Theme - Will Work for Food

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Minion Logo.jpg Theme - Will Work for Food

Minion Theme Force
The Blindwater Congregation - The Thornfall Alliance - Vengeance of Dhunia - Will Work for Food

One constant is true across the Iron Kingdoms: everybody needs to eat. In lean times, many of the wild peoples of western Immoren are willing to put aside their differences and work together for mutual survival. The primal need to eat and endure becomes a particular challenge when one’s closest companions are enormous and voracious warbeasts. Larger armed groups of wilderness warriors might muster to offer their services in exchange for food, weapons, or other barter to see them through the lean months. For some, the most eagerly anticipated treasure is the great volume of meat that can be butchered from the fallen and consumed in the aftermath of battle.

Theme Rules

For the core rules on how Theme Forces work, see this article.

Theme Restrictions

An army made using the Will Work for Food theme force can include only the following Minion models:

Full model list

The models allowed in Will Work for Food are:   [Show/Hide]

This list was last updated: 2021.10   (Edit)

Warlocks

Warbeasts

Battle Engines

Units

Solos

Requisition Points

You can spend each Requisition Point on either:

  • One Efaarit Scout solo
  • Thee Feralgeist solos
  • One other small- or medium-based Minion solo costing 5 points or less

Theme Bonuses

  1. Warbeasts in this army gain Overtake.
    Overtake - When this model destroys one or more enemy models with a basic melee attack during its Combat Action, after the attack is resolved it can immediately advance up to 1".
  2. Lesser warlocks in this army can upkeep their spells for free.

Recent Changes

  • Continuous new releases
    • This theme gets new options much faster than most themes, although most of them are similar enough to existing options that they don't affect WWFF list design.
    • As such this Recent Changes log doesn't normally keep up-to-date with them. You can look at New Releases if you're curious.
  • 2021.10 Mega Update
    • The solo requisition option changed from "non-Lesser Warlock solo" to "solo costing 5 points or less"

Thoughts on Will Work for Food

Will Work for Food in a nutshell

It's a warbeast-heavy theme, with an emphasis on the Lesser Warlocks.

Overtake is awesome for letting your beasts eat infantry (especially on the Swamp Horror), and Minion beasts can shatter armour between the Blackhide Wrastler, the Battle Boar, and caster-based buffs.

Theme Weaknesses

The main weaknesses are the general minion weaknesses; there are a significant number of minion units and minion support models allowed in Will Work for Food - and even a couple of full sized units. But minion warbeasts tend to be weak, especially on the Thornfall side.

List Building Tips

Despite this being a theme that is supposed to comprise a band of loosely associated ragtags and misfits that wander the wilds of the Iron Kingdoms, there are a number of synergistic modules in this theme that can a quite a boon to most of the casters running the theme:

  • Of particular note is the so called "corpse package", meaning two Death Archons and Kogan the Exile, backed at least one Spirit Cauldron. This package gives you three of the best melee solos in the game and a source of Corpse Tokens for their collection abilities.
  • Ledfoot & Tredz, the Hermit and Scythe are also a package of note, because L&T are able to get the Hermit to the frontlines faster, where he can cast his -2 ARM debuff, then Scythe can shoot the enemy to bits.
    • Ledfoot & Tredz - They are expensive, but worth their while for Ride Along and Bulldoze, which can set up interesting charge lanes for anything smaller than a large base. They also have some good damage output and durability.
    • Hermit - One of the best pieces in the game, offering a damage negate and damage buff and a to-hit buff for magic attacks. He is also very hard to get rid of.
    • Scythe - The best ranged solo in the game after the Thamarite Archon by a mile, she is able to hide in a forest, enjoy premium defenive stats and shoot her weapon master, ROF 3 bow with impunity
  • Scythe is also part of a larger archetype of ranged solos in this theme, the others being Princess Delores, Longchops, Alten Ashley and Dez & Gubbin. Caster with buffs to their ranged output, like Jaga-Jaga, Maelok or Calaban will get the most out of them.
  • There are some dedicated anti spell models here too, in particular, Orin1, Eilish1 and the Thrullg, which can be crucial if you plan on playing a Dracodile.
  • Underchief Mire, Bellows Crews, Gudrun the Wasted, The Wastelander and Farrow Valkyries form a potent anti-ranged module by providing clouds, a Kinetic Distortion bubble, a pseudo-shield guard with Deflect and Take a Bullet, and cheap dedicated Shield Guards in the Valkyries, who are great for giving you a bit of scenario presence, and protecting your important solos/warbeasts from stray gunshots.
  • Swamp Gobber Chefs and Dhunian Archons are your sources of Fury management. The Archons Threads of Life and Mother's Embrace are also very infuriating to deal with when combined with Mad Visions from the Hermit
  • The Hermit and Bone Grinders offer potent buffs to any spell-slinging warlock.
  • There are some great, hard to get rid off scenario pieces, too:
    • The Gatorman Husk is useful as it can ambush and then contest a distant flag (similar to Anastasia in mercs) and punishes your opponent for removing it. At 3 points it's a steal, too, but some lists might still struggle to find the room.
    • Feralgeists and Gremlin Swarms are incorporeal solos, so excellent at flag camping and impossible to deal with for some armies unless the take the Steam Roller Objective that hands out magical weapons

Starting a 25 point Brawl list

In 2021.04 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 it's playstyle and expanding it beyond 25 points, which you can read here.

Rask1: [+27 WBP]
Kogan the Exile: [Free] (6 pts)
Death Archon: [8 pts]
Swamp Gobber Chef: [1 pt]
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew: [2 pts]
Boil Master & Spirit Cauldron: [5 pts]


For more Brawlmachine list ideas, see Category: Brawl List

Casters of note

Dr. Arkadius

The Dr might be the strongest warbeast warlock in the game (although it's a pity his beasts aren't always as good as other Faction's beasts). If you're playing Arkadius, you'll be playing him in this theme.

Midas

Even though he wants infantry he is often played in WWFF; he's a combined arms caster and loves both the Soul Slave and the Boil Master. The Nyss generally fill all his unit desires.

Rask

Rask usually plays this theme because it has excellent self reliant melee models he can support with clouds, the feat, Boundless Charge and Fury. Malvin & Mayhem, the corpse package, the Wastelander, and Rorsh & Brine are right up his alley.

Sturm & Drang

S&D are Telekinesis casters and there is nothing better at enabling the corpse package that the TK spell. They also get to run a Dracodile here, even though they have to put it on Mire.

Other

Trivia

Released in the themeopocalypse (2017.09)

Other Minion models

Minion Logo.jpg       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

Rules Clarifications

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Rules Clarification : Swift Hunter and/or Overtake     (Edit)

  • The free move must be resolved before other abilities that involve attacks (such as Quick Work or Berserk). Refer Step 12 vs 14 in Appendix A.
  • This ability does not trigger off special attacks, only basic ones.
  • An important difference:
    • Swift Hunter can be triggered by any attack, including out-of-activation attacks.
    • Overtake only works on attacks during your Combat Action. Even stuff like Impact Attacks won't trigger it.
  • If you make a free strike during your Combat Action (for instance the enemy used a special rule to move during your Combat Action) you can trigger Overtake on that free strike. It still counts as being during your Combat Action. (Infernal Ruling)
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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:
    1. 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)
    2. 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:
    1. 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)
    2. 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]
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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)
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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)
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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)
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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)
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Rules Clarification : The Talion Charter      (Edit)

  • The 3rd benefit is "Sac Pawn [Sea Dog trooper]", not just any Sea Dog. (Infernal ruling)
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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)
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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)
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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.
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Rules Clarification : Oracles of Annihilation      (Edit)

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Rules Clarification : The Exalted      (Edit)

  • If a Construct model loses the Construct advantage mid-game, it keeps the theme benefit anyway. (Infernal Ruling)
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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.
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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)
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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)
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Rules Clarification : Hearts of Darkness      (Edit)