Theme - Soldiers of Fortune

	Theme - Soldiers of Fortune Mercenary Theme Force Flame in the Darkness - Hammer Strike - Llaelese Resistance - Operating Theater - Soldiers of Fortune - Strange Bedfellows - The Irregulars - The Kingmaker's Army - The Talion Charter

If war is good for business, then business has been very good to the Steelhead mercenary company. Already one of the largest groups of sell-swords in western Immoren before the fall of Llael, subsequent years of warfare have seen them reach peak profitability. Steelheads can be found in nearly every major engagement from Skirov to Imer, bringing victory—or anonymous defeat—at reasonable prices. The company’s regular presence on the battlefield often sees them work alongside many notable freelancers and experts. The old adage holds true: “Either as allies or enemies, the Steelheads are gonna cost you.”

Drake MacBain

Theme Rules

Theme Restrictions

Rocinante

An army made using the Soldiers of Fortune theme force can include only the following Mercenary models:

• Mercenary warcasters
• Non-character Mercenary warjacks
• Rocinante
• Alexia models/units
• Steelhead models/units
• Dannon Blythe & Bull
• Herne & Jonne
• Alten Ashley
• Anastasia di Bray
• Boomhowler, Solo Artist
• Dez
• Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios
• Gorman models
• Ogrun Bokur solos
• Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord
• Rutger Shaw, Professional Adventurer
• Saxon Orrik
• Taryn di la Rovissi, Llaelese Gun Mage
• Mercenary solos with the Attached rule

Full Model List

Steelhead Volley Gun Crew

The models allowed in Soldiers of Fortune are:   [Show/Hide]

This list was last updated: 2021.02   (Edit)

Warcasters

• All Mercenary warcasters, except the Cephalyx ones.

Warjacks

• All non-character Mercenary warjacks,
• Rocinante
• Other character warjacks can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.

Units

• Alexia1
• Dannon Blythe & Bull
• Herne & Jonne
• Steelhead Cannon Crew
• Steelhead Halberdiers
• Steelhead Heavy Cavalry
• Steelhead Mortar Crew
• Steelhead Riflemen
• Steelhead Volley Gun Crew

Solos

• Alexia2
• Alexia3
• Anastasia di Bray
• Boomhowler2
• Death Archon
• Dez1
• Dez2
• Eiryss1
• Gorman1
• Gorman2
• Madelyn Corbeau, Ordic Courtesan - (Warcaster Attachment)
• Ogrun Bokur
• Reinholdt, Gobber Speculator - (Warcaster Attachment)
• Rhupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord
• Rutger Shaw, Professional Adventurer - ('Jack Marshal)
• Saxon Orrik
• Sergeant Nicolas Verendrye
• Sylys Wyshnalyrr, The Seeker - (Warcaster Attachment)
• Stannis Brocker
• Steelhead Arcanist
• Steelhead Gunner
• Steelhead Ironhead
• Taryn di la Rovissi, Llaelese Gun Mage

Requisition Points

You can spend each Requisition Point on either:

• One Steelhead weapon crew
• Two Steelhead Gunner solos
• Alexia, Mistress of the Witchfire
• Stannis Brocker
• One other small- or medium-based solo

Theme Bonuses

Alexia, Mistress of the Witchfire

1. Solos in this army gain Mark Target.

   Please use {{Mark Target1}} for independant models, {{Mark Target2}} for units, and {{Mark Target-alt}} for when its granted to one model by another model/theme.

2. Steelhead cavalry models in this army gain Bulldoze.

   Bulldoze - When this model is B2B with an enemy model during its Normal Movement, it can push that model up to 2" directly away from it. A model can be pushed by Bulldoze only once per turn. Bulldoze has no effect when this model makes a trample power attack.

3. If Ace is included in this army it is a Mercenary warjack instead of a Cygnar warjack.

   Note: Only Caine3 can take Ace

Recent Changes

2019.07 Remix

• Game-wide Remix changes
• Dez, Boomhowler2, Gorman2 added to the list of allowed models.
• Can now get two gunners as a freebie
• Lost the wall benefit.
• Ace now becomes a Meecenary Warjack when Caine3 takes him.

Thoughts on Soldiers of Fortune

Soldiers of Fortune in a nutshell

Steelhead Heavy Cavalry

The Soldiers of Fortune theme force allows you to construct an army composed almost entirely of Steelhead models plus a smattering of non-Steelheads (and of course, warjacks). Lists constructed in this theme generally revolve very heavily around either version of Alexia1 or 2, perhaps intentionally. This is because Sergeant Verendrye brings back D3 Steelhead grunts every turn, so your casualties come back both as undead and as new Steelheads.

It also places a heavy emphasis on making the artillery pieces compelling choices. For example, a RAT 5 Volley Gun shooting at a large base model that aims, has Mark the Target, Veteran Leader from the Gunner and Money Shot from Damiano is RAT 12, POW 16 once you stack all the buffs.

Mark Target works on every ranged attack as well so it's good for warjacks and Steelhead Riflemen or whatever else has a gun.

Bulldoze on cavalry provides some serious gotcha potential and threat extension. It's far stronger than it sounds.

This theme is the only place you can field Rocinante without Damiano, and Rocinante is fantastic.

This theme is most notable for being the only theme where Alexia, Mistress of the Witchfire (Alexia2) is allowed as a free model, and it is likely she will be in every SOF army unless that army is built for Alexia1 instead. Between Alexia2, Eiryss, Mage Hunter of Ios, and Stannis Brocker you can get 21 points for free in a 75 point list; the highest achievable total.

Theme's weaknesses

Rutger Shaw, Professional Adventurer

The main thing the Steelhead theme lacks is the merc ARM fixers other than Gorman Di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist with rust bombs, and Alexia's Thrall Warriors are only POW 10. Nevertheless, this theme might possibly have trouble with extremely high ARM skews unless you bring Damiano or Fiona, though such armies are fairly rare because skewing ARM does not work that well as a strategy.

(Author's note: I have personally defeated Rasheth, Stryker1 and Khador jack spam with Soldiers of Fortune and do not consider this an actual weakness of the theme.)

List Building Tips

Sergeant Nicolas Verendrye

There are essentially three ways to build a Soldiers of Fortune force.

The first is to spam as many Steelhead Halberdiers as you can, bring Alexia1, Stannis, Verendrye, Rhupert and an Arcanist and play a scenario-based recursive jam game with Magnus the Warlord (Magnus2) or Gorten Grundback where your Steelheads come back both as skeletons and new Steelheads.

The second is to play a balanced mix of Cavalry, Halberdiers and artillery backed up by Alexia2, Verendrye, Stannis, the Arcanist, Ironhead and Gunner. Verendrye brings back Steelhead models which allows you to double down on recursion from Alexia2. The Verendrye/Alexia2 interaction is the core of what the list does. Alexia's thralls provide ARM cracking, scenario presence without having to give anything up, and they are also handy Mark the Target bots.

The casters that run this type of army fairly well are Captain Damiano, Lieutenant Crosse, Resistance Fighter Captain Rahera, Fiona the Black and Durgen Madhammer. Damiano provides Money Shot and if you bring Rhupert and Verendrye, will have a Tough, no Knockdown, DEF 15 unit of Halberdiers that come back. Crosse2 loves Halberdiers or even Riflemen that come back because of his Lifebound spell, and his feat delivers the army combined with the Girded Ironheads to stop blasts. Durgen likes the cheap bodies for Primed and there is plenty of artillery to provide blasts for his feat turn.

The third list type is to play Jack-heavy in this theme and take advantage of the Arcanist and Ironheads plus Mark the Target to make your Jacks more accurate. Ossrum and Magnus2 would play this style better than the others.

Casters Thoughts

Steelhead Ironhead

As discussed above, the best casters in this theme are Damiano, Magnus2, Crosse2, Ossrum, Durgen and Gorten. While it has something to offer the likes of Ashlynn, Macbain, Shae, Blaize, Bart, Rahera and Fiona, they have better options in other themes. Caine3 and Magnus1 are pretty bad wherever you take them, but this is probably their best theme option for what it's worth.

Sample Lists

75 points

This list was added to WMU 2020.08

Magnus2 - WJP +28

• Rocinante [16]
• Toro [13]
• Toro [13]
• Toro [13]

Alexia2 [Free] (7)

[[Anastasia di Bray [3]

Boomhowler2 [Free] (6)

Sergeant Nicolas Verendrye [4]

Stannis Brocker [Free] (7)

Steelhead Arcanist [4]

Steelhead Arcanist [4]

Steelhead Ironhead [4]

Steelhead Halberdiers (max) [11]

Steelhead Heavy Cavalry (max) [18]

This list brings a mix of infantry and warjacks to take advantage of the recursion from Alexia2 and Verendrye as well as the extra focus and threat extension of the Steelhead solos. It is likely to go first and get Magnus way up the board on turn 2 to lock out the opposing army from scenario, then hit them hard the following turn. It has almost no defense against gun-heavy armies, however so watch it.

25 points

Captain Damiano

This list was added to WMU 2019

If you want to try this theme but are still stuck for ideas, try this. It's relatively newbie friendly.

• Captain Damiano [+28]
  • Rocinante [16]
  • Toro [13]

• Alexia2 [Free]
• Sergeant Nicolas Verendrye [4]

• Max unit of Steelhead Riflemen [13]
• Min unit of Steelhead Halberdiers [7]

Other

Trivia

• Released 2019.03

Other Mercenary Models

• Category: Soldiers of Fortune

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Mark Target      (Edit) The model with the Mark Target rule needs to have the target in LOS for anyone to benefit. And within 5", of course. (Infernal Ruling) And the model actually making the attack also has to have the target in LOS in order to, you know, target it.

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

(A) People think Bulldoze works like a bowling ball hitting tenpins. But this is wrong because the models haven't been moved DIRECTLY away. (B) Whereas if you move models DIRECTLY away, you bulldoze the first guy okay, but then the next one's path is blocked (shown in red), and you get stuck. Bulldoze - General Models are pushed directly away from you at the point of contact. Some players do this incorrectly, refer to the section on moving models, below. You cannot cast spells or use any other "any time" abilities when you 'stop' to resolve the Bulldoze movement. It's just a pause, not a stop. The size of the Bulldozer vs the Bulldozed does not matter. A small model bulldozes a large model just fine. (Just don't expect to move a Colossal etc.) Bulldoze only works during your Normal Movement. This includes full advances, runs, charges, and slams, but doesn't include stuff like Reposition or Energizer. You can't make free strikes against models you Bulldoze (because for them it is involuntary movement). Enemy models with 2" melee range will still engage you after being bulldozed. Because they will be exactly 2" away and thus still within 2". An enemy model can only be pushed once by the Bulldozer, but if you have multiple Bulldozer models then you could push the same enemy multiple times. If you contact a model you want to Bulldoze while overlapping another model or an obstacle, then you can "pause" on top of that other model/obstacle while resolving the Bulldoze, then continue your movement off the other model/obstacle. (Locked thread) Bulldoze - Charges / Slams If you attempt to Bulldoze a model out of your charge lane but it does not move far enough, you can't Bulldoze again. You will continue your charge, contact it again, and stop. You can use Bulldoze to get the charge bonus against models between 1 and 3" away. Simply move into B2B, bulldoze them 2" to make some more room, then you can move 2" further forward to get to the "moved at least 3 inches" requirement. Similarly for Slams vs models within 1-3". If you Bulldoze your charge target out of your melee range, this doesn't break the "once in your melee range the target must stay in your melee range" rule. Bulldoze is an exception. (Infernal Ruling) Bulldoze - Moving the models A lot of people think they can bulldoze straight through the enemy lines, like shown on Image A. But what actually happens is more like Image B. This is due to 3 important factors you need to apply: Bulldoze pushes models directly away from your base. Not at an angle. Directly. Away. If there is a model behind the bulldozed model, the model will STOP. And in this situation, a model beside the pushed model is effectively behind it unless you're pushing at a perfect tangent. A model can be pushed only one time via Bulldoze. Push - General     (Edit)   [Show/Hide] Pushed models do not change their facing. Pushed models move at half rate through difficult terrain. Also, Pathfinder doesn't apply during pushes. Pushed models stop if they contact anything - a model of any size, or any obstacles or obstructions. You don't get free strikes against pushed models, because it is "involuntary movement" and therefore does not count as an advance. Pushed models suffer the effects of anything they move through (such as acid clouds). If you use a Push vs a charging model (via a free strike for example), this will stop the charge movement (refer core rulebook). However, if the pushed model is in melee range of its charge target after the push, then it is considered a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling) In that scenario, you measure whether the charging model moved 3" or less excluding the push distance. (Infernal Ruling) If you push a model to a position where it regains Incorporeal (for instance you push it out of range of an Exorcist) then what happens is (Being Checked by Infernals)

Rules Clarification: Theme Forces     (Edit) Themes that change a model's Faction   [Show/Hide] Many themes swap which Faction a model counts as. They're slightly inconsistent with how exactly this is worded. Despite this inconsistency - whenever a model is considered a different faction to normal, it will not be its original faction. (Infernal Ruling) For instance Lukas stops being a Crucible Guard model when taken in an Infernal army, and as a consequence he cannot take Toros or Vanguards in Infernals. (Infernal Ruling) Rerolling the starting roll   [Show/Hide] You cannot use the theme benefit to reroll if it is a draw. Instead both players reroll until there is a loser, and then the loser can use their reroll benefit (if they have it). (Infernal Ruling) If both players have a reroll, first the original loser uses their reroll. If the original loser still loses, fine. If the original loser now wins, the other player can use their reroll. If it is now a draw, both players reroll until there is a loser. Then the player that hasn't used their theme benefit reroll can still use it, if they want. Warjacks/Warbeasts with bonds   [Show/Hide] A warjack/warbeast with a bond can always be included in a theme force, whether or not they're in the list of allowed models, but only if they're controlled by that bonded model. This applies even if that bonded model isn't a full warcaster/warlock (changed as of 2018.06). Including Mercenaries   [Show/Hide] Number of Mercenaries If your "up to one Merc" ... ... can take warbeasts/warjacks, then you can add warbeast(s)/warjack(s) (without exceeding your "up to one" allowance) ... comes with a Companion model, then you'll get that Companion (without exceeding your "up to one" allowance) There is a bug in Warroom that allows you to not only take one Merc solo/unit, but the entire FA of that Merc solo/unit. It's a bug. Mercenaries and Ranking Officers Adding a Ranking Officer to a Merc unit doesn't increase the number of Merc units you can take. Other See also the section on Partisans Including Partisan Mercenaries   [Show/Hide] Partisans & Theme Forces (Edit) Partisans are Mercenary/Minion models, so there are two ways you can add them to a theme force: Freely: If the Partisan is on the list of allowed models, then you can take as many as you want plus another Mercenary unit/solo. (Infernal Ruling) They can be explicitly allowed (for example Jaws of the Wolf allows "Kayazy models/units" so Partisan Kayayz can be used freely). They can be implicitly allowed (for example Scourge of the Broken Coast allows "living Cryx models/units" and Partisan Cephalyx fit that criteria, so they can be used freely). (Infernal Ruling) Limited: If the Partisan isn't on the list of allowed models, it does use up your "Up to one Mercenary/Minion" slot, so you can only have the one. Whether you used option 1 or 2 above, once they're in your theme force they count as a Faction model and so: They can be taken as a Requistion Option (if they fit the Requistion description). For example Lanyssa can be taken as a free solo in the Legion of Dawn theme. (Infernal Ruling) They will get any theme benefit that they fit the description for. For example Storm Division gives all Cygnar models Immunity Electricity, so Partisan Mercs in that theme get immunity too. For example Nemo4's Mechaniks get Reposition [3] in Heavy Metal. (Infernal Ruling) Requisition Points   [Show/Hide] You can choose the same Requisition option as many times as you like, as long as it doesn't put you over a FA limit. You can't mix and match models from different options. Say one option allows 3 Machine Wraiths and another allows 3 Necrotechs. You can't use your Requisition Point to get 2 Wraiths and 1 Necrotech. If you have an option that allows one other solo, you can't use it to get something already on the list. For instance, Ghost Fleet allows 3 Misery Cages (which are FA 4) for one Requistion Point, and it allows 1 other solo. That "other solo" can't be a 4th Cage. If your theme allows "3 weapon attachments" as a Requistion Option, you can spread them into different units. (Locked Thread) Models with the Man-Sized rule count as small-based models for the purposes of being a Requistion Option. (Locked Thread) Free models and Specialists (ADR)    [Show/Hide] If your theme only allows one merc solo, you can't have one in your main list and a different one in your specialists. Unit Attachments   [Show/Hide] If a unit is allowed in a theme, any-and-all of its attachments are allowed too. Exception: Ranking Officers are not allowed unless explicitily mentioned. If the theme force gives a benefit to a specific unit, any-and-all attachments to that unit will benefit too. Even if it is a "generic" attachment like the Void Leech. (Infernal Ruling) For example, a Trollkin Sorcerer will gain Serenity if its attached to a Dhunian Knot unit in a Power of Dhunia theme force. If your theme allows "3 weapon attachments" as a Requistion Option, you can spread them into different units. (Locked Thread) A non-character unit with a character attachment (i.e. Captain Karli) still counts as a non-character unit. (Infernal Ruling) When to apply theme benefits   [Show/Hide] With reference to special abilities that themes give to models, Ranking Officers, adding new models, and/or taking control of models: Theme force benefits are applied when you construct your list or put a new model into play. A model already in play will not lose or gain any theme benefits mid-game based on any changes of faction status or otherwise. (Infernal Ruling) However, if the theme gives a benefit to models "at the beginning of the game" (such as Devourer's Host letting models begin the game with 1 corpse token) then this benefit does not apply to new models that are put into play mid-game. (Locked Thread) Example 1: Sons of the Tempest says "ATGM units in this army gain Pistoleer". If your opponent takes control of one of them, it keeps Pistoleer while under their control even though it's currently not "in the army". Example 2: Storm Division gives Immunity:Electricity to "Cygnar models in the army." If you include a Mercenary unit with a Ranking Officer, they will get the theme benefit and also keep it even after the Ranking Officer dies. Example 3: Stange Bedfellows gives solos Swift Vengeance. If Nemo4 creates a new solo mid-game, that solo will have Swift Vengeance. See also these Theme-Specific Rulings   [Show/Hide] Rules Clarification : Black Industries      (Edit) The entry which allows "Cephalyx models/units" only applies to Partisan Cephalyx. That's because the theme's rules start off with "this army can only include the following Cryx models"​. Partisan Cephalyx are the only ones that fill that condition. The Cephalyx Agitator also works for Cryx and can go in Black Industries but, because it is not a Partisan, it will use up your Mercenary solo slot. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : The Creator's Might      (Edit) ​Elias Gade is allowed in Creator's Might. (Infernal Ruling) You can spend the "Two Vassal solos" requistion option on one Vassal Mechanik and one Vassal of Menoth. Warroom has a bug and tells you that you can't. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Flame in the Darkness      (Edit) You can take any number of Mercenary jacks. You can also select two additional jacks from Khador and Cygnar in any combination you like. Character warjacks with a bond don't count against this limit of 2. (Infernal Ruling) There is a bug in Warroom that allows you to take two Cygnar and two Khador jacks. Morrowan Battle Priest: If your warcaster is a Cygnar model that makes every unit you take a Cygnar unit, and Battle Priests can be attached to any unit. Warroom has a known bug where it doesn't allow this interaction. If your warcaster is a Mercenary or Khador model, though, the only units the Battle Priest can attach to are the Morrow ones. If you attach the Battle Priest to The Devil's Shadows Mutineers then it can be returned via Blood Bound. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Llaelese Resistance      (Edit) It is 2 Cruicible or 2 Cygnar or 2 Menoth. You can't take more than 2, and you can't mix and match from multiple Factions. (Infernal Ruling) You can have a non-character unit with a character attachment (i.e. Captain Karli). (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : The Talion Charter      (Edit) The 3rd benefit is "Sac Pawn [Sea Dog trooper]", not just any Sea Dog. (Infernal ruling) Rules Clarification : The Bones of Orboros      (Edit) Una1 cannot be taken in this theme (yet) due to the conflict between the theme's "Only Construct warbeasts allowed" and Una1's "Must take warbeasts with flight". There are no construct warbeasts with flight (yet). But if/when there is, then Una1 can be taken in this theme. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : The Devourer's Host      (Edit) Bradigus1 is not legal in this theme. The theme only allows living warbeasts, his rules only allow construct warbeasts, and you can't just 'skip' his battlegroup - you have to spend your warbeast points. If you create a new model mid-game (ie with the Well of Orboros and that model can have corpse tokens, that model does not enter play with a corpse. Because it's not the beginning of the game. (Locked thread) Rules Clarification : The Wild Hunt      (Edit) The animus benefit doesn't apply to enemy warbeasts. (Infernal Ruling) The animus benefit doesn't stack with the Druid Wilder's Herding ability. (Infernal Ruling) When it comes to other things that alter COST (such as Lamentation), follow basic maths: Double/halve first, then add/subtract. Rules Clarification : Oracles of Annihilation      (Edit) Kallus1's feat doesn't stack with the Minion bonus rule in Oracles of Annihilation, because one triggers at disabled and the other at destroyed. (Locked Thread) Rules Clarification : The Exalted      (Edit) If a Construct model loses the Construct advantage mid-game, it keeps the theme benefit anyway. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Band of Heroes      (Edit) Boomhowler2 uses up your Minion slot. His Fell Calls ability is not enough to make him a "Fell Caller model/unit". (Infernal Ruling) Boomhowler3 does not use up your minion slot on account of having the Champion keyword. Rules Clarification : The Blindwater Congregation      (Edit) Void Leeches attached to a Gatorman Posse will gain Snacking, but they won't gain extra hitpoints. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Magnum Opus      (Edit) If Mosby is attached to a Mercenary weapon crew unit, they would gain 3" reposition and would not lose it if Mosby is no longer in the unit. (Infernal Ruling) Rules Clarification : Hearts of Darkness      (Edit) Lukas can't take Maker Marked warjacks in Hearts of Darkness. (Infernal Ruling)