Long Gunner Infantry

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.

Long Gunner Infantry Cygnar Unit Officer & Standard Command Attachment

Limbo This model has not (yet) been updated with Mk IV rules, as of 2022.11. Privateer Press have promised it will get updated ... eventually. You can view the Mk3 models that have been updated on this page. Note that the rest of this page is about the model's Mark III rules.

Renowned for their legendary skill and repeating rifles, the Long Gunners are among the finest riflemen in the Iron Kingdoms. Their level of dedication and skill prove invaluable in their role as soldiers at the core of Cygnar’s modern army, and each of these disciplined soldiers is expert in the use of the repeating long gun. In unison, these well-trained riflemen concentrate their fire and release barrages of withering shots that tear through the enemy.

Basic Info

Long Gunner Infantry
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Unit / Officer BASE Small SPD 6 STR MAT 4 / 5 RAT 5 / 6 M.A. N/A DEF 12 ARM 12 CMD 7 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 1 / 5 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA 2 UNIT SIZE 6 or 10 +2CA COST 8 or 13 +4CA 1.3 pts each N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Abilities

• Leader, Grunts, and Officer
  • Combined Ranged Attack
  • Dual Shot - If this model uses its Normal Movement to aim, it can make one additional ranged attack this activation.

• Officer only
  • The officer has a better statline
  • Officer
  • Flawless Maneuvers [ Minifeat ] - This model can use Flawless Maneuvers once per game at any time during its unit's activation. This activation, models in the unit gain Reposition [5"]. (Reposition [5"] - At the end of an activation in which it did not run or fail a charge, a model with Reposition [5"] can advance up to 5", then its activation ends.)
  • Granted: Trained Fire - While this model is in formation, models in its unit gain Trained Fire. (Trained Fire - A model with Trained Fire gains an additional die on ranged attack rolls against models within 8" of it.)
  • Tactics: Practiced Maneuvers - Models in this unit gain Practiced Maneuvers. (Practiced Maneuvers - Each model in this unit can ignore other models in this unit when determining LOS and can advance through them if it has enough movement to move completely past them.)

• Standard only
  • Standard Bearer - While this model is within 5" of its unit commander, the unit commander gains +2 CMD.
  • Take Up - If this model is destroyed, you can choose a Grunt in this unit within 1" of it to be destroyed instead. Effects on this model expire, and it gains the effects on the chosen Grunt. Remove the Grunt from the table instead of this model. This model has the same number of unmarked damage boxes as the chosen Grunt.

Weapons

Leader, Grunts, and Officer	Repeating Long Gun  RNG   ROF   AOE   POW  14 1 - 10 Sword  RNG   POW   P+S  0.5 3 7 If you ever use it, it's probably game over anyway.
Standard Bearer	Sword  RNG   POW   P+S  0.5 3 7

Theme Forces

• Cygnar
  • Heavy Metal

• Other Factions
  • Infernal players can use this unit in the Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Sloan is leading the army.
  • Mercenary players can use this unit in the Llaelese Resistance theme. They become Llaelese models and gain Pathfinder.
  • Mercenary players can use this unit in the The Kingmaker's Army theme. They gain Feign Death.

Thoughts on Long Gunner Infantry

Command Attachment

Long Gunner Infantry in a nutshell

They're a ranged combat unit. They're only allowed in the Heavy Metal theme force (plus some Mercenary themes). Heavy Metal is centred around jacks, and often lacks quantity firepower. Long Gunners can fill this task.

No discussion of these guys can start without comparing them to the newer Trencher Long Gunners unit (although the two units can never fit in the same theme).

Long Gunners	Trencher Long Gunners       (Edit)
Basic Unit
13 points (1.3 points per model)	15 points (1.5 points per model), and for that extra 2 points you get: Tough +2 MAT and +1 RAT, DEF, ARM, and CMD.
Unit + CA
17 points, 12 models (1.42 points per model) Although the standard bearer doesn't have a gun, and if you exclude him its 1.55 points per model.	19 points, 11 models (1.73 points per model)
Minifeat: Flawless Maneuvers (Reposition 5")	Minifeat: Go to Ground (a free Dig In)
Granted: Trained Fire (+d6 to attack rolls vs models within 8")	Granted: Precision Fire (Reroll damage)
Tactics: Practiced Maneuvers (can shoot through each other)	Tactics: Marksman (choose the column to damage)
The Standard Bearer gives the flag bonus	The Trencher Officer has better stats than the Long Gunner Officer
(Edit this comparison)

Overall, the Trencher unit with CA are better at dealing damage, while the original Long Gunners are better at picking out their targets. But perhaps the most important thing is that the Trencher Long Gunners are, indeed, Trenchers, and so can benefit from the plethora of Trencher-only buffs.

Long Gunners, along with the Winter Guard Rifle Corps and the Houseguard Riflemen, have the longest range in the game among the ranged infantry units. Beside having access to Practiced Maneuvers, Khador has weapon attachments to boost the damage output, the Retribution has ways to engage targets in melee, and Cygnar can sport some extra mobility with Flawless Maneuvers. Long Gunners are also unique with their dual shots, capable throwing as many bullets down the battlefield as possible. With two long range shots per model and the potential of two large combined ranged attacks they can hit hard for ranged infantry. The standard bearer doesn't add much (a sword in a shooty unit? duh'). The officer however brings not only an extra gun, but also flexibility in positioning, and boosts their ability to reposition and engage flanking targets. Once added, keep in mind the minifeat. It has both offensive and defensive uses, from entering back into cover after a CRA to push on to contest a zone you managed to clear.

Long Gunners are known and feared by their superior range (with Snipe they are able to deliver a CRA up to 24" away). Anyone who has ever encountered them will try to evade and/or kill them. Since the Gunners have no way of ignoring terrain, cover and/or concealment (Eyeless Sight, Hunter, etc), enemies will try to use those abilities to close in on your lines and survive the first 2 turns where Long Gunners can get do the most harm.

Combos & Synergies

Long Gunners enjoy support, but even without it they can be strong deterrents against the softer parts of your opponent's force.

Warcasters

• Defensive buffs are usually better be spent on your frontline troops, but any caster with Snipe (Stryker1, Caine1, Maddox, Sturgis1) will have a strong area-denial tool in his/her arsenal.
  • Use Stryker1's Earthquake to line up targets for the killing blow
  • Sturgis1's feat can pull in troops into your Trained Fire range.
• Sometimes you must advance to get the enemy in range, but still need to hit the enemy. Use Deadeye (Haley1, Caine1) if you need to hunt down elusive targets.
  • With the combination of Deadeye, Temporal Barrier from Haley1 and Trained fire, they'll reliably hit DEF 21 targets on the move. Also, they profit a lot from her feat.
• Caine2 - his only notable spell is Fire for Effect, but it has an excellent boost on every ranged unit in the Cygnar arsenal. Sadly, only their first shot will benefit from the spell, but still worth a consideration.
• Caine3 - He supports his army via Calamity, so
• Haley2 - she lacks ways of damage buffing on units, and CRA can be a solution for this. With smart positioning they can capitalize on her board controlling feat.
• Siege1 - Foxhole helps their survival, and there are few better things than delivering a full-unit CRA under his feat.
• Stryker2 - his list normally doesn't favour Long Gunners, but since enemies under Rebuke can neither charge or run toward your gunline, nor can enter to Shield Wall, it allows your Long Gunners to play a bit more forward.

Non-warcasters

• Caine0 and Ace can help them quite a bit with Fire for Effect increasing damage output and Thunderbolt Shots and Shadow fire clearing LOS.

Mercenary themes

The Kingmaker's Army - Special mention: Magnus1 or Magnus2. While the epic incarnation helps them with de-buffing their targets, and limiting their move under feat, the prime version offers direct support with 2 spells. Also, the Renegade's Obliteration rocket assassination happens at long range, and sometimes needs a follow-up unit for attack - the Long Gunners suit the task very well.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• They have several rivals within Cygnar's other theme forces that fulfil a similar role but better (although often cost more points). These rivals are also often present in the Mercenary themes Long Gunners can go in, too.
• Their rivals are considered to be:
  • Arcane Tempest Gun Mages are as accurate with their snipe bullets as a Long Gunner that's part of a two person CRA - and far superior when moving and shooting. They also have some cute tricks. They lack the potential volume of attacks, however, and have to rely on their Critical Brutal Damage shots to harm targets, that a Long Gunner unit with CRA reliably can.
  • The Stormsmith Storm Tower costs only slightly more than a pair of Long Gunners. It sports the same range, a bit higher RAT, and superior POW for its initial shot. The extra lightnings mean that 2 of them are likely to cause the same number of hits upon infantries, as a minimum unit of Long Gunners. It has a higher DEF, but lower ARM, which is somewhat compensated by Take Up. They can also take advantage of the various lightning buffs like the Firefly. However, it lacks the mobility of the Long Gunners.
  • Trencher Long Gunners - superior stats, better resilience, and better against heavier targets, but higher price tag.
• Long Gunners have terrible DEF and ARM - they die horribly.
• Superior range is worth less in the current versions of Steamroller where LOS-blocking terrain is in abundance.
• A lot of factions have access to multiple Shield Guards. This can make the all-or-nothing CRA pointless unless you can remove them first.

Tricks & Tips

• The Reinforce Power Field rule for camping focus means that even weaker shots (such as Long Gunners) can hurt warcasters, especially squishy ones. If the opportunity presents itself, feel free to riddle the target with bullets. They will be forced to make decisions, just like warlocks in Hordes: shall they spend focus on a few points of damage, or keep it for more serious attacks? If you're going to pepper them with attacks, do it early in your turn before your real big guns activate - regardless of whether those guns will be shooting the same target. Just the mere threat of the big guns hanging over them will make your opponent more likely to save their camp and allow a little bit of damage from the Gunners to get through.
• If you aim with the primary attacker, and move with the other participant(s) you'll still get the aiming bonus for a CRA (but lose the moving models' second shot).
• Measure the target number to find balance between quality and quantity shots. An aiming 2-men CRA is technically RAT 9 - but do you need it? Maybe standard shots would give you more damage.

Other

Trivia

• The unit (not including CA) was released way back in Warmachine: Prime (2003)
• The CA was released in Warmachine: Superiority (2006)

Other Cygnar models

Cygnar Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters	Caine1 - Caine2 - Caine3 - Constance - Darius - Haley1 - Haley2 - Haley3 - Jakes2 - Kraye - Maddox - Nemo1 - Nemo2 - Nemo3 - Sloan - Stryker1 - Stryker2 - Stryker3 - Siege1 - Siege2 - Sturgis1
Warcaster attachments	Squire (Cygnar) - Madelyn Corbeau (Merc) - Reinholdt (Merc) - Wyshnalyrr (Merc)
Other Warjack Controllers	Battlegroup Controllers: Caine0 - Nemo4 - Jakes1 - Journeyman - T. Warcaster Lieutenant 'Jack Marshals: Runewood - Strangewayes - Anson Hitch - Stormblade Captain - T. Master Gunner - Gun Mage CA - Stormblade CA - Sword Knights CA
Light	Charger - Firefly - Grenadier - Hunter - Lancer - Minuteman - Sentinel Ace - Thorn
Heavy	Avenger - Centurion - Cyclone - Defender - Hammersmith - Ironclad - Reliant - Stormclad Brickhouse - Dynamo - Gallant - Ol' Rowdy - Thunderhead - Triumph
Colossal	Stormwall - Hurricane
Units, Solos, Battle Engines, & Structures
Units	Arcane Tempest Gun Mages - Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team - Field Mechaniks - Legion of Lost Souls - Long Gunner Infantry - OoI Resolutes - OoI Vigilants - Precursor Knights - Rangers - Silver Line Stormguard - Storm Lances - Stormblades - Stormguard - Stormsmith Grenadiers - Storm Tower - Sword Knights - Tempest Blazers - Tr Cannon Crew - Tr Chain Gun Crew - Tr Commandos - Tr Express Team - Tr Long Gunners - Tr Infantry - Tr Mechaniks Special CA : Captain Jonas Murdoch (Mercenary unit) - Special WA: Morrowan Battle Priest (any unit)
Solos	Arcane Tempest Rifleman - Archduke Runewood - Captain Arlan Strangewayes - Captain Maxwell Finn - Commander Anson Hitch - Dreyfus1 - Dreyfus2 & Flubbin2 - Grand Master Gabriel Throne - Glyn Cormier, Illuminated One - Gun Mage Captain Adept - Journeyman Lieutenant Allister Caine - Journeyman Warcaster - Harlan Versh, Illuminated One - Lieutenant Allison Jakes - Lieutenant Bastian Falk - Lieutenant Gwen Keller - Major Katherine Laddermore - Major Harrison Gibbs - Morrowan Archon - Savio Montero Acosta - Squire - Stormblade Captain - Stormcallers - Tr Buster - Tr Master Gunner - Tr Patrol Dog - Tr Warcaster Lieutenant - Viktor Pendrake
Battle Engines & Structures	Nemo4 - Storm Strider - Trencher Blockhouse
Theme Forces
Flame in the Darkness - Gravediggers - Heavy Metal - Sons of the Tempest - Storm Division
Mercenaries
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Cygnar Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Combined Ranged Attack      (Edit) CRA cannot target models in melee ... unless the target is a huge-based model or the attacker has War-Tempered. If you give the attack-leader a buff to their attack (such as Guidance) then that buff applies to the combined attack (even though the other participants don't have the buff). (Locked thread) Assault & CRA (Edit) You cannot mix Combined Range Attacks with Assault shots, as CRA works during your combat action and Assault shots occur before it. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Dual Shot      (Edit) You can't Aim if you start your activation in melee. So you will never benefit from Dual Shot, even if you have Gunfighter and/or your squad mates disengage you before you start your Combat Action.

Rules Clarification : Flawless Maneuvers      (Edit) Restrictions on "Any Time" abilities     (Edit)         [Show/Hide] "Any Time" abilities can be used at any time during a model/unit's activation, except: Before any compulsory forfeiture of movement/action. See step 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A. After the model with the "Any Time" ability has had their activation end "prematurely". By this I mean you resolved something which includes the phrase "its activation ends". Examples include: Running, failing a charge, or failing a slam. Abilities that include "then its activation ends" (such as Reposition and Teleport). In between declaring your charge target and making your charge movement. (Infernal Ruling) In between completing your charge movement and determining whether it was a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling) When you're in the middle of moving. (Note: Impact Attacks count as being in the middle of movement). When you're in the middle of an attack. Which also includes effects that occur "after the attack is resolved". (Although the attack is "resolved" at Step 11, in terms of using an "Any Time" ability the attack is not "finished" until after Step 14. Refer to the first paragraph of Apdx A.) Your opponent interrupted your activation to trigger one of their own abilities (such as Countercharge). Warcasters/warlocks/etc can normally cast a spell or use their feat "At any time". However, there is a core rule saying they cannot do so on the same activation that they run. So, they are subject to all the same restrictions listed above, plus they can't cast/feat before running. Units: See below. In general you can use "Any Time" abilities while you're knocked down or stationary (except Spells and Feats which specify you can't). If you have a gun with a random ROF, you can use an "Any Time" ability inbetween rolling the number of shots and actually making the first attack. (Infernal Ruling) Units with "Any Time" abilities You cannot use an "Any Time" ability before issuing/receiving orders. See step 1 and 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A. A model in a unit can't use an "Any Time" ability after they run (Infernal Ruling) or fail a charge. Because that makes that specific model's activation to end even though the unit's activation is still ongoing, and you can't use abilities on models that are not active. You can use an "Any Time" ability before running, however. A model in a unit can't use an "Any Time" ability after anyone in the unit has begun a Reposition move. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Reposition      (Edit) Models out of formation cannot move via Reposition. Refer to the "Out of Formation" rules in the core rulebook. End of Activation (Edit) You cannot resolve two end-of-activation movement effects (refer to "End of Activation Movement" in the core rulebook). For EOA stuff that doesn't involve movement, though, it gets a bit more murky: Some EOA abilities explicitly state your activation ends as part of resolving the ability (like Reposition), and some don't (like Refuge). Whether it is explicit it or not, by definition an EOA ability is the last thing you can do for that activation. For instance, if you resolve Refuge and then continue your activation to cast more spells, then you have not used Refuge at the end of your activation. You cannot do an "at any time" ability during or after triggering an EOA ability; you cannot cast spells, purchase additional attacks, use a mini-feat, etc. If you start resolving an EOA movement (such as Reposition) then you cannot trigger abilities that occur "at any time" (such as Go To Ground). Because you can't trigger it while resolving the EOA movement, and after the EOA movement your activation has ended. (Infernal Ruling) For units: if any model in the unit starts resolving the unit's EOA movement, then no model in the unit can trigger an any-time ability. (Infernal Ruling) See also the training article: LPG - End of Activation.

Rules Clarification : Tactics vs Granted     (Edit) Granted = The unit loses the ability as soon as the model that grants it is taken off the table. (think "G for Goes away") Tactics = The unit keeps the ability for the entire game, regardless of who dies. (think "Tac-Tick = K for Keeps")   Granted [ Vengeance ] If the model granting Vengeance dies, the unit will not get any Vengeance attacks. It is "If you have Vengeance, and you were damaged last turn, you get a move+attack." It is not "If you get damaged, you get Vengeance next turn." If you lose Vengeance halfway through resolving Vengeance, then you stop resolving Vengeance immediately. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Trained Fire - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Practiced Maneuvers - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Standard Bearer      (Edit) If the Officer dies, the Standard Bearer can give the CMD bonus to the Leader model.

Rules Clarification : Take Up      (Edit) If you use Take Up the attacking model cannot trigger anything that needs the attacker to "Destroy" a model (such as Alpha Hunter, Killing Spree, Berserk, etc). Although the model that was attacked reached the Destroyed step of the timing sequence, Take Up negates that entirely. (Infernal Ruling)

Note to Editors To edit CA's tagged abilities, Click here