Revision as of 18:47, 17 September 2018

Maelok the Dreadbound
Minion Gatorman Warlock

The gatorman warlock known as Maelok the Dreadbound exists in a torturous state of undeath as an animated corpse bound to the will of another. Despite his decaying physical form, Maelok is still a mighty bokor who can return slain allies to life, steal the souls of the living, or connect to the spirit world to transform his army temporarily into ghostly horrors unimpeded by flesh, stone, or steel.

Basic Info

Maelok1
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Medium SPD 5 STR {{{str}}} MAT 6 RAT N/A M.A. N/A DEF 14 ARM 17 CMD N/A ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY 7 THRS N/A HP 17 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP +28 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

Abilities

• Minion - In a +2 warlock game, he can work as a Circle, Legion, Skorne, or Trollbloods
• Warlock - All warlocks 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.
• Gatorman Warlock - This model can only have Minion Gatorman warbeasts in its battlegroup.
• Amphibious
• Undead
• Field Marshal [Undead] - Warbeasts/warjacks in this model's battlegroup gain Undead.
• Soul Taker: Cull Soul - This model can gain soul tokens. When a living enemy model is destroyed within 2" of this model, this model gains the destroyed model's soul token. After this model {{{1}}} during your next Control Phase, replace each soul token with 1 {{{2}}} point.

Weapons

• Bite - 0.5" reach, P+S 12 melee weapon. He probably shouldn't be in melee, though.
  • Damage Type: Magical
  • Spirit Eater - This model can reave fury from enemy warbeasts destroyed by this weapon. Other models cannot reave fury points from enemy warbeasts destroyed by this weapon.
• Claw (x2) - 0.5" reach, P+S 12 melee weapons.
  • Damage Type: Magical

Spells

• |-

|colspan=7 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;"| |colspan=1 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;" rowspan=1| Death Pact ! style="border-top: 1px solid #A8A8A8;"| 3

! SELF

! Control

! -

! Round

! -

|style="border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |colspan=8 style="text-align:left; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"|While in the spellcaster's control range, friendly Faction warrior models gain +2 ARM and Undead. Models are not affected while out of formation. Death Pact lasts for one round.

• |-

|colspan=7 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;"| |colspan=1 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;" rowspan=1| Mortality ! style="border-top: 1px solid #A8A8A8;"| 3

! 10

! -

! -

! Round

! Yes

|style="border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |colspan=8 style="text-align:left; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"|Target model/unit suffers -2 DEF and ARM, loses Tough, and cannot have damage removed from it. Mortality lasts for one round.

• |-

|colspan=7 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;"| |colspan=1 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;" rowspan=1| Revive ! style="border-top: 1px solid #A8A8A8;"| 3

! Control

! -

! -

! -

! No

|style="border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |colspan=8 style="text-align:left; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"|Return one destroyed Grunt to a friendly Faction unit with one unmarked damage box. Place the returned Grunt in the spellcaster's control range, in formation, and completely within 3" of another model in its unit. The Grunt must forfeit its Combat Action the turn it is put into play.

• |-

|colspan=7 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;"| |colspan=1 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;" rowspan=1| Soul Harvester ! style="border-top: 1px solid #A8A8A8;"| 2

! 6

! -

! -

! Upkeep

! No

|style="border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |colspan=8 style="text-align:left; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"|When target friendly Faction model/unit destroys a living enemy model with a melee attack, the spellcaster gains the destroyed model’s soul token regardless of the proximity of other models.

• |-

|colspan=7 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;"| |colspan=1 style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |style="text-align:left; font-size:110%; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff;" rowspan=1| Venom ! style="border-top: 1px solid #A8A8A8;"| 2

! 8" spray

! -

! 10 (Corrosion)

! -

! Yes

|style="border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"| |- |colspan=8 style="text-align:left; border-bottom: 1px solid #fff; border-right: 1px solid #fff; border-left: 1px solid #fff; border-top: 1px solid #fff;"|Venom deals Corrosion Damage. Models hit suffer the Corrosion continuous effect.

Feat: Spirit World

This feat has two effects:

1. Friendly Minion models currently in Maelok's CTRL range become incorporeal for this turn.
2. While within Maelok's CTRL range, friendly Minion undead models gain +2 ARM.

Spirit World lasts for one round

Recent Changes

2017.12 Blindwater Dynamic Update

His Death Pact spell was reworked (it used to be cheaper and an upkeep, but only affect a single model/unit)

Gained Soul Harvester.

Thoughts on Maelok the Dreadbound

Maelok the Dreadbound in a nutshell

Maelok is a brick caster who excels at running Gators. Death Pact brings the Posse up to ARM 18 (20 in melee), and his feat raises that by two. An army of ARM 22 multi-wound models on feat turn is very very tough for many armies to deal with.

Maximising his feat & spells

• Maelok's feat is an attrition or assassination feat - turning your entire army incorporal for the turn allows most of it to charge straight through enemy defences and into their caster. (Or just into their back lines). On the other hand +2 ARM for an already tough army is nothing to sniff at. It's probably best used as the lines meet to dig deep and wreck.

• Death Pact is a backbone spell Maelok casts almost every turn. +2 ARM for all infantry? Yes please.
• Soul Harvester is just nice against infantry, allowing Maelok to cast more spells. Like Mortality.
• Mortality is an excellent debuff for when you need it.
• Venom is a great magical attack.
• Revive is probably too expensive unless you've had a soul-bonanza or have somewhere really awkward to put your revived model.

Strategy & Army

Strategy

Brick up. He makes Gators ARM 18 (20 vs melee) with eight damage boxes each in theme, and for just over three points a model. Most enemies are going to blunt their blades on models like that. And then he has the assassination to force the enemy to play cautiously.

Theme Thoughts

Start with the Blindwater Congregation and take as many units of Gators as you own. That +2 ARM with the 8 wound gators with Snacking makes for a very hard brick to grind through.

Common army selection

Maelok is normally played in the Blindwater theme; the difference between an 8 health Posse and a 5 health Posse for forming the bricks his feat enables is fairly huge.

• Gatorman Posse - If you're running an infantry brick this is a good first choice.
• Blind Walker - A spell slinger wants to channel. That's what this beast is for - and Mortality is an excellent spell to arc and Venom isn't bad. This was a questionable pick - but Soul Harvester really makes it worthwhile.
• Gatorman Witch Doctor - Make your undead faster! That's everything
• Croak Raiders - Croaks love Mortality. That said they don't brick.
• Gatorman Bokor and Bog Trog Swamp Shamblers- no longer work with him now all the infantry's undead so they can't refuel.

Drawbacks and Downsides

• Some people don't like playing bricks.
• Your battle plan is obvious.

Tricks and Tips

• If assassinating, see if you can land Mortality. It's your mainline offensive spell and with Offerings to Kossk effectively makes your Gators MAT 10.

Other

Trivia

Released in Hordes: Domination (2011)

Theme Forces

• The Blindwater Congregation
• Will Work for Food

Other Minion models

Minion Index       (Edit)
Farrow Warlocks (Edit) Warlocks Azazello1 - Arkadius1 - Carver1 - Helga1 - Helga2 - Midas1 - Sturm & Drang1 Lesser Warlocks Rorsh Farrow Warbeasts (Edit) Lessers Razor Boars Lights Battle Boar - Gun Boar - Splatter Boar Dr Arkadius only: Gorax Rager | Midas only: Boneswarm Heavies Road Hog - War Hog			Gatorman Warlocks (Edit) Warlocks Barnabas1 - Barnabas2 - Calaban1 - Jaga-Jaga1 - Maelok1 - Rask1 Lesser Warlocks Barnabas0 - Underchief Mire - Wrong Eye Gatorman Warbeasts Edit) Lights Boneswarm - Bull Snapper - [Underchief Mire only: Swamp Troll] Heavies Blackhide Wrastler - Blind Walker - Ironback Spitter - Swamp Horror Gargantuans Dracodile
Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Warlock attachments		Targ - Gatorman Soul Slave
Units	Farrow	Farrow Bone Grinders - Farrow Brigands - Farrow Commandos - Farrow Razorback Crew - Farrow Slaughterhousers - Farrow Valkyries
	Gatorman	Boil Master & Spirit Cauldron - Bog Trog Ambushers - Croak Raiders - Croak Trappers - Gatorman Bokor & Shamblers - Gatorman Posse - Gobber Bellows Special WA: Void Leech
	Unaligned	Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters - Blythe & Bull - Boomhowlers - Lynus & Edrea
Solos	Farrow	Agata, Queen of Carnage - Farrow Sapper - Maximus - Rorsh & Brine - Targ
	Gatorman	Barnabas0 - Bog Trog Mist Speaker - Bog Trog Trawler - Bone Shrine - Croak Hunter - Flugwug the Filcher - Gatorman Husk - Gatorman Soul Slave - Gatorman Witch Doctor - Kwaak Slickspine & Gub - Longchops - Underchief Mire - Wrong Eye & Snapjaw
	Unaligned	Alten Ashley - Boomhowler2 - Boomhowler3 - Brun Cragback & Lug - Dahlia Hallyr & Skarath - Death Archon - Dhunian Archon - Efaarit Scout - Eilish Garrity, the Occultist - Feralgeist - Flubbin1 - Flubbin2 & Dreyfus2 - Flugwug the Filcher - Gobber Tinker - Gremlin Swarm - Gubbin1 - Gubbin2 & Dez2 - Gudrun1 - Gudrun2 - Hermit of Henge Hold - Hutchuck, Ogrun Bounty Hunter - J.A.I.M.s - Kogan the Exile - Lanyssa Ryssyl, Nyss Sorceress - Ledfoot & Tredz - Malvin2 - Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor - Ogrun Bokur - Raluk Moorclaw, the Ironmonger - Primal Archon - Pyg Tank - Saxon Orrik - Scythe - Swamp Gobber Chef - Swamp Gobber River Raiders - Thamarite Advocate - The Wastelander - Thrullg - Totem Hunter - Tubbin - Viktor Pendrake - Void Archon - Weird Wendell
Battle Engines		Meat Thresher (Farrow) - Sacral Vault (Gatorman)
Independent Warjack		Malvin1 & Mayhem1
Minion - Theme Forces
Minion Faction Themes (Edit)		The Blindwater Congregation - The Thornfall Alliance - Vengeance of Dhunia - Will Work for Food
Unlimited Minions themes(Edit)		Disciples of Agony (Skorne) - Oracles of Annihilation (Legion) - Secret Masters (Circle)
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Video Battle Reports

• 2018.09 Arcane Assist 75 points vs Xerxis1
• 2018.08 Deathclock Dave 75 points vs Gorten
• 2018.05 Advanced Maneuvers 75 points vs Kaelyssa.
• 2018.04 Not Snakes Gaming 75 points vs Haley3
• 2018.03 Advanced Maneuvers 75 points vs Mohsar.

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 : Spirit Eater - None yet. (Edit)

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

General Damage from a feat is neither an attack nor Damage Type: Magical (unless the feat says it is). FURY (uppercase) is the stat printed on the warlock's card. Fury (lowercase) refers to fury points a model currently has. Your CTRL area is double your FURY stat, not double your fury 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 warlocks 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 Warlock rules. Reaving & Leeching If you choose to Reave, it's all or nothing. You must Reave all the Fury (up to your limit) and you can't choose to "let some disappear". (Locked thread) If your warbeast is Removed From Play, you can still reave fury off it. (Locked thread) If your warbeast is destroyed or RFP'd while under your opponent's control then: You cannot reave fury off it. Because it is still enemy at the time it was destroyed/RFP'd, and you can't reave from enemy warbeasts. After it is taken off the table, it returns to your control and is eligible for Spirit Bond and (possibly) Return to Play stuff (like Thagrosh1's feat). Transferring Damage If both the warlock and the warbeast are damaged by the same attack (such as an AOE), then you need to apply the 'normal' damage to the warbeast before the transferred damage. This distinction can be important when you're working out who/what actually destroyed the beast. (Infernal Ruling) If there is too much damage for the warbeast and it "overlaps" back to the warlock, then that damage is considered ... unsure at this time. (Infernal Checking) 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 : Gatorman Warlock and/or Bog Trog Warlock - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Amphibious - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Undead - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Field Marshal      (Edit) Field marshal only grants the ability to warjacks/warbeasts in the battlegroup, so (normally) the caster does not have the Field Marshal ability. However if it is listed on the caster's card separately, such as on Magnus2, then they do have it. (Closed thread)

Rules Clarification : Cull Soul - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Death Pact      (Edit) Rules Clarification : Undead - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Mortality      (Edit) Mortality prevents models removing damage, but it doesn't prevent secondary effects associated with that heal rule (if there are any). For example: A model can trigger Snacking (normally causes RFP and heals) and just get the RFP. An Exemplar Errants could trigger Self-Sacrifice, kill another Errant, then not be able to heal anyway.

Rules Clarification : Revive and/or Raise the Dead and/or Mockery of Life     (Edit) This spell can be used on models that cannot be targeted by spells (such as models with Spell Ward), because the spell doesn't 'target' anybody. Anti-spell stuff that triggers on 'target' (such as Arcane Vortex) doesn't work vs these spells, because of the same logic. However anti-spell stuff which prevents all spell-casting (such as Bestial) does work vs this spell. Return/Add to Play - Typical (Edit) If you're returning/adding multiple models simultaneously, they are placed sequentially. Often this will let you leapfrog the "within 3" of [x]" requirement. If you're adding models to a unit, then typically there is no limit and you can go over the unit's starting size. However, some abilities do have a limit (such as Stir the Dead) If you're returning models to a unit, then you're limited by how many there are in the "dead but not removed from play" pile.     (See Add, Return, and Remove From Play for further detail.) If you're adding more models than you started with, then in a Tournament you must physically own the correct models - proxies are not allowed in tournaments. (Locked thread) Return/Add to Play - Other Units (Edit) "Return to Play" and "Add to Play" are quite simple if you only return models to your own unit (like Blood-Bound) or only return independent models (like Thagrosh1's feat). But if you're returning/adding models to other units, then click to read more.   [Show/Hide] If you can return multiple troopers at once, they don't all have to be the same unit. Spread the love around. Troopers must return to their original unit. Even if you have two units of the same type (such as two units of Convergence Eradicators) then you can't have 4 die from unit [A] and return them all to unit [B]. If your rule is something like "return d3 models to units within CMD range" (Old Witch3) then it is d3 models total, not d3 models to each and every unit. If your rule is something like "spend 1 soul to return 1 Grunt" (Enigma Foundry) then it doesn't matter where the souls came from originally. Think of them like currency, in this case. You can Return models even after a unit is reduced to just Attachments (Weapon or Command) If your Return ability lets you return a Leader or Officer model, then they will immediately become the unit commander and redefine the "in formation" bubble. If your Return ability only allows Grunts, then the Grunt will not be field promoted when he arrives. This means that, in the unusual scenario where the Leader model has different wargear to the Grunts (such as Cygnar Stormguard), then that wargear is effectively 'lost'.

Rules Clarification : Soul Harvester      (Edit) "Regardless of proximity of other models" means exactly what it says. (Infernal Ruling) Power Attacks are melee attacks, so will trigger Soul Harvester. (Locked thread) Colleteral damage is not considered to be from an attack, so won't trigger SH. (Locked thread) "Regardless of proximity" soul takers (Edit) The model which ignores distance doesn't always get the soul. Abilities which say you "can't" collect souls (such as Soul Ward) trump it, due to the general rule that "can't trumps can". If there are multiple models that all have the "regardless of proximity" clause, then you randomise who the soul goes to. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Venom      (Edit) Damage Type (Edit) This spell does elemental damage in addition to magical damage, not instead of magical damage. (Infernal Ruling)