Khador
- "FOR THE MOTHERLAND!" - Khadoran Battlecry
Khador is an aggressive, expansionist nation, constantly threatening its neighbors and seeking to reclaim ancient lands it sees as rightfully Khadoran. Most recently, Khador has conquered over half of Llael and attacked Cygnar directly.
Khador is one of the main factions of Warmachine. They have the most durable warjacks and can field Man-O-War, the most durable warriors in the game. (They have normal troops too.)
If you want an army of weather-bitten, ill-tempered expansionists wearing heavy armor, firing a blunderbuss as they close into melee where they'll apply the biggest axe they could get their hands on directly to your opponents forehead... you've made it to the right place.
So proceed Kadet, read on, study hard and battle well. And most of all: BRING GLORY TO THE MOTHERLAND!
For backstory, refer to Lore - Khador.
Contents
Khador for beginners
Aesthetic
Heavily portrayed as pre-Soviet Russia, with a fair amount of Soviet-era tossed in.
Ice and wind magic are part of the faction identity, and Khador is generally focused on melee combat, if a model has a ranged weapon it's either not very accurate, not very long ranged or not very powerful, due to the engineering limitations of the far north.
Playstyle
They rely on infantry assisting heavy warjacks to crush their enemies. On the table, Khador features heavily armored, plodding warjacks and elite armored warriors backed up by hordes of expendable troops, powerful wizards and stealthy assassins.
Just as Cygnar has spells that improve its low armor scores, Khador warcasters bring speed to their plodding armies making them deceptively quick. Khador can be built for speed, resilience, high damage shooting output or heavy magic.
Warcasters
Khador has a caster for every style, but overall they tend to specialize in axe to the face style combat. Khador is home to some of the most up-in-your-face aggressive warcasters in the game. This concept is exemplified in the various incarnations of Kommander Orsus Zoktavir (aka The Butcher) who not only is a capable front line fighter, but CRAVES the front lines. Beyond that we have midfielders like Sorscha1 or Vladimir1 specialists that solve problems like the Old Witch2 and support casters like Irusk1 or Zerkova1. Khador is also home to the infamous Karchev the Terrible who is half warcaster, half warjack.
Warjacks
Khador is home to some of the biggest, stompiest warjacks in the game. In the backstory Khador lacks resources to produce many cortexes (warjack brains) so the ones they do have they install in the heaviest chassis possible. They do not use light warjacks at all, viewing them as puny. Lastly, they keep using their older warjacks long past their use-by date, to the point they're unstable and may literally explode mid-battle.
The majority of their 'jacks are expensive and without buffs they're incredibly slow. Luckily Khador has many movement shenanigans at their disposal; most of their casters come with some form of movement buff and certain solos can also speed them up.
Warriors
Khador loves infantry. They love infantry so much that they use Man-o-War super-heavy infantry instead of light warjacks. Khador has a unit for every occasion and frequently a unit-specific solo (or two) to back them up.
Khadoran infantry have some of the best (unbuffed) stats. Khador has a number of great solos and unit attachments that are not only capable in their own right, but synergies well with the main combat units to make them even better.
Starter Sets
Mk3 Battlegroup Set
- Contents: Lord Kozlov, Viscount of Scarsgrad warcaster, Decimator heavy warjack, and a Juggernaut heavy warjack. Plus a bunch of peripheral stuff (see picture).
Anyone looking for the most affordable and effective way to get into Khador should strongly consider buying the Battlegroup Starter Box and going from there. You have all the materials you need to get started contained within the box, and Lord Kozlov has a fine battlegroup in the Decimator and Juggernaut heavy warjacks. Kozlov and these 'jacks are easy for new players to become familiar with to learn the ropes of the game without feeling like they're underpowered or in over their heads. For most players, it makes sense to start with the Battlegroup Starter and build from there.
Theme Force Starter - Armored Corps
- Contents: A 5-man unit of Man-O-War Demolition Corps plus their character command attachment, Sergeant Dragos, a 6-man unit of Battle Mechaniks, a 2-man character unit Kommandant Atanas Arconovich & Standard, a Greylord Forge Seer solo, and a Man-O-War Suppression Tanker solo.
This one is designed to be an add-on to your existing collection, rather than be a complete starter by itself - you'll note it doesn't include a warcaster or any warjacks. It is roughly 35 points.
All other starter boxes are out of print.
Other good early purchases
When beginning Warmachine, always start with your favorite warcaster and build around them by choosing a theme force and models that compliment their abilities.
Warcasters
Khador has three warcasters that are comparatively easy to learn and work well when played with only their battlegroups and are thus good for beginners:
- "Butcher1"--as we often lovingly refer to him--is the first of three incarnations of Orsus Zoktavir, the embodiment of Khadoran aggression. He's an exceptional battlegroup warcaster that's easy to learn.
- Lord Kozlov is Khador's Battlegroup Starter warcaster and he is indeed a powerful 'caster that happens to be easy to learn the game with. Beyond that, he's a great warcaster to grow you forces with because his tool kit applies to both his battlegroup warjacks as well as Khadorans that march with him. Note that as of the time of writing (2019.07), the only way to purchase him is by getting the Battlegroup Starter Box
- Vladimir Tzepesci, the Dark Prince: All three recommended starting warcasters are melee powerhouses, but his toolkit skews entirely to mixing things up in melee. Casting big spells with hugely powerful effects that scale into larger armies perfectly, he's also an excellent pick.
Warjacks
Khador has many excellent warjacks new players can pick from beyond the recommendations made below. For the purposes of learning the game it tends to be wise resist the temptation to buy unique aka "Character" warjacks and Colossals because these can be more difficult to learn, niche and/or very expensive. Khadoran warjacks aren't the most nuanced in Immoren but it's typically best to first buy warjacks that you're almost guaranteed to continue using no matter what play style you prefer.
- Decimator & Juggernaut from the Battlegroup Starter Box: The Decimator and Juggernaut are powerful warjacks that happen to be great for learning the game, but they have the added benefit of adding up to a cost of exactly 28 WJP, which is the same amount available to not only Kozlov, but the Butcher and Vladimir (not to mention several other Khadoran warcasters) as well! Buying the Battlegroup Starter box and one or two extra warcasters makes for an easy way to vary your play early on, without incurring a lot of costs It is advisable to look into "magnetizing" these warjacks' arms so you can swap their loadouts once you expand into larger games.
Evergreen Faction Models
Most models are subdivided into different themes, but there are a few "Evergreen" models that can be fielded in multiple themes and are useful models to own:
- The Greylord Adjunct is a warcaster attachment that brings something to the table for almost every warcaster in the faction. Whether it's a free upkeep, extra range on spells, Guidance or a cloud you will always get something out of it every turn which more than justifies its point cost.
- Battle Mechaniks are Khador's resident, well, mechanics whose job it is to keep your war machines up and running even during combat. They don't cost a lot of points and--because every army you field has warjacks--they're almost always useful.
- The trusty War Dog accompanies and protects your warcaster in battle, which is handy because we often have to play with our warcasters close to danger. All Khadoran warcasters can benefit from it, but you can only take one warcaster attachment, so it often gets left behind in favor of the Greylord Adjunct.
- Kayazy Eliminators: One of the two partisan units to Khador they provide excellent damage output, defensive abilities and mobility to keep you in scenario and threaten the odd support piece. They will still take your merc slot in everything but Jaws of the Wolves, but for Khador that slot is not hotly contested anyway.
Other than these Evergreen models, which Khador models you buy first heavily depends on which theme you decide to collect. See the theme articles themselves for more advice about what to get first (links to the articles are below).
Evergreen Mercenary Models
Most theme forces only allow a player to take one Mercenary solo and one Mercenary unit, so new players should over-investing in Mercenaries until they know what they're doing. That said, there are several Mercenary options that have proven their worth time and again so are considered "Evergreen" purchases:
- While expensive, Alexia2 is an invaluable solo that takes souls from fallen infantry and turns them into spell-protection or independent, hard hitting solos to keep you in scenario.
- Gobber Tinker: Costs the same as a 4-man unit of our own Mechaniks, but can be harder to kill and/or better at contesting objectives.
- Death Archon: A powerful melee solo that also does work as a support piece, using its Mortal Fear ability to further decrease the damage living enemies can do against our heavy armor.
- Scythe or Thamarite Archon: Both are really, really good ranged solo options with some awesome defensive abilities.
- Hermit of Hengehold: A damage buff, a damage negate or a to-hit buff for spells. He also steals Essence in the Infernal match up.
Niche Mercenary Models
These Mercenaries have also proved themselves useful to the forces of Khador, but only to solve particular problems. If you haven't yet encountered opponents that give you those problems, there is little need to get them, but these options are there when you need them:
- Morrowan Archon: They debuff enemy attack rolls and are a Shield Guard making them excellent body guards for casters such as Butcher3 who want to wander up the board and project their incredible personal threat.
- Harlowe Holdemhigh: Especially powerful in lists like Legion of Steel who have no way of dealing with Incorporeal models or just appreciate shooting in general.
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Line of Sight article : Brawlmachine List Building - Khador |
Starting a Theme Force
Players can use the Theme Force rules to construct their army list once the game size reaches 25 points. Themes restrict which models from your Faction you have access to, with different models being "locked" into different themes. In return, playing a theme force gives you multiple benefits in return. Also, models in a theme force normally have natural synergies with each other - synergies they can't use if they're paired with models from outside the theme.
Themes are considered the default way to play Warmachine and Hordes (although technically they're optional).
Regardless of whether you're starting at 25 points or lower, as a new player you have two options:
- Ignore themes to begin with, buy a couple of things you like the look of, and later on figure out if they work together in the same theme.
- With this approach you run the risk of buying models from a hodge podge of different themes. At some point you'll end up choosing one theme to use and expand, and shelving your models that don't fit the theme.
- Figure out which theme contains models you like the look of, and limit yourself to just buying models from that theme.
- This approach has the benefit of not shelving any of your purchases and you're more likely to have models that have natural synergies with each other (even if you buy things completely at random).
Khador Theme Forces
Armored Korps
- With a hiss of steam and the tread of iron, the heavily armored infantry of Khador march to war with heavy warjacks at their side. Though Khador lacks the light warjacks of other nations, they make up for it with a dedicated corps of soldiers who go to war in steam-powered armor. Few opponents possess the weaponry able to chew through so thick a wall of armor, allowing the Man-O-War to crush enemy emplacements.
The Armored Corps (or Korps) is all about Man-o-War troops in heavy steam-powered armor lumbering across the field, crushing their targets after closing the distance. Man-o-War have access to a suite of combined arms weaponry, advanced tactics and devastating heavy cavalry but are short on skirmisher unless reinforced by Mercenaries. If you like small but elite forces of warriors on 40mm (Medium) bases clad in the heaviest of armors, start building for an Armored Corps.
This list was last updated: 2018.11 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Khador warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character Khador warjacks
- Behemoth
- Character warjacks can be taken, but only if they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Battle Engines
Units
- Battle Mechaniks
- Kommandant Atanas Arconovich & Standard
- Man-o-War Bombardiers
- Man-o-War Demolition Corps
- Man-o-War Shocktroopers
Solos
- Bulkhead
- Greylord Forge Seer - ('Jack Marshal)
- Greylord Adjunct - (Warcaster Attachment)
- Man-o-War Drakhun
- Man-o-War Kovnik - ('Jack Marshal)
- Man-o-War Suppression Tanker
- Man-o-War Strike Tanker
- War Dog - (Warcaster Attachment)
Mercenaries
- Up to one solo
- Up to one unit
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme:
Flame in the Darkness
This theme is shared with Cygnar and Mercenaries - it allows you to mix models from all 3 factions. Although it doesn't allow you to take a Cygnar or Mercenary warcaster, your warcaster will get access to their warjacks.
This theme represents the Thamarite and Morrowan forces putting aside their ideological differences and teaming up to fight off the Infernal invasion.
Important Note: Very few models in this theme force are from Khador originally, you'll have to collect a bunch of Mercenary and Cygnar models. Also, the only casters you'll have access to is Zerkova1 and Zerkova2 (as of 2019.09).
This list was last updated: 2020.12 (Edit)
Warcasters - For Mercenary players
Warcasters - For Cygnar players
Warcasters - For Khador players
Warjacks
Note: All warcasters get the same warjacks to choose from, regardless of their original Faction:
- All non-character Mercenary warjacks (except the Rhulic ones)
- Up to two non-character Cygnar or Khador warjacks (one of each is legal).
- Gallant
- Other character warjacks can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Units
- Alexia1
- Devil's Shadow Mutineers
- Field Mechaniks
- Legion of Lost Souls
- Order of Illumination Resolutes
- Order of Illumination Vigilants
- Precursor Knights
Solos
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme:
Jaws of the Wolf
- The deployment of warjack-heavy forces to eliminate hard targets is a standard response to military threats. A common Khadoran tactic involves augmenting such forces with a contingent of scouts who venture ahead to ensure the slow and steady column of Khadoran steel reaches its target intact. Once engaged, the warjacks rely on overwhelming strength and raw firepower to batter the enemy into submission.
Jaws of the Wolf is Khador's warjack-centric theme (if you like large groups of warjacks, this is where you want to be). It is augmented by a number of irregular warriors to create a very mobile skirmishing force backed up by heavy-hitting warjacks.
This list was last updated: 2020.12 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Khador warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character Khador warjacks
- Behemoth
- Black Ivan
- Other character warjacks can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Units
Solos
- Greylord Adjunct - (Warcaster Attachment)
- Greylord Forge Seer - ('Jack Marshal)
- Malakov1 - ("Junior Warcaster")
- Manhunter
- Ol' Grim
- Sorscha0 - ("Junior Warcaster")
- Underboss Vizkoya
- War Dog - (Warcaster Attachment)
- Widowmaker Marksman
- Yuri1
- Yuri2
Mercenaries
- Up to one solo
- Up to one unit
- Note that Valachev is not allowed.
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme:
Legion of Steel
- The brotherhood of the Iron Fangs maintains traditions arising from ancient warriors who battled the beasts of the north armed only with spears and the indomitable courage all true Khadorans possess. Iron Fang assault forces are tasked with breaking enemy lines regardless of whether those lines are composed of towering warjacks or masses of infantry. Surrounding a hard center of warjacks, an Iron Fang legion marches in lockstep behind a wall of shields, supported by swift and brutal cavalry to protect their flanks.
If you prefer a medieval-style army you need look no further than the Legion of Steel. None of the Iron Fangs carry ranged weapons and instead they're armed with spear tipped with explosive warheads.
This list was last updated: 2019.07 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Khador warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character Khador warjacks
- Character warjacks can be taken, but only if they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Units
Solos
- Iron Fang Kovnik
- Kapitan Sofya Skirova
- Uhlan Kovnik Markov
- War Dog
(Warcaster Attachment) - Greylord Adjunct
(Warcaster Attachment)
Mercenaries
- Up to one solo
- Up to one unit
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme:
Warriors of the Old Faith
This theme is shared with the Protectorate - it allows you to mix both Khador models with Protectorate ones. You can even take a Protectorate warcaster if you're a Khador player, and vice versa.
This theme is heavily focussed on Cavalry.
This list was last updated: 2020.12 (Edit)
Warcasters
- Note: - You can take a warcaster that doesn't normally belong to your Faction.
Warjacks
- All non-character Khador and Protectorate warjacks
- Note: - Warcasters can take any mix of warjacks they like, regardless of their original Faction.
- Character warjacks can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Units
- Choir of Menoth
- Exemplar Vengers
- Flame Bringers
- Greylord Outriders
- Iron Fang Uhlans
- Kossite Woodsmen
- Initiates of the Order of the Wall
Solos
- Champion of the Order of the Wall
- Fenris
- Hand of Silence
- Hermit of Henge Hold
- High Exemplar Gravus
- High Paladin Dartan Vilmon
- Man-o-War Drakhun
- Manhunter
- Menite Archon
- Paladin of the Order of the Wall
- Uhlan Kovnik Markov
- Vassal of Menoth
- Vassal Mechanik
- War Dog - (Warcaster attachment)
- Wrack
- Yuri1
- Yuri2
Battle Engines
Mercenaries
- None (other than those listed above)
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme:
Winter Guard Kommand
- The ranks of the Winter Guard are the patriotic backbone of the Khadoran Army. Hardened by a rigorous training regimen and driven by their love for the Motherland, these soldiers march against the enemies of the empire. They make every effort to see the will of the empress done, whether pushing deep into hostile territory under the cover of withering artillery fire or giving their lives to defend Khador from those who would threaten its sovereignty.
If you prefer a quantity of warriors over quality, Winter Guard conscripts might be the type of cannon fodder you're looking for.
This list was last updated: 2020.12 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Khador warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character Khador warjacks
- Beast-09
- Torch
- Other character warjacks can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Battle Engines
Units
- Assault Kommandos
- Battle Mechaniks
- Widowmaker Scouts
- Winter Guard Infantry
- Winter Guard Rifle Corps
- Winter Guard Field Gun Crew
- Winter Guard Mortar Crew
Solos
- Greylord Adjunct - (Warcaster Attachment)
- Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich
- Malakov1 - ("Junior Warcaster")
- Ol' Grim
- Sorscha0 - ("Junior Warcaster")
- War Dog - (Warcaster Attachment)
- Widowmaker Marksman
- Winter Guard Artillery Kapitan
Mercenaries
- Up to one solo
- Up to one unit
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme:
Wolves of Winter
- The Greylords Covenant does not shrink from using any weapon at its disposal, no matter how horrifying. This fact is seldom made clearer than when a task force of Greylord arcanists goes to battle with a retinue of blood-mad Doom Reavers bearing profane fellblades, cursed objects based on the weapons of the Orgoth slavers. Greylords will not hesitate to unleash their insane soldiers upon any foe, with little regard for the collateral damage they may cause.
Greylords are the magical R&D department of Khador. Their most successful experiment to date is chaining convicted felons to cursed swords that drive the weilders insane, and then escorting the frothing result into battle. So, yeah. Greylords aren't known for their strong moral compass.
This list was last updated: 2019.10 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Khador warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character Khador warjacks
- Drago
- Ruin
- Other character warjacks can be taken, but only if they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Units
Solos
- Butcher4
- Fenris
- Greylord Adjunct - (Warcaster Attachment)
- Greylord Forge Seer - ('Jack Marshal)
- Koldun Lord
- War Dog - (Warcaster Attachment)
Mercenaries
- Void Archon
- Up to one other solo
- Up to one unit, that may include Valachev
Here's some examples of the model aesthetic for this theme:
Khador Models
Model Gallery
Refer to Khador Gallery
Warcasters
Warjacks
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Tip ! |
- Heavy Warjacks
- Beast-09 - (Bonded with Sorscha)
- Behemoth - (Bonded with no one)
- Berserker
- Black Ivan - (Bonded with Harkevich)
- Decimator
- Demolisher
- Destroyer
- Devastator
- Drago - (Bonded with Vladimir)
- Grolar
- Juggernaut
- Kodiak
- Mad Dog
- Marauder
- Rager
- Ruin - (Bonded with Butcher)
- Spriggan
- Torch - (Bonded with Strakhov)
Battle Engines
Units
- Assault Kommandos
- WA - Flame Thrower
- Battle Mechaniks
- CA - Officer
- Black Dragons
- CA - Officer & Standard
- Doom Reaver Swordsmen
- CA - Greylord Escort
- Great Bears of the Gallowswood
- Greylord Outriders
- Greylord Ternion
- Iron Fang Pikemen
- CA - Officer & Standard
- Iron Fang Uhlans
- Kayazy Assassins - (Partisan)
- CA - Underboss
- Kayazy Eliminators - (Partisan)
- Kommandant Atanas Arconovich & Standard
- Kossite Woodsmen
- Man-o-War Bombardiers
- CA - Officer
- Man-o-War Demolition Corps
- CA - Dragos Dragadovich
- Man-o-War Shocktroopers
- CA - Officer
- Widowmaker Scouts
- Winter Guard Field Gun Crew
- Winter Guard Infantry
- WA - Rocketeer
- CA - Officer & Standard
- Winter Guard Mortar Crew
- Winter Guard Rifle Corps
- WA - Rocketeer
Special Unit Attachment(s)
Solos
- Bulkhead
- Butcher1-3: Refer warcasters, above
- Butcher4: Orsus the Chained
- Greylord Adjunct - (Warcaster Attachment)
- Greylord Forge Seer - ('Jack Marshal)
- Fenris
- Iron Fang Kovnik
- Kapitan Sofya Skirova
- Koldun Lord
- Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich
- Malakov1: Kovnik Andrei Malakov - ("Junior Warcaster")
- Malakov2: Refer to warcasters, above
- Man-o-War Drakhun
- Man-o-War Kovnik - ('Jack Marshal)
- Man-o-War Strike Tanker
- Man-o-War Suppression Tanker
- Manhunter
- Ol' Grim
- Sorscha0: Kovnik Apprentice Kratikoff - ("Junior Warcaster")
- Sorscha1-3: Refer to warcasters, above
- Uhlan Kovnik Markov
- Underboss Vizkova (Partisan)
- War Dog - (Warcaster Attachment)
- Widowmaker Marksman
- Winter Guard Artillery Kapitan
- Yuri1: Yuri the Axe
- Yuri2: Yuri the Hunter
Mercenaries that Work for Khador
Refer to Who works for Whom and/or Category: Khador Mercenary
Other
Designer's notes
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 Khador 2016.05 Khador Preview.
