Vessel of Judgment

Vessel of Judgment Protectorate Scrutator Battle Engine

Prime This model is available in one Prime Army, Temple Guardians. 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.

Each Vessel of Judgment is a reliquary containing the sacred remains of one of the Menite priest kings of old and is capable of the most potent manifestations of Menoth’s power on Caen. The blazing fury of the Creator scourges infidels who venture too close, and the faithful who fall in battle around it can stave off death long enough to strike one last blow for their god.

Basic Info

Vessel of Judgment
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Huge SPD 4 STR 10 MAT {{{mat}}} RAT 6 M.A. N/A DEF 10 ARM 20 CMD 10 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 32 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA 2 UNIT SIZE N/A COST 15 N/A N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Battle Engine - All battle engines share the same special rules, most notably being immune to a bunch of stuff. Click here for the long version.

Abilities

• Construct
• Gunfighter
• Pathfinder
• Immunity: Fire
• Destructive Power - During its activation, this model can suffer 1 damage to boost an attack or damage roll. This damage is suffered immediately after the attack is resolved.
• Holy Reliquary - This model suffers d3 damage each time it uses one of the following miracles. The damage is suffered before the miracle takes effect.
  • Bonds of Faith – This model can use this miracle once per turn at any time during its activation. Remove d3 damage points from other friendly Faction models in this model's command range. Additionally, when this miracle is used, enemy upkeep spells and animi on models/units in this model's command range immediately expire. A spellcaster can keep any of its upkeep spells in play by suffering d3 damage points per spell.
  • Doors of Judgment - Once per turn when a friendly living Faction warrior model in this model's command range is disabled by an enemy attack at any time except while it is advancing, this model can use this miracle. The disabled model can immediately make a full advance and can make one basic attack, then the disabled model is destroyed. The disabled model can make this attack even while out of formation. The disabled model cannot be targeted by free strikes during this movement.
  • Eruption of Faith - This model can use this miracle oncer per turn at any time during its activation. When this miracle is used, enemy models currently within 2" of this model suffer an unboostable POW 12 fire damage roll and the Fire continuous effect and are pushed 4" directly away from this model in the order you choose.

Weapons

• Divine Wrath - 12" range, POW 15 ranged attack
  • Damage Type: Magical
  • Admonisher - When an enemy model is directly hit by an attack with this weapon, the d3 nearest enemy models within 4˝ of the model hit suffer an unboostable POW 10 magical damage roll. These damage rolls are not considered to have been caused by an attack. Damage resulting from Admonisher is simultaneous.
  • Reload [1] - This model can suffer d3 damage to make one additional ranged attack with this weapon during its Combat Action.

Theme Forces

• Exemplar Interdiction
• The Creator's Might

Thoughts on Vessel of Judgment

Vessel of Judgment in a nutshell

The Protectorate Battle Engine has a nice gun for hurting heavies, toasting infantry, and provides some useful tricks. Admonisher is the Protectorate version of Lightning Generator, and unlike electro immune things, very few units are resistant to magic damage. Unfortunately, it only triggers upon hitting an enemy first, so not useful to unjam your heavies - but eliminating squishy support pieces, or fragile infantry standing close to some Girded heavy is always fun. Divine Wrath is a great gun, and it is boostable without spending focus. It is especially useful against Hordes and/or upkeep heavy armies, as Bonds of Fate can remove annoying enemy animi and upkeeps from every model in its respectable 10" CMD range, while leaving yours in place. Eruption of Faith is useful mainly when the enemy tries to jam your Vessel, while Door of Judgement can be a really nasty surprise for an unprepared enemy.

Combos & Synergies

There's a lot of models that can get a lot of work out of Doors of Judgement. You're looking for accurate, hard-hitting models such as:

• Units: Knights Exemplar, Exemplar Cinerators.
• Solos: Pyrrhus, Nicia, Vilmon, Bastion Seneschal.
• Special Mentions
  • Exemplar Bastions can whack enemies twice in the enemy turn (once with Defensive Strike, second with the Doors)
  • Captain Sam MacHorne & the Devil Dogs (and an Attendant Priest) can knock down the enemy in the enemy's turn via Doors of Judgement. Models can't stand on the turn they were knocked down, so they lose the turn.

A few models to repair the Vessel when it hurts itself:

• Vassal Mechanik fixes the Vessel when it hurts itself.
• Colbie Sterling. Probably only necessary if you're taking double vessels and need more repairs than just the full FA of Vassal Mechaniks.

Caster Synergies

• Kreoss1 - The Vessel can emulate Kreoss1's Purification (though in a smaller radius), and also under his feat it can hit reliably hit knocked-down enemies and trigger Admonisher.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• It's expensive for a support piece and not hurting heavies much. (Light infantry on the other hand should be very afraid).
• It eats its own HP to be effective - on a particularly bad turn you can lose up to 11 HP.
• You basically have to add the price of the repair solos to its cost to keep it working, while inflicting damage upon yourself.
• It is painfully slow, and anything that messes with your SPD, will make a sitting duck out of it.
• Range denial tricks will make it near-useless.
• Not a battlegroup member, so battlegroup feats and spells will not support it. Neither the Choir.
• Its abundant health boxes are deceiving - if you take too much damage, you won't have enough left to hurt yourself to support your army.

Tricks & Tips

• It's theoretically possible to have a last ditch win by using Doors of Judgement on your warcaster just as they are dying to counter-assassinate. Theoretically.
• It's almost always worth boosting both attack and damage rolls on any worthy target.
• Low DEF targets (knocked down heavies, super heavies or objectives) are all excellent targets for delivering Admonisher to weaker targets nearby.

Other

Trivia

Released in the Warmachine: Wrath expansion (2011)

Rules Clarifications

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 : Admonisher      (Edit) You cannot shoot a friendly model in the back to trigger this ability. This ability was errata'd to be unboostable (2017.06). Not considered an attack & "Non-attack damage roll" (Edit)   [Show/Hide] There are two ways you can get these "non-attack" damage rolls. Type 1 - A secondary damage roll that is not considered to be an attack. Some attacks create a second damage roll that is explicitly "not considered an attack" (such as Electro Leap). (Note that although the secondary damage roll is not an attack, the original attack certainly is and will trigger stuff normally. These clarifications don't apply to the original attack.) Type 2 - A damage roll that's not from an attack. Some special abilities & special actions tell you to make a damage roll without mentioning whether it is considered an attack or not (such as Vent Steam and Flak Field). When it comes to other abilities that trigger on damage (such as Vengeance) both types function the same way. For brevity we'll refer to both as "Pure Damage". Pure damage is not an attack, so doesn't trigger stuff like Vengeance. Pure damage is not an attack, so doesn't benefit from stuff that affects 'attack damage rolls' (such as Bethayne1's feat). (Infernal Ruling) Pure damage (normally) doesn't actually hit the model(s) it damages, so doesn't trigger stuff like Shock Field. (A few of them do specify they hit, though, like Warhead.) Pure damage is not from an attack, but it is (normally) damage from the original model. This has two implications: It's not an attack from a weapon so: it won't gain damage buffs from the weapon (such as Poison). it won't gain any Damage Types from the weapon. (Infernal Ruling) It is a damage roll from a model so: it can be boosted. (Infernal Rulings) ... unless the rule specifically says it can't, like a Scrap Thrall explosion or Lightning Generator. it will gain benefits that worded "this model gains ... on damage rolls" (such as Prey). (Infernal Ruling) warbeasts with a Crippled Body will roll one less die. (Infernal Ruling) Exception: Some damage is not from an attack and not from a model (for example, Collateral damage). In this case, you should reverse the stuff listed under #2 above.

Rules Clarification : Reload      (Edit) You cannot mix melee attacks and ranged attacks in the same activation unless you have a special rule (such as Dual Attack). Reload does not get around this restriction. A Trample Power Attack is a melee attack, even if you don't actually trample over anyone and make zero dice rolls. So you can't trample then Reload (unless you have something like Dual Attack). You can use Reload to make additional attacks after a Special Ranged Attack. (Infernal Ruling) If you have (x2) of a weapon with Reload (such as Caine1), the special rule will only be written on the card once. But you can reload both weapons to the max limit. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Battle Engine      (Edit) The main differences between battle engines and the other huge bases are: They can be placed, and they can move outside their Normal Movement (such as Dodge). They can benefit from Advance Deployment, Incorporeal, and Stealth. They can't make ranged attacks while in melee. At least not by default; but many battle engines have Gun Platform, Dual Attack, or similar. Unlike Colossals and Gargantuans, your opponent can take control of your battle engine. There are very few such abilities that work on this model type, though. Being a huge-based model, a Battle Engine can never gain the DEF bonus from concealment ... but it can still have concealment and thereby trigger Prowl. Huge Base (Edit) You can draw LOS from your Left arc to a target in your Right arc (and vice versa). See also this diagram Huge-based models get bonus distance if they do a Power Attack: Slam or Power Attack: Power Strike. But this bonus doesn't apply to slams triggered by normal attacks (such as Critical Smite or the Hurricane's Thunder Charge ability). Also, simply being on a huge base triggers a bunch of rules scattered throughout the rulebook, click to read them.   [Show/Hide] From the 2020.02 edition of the core rules (Edit) Fields of Fire Page 37 A huge-based model’s front arc is marked on its base. Its front arc is further divided into two 90° fields of fire. These fields of fire determine which models a huge-based model can target with its weapons, depending on the location of those weapons. Weapons located on a huge-based model’s left side (L) can be used to target only models in its left field of fire, and weapons located on its right side (R) can be used to target only models in its right field of fire. Weapons with locations “S,” “H,” or “—” can be used to target models in either field of fire. If any part of a model’s base is on the line separating the left and right fields of fire, the model is considered to be in both fields of fire. Concealment, Cover, LOS Page 49 Concealment & Cover - Huge-based models never gain the DEF bonuses from concealment or cover. Page 60 Clouds - Cloud effects do not block line of sight to huge-based models. Page 87 Forests - Forests do not block line of sight to huge-based models. Huge-Based models in melee Page 54 - Huge-based models never gain the Target in Melee DEF bonus. Page 65 - Combined Ranged Attacks cannot target a model in melee unless it has a huge base.

Rules Clarification : Construct - None yet. (Edit)

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 : Pathfinder      (Edit) Pathfinder (Edit) - Pathfinder does not apply to involuntary movement (pushes & slams). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Fire      (Edit) If you deploy in fire hazard terrain (Burning Earth), then you get set on fire before the game starts. Deploying a model in a hazard counts as being "put into play" in the hazard. Being put into play counts as "entering". When you enter a hazard, you trigger the hazard. Moving into "Shallow water" standard terrain does not cause continuous fire to expire. It's magic fire. You can always use non-standard terrain if you agree with your opponent before the game starts, however. A weapon can inflict continuous fire without itself being a fire damage weapon (for example, the Helios's fists). In this case, the attack can hurt models with Immunity:Fire it just won't apply the continuous effect. In terms of which player's clock is running down during the Maintenance Phase: The active player will roll for expiration of all the continuous effects. Then the inactive player will roll for all the damages of the continuous effects. (Judge Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Destructive Power      (Edit) You cannot suffer more damage to boost than you have hitpoints remaining. (Infernal Ruling) You can kill yourself with this ability.

Rules Clarification : Holy Reliquary and/or Miracle Manifest     (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 : Bonds of Faith      (Edit) Anti-Upkeep vs a unit (Edit) If an upkeep is on a unit, then all you need to do is make it expire off any member of the unit and the spell will expire from the entire unit. It doesn't matter if the target is in formation or not. (Locked thread) However, if an upkeep is on a single model within a unit (such as Scything Touch) then you need to dispel it off that particular model to make it dispel. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Doors of Judgment      (Edit) The "Judged" model is not RFP'd until their attack is fully resolved. This means that if your caster is killed then you can use Doors of Judgment on your warcaster, use the free attack to assassinate the enemy caster, and win the game as last man standing (just). (Locked thread)

Rules Clarification : Eruption of Faith      (Edit) The damage from Eruption of Faith is unboostable. (Infernal Ruling) Push - General     (Edit)   [Show/Hide] Pushed models do not change their facing. Pushed models move at half rate through difficult terrain. Also, Pathfinder doesn't apply during pushes. Pushed models stop if they contact anything - a model of any size, or any obstacles or obstructions. You don't get free strikes against pushed models, because it is "involuntary movement" and therefore does not count as an advance. Pushed models suffer the effects of anything they move through (such as acid clouds). If you use a Push vs a charging model (via a free strike for example), this will stop the charge movement (refer core rulebook). However, if the pushed model is in melee range of its charge target after the push, then it is considered a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling) In that scenario, you measure whether the charging model moved 3" or less excluding the push distance. (Infernal Ruling) If you push a model to a position where it regains Incorporeal (for instance you push it out of range of an Exorcist) then what happens is (Being Checked by Infernals)