Cephalyx Mind Slaver & Drudges

Cephalyx Mind Slaver & Drudges Mercenary, & Cryx Partisan, Unit

Mixed How usable this model is in Mk IV depends on the Faction: Mercenaries: This model can be used in the Dark Operations army. Cryx: This model is not (yet) available to this Faction in Mk IV in any shape or form (as of 2023.06) You can view the Mk3 models that made it into a Legacy Army at this page. Note that the rest of this page is about the model's Mark III rules.

From below western Immoren emerge the inscrutable cephalyx mind slavers, who have entered into an unholy bargain with the Cryxian Empire. Applying a horrific blend of machinery, alchemy, and disfiguring surgery, the slavers transform their captured victims into powerfully muscled and mechanically enhanced warriors they control to fight and die in their stead.

Basic Info

Mercenary - This unit will work for Cryx.

• Partisan [ Cryx ] - When included in a Cryx army, this model/unit is a Cryx model/unit instead of a Mercenary model/unit.

Selective - This model can be included in a Mercenary army only if the army is made using a Cephalyx theme force.

Mind Slaver

Cephalyx Mind Slaver & Drudges
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Mind Slave / Drudges BASE Small SPD 6 / 6 STR 6 / 8 MAT 6 / 5 RAT N/A M.A. 6 / - DEF 14 / 12 ARM 13 / 16 CMD 7 / 4 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 5 / 1 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA 3 UNIT SIZE 1 Bender 5 or 9 Drudges COST 7 or 10 1.0 pts each N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Abilities

• Combined Melee Attack
• Officer
• Pathfinder
• Stealth
• Prep for Surgery - While this model is in formation, when a living enemy warrior model in the melee range of two or more models in this unit is boxed by a melee attack made by a model in this unit, remove the enemy model from play. You can then add to play one Grunt to a friendly non-character Drudge unit in this model's command range. Place the Grunt in formation and completely within this model's command range. The Grunt must forfeit its Combat Action the turn it is put into play.
• Sacrificial Pawn [ Unit ] - When this model is directly hit by an enemy ranged attack, you can have one friendly, non-incorporeal model in this unit within 3" of it directly hit instead. That model is automatically hit and suffers all damage and effects. The Sacrificial Pawn special rule can only trigger once per attack roll.

Weapons

• Prosthetic Blades - 1" reach, POW 5, P+S 11 melee weapon.

Drudges

Abilities

• Combined Melee Attack
• Eyeless Sight
• Tough

Weapons

• Drudge Weapons - 0.5" reach, POW 4, P+S 12 melee weapon.
  Even though it's a plural, they only have one attack

Theme Forces

• Mercenary
  • Operating Theater. (1) Up to one unit of Slavers can gain Ambush in this theme. (2) Drudges (but not the Mind Slaver) gain Rise in this theme.

• Cryx
  • As a Mercenary unit, Cephalyx Mind Slaver & Drudges can go in every Cryx theme but they uses your "Up to one Mercanry unit" slot (most of the time).
  • Black Industries. When taken in this theme, they don't use your Merc slot.
  • Dark Host
  • The Ghost Fleet
  • Scourge of the Broken Coast. When taken in this theme, they don't use your Merc slot.

Thoughts on the Slaver & Drudges

Slaver & Drudges in a nutshell

The Cephalyx Mind Slaver & Drudges are the backbone unit of the Cephalyx. Cheap, tough, and they can be boosted to be hard hitting (when taken in a Merc force).

In a Cryx force, they are not particularly popular as Mechanithralls tend to out-shine them. Cryx's Black Industries theme force, that was announced 2017.09, may change that however.

Combos & Synergies

• Cephalyx Mind Bender & Drudges should be used in support of the Mind Slaver - they can be quite nasty with an Adrenal Rush
• Cephalyx Overlords - sweet sweet veteran leader.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• The Selective rule means that, unlike most Mercenary units, these guys:
  • Cannot be taken in a pure Mercenary force (out of theme)
  • Cannot be taken in a Faction theme force, even if it allows "up to one Mercenary unit."
  • Basically, if you purchase these models, the number of different lists you can potentially field them in is much smaller.
• Drudges get hit by almost anything. Meaning they die easily.
• In order to hit almost anything you'll need a Combined Melee Attack, Adrenal Rush from the Mind Bender, the Veteran Leader bonus from the Overlords, or more than one of the above.

Tricks & Tips

• Don't worry about the drudges dying. Try to save the Slaver.
• If you combine Veteran Leader, Adrenal Flood and CMA, a Drudge can put out an enormous effective MAT12 POW18 + 3D6 (= low average 28 damage) Charge attack up to 9.5" (up to 13.5" if you use Thexus) away; and if you destroy a living enemy model with that attack, you can replace the Bender Drudge you spent on it!

Other

Trivia

• Released in Warmachine: Legends (2008)

Other Faction models

Cryx Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters	Agathia - Aiakos2 - Asphyxious1 - Asphyxious2 - Asphyxious3 - Coven - Deathjack2 - Deneghra1 - Deneghra2 - Deneghra3 - Goreshade1 - Goreshade2 - Goreshade3 - Mortenebra1 - Mortenebra2 - Rahera - Scaverous - Skarre1 - Skarre2 - Skarre3 - Sturgis2 - Terminus - Venethrax
Warcaster attachments	The Withershadow Combine - Satyxis Blood Priestess - Skarlock Thrall - Doctor Stygius (Partisan) - Madelyn Corbeau (Mercenary)
Other Warjack Controllers	Jack Marshals: Iron Lich Overseer       "Junior Warcasters": Aiakos1 - Asphyxious4 - Deneghra0
Light	Cankerworm - Deathripper - Defiler - Helldiver - Nightwretch - Ripjaw - Scavenger - Shrike - Stalker
Heavy	Barathrum - Corruptor - Deathjack1 - Desecrator - Erebus - Harrower - Kharybdis - Inflictor - Leviathan - Malice - Nightmare - Reaper - Seether - Slayer
Colossal	Kraken - Sepulcher
Units, Solos, Battle Engines, & Structures
Units	Asphyxious4 - Bane Knights - Bane Riders - Bane Warriors - Bile Thralls - BO Boarding Party - BO Ironmongers - BO Smog Belchers - Blackbane's Ghost Raiders - Bloodgorgers - Marauders - Carrion Thralls - Cephalyx Drudges - Cephalyx Overlords - Mechanithralls - Necrosurgeon - Revenant Cannon - Revenant Crew - Satyxis Gunslingers - Satyxis Blood Witches - Satyxis Raiders - Scharde Dirge Seers - Scharde Pirates - Soulhunters - The Devil's Shadow Mutineers - The Withershadow Combine
Solos	Aiakos1 - Agrimony - Axiara - Bane Lord Tartarus - Bloat Thrall - BTO Mobius - Captain Rengrave - Darragh Wrathe - Doctor Stygius - Deneghra0 - Gerlak - Hellslinger - Iron Lich Overseer - Machine Wraith - Master Gurglepox - Misery Cage - Necrotech - Ol' Grim - Pistol Wraith - Satyxis Blood Priestess - Satyxis Raider Captain - Scrap Thrall - Skarlock Thrall - Severa Blacktide - Soul Trapper - Warwitch Siren
Battle Engines & Structures	Wraith Engine
Theme Forces
Black Industries - Dark Host - The Ghost Fleet - Scourge of the Broken Coast
Mercenaries
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Cryx Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Combined Melee Attack      (Edit) Each CMA only counts as a single attack, no matter how many participants are involved. This means, for example, that if Satyxis Raiders damage a warjack and trigger their Feedback ability, the enemy warcaster will only take 1 damage total, not 1 for every Raider. Any bonuses (such as back strike) or penalties (such as intervening terrain) are determined according to the model leading the CMA (the attack leader). If the participants have buffs/debuffs but the attack leader doesn't ... then the CMA doesn't because only the attack leader matters. Simple as that. A single unit can perform multiple CMAs, utilising different groupings of models. eg a unit with 10 models could make one 10-man CMA, or two 5-man CMAs, or five 2-man CMAs, or etc. CMA for units that have more than one melee weapon (the short version) Once you have more than one melee weapon, charging becomes a bit complicated. There are two important rules: A model which charges must use its first attack to make a charge attack. It can't "skip ahead" to contributing its second non-charge attack before it's resolved its first attack. For a CMA to gain the charging bonus, then all contributors must be contributing a charge attack. These two rules have a few, slightly confusing implications. Click the expand box below for a full breakdown. CMA for units with more than one weapon (the long version) (Edit) The following example is about Satyxis Raiders, but is equally applicable to other units with two CMA: Each Raider gets two attacks. Both, one, or neither can be a CMA as you choose. If you are doing two CMA in a row, then you should note that the second CMA doesn’t have to use the same “primary attacker” or the same “participants” as the first CMA. For instance, you could have the first CMA with raider A being the "primary attacker" and raider B being the "participant", then for the second CMA have raider B the "primary attacker" and raider A the "participant". Or leave A alone for a moment and use B plus C. Whatever takes your fancy. Primary attackers and participants don't have to use the same weapon. So, continuing with the above example, you could have primary A use lash and participant B use horns, then primary B use lash and participant A use horns. Effectively granting you two lash attacks with CMA bonuses! Combined Melee Attack and charging Remember the 2 rules above? Rule 1 means you cannot contribute your second, non-charge attack before you have resolved/contributed your first attack. Rule 1 means you cannot "skip ahead" to resolving your second, non-charge attack before you have resolved/contributed your first attack. but wait, there's more! However, thanks to the "Units with Combined Melee Attack ignore the rule that one trooper's combat action cannot begin until the previous model's combat action ends" rule, you can "pause" your second attack if you want to do a CMA with it later. For example: Model A performs its charge attack. Model B performs its charge attack. (Interrupting A) Model C performs its charge attack. (Interrupting B) CMA using A, B & C's remaining attack.

Rules Clarification:  : Partisan      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

Which Faction am I? Partisans are Mercenary (or Minion) models unless they're taken in their "Home" Faction. For example, a Mercenary model that is Partisan [Cygnar]: When used in most armies it is "friendly Faction" only to other Mercenary models. When used in a Cygnar army it is "friendly Faction" to Cygnar models ... and stops being "friendly Faction" to any other Mercenaries in that Cygnar army. In a multi-caster game, Partisans count as the main army's Faction and not as a Mercenary models (if playing a Faction other than Mercaneries). (Infernal Ruling) Attachments If a Partisan unit can get a special attachment from their Partisan Faction (for instance a Soulless Escort or Trollkin Sorcerer) then they can only get that attachment when they're in the Partisan Faction. They can't take it when working as a regular Mercenary. (Locked thread) When taken in their Partisan Faction, they can't have a Ranking Officer attached. Partisan warcasters If you have a Partisan caster, you must choose whether your army is a Mercenary force or a [Partisan Faction] force. What warjacks the caster can take are then limited by your choice. Partisan casters can be taken in [Partisan Faction] theme forces. Refer to the main rulebook. Partisan casters can be fielded in multiple-caster games. (Locked thread) See also the Category: Partisan for what happens if you mix and match Partisan casters and Merc casters in multi-caster games. Partisans & Theme Forces (Edit) Partisans are Mercenary/Minion models, so there are two ways you can add them to a theme force: Freely: If the Partisan is on the list of allowed models, then you can take as many as you want plus another Mercenary unit/solo. (Infernal Ruling) They can be explicitly allowed (for example Jaws of the Wolf allows "Kayazy models/units" so Partisan Kayayz can be used freely). They can be implicitly allowed (for example Scourge of the Broken Coast allows "living Cryx models/units" and Partisan Cephalyx fit that criteria, so they can be used freely). (Infernal Ruling) Limited: If the Partisan isn't on the list of allowed models, it does use up your "Up to one Mercenary/Minion" slot, so you can only have the one. Whether you used option 1 or 2 above, once they're in your theme force they count as a Faction model and so: They can be taken as a Requistion Option (if they fit the Requistion description). For example Lanyssa can be taken as a free solo in the Legion of Dawn theme. (Infernal Ruling) They will get any theme benefit that they fit the description for. For example Storm Division gives all Cygnar models Immunity Electricity, so Partisan Mercs in that theme get immunity too. For example Nemo4's Mechaniks get Reposition [3] in Heavy Metal. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Selective      (Edit) The Selective rule only restricts which Mercenary armies this model can be included in. It doesn't limit what other Factions this model can work for. Also, when taken outside of Mercenaries this model can go in a non-Cephalyx theme. When working outside of a Mercenary theme, Cephalyx warcasters can have non-Cephalyx attachments (eg Madelyn). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Officer      (Edit) Even if they're not on the Officer's card, an Officer can give (and benefit from) any non-standard orders that are on the unit's card (such as Shield Wall). Refer main rulebook. A Ranking Officer can't do this, though. When the Officer dies, the Leader model becomes the new Unit Commander (you don't get to choose). But if your unit doesn't include a Leader model, then you do get to choose any of the remaining models to be the new Unit Commander. You don't swap the model, but it may be worth putting a token down so you can tell that grunt apart.

Rules Clarification : Pathfinder      (Edit) Pathfinder (Edit) - Pathfinder does not apply to involuntary movement (pushes & slams). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Stealth      (Edit) Stealth models are not invisible and you can target them - you'll just auto-miss most of the time. You can target them with a charge. You can target them with an AOE, have it auto-miss and scatter, luckily land on top of them anyway, and that will hit them.

Rules Clarification : Prep for Surgery      (Edit) You don't have to add the new grunt to the same unit as the one that triggered it. Return/Add to Play - Typical (Edit) If you're returning/adding multiple models simultaneously, they are placed sequentially. Often this will let you leapfrog the "within 3" of [x]" requirement. If you're adding models to a unit, then typically there is no limit and you can go over the unit's starting size. However, some abilities do have a limit (such as Stir the Dead) If you're returning models to a unit, then you're limited by how many there are in the "dead but not removed from play" pile.     (See Add, Return, and Remove From Play for further detail.) If you're adding more models than you started with, then in a Tournament you must physically own the correct models - proxies are not allowed in tournaments. (Locked thread) Return/Add to Play - Other Units (Edit) "Return to Play" and "Add to Play" are quite simple if you only return models to your own unit (like Blood-Bound) or only return independent models (like Thagrosh1's feat). But if you're returning/adding models to other units, then click to read more.   [Show/Hide] If you can return multiple troopers at once, they don't all have to be the same unit. Spread the love around. Troopers must return to their original unit. Even if you have two units of the same type (such as two units of Convergence Eradicators) then you can't have 4 die from unit [A] and return them all to unit [B]. If your rule is something like "return d3 models to units within CMD range" (Old Witch3) then it is d3 models total, not d3 models to each and every unit. If your rule is something like "spend 1 soul to return 1 Grunt" (Enigma Foundry) then it doesn't matter where the souls came from originally. Think of them like currency, in this case. You can Return models even after a unit is reduced to just Attachments (Weapon or Command) If your Return ability lets you return a Leader or Officer model, then they will immediately become the unit commander and redefine the "in formation" bubble. If your Return ability only allows Grunts, then the Grunt will not be field promoted when he arrives. This means that, in the unusual scenario where the Leader model has different wargear to the Grunts (such as Cygnar Stormguard), then that wargear is effectively 'lost'.

Rules Clarification:  : Sacrificial Pawn and/or Sucker! and/or Grim Salvation     (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

Differences Sacrificial Pawn is optional. Grim Salvation and Sucker are not optional. Grim Salvation only works vs basic attacks, not special attacks, power attacks, chain attacks. Spells are not basic attacks, because they are not "made with a weapon". (Infernal Ruling) CRA and CMA are basic attacks. (Infernal Ruling) If a Special Attack generates an additional attack (such as Multi-Fire), the second attack will be basic and as such can have Grim Salvation used vs it. (Infernal Ruling) Sacrificial Pawn & Sucker! don't work against melee attacks. None of them work vs magic attacks (spells). All of them work against Magical Ranged attacks, though. The model the attack is transferred to is always hit, even if they have an ability that makes them automatically get missed (such as Stealth). Automatically missing is determined earlier in the timing sequence than when the attack is moved. (Infernal Ruling) From here down, the terms Sacrificial Pawn, Grim Salvation, and Sucker! are interchangeable Using Sac Pawn moves all damage and effects onto the other model. Including stuff that triggers "on hit" (such as Blind) (even though the Pawn kinda wasn't "hit"). (Infernal Ruling) Because the other model counts as the one "hit", it can break a Chain Attack. (Infernal Ruling) The new model hit may use any abilities that trigger on being hit/damaged by an enemy attack (such as Vengeance and Shock Field). Sprays and AOEs With reference to the timing chart in Appendix A: placing a spray template down occurs at Step 3. Using Sacrificial Pawn occurs at step 6. Placing an AOE template down occurs at step 7. Therefore if you use Sac Pawn vs a spray, the placement of the spray template does not change. If you use Sac Pawn vs an AOE, the placement of the AOE template does change. A model indirectly hit by an AOE attack cannot use Sac Pawn vs it. Since a spray template doesn't move, it may cause the Pawn to be hit twice by the same spray. So you then resolve two damage rolls against it. When/if you shift an AOE template, the original target may be clipped by the edge of the AOE anyway (depending on how far apart the original target and Pawn are). Quick Draw vs Sacrificial Pawn (Edit) If enemy "Model A" shoots you, and then you use Quick Draw against "Model A", but they use Sac Pawn to move your Quick Draw attack to "Model B" then ... Quick Draw has no effect (or rather, it affects "Model B" who isn't currently shooting you so is irrelevant). Point is, "Model A" can continue shooting you. This won't happen with Shield Guard though (outside of a very low-probability scenario) because Shield Guard can only be triggered during an enemy turn.

Rules Clarification : Eyeless Sight      (Edit) A model that ignores Stealth must ignore both aspects: both (1) the auto-missing, and (2) the 'not counting as an intervening model' parts. This can have some strange interactions with casters & channelers, if one has Eyeless Sight and one does not. There are examples on the Category:Channeler page. Blind vs Eyeless Sight (Edit) If a model is Blinded, and then given Eyeless Sight, then that model ignores Blind ... but it is technically still Blinded. So if you somehow later lose Eyeless Sight (for instance walking out of the range of Menoth's Sight), it will immediately go back to suffering the effects of Blind. (Infernal Ruling) Also this means stuff that only works vs Blind models (ie Hidden Blade) will still trigger vs a "Was Blinded but then got Eyeless" model. Anti-Cloud abilities vs Burning Earth (Edit) If you make a piece of terrain "Burning Earth" it counts as a cloud effect in addition to it's original type. This has 2 odd rulings: If any part of the terrain piece is "hit" by an ability that makes clouds expire (such as Gale Winds) then the entire terrain piece is taken off the table. (Infernal Ruling) If a model can ignore clouds but not the original terrain type, they don't ignore the terrain. For instance if you have a burning forest, then Eyeless Sight can't see through the forest. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Tough - None yet. (Edit)