different in this regard, especially because each player moves and attacks with their entire army at once before the opponent gets to respond. The game’s design, however, provides two carrots to incentivize choosing to go second *or* the ability to play a solid game when you lose the roll and are forced to go second.

• The second player picks their table side and has a larger deployment zone.
• Scoring begins at the end of the second player’s second turn.
• Not all scenarios are symmetrical.

To the first point, board sides can be a massive, if unreliable, advantage to a given player. Event organizers are encouraged to make “interesting” tables, non-symmetrical in terrain layout and ones that provide an advantage to the person picking board sides. You can’t count on it always happening, but being able to choose a board edge that’s good for your army or denying one to your opponent is a nice benefit.

To the second point, scoring begins after the second player has turn priority and continues each turn after that. This means that while the first player sets the initial game tempo, priority shifts to the second player as they will get to act last before scoring, thus having the ability to immediately gain several points and force a response from the first player.

Finally, to the third point, some scenarios feature additional scoring elements on the second player’s side.

Which Should You Pick?

Sorry, the answer is a disappointing it depends. Entire armies, even factions, have a preference based on their design. As a general rule, “glass cannon” armies that rely on a strong melee game tend to go first, especially if their opponent features solid shooting. Slow, durable armies can usually go either way, as going first gets them to scenario elements on time and their durability can make them tough to shift off when the second player would otherwise start scoring, while going second gives them a deployment bump and they can get into position to clear things off scenario elements. Armies with significant long-ranged elements similarly don’t mind either: they go first, they can pressure their opponent to commit weakly to scenario for fear of being gunned off the board; going second, their threat range means they can get work done on their first turn, which most armies cannot and they can deny terrain elements to their opponent, turning an otherwise busy board into a shooting gallery.

What you pick depends on your list, your opponent’s list, the board you’re playing on, and the scenario at play. No easy answer here.

Deploying for Scenario

Your sides are picked and you’re ready to deploy. Where the hell do you put everything? When deploying for scenario, it makes sense to align your models according to the elements they’re going to contest/score. As the first player, there are some other table-specific considerations like terrain you want to pressure your opponent out of, but you ultimately don’t know where your opponent’s models are going to end up so you can’t take that into account. As the second player, setting up for scenario is important but so is counter deploying against the first player.

Let’s see some examples. In this matchup, we’re playing Two Fronts. Horruskh’s Sea Raiders army is going up against a Storm Legion force led by Caine4. The Sea Raiders won the roll and elected to go first. Storm Legion, seeing a forward positioned LoS blocker on one side and a house that could isolate a huge base off from the rest of the army on the other, selected accordingly.

Note before we continue, gameplay is focusing on reinforcing scenario concepts, so positioning and movement choices made are driving to that effect. This would likely play differently in a live game. Also I don’t play either army. Yet.

Horruskh deploys first. Having a general idea of where Storm Legion’s forces will be, but not knowing exactly, deployment is as follows. Final deployment is shown, as there are a few Advance Deployment infantry.

Turn 1 and already that house is causing problems.

Several things should be predictable. Models are aligned against their like scenario elements: The Gharlghast is directly in line with the 50mm objective; multiple units are aligned against the 40mm objective; and workhorse solos are central to make a play on the distant Player 2 30mm objective later on. Since I do not know Caine’s positioning, they are central to flex where they need to.

Covering the outliers. The two Ghrotten Champions are near the Gharlghast, as my opponent’s list features two Strykers with Heavy Mag Bolters, which I definitely don’t want chewing into my big girl. These are deployed for function rather than scenario. The right-side Axers are also deployed to support the Gharlghast, in case my opponent decides to place significant contesting infantry on that side. The Axers let me clear chaff while the Gharlghast does work. The Barragers are central because they have a long threat range and I’m not sure where they’ll be needed yet. They can stay central and do work or shift left/right, depending on what happens.

So, how does Caine respond?

There’s a universal rule that if you’re playing against Caine, he’ll have a house perfectly placed and if you’re playing as him, he’s homeless.

Caine’s deployment is scenario-focused too, but throws in a bit of counter deployment. Assuming for the sake of the exercise that the Gnashers aren’t on the table yet, Caine has chosen to crash the left flank with two Storm Lance Legionnaire squads and a Stormcaller squad. The Stormcallers benefit nicely from the cloud bank and can be home objective scorers, freeing the Lances up to bully the Axers. In the center of the field we have the brunt of the solos to score that 30mm objective. The Zephyr is front and center to provide Ionization wherever it is needed. On the right flank, we have two Strykers and a Courser, along with the Mechanics. The Strykers and Courser are counter deployed against the Gharlghast while also providing some good options for scoring. The objective is placed so that a ‘jack can hide behind the forest, shoot, and score while the Gharlghast can be seen over it, creating threat imbalance in Caine’s favor that Horruskh will have to deal with. The Mechanics trigger Accumulator, so they’re with the Styrker to provide a focus-free ranged contingent that Caine surely appreciates.

Well, Horruskh doesn’t like that left flank getting dominated by Lances, so in go the Gnashers. Our final board state ends up like this, both sides deployed for scenario with a few tactical considerations thrown in.

Playing the Scenario and Overlapping Threats

Turn 1 passes with mostly run and positioning on both sides as well as a few cheeky shots from Caine’s Storm Lances.

Of course, this being Wartable, we all know how that went.

Our scene is set for the start of Turn 2.

Horruskh has some decisions to make. First, it is definitely a Feat turn. Horruskh has a strong durability Feat that plays well into scenario denial. Top or bottom of Turn 2 is usually a fine time for him to use it, either to deny points as Player 1 or to prevent parity in scoring the following turn as Player 2.

Nothing is in charge range of the left flank, but many things are in run and engage range. Six Gnashers up in the grill is not fun. But, this pulls the Gnashers out of Feat range unless Horruskh walks forward and I don’t know if you know this but Caine4 is a big fan of people walking forward. The Storm Lances definitely prefer charging, but are not useless if engaged thanks to Unstoppable. Plus, being out of Feat range means that their guns are more relevant.

Spoiler alert: Horruskh goes for the jam. Other models on that side run to score his objective and position for counter charges should the Gnashers fall. This is where threat ranges overlap—by removing Horruskh’s Gnashers, the Caine player will be open to charges from the Champion and Halexus. If he doesn’t remove them, scenario becomes dicey. If he backs up, he cedes scenario entirely and that might well be the game.

The center is fairly open. There are some models that can contest and, as we’ll see, exactly that is done.

On the right, the Axers with Inviolable Resolve make for a strong forward contesting target. The Gharlghast anchors the flank.

Turn plays out, Barragers shoot ineffectually and sacrifice one of theirs to at least make Caine’s army waste some shots on it (it’s still ARM 19 with 8 wounds and 4+ Tough on Feat!). The Gharlghast rolls fire and does a staggering 23 points of damage to the left Stryker with just two rockets (and no rerolls!). Hey, sometimes those Wartable dice meme right back at you. Horruskh Feats and figures that life is better than not-life. He only upkeeps Inviolable Resolve, filled up the Gharlghast (who rewarded that amply, dang), and Feated camping four. Below you can see the overlapping areas of effect that Horruskh is leveraging for board position. Orange radii are 3” from his own objectives; green are Caine’s objectives; and the blue is Horruskh’s Feat CTRL range.

Not pictured: the shiteating grin on the Gharlghast’s face.

Caine has a ton of problems in his face, but also a lot of pocket answers. This is the first turn where scenario is live, so he recaps the state of the game. Five models are bunging up the left flank zone, with a further two making activations for the Storm Lances complicated. Horruskh is currently scoring his own left flank, but his hold there is tenuous because of his jam—only one unit is scoring. In the center, there are a ton of things with shots on the Barrager, but he’ll take a bit of work to remove thanks to the Feat. And on the right it will be very hard to do anything about the Gharlghast with two Shield Guarding Ghrotten sitting right there, but the Axers can have quite a bit of punishment rained down on them. As soon as he repairs his Stryker, stupid lucky dumb big cute sexy Gharlghast…

Let’s get to work.

On the left flank, the Legionnaire Officer fires right back with some dice and one-rounds a Gnasher without needing to charge. This frees up some important Storm Lances to charge. Caine peeks out, tags the back left flank Axer behind a house (it was out of Arcane Vortex range) with a boosted Witch Mark shot to stick Calamity on them, then cranks two more shots on the rear one behind the building, boosting one damage, and thanks to Head Shot and a nice unboosted second damage roll, takes him off the table. This is great, because Horruskh’s hold on that objective just got a lot shakier. Caine Teleports away, camping nothing (uh oh!) but behind his house (booooo) and soon to be surrounded by Storm Vanes (double booooo). The Storm Lances capitalize, with one squad burying into the remaining two Axers. The first one does a staggering 13 points of damage and the Axer falls down, failing his roll. The other two clear the remaining Axer (who can’t Tough forever despite trying) and slap four points onto the Barrager. Things are looking much better for Caine now.

The two Stormcaller squads busy themselves with Stationary-ing the left Champion, plinking damage into the front Barrager, and beginning to Stationary the right Champion. The two Storm Towers finish the Stationary job. Caine’s feeling great. Too bad he hasn’t rolled on the right flank yet.

The right flank dedicates four Warjacks worth of shooting to clearing off the Inviolable Resolved Axers (yes, he repaired his Stryker. Also Empower is a hell of a drug when you’re out of CTRL). After the dust settles… only one died. Yeah, that was quite the string of 4+ Tough checks made However, the one that died was critical: Tyson Vas, sensing he’s not super useful in this matchup, plays Careful Reconnaissance and sprints through the woods to contest the Gharlghast’s objective.

After both sides rolled up, we’re staring at a very even matchup. 1-0, Caine’s favor. Horruskh’s jam was effective, though he paid dearly for it on the left flank. His right flank, however, is looking much healthier.

What happens next? Well, you can start guessing yourself.

Actually, both sides lost to clock because I am not a fast Wartable player.

Conclusion

That’s all for this article! I hope that the example above showed how you can actively engage on scenario, layer threats, and respond to certain scenario plays you’re likely to face. I won’t pretend that all decisions made herein were the right or the best, but I hope they were illustrative of the back-and-forth that comprises scenario play. Had Horruskh been more passive, the score would certainly be in Caine’s favor—but Horruskh might also have more pieces to respond with.

Thanks for reading!