Cryx
Cryx is a nation of undead necromancers and piratical raiders. Cryx armies are typically fast, numerous and lightly-armored. The poor quality of their troops is offset by the power of their warcasters, which rank among the strongest in the game. Cryx is mostly based around melee, soul-powered magic, returning models to play, debuffs, and corrosive attacks.
For backstory, refer to Lore - Cryx.
Contents
Cryx for Beginners
Playstyle
Welcome to the service of Dragonfather Toruk. Here as a member of the Nightmare Empire, your army will typically (★) benefit from these strengths...
- Good at melee
- Fast troops
- Good at ignoring terrain for movement purposes. Sometimes able to move through enemies, too.
- Good at magic, especially debuffing the enemy models
- Access to cheap and fast arc nodes to let you cast spells far and wide
- Access to extremely cheap units, letting you field large swarm-style armies
- Access to corrosive attacks
- Recursion to bring back the dead
- Some use of enemy souls.
- Cheap, hard hitting heavy warjacks
- The best inventory of light warjacks in the game.
Naturally these come with a cost. Your army will typically (★) suffer these weakness...
- Poor shooting capabilities; Cryx are almost certain to lose in a firefight.
- Poor stat lines on the troops. Less accurate, less durable, etc
- Little access to buffs (Cryx normally debuffs the enemy instead)
- No special orders (such as Shield Wall) available to the troops.
- A smaller range of mercenaries available for hire.
- Low durability compared to the sturdier factions like Khador or Skorne. You will lose most long battles.
- Many lackluster heavy warjacks.
(★) Everything given above is typical only. It is entirely possible to build a Cryx army that is good at shooting, or slow and durable - there are just fewer ways to do it successfully than in other factions. However, for the most part, think close fast and smash everything quickly.
Aesthetic
Cryx models are either eerie, mechanikal undead or evil pirates of various races, living or otherwise.
The warjacks are designed with a malicious, heavy metal aspect.
Everything is designed to exude malice. Hooks, blades, barbs and spikes abound.
Starter Sets
Mk3 Battlegroup
Contains 4 models. Bane Witch Agathia warcaster, Deathripper light warjack, Reaper heavy warjack, and a Slayer heavy warjack. Plus a bunch of peripheral stuff (see picture).
It is a good way to meet the defining traits of Cryx; high mobility, excessive use of Arc Nodes, de-buff stacking and movement shenanigans.
Two Player Battlebox
Contains 14 Cryx models, plus a bunch of Cygnar models (that you can give or sell to a friend). It's the same models as the Mk3 Battlegroup Set, plus a unit of Bane Warriors.
This enters you into the realm of units, with all their extra rules. As the enemy will likely field units of their own, the Soul manipulation mechanism of Agathia will possibly see play too. Soul gathering is often present in Cryx, but will not come up in small games which are instead full of robots.
Theme Force Starter - Scourge of the Broken Coast
(Also known as the Slaughter Fleet Raiders theme force box)
Contains 19 models. A unit of Bloodgorgers plus their character command attachment Jussika Bloodtongue, a unit of Scharde Dirge Seers, a unit of Black Ogrun Iron Mongers, Gerlak Slaughterborn character solo, and a Misery Cage solo.
This one is designed to be an add-on to one of the other starter sets, rather than be one all by itself - you'll note it doesn't include a warcaster or any warjacks. It is roughly 35 points.
Older Sets
The Mk2 Battlegroup Set
Contains Deneghra1 warcaster, two Deathripper light warjacks, a Defiler light warjack, and a Slayer heavy warjack.
Considered the best starter box of its day, it still fares pretty well in the new edition (though due to point adjustments it will not be a 0 pts battlegroup anymore). Deneghra1 is quite a potent caster, and despite the nerfs she received in the 2017 errata, she is still the queen of de-buffing. This box relies heavily on bonejacks, and introduces you into Cryx' thematic element, Corrosion, through Denny's spell and the Defiler's ranged attack.
The 2017 All-In-One-Army Set
Contains Asphyxious3 warcaster, his pet light warjack Cankerworm, a Ripjaw light warjack, an Inflictor heavy warjack, a Seether heavy warjack, a unit of Bane Warriors with their command attachment, and Darragh Wrathe a character solo.
This box unleashes the whole rulebook upon you - from units to power attacks and solos. Its 50 points limit is slightly behind the most popular 75 pts tournament formats, but prepares you well for such a challenge.Other good early purchases
If you've bought any of the starter sets, you probably have enough warjacks to start with (most Cryx armies don't use many warjacks, although there are exceptions). Instead you'll want troops, but troops are all subdivided into themes. So what your "next good purchase" is will depend entirely on which theme you like the look of! There is more advice about themes in the next section.
Oh, and arc nodes! Regardless of themes, Cryx armies want arc nodes. Most armies want two, and some want three. There's four different kinds to choose from, you'll want a few of the cheapest points-cost ones, and a couple of the other types for variety and/or for when you have a point or two spare. So ideally you want 2× Deathrippers, 1× Nightwretch, and 1× Ripjaw (You can skip getting the Defiler). The problem is, they're normally sold in boxes of two so if you want 1 of each you're looking at trading with other Cryx players.
To expand your warcaster collection, I recommend these ones as relatively newbie friendly: Asphyxious1, Asphyxious3, Skarre1, Terminus. These ones are relatively newbie unfriendly: Coven, Scaverous.
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Broken Egg Games - Product Placement
You can get high quality acrylic tokens for all the spells, effects, abilities that Cryx can use. You place these tokens next to the model(s) affected during your game. |
Starting a Theme Force
Theme Forces restrict which models from your Faction you have access to, but give you benefits in return. They are considered the default way to play Warmachine and Hordes because the benefits of playing in-theme are so great that most players never play out-of-theme. Don't overthink it, though. When you first start playing you can ignore theme forces and instead buy a few models you like the look of. Besides, you can't even use the Theme Force rules for games under 25 points. That said, you should start looking into themes sooner rather than later to ensure the models you are buying will all end up fitting into one cohesive theme. If you don't, you'll end up with a hodge podge of models.
If you can't decide on a theme yet, pick up a few of these models. They all fit into at least two themes and they are good purchases in the long run. But don't buy everything on this list! You'll end up with too much support troops and not enough combat troops.
- 3 themes
- Black Ogrun Iron Mongers - A unit of mechanics. Useful models to own.
- Machine Wraith - A cheap solo, great for controlling scenarios and occasionally taking over enemy warjacks. Great model to own 1 or 2 (or even 3!) of.
- 2 themes
- Aiakos1 - A solo that can control warjacks, and is pretty good at melee. Great model to own. He likes combat warjacks.
- Deneghra0 - Similar to Aiakos1, except she is a spellslinger. So she likes her warjack to be an arc node. Great model to own.
- Misery Cage - Cheap solo that gives your warcaster extra focus. Good to own 1 of them.
- Necrotech - Cheap mechanic solo. Good to own 1, maybe 2, if you're leaning towards the undead side of Cryx.
- Pistol Wraith - Ranged combat solo. Great as a flanking piece. Useful to own if you are leaning towards the undead.
- Hellslinger Phantom - he is a character Pistol Wraith. He is excellent and if you like the sound of Pistol Wraiths, you'll like him even more.
- Warwitch Siren - Support solo that comes with a suite of different abilities useful in many situations. Good to own at least 1.
Theme Forces
Black Industries
Black Industries has two aspects: warjacks (and lots of them) and thralls (the cheap and disposable undead cannon fodder of Cryx). If you want to play with a lot of warjacks, or a lot of steampunk zombies, then this is the theme for you.
This list was last updated: 2020.01 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Cryx warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character Cryx warjacks
- All character Cryx warjacks
Battle Engines
Units
- Asphyxious4 ("Junior Warcaster") (★)
- Black Ogrun Ironmongers
- Bile Thralls
- Carrion Thralls
- Cephalyx Mind Slaver & Drudges (★)
- Cephalyx Overlords (★)
- Mechanithralls
- Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls
- Soulhunters
- Withershadow Combine (Warcaster Attachment)
Solos
- Aiakos1 ("Junior Warcaster")
- Bloat Thrall
- Bloat Thrall Overseer Mobius
- Darragh Wrathe
- Doctor Stygius (Warcaster Attachment) (★)
- Hellslinger Phantom
- Iron Lich Overseer ('Jack Marshal)
- Machine Wraith
- Master Gurglepox
- Necrotech
- Pistol Wraith
- Scrap Thralls
- Skarlock Thrall - (Warcaster Attachment)
- Soul Trapper
- Warwitch Initiate Deneghra ("Junior Warcaster")
- Warwitch Siren
Mercenaries
- Up to one solo
- Up to one unit
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme
Dark Host
Dark Host is all about Banes, the elite undead of Cryx.
This list was last updated: 2019.11 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Cryx warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character Cryx warjacks
- Character warjacks can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Units
Solos
- Bane Lord Tartarus
- Darragh Wrathe
- Machine Wraith
- Master Gurglepox
- Necrotech
- Scrap Thralls
- Skarlock Thrall
(Warcaster Attachment) - Soul Trapper
Battle Engines
Mercenaries
- Void Archon (★)
- Up to one solo
- Up to one unit
(★) Void Archons don't count against your "Up to one Mercenary" slot
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme
Scourge of the Broken Coast
Scourge of the Broken Coast is about the living warriors of Cryx. You have the Satyxis, who are the vicious lady pirates with a dollop of blood sacrifice magic thrown in. Then there are Blighted Trollkin, the literally bloodthirsty trolls. There are Black Ogrun who have multiple hitpoints and prefer ranged weapons. Lastly are the various "normal" humans such as the Scharde pirates and the Warwitch Sirens.
This list was last updated: 2020.01 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Cryx warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character Cryx warjacks
- Barathrum
- Kharybdis
- Other character warjacks can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Units
- Black Ogrun Boarding Party
- Black Ogrun Ironmongers
- Black Ogrun Smog Belchers
- Bloodgorgers
- Blighted Trollkin Marauders
- Cephalyx Mind Slaver & Drudges (★)
- Cephalyx Overlords (★)
- Satyxis Gunslingers
- Satyxis Blood Witches
- Satyxis Raiders
- Scharde Dirge Seers
- Scharde Pirates
- The Devil's Shadow Mutineers (★)
Solos
- Aiakos, Scourge of the Meredius ("Junior Warcaster")
- Axiara Wraithblade
- Darragh Wrathe
- Doctor Stygius (Warcaster Attachment) (★)
- General Gerlak Slaughterborn
- Misery Cage
- Satyxis Blood Priestess (Warcaster Attachment)
- Satyxis Raider Captain
- Severa Blacktide
- Warwitch Initiate Deneghra ("Junior Warcaster")
- Warwitch Siren
Mercenaries
- Up to one solo
- Up to one unit
(★) Because these models are specifically allowed in this theme, they don't use up your "Up to one Mercenary" slot.
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme
The Ghost Fleet
The Ghost Fleet is all about zombie pirates and ghost pirates. It is very recursive (lots of zombies regenerate every turn).
This list was last updated: 2017.09 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Cryx warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character Cryx warjacks
- Barathrum
- Other character warjacks can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Battle Engines
Solos
Units
- Blackbane's Ghost Raiders
- Black Ogrun Ironmongers
- Revenant Cannon Crew
- Revenant Crew of the Atramentous
Mercenaries
- Up to one solo
- Up to one unit
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme
Models
Warcasters
Warjacks
- Light
- Cankerworm (Bonded with Asphyxious)
- Deathripper
- Defiler
- Helldiver
- Nightwretch
- Ripjaw
- Scavenger
- Shrike
- Stalker
- Heavy
Battle Engines
Units
- Asphyxious4: Asphyxious the Sanctified (Partisan "Junior Warcaster")
- (Asphyxious1 to 3 are warcasters, above)
- Bane Knights
- CA - Officer
- Bane Riders
- Bane Warriors
- CA - Officer & Standard
- Bile Thralls
- CA - Skarlock Commander
- Blackbane's Ghost Raiders
- Black Ogrun Boarding Party
- Black Ogrun Iron Mongers
- Black Ogrun Smog Belchers
- Bloodgorgers
- CA - Jussika Bloodtongue
- Blighted Trollkin Marauders
- CA - Jussika Bloodtongue
- Carrion Thralls
- Cephalyx Mind Slaver & Drudges (Partisan)
- Cephalyx Overlords (Partisan)
- Mechanithralls
- WA - Brute Thrall
- CA - Skarlock Commander
- Necrosurgeon & Stitch Thralls
- Revenant Cannon Crew
- Revenant Crew of the Atramentous
- WA - Rifleman
- Satyxis Blood Witches
- CA - Blood Hag
- Satyxis Gunslingers
- Satyxis Raiders
- CA - Sea Witch
- Scharde Dirge Seers
- Scharde Pirates
- CA - Officer
- Soulhunters
- The Devil's Shadows Mutineers (Partisan)
- The Withershadow Combine (Warcaster Attachment)
Solos
- Agrimony, Crone of the Dying Strands
- Aiakos1: Aiakos, Scourge of the Meredius ("Junior Warcaster")
- Aiakos2: Refer to warcasters, above
- Axiara Wraithblade
- Bane Lord Tartarus
- Bloat Thrall
- Bloat Thrall Overseer Mobius
- Captain Rengrave
- Darragh Wrathe
- Deneghra0: Warwitch Initiate Deneghra ("Junior Warcaster")
- Denegrha1 to 3: Refer to warcasters, above
- Doctor Stygius (Partisan. Warcaster Attachment)
- General Gerlak Slaughterborn
- Hellslinger Phantom
- Iron Lich Overseer ('Jack Marshal)
- Machine Wraith
- Master Gurglepox
- Misery Cage
- Necrotech
- Pistol Wraith
- Satyxis Blood Priestess (Warcaster Attachment)
- Satyxis Raider Captain
- Scrap Thrall
- Severa Blacktide
- Skarlock Thrall (Warcaster Attachment)
- Soul Trapper
- Warwitch Siren
Mercenaries that work for Cryx
Refer to Who works for Whom and/or Category: Cryx Mercenary
Designer's Notes 2016
Just before the launch of the mk3 ruleset, the game developers did a series of Insider articles about what they saw as each Faction's "Core Identity". Although it's a little dated now, it is still an interesting insight to how they view Cryx 2016.04 Cryx Preview.
