LPG - Death of a Controller
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- This article is part of Warmachine University's Learning to Play the Game (LPG) series, which is "Intermediate Training" aimed at new players who are still learning the core rules.
- (See also Basic Training and Advanced Training.)
Normally when your main caster dies you lose the game, so "what happens next" doesn't come up that often.
However if you have a "Junior Warcaster", 'Jack Marshal, or Lesser Warlock they can all die and leave their battlegroup behind before the game is over.
Death
'Jack Marshal Death
When a 'Jack Marshal is killed their warjack goes autonomous.
An autonomous warjack can activate normally; it still has its Normal Movement & its Combat Action; it still can't get focus via Power Up or via allocation, but it can still gain focus via other means (such as Accumulator & Empower); etc etc.
Basically, the warjack continues exactly like it did while the 'Jack Marshal was alive, except now it can't take advantage of the 'Jack Marshal buffs.
An autonomous warjack can control & contest scenario zones.
Junior Warcaster Death
When a Junior Warcaster is killed their warjack(s) go inert :
- It loses all its current focus points, and cannot gain new focus points.
- It cannot activate, does not have a melee range, and cannot make attacks. A model can never be "in melee" with an inert warjack.
- It does not have a facing, and does not benefit from Shield or Buckler.
- It becomes DEF 5 and is auto-hit by melee attacks.
- It cannot contest or control scenario zones.
- If it has a special rule that cannot be used while it is stationary (such as Shield Guard) then it cannot use that special rule while inert.
Also, any upkeep spells the Junior Warcaster had in play immediately expire.
Lesser Warlock Death
When a Lesser Warlock is killed their warbeast(s) go wild :
- It loses all its current fury points, and cannot use its animus, be forced, or gain fury.
- It never frenzies.
- It cannot activate, does not have a melee range, and cannot make attacks. A model can never be "in melee" with a wild warbeast.
- It does not have a facing, and does not benefit from Shield or Buckler.
- It becomes DEF 5 and is auto-hit by melee attacks.
- It cannot contest or control scenario zones.
- If it has a special rule that cannot be used while it is stationary (such as Shield Guard) then it cannot use that special rule while wild.
Also, any upkeep spells the Lesser Warlock had in play immediately expire.
Reclaiming
Re-controlling Autonomous Warjacks
Warcaster or Junior Warcaster:
- The caster needs to be B2B with the warjack.
- The caster spends 1 focus during their activation.
- The warjack becomes part of their battlegroup.
- The caster does not need to forfeit their Combat Action this turn.
- The warjack does not need to forfeit its Combat Action this turn.
'Jack Marshal:
- The 'Jack Marshal needs to be B2B with the warjack.
- The 'Jack Marhsl needs to have zero other warjacks currently under its control.
- The warjack comes under the 'Jack Marshal's control.
- The 'Jack Marshal forfeits its Combat Action to take control of the warjack.
- The warjack doesn't need to forfeit anything.
Reactivating Inert Warjacks
The process works almost exactly the same as above. The differences are in black text:
Warcaster or Junior Warcaster:
- The caster needs to be B2B with the warjack.
- The caster spends 1 focus during their activation.
- The warjack becomes part of their battlegroup.
- The caster does not need to forfeit their Combat Action this turn.
- The warjack must forfeit its Combat Action this turn.
'Jack Marshal:
- The 'Jack Marshal needs to be B2B with the warjack.
- The 'Jack Marshal may already have another warjack under the Marshal's control.
- If the 'Jack Marshal had zero warjacks, this warjack comes under the 'Jack Marshal's control. Otherwise, the warjack becomes Autonomous.
- The 'Jack Marshal forfeits its Combat Action to take control of the warjack.
- The warjack must forfeit its Combat Action this turn.
Retaming Wild Warbeasts
Warlock or Lesser Warlock
- The caster needs to be B2B with the warbeast.
- The caster spends 1 fury during their activation.
- The warbeast becomes part of their battlegroup.
- The warbeast needs to forfeit its Combat Action this turn.
Official Rules
'Jack Marshal Destruction
- Page 84 of the 2020.02 edition of the rulebook
If a ’jack marshal is destroyed or removed from the table, its warjack becomes autonomous (p. 67) but does not become inert.
Autonomous Warjack
- Page 67 of the 2020.02 edition of the rulebook
An autonomous warjack is a warjack that does not have a controller and is not part of a battlegroup. A warjack becomes autonomous when its controlling ’jack marshal (p. 84) is destroyed or removed from play or while its controller is under an opponent’s control.
An autonomous warjack acts normally but does not gain the benefits of being marshaled or being part of a battlegroup. A warjack must have a controller at the start of the game; it cannot begin the game autonomous.
A friendly Faction model with the Battlegroup Commander special rule, such as a warcaster, or a friendly Faction model with ’Jack Marshal can take control of an autonomous warjack. A ’jack marshal that is already controlling a warjack cannot take control of an autonomous warjack.
To take control of an autonomous warjack, a friendly Faction model with the Battlegroup Commander special rule must spend 1 focus point during its activation while base-to-base with the warjack. A ’jack marshal can take control of an autonomous friendly Faction warjack during its activation by forfeiting its Combat Action while base-to-base with the warjack. If the model taking control of the warjack has the Battlegroup Commander special rule, the warjack becomes a part of its battlegroup.
Battlegroup Commander Destruction
- Page 59 of the 2020.02 edition of the rulebook
When a model with the Battlegroup Commander special rule is destroyed or removed from the table, the warjacks in its battlegroup become inert and the warbeasts become wild. Additionally, all upkeep spells cast by that model expire (p. 80).
Inert Warjacks
- Page 59 of the 2020.02 edition of the rulebook
When a warjack becomes inert, it loses any focus points it had, and while it is inert it cannot gain focus points. An inert warjack cannot activate and does not have a melee range. It cannot engage or be engaged by other models. A model is never in melee with an inert warjack. An inert warjack has no facing, cannot advance or make attacks, and does not gain an ARM bonus for shields or bucklers. Special rules that cannot be used while a model is stationary cannot be used while a warjack is inert. A melee attack targeting an inert warjack automatically hits. An inert warjack has a base DEF of 5.
An inert warjack can be reactivated by a friendly Faction model with the Battlegroup Commander special rule, such as a warcaster, or by a friendly Faction model with the ’Jack Marshal advantage. To reactivate the warjack, a model with Battlegroup Commander can spend 1 focus point anytime during its activation while base-to-base with the warjack. A ’jack marshal can reactivate an inert friendly Faction warjack during its activation by forfeiting its Combat Action while base-to-base with the warjack. The reactivated warjack is no longer inert, but it must forfeit its Combat Action the turn it is reactivated. If the model reactivating a warjack has Battlegroup Commander, the warjack becomes a part of its battlegroup.
If the model reactivating a warjack is a ’jack marshal, the reactivated warjack comes under itscontrol unless the ’jack marshal already controls a warjack.
Wild Warbeasts
- Page 59 of the 2020.02 edition of the rulebook
When a warbeast goes wild, it loses any fury points it had. A wild warbeast cannot use its animus or be forced. A wild warbeast cannot gain fury points and never frenzies. A wild warbeast cannot activate and does not have a melee range. It cannot engage or be engaged by other models. A model is never in melee with a wild warbeast. A wild warbeast has no facing, cannot advance or make attacks, and does not gain an ARM bonus for shields or bucklers. Special rules that cannot be used while a model is stationary cannot be used while a warbeast is wild. A melee attack targeting a wild warbeast automatically hits. A wild warbeast has a base DEF of 5.
Anytime during its activation, a friendly Faction model with the Battlegroup Commander special rule, such as a warlock, can spend 1 fury point to take control of a wild warbeast while in base-to-base contact with it. The warbeast is no longer wild but must forfeit its Combat Action the turn it becomes controlled. The warbeast becomes a part of its new controller’s battlegroup.