Grolar

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Khador Logo.jpg Grolar

Khador Heavy Warjack

Mk4 icon.png
Prime
This model is available in two Prime Armies, Armored Koprs and 5th Division. 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.

The mighty Grolar shares the Kodiak’s boiler and chassis but uses that strength and speed to deliver crushing blows with its piston hammer before finishing with a withering hail of auto cannon shells.

Basic Info

Grolar
Missing Info
Grolar.jpg
COST {{{cacost}}}
UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}}
FA {{{cafa}}}
Warcaster 0
BASE Large
SPD 4
STR 12
MAT 7
RAT 4
M.A. N/A
DEF 10
ARM 20
CMD N/A
ESSENCE {{{essence}}}
FOCUS N/A
FURY N/A
THRS N/A
HP 34
F. Field N/A
WJP {{{wjp}}}
WBP {{{wbp}}}
IHP {{{ihp}}}
FA U
UNIT SIZE N/A
COST 16
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

  • Construct symbol.jpg Construct
  • Pathfinder symbol.jpg Pathfinder
  • Dual Attack - This model can make melee and ranged attacks in the same activation. When this model makes its initial melee attacks or a power attack, it can also make its initial ranged attacks. This model can make ranged attacks even while in melee.
  • Heavy Boiler - This model gains +2" movement when running.

Weapons

Auto Cannon
Gun icon.jpg  RNG   ROF   AOE   POW   LOCATION 
8 d3+2 - 12 Left
Open Fist
Sword icon.jpg  RNG   POW   P+S   LOCATION 
1 3 15 Left
Piston Hammer
Sword icon.jpg  RNG   POW   P+S   LOCATION 
1 6 18 Right
  • Ram - When an enemy model is hit by this weapon during this model's Combat Action, it becomes knocked down and can be pushed 1" directly away from this model. If the model hit is pushed, this model can immediately advance 1" directly toward it.

Theme Forces


Thoughts on Grolar

Grolar in a Nutshell

Khador's "5th Border Legion" or "Mobility" warjacks are modern 'jacks equipped with superior mobility when compared to their classic counterparts. They pack innovative weapons with a lot of utility, letting them perform a wide range of duties and their inherent Pathfinder and high amounts of initial attacks make them formidable warjacks for many occassions. Both of their builds are suited to very different play styles:

  • Grolars are combined arms warjacks with weapons for every job. Their 5-7 initial attacks each turn let them fulfill a wide range of tasks each activation and excellent synergy with activation-wide effects.
  • Kodiaks are highly mobile melee warjacks with access to the full complement of power attacks and a devastating Chain Attack. Their Vent Steam ability lets them clear out low-ARM warriors with ease and provides endless utility with the clouds they generate.

The Grolar's claim to fame is its insane amount of initial attacks at both range but especially in melee thanks to its Dual Attack ability and the Ram on its impressive Piston Hammer. It's designed to knock its target down and then follow up with more hits and a hail of bullets from its Auto Cannon. While this approach fixes the Grolar's embarassingly low RAT, the POW 12 shots don't exactly strike fear into the hearts and cortices of models worth going after with an 16 point model.Thus, getting a good return on your investment in a Grolar requires a bit of preparation. The Hammer is a very powerful weapon by itself, letting you set up follow-up attacks and even assassinations and it has an Open Fist to make power attacks so even when the Auto Cannon can only be used opportunistically the Grolar does a lot of work, just at a premium. The Grolar is a great warjack, but only when played where it belongs.

Combos & Synergies

In order to justify the Grolar's high cost compared to something like Beast-09 or a Spriggan you need to run it with warcasters that play to its strengths. Boosting hits with focus on the Auto Cannon is extremely inefficient so the warcaster needs to have ways of buffing its attacks activation-wide. Globally boosting its effective RAT lets it threaten warriors with its gun and boosting its POW make those plinky bullets dangerous to heavy armor. There aren't a lot of Khador warcasters that let the Grolar perform, but those that do work really well with it. With 'Jack Marshals, benefits are very well spent on the Grolar because they boost actions globally.

Warcasters

  • Butcher1: The Grolar is just about perfect for Orsus. He can't bestow Pathfinder, and Full Throttle is an amazing efficiency spell. But, as is often the case with him, it's all about the feat. An additional damage die on each and every one of up to 7 attacks is just a mean thing to inflict on your opponent.
  • Sorscha (any iteration): Stationary models are easy to hit at range, even with RAT 4. Boundless Charge or Stoke the Fires let the Grolar do it is job in melee.
    • Sorcha1’s feat helps the Grolar get around models that can’t be knocked down.
    • Sorscha2's feat really lets those Auto Cannon shots count for something.
    • Sorscha3 her field marshal helps with landing the first knockdown hit (although the gun shots will not get this bonus). Stoke the Fires mentioned above also has more mileage on a warjack with pathfinder.
  • Vladimir1: Vladimir's feat, Boundless Charge and Signs & Portents just push the Grolar to where it needs to be in a very efficient way.
  • Vladimir2 has either Assail or Hand of Fate for it. That's a speed fix for the early game turns and a damage and accuracy fixer in the late game if you want to go for assassinations.
  • Vladimir3 like Vlad2 he has has Hand of Fate, but he also has a feat that lets him get deep into the action with a potential 4” extra move during his activation and another 4” at the end via sprint. Bash the front line, side step knock down anyone who may free strike you then fire into the back lines before running away. The Warriors of the Old Faith also comes with Vassals and the Choir of Menoth.
  • Kreoss3: In Warriors of the Old Faith can fix speed with Assail, MAT/RAT with Death Sentence and even up the damage further with Ignite.
  • Feora3 - With Choir in tow, Incite and Red Line will turn the Grolar into a monster with a P+S 24 Hammer, a P+S 21 fist and POW 16 shooting. The speed buff coming from Redline is also very much appreciated.

'Jack Marshals

Units

Mercenaries

Drawbacks & Downsides

  • Typical for Khadoran warjacks, it has low native SPD and DEF.
  • It's an expensive generalist compared to its specialized counterparts.
  • It can become very focus inefficient if you overly rely on the Auto Cannon.
  • It can be difficult for beginners to use to its full efficiency, but it's also nearly impossible to end up in a situation where you have excess focus left at the end of the turn.
  • Massive or Steady and Sturdy models are immune to being knocked down and pushed.

Tricks & Tips

  • Being knocked down causes models to lose Tough so feel free to go after Tough targets with the Piston Hammer.
  • Charge with the Hammer. Knockdown, then autohit (anything but double-1s) with the Autocannon at point-blank range thanks to Dual Attack.
  • Remember you have a variable ROF so don't plan around having the maximum of 5 shots, instead plan around having the minimum 3.
  • Unlike Gunfighters, this model is free to shoot targets outside its melee range. This is especially helpful if you already killed all targets in melee range with your initial melee attacks.
  • You can use your charge to extend your effective shooting range by over a foot depending on how many hammer swings and speed buffs you give your Grolar.

Other

Trivia

  • The rules were released in Warmachine: Vengeance (2014).
  • The Grolar is named after a polar-grizzly bear hybrid, known as the Grolar bear.
  • The parts to build a Kodiak or a Grolar are contained in the same box, so you can use magnets to swap their Profile-specific parts for a two-in-one warjack.

Other Khdaor Models

Khador Logo.jpg       Khador Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters

Butcher1 - Butcher2 - Butcher3 - Harkevich - Irusk1 - Irusk2 - Karchev1 - Karchev2 - Kozlov - Malakov2 - Old Witch1 - Old Witch2 - Sorscha1 - Sorscha2 - Sorscha3 - Strakhov1 - Strakhov2 - Vlad1 - Vlad2 - Vlad3 - Zerkova1 - Zerkova2

Warcaster attachments

Khador: War Dog - Greylord Adjunct
Mercenary: Madelyn Corbeau - Reinholdt - Wyshnalyrr

Other Warjack Controllers

"Junior" Warcasters: Malakov1 - Sorscha0
'Jack Marshals: Man-o-War Kovnik - Greylord Forge Seer

Heavy Warjacks

Beast-09 - Behemoth - Berserker - Black Ivan - Decimator - Demolisher - Destroyer - Devastator - Drago - Grolar - Juggernaut - Kodiak - Mad Dog - Marauder - Rager - Ruin - Spriggan - Torch

Colossal Conquest - Victor
Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Units

Assault Kommandos - Battle Mechaniks - Black Dragons - Doom Reaver Swordsmen - Great Bears of the Gallowswood - Greylord Outriders - Greylord Ternion - Iron Fang Pikemen - Iron Fang Uhlans - Kayazy Assassins - Kayazy Eliminators - Kossite Woodsmen - MOW Atanas & Standard - MOW Bombardiers - MOW Demolition Corps - MOW Shocktroopers - Widowmaker Scouts - WG Field Gun - WG Infantry - WG Mortar Crew - WG Rifle Corps
Ranking Officer CA : Koldun Kapitan Valachev

Solos

Bulkhead - Fenris - Greylord Adjunct - Greylord Forge Seer - Iron Fang Kovnik - Jozef - Koldun Lord - Malakov1 - Manhunter - MOW Drakhun - MOW Kovnik - MOW Strike Tanker - MOW Suppresion Tanker - Markov - Sofya - Sorscha0 - Ol' Grim - Underboss Vizkoya - War Dog - Widowmaker Marksman - WG Artillery Kapitan - Yuri1 - Yuri2

Battle Engines Gun Carriage - Man-o-War Siege Chariot - Man-o-War Assault Chariot
Theme Forces
Armored Korps - Flame in the Darkness - Jaws of the Wolf - Legions of Steel - Warriors of the Old Faith - Winter Guard Kommand - Wolves of Winter
Mercenaries
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Khador Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Rules Clarifications

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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.
RC symbol.png

Rules Clarification : Ram and/or Batter     (Edit)

  • Push - General     (Edit)   [Show/Hide]
    • Pushed models do not change their facing.
    • Pushed models move at half rate through difficult terrain. Also, Pathfinder doesn't apply during pushes.
    • Pushed models stop if they contact anything - a model of any size, or any obstacles or obstructions.
    • You don't get free strikes against pushed models, because it is "involuntary movement" and therefore does not count as an advance.
    • Pushed models suffer the effects of anything they move through (such as acid clouds).
    • If you use a Push vs a charging model (via a free strike for example), this will stop the charge movement (refer core rulebook).
      • However, if the pushed model is in melee range of its charge target after the push, then it is considered a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling)
      • In that scenario, you measure whether the charging model moved 3" or less excluding the push distance. (Infernal Ruling)
    • If you push a model to a position where it regains Incorporeal (for instance you push it out of range of an Exorcist) then what happens is (Being Checked by Infernals)
  • Knockdown (Edit) - Remember, knockdown only prevents what it says it does. Refer to the Knockdown page for a recap of what a model can/can't do.
  • RC symbol.png

    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 : Construct - None yet. (Edit)

    RC symbol.png

    Rules Clarification : Pathfinder      (Edit)

    RC symbol.png

    Rules Clarification:  : Dual Attack      (Edit)
    (Click Expand to read)

    * If you fail a charge, then you do not get to make ranged attacks.
    • If you have multiple ranged attacks and/or melee attacks, you can intermingle them in any order. (Infernal Ruling)
    • You can charge, make a ranged attack, then make your charge melee attack. Even though you made a ranged attack, that doesn't change the fact that your first melee attack is the charge attack. (Infernal Ruling)
    • You must complete all initial attacks before buying attacks. You can't go: Make an initial melee attack, then buy a melee attack, then make an initial ranged attack. (Locked Thread)
    • Dual Attack doesn't let you mix initial attacks with a (★) attack. Dual Attack only lets you make either:
      1. Initial melee attacks and initial ranged attacks.
      2. Power attack and initial ranged attacks.
        Any other combination of (★ Attack) and initials is disallowed. See this thread for full explanation and links to relevant Infernal Rulings.
      • You could theoretically make a special melee attack and then buy additional ranged attacks (or vice versa) ... but the core rules say "The rules for these special attacks indicate the nature of any additional attacks that can be made afterward, if any" so the special attack would have to explicitly allow a swap - and I'm unaware of any that do so.
    • There is no penalty for shooting an enemy you are in melee with.
    • Your ranged attack(s) can target a model you are not in melee with. (Infernal Ruling)
    • Dual Attack & Drag ( Edit )
      • This is pretty-much limited to just the Prime Axiom under Syntherion, or the Swabber, Galleon or Prime Axiom under Aurora2
      • If you charge model A then utilise Dual Attack to make a ranged attack vs the same model, then you would get the free melee attack from Drag. The Drag attack is a charge attack. (Infernal Ruling)
      • If you charge model A then utilise Dual Attack to make a ranged attack vs a different model, then you would lose the free melee attack from Drag. Your first melee attack must be versus the charge target, and you cannot save the Drag attack for later. (Infernal Ruling)
      • If you didn't charge then ... just go nuts. There's no restrictions that I know of.
    • Dual Attack & Slam/Trample ( Edit )
    Power Attack Slam and Trample combine your Normal Movement and Combat Action, and how this works with Dual Attack is:
    • Slam: You must resolve the movement, the attack, and moving the slammed model. Only then can you make initial ranged attacks.
    • Trample: You must resolve the movement, the attacks, and the free strikes. Only then can you make initial ranged attacks.
    • (Infernal Ruling)

    Rules Clarification : Heavy Boiler - None yet. (Edit)