Rover

Rover Mercenary Heavy Warjack

Prime This model is available in three Prime Armies, Mercenary: Soldiers of Fortune Mercenary: Talion Charter Mercenary: The Thornfall Alliance (requires Raluk) . 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.

Mercenary warjacks are often drawn from discontinued chassis once produced by kingdom armies. The Rover was built specifically for mercenary use, and its battleaxe and shield-mounted cannon have turned the tide of many a battle. Built on a century old chassis, originally produced for Cygnar, the Rover is one of the first warjacks built specifically for mercenary use. This jack is ideal for holding a flank or at the fore of an assault with its huge shield combined with a cannon, and its devastating heavy axe. Despite its age, the Rover is a rugged design using parts readily available in the open market, making this jack favoured by the mechaniks who work to keep it running in the field.

Basic Info

Rover
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 10 ARM 18 / 20 (★) 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 14 N/A N/A (★) 20 with the Shield 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
• Tried & True - When this model is affected by a Repair special action, remove 1 additional damage point from it.
• Shield Guard - Once per round, when a friendly model is directly hit by a non-spray ranged attack during your opponent's turn while within 3" of this model, you can choose to have this model directly hit instead. This model is automatically hit and suffers all damage and effects. This model cannot use Shield Guard while it is incorporeal, knocked down, or stationary. The Shield Guard special rule can only trigger once per attack roll.
• Point-Blank - During its activation, this model can make melee attacks with its ranged weapon, with a melee range of 0.5". Do not add this model's STR to damage rolls with ranged weapons. Charge attacks made with ranged weapons are not boosted.

Weapons

Shield Cannon
		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW			LOCATION
		10			1			-			14			Left
Shield
		RNG				POW				P+S				LOCATION
		1				2				13				Left
Shield
Battle Axe
		RNG				POW				P+S				LOCATION
		1				6				17				Right

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 Rover

Rover in a nutshell

Like the Mariner, it is a jack of all trades and master of none. The Rover is an all-rounder that is seldom the wrong jack for any purpose. The gun is decent, if short-ranged. It has 3 initials in melee, though 1" reach MAT 6 and POW 17 base aren't great. Its main selling point is being effective ARM 20 on a SPD 5 platform, which is rather uncommon. Oh, and it's a fine Shield Guard.

It's solid all around for its points, but its poor threat range makes it more of a defensive piece than the similarly costed Mariner which projects a great deal more threat over the course of a game and will do more work consequently.

Combos & Synergies

• Captain Bartolo Montador makes its ARM 23 under Batten but doesn't have the focus to do much else with it.
• Magnus the Traitor - it has a lot of initial attacks making it a good target for Iron Aggression which boosts its melee rolls. It also has a lot of ARM making Death Ward that much more effective, as well as making it very hard to take out its systems. You could do worse.
• Magnus the Warlord - Due to its large shield the Rover is tough. Unyielding makes it even tougher, and Escort makes it speedy. Plus it has a gun, which Magnus2 likes.
• Drake MacBain can give it a bit more movement and a few extra whacks. Fail Safe can make it incredibly durable and ensures that it keeps its shield up making it a very tough out.
• Gastone Crosse gives it the ability to back up after shooting, which is good considering its shortish ranged gun (which Crosse can also improve). Not bad paired with its shield guard ability.
• Raluk an expensive package but granting the Rover Assault gives it 4 initials on the charge.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• It is just slightly below average offensively due to its versatility.
• It’s difficult to talk about the Rover without comparison to the Swabber who is 1 point cheaper, also has shield guard, +1 Rat, is a privateer and has +2 defense. The only thing the Rover has going for it vs this is Tried and True as well as it’s better melee game. You need to get it into the action to justify the upgrade.

Other

Trivia

• Released in the Warmachine: Wrath expansion (2011)
• Comes in a multi-kit with the Nomad & Mule

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 : Shield and/or Buckler     (Edit) The only time you lose the Shield bonus is when the weapon is crippled, or if the attack originates in your back arc. (Infernal Ruling) In other words, you still get the Shield bonus while knocked down or stationary. You don't get the Shield bonus vs stuff originating in your back arc. This includes stuff that "leaps" off models in your back arc, such as Electro Leap. (Locked thread)

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)

Rules Clarification : Point-Blank      (Edit) Number of attacks Point-Blank gives you an extra initial melee attack (even though, RAW, it doesn't meet the criteria). (Infernal Ruling) If you can make additional melee attacks, these can be Point-Blank attacks regardless of the weapon's ROF. (Locked Thread) If you have the option of choosing between ranged or melee attacks (for instance you combined Point-Blank with Gunfighter), then you need to declare whether you're making melee or ranged attacks this activation, then declare the weapon and the target. (Infernal Ruling) AOE Point-Blank AOEs work just fine, because the AOE template isn't tied to the range. You make a melee attack roll then if you hit you centre the AOE template, or you miss and deviate the AOE template (it can only deviate 0.25"). If you have a buff to melee damage rolls (such as Flaming Fists) then it will affect the blast damage rolls too. Sprays Point-Blank sprays don't really work. The spray template is intrinsically linked to the attack's range, and Point-Blank overwrites the range. You still get one attack tho - you make the melee attack roll, then go straight to the melee damage roll. You never put the spray template down. Other Since Point-Blank only works during your activation, you can't use it on free strikes or other out-of-activation melee attacks. Gunfighter vs Point Blank (Edit) If a model has both Gunfighter and Point Blank, then you should declare whether you're using it as a ranged attack or melee attack whenever you shoot the gun. Because that can limit what other initial/additional attacks you can make. (Infernal Ruling) These two abilities are subtly different, but it's an important difference. Gunfighter allows you to make ranged attacks while in melee. Point blank allows you to make melee attacks with your ranged weapon. Since you can't make both ranged and melee attacks in the same turn, a Gunfighter model has a choice of either initial melee attack(s) or initial ranged attack(s). (unless it has Virtuoso or something). Whereas a Point Blank model chooses to make initial melee attacks, and then gets to make attacks with both weapons. Furthermore, the types of bonuses, penalties, and special effects you (or your opponent) can trigger will change dramatically: Any buffs/triggers on ranged attacks (such as Evasive, Shield Guard, Deadeye, etc) will affect Gunfighter attacks, but not Point Blank attacks. Any buffs/triggers on melee attacks (such as Battle Lust, Riposte etc) will affect Point Blank attacks, but not Gunfighter attacks.

Rules Clarification : Shield Guard and/or Shadow Guardian     (Edit) You can't use this ability vs spells. You shift all effects onto the new model, including stuff that triggers on "when this attack hits". When you use this ability vs an AOE attack, the template moves too. Because, with reference to Apdx A, the hit 'moves' at Step 6 and the template placement is determined at Step 7. This ability doesn't work vs Point Blank attacks. Because Point Blank attacks are melee attacks that are made using a ranged weapon. On the other hand, it will work vs Gunfighter attacks. Shield Guard only Since Shield Guard specifies "opponent's turn", it can't be used against stuff that shoots in your own turn (such as Watcher or Counterblast). The Shield Guard does not necessarily need to be in the attacker's LOS or range. The Shield Guarder is always hit even if they have an ability that makes them automatically get missed, such as Stealth. (Automatically missing is determined earlier in the timing sequence than the Shield Guard moving the hit.) (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Tried & True - None yet. (Edit)