Latest revision as of 19:45, 24 May 2023

Mad Dog Khador Heavy Warjack

Prime This model is available in one Prime Army, 5th Division. 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.

Soon after the first Berserkers proved their worth in battle, hacking into infantry with their twin axes, the Khadoran High Kommand borrowed its chassis to develop other equally brutal machines. With the Mad Dog trampling forward to crush enemies with bloodthirsty glee and the shield-bearing Rager standing firm as an imposing eight-ton bodyguard, these warjacks are far from obsolete on the modern battlefield.

Basic Info

Mad Dog
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Large SPD 4 STR 11 MAT 6 RAT N/A M.A. N/A DEF 11 ARM 18 CMD N/A ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 27 (★) F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA U UNIT SIZE N/A COST 8 N/A N/A (★) Has only 2 Cortex hitboxes Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Warjack - All warjacks share the same set of special rules. Most notably being big and stompy. Click here for a newbie-friendly recap, or click here for the full rules.

Abilities

• Construct
• Fleet - If this model has 2 or more focus before its Normal Movement, it gains +2" during that movement.
• Smasher - This model can make trample power attacks without spending focus and gains an additional die on trample attack rolls.
• Unstable - At the end of an activation in which this model spent more than 1 focus point, roll a d6. If the roll is equal to or less than the number of focus points spent, this model explodes and other models within 3" of it suffer an unboostable POW 14 blast damage roll. Remove this model from play.

Weapons

Hammer Spike (x2)
		RNG				POW				P+S				LOCATION
		1				3				14				1 Each Side

Theme Forces

• Khador
  • Armored Korps
  • Flame in the Darkness
  • Jaws of the Wolf. This model gains Pathfinder in this theme.
  • Legion of Steel
  • Warriors of the Old Faith
  • Winter Guard Kommand
  • Wolves of Winter

• Other Factions
  • Cygnar and Mercenary players can use this model in the Flame in the Darkness theme.
  • Infernal players can use this model in the Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Malakov2 is leading the army. This model gains Accumulator [Soulless] in this theme.
  • Protectorate players can use this model in the Warriors of the Old Faith theme.

Thoughts on the Mad Dog

Mad Dog in a Nutshell

It's a cheap trample machine. When it does trample it hits hard, and it is blisteringly fast for an unsupported Khador jack (so averagely fast compared to most other Factions). As with most trample-based models, though, you need the opponent to leave their stuff neatly laid out for you if you want a good turn with this model.

Its main gameplan is being allocated a focus, after powering up.spending ond of them for a single attack because it tramples for free, and killing a bunch of preferably high DEF, low POW small based infantry models hoping they die to an unboosted STR 11 damage roll.

The Unstable rule sounds very cool and flavourful but in reality is completely debilitating on the table, resulting in it (and the other Unstable 'jacks) being relegated to high risk cheap heavy warjacks.

Combos & Synergies

The Mad Dog has only trampling on its mind and works well with anything that helps it get into trampling range as soon as possible. Beyond maybe a single point of focus it doesn't need any support and is best used as a missile intended to cause havoc and explode behind enemy lines.

    Warcasters    

• Butcher2: If he's able to take the lead to trigger his Conferred Rage, archaic warjacks under Orsus' "supervision" become dangerously quick and accurate--further pushed by his classic Boundless Charge spell to help them over rough terrain--and they're great vessels for rage tokens from his feat.
• Karchev the Terrible: The Man in the Machine loves a volume of archaic warjacks to multiply the effects of his feat, Battle-Charged, Jumpstart and Road to War to create a roiling engine of destruction. Mad Dogs don't need help to hit as long as they're trampling, and are great as Karchev's crowd control division.
• Karchev & Deathjack, Malignant Fusion: Karchev's second incarnation might be the best caster for running a Mad Dog. With plenty of Focus to allocate, Full Throttle to help with its mediocre MAT, and a feat that not only greatly increases its charge/trample range, but introduces the possibility of spending 4 Focus/turn (increasing its chance to explode when you want it to 66%), he combines many of the best synergies of many of the other casters on this list. The only downside is the lack of a damage buff means that he'll only ever be good against light infantry.
• Sorscha1's feat will enable you to trample the Mad Dog through a crowd of models you'll automatically hit.
• Vladimir1: Both thematic and extremely synergistic, Mad Dogs thrive under the combined effects of Boundless Charge, the signature Signs and Portents and his devastating Forced March feat. Mad Dogs especially appreciate the movement bonuses so they can trample even further into enemy lines.
• Zerkova2: While relying on focus allocation through Sacrificial Lamb to push archaic 'jacks, she can run a large battlegroup for the cost of something like a couple Mechaniks per activation. They don't roll for Unstable unless they actually spent the focus allocated to them so there's no risk of blowing up your horde before you're good and ready. Beyond that, her armies tend to Freeze models regularly, and stationary models make for great targets. And they're completely respectable Telgesh Mark-created Arc Nodes to boot! Do be wary that her Doom Reaver lists tend to have plenty of anti-infantry capabilities already so a Mad Dog might end up redundant.

    Junior Warcasters    

Archaic warjacks are great picks for Battlegroup Controllers because the controllers themselves can be quite vulnerable and losing a big stack of points to an inert warjack is a good way to lose a match. Archaic warjacks are dirt-cheap, mitigating the risk of losing a battle when a controller goes down.

• Malakov1: His signature Redline spell is excellent on these expendable warjacks and he has enough focus to load one up and send it in for a glorious assault.
• Sorscha0: Fog of War offers protection against ranged attacks and Boundless Charge is excellent on the sluggish archaic warjacks. She has just enough focus to load one up up for a frenzy and will continue to help her Winter Guard comrades even after it has done its job and either retired for the day, or exploded into a ball of white fire.

    Other    

• Greylord Forge Seer: Unfortunately, since marshaled jacks don't power up, a single Forge Seer controlling a Mad Dog won't be able to Empower it enough to activate Fleet. However, if the Mad Dog is controlled by a warcaster (or other battlefield controller), a Forge Seer can bring it up to speed (literally) without any tax on that caster's resources.

• Battle Mechaniks: While typically hard to reach, the Mad Dog can be Repaired, although archaic warjacks probably aren't worth the effort most of the time.

• Colbie Sterling/Gobber Tinker/Raluk Moorclaw: These three are Mechanikally Adept, meaning they can Repair Khador models, although archaic warjacks probably aren't worth the effort most of the time.

Drawbacks & Downsides

Trample downsides

• You need a landing spot at the end of your trample, which means you can only trample stuff within 7" of your start position.
  • Enemy don't normally end their turn that close , lined up in a conga line.
• It's only 'real' value lies in its trample attacks, so if there is nothing to trample or the trample targets can shrug off its stampede, it is of little use in your army.
• Unlike the flying tramplers in Cryx and Circle, it can't trample medium based models.

Other downsides

• Typical low SPD low DEF for Khadoran warjacks.
• Low ARM and hitpoints (for Khador) and no defensive abilities, means it dies or loses an arm or leg pretty easily before it can reach its preferred targets.

• Unstable: It never works when you want it to, and it always works when you don't want it to.
  • You can't rely on it to block charge lanes, threaten free strikes, etc. You always have to plan your other models' positions around the assumption that Unstable removes this model.

• Fleet and Unstable make for a very confused kit. Fleet wants you to allocate 1 focus for a total of 2, but Unstable wants you to only spend 1.

• When not trampling 2 initials at MAT 6, P+S 14 is not all that threatening.
• When it is trampling, it is only MAT 6 + 3d6, STR 11. Still not that threatening.

Tricks & Tips

• Between Power Up and Smasher, it probably never has to test for Unstable...unless you want it to.
• Never forget that Unstable can work to your advantage. There are a lot of things that don't like taking an auto-hitting POW 14 to the face. And remember, that ear-splitting KABOOM isn't a 3" AOE; it's everything within 3" of the model. A severely damaged Mad Dog is an amazing fire-and-forget missile you launch into enemy lines to wreck shop, and then spend focus to (hopefully) intentionally blow it up, causing more damage.
  • For this maneuver to work, the Mad Dog needs both it Cortex and Movement systems to be functional.

Other

Trivia

This entry can be found in Warmachine: Reckoning (2015)

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

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Warjack      (Edit) The Cortex/Induction core rule means a warjack cannot have more than 3 focus at any time (maybe 4 if they're really special). Many abilities give out focus and don't state an upper limit (such as Convection and Empower). Despite not stating an upper limit, they are always "hard-limited" by the core rule. A warjack can have more than 3 focus during a turn, though. For instance, a knocked down warjack can Power Up and be Allocated 2 focus, then spend 1 to shake knockdown, then another model could Empower it back up to 3. Warjacks cannot spend focus outside of their activation. For instance, they can't boost free strikes or trigger Powerful Attack on Broadsides. (Infernal Ruling) Inert warjacks 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 : Construct - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Fleet      (Edit) If you have 2 focus, then spend 1 to run/charge/etc, then you do get the +2" movement.

Rules Clarification : Smasher      (Edit) Smasher is a "gain", so you can still boost it if you want.

Rules Clarification : Unstable      (Edit) You have to resolve Unstable even if some other triggered ability causes a "activation ends immediately" situation. (Infernal Ruling) You can spend a focus even if you have a buff that says "Warjack can do [X] without spending focus" (such as Full Throttle or Boundless Charge). The "can" is optional. (Locked Thread) 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.