Freebooter

99% of this website is about Mark 3 (mk3), which is the previous edition of the game (2016 to 2022). The reasons for this are explained here. 1% of the website is about Mark 4 (mk4), but only in regards to which mk3 models are useable in mk4 Prime and which are mk4 Unlimited. See Legacy Armies for more detail.

Freebooter Mercenary Privateer Heavy Warjack

Prime This model is available in two Prime Armies, Mercenary: Soldiers of Fortune Mercenary: Talion Charter . It can also be used in the Unlimited game mode. You can view the other 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.

Freebooters barrel across heaving decks to obliterate anything in their path. A favorite of sea captains everywhere, the Freebooter has undergone a number of mechanical alterations to turn this former labourjack to military use, and it takes to brawling with frightening enthusiasm. Many crews graft a jury-rigged arcane turbine to the engine that allows warcasters to shred a few gears for a quick surge of speed."

Basic Info

Freebooter
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Large SPD 5 STR 11 MAT 6 RAT 5 M.A. N/A DEF 12 ARM 18 CMD N/A ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 30 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA U UNIT SIZE N/A COST 9 N/A N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Warjack - All warjacks share the same set of special rules. Most notably being big and stompy. Click here for a newbie-friendly recap, or click here for the full rules.

Abilities

• Amphibious
• Construct
• Jury-Rigged [SPD] - This model can use Jury-Rigged at the start of its activation. This activation, this model gains +2 SPD. At the end of the activation, this model suffers 1 damage point to its first available Movement system box. This model can't use Jury-Rigged if its Movement system is crippled. Jury-Rigged can only be used once per activation.
• Lash - This model and friendly warrior models B2B with it cannot become knocked down.

Weapons

Clamp (x2)
		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				3				14
Open Fist Chain Attack: Grab & Smash - If this model hits the same model with both its initial attacks with this weapon, after resolving the attacks it can immediately make a head-butt or throw power attack against that target. Trash - Gain an additional die on damage rolls with this weapon against knocked down targets.

Theme Forces

• Mercenaries
  • Flame in the Darkness
  • Llaelese Resistance
  • Operating Theater
  • Soldiers of Fortune
  • Strange Bedfellows
  • The Irregulars. If it is 'jack marshalled in this theme, it gains Flank [Warrior]
  • The Kingmaker's Army
  • The Talion Charter

• Other Factions
  • Convergence players can use this warjack in the Strange Bedfellows theme, or by putting it in Aurora2's, Asphyxious4's, or Nemo4's battlegroup in various themes.
  • Cryx players can use this warjack by putting it in Asphyxious4's battlegroup in various themes.
  • Cygnar players can use this warjack in the Flame in the Darkness theme, or by putting it in Nemo4's battlegroup in various themes.
  • Infernal players can take this model in the Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Crosse2 is leading the army. This model gains Accumulator [Soulless] in this theme.
  • Khador players can use this warjack in the Flame in the Darkness theme.
  • Aside from that, Mercenary warjacks can be taken in a plethora of Faction's themes via by putting it under the control of a Mercenary 'Jack Marshal or Mercenary "Junior Warcaster" (see #Who can take this warjack?). However the "Faction Type" of the warjack doesn't change when you do it this way.

Thoughts on Freebooter

Freebooter in a nutshell

It's a beatstick heavy at a bargain price - but if the target cannot be knocked down, it only hits as hard as a light warjack.

Even aside from trashing knocked down targets, Freebooters are full of neat tricks. For instance suddenly charging 10" (thanks to Jury-Rigged) and then throwing their charge target (thanks to Grab & Smash) - not many models in the game can make Power Attacks when starting so far away.

Combos & Synergies

• Anything that causes Knockdown turns the Freebooter into a heavy hitter since it can get extra dice on its initial attacks
• Captain Phinneus Shae makes it even faster. He also makes it charge for free which is absolutely awesome if you are using it with a 'Jack Marshal as this enables it to charge and use the Crush drive for decent damage and an extra attack. Charging with a Freebooter and using a Grab and Smash throw to knock down the opposing caster enables quick assassinations.
• Magnus the Warlord makes it faster with Escort for a 13" threat range, and Unyielding works pretty well with its low low cost.
• Lash has its uses when paired with tough models
• The Freebooter works really well as a marshalled jack in The Irregulars as Flank (and frequently the Crush drive) lets it hit like a "real" heavy warjack.
• Jakes2 in Flames in the Darkness can pilot some Freebooters to great effect, giving them Sprint, Escort and Positive Charge and a turn of 2" reach and e-leaps on feat turn.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Steady and Serpentine models aren't much fun for the Freebooter. Throw them at the opposing caster.
• The Freebooter is an excellent jack for the points, but you can not rely on it as your armour cracker. There is simply a lot of models in the game that cannot be knocked down (see Category: Anti-Knockdown) which make the Freebooter sad. So you're normally forced to take another heavy to fill the arm-cracking role.

Tricks & Tips

• Remember that only the final point of damage on the movement system matters. If you don't Jury Rig on turn 1 you'll almost certainly last the game before it trashes itself.
• Run multiple Freebooters. Charge with the first one and use the chain attack to throw the target heavy back towards your other Freebooters and on down the line if necessary.
• If you want freebooters on the cheap, the The Undercity boardgame contains two plastic ones. Officially these aren't tournament legal but when painted are indistinguishable (except by weight and bendiness).

Other

Trivia

• Released in Forces of Warmachine: Pirates of the Broken Coast (2007)
• The Mariner & Swabber share the Freebooter's chassis.

Who can take this warjack?

The standard way to include a Mercenary warjack in your army is to put it under the control of one of these models. So first you need to figure out which of these models will work for your Faction.

Mercenary 'Jack Controllers (Human) (Edit)
Warcasters	Ashlynn1 - Ashlynn2 - Aurora2 - Blaize - Caine3 - Crosse2 - Damiano - Fiona - Macbain - Magnus1 - Magnus2 - Montador - Rahera - Shae
"Juniors"	Asphyxious4 - Crosse1 - Nemo4
'Jack Marshals	Colbie Sterling - Dirty Meg - MacHorne1 - MacHorne2 - Raluk Moorclaw - Rutger Shaw - Steelhead Ironhead

Note: Other restrictions may apply (such as 'Jack Marshals can't control Colossals).

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Trash - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Open Fist  (aka, Power Attack Throw)     (Edit) Throw ( Edit ) See also the Throw article for a recap of the core Throw rules. If a model is somehow thrown at itself (which can happen with Durst1's feat) it would not move, it would be knocked down, and it would take a standard power attack damage roll but it would not take an additional die for colliding with itself. (Infernal Ruling) Because you move the target model between the attack roll and the damage roll, you can get different buffs applied to the two rolls. For instance, if you throw the target in or out of a Flanking model's melee range. Incorporeal vs Slammed/Thrown models ( Edit ) Incorporeal models cannot be moved by someone trying to slam them. Slammed models can move through Incorporeal models. If they have enough movement to get past them, no dramas. If they land on them, you move the Incorporeal model out of the way as per the Rule of Least Disturbance. If the Incorporeal model cannot be moved (i.e. it's a flag) then you move the slammed model out of the way, also by the rule of Least Disturbance. For the purposes of Collateral Damage, only the model(s) you contacted before you applied the rule of Least Disturbance count as contacted. The same logic applies to Throws. Collateral Damage Collateral damage cannot be boosted and is not considered damage from an attack or model. Refer page 33 of the 2021.08 version of the rules pdf. As a result: It doesn't trigger stuff that relies on being hit by an enemy (such as Shock Field) or damaged by an enemy (such as Vengeance). It doesn't get bonus damage from stuff that adds to a model's damage roll (such as Signs & Portents or Prey). It doesn't matter if the attacker has crippled weapon systems or aspects. Throw - Power Attack When you make a Throw Power Attack, no other abilities of the Fist weapon (such as Chain Strike) are applied unless they specifically mention Throws. (Locked Thread) If you do a Power Attack Throw and you choose to throw the target directly away, no deviation is rolled to determine the final position of the model. (Locked thread) A model that cannot be targeted by melee attacks (such as Una2's feat) cannot have models thrown at them, either. (Infernal Ruling) Since throwing Model [A] at Model [B] involves making a melee attack roll vs Model [B] which is out of your melee range, it technically breaks a whole bunch of core rules. (Infernal Checking) Even though you make a "melee attack roll" vs Model [B] you don't actually make a melee attack vs it. Also, the damage it suffers is from Collateral damage, not from the original attack. So you can't trigger stuff like Snacking from damage you did to Model B.

Rules Clarification : Warjack      (Edit) The Cortex/Induction core rule means a warjack cannot have more than 3 focus at any time (maybe 4 if they're really special). Many abilities give out focus and don't state an upper limit (such as Convection and Empower). Despite not stating an upper limit, they are always "hard-limited" by the core rule. A warjack can have more than 3 focus during a turn, though. For instance, a knocked down warjack can Power Up and be Allocated 2 focus, then spend 1 to shake knockdown, then another model could Empower it back up to 3. Warjacks cannot spend focus outside of their activation. For instance, they can't boost free strikes or trigger Powerful Attack on Broadsides. (Infernal Ruling) Inert warjacks Abilities that say they cannot be used if the model is stationary (such as Shield Guard) cannot be used while a warjack is inert, either. Refer "Warcaster Destruction", page 59 of the core rulebook.

Rules Clarification : Amphibious - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Construct - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Jury-Rigged      (Edit) Fail-Safe does not let you ignore your crippled movement for the purposes of using Jury-Rigged. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Lash - None yet. (Edit)