Arcantrik Force Generator

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Retribution Logo.jpg Arcantrik Force Generator

Retribution Vyre Battle Engine

The arcantrik force generator is a massive engine of war that houses one of the most devastating and complex weapons in the arsenal of the Retribution of Scyrah. Its teleforce cannon, which fires concentrated bursts of kinetic energy, represents the very pinnacle of Iosan arcane science. Blasts from the force generator shatter anything they touch, reduce the ground to craters and rubble, and fling enemies aside like broken dolls.

Basic Info

Template:SOM

Arcantrik Force Generator
Missing Info
Retribution AFG.jpg
COST {{{cacost}}}
UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}}
FA {{{cafa}}}
Warcaster 0
BASE Huge
SPD 4
STR
MAT {{{mat}}}
RAT 7
M.A. N/A
DEF 10
ARM 18
CMD N/A
ESSENCE {{{essence}}}
FOCUS N/A
FURY N/A
THRS N/A
HP 24
F. Field N/A
WJP {{{wjp}}}
WBP {{{wbp}}}
IHP {{{ihp}}}
FA 2
UNIT SIZE N/A
COST 17
N/A
N/A
N/A
Warcaster 1
COST N/A
N/A
Understanding
the Statblock

Abilities

  • 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.
  • Construct symbol.jpg Construct
  • Pathfinder symbol.jpg Pathfinder
  • Gunfighter symbol.jpg Gunfighter
  • Polarity Field - This model cannot be charged or slam power attacked by a model beginning the charge or slam in this model's front arc.
  • Focused Power - While within 2" of this model, the ranged weapons of friendly warjacks gain +2 RNG. If this model uses its Normal Movement to aim, its ranged weapon gains +2 RNG and it gains +2 to its ranged attack damage rolls that activation.
  • Carapace - This model gains +4 ARM against ranged attack damage rolls.

Weapons

  • Teleforce Cannon - 14" range, ROF 2, POW 14 ranged weapon
    • Magical dam symbol.jpg Damage Type: Magical
    • Attack Type - Each time this weapon is used to make an attack, choose one of the following special rules:
      • Blasted Earth - This weapon becomes AOE 4 for this attack. The AOE is rough terrain that remains in play for one round.
      • Destructor - Damage rolls resulting from this attack are automatically boosted.
      • Momentum - A small- or medium-based model directly hit by this attack is slammed d3" directly away from this model. The POW of collateral damage is equal to the POW of this weapon. In addition to suffering a normal damage roll, large-based models hit by this attack become knocked down.

Theme Forces


Thoughts on Arcantrik Force Generator

Arcantrik Force Generator in a nutshell

Arcantrik Force Generator (aka Noisy Cricket/Space Cricket) is a flexible gun platform first and a support piece second. Its main selling point is, obviously, the Teleforce Cannon. Want to knock down an enemy for the killing blow? Evaporate chaff infantry? Halt their advance with rough terrain? Or just hammer a heavy target with boosted shots? Want to do two of these (whether the same or different) each turn? The AFG has it all.

The support feature, Focused Power, is a poor man's Fire Group as you must keep your battlegroup members close to an otherwise painfully slow model, though there are ways of moving it a little quicker up the board.

In terms of durability, it doesn't have many hitboxes and can be fragile. However, Polarity Shield keeps it mostly safe from melee during the mid game, and Carapace makes it impervious against unboosted POW 10 shooting and AOEs. Still, stronger shots and spells of any kind can quickly drain its health boxes.

Combos & Synergies

  • Anything with a hefty gun will appreciate the range booster capability. Hydras are the most obvious choice, but Banshees and other warjacks can benefit as well.
  • The House Shyeel Magister's Whip Snap can be used to let it aim and still move up, but it is situational as the Magister needs an enemy model close enough to hit and trigger it.
  • Casters with Deceleration (Helynna and Vyros2) give an extra layer of survival against shooting, up to the point, that even boosted POW 10 attacks will have hard time hurting you. Helynna under her feat makes it nigh-immune against shooting with an effective ARM 27. However, they do not really offer much direct synergy to the AFG beyond that.
  • Ossyan is the best friend of a ranged gun platform, which can - under his feat - deliver 2 POW 14(16) + 4D6 shots, and becomes nigh-invulnerable against ranged retaliation.
  • Adeptis Rahn has a plethora of board controlling spells, and the AFG provides another tool for pushing enemies around. Telekinesis also works on it.
  • Kaelyssa with Refuge heavily mitigates the AFG's mobility problems as it allows it to aim and fire then reposition up the board afterwards and aim next turn as well.
  • Garryth1 profits greatly from the AFG's presence. He can enhance its threat range with Mirage, get an extra shot with Sentry (with any of the firing modes), and has a nice tool to knock down his target for a proper assassination run.
  • Garryth2 loves slam guns for his feat turn. And there is no gun that slams as good as the AFGs in Retribution. Also it is great at procing Road to War.
  • Ravyn is your only caster with Snipe. Now, standing still suddenly does not sound so terrible, since you can deliver 2 RNG 20 shots into your opponents lines in whatever combination you want, hotswapping turn to turn allowing her to run two without much trouble. And obviously, feat increases the already solid changes of their shots hitting.

Drawbacks & Downsides

  • It's a special order model.
  • As every Battle Engine, it is not part of your battlegroup, so those spells won't affect them.
  • The second squishiest Battle Engine after the Transfinite Emergence Projector (1 HP difference so some might argue that distinction!). Though Carapace eases the ranged threat, weapon master enemies turn it to scrap metal in no-time (even without charging). And because the AFG's native ARM isn't especially high, a trampling heavy can destroy it with just purchased attacks with a only a bit of buffing.
  • Gunfighter is not as good as Dual Attack - you cannot charge in to get extra range for your shots, like the Storm Strider.
  • One of the slowest Battle Engine and you must stay in place to use Focused Power's range extender.
  • Anything that forbids shooting, nullifies its combat output.
  • As it is on a huge base, it is easily targeted, along with all the problems common to battle engines, more so because the AFG likes to (and generally needs to) stay still.
  • It has no way of ignoring Stealth (except via Issyria's feat) or defensive spells (except via Thyron's Spellpiercer, though Ret does have a few ways of stripping upkeeps).

Tricks & Tips

  • 2 rough terrain templates per turn can really mess with the enemy's charge lanes, if they lack Pathfinder. Sometimes it worth even to just blind-fire into the distance, and hope for a good scatter roll.
  • Unlike Colossals Battle Engines can be placed - which works both ways. Watch out for enemy casters with Telekinesis and the like.
  • Though it cannot be charged, it will not stop an enemy with multiple attacks to charge in a model beside the AFG, and after the charge attack, deliver its other attacks against the AFG. Place your units around accordingly.
  • Slamming a target back with Momentum (preferably near to some squishy support), then delivering a Blasted Earth upon its knocked-down head is a trick that never gets old.

Other

Trivia

  • released in Warmachine: Wrath (2010)
  • Weirdly, it was included in Kaelyssa's Force Wall tier list in Mk2. This was weird because it was the only House Vyre model in an entirely House Shyeel dominated list.

Other Retribution models

Retribution Logo.jpg       Retribution Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters

Elara2 - Falcir1 - Garryth1 - Garryth2 - Goreshade4 - Helynna1 - Issyria1 - Kaelyssa1 - Ossyan1 - Rahn1 - Ravyn1 - Thyron1 - Vyros1 - Vyros2

Warcaster attachments Fane Knight Guardian (Retribution) - Sylys Wyshnalyrr (Retribution) - Madelyn Corbeau (Mercenary)
Other Warjack Controllers Elara1 (BGC) - Sentinel Scyir ('Jack Marshal) - Artificer ('Jack Marshal)
Light Warjacks Aspis - Chimera - Gorgon - Griffon - Harpy - Siren
Moros
Heavy Warjacks

Aeternae - Banshee - Daemon - Discordia - Hemera - Hydra - Hypnos - Imperatus - Manticore - Phoenix - Sphinx

Colossal Hyperion - Helios
Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Units

Cyelna & Nyss Hunters - D Destors - D Invictors - D Sentinels - Heavy Rifle Team - H Halberdiers - H Riflemen - HE Swordsmen - HE Wardens - HS Arcanists - HS Battle Mages - HV Electromancers - MH Infiltrators - MH Strike Force - Ryssovass Defenders - Spears of Scyrah - Stormfall Archers
Special: Eiryss3 (CA) - Soulless Escort (WA)

Solos

Aelyth Vyr - Arcanist Mechanik - D Destor Thane - D Sentinel Scyir - Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios (1) - Eiryss, Angel of Retribution (2) - Eiryss, Fortune Hunter of Ios (4) - Elara, Tyro of the Third Chamber (1) - Fane Knight Guardian - Fane Knight Skeryth Issyen - Ghost Sniper - Hermit of Henge Hold - HE Warden Executioner - HS Artificer - HS Magister - Houseguard Thane - Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress Lys Healer - MH Assassin - Narn, Mage Hunter of Ios - Nayl - Priest of Nyssor - Scythe - Soulless Voidtracer

Battle Engines Arcantrik Force Generator - Dawnguard Trident
Theme Forces
Defenders of Ios - Forges of War - Legions of Dawn - Shadows of the Retribution
Mercenaries
Refer to Category: Retribution of Scyrah Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.04

Rules Clarifications

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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.")
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Rules Clarification : Attack Type and/or Arcane Savant     (Edit)

  • If you forget to declare your Attack Type before rolling the attack, and you and your opponent can't agree on a fair fix, then the Judge's Policy is that the first listed Attack Type is the one that will be used.
  • If your target can only be targeted by certain kinds of attack (ie a Menoth warjack with Passage), you can first choose the correct Attack Type (ie Magical Damage vs Passage) and then that allows you to target it. The Attack Type selection and target declaration both occur at Step 1 (Refer Appendix A). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Blasted Earth - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Destructor - None yet. (Edit)

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Rules Clarification : Momentum      (Edit)

  • Huge-based models with Momentum don't get the +2" slam distance that normally applies when huge-based models slam smaller ones. Because that bonus movement only applies to a Slam Power Attack and Momentum is an effect of the weapon, not a Power Attack.
  • Knockdown (Edit) - Remember, knockdown only prevents what it says it does. Refer to the Knockdown page for a recap of what a model can/can't do.
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Rules Clarification:  : Slam      (Edit)
(Click Expand to read)

 
  • General
    • If you slam someone via a Power Attack the distance they move depends on relative base sizes.
    If you slam someone via a weapon or spell, the distance they move will be as per that weapon's/spell's rules text. Sometimes it doesn't depend on base size.
    • Obstacles stop slams, but they don't stop throws.
    Obstructions stop both.
    • If three models are B2B and in a triangle formation, and you slam one toward the other two, it will contact both those two models simultaneously. (Infernal Ruling)
    • You can add model special rules (such as Gang) to the damage roll.
  • Power Attack Slam
    • You don't add any special rules on your model, unless it specifically refers to Power Attack Slam (such as Hard Head)
    • You can use an "any time" ability after resolving the slam movement but before the slam attack roll. (Infernal Ruling)
    • The range of a Power Attack Slam is irrespective of your weapon range:
      • A Power Attack Slam made by a colossal or gargantuan has a 2˝ melee range.
      • A Power Attack Slam made by any other model has a 0.5˝ melee range.
    • You can boost the damage roll.
  • Weapon Slam (ie Smite)
    • You use the weapon's full P+S, not the attacker's base STR.
    • You can add weapon special rules (such as Weapon Master) to the damage roll.
    • You can boost the damage roll (and if you charged, it is auto-boosted).
  • Dual Attack & Slam/Trample ( Edit )
Power Attack Slam and Trample combine your Normal Movement and Combat Action, and how this works with Dual Attack is:
  • Slam: You must resolve the movement, the attack, and moving the slammed model. Only then can you make initial ranged attacks.
  • Trample: You must resolve the movement, the attacks, and the free strikes. Only then can you make initial ranged attacks.
  • (Infernal Ruling)
  • Incorporeal vs Slammed/Thrown models ( Edit )
    • Incorporeal models cannot be moved by someone trying to slam them.
    • Slammed models can move through Incorporeal models.
      • If they have enough movement to get past them, no dramas.
      • If they land on them, you move the Incorporeal model out of the way as per the Rule of Least Disturbance.
      • If the Incorporeal model cannot be moved (i.e. it's a flag) then you move the slammed model out of the way, also by the rule of Least Disturbance.
      • For the purposes of Collateral Damage, only the model(s) you contacted before you applied the rule of Least Disturbance count as contacted.
    • The same logic applies to Throws.
  • Collateral Damage
    • Collateral damage cannot be boosted and is not considered damage from an attack or model. Refer page 33 of the 2021.08 version of the rules pdf. As a result:
      • It doesn't trigger stuff that relies on being hit by an enemy (such as Shock Field) or damaged by an enemy (such as Vengeance).
      • It doesn't get bonus damage from stuff that adds to a model's damage roll (such as Signs & Portents or Prey).
      • It doesn't matter if the attacker has crippled weapon systems or aspects.


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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)

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)

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Rules Clarification : Pathfinder      (Edit)

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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

  1. 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.
  2. 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)
  3. 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.
  4. 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:
    1. If the gun is RNG 7, Windstorm will reduce it to 2". Thus it won't affect any Gunfighter attacks.
    2. 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).
    3. 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)
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Rules Clarification : Polarity Field and/or Polarity Shield and/or Polarity Wall     (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Focused Power - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Carapace - None yet. (Edit)