Talon

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Talon Mercenary Light Warjack

Mark IV Status: 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.

The Talon is a black market favourite among mercenaries with enough gold and influence to acquire them. The few moments the Talon's stun lance can provide may be all that is needed to land the critical blow and turn the tide of battle.

Basic Info

Talon
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Medium SPD 6 STR 8 MAT 6 RAT N/A M.A. N/A DEF 12 ARM 16 / 18 (★) CMD N/A ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 26 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA U UNIT SIZE N/A COST 6 N/A N/A (★) ARM 18 with the Shield bonus. 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.

Weapons

Shield
		RNG				POW				P+S				LOCATION
		0.5				2				10				Left
Shield
Stun Lance
		RNG				POW				P+S				LOCATION
		2				5				13				Right
Powerful Charge - This model gains +2 to charge attack rolls with this weapon. Stall - A warjack hit by this weapon becomes stationary for one round.

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 Talon

Talon in a nutshell

The Talon is a cheap light that is useful for tying up enemy warjacks or making them stationary. It does have a surprisingly high ARM with its shield. As it is MAT 8 on the charge, 1 focus is often enough to get a decent activation out of it. It's a sturdy piece for 6 points and the bane of fancier warjacks everywhere.

Combos & Synergies

• Warcasters that make their entire battlegroups tougher turn this little jack into a cheap spammable roadblock and contesting piece. That's Captain Bartolo Montador with Batten Down the Hatches and Magnus the Warlord giving them all Unyielding (and extra movement).
• The Talon makes a nice cheap combo with Rutger Shaw, as its shield gives it good armor to play Shield Guard. It gets Flank in Irregulars as well.
• Captain Sam MacHorne & The Devil Dogs can use a cheap 'jack that can keep up with them and stationary targets so they can hit more easily. Sam's Crush order combined with its Shield let it hit hard while having a nice high ARM.
• Warjacks can shake off stationary for one focus, but If you have a model that causes Disruption (such as Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios or Eiryss, Angel of Retribution ) you can prevent that.
• Asphyxious the Sanctified - With him, the Talon gains Dark Shroud and with a 2" melee range it spreads said debuff expertly.
  • In Cryx, Gaspy can bring the Talon into the Scourge of the Broken Coast theme, where it gains Gang Fighter with which it hits way above its weight class.
  • Karchev & Deathjack - Locked Horns and Onslaught make the Talon tougher and more manoeuvrable.
• Crosse1 loves a cheap melee jack to send in and apply Shadow of a Giant. The Talon is as cheap as it gets and takes way more work to remove than is reasonable for a 6 point model, so wedging it into the enemy lines is extra rude.

Drawbacks and Downsides

• The Talon is best using its spear to stationary warjacks, but it loses that ability versus non-warjack targets, meaning it's much weaker against Hordes forces.

Tricks and Tips

• The Talon works best with a friendly unit nearby that can activate after it Stalls an enemy warjack to take advantage of the stationary.

Other

Trivia

Released in Warmachine: Escalation (2004)

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 : Powerful Charge  and/or Brutal Charge     (Edit) If you declare a charge but move less than 3", then the attack doesn't count as a "Charge Attack" and you won't get the bonus.

Rules Clarification : Stall      (Edit) Remember, stationary only prevents what it says it does. Refer the recap on stationary for what models can/can't do. 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 : 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 : Tried & True - None yet. (Edit)