Gun Mage Captain Adept

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Gun Mage Captain Adept Cygnar Arcane Tempest Gun Mage Solo

The journey to becoming a gun mage is difficult and long, and few are born with the gift and the unique connection to the firearm that lets them take even the first step. Of those who survive the trials of the Arcane Tempest and have the mettle required to take up the magelock, only a very few make captain, and fewer still earn the arcane rank of adept. Gun mages of this level are rare, and the army reserves them for the most crucial battles and demanding missions.

Basic Info

Gun Mage Captain Adept
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Small SPD 6 STR {{{str}}} MAT 5 RAT 8 M.A. N/A DEF 14 ARM 11 CMD 7 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 4 N/A N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Abilities

• Gunfighter
• 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".
• True Sight - This model ignores cloud effects when determining LOS. This model also ignores Stealth.
• Veteran Leader [ Gun Mage ] - While in this model's command range, other friendly Gun Mage models gain +1 to attack rolls.

Weapons

• Magelock Pistol - 10" range, POW 10 gun
  • Damage Type: Magical
  • Arcane Savant - Each time this weapon is used to make an attack, choose two of the following special rules:
    • Brutal Damage - On a direct hit, gain an additional die on this weapon's damage rolls against the target directly hit.
    • Flare - Models hit by this weapon/attack lose Stealth and suffer -2 DEF for one turn.
    • Shadow Fire - A model hit by this attack does not block LOS for one turn.
    • Snipe - This attack gains +4 RNG.
• Sword - 0.5" reach, P+S 7 melee weapon

Theme Forces

• Cygnar
  • Sons of the Tempest. In this theme you don't have to pay to upkeep spells on Gun Mage Captain Adept.

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

Recent Changes

No changes since 2021.10

Thoughts on Gun Mage Captain Adept

Gun Mage Captain Adept in a nutshell

He's a two-in-one solo package; a straight-forward ranged combatant for sniping out key opposing models or the occasional supporter.

The big question is, what do you want to achieve?

• Hunting solos? Combine Brutal damage and Snipe. True Sight means even Stealth solos need to worry.
• Your opponent has a Warjack or Warbeast with Stealth? Apply a Flare then open up with all the other guns.
• Setting up an assassination? Combine Shadow Fire and Snipe (or any other Attack Type if Snipe is unnecessary) to render intervening models irrelevant.
• Improving your chances of a successful assassination? Combine either Snipe and Flare if you have been keeping him back or Flare and Brutal Damage to force your opponent to consider spending Focus or Fury.

Combos & Synergies

• Literally any Gun Mage thanks to Veteran Leader, which is almost every living model in Sons of the Tempest, Sloan and any Caine.
  • Note that this version of Veteran Leader specifies "friendly", rather than "friendly faction", so Taryn, Harlowe and Thorn Gun Mages are also affected by it.
• Unsurprisingly for a Cygnar Gun Mage model with a gun, the Captain Adept doesn't mind Falk hitting his target first for some damage boost.
• He is a good target for Captain Allister Caine's or Caine0's Fire For Effect. Not only does this make his chances of hitting near certain, it means even Warjacks have something to worry about when combined with Brutal Damage for 4 dice on the damage roll. It can be worth upkeeping even on Caine's feat turn if the Captain Adept can get a shot onto the enemy Warcaster - a Flare and Brutal Damage shot can doom a Warcaster before Caine2 even activates.
• If you really want to apply the Flare to the enemy Warcaster/Warlock but they're hiding behind another model, you can still bring another source of Shadow Fire such as a 2nd Gun Mage Captain Adept, Taryn di la Rovissi or Ace (but only with Caine).

Drawbacks & Downsides

• His DEF is good, but not outstanding; while his ARM is basically a sheet of paper. If he gets hit, there is an excellent chance he will die.
• If your only intention is to go for straight damage against hard targets, you'll be better off with the Arcane Tempest Rifleman

Tricks & Tips

• The Captain Adept belongs on the flank to deal with flankers or draw enemies to cover him. And where there aren't many of your models.
• Already hard to hit, putting the Captain Adept in concealment or cover makes taking him out hard work - too hard for it to be worth the enemy bothering to take him out without auto-hitting attacks.

Other

Trivia

Runeball Wizard - Minicrate Limited Edition sculpt

• Released in Warmachine: Escalation (2004)
• This model has a limited edition sculpt, released in 2018.05. It's a female alternative with the title, "Runeball Wizard."
  That's a pun based on a song by The Who.

Other Cygnar models

Cygnar Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warcasters	Caine1 - Caine2 - Caine3 - Constance - Darius - Haley1 - Haley2 - Haley3 - Jakes2 - Kraye - Maddox - Nemo1 - Nemo2 - Nemo3 - Sloan - Stryker1 - Stryker2 - Stryker3 - Siege1 - Siege2 - Sturgis1
Warcaster attachments	Squire (Cygnar) - Madelyn Corbeau (Merc) - Reinholdt (Merc) - Wyshnalyrr (Merc)
Other Warjack Controllers	Battlegroup Controllers: Caine0 - Nemo4 - Jakes1 - Journeyman - T. Warcaster Lieutenant 'Jack Marshals: Runewood - Strangewayes - Anson Hitch - Stormblade Captain - T. Master Gunner - Gun Mage CA - Stormblade CA - Sword Knights CA
Light	Charger - Firefly - Grenadier - Hunter - Lancer - Minuteman - Sentinel Ace - Thorn
Heavy	Avenger - Centurion - Cyclone - Defender - Hammersmith - Ironclad - Reliant - Stormclad Brickhouse - Dynamo - Gallant - Ol' Rowdy - Thunderhead - Triumph
Colossal	Stormwall - Hurricane
Units, Solos, Battle Engines, & Structures
Units	Arcane Tempest Gun Mages - Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team - Field Mechaniks - Legion of Lost Souls - Long Gunner Infantry - OoI Resolutes - OoI Vigilants - Precursor Knights - Rangers - Silver Line Stormguard - Storm Lances - Stormblades - Stormguard - Stormsmith Grenadiers - Storm Tower - Sword Knights - Tempest Blazers - Tr Cannon Crew - Tr Chain Gun Crew - Tr Commandos - Tr Express Team - Tr Long Gunners - Tr Infantry - Tr Mechaniks Special CA : Captain Jonas Murdoch (Mercenary unit) - Special WA: Morrowan Battle Priest (any unit)
Solos	Arcane Tempest Rifleman - Archduke Runewood - Captain Arlan Strangewayes - Captain Maxwell Finn - Commander Anson Hitch - Dreyfus1 - Dreyfus2 & Flubbin2 - Grand Master Gabriel Throne - Glyn Cormier, Illuminated One - Gun Mage Captain Adept - Journeyman Lieutenant Allister Caine - Journeyman Warcaster - Harlan Versh, Illuminated One - Lieutenant Allison Jakes - Lieutenant Bastian Falk - Lieutenant Gwen Keller - Major Katherine Laddermore - Major Harrison Gibbs - Morrowan Archon - Savio Montero Acosta - Squire - Stormblade Captain - Stormcallers - Tr Buster - Tr Master Gunner - Tr Patrol Dog - Tr Warcaster Lieutenant - Viktor Pendrake
Battle Engines & Structures	Nemo4 - Storm Strider - Trencher Blockhouse
Theme Forces
Flame in the Darkness - Gravediggers - Heavy Metal - Sons of the Tempest - Storm Division
Mercenaries
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Cygnar Mercenary
This index was last updated: 2021.11

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 : Attack Type and/or Arcane Savant     (Edit) If you forget to declare your Attack Type before rolling the attack, and you and your opponent can't agree on a fair fix, then the Judge's Policy is that the first listed Attack Type is the one that will be used. If your target can only be targeted by certain kinds of attack (ie a Menoth warjack with Passage), you can first choose the correct Attack Type (ie Magical Damage vs Passage) and then that allows you to target it. The Attack Type selection and target declaration both occur at Step 1 (Refer Appendix A). (Infernal Ruling)

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 : Flare - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Shadow Fire      (Edit) Shadow Fire vs Roadblock (Edit) If you use Shadow Fire vs a Roadblock model then the Roadblock will still grant cover to nearby models; even though you can "see right through it". Because the rule for getting cover from an obstacle is simply: does a line pass between the attacker and target that goes over/through the obstacle? Is the target within 1" of the obstacle on that same line? In other words, whether the obstacle actually blocks LOS or not isn't relevant.

Rules Clarification : Snipe      (Edit) Although Snipe the spell and Snipe the Attack Type are two different "sources", they are multiple instances of the same effect. As such, they're not cumulative. Refer to the "Rule Priority" section of the core rulebook. Snipe does not affect the range of weapons that use the Spray template, or one's which have RNG = CTRL.

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)

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 : True Sight      (Edit) You only ignore clouds for LOS. Models can still get the concealment bonus, trigger Prowl, etc from clouds. (Infernal Ruling) A model that ignores Stealth must ignore both aspects: both (1) the auto-missing, and (2) the 'not counting as an intervening model' parts. This can have some strange interactions with casters & channelers, if one has True Sight and one does not. There are examples on the Category:Channeler page.

Rules Clarification : Veteran Leader      (Edit) Veteran Leaders don't give themselves the buff, because of the "other models within ..." clause. However, if you have two models giving out the buff, then they can give it to each other. (Locked thread) If a model can get Veteran Leader from two sources (such as Vet Leader [Winterguard] simultaneous with Vet Leader [Assault Kommandos]) then the benefit does not stack. (Infernal Ruling) Some versions say "friendly" and some don't. Regardless, Veteran Leader only buffs friendly models. (Infernal Ruling)