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Stormblades are ready to face insurmountable odds and wield the most advanced mechanika Cygnar has to offer. These heavily armored soldiers are each handpicked to become knights of storm. Supplementing ancient martial tradition with state-of-the-art weaponry, in combat Stormblades are surrounded by a nimbus of flashing lightning, a sight that represents a fearsome presage of the future of Cygnaran warfare
Cygnar’s arcane mechaniks devised the Storm Thrower to both provide storm knights with covering fire and to enhance the accuracy of blasts produced by Storm Glaives.
Each elite soldier carries a potent mechanikal glaive capable of slicing through steel and generating powerful electrical blasts. These armoured knights are the vanguard of Cygnar's mechanikally advanced military.
Basic Info
| Stormblade Infantry |
| Missing Info |
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| COST |
{{{cacost}}} |
| UNIT SIZE |
{{{casize}}} |
| FA |
{{{cafa}}} |
| Warcaster 0 |
| BASE |
Small |
| SPD |
5 |
| STR |
6 |
| MAT |
7 |
| RAT |
5 |
| M.A. |
N/A |
| DEF |
13 |
| ARM |
15 |
| CMD |
8 |
| ESSENCE |
{{{essence}}} |
| FOCUS |
N/A |
| FURY |
N/A |
| THRS |
N/A |
| HP |
1 |
| F. Field |
N/A |
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| WJP |
{{{wjp}}} |
| WBP |
{{{wbp}}} |
| IHP |
{{{ihp}}} |
| FA |
2 |
| UNIT SIZE |
6 +2 CA +0-3 WA |
| COST |
9 +5 CA +2 per WA |
| 1.9 each |
| N/A |
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| N/A |
| Warcaster 1 |
| COST |
N/A |
| N/A |
Understanding
the Statblock |
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Abilities
- Standard Bearer only (CA)
- Conductor - When a Stormsmith Stormcaller makes a Surge or Triangulation special attack, this model is considered to be another friendly Stormsmith Stormcaller.
- Standard Bearer - While this model is within 5" of its unit commander, the unit commander gains +2 CMD.
- Take Up - If this model is destroyed, you can choose a Grunt in this unit within 1" of it to be destroyed instead. Effects on this model expire, and it gains the effects on the chosen Grunt. Remove the Grunt from the table instead of this model. This model has the same number of unmarked damage boxes as the chosen Grunt.
Weapons
| Leader
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| Rod Bolt
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RNG
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ROF
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AOE
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POW
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6
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1
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-
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14
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| Storm Rod
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RNG
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POW
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P+S
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2
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9
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15
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| Grunts
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| Glaive Bolt
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RNG
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ROF
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AOE
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POW
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6
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1
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-
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14
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| Storm Glaive
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RNG
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POW
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P+S
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1
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9
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15
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| Storm Gunner (WA)
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| Storm Thrower
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RNG
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ROF
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AOE
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POW
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12
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1
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-
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14
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| Electrical Blade
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RNG
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POW
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P+S
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1
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7
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13
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| Officer & Standard Bearer (CA)
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| Storm Glaive Blast
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RNG
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ROF
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AOE
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POW
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6
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1
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-
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14
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| Storm Glaive
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RNG
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POW
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P+S
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1
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9
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15
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Theme Forces
Recent Changes
No changes since 2021.06
Thoughts on Stormblade Infantry
Stormblade Infantry in a nutshell
Stormblades are a hard hitting infantry unit that can be used in two ways. First as a minimum unit as effectively Cygnar's in faction weapon master infantry to break up heavy armour. Second by going all in, getting the command attachment to give them Iron Zeal (to ward off shooting) and Relentless Charge - something that is pretty scarce in the theme. The unit and their weapon attachments also have Assault so when the first attachment hits so does the entire unit.
Thoughts on adding the CA
Without the Command Attachment, you will give up on Relentless Charge - and combat is where these guys really want to be. Even if you cannot reach your opponent, it helps you to extend your Assault shot's range, extending your seemingly static 11" threat bubble up to 14" (20" for your Gunners), no matter the terrain (save for Quicksand).
Iron Zeal helps their survivability immensely. Against most armies, it is best to use turn 2. Turn 1 most everyone runs, with a handful of long range pot shots taken. Turn 2 is when most armies are in range, but haven't hit melee yet. This mini-feat bumps them up to levels where infantry guns will struggle to kill them. Additionally, if you are getting tough from something like Rhupert Carvolo, they can't be knocked down, which significantly increases their chance of survival.
This is also one of the few CA's in the game where the standard bearer has a weapon and is a combat model. If he dies and you have a grunt to take-up, you won't diminish the unit's overall combat effectiveness.
It is an expensive CA for what it is but as a requisition option that isn't too much of an issue.
Thoughts on adding the WA
The Stormgunner is a great way to beef up the unit, since he is just a shy less capable in melee, but packs serious punch at range. If you are assaulting a large target, like a colossal or heavy jack, make sure to have them shoot first. If the stormgunner hits, a full unit of stormblades can kill a colossal in one round, thanks to their assault shots and charge attacks. These are also a great way to use up extra points in a list.
Theme thoughts
Most of the time these guys will be run in the Storm Division theme force, and they're not currently allowed in any other Cygnar themes. The Storm Division features the full spectrum of electrical-themed models which can buff them, namely:
They can also be taken in the Mercenary Llaelese Resistance theme force, which really likes heavy-hitting infantry.
- Trencher Infantry can screen them from charges, and they are favored choices for this theme.
- Gibbs gives Llaelese Stormblades Feign Death and Reposition.
Combos & Synergies
They die to shooting so:
Other:
- Stormclad and Reliant
- Their presence charges up the jack, leaving more focus for your warcaster.
- If you take the risk, you can put it under the care of the Officer for marshalling. This is not always advised though. The officer has no Drive, and is already a high priority target. Making this unit effectively a 29/33 point-unit will draw a huge bullseye on him. If you want to marshal a jack, choose a Sentinel, which might guard your investment.
- Sometimes you'll Pathfinder outside charges as well - so Rhupert or Throne is a good choice as a Merc solo.
- Ragman or Gorman are also worth considerating as your mercenary solo choices due to their damage buffs.
- Morrowan Battle Priests can be a good alternative WA, and their attacks are affected by the leaders buff. The WA also provides Rise which makes them better targets for tough effects.
- Stormsmith Stormcallers can occasionally set up Surges/Triangulations if the flag bearer is forward enough.
Drawbacks & Downsides
- They resist blasts, but direct shooting clears them off quickly. Also beware Snipers, Corrosion and Anatomic Precision.
- Short melee reach and short-ranged shooting.
- If you add all the extras, their cost can fly away pretty fast. Finding the balance can be difficult.
- The Officer is a high priority target.
- Shortest charge range melee unit in Cygnar. Assault and The Stormblade Captain's Desperate Pace adds another consideration to this though.
Tricks & Tips
- If you have the trimmings assault with the weapon attachments first - that way they hit and all the other blasts will.
Other
Trivia
- In MK1, the leader's weapon was called the Storm Rod - and if you lost the leader you lost the electrical arc (just as you lost orders when you lost the leader in MK1). Now it's just a badge of office.
- The unit (not including UA or WA) was released in Warmachine: Prime (2003)
- The UA was released in Warmachine: Escalation (2004)
- The WA was released in Forces of Warmachine: Cygnar (February 2010).
Other Cygnar models
Rules Clarifications
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Rules Clarification : Electricity (Edit)
- When electricity arcs/leaps, you ignore models with Immunity:Electricity. The arc "skips" them.
- If you attack a model with Immunity:Electricity, the arc/leap won't go anywhere at all. The arc is "grounded".
- Incorporeal models do not have Immunity: Electricity (they just ignore non-magical damage). As such electricity can arc/leap to and from incorporeal models.
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Rules Clarification: : Assault (Edit)
(Click Expand to read)
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General
Step 1: Declare the charge
- Are you in already melee? With any enemy, not just your charge target?
- If yes, you don't get an Assault attack at all (Refer to the latest Errata). Instead it's just a normal charge.
- If no, continue to Step 2.
- Note: You cannot be "in melee" with a stationary/knocked down target. Feel free to declare charges (and Assault shots) in this case.
- You can even charge a knocked down model you're in B2B with, advance 0", and get your ranged attack and your melee attack(s).
Step 2: Move the charging model
- As soon as the movement is finished, determine whether it was a successful charge or not.
- Do this before resolving anything that triggers on "Ends Movement" (like Admonition, Countercharge).
- Do this before resolving your Assault attack.
- Did you make a successful charge? You get the ranged attack even though you're "in melee" (not yet though).
- Did you fail the charge? You will get the Assault shot anyway (not yet though).
- Did you fail the charge, but end your movement in melee with someone different to your charge target? You get the ranged attack even though you're "in melee" (not yet though). (Infernal Ruling)
- Now that you've figured out whether the charge successful, you resolve "Ends Movement" effects (such as Countercharge) before the Assault attack. (Infernal Ruling).
- If something happens at this point that changes whether a model is in/out of melee range, it does not retroactively change a failed charge into a successful charge or vice versa.
- If your charge was successful you may use "any time" abilities between 'finishing movement' and 'starting Assault attack'. (Infernal Ruling)
- If you fail your charge, you may not use "any time" abilities before or after making the Assault attack. (Infernal Ruling)
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Tip !
Assault is not a "triggered ability" and it will never trigger simultaneously with another ability that triggers/resolves at "ends movement". Instead, the other ability is always resolved before the Assault shot.
You can make an Assault shot even if you charged less than 3".
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Step 3: Make the ranged attack
- The ranged attack is optional.
- Since the Assault attack is outside your Combat Action, you can only do a basic ranged attack. CRA & Special ranged attacks are only allowed during your Combat Action, you can't do them. (Infernal Ruling CRA & Special Attack)
- Did you move at least 3" during the charge movement? Who cares, that is irrelevant to the Assault attack!
- Make your ranged attack vs your charge target
- If the charge target is already dead (which can happen when units charge) then you don't get to redirect your Assault attack vs 'someone else'. You simply don't get an Assault attack. (Infernal Ruling)
- A model which can do something "instead of making a ranged attack" (such as the Spriggan's Targeting Flare) then they can do that as an Assault attack. (Infernal Ruling)
- If your ranged attacks triggers other attacks/damage that occur "after the attack" (such as Drag or Electro Leap) then those will resolve as per normal, regardless of whether you had a successful charge or not. (Infernal Ruling)
- Is the target in melee with the shooter?
- If yes, then you ignore the +4 DEF bonus (as per the 3rd paragraph of "Targeting a Model in Melee" (TMM) rules)
- If no, resolve the ranged attack exactly the same as if it were a normal ranged attack.
Step 4: After finishing the Assault attack
- If it was an unsuccessful charge, your activation now ends.
- If it was a successful charge, and your charge target is ...
- still alive, then you get your charge attack (as per the charge rules)
- dead, then you get your initial melee attack(s) vs anyone still in your melee range (as per the charge rules).
- Either way, you don't get to make more ranged attacks (other than the obvious exceptions like Gunfighter, of course).
Units
- Move all models in the unit before making any Assault attacks. (Infernal Ruling)
- Make all Assault attacks before making any Charge attacks. (Infernal Ruling)
- Each model in the unit is effectively "stalled" while you move/shoot the other models. This "stall" does not create an opportunity to use "any time" abilities. (Infernal Ruling)
- If a trooper's target dies before they make their Assault shot, they don't get to redirect it. You just skip their Assault shot. (Infernal Ruling)
- You cannot make Assault attacks while out of formation, as per the regular formation rules about making attacks.
- Assault & CRA (Edit)
- You cannot mix Combined Range Attacks with Assault shots, as CRA works during your combat action and Assault shots occur before it. (Infernal Ruling)
Other
- Warbeasts
- Warbeasts cannot use Assault during a Frenzy. Refer to the latest errata.
- Assault vs Countercharge ( Edit )
- Assault & Drag ( Edit )
- You determine whether a charge was successful or not before making the Assault attack.
- If you make an unsuccessful charge but then use Drag to get your charge target into melee range, then:
- It is still a failed charge and your activation is going to end after the Assault attack is resolved. (Infernal Ruling)
- You will get the free melee attack from Drag as part of resolving the Assault ranged attack. (Infernal Ruling)
- Whether or not your charge was successful, this free melee attack is not a charge attack. (Infernal Ruling)
- You won't be able to purchase additionals (because your activation ended).
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Rules Clarification : Combined Melee Attack (Edit)
- Each CMA only counts as a single attack, no matter how many participants are involved. This means, for example, that if Satyxis Raiders damage a warjack and trigger their Feedback ability, the enemy warcaster will only take 1 damage total, not 1 for every Raider.
- Any bonuses (such as back strike) or penalties (such as intervening terrain) are determined according to the model leading the CMA (the attack leader).
- If the participants have buffs/debuffs but the attack leader doesn't ... then the CMA doesn't because only the attack leader matters. Simple as that.
- A single unit can perform multiple CMAs, utilising different groupings of models. eg a unit with 10 models could make one 10-man CMA, or two 5-man CMAs, or five 2-man CMAs, or etc.
- CMA for units that have more than one melee weapon (the short version)
- Once you have more than one melee weapon, charging becomes a bit complicated. There are two important rules:
- A model which charges must use its first attack to make a charge attack. It can't "skip ahead" to contributing its second non-charge attack before it's resolved its first attack.
- For a CMA to gain the charging bonus, then all contributors must be contributing a charge attack.
- These two rules have a few, slightly confusing implications. Click the expand box below for a full breakdown.
| CMA for units with more than one weapon (the long version) (Edit)
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The following example is about Satyxis Raiders, but is equally applicable to other units with two CMA:
- Each Raider gets two attacks. Both, one, or neither can be a CMA as you choose.
- If you are doing two CMA in a row, then you should note that the second CMA doesn’t have to use the same “primary attacker” or the same “participants” as the first CMA.
- For instance, you could have the first CMA with raider A being the "primary attacker" and raider B being the "participant",
- then for the second CMA have raider B the "primary attacker" and raider A the "participant".
- Or leave A alone for a moment and use B plus C. Whatever takes your fancy.
- Primary attackers and participants don't have to use the same weapon. So, continuing with the above example, you could have primary A use lash and participant B use horns, then primary B use lash and participant A use horns. Effectively granting you two lash attacks with CMA bonuses!
- Combined Melee Attack and charging
- Remember the 2 rules above?
- Rule 1 means you cannot contribute your second, non-charge attack before you have resolved/contributed your first attack.
- Rule 1 means you cannot "skip ahead" to resolving your second, non-charge attack before you have resolved/contributed your first attack.
- but wait, there's more!
- However, thanks to the "Units with Combined Melee Attack ignore the rule that one trooper's combat action cannot begin until the previous model's combat action ends" rule, you can "pause" your second attack if you want to do a CMA with it later. For example:
- Model A performs its charge attack.
- Model B performs its charge attack. (Interrupting A)
- Model C performs its charge attack. (Interrupting B)
- CMA using A, B & C's remaining attack.
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Rules Clarification : Electrical Current (Edit)
- Attacks which are out of range will still automatically miss. Refer Step 3 vs 4 in the Attack Sequence appendix.
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Rules Clarification : Officer (Edit)
- Even if they're not on the Officer's card, an Officer can give (and benefit from) any non-standard orders that are on the unit's card (such as Shield Wall). Refer main rulebook.
- When the Officer dies, the Leader model becomes the new Unit Commander (you don't get to choose).
- But if your unit doesn't include a Leader model, then you do get to choose any of the remaining models to be the new Unit Commander. You don't swap the model, but it may be worth putting a token down so you can tell that grunt apart.
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Rules Clarification : Tactics vs Granted (Edit)
- Granted = The unit loses the ability as soon as the model that grants it is taken off the table. (think "G for Goes away")
- Tactics = The unit keeps the ability for the entire game, regardless of who dies. (think "Tac-Tick = K for Keeps")
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- Granted [ Vengeance ]
- If the model granting Vengeance dies, the unit will not get any Vengeance attacks.
- It is "If you have Vengeance, and you were damaged last turn, you get a move+attack."
- It is not "If you get damaged, you get Vengeance next turn."
- If you lose Vengeance halfway through resolving Vengeance, then you stop resolving Vengeance immediately. (Infernal Ruling)
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Rules Clarification : Iron Zeal (Edit)
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Restrictions on "Any Time" abilities ( Edit) [Show/Hide]
- "Any Time" abilities can be used at any time during a model/unit's activation, except:
- Before any compulsory forfeiture of movement/action. See step 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A.
- After the model with the "Any Time" ability has had their activation end "prematurely". By this I mean you resolved something which includes the phrase "its activation ends". Examples include:
- Running, failing a charge, or failing a slam.
- Abilities that include "then its activation ends" (such as Reposition and Teleport).
- In between declaring your charge target and making your charge movement. (Infernal Ruling)
- In between completing your charge movement and determining whether it was a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling)
- When you're in the middle of moving. (Note: Impact Attacks count as being in the middle of movement).
- When you're in the middle of an attack. Which also includes effects that occur "after the attack is resolved".
(Although the attack is "resolved" at Step 11, in terms of using an "Any Time" ability the attack is not "finished" until after Step 14. Refer to the first paragraph of Apdx A.)
- Your opponent interrupted your activation to trigger one of their own abilities (such as Countercharge).
- Warcasters/warlocks/etc can normally cast a spell or use their feat "At any time". However, there is a core rule saying they cannot do so on the same activation that they run. So, they are subject to all the same restrictions listed above, plus they can't cast/feat before running.
- Units: See below.
- In general you can use "Any Time" abilities while you're knocked down or stationary (except Spells and Feats which specify you can't).
- If you have a gun with a random ROF, you can use an "Any Time" ability inbetween rolling the number of shots and actually making the first attack. (Infernal Ruling)
- Units with "Any Time" abilities
- You cannot use an "Any Time" ability before issuing/receiving orders. See step 1 and 2 of the activation sequence, appendix A.
- A model in a unit can't use an "Any Time" ability after they run (Infernal Ruling) or fail a charge. Because that makes that specific model's activation to end even though the unit's activation is still ongoing, and you can't use abilities on models that are not active.
- You can use an "Any Time" ability before running, however.
- A model in a unit can't use an "Any Time" ability after anyone in the unit has begun a Reposition move. (Infernal Ruling)
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Rules Clarification : 'Jack Marshal (Edit)
- If a warjack gets a marshal benefit (such as Crush) but then moves out of the marshal's CMD range, it keeps the benefit. (Infernal Ruling)
- Marshals can control character warjacks. (Closed thread)
- Although they never get the Power Up bonus, a marshaled warjack can gain focus via other means (such as Accumulator, Empower, Spirit Harvester, etc).
- They can do this even after the Marshal dies and they become autonomous.
- 'Jack Marshal & Ranking Officer (Edit)
- If a Ranking Officer joins a unit with the 'Jack Marshal ability, then they can still only take Mercenary warjacks - they don't gain access to Faction warjacks. (Infernal Ruling)
- They can control that mercenary warjack as normal, even though they're technically no longer the same faction as the jack. (Infernal Ruling)
- See also this article for the Autonomous warjack rules and how to re-control them.
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Rules Clarification : Take Up (Edit)
- If you use Take Up the attacking model cannot trigger anything that needs the attacker to "Destroy" a model (such as Alpha Hunter, Killing Spree, Berserk, etc). Although the model that was attacked reached the Destroyed step of the timing sequence, Take Up negates that entirely. (Infernal Ruling)
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Rules Clarification : Conductor - None yet. (Edit)
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Rules Clarification : Standard Bearer (Edit)
- If the Officer dies, the Standard Bearer can give the CMD bonus to the Leader model.
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Note to Editors
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'Jack Marshal
Officer
