Rocketman Ace

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Rocketman Ace Crucible Guard Solo

Some Crucible Guard rocketmen rise above their cohort, demonstrating an aptitude for the power of flight that few others can boast. After scoring dozens of high-value kills, such soldiers are welcomed into the ranks of the elite aces. Aces lead formations of rocketmen and serve as living scions of aerial war. Those who witness their feats are inspired to redouble their own efforts, hoping to some day earn a place among them.

Basic Info

Rocketman Ace
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Small SPD 7 STR MAT {{{mat}}} RAT 7 M.A. N/A DEF 16 ARM 11 CMD N/A ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 5 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA 2 UNIT SIZE N/A COST 3 N/A N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Abilities

• Flight
• Gunfighter
• Breather - This model does not suffer gas effects.
• Dodge - This model can advance up to 2" immediately after an enemy attack that missed it is resolved unless it was missed while advancing. It cannot be targeted by free strikes during this movement.
• Dogfighter - This model gains boosted attack and damage rolls against models with Flight.
• High Flier - This model does not suffer blast damage.
• Reposition [5"] - At the end of an activation in which it did not run or fail a charge, this model can advance up to 5", then its activation ends.
• Swift Hunter - When this model destroys one or more enemy models with a basic ranged attack, immediately after the attack is resolved it can advance up to 2".

Weapons

• Gravity Bomb - 4" range, 3" AOE, POW 12 gun
  • Sky-Dropped - Attacks with this weapon ignore cover. Models with Flight do not suffer blast damage from this attack.
  • Brutal Damage - On a direct hit, gain an additional die on this weapon's damage rolls against the target directly hit.
• Carbine - 10" range, POW 10 gun

Theme Forces

• Crucible Guard
  • Magnum Opus. This model gains Reposition [3] in this theme.
  • Prima Materia. The Ace is one of the few models not allowed in this theme.

• Other Factions
  • Infernal players can use this model in the Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Lukas is leading the army.

Recent Changes

2021.10 Mega Update

• -1 point

Thoughts on Rocketman Ace

Rocketman Ace in a nutshell

The elite of the Rocketman units the Ace should show better combat abilities than a normal Rocketman (Currently shown by higher RAT and no Cumbersome rule).

Combos & Synergies

• She can ignore the blast and gas effects of the Dragon's Breath Rocket.
• Warcaster-wise, Lukas di Morray and Marshal General Baldwin Gearhart & Mr. Clogg have spells that improve her dismal ARM, but it is hardly worth it.
• Benett offers her Flying High passively. Raid is also very good on the AOE, but make sure to read the EXACT wording of Pistoleer before calculating damage as only those in your melee range get boosted damage.
• Gearhart gives them Veteran Leader and a pretty good feat.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Low ARM means anything that can hit her kills her.

Tricks & Tips

• High DEF and immunity to blast damage makes Ace a premier flag holder. Beware electroleaps or spells like Ashes to Ashes which bypass her defence.
• She functions on her own in any Magnum Opus army and doesn't require Rocketmen if all you want is a solo.
• Note that the Ace's Gravity Bomb does not have the Cumbersome rule like other Rocketmen models, so she can use both ranged weapons in the same activation.
• Two Aces working together can be incredibly effective at killing almost anything with Flight, like Archons, Convergence Angels, and flying warcasters/warlocks. They can also put a serious dent in a Trident, potentially killing it with a little help (Rust, feat, or lucky dice, etc.).

Other

Trivia

Rocketgirl Rider. Lock n Load 2018 exclusive

• Released with the Faction release (2018.06)
• This model has a limited edition sculpt, released in Lock n Load 2018.

Other Crucible Guard models

Crucible Guard Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters	Benett - Gearhart - Locke - Lukas - Mackay - Syvestro
Warcaster attachments	Aurum Legate Alyce Marc (Crucible) - Sylys Wyshnalyrr (Mercenary) - Madelyn Corbeau (Mercenary)
Other Warjack Controllers	Prospero (BGC)
Light	Liberator - Retaliator - Vanguard
Heavy	Suppresor - Toro - Vindicator
Colossal	Vulcan
Units, Solos, Battle Engines, & Structures
Units	Combat Alchemists - CG Assault Troopers - CG Infantry - CG Rocketmen - CG Storm Troopers - Dragon's Breath Rocket - Failed Experiments Ranking Officer : Doctor Alejandro Mosby
Solos	Ascendant Mentalist - CG Mechanik - Gorman1 - Gorman2 - Hutchuk, Ogrun Bounty Hunter - Prospero - Rocketman Ace - Trancer
Battle Engines	Railless Interceptor
Theme Forces
Magnum Opus - Prima Materia
Mercenaries
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Crucible Guard Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.05

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Sky-Dropped      (Edit) If you lose Flight (via Turbulence for example) then you can damage yourself with this weapon.

Rules Clarification : Brutal Damage and/or Brutal Shot     (Edit) Brutal Damage/Shot only applies to the damage vs the model directly hit. It does not affect blast damage.

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

Flight doesn't ignore: Impassable terrain. Most hazards. The exception is they do ignore Acid Bath and Burning Earth as long as they don't land in them. Templates that stay in play and do damage to models moving through them (such as a Scather). Free strikes. Trampling with a flying model (Edit) Flight allows you to trample "over" medium- and larger-bases. Although you trample "over" them, you don't get to make a trample attack vs them and you don't ignore their free strikes. Refer the core rulebook. Unless, of course, you have an exception like Blade Rush. Flight on a Cavalry model (Edit) Although flyers can move over obstacles/models, and horses can pause to do impacts while charging, flying horses cannot make impact attacks while overlapping models/obstacles. You need to pause in a legal position. Charging through models (Edit) You can't charge all the way through your charge target, with the intention to turn around and face them once you're on the other side. Because you aren't able to satisfy the "must keep the charge target in melee range" clause at the point after you are through the model but before you turn to directly face. At that point the target is behind you, not in your front arc, and thus not in your melee range. Your melee range only extends to your front arc. Refer to the latest errata. You can still "skim" through the edge of their base, if you're careful and smart with your positioning.

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

General You cannot Aim if you start your activation in melee. (Infernal Confirmation) A free strike with a ranged weapon still gets the +2 to hit and boosted damage (I'm pretty sure - I'd like to double check it though). If you have a Gunfighter stuck in melee and the Gunfighter wants to shoot a friendly model, then you can only do so if that friendly is within the Gunfighter's melee range. Also, if that friendly model is engaged by an enemy, that friendly model will always get the +4 DEF bonus (because the point of origin of the attack, the Gunfighter, is not "in melee" with the friendly model). Targeting Outside of melee If the Gunfighter isn't in melee, and didn't charge this turn, then it shoots just the same as a normal model. In melee, but didn't charge If it didn't charge, it can target anyone it's "in melee" with. This can be any model in the Gunfighter's melee range, plus any models that have the Gunfighter in their melee range. If a Gunfighter kills all the enemies it is in melee with, and still has the ability to make more ranged attacks, then those attacks just follow the normal Ranged Attack rules. (Infernal Ruling) Charged into melee If it did charge, its initial attacks can only target models that are in the Gunfighter's melee range. If all models in the Gunfighter's melee range are killed before it makes its initial attacks, it loses any unspent initial attacks. (Infernal Ruling) However if it can purchase additional attacks (via Reload for instance) and/or get free attacks (via Black Spot for instance), then those non-initial attacks can target anyone it's "in melee" with, as per #2 above. Other targeting notes Remember, you can never be "in melee" with a friendly model, so a Gunfighter can pretty much never choose to target a friend while it's in melee. If the gunfighter is unengaged, it can still shoot a friendly model, which would just be a normal ranged attack. Gunfighter doesn't change the RNG of your gun, it just provides you an ability to use it while in melee and imposes some targeting restrictions. If you're affected by a debuff that reduces your RNG to 1", that will further limit who you can target. If you're affected by a debuff that reduces your RNG to 0", you cannot make attacks (refer 'Weapon Statistics', page 19 of rulebook). Attack Roll You use the Gunfighter's RAT for the attack roll. Gunfighters do not ignore the Cover/Concealment bonus. (Infernal Ruling) How the +4 DEF bonus for "being in melee" works with Gunfighters is: they always ignore it vs enemies, because the "point of origin of the attack is in melee with the target". they never ignore it vs friendlies, because you cannot be in melee with a friendly target. Incorporeal Gunfighters Note that enemy models without magic weapons can't hurt you in melee, but they can engage you. If they engage you then you're in melee and your target selection is limited to just models in melee (as explained above). Gunfighter + an AOE weapon If you miss then the AOE will deviate as per the normal AOE rules. Not very far, though, considering the max distance you'll be apart is 2". If you use an AOE weapon to make a free strike, you get the +2 to hit and you get boosted damage against everything under the blast template. Gunfighter + a spray weapon Who you can target with the spray is limited as described above, but you get to put the whole spray template down and potentially hit models well outside the melee. If you use a spray weapon to make a free strike, you get the +2 to hit and you get boosted damage against everything under the spray template. Units of Gunfighters If a unit of Gunfighters successfully charge, but someone else in their unit kills their charge target before they get a turn to attack, then they may redirect their attack. Redirected attack: If they're still engaged, their initial attack (s) must be vs someone in their melee range. If they're still engaged, but no one is in their own melee range, they don't get any initial attacks. If they're unengaged, they are now free to shoot anyone within the gun's normal range. Other interactions Gunfighter vs Point Blank (Edit) If a model has both Gunfighter and Point Blank, then you should declare whether you're using it as a ranged attack or melee attack whenever you shoot the gun. Because that can limit what other initial/additional attacks you can make. (Infernal Ruling) These two abilities are subtly different, but it's an important difference. Gunfighter allows you to make ranged attacks while in melee. Point blank allows you to make melee attacks with your ranged weapon. Since you can't make both ranged and melee attacks in the same turn, a Gunfighter model has a choice of either initial melee attack(s) or initial ranged attack(s). (unless it has Virtuoso or something). Whereas a Point Blank model chooses to make initial melee attacks, and then gets to make attacks with both weapons. Furthermore, the types of bonuses, penalties, and special effects you (or your opponent) can trigger will change dramatically: Any buffs/triggers on ranged attacks (such as Evasive, Shield Guard, Deadeye, etc) will affect Gunfighter attacks, but not Point Blank attacks. Any buffs/triggers on melee attacks (such as Battle Lust, Riposte etc) will affect Point Blank attacks, but not Gunfighter attacks. Gunfighter & Cavalry ( Edit ) A cavalry model that charges then makes a Gunfighter attack will not gain a boosted charge attack roll, because a ranged attack is not a charge attack. (Infernal Ruling) You also won't gain a boosted charge damage roll, as per normal for a Gunfighter. Gunfighter vs RNG modifiers (Edit) Unlike what most people might tell you, Gunfighter doesn't have a "range", it just lets the model make ranged attacks while in melee. The gun's actual RNG is unaffected though, until you put something like Windstorm (-5 RNG) on it. Then what happens is: If the gun is RNG 7, Windstorm will reduce it to 2". Thus it won't affect any Gunfighter attacks. If the gun is RNG 6, Windstorm will reduce it to 1". Thus you can only make Gunfighter attacks vs models within 1" (if you can - charging Gunfighters may be more limited). If the gun is RNG 5, Windstorm will reduce it to 0". Thus you can't make any attacks as per 'Weapon Statistics' (page 19 of the core rulebook). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Breather - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Dodge      (Edit) Dodge triggers after any missed attack - melee, ranged, or magic. An enemy model with 2" melee range that is B2B with you before you Dodge, will be exactly 2" away afterwards, and thus will be able to attempt a 2nd melee attack. If you're missed by an AOE attack, but it doesn't deviate very far and still hits you then: Dodge still triggers, but the AOE does damage before you get the Dodge movement. (Infernal Ruling) If an enemy can attack you when you advance and then stop moving (such as Countercharge or Defensive Strike) and they miss you, then you can trigger Dodge (because you're no longer advancing). Dodge plus Riposte (Edit) If a model has both Dodge and Riposte, you can choose whether to dodge or riposte first. Appendix A Step 13 applies here, because the controller of the model being attacked is not the active player.

Rules Clarification : Dogfighter - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : High Flier - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Reposition      (Edit) Models out of formation cannot move via Reposition. Refer to the "Out of Formation" rules in the core rulebook. End of Activation (Edit) You cannot resolve two end-of-activation movement effects (refer to "End of Activation Movement" in the core rulebook). For EOA stuff that doesn't involve movement, though, it gets a bit more murky: Some EOA abilities explicitly state your activation ends as part of resolving the ability (like Reposition), and some don't (like Refuge). Whether it is explicit it or not, by definition an EOA ability is the last thing you can do for that activation. For instance, if you resolve Refuge and then continue your activation to cast more spells, then you have not used Refuge at the end of your activation. You cannot do an "at any time" ability during or after triggering an EOA ability; you cannot cast spells, purchase additional attacks, use a mini-feat, etc. If you start resolving an EOA movement (such as Reposition) then you cannot trigger abilities that occur "at any time" (such as Go To Ground). Because you can't trigger it while resolving the EOA movement, and after the EOA movement your activation has ended. (Infernal Ruling) For units: if any model in the unit starts resolving the unit's EOA movement, then no model in the unit can trigger an any-time ability. (Infernal Ruling) See also the training article: LPG - End of Activation.

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)