Theme - The Kingmaker's Army

	Theme - The Kingmaker's Army Mercenary Theme Force Flame in the Darkness - Hammer Strike - Llaelese Resistance - Operating Theater - Soldiers of Fortune - Strange Bedfellows - The Irregulars - The Kingmaker's Army - The Talion Charter

Captain Damiano

Theme Force Deleted This mk3 Theme Force has no equivalent in mk4. You can build a similar army in Unlimited Mercenaries (if/when the models in this theme get ported to mk4 rules)

This was the army Magnus used to put Julius Raelthorne on the throne at the start of Mk3

Theme Rules

For the core rules on how Theme Forces work, see this article.

Theme Restrictions

An army made use the The Kingmaker's Army theme force can include only the following Mercenary models:

• Captain Bartolo Montador
• Captain Damiano
• Drake MacBain
• Magnus warcasters
• Non-character Mercenary warjacks
• Steelhead models/units
• Croe's Cutthroats
• Boomhowler model/units
• Dirty Meg
• Kell Bailoch
• Madelyn Corbeau
• Orin Midwinter
• Raluk Moorclaw

• This army can also include Cygnar Long Gunner, Ranger, and Trencher Infantry units. These are considered to be Mercenary rather than Cygnar units and can include attachments.

Full Model List

Stannis Brocker

The models allowed in The Kingmaker's Army are:   [Show/Hide]

This list was last updated: 2021.11   (Edit)

Warcasters

• Captain Bartolo Montador
• Captain Damiano
• Drake MacBain
• Magnus1
• Magnus2

Warjacks

• Non-character Mercenary warjacks (only the "Human" ones)
• Character warjacks can be taken, but only if they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.

Units

• Croe's Cutthroats
• Boomhowler1
• Long Gunners (★)
• Rangers (★)
• Steelhead Cannon Crew
• Steelhead Halberdiers
• Steelhead Heavy Cavalry
• Steelhead Mortar Crew
• Steelhead Riflemen
• Steelhead Volley Gun Crew
• Trencher Long Gunners (★)
• Trencher Infantry (★)

Solos

• Boomhowler2
• Boomhowler3
• Dirty Meg
    ('Jack Marshal)
• Kell Bailoch
• Madelyn Corbeau
    (Warcaster Attachment)
• Orin Midwinter
• Raluk Moorclaw
    ('Jack Marshal)
• Sergeant Nicolas Verendrye
• Stannis Brocker
• Steelhead Arcanist
• Steelhead Gunner
• Steelhead Ironhead

---

(★) These models are normally Cygnar models, but become Mercenary models when taken in this theme.

Requisition points

• One command attachment
• Two Steelhead Gunner solos
• One other Small- or medium-based Mercenary solo with a point cost of 5 or less

Theme Bonuses

1. Warrior model/units in this army gain Feign Death.

   Feign Death - A model with Feign Death cannot be targeted by ranged or magic attacks while knocked down.

2. Greygore Boomhowler & Co. gain Ambush.

   Ambush - You can choose not to deploy this unit at the start of the game. If it is not deployed normally, you can put it into play at the end of any of your Control Phases after your first turn. When you do, choose any table edge except the back of your opponent's deployment zone. Place all models in the unit in formation completely within 3" of the chosen table edge.

Thoughts on the Kingmaker's Army

The Kingmaker's Army in a nutshell

Trencher Infantry

This theme force is used to field the forces hired by Magnus to overthrow the king of Cygnar.

The Kingmaker's Army was the second theme force ever released and its age shows. It lacks damage-boosting solos and options for Pathfinder but attempts to make up for it with the ability to bring 4 different Cygnar units with their attachments and army-wide Feign Death. The only real reason to bring it is to have the option of advancing a Steelhead or Jack-Heavy force behind a Trencher cloud wall.

Theme's strengths & Playing to them

Steelhead Cavalry

Trencher Infantry are solid front-line infantry - and mercenary warjacks are great value with smoke walls protecting them as they go in. Damiano is the popular pick in Kingmaker's because Surefoot makes Trenchers DEF 15 and immune to knock down, and when paired with Cautious Advance, makes them blast resistant and DEF 19 against ranged and magic. Once upon a time, a full 15 Trenchers under Surefoot could anchor the center of almost any table like few other units. However, after many CID cycles, it is fairly tame at this point.

Boomhowlers are a passable ambushing unit, but Boomhowler2 or 3 give you a rolling cloud wall with Trencher Infantry, which is decent.

Among ambushing Boomhowlers, advance deploying Rangers and Ironheads giving important solos or jacks 2" of movement, your list an be decently fast and contest scenario elements.

Boomhowler3 and Rangers can make your army pretty accurate.

Magnus2 is well-known for having no defense against guns. If you bring him in Kingmakers, he can move his army up behind a cloud wall and thwart many gun lines.

Theme's weaknesses and Mitigating them

Madelyn Corbeau

This list overlaps a lot with Soldiers of Fortune; Mark Target on solos in a theme where Alexia2 is in is better than paying 7 points for rangers for the same rule. The Heavy Cavalry is objectively better in Soldiers due to gaining Line Breaker and the larger model selection makes up for the loss of Trenchers, which you can get in Llaelese Resistance anyhow.

Also, the Artillery pieces cannot be requisitioned like they can be in Soldiers of Fortune and they are expensive.

The Trencher could wall is a neat trick, but models that ignore clouds, such as the ubiquitous Thamarite Archon will still eat them for brunch, supper and 5 o'clock tea.

List Building

Start with Trenchers for Damiano or either Magnus. Bring Rangers for Bart. Steelhead Arcanists and Ironheads provide the warjack support. Orin provides some useful anti-magic and anti-infantry attacks. Kell is not a bad requisition choice if you have the points to spend on solos.

Trencher Long Gunners are part of the typical Damiano army, though the Steelhead Artillery lends itself to Money Shot.

Aside from the Cygnar options, 2 units of Steelhead Halberdiers backed by Verendrye are always solid. Croe's are not at their best in this theme and Boomhowlers provide scenario presence via ambush, but little else. Boomhowler2 on the other hand is essential with Trencher Infantry, as he lets them repo behind their clouds.

Caster Thoughts

• Magnus1 might see some use out of Snipe on Trencher Long Gunners and Blur on Trenchers.
• Magnus2 has a weakness against gunlines, so a could wall from trenchers can be used to protect the rest of his list and he loves Ironheads and Arcanists anyway.
• Bartolo might be better in Talion and Irregulars, but he likes Rangers with his Galleon just fine. Rangers actually make this theme a better pick for him than Soldiers since all he really wants is Ironheads and Arcanists plus Mark the Target anyway. Also, Orin keeps his Galleon safe from spells.
• MacBain can take it or leave it, but he doesn't have stellar synergies with anything in the theme, and in Llaelese Resistance and Soldiers of Fortune he has access to Archons, which are possibly the best targets for his feat. However, casting Countermeasure on Rangers and running them forward is usually a bit of a hoot, especially since the make his Galleon RAT 7, and Fortune is as good on Croes or Trenchers as it is on any unit.

Requisition Options

• Two Steelhead Gunners are six points
• Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor is an excellent anti-caster tech that costs five points, so he's the most expensive solo you can get for free.
• Steelhead Ironhead - The next most expensive solo and it's amazing for Power Lifter alone. You should probably bring two, there is nothing better to Requisition anyway.

Starting a 25 point Brawl list

In 2021.03 Phillip Melvin, one of the LOS authors, put together this list for the Brawlmachine format. It was then updated for the 2021.10 errata. He even wrote about it's playstyle and expanding it beyond 25 points, which you can read here.

Magnus1: [+30 WJP]

• Mangler: [14 pts]
• Freebooter: [9 pts]
• Renegade: [8 pts]

Kell Bailoch: [3 pts]

Steelhead Ironhead: [4 pts]

Trencher Infantry (Min unit): [9 pts]

• Command Attachment: [Free] (4 pts)

Greygore Boomhowler & Co. (Min unit): [8 pts]

For more Brawlmachine list ideas, see Category: Brawl List

Other

Trivia

The second theme force was released for Mk3, in 2017.08.

Other Mercenary models

• Category: The Kingmaker's Army

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Feign Death      (Edit) "Cannot be targeted" is not the same as "cannot be hit". You can still be hit by AOEs, Sprays, etc that target someone else. You cannot use Gunfighter vs models Feigning Death, because Gunfighter is still a ranged attack. However, you can use Point Blank, because that lets the attacker make a melee attack with a ranged weapon.

Rules Clarification : Ambush      (Edit) If you attach a WA or CA to this unit, and the attachment doesn't have Ambush, then they all get to Ambush anyway. (Locked Thread) Ambush and Apparition both occur at Step 5 of the Control Phase. However, Ambush specifies the "end" of the Control Phase so you cannot use Apparition on a model that Ambushes. (Infernal Ruling) Declaring Ambush: Choosing whether a unit deploys normally or ambushes needs to happen before deployment. So it goes: do the starting roll, Player 2 chooses sides, Player 1 declares Ambushes (if any), then Player 2 declares Ambushes (if any), then Player 1 starts deployment. (Infernal Ruling) If you have both Prey and Ambush, then you declare your Prey target at the normal time (even though the Prey-er isn't currently on the table). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification: Theme Forces     (Edit) Themes that change a model's Faction   [Show/Hide] Many themes swap which Faction a model counts as. They're slightly inconsistent with how exactly this is worded. Despite this inconsistency - whenever a model is considered a different faction to normal, it will not be its original faction. (Infernal Ruling) For instance Lukas stops being a Crucible Guard model when taken in an Infernal army, and as a consequence he cannot take Toros or Vanguards in Infernals. (Infernal Ruling) Rerolling the starting roll   [Show/Hide] You cannot use the theme benefit to reroll if it is a draw. Instead both players reroll until there is a loser, and then the loser can use their reroll benefit (if they have it). (Infernal Ruling) If both players have a reroll, first the original loser uses their reroll. If the original loser still loses, fine. If the original loser now wins, the other player can use their reroll. If it is now a draw, both players reroll until there is a loser. Then the player that hasn't used their theme benefit reroll can still use it, if they want. Warjacks/Warbeasts with bonds   [Show/Hide] A warjack/warbeast with a bond can always be included in a theme force, whether or not they're in the list of allowed models, but only if they're controlled by that bonded model. This applies even if that bonded model isn't a full warcaster/warlock (changed as of 2018.06). Including Mercenaries   [Show/Hide] Number of Mercenaries If your "up to one Merc" ... ... can take warbeasts/warjacks, then you can add warbeast(s)/warjack(s) (without exceeding your "up to one" allowance) ... comes with a Companion model, then you'll get that Companion (without exceeding your "up to one" allowance) There is a bug in Warroom that allows you to not only take one Merc solo/unit, but the entire FA of that Merc solo/unit. It's a bug. Mercenaries and Ranking Officers Adding a Ranking Officer to a Merc unit doesn't increase the number of Merc units you can take. Other See also the section on Partisans Including Partisan Mercenaries   [Show/Hide] Partisans & Theme Forces (Edit) Partisans are Mercenary/Minion models, so there are two ways you can add them to a theme force: Freely: If the Partisan is on the list of allowed models, then you can take as many as you want plus another Mercenary unit/solo. (Infernal Ruling) They can be explicitly allowed (for example Jaws of the Wolf allows "Kayazy models/units" so Partisan Kayayz can be used freely). They can be implicitly allowed (for example Scourge of the Broken Coast allows "living Cryx models/units" and Partisan Cephalyx fit that criteria, so they can be used freely). (Infernal Ruling) Limited: If the Partisan isn't on the list of allowed models, it does use up your "Up to one Mercenary/Minion" slot, so you can only have the one. Whether you used option 1 or 2 above, once they're in your theme force they count as a Faction model and so: They can be taken as a Requistion Option (if they fit the Requistion description). For example Lanyssa can be taken as a free solo in the Legion of Dawn theme. (Infernal Ruling) They will get any theme benefit that they fit the description for. For example Storm Division gives all Cygnar models Immunity Electricity, so Partisan Mercs in that theme get immunity too. For example Nemo4's Mechaniks get Reposition [3] in Heavy Metal. (Infernal Ruling) Requisition Points   [Show/Hide] You can choose the same Requisition option as many times as you like, as long as it doesn't put you over a FA limit. You can't mix and match models from different options. Say one option allows 3 Machine Wraiths and another allows 3 Necrotechs. You can't use your Requisition Point to get 2 Wraiths and 1 Necrotech. If you have an option that allows one other solo, you can't use it to get something already on the list. For instance, Ghost Fleet allows 3 Misery Cages (which are FA 4) for one Requistion Point, and it allows 1 other solo. That "other solo" can't be a 4th Cage. If your theme allows "3 weapon attachments" as a Requistion Option, you can spread them into different units. (Locked Thread) Models with the Man-Sized rule count as small-based models for the purposes of being a Requistion Option. (Locked Thread) Free models and Specialists (ADR)    [Show/Hide] If your theme only allows one merc solo, you can't have one in your main list and a different one in your specialists. Unit Attachments   [Show/Hide] If a unit is allowed in a theme, any-and-all of its attachments are allowed too. Exception: Ranking Officers are not allowed unless explicitily mentioned. If the theme force gives a benefit to a specific unit, any-and-all attachments to that unit will benefit too. Even if it is a "generic" attachment like the Void Leech. (Infernal Ruling) For example, a Trollkin Sorcerer will gain Serenity if its attached to a Dhunian Knot unit in a Power of Dhunia theme force. If your theme allows "3 weapon attachments" as a Requistion Option, you can spread them into different units. (Locked Thread) A non-character unit with a character attachment (i.e. Captain Karli) still counts as a non-character unit. (Infernal Ruling) When to apply theme benefits   [Show/Hide] With reference to special abilities that themes give to models, Ranking Officers, adding new models, and/or taking control of models: Theme force benefits are applied when you construct your list or put a new model into play. A model already in play will not lose or gain any theme benefits mid-game based on any changes of faction status or otherwise. (Infernal Ruling) However, if the theme gives a benefit to models "at the beginning of the game" (such as Devourer's Host letting models begin the game with 1 corpse token) then this benefit does not apply to new models that are put into play mid-game. (Locked Thread) Example 1: Sons of the Tempest says "ATGM units in this army gain Pistoleer". If your opponent takes control of one of them, it keeps Pistoleer while under their control even though it's currently not "in the army". Example 2: Storm Division gives Immunity:Electricity to "Cygnar models in the army." If you include a Mercenary unit with a Ranking Officer, they will get the theme benefit and also keep it even after the Ranking Officer dies. Example 3: Stange Bedfellows gives solos Swift Vengeance. If Nemo4 creates a new solo mid-game, that solo will have Swift Vengeance. See also these Theme-Specific Rulings   [Show/Hide] Rules Clarification : Black Industries      (Edit) The entry which allows "Cephalyx models/units" only applies to Partisan Cephalyx. That's because the theme's rules start off with "this army can only include the following Cryx models"​. Partisan Cephalyx are the only ones that fill that condition. The Cephalyx Agitator also works for Cryx and can go in Black Industries but, because it is not a Partisan, it will use up your Mercenary solo slot. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : The Creator's Might      (Edit) ​Elias Gade is allowed in Creator's Might. (Infernal Ruling) You can spend the "Two Vassal solos" requistion option on one Vassal Mechanik and one Vassal of Menoth. Warroom has a bug and tells you that you can't. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Flame in the Darkness      (Edit) You can take any number of Mercenary jacks. You can also select two additional jacks from Khador and Cygnar in any combination you like. Character warjacks with a bond don't count against this limit of 2. (Infernal Ruling) There is a bug in Warroom that allows you to take two Cygnar and two Khador jacks. Morrowan Battle Priest: If your warcaster is a Cygnar model that makes every unit you take a Cygnar unit, and Battle Priests can be attached to any unit. Warroom has a known bug where it doesn't allow this interaction. If your warcaster is a Mercenary or Khador model, though, the only units the Battle Priest can attach to are the Morrow ones. If you attach the Battle Priest to The Devil's Shadows Mutineers then it can be returned via Blood Bound. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Llaelese Resistance      (Edit) It is 2 Cruicible or 2 Cygnar or 2 Menoth. You can't take more than 2, and you can't mix and match from multiple Factions. (Infernal Ruling) You can have a non-character unit with a character attachment (i.e. Captain Karli). (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : The Talion Charter      (Edit) The 3rd benefit is "Sac Pawn [Sea Dog trooper]", not just any Sea Dog. (Infernal ruling) Rules Clarification : The Bones of Orboros      (Edit) Una1 cannot be taken in this theme (yet) due to the conflict between the theme's "Only Construct warbeasts allowed" and Una1's "Must take warbeasts with flight". There are no construct warbeasts with flight (yet). But if/when there is, then Una1 can be taken in this theme. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : The Devourer's Host      (Edit) Bradigus1 is not legal in this theme. The theme only allows living warbeasts, his rules only allow construct warbeasts, and you can't just 'skip' his battlegroup - you have to spend your warbeast points. If you create a new model mid-game (ie with the Well of Orboros and that model can have corpse tokens, that model does not enter play with a corpse. Because it's not the beginning of the game. (Locked thread) Rules Clarification : The Wild Hunt      (Edit) The animus benefit doesn't apply to enemy warbeasts. (Infernal Ruling) The animus benefit doesn't stack with the Druid Wilder's Herding ability. (Infernal Ruling) When it comes to other things that alter COST (such as Lamentation), follow basic maths: Double/halve first, then add/subtract. Rules Clarification : Oracles of Annihilation      (Edit) Kallus1's feat doesn't stack with the Minion bonus rule in Oracles of Annihilation, because one triggers at disabled and the other at destroyed. (Locked Thread) Rules Clarification : The Exalted      (Edit) If a Construct model loses the Construct advantage mid-game, it keeps the theme benefit anyway. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Band of Heroes      (Edit) Boomhowler2 uses up your Minion slot. His Fell Calls ability is not enough to make him a "Fell Caller model/unit". (Infernal Ruling) Boomhowler3 does not use up your minion slot on account of having the Champion keyword. Rules Clarification : The Blindwater Congregation      (Edit) Void Leeches attached to a Gatorman Posse will gain Snacking, but they won't gain extra hitpoints. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Magnum Opus      (Edit) If Mosby is attached to a Mercenary weapon crew unit, they would gain 3" reposition and would not lose it if Mosby is no longer in the unit. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Hearts of Darkness      (Edit) Lukas can't take Maker Marked warjacks in Hearts of Darkness. (Infernal Ruling)