The Devil's Shadow Mutineers

The Devil's Shadow Mutineers Mercenary, & Cryx Partisan, Thamarite Privateer Sea Dog Character Unit

Mixed How usable this model is in Mk IV depends on the Faction: Mercenary: This model can be used in one Prime army, Talion Charter. Cryx: This model is not (yet) available to this Faction in Mk IV in any shape or form (as of 2023.04) You can view the 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.

Wild-eyed sailors tell a tale of the nefarious pirate ship Devil’s Shadow and its mysterious disappearance. Of the ship’s crew, only three souls ever returned, now guided by some unseen evil. This trio disperses as quickly as an ill wind, staying only long enough to form contracts with desperate men. Their goals remain a mystery, and the three otherwise go wherever the gales send their cursed ship.

Basic Info

The Devil's Shadow Mutineers
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Mar1 / Morland1 / Zira1 BASE Small SPD 6 STR 6 / 7 / 6 MAT 7 / 7 / - RAT - / 4 / 7 M.A. N/A DEF 14 ARM 12 CMD 8 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 5 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA C UNIT SIZE N/A COST 7 2.3 pts each N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Mercenary - This unit will work for Cryx.

• Partisan [ Cryx ] - When included in a Cryx army, this model/unit is a Cryx model/unit instead of a Mercenary model/unit.

Abilities

• Mar, Morland, & Zira
  • Tough
  • Blood-Bound - When this model destroys a living enemy model with an attack during its activation, after the attack is resolved you can return to play one destroyed model in this unit. Place the returned model completely within 3˝ of this model. The returned model cannot activate the turn it returns to play. The destroyed enemy model is removed from play and does not provide a soul or corpse token.

• Mar only
  • Officer
  • Berserk - When this model destroys one or more models with a melee attack during its Combat Action, immediately after the attack is resolved it must make one additional melee attack against another model in its melee range.

• Zira only
  • Eyeless Sight
  • Gunfighter

Weapons

Mar	Saber  RNG   POW   P+S  1 3 9 Damage Type: Magical Weapon Master
Morland	Cutlass (x2)  RNG   POW   P+S  1 4 11 Damage Type: Magical Combo Strike (★ Attack) - Make a melee attack. Instead of making a normal damage roll, the POW of the damage roll is equal to this model's STR plus twice the POW of this weapon. (Giving a total P+S = 15) Pistol  RNG   ROF   AOE   POW  8 1 - 10 Damage Type: Magical
Zira	Cursed Pistol (x2)  RNG   ROF   AOE   POW  8 1 - 10 Damage Type: Magical Weapon Master Black Penny - This attack ignores the target in melee DEF bonus.

Theme Forces

• Mercenary
  • Flame in the Darkness. They gain Vengeance in this theme.
  • Operating Theater Only if a Cephalyx Dominator is attached
  • The Irregulars
  • The Talion Charter

• Cryx
  • As a Mercenary unit, they can go in every Cryx theme. However, they'll use up your "Up to one Mercenary unit" slot most of the time.
  • Black Industries
  • Dark Host
  • The Ghost Fleet
  • Scourge of the Broken Coast. They don't use up your Merc slot in this theme.

• Other Factions
  • Cygnar and Khador players can also use them in the Flame in the Darkness theme. They gain Vengeance in this theme.

Thoughts on The Devil's Shadow Mutineers

The Devil's Shadow Mutineers in a nutshell

On a good day the Devil's Shadow Mutineers are a really annoying recursive unit that keeps coming back again and again as Zira (normally) snipes off enemy infantry and solos. On a bad day they are an expensive and squishy unit. Zira is really good with her guns. Morland occasionally delivers a POW 15 charge, and if your opponent is careless, Mar might take a Payday from Rockbottom and mulch an entire unit. Keep them in the second wave for unjamming duty.

Combos & Synergies

• They are Privateer Sea Dogs. Therefore Lord Rockbottom is amazing:
  • Money Shot on Zira is a good way to bring back Mar and Morland
  • Pay Day turns Mar into a berserk overtaking infantry blender with boosted attack rolls; though her 1" reach prevents her from easily rampaging through entire units.
• Bosun Grogspar can provide anti-KD.
• Doc Killingsworth provides improved Tough.
• Captain Phinneus Shae has a number of synergies with them, including his feat Coup de Main, and Mar being a good target for Storm Rager
• Fiona the Black can use them as a hard to get rid of unit of cultists and or models that won't die when she channels through them as they have multiple hit points.
• Rahera can deliver them easier and offer out sprint to 2 out of 3 of them.
• The Thamarite Archon can give them rerolls.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• RFP effects neuter them.
• Their main schtick depends on your opponent obligingly providing you with living targets.
• Significantly weaker than other 3-person character units fielded by other factions.
• First Mate Hawk doesn't buff the melee attacks of the Devil's Shadow (as her ability only affects weapons that are actually named "Hand Weapons", whereas the DSM carry "Saber" & "Cutlass").
• Mar and Morland want to charge. Zira wants to hang back and shoot.

Tricks & Tips

• Keep Zira in the rear away from enemies, so she can survive and bring the other two back
• Be on the lookout for opportunities to use Payday on the unit and have Mar combine Berserk, Overtake and boosted attack rolls. If you want to get really janky, have Wrongeye bring a Swamp Horror and cast Elasticity on her for 2" melee range berserk overtakes. Put Storm Rager on Mar for the final piece of the puzzle.
• If played in Flames in the Darkness under a Cygnar caster you can attach Battle Priests to them, which grant the trio Rise, and they can return the priests with Blood Bound.

Other

Trivia

• Released in the Warmachine: Reckoning expansion book (2015)
• Sculptor = Javier G. Ureña
  • Mar
  • Zira
  • Morland
• Nicknames = DSM
• The Mutineers appear in the Watery Graves novel as antagonists.

Other Faction models

Cryx Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters	Agathia - Aiakos2 - Asphyxious1 - Asphyxious2 - Asphyxious3 - Coven - Deathjack2 - Deneghra1 - Deneghra2 - Deneghra3 - Goreshade1 - Goreshade2 - Goreshade3 - Mortenebra1 - Mortenebra2 - Rahera - Scaverous - Skarre1 - Skarre2 - Skarre3 - Sturgis2 - Terminus - Venethrax
Warcaster attachments	The Withershadow Combine - Satyxis Blood Priestess - Skarlock Thrall - Doctor Stygius (Partisan) - Madelyn Corbeau (Mercenary)
Other Warjack Controllers	Jack Marshals: Iron Lich Overseer       "Junior Warcasters": Aiakos1 - Asphyxious4 - Deneghra0
Light	Cankerworm - Deathripper - Defiler - Helldiver - Nightwretch - Ripjaw - Scavenger - Shrike - Stalker
Heavy	Barathrum - Corruptor - Deathjack1 - Desecrator - Erebus - Harrower - Kharybdis - Inflictor - Leviathan - Malice - Nightmare - Reaper - Seether - Slayer
Colossal	Kraken - Sepulcher
Units, Solos, Battle Engines, & Structures
Units	Asphyxious4 - Bane Knights - Bane Riders - Bane Warriors - Bile Thralls - BO Boarding Party - BO Ironmongers - BO Smog Belchers - Blackbane's Ghost Raiders - Bloodgorgers - Marauders - Carrion Thralls - Cephalyx Drudges - Cephalyx Overlords - Mechanithralls - Necrosurgeon - Revenant Cannon - Revenant Crew - Satyxis Gunslingers - Satyxis Blood Witches - Satyxis Raiders - Scharde Dirge Seers - Scharde Pirates - Soulhunters - The Devil's Shadow Mutineers - The Withershadow Combine
Solos	Aiakos1 - Agrimony - Axiara - Bane Lord Tartarus - Bloat Thrall - BTO Mobius - Captain Rengrave - Darragh Wrathe - Doctor Stygius - Deneghra0 - Gerlak - Hellslinger - Iron Lich Overseer - Machine Wraith - Master Gurglepox - Misery Cage - Necrotech - Ol' Grim - Pistol Wraith - Satyxis Blood Priestess - Satyxis Raider Captain - Scrap Thrall - Skarlock Thrall - Severa Blacktide - Soul Trapper - Warwitch Siren
Battle Engines & Structures	Wraith Engine
Theme Forces
Black Industries - Dark Host - The Ghost Fleet - Scourge of the Broken Coast
Mercenaries
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Cryx Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Officer      (Edit) Even if they're not on the Officer's card, an Officer can give (and benefit from) any non-standard orders that are on the unit's card (such as Shield Wall). Refer main rulebook. A Ranking Officer can't do this, though. When the Officer dies, the Leader model becomes the new Unit Commander (you don't get to choose). But if your unit doesn't include a Leader model, then you do get to choose any of the remaining models to be the new Unit Commander. You don't swap the model, but it may be worth putting a token down so you can tell that grunt apart.

Rules Clarification:  : Magical Damage      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

* The "Damage Type: Magical" is not inherited by "secondary" damage from a weapon. That is, stuff like arcs (Electro Leap) or hazards (Scather). (Infernal Ruling) All spells have "Damage Type: Magical" (refer errata). This is inherited by "immediate" secondary damage (such as Eruption of Spines). (Infernal Ruling) and might be inherited by "lingering" secondary damage (see below). If a spell leaves a template in play that does damage to models that walk around in it, then: if it is not described as a hazard it will do magical damage to models that walk around in it. (Example: Razor Wall) if it is a hazard then it will not do magical damage to models that walk around in it. Instead, it does whatever damage type is specified by the spell description. (Example: Breath of Corruption). (Infernal Ruling) If a weapon/spell includes Magic Damage and another kind of elemental damage it will still damage Incorporeal models. Incorporeal models are not affected by the rule "if an attack does multiple types of damage and a model is immune to at least one it is immune to the entire attack." The phrase "immune to non-magical damage" should be interpreted as "immune to damage that doesn't include Damage Type: Magical" (not interpreted as "has immunity to Corrosion and Electricity and Cold and etc.")

Rules Clarification : Berserk      (Edit) Berserk attacks will generate even more Berserk attacks. You keep going until you miss, something survives, or you run out of targets. Berserk grants an additional attack which by definition can only occur during your Combat Action. Therefore Berserk doesn't work on free strikes, impact attacks, etc. "Immediately" means you can't save it until later in your activation. Berserk must be resolved at step 14 of the attack sequence (refer Apdx A). You cannot use "Any Time" abilities while resolving the original attack, the Berserk attack, or between the attacks. Refer Apdx A. Berserk doesn't trigger during a frenzy. (Infernal Ruling) Berserk will not trigger if the target uses an ability to move the damage to another model (such as a warlock transfer). But it will trigger if they use an ability to move the attack to a different model (such as Grim Salvation). Berserk has a weird niche interaction with Agathon's abilities, which you can read here. Attack-Generating Abilities (Edit) From the core rulebook: When a model is granted more attacks as a result of an attack it made, it gains only one. If two or more special rules would grant the model another attack as a result of making an attack, its controlling player chooses which special rule to apply. If you trigger two attack-generating abilities (such as Black Spot and Kill Shot) you choose to resolve one and "lose" the other (unless you trigger it again later). If you trigger two attack-generating abilities, and one of them is compulsory (such as Black Spot and Berserk), you must choose to resolve the compulsory one. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Eyeless Sight      (Edit) A model that ignores Stealth must ignore both aspects: both (1) the auto-missing, and (2) the 'not counting as an intervening model' parts. This can have some strange interactions with casters & channelers, if one has Eyeless Sight and one does not. There are examples on the Category:Channeler page. Blind vs Eyeless Sight (Edit) If a model is Blinded, and then given Eyeless Sight, then that model ignores Blind ... but it is technically still Blinded. So if you somehow later lose Eyeless Sight (for instance walking out of the range of Menoth's Sight), it will immediately go back to suffering the effects of Blind. (Infernal Ruling) Also this means stuff that only works vs Blind models (ie Hidden Blade) will still trigger vs a "Was Blinded but then got Eyeless" model. Anti-Cloud abilities vs Burning Earth (Edit) If you make a piece of terrain "Burning Earth" it counts as a cloud effect in addition to it's original type. This has 2 odd rulings: If any part of the terrain piece is "hit" by an ability that makes clouds expire (such as Gale Winds) then the entire terrain piece is taken off the table. (Infernal Ruling) If a model can ignore clouds but not the original terrain type, they don't ignore the terrain. For instance if you have a burning forest, then Eyeless Sight can't see through the forest. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification:  : Gunfighter      (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

General You cannot Aim if you start your activation in melee. (Infernal Confirmation) A free strike with a ranged weapon still gets the +2 to hit and boosted damage (I'm pretty sure - I'd like to double check it though). If you have a Gunfighter stuck in melee and the Gunfighter wants to shoot a friendly model, then you can only do so if that friendly is within the Gunfighter's melee range. Also, if that friendly model is engaged by an enemy, that friendly model will always get the +4 DEF bonus (because the point of origin of the attack, the Gunfighter, is not "in melee" with the friendly model). Targeting Outside of melee If the Gunfighter isn't in melee, and didn't charge this turn, then it shoots just the same as a normal model. In melee, but didn't charge If it didn't charge, it can target anyone it's "in melee" with. This can be any model in the Gunfighter's melee range, plus any models that have the Gunfighter in their melee range. If a Gunfighter kills all the enemies it is in melee with, and still has the ability to make more ranged attacks, then those attacks just follow the normal Ranged Attack rules. (Infernal Ruling) Charged into melee If it did charge, its initial attacks can only target models that are in the Gunfighter's melee range. If all models in the Gunfighter's melee range are killed before it makes its initial attacks, it loses any unspent initial attacks. (Infernal Ruling) However if it can purchase additional attacks (via Reload for instance) and/or get free attacks (via Black Spot for instance), then those non-initial attacks can target anyone it's "in melee" with, as per #2 above. Other targeting notes Remember, you can never be "in melee" with a friendly model, so a Gunfighter can pretty much never choose to target a friend while it's in melee. If the gunfighter is unengaged, it can still shoot a friendly model, which would just be a normal ranged attack. Gunfighter doesn't change the RNG of your gun, it just provides you an ability to use it while in melee and imposes some targeting restrictions. If you're affected by a debuff that reduces your RNG to 1", that will further limit who you can target. If you're affected by a debuff that reduces your RNG to 0", you cannot make attacks (refer 'Weapon Statistics', page 19 of rulebook). Attack Roll You use the Gunfighter's RAT for the attack roll. Gunfighters do not ignore the Cover/Concealment bonus. (Infernal Ruling) How the +4 DEF bonus for "being in melee" works with Gunfighters is: they always ignore it vs enemies, because the "point of origin of the attack is in melee with the target". they never ignore it vs friendlies, because you cannot be in melee with a friendly target. Incorporeal Gunfighters Note that enemy models without magic weapons can't hurt you in melee, but they can engage you. If they engage you then you're in melee and your target selection is limited to just models in melee (as explained above). Gunfighter + an AOE weapon If you miss then the AOE will deviate as per the normal AOE rules. Not very far, though, considering the max distance you'll be apart is 2". If you use an AOE weapon to make a free strike, you get the +2 to hit and you get boosted damage against everything under the blast template. Gunfighter + a spray weapon Who you can target with the spray is limited as described above, but you get to put the whole spray template down and potentially hit models well outside the melee. If you use a spray weapon to make a free strike, you get the +2 to hit and you get boosted damage against everything under the spray template. Units of Gunfighters If a unit of Gunfighters successfully charge, but someone else in their unit kills their charge target before they get a turn to attack, then they may redirect their attack. Redirected attack: If they're still engaged, their initial attack (s) must be vs someone in their melee range. If they're still engaged, but no one is in their own melee range, they don't get any initial attacks. If they're unengaged, they are now free to shoot anyone within the gun's normal range. Other interactions 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. Gunfighter & Cavalry ( Edit ) A cavalry model that charges then makes a Gunfighter attack will not gain a boosted charge attack roll, because a ranged attack is not a charge attack. (Infernal Ruling) You also won't gain a boosted charge damage roll, as per normal for a Gunfighter. Gunfighter vs RNG modifiers (Edit) Unlike what most people might tell you, Gunfighter doesn't have a "range", it just lets the model make ranged attacks while in melee. The gun's actual RNG is unaffected though, until you put something like Windstorm (-5 RNG) on it. Then what happens is: If the gun is RNG 7, Windstorm will reduce it to 2". Thus it won't affect any Gunfighter attacks. If the gun is RNG 6, Windstorm will reduce it to 1". Thus you can only make Gunfighter attacks vs models within 1" (if you can - charging Gunfighters may be more limited). If the gun is RNG 5, Windstorm will reduce it to 0". Thus you can't make any attacks as per 'Weapon Statistics' (page 19 of the core rulebook). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Black Penny - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Blood-Bound      (Edit) Blood-Bound works on both ranged and melee attacks. The RFP always triggers vs living models, even if the unit is already at full strength. Only the "can return one model" part is optional. (Infernal Ruling) If your opponent takes control of your Blood-Bound model, they cannot use it to return models to your unit nor an enemy unit. While under the opponent's control, it is an independent model and so there is no "unit" to return models to. Unit Attachments (such as the Cephalyx Dominator or Morrowan Battle Priest) can be brought back via Blood Bound, even though the rule isn't on their card. A Morrowan Battle Priest attached to The Devil's Shadow Mutineers returns with 1 box. (Infernal Ruling) Out-of-activation Blood-Bound If a model is brought back with a Vengeance attack, the newly spawned model also gets a Vengeance attack. (Infernal Ruling) It won't get a Vengeance move, because the unit needs to complete Vengeance moves before anyone has a Vengeance attack. If an ability or feat is worded to give a "model/unit" an out-of-activation attack (such as Stryker2's feat) then models spawned by those ability/feat attacks will also get to attack via the ability/feat. (Infernal Ruling) Similar to Vengeance, spawned models won't get the free move part of Stryker2's feat. Return to Play - Own Unit (Edit) If you have a model that can return models to its own unit during its own activation (such as Bane Warriors or Blood-Bound) then: Models returned "at any time" (Bane Warriors) do not benefit from any orders issued to the unit. Orders need to be issued first, before using an "Any Time" ability. Orders cannot affect models not on the table. Models returned elsewhen during the activation (Blood-Bound) do not benefit from any orders issued to the unit for the same logic. (Infernal Ruling) If anyone in the unit has attacked, then the returned models can't use their Normal Movement. If no one has attacked, then they can. (Locked thread)

Rules Clarification : Tough - None yet. (Edit)