Revision as of 09:55, 18 July 2022

Koldun Kommander Aleksandra Zerkova Khador Thamarite Greylord Warcaster

Few people in the Khadoran Empire have more drive than Aleksandra. Most of her peers see her intensity and zeal for the occult as unsettling. She employs soldiers and warjacks with equal dispassion, and most who come to know her deem her heartless and cruel. Certainly, she has the will and the courage to walk into the darkness without flinching, a talent that may prove vital to Khador's triumph in the months and years ahead.

Basic Info

Zerkova1
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Small SPD 6 STR 5 MAT 6 RAT 5 M.A. N/A DEF 15 ARM 15 CMD 9 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS 7 FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 16 F. Field N/A WJP +28 WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA N/A UNIT SIZE N/A COST N/A N/A N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Warcaster - All warcasters come with a stack of standard special rules - most notably being awesome. Click here for a newbie-friendly recap, or click here for the full rules.

Feat: Howling Wind

1. While in Zerkova's control range, enemy models cannot make ranged attacks.
2. Enemy models beginning their activations in Zerkova's control range cannot run, charge, make power attacks or special attacks, give or receive orders, or make special actions.

Howling Wind lasts for one round.

Abilities

• Immunity: Cold
• Pathfinder
• Arcane Artifacts - When this model casts a spell, you can choose to use one of the following special rules. Each special rule can be used only once per activation and expires after the spell is cast.
  • Focus Sphere - Reduce the COST of the spell by 1.
  • Lens of Tarvodh - The spell gains +5 RNG.
  • True Sight - This model ignores cloud effects when determining LOS. This model also ignores Stealth.
• Sacred Ward - This model cannot be targeted by enemy spells.

Weapons

Rod of Whispers
		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		12			1			-			13
Damage Type: Magical Grave Door - A model disabled by this weapon cannot make a Tough roll. When a living or undead enemy model is boxed by this attack, you can choose to take control of it. If you do, remove 1 damage point from it, causing it to no longer be boxed. You can then immediately change its facing. For the rest of the turn, this model can channel spells through the affected model while it is in this model's control range. This model can channel spells even while engaged. The affected model cannot activate. At the end of the turn, the affected model is destroyed.
Quietus
		RNG				POW				P+S
		0.5				6				11
Damage Type: Magical

Spells

Theme Forces

• Armored Korps
• Flame in the Darkness. Zerkova gains access to Mercenary and Cygnar warjacks in this theme.
• Jaws of the Wolf
• Legion of Steel
• Warriors of the Old Faith
• Winter Guard Kommand. In this theme the caster gains Sacrificial Pawn [Winter Guard trooper model].
• Wolves of Winter

Recent Changes

2021.10 Mega Update

• +2 RNG on her Rod
• Grave Door'd models can now channel even when they're engaged.

Thoughts on Zerkova1

Classic Sculpt

Zerkova1 in a nutshell

Zerkova is an odd caster who boasts an excellent feat and clouds to ensure your army can make it across the table but does basically nothing to assist them once they arrive. She, therefore, enjoys units that leverage her denial game or that pack a punch on their own but struggle with delivering it. New additions to the game have allowed Zerkova easier access to channeling and greater spell power, allowing her to add some offensive support with her sprays while maintaining a safe distance.

Spell thoughts

Her Arcane Artifacts offer her some additional flexibility with her spells:

• Focus Sphere: your most important option and requires little forethought; there’s basically no reason not to use it on the first spell you cast each turn. Note that it does not reduce ongoing upkeep costs.
• Lens of Tarvodh: +5 RANGE on paper looks cool, but practically it is limited to Hex Blast and Ghost Walk. A long-range Ghost Walk can be useful in wider scenarios, and Sniping out key solos with a long-range hex blast can help Zerkova’s army capture flags. Unlike similar abilities, this one works even with channeled spells if you brought an arc node in the Flame in the Darkness theme (which you definitely should).
• True Sight: You'll only ever use it on Hex Blast, or if you need to choose your target behind cloud cover(sometimes your own). It’s very obvious when you need this and otherwise, it can be ignored.

Spells:

• Freezing Mist: Your cloud wall spell, with a 12” cloud being possible if you dump everything into it. The -2 can also be positioned to debuff shooty models (either canceling their aiming bonus or forcing them to move) or boost the DEF of your force after they have already made their attacks.
• Frost Hammer: Works well with Focus Sphere; for the basic cost you can fish for critical hits with a boosted attack roll on a crucial model. In FitD (or off an extremely lucky Rod of Whispers) you can send up to 4 of them through an arc node each turn.
• Ghost Walk: Her only direct support spell. Essentially super-Pathfinder, it’s another tool to help deliver with the added functionality of allowing your troops to walk into unexpected places. Try to play around terrain rather than rely too heavily on this as you lose a cloud for every Ghostwalk.
• Hex Blast: Zapl with decent POW. The upkeep/animi removal is the main reason to cast it, with solo or UA sniping another potential use. In very desperate situations you can use it on your own models to remove a particularly nasty enemy upkeep from them (like Parasite).
• Watcher: A life-insurance spell. Your jack can make attacks only against the model that moved. It does not say directly toward, so you can try to move around any screening models the opponent throws at you so long as you end up closer. Against fast, alpha striking lists you'll want to pop it early, and never let it drop.

Feat thoughts

Zerkova's biggest selling point is her feat. It offers one turn where the enemy is limited to walk-and-strike close combat attacks, making their threat range highly predictable. It is also quite effective against Gunfighter and dual attack models, who either have no other means to attack or perform much worse with their Melee options... Works well with Watcher, as the enemy will have fewer ways to lock down your Jack and Zerkova will usually be quite forward to maximize denial.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Her feat can be bypassed by long-range (>14") shooting, or by models who can advance up to 14" without actually charging (Stryker2, for example). The limitations for charging/orders/power attacks are also invalidated if the enemy activates outside her CTRL area.
• Very limited combat performance without investment both of Focus and putting arc nodes in your list (if you can), and not extraordinary defensive stats. Also, spell-immunity tricks will make her sad.
• She offers very little direct support for her battlegroup, and for her army.
• 2 out of the 3 Arcane Artefacts' abilities are very situational.
• Grave Door only works on enemy models, so you cannot shoot your Mechanic in the back to get an arc node. It is completely useless against a Convergence army.

Tricks & Tips

• Keep her Cold Immunity in mind, it can save her in match-ups against casters with stationary effects tied to cold.
• Playing Zerkova in the Winter Guard Kommand theme makes her a pain to assassinate. Spells are negated by Sacred Ward, shooting can be mitigated by sacrificing Winter Guard troopers and attempts at melee have to deal with Watcher first.
• Spell Ward does not make you immune to spells. Bouncing lightnings or overlapping AOEs from nearby models still pose a threat to you.

List Building Advice

Strategy

Zerkova is a fairly odd caster in the faction (and in the entire game). She lacks dedicated unit support, offers almost nothing to her battlegroup, and isn’t a one-woman powerhouse either. Her shtick is highly focused on delivery and denial.

When writing a list, it’s best to ignore everything about Zerkova (except maybe ghost walk) and make the assumption that most of your army will be able to reach the enemy. This will help make a list that supports itself for speed and damage, and Zerkova will then step in to make sure it’s applied.

Freezing Mist with Focus Sphere allows her to spend her entire stack to place 12" of Cloud Wall. With a Greylord Adjunct, she can do this while upkeeping Watcher. This LoS blocking synergizes nicely with her feat and allows her to deliver an army if the enemy doesn't ignore clouds. Even if they do, the clouds can be used instead to debuff the enemies' chance to hit.

She has some assassination potential against squishy casters with Cygnar Arc nodes in FitD or occasionally the Rod of Whispers. Firing off enough Front Hammers to do the job will most likely eat up all your Focus pool, but odds are you will still be far enough from retaliation.

Theme thoughts

    Flames in the Darkness    

This is THE theme for Zerkova, as it offers her everything she ever wanted, while Zerkova helps with every weakness the theme itself has. They go extremely well together. Zerkova has no damage fixes and desperately wants an Arc Node, Flames offers both in spades. Flame units struggle with delivery, while Zerkova is a delivery expert with her feat and clouds. Among all the clouds and the rampart Shield Guard and Vengeance, it might also be able to function as an anti gunline list, which is quite valuable in today's meta. This will require any patriot kommander to invest in unreliable mercenaries and (gasp) even swan technology, but to protect the motherland from infernal invaders one has to grit their teeth.

• Hurricane - So you want an Arc Node? How about the biggest and beefiest you can find in all of the Iron Kingdoms? It makes for an excellent Watcher target as well, as anything that violates the precious personal space will be hit by its fully boosted slam gun. Colossals also really, really don't want to be charged so they can get an extra round of shooting to make their points back, the feat helps with this.
• Gallant and a Lancer - If you don't want to go for the big guy above, these two are the next best option. The Lancer is your shiny new arc node, Gallant is just a quality, focus efficient, beatstick heavy for Watcher.
• Talon - It can be a very nice Watcher at a bargain price thanks to its shock spear, being able to stop any warjack dead in its tracks.
• Precursor Knights with all the UAs - Your bread and butter unit for this theme. Among Shield Wall, Tough from Gabriel Throne, Rise from the WA, Vengeance from the Theme, and Zerkova's kit, you should have no problem delivering them, upon which they hit like trucks under damage buffs and minifeat.
• Order of Illumination Vigilants and Glyn Cormier, Illuminated One - They bring a good shooting contingent to the list. Thanks to True Sight they can shoot through the clouds Zerkova can put in front of them, so maybe they won't die after they have shot something.
• Alexia, The Undying and the Legion of Lost Souls - They bring a strong recursion engine to the list, and Alexia can buff their damage, as well as generate even more weapon master shield guards.
• Ragman, The Hermit and Grand Master Gabriel Throne- Damage buffs that Zerkova lacks can be brought by these guys instead, resulting in a caster independent +6 damage if all are applied at the same time! Gabriel can hand out Pathfinder to save Zerkova having to cast Ghost Walk, and the Hermit brings Telementry, which allows Zerkova’s spells to beat some Def skews without boosting.
• Morrowan Archon - Veteran Leader for your troops provides an accuracy buff that Zerkova lacks. Flight and Ghostly lets it go pretty much anywhere it pleases to wreck face as well.
• Thamarite Archon - He makes Zerkova frighteningly accurate and brings a great gun that can bypass your cloud wall.

    Armored Corps    

This is another great tpheme to take her because Man-o-Wars hit like light warjacks, without needing focus from Zerkova so she can keep casting her spells. She also augments their durability with her cloudwall and/or feat, as even the softer ARM 16 Man-o-War can be hard to crack if your enemy is unable to charge them.

All of this is good, because all Zerkova really brings for the Man-o-War themselves is Ghost Walk. Ghost Walk is very good for the Man-o-War, though, since their only other access to Pathfinder is via Kommander Atanas Arcanovich's Relentless Charge battle plan, and neither Shocktroopers nor Bombardiers want to be charging all game.

The Siege Chariot brings a big gun (the biggest), and a pair of spare clouds. And even though your opponent can still see it through the clouds, they won't be able to charge it if you drop some medium bases between the chariot and the clouds. Atanas can help with this, as his Tactician applies to all Man-o-War.

Demo Corps in particular synergize with Zerkova. The character UA gives them Defensive Line, which couples with the -2 to attack rolls from Freezing Mist to make them effectively DEF 14, which is pretty admirable. With Sylys and a boost, your chances to crit on Frost Hammer aren't terrible, and that activates Shatter for the hammers. Weaponmaster P+S 16 solves Zerkova's damage problem. And with Ghost Walk, you don't need to worry about Free Strikes stopping you from charging.

    Wolves of Winter    

She can run a pretty decent Wolves of Winter force because she can protect the squishy Greylords and Doom Reavers. The Greylords can also extend the cloudwall by up to another (unnecessary) 33", though their clouds lack the staying power and utility of Zerkova's, as they must be centered on a model and disappear once the model is removed. Still, it can be fun to drop a cloudwall across the entire table.

The Koldun Lord is the stand out for her her as not only does it offer the damage fix she needs but his Leadership ability grants her and the Greylord's Prowl which adds even more anti shooting if it is needed.

Doom Reavers can't be targeted by spells, but Zerkova doesn't really want to cast any spells on her army anyways. Freezing Mist brings additional utility to the theme because the infantry is all DEF 13. And while DEF 13 isn't great, it's significantly improved by your enemy having -2 to all their attack rolls.

    Legion of Steel    

She can also run a pretty decent Legion of Steel force because she can keep the Iron Fangs safe from shooting while they get up the table. They might even be able to run for an extra turn, safe behind the clouds Zerkova pops out. With CMA and Ragman they hit decently hard, and Zerkova can bring the spells to make up for the theme's inability to get magic weapons. She also has the focus to fuel a couple of gun jacks, making up for the theme's complete lack of ranged attacks.

    Jaws of the Wolf and Winter Guard Kommand    

These two are rather weaker for Zerkova in terms of synergies.

Jaws of the Wolf brings independent infantry, but they don't hit particularly hard. The jacks that the theme is centered around demand Zerkova's focus to perform, keeping her great spells off the table, and they don't need the protection of her feat as strongly as infantry. The infantry in the theme doesn't really need caster buffs to work but they don't hit that hard by themselves. That said, there's probably a list that could be made by offloading the jacks onto Forge Seers, Malakov1, and/or Sorscha0.

Winter Guard Kommand brings cheap, cheap bodies and some good guns (CRAs and Rocketeers) and Zerkova can be very hard to kill in this theme between Sacrificial Pawn and Sacred Ward. But there is rarely any way for her to protect the numerous Winter Guard, and she neither helps them hit nor helps them damage. She also doesn't run jacks very well. This theme might be worth trying, again using Malakov1 and Sorscha0 to run fast heavies into your opponent while Zerkova protects the juniors and the Rocketeers against the enemy guns.

Battlegroup

As mentioned, it is kind of hard to offer an army to her. Power Up, and a good amount of FOCUS seemingly allows you to run an extensive battelgroup, but the lack of support limits her to self-sufficient jacks.

• Juggernaut is a plain and simple wrecking machine. Remember that Watcher boosts the attack roll, making it likely to freeze an assassination attempt in its tracks, even if the attacker survives the boosted damage.
• Rager - a shield guard is always nice if the enemy tries to kill you from afar during your feat.
• Behemoth - all casters from the motherland love Big B, and enemies in her feat zone will rarely be able to run away from its templates.
• Conquest - its Creeping Barrage under your feat can be a powerful area denial tool for softer targets.
• Decimator - It's a focus hog, but advocates help with that and the gun at POW 15 doesnt mind zerkova's lack of damage buffs.

Starting a 25 point Brawl list

In 2020.10 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 its playstyle and expanded it beyond 25 points, which you can read here.

Theme - Flame in the Darkness

Zerkova1 [+28 WJP]

• Gallant [17 pts]
• Kodiak [12 pts]

Alexia3 [Free] (5 pts)

Thamarite Advocate [3 pts]

Ragman [3 pts]

Legion of Lost Souls (Max unit) [18 pts]

For more Brawlmachine list ideas, see Category: Brawl List

Other

Trivia

• Released in Warmachine: Legends (2008)

Other Khador models

Khador Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters	Butcher1 - Butcher2 - Butcher3 - Harkevich - Irusk1 - Irusk2 - Karchev1 - Karchev2 - Kozlov - Malakov2 - Old Witch1 - Old Witch2 - Sorscha1 - Sorscha2 - Sorscha3 - Strakhov1 - Strakhov2 - Vlad1 - Vlad2 - Vlad3 - Zerkova1 - Zerkova2
Warcaster attachments	Khador: War Dog - Greylord Adjunct Mercenary: Madelyn Corbeau - Reinholdt - Wyshnalyrr
Other Warjack Controllers	"Junior" Warcasters: Malakov1 - Sorscha0 'Jack Marshals: Man-o-War Kovnik - Greylord Forge Seer
Heavy Warjacks	Beast-09 - Behemoth - Berserker - Black Ivan - Decimator - Demolisher - Destroyer - Devastator - Drago - Grolar - Juggernaut - Kodiak - Mad Dog - Marauder - Rager - Ruin - Spriggan - Torch
Colossal	Conquest - Victor
Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Units	Assault Kommandos - Battle Mechaniks - Black Dragons - Doom Reaver Swordsmen - Great Bears of the Gallowswood - Greylord Outriders - Greylord Ternion - Iron Fang Pikemen - Iron Fang Uhlans - Kayazy Assassins - Kayazy Eliminators - Kossite Woodsmen - MOW Atanas & Standard - MOW Bombardiers - MOW Demolition Corps - MOW Shocktroopers - Widowmaker Scouts - WG Field Gun - WG Infantry - WG Mortar Crew - WG Rifle Corps Ranking Officer CA : Koldun Kapitan Valachev
Solos	Bulkhead - Fenris - Greylord Adjunct - Greylord Forge Seer - Iron Fang Kovnik - Jozef - Koldun Lord - Malakov1 - Manhunter - MOW Drakhun - MOW Kovnik - MOW Strike Tanker - MOW Suppresion Tanker - Markov - Sofya - Sorscha0 - Ol' Grim - Underboss Vizkoya - War Dog - Widowmaker Marksman - WG Artillery Kapitan - Yuri1 - Yuri2
Battle Engines	Gun Carriage - Man-o-War Siege Chariot - Man-o-War Assault Chariot
Theme Forces
Armored Korps - Flame in the Darkness - Jaws of the Wolf - Legions of Steel - Warriors of the Old Faith - Winter Guard Kommand - Wolves of Winter
Mercenaries
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Khador Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Video Battle Reports

• 2018.09 Arcane Assist 75 points vs Locke
• 2018.09 Not Snakes Gaming 75 points vs Hexeris2
• See also Category: Video Battle Reports for more casters with videos.

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Feat : Howling Wind If a model has a special ability that reads "Instead of making a ranged attack, do [X]" (such as the Stormwall's Sustained Fire) then they can't do that, either. (Infernal Ruling)

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 : Grave Door      (Edit) You can't use Grave Door to channel through friendly models. (Infernal Ruling) You don't get to activate the model you take control of. (Infernal Ruling) See also the Channeler rules clarifications. End of Turn Abilities (Edit) Scenario scoring is resolved after stuff that happens "at the end of the turn" (such as Gates of Death, Hoof It, Last Stand, etc). (Judge Ruling) Taking Control of an Enemy Model (Edit)   [Show/Hide] General Several abilities start with the sentence "Take control of a model" then a full stop, then a bunch of stuff you can do with that model. You can't uncouple the first sentence from the rest of the "do stuff" sentence(s), in other words if you want to "do stuff" then you have to "Take control". (Infernal Ruling) Taking control of a model means it is now friendly to you, and will immediately be engaged by it's erstwhile allies. This will limit your ability to make ranged attacks. If you get to make an advance with the controlled model, this can allow the original owner to take free strikes against his own model. He doesn't have to take these, of course. The controlled model does not have a proper Activation, so stuff like Chain Strike won't apply. You can use abilities on the controlled model, as long as they're not restricted to "during its activation" or "during its Combat Action". For example, you can use Mental Force. (Infernal Ruling) Buffs and effects: The controlled model counts as a "friendly model" and will benefit from any "while within" (aura) buffs that your own models are handing out (such as Mark Target), (assuming the controlled model meets the criteria for the buff). If the controlled model has already been hit by a "currently within" (pulse) debuff, then it will keep that debuff while under your control. Even if that pulse only affected enemy models (such as Deneghra1's feat) - temporarily changing who is friendly/enemy doesn't change who was/wasn't affected by the pulse. If your opponent is the same faction, then the controlled model will count as a "friendly faction model" and even more buffs are potentially available (such as Veteran Leader). Theme abilities: If a model gains an ability via a Theme Force rule, and then the opponent takes it over, it keeps the theme ability. (Infernal Ruling) Movement You can advance a model into an area and force them to take damage (like an acid cloud, or a Razor Wall template), but they only take damage once per advance (ref Prime rulebook pg 65). Thus you cannot keep moving them micro-millimetres in and out of said area to inflict infinite damage. The model is friendly while under your control, so you can't force free strikes by walking it past your own models. You can, however, walk it past your opponent's models and politely ask if they want to take free strikes against their own model. Attacks Many "Take Control" abilities allow a basic melee attack. Some allow a basic attack. Gunfighters cannot make a ranged attack unless they're allowed the later. Point Blank attacks cannot be made with temporarily controlled models, as Point Blank is only allowed 'during activation.' With reference to the attack sequence (appendix A) your control of the model doesn't expire until after Step 14. So you can potentially trigger abilities like Snacking (Step 11.4). As long as it's not limited to "during combat action" or "during activation". Destroying the Controlled model If the model is destroyed or RFP'd while under your control (for instance you walked it into a hazard), this has two consequences: It is considered to be under your control at the moment it is taken off the table: Your opponent can't reave fury off a warbeast destroyed this way, because it is an enemy warbeast when it is taken off the table. Your opponent can't trigger stuff that depends on a "Friendly model" being destroyed (such as Righteous Vengeance). You can't trigger stuff that depends on an "Enemy model" being destroyed (such as Cull Soul). It returns to the original owner once it's off the table: Your opponent can use Spirit Bond to get fury from the dead warbeast. Your opponent can use Return To Play abilities to get it back on the table (assuming it wasn't RFP'd). Taking control of an enemy Trooper (member of a unit) A trooper you take control of becomes an independent model. Thus: It will not benefit from any bonuses that it gets from its comrades (such as Gang, Shield Wall, etc). It will not benefit from any bonuses that rely on the trooper being "in formation" (such as Granted and Tactics abilities). Spells on a unit are considered to be on the "unit", not on the "models that make up the unit". So a controlled trooper will not benefit from any spells on the unit. If you take control of the last survivor of a unit then the "unit" ceases to exist for the duration of the control. This means that any spells on the "unit" will expire. Woo, free dispel! (Infernal Ruling)

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

General Damage from a feat is neither an attack nor Damage Type: Magical (unless the feat says it is). FOCUS (uppercase) is the stat printed on the warcaster's card. Focus (lowercase) refers to focus points a model currently has. Your CTRL area is double your FOCUS stat, not double your focus points. (Infernal Ruling) Casting spells or using feats is an anytime ability with the added restriction that you can't use them on the same turn you run even before you run. See also the clarifications on Any Time abilities (below). Some warcasters are also Battle Engines and thus follow all the Battle Engine special rules. There is no particular interaction between the Battle Engine rules and the Warcaster rules. Work out all damage modifiers (such as Decapitation doubling the damage that exceeds ARM) before reducing it with the Power Field. (Infernal Ruling) 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) Warcaster/Warlock Cavalry ( Edit ) Warcasters/Warlocks can't cast spells or use their feat while resolving Impact Attacks. Because Impact Attacks occur during movement - you can use spells or feat before moving, or after moving, but not during movement. Exception: If your Impact target(s) include your charge target, then your movement has ended (refer rulebook, last paragraph of 'Impact Attacks') and thus you're fine to use "any time" abilities before starting the Impact attacks. Rules Clarification:  : Warcaster Unit or Warlock Unit     (Edit) (Click Expand to read) This summary is specific to Warcaster/Warlock units. You may also want to check the Warcaster and Warlock pages respectively, for the "regular" rules clarifications. All models in the unit count as part of the battlegroup. So, for instance, Butcher3's argus can be moved via his Energizer spell. Warcaster units can have attachments. They can even attach units (such as the WSC). (Infernal Ruling) The non-caster models are trooper models but are not normally Grunt models. Therefore they're not normally eligible for stuff like Revive. If any member of the unit start to do their reposition movement, the warcaster or warlock in the unit would no longer be able to feat.(Infernal Ruling) Press Forward Order vs Spells cast at Any Time (Edit) You must issue orders before anything else. If you issue a Press Forward order, you must run or charge. If you cast spells before moving, you can't run so you must charge. If you cast spells before moving, then start the spellcaster's Normal Movement but have no valid charge targets, you are in a situation where you must charge but cannot charge. In this situation the spellcaster must either: forfeit their Combat Action, use their Normal Movement to make a full advance, then their activation ends. (Note that you cannot cast more spells after the full advance). forfeit their Normal Movement, then their activation ends. (Infernal Ruling) Steamroller 2018 The non-caster models can contest scenario zones & flags. The caster model cannot contest. The caster model can control zones and flags by itself, but: to control a zone, the entire unit remaining in play needs to be in formation. to control a flag, the entire unit remaining in play must be within 4" of the flag. Units Buying Attacks (Edit) If you make attacks with model [A], then start making attacks with model [B], you cannot 'go back' and buy more attacks with [A]. Because: A model can only buy additional attacks during its Combat Action. A model in a unit must complete its Combat Action before the next model starts theirs (with some exceptions, like CMA). Rules Clarification : Unit of Warcasters or Warlocks     (Edit) Even though they're warcasters, if they're out of formation they suffer the normal penalties (can't make attacks, actions, spells, etc). They can't upkeep each other's spells. They can only dominate one SteamRoller scenario element at a time. Each warlock/warcaster can have different upkeeps on them if those upkeeps are "target SELF" or "target model". If you cast an upkeep that is "target model/unit", that is the only upkeep any of them can have. Units Buying Attacks (Edit) If you make attacks with model [A], then start making attacks with model [B], you cannot 'go back' and buy more attacks with [A]. Because: A model can only buy additional attacks during its Combat Action. A model in a unit must complete its Combat Action before the next model starts theirs (with some exceptions, like CMA). The Legion Twins Rhyas cannot dominate a zone while out of formation. Rhyas can use the feat while out of formation. Haley3 Only Haley Prime is an 'actual' warcaster model, and as such she is the only one that can dominate a scenario element. The echoes can Control/Contest scenarios like a normal unit. Haley Prime can dominate an element even if the echoes are out of formation.

Rules Clarification : Cold - None yet. (Edit)

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

Rules Clarification : Arcane Artifacts - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Focus Sphere - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Lens of Tarvodh      (Edit) The Lens does not give extra range to spells with a RNG of SELF, SPRAY, or CTRL.

Rules Clarification : True Sight      (Edit) You only ignore clouds for LOS. Models can still get the concealment bonus, trigger Prowl, etc from clouds. (Infernal Ruling) 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 True Sight and one does not. There are examples on the Category:Channeler page.

Rules Clarification : Sacred Ward and/or Spell Ward     (Edit) Sacred/Spell Warded models can still be affected by spells. For instance, CTRL area spells, AOE that deviate, and/or sprays that target a nearby non-warded model.

Rules Clarification : Freezing Mist      (Edit) The penalty applies to both friendlies and enemies.

Rules Clarification : Frost Hammer      (Edit) Remember, stationary only prevents what it says it does. Refer the recap on stationary for what models can/can't do. Abilities that say they cannot be used if the model is stationary (such as Shield Guard) cannot be used while a warjack is inert, either. Refer "Warcaster Destruction", page 59 of the core rulebook.

Rules Clarification : Ghost Walk      (Edit) Rules Clarification : Ghostly      (Edit) Ghostly doesn't let you move through other models, just terrain. Ghostly doesn't let you ignore damage from hazardous terrain. (Infernal Ruling) Ghostly ignores Windswept terrain penalties. A model with both Flight and Ghostly will move through Windswept terrain at full speed. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Hex Blast      (Edit) If you miss and deviate onto a different target, no upkeeps or animi expire. You need a direct hit. 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 : Watcher and/or Guardian Beast and/or Dark Sentinel     (Edit) A Colossal/Gargantuan cannot benefit from the movement, but they do get to make an attack. One is not conditional on the other. (Locked thread) If you choose not to use it the first time it is triggered, you can save it for when it next gets triggered. It's not a "use it or lose it" ability. Dark Sentinel only Since Dark Sentinel specifies "Normal Movement" it won't trigger off bonus movement like Overtake, Reposition, and Energizer.