32 HigH Command FaitH & Fortune

By David “DC” Carl

The new WARMACHINE High Command: Faith & Fortune core set includes the requisite Winds of War and Location cards, along with four new playable factions for High Command. Two of the new factions, the Retribution of Scyrah and the Convergence of Cyriss, showcase the Faith side of the equation while our mercenary forces, the Highborn Covenant and Four Star Syndicate, favor Fortune instead. Each one brings its own new twist on High Command game play, and many include multiple sub-themes within a single faction.

WARMACHINE High Command: Faith & Fortune will have its own expansion packs releasing hot on the heels of the core set, providing each of these factions with additional options that flesh out those themes. So whether you gravitate to the Highborn Covenant’s dwarves or freedom fighters, the Four Star Syndicate’s pirates or zombies, or anything in between, there’s plenty more soon to come!

33HigH Command FaitH & Fortune

VP

PURCHASE: RUSH:Illus. by Neil Roberts © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

PHOENIXWARJACK

6

3

PHOENIX FIELDAt the start of your battle step, draw 1 card and then discard 1 card.

B

2 CMD

2 WAR

7 WAR 9 WAR

2

B

VP

PURCHASE: RUSH:Illus. by Andrea Uderzo © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

HOUSE NYARR SENTINELSDAWNGUARD, WARRIOR

4

3

DEFENSIVE LINEAt the start of an attack at this location, if there are any other friendly cards here, this card gains +1 Health until the end of the turn.

R

2 CMD

2 WAR

5 CMD 9 CMD

1

R

VP

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Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

STORMFALL ARCHER COMPANYHOUSEGUARD, WARRIOR

4

1

BRUTAL SHOTIf there is only one enemy card at this location, this card gains +2 Power.

Y

0 CMD

2 WAR

4 CMD 6 CMD

1

Y

RUSH:Illus. by Andrea Uderzo © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms, all faction names, logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

ADEPTIS RAHNCHARACTER, WARCASTER

—

2

BATTLEGROUP COMMANDERFriendly warjack cards at Rahn’s location gain +1 Power.ARCANE ALIGNMENTWhen you rush Rahn, draw 3 cards then discard 3 cards.

2 CMD

B

P

OverviewOnce considered a fringe organization of zealous and violent fanatics bent on the destruction of human wizards and sorcerers, the Retribution of Scyrah has recently found its voice within Ios and won new allies to its cause. Its faith now represents a viable political, religious, and military power that continues to gain ground with the Iosan people. The Retribution of Scyrah forces now encompass the mighty warriors of House Nyarr, the mages and myrmidons of House Shyeel, and the regimented Houseguard troops from other houses throughout the Iosan nation. The military might of Ios has joined up with the fanatical Mage Hunters who began hunting down human magic users long before Ios marched to war. Armed with their faith, they embark on a mission of retribution against the human nations.

Play StyleRetribution of Scyrah cards typically tend to be a bit more expensive than those of other factions, but they also average higher Power and Health values. The Retribution’s reinforcement deck is an elite fighting force that can build up to a very dominant position, but it also risks being overwhelmed by nimbler Faith & Fortune armies.

One key way the Retribution of Scyrah offsets their more gradual offense is with numerous cards that allow a player to draw one or more cards and then immediately discard one or more cards. Though this doesn’t usually increase the raw quantity of available cards, it does help a player get the right cards for a given situation and run through a deck more quickly, enabling the player to tune the deck a bit further each time he shuffles.

Card PreviewSAdeptis Rahn and the Phoenix are just two of the Retribution of Scyrah cards that utilize this draw-discard mechanic and showcase how readily a Retribution player can reach the right cards at the right time while digging through his deck.

The Stormfall Archer Company shows off one of the smaller themes of the Retribution, that of catching an opponent alone and unprepared, while the House Nyarr Sentinels are a good representative of the overarching theme of the Retribution’s elite fighting forces.

retributiOn Of SCyrah

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Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

PERVASIVE ATTENDANTSRESOURCE

—

—

When you discard this card for CMD or WAR, you can also move one Servitor card from your discard pile to your hand.

P

2 CMD

2 WAR

2 CMD

2 WAR

P

PURCHASE: RUSH:Illus. by Anthony Jones © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

COROLLARYWARJACK

3

1

POWER TRANSFERBefore drawing cards at the end of your orders step, you can move one warjack card from your discard pile to your hand.

Y

0 CMD

2 WAR

3 WAR 4 WAR

Y

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Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

ENIGMA FOUNDRY COREWARRIOR

5

1

RECONSTRUCTIONAt the end of your turn, you can move one warrior card with a purchase cost of 3 CMD or less from your hand or discard pile to this location.

O

2 CMD

0 WAR

5 CMD 7 CMD

1

O

RUSH:Illus. by Andrea Uderzo © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms, all faction names, logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

IRON MOTHER DIRECTRIXCHARACTER, WARCASTER

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*

BATTLEGROUP COMMANDER

Friendly warjack cards at Directrix’s location gain +1 Power.

MATHEMATICAL PERFECTION

Directrix’s base Power is equal to the total base Power of all

friendly cards at her location.

2 WAR

B

P

COnvergenCe Of CyriSS

OverviewThe second faction representing the “faith” side of High Command: Faith & Fortune is the Convergence of Cyriss. The clockwork goddess Cyriss has followers throughout the Iron Kingdoms, most of whom are regarded more as a novelty than any real threat. Their mathematical, scientific, and engineering research and development are valued highly enough that their religious views are largely ignored.

The inner circle of Cyrissists, the Convergence of Cyriss, has recently become most difficult to overlook. With vast clockwork armies and powerful machines of war, the

priests of the Convergence have entered into battle across the Iron Kingdoms in the name of the Maiden of Gears.

Play StyleAs in WARMACHINE, the Convergence of Cyriss in High Command has gameplay elements that reflect their clockwork nature. By the middle of a game of High Command, a Convergence of Cyriss army deck functions as a great machine with interlocking parts that create a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

For example, a player might discard an Accretion Servitor Array and Modulator to deploy a Corollary but later get the servitors back thanks to Pervasive Attendants and then get the Modulator back thanks to the Corollary’s Power Transfer. High Command players who enjoy puzzling out intricate combinations of card effects will really enjoy crafting a clockwork engine of death out of their Convergence of Cyriss reinforcement deck.

Card PreviewSThese preview cards offer just a few examples of the interactivity one can build into a Convergence of Cyriss army deck. The cards you draw are not limited to being single-use resources or combatants but are instead cogs in a machine that consists of your army deck, hand, and discard pile.

Cards at a location also have a high degree of interactivity and combination-oriented abilities aplenty. Even a humble Convergence of Cyriss card like an Obstructors Complement can become very difficult to dislodge from a location, and even when it is destroyed, an Enigma Foundry Core can bring it back!

34 HigH Command FaitH & Fortune

PURCHASE: RUSH:Illus. by Brian Snoddy © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

GRUNDBACK GUNNERWARJACK

4

2

POWERFUL ATTACKWhile another card ability causes this card to gain Power, it gains an additional +1 Power.

R

1 CMD

2 WAR

3 WAR 7 WAR

R

PURCHASE: RUSH:Illus. by Chris Bourassa © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

HAMMERFALL WAR MARSHALDWARF, WARRIOR

4

1

WARJACK MARSHALAt the start of an attack at this location, choose a friendly warjack card at this location. It gains +1 Power until the end of the turn.

Y

1 CMD

2 WAR

3 CMD 6 CMD

Y

PURCHASE: RUSH:

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AMETHYST ROSE GUN MAGESGUN MAGE, WARRIOR

4

3

QUICK DRAWWhen you deploy or rush this card, you can choose a warrior here. It has 0 Power until the end of the turn.

P

2 CMD

1 WAR

5 CMD 6 CMD

1

P

RUSH:Illus. by Matt Wilson © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms, all faction names, logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

ASHLYNN D’ELYSECHARACTER, WARCASTER

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2

BATTLEGROUP COMMANDERFriendly warjack cards at Ashlynn’s location gain +1 Power.ROULETTEWhen you rush Ashlynn, choose one: friendly cards here gain +2 Health or enemy cards here suffer –2 Power.

2 CMD

O

G

OverviewOnce a prosperous nation, Llael has fallen upon hard times. Occupied by forces of Khador and the Protectorate of Menoth, many have lost hope for Llael’s future. Some remain, however, who will not go quietly. Freedom fighters wage a guerilla war against the armies occupying their home, and dispossessed nobles hire the best mercenary forces money can buy.

The Highborn Covenant military is no true army but a motley mix of Llaelese freedom fighters, human sell-swords, and dwarven mercenaries from the nation of Rhul. Until the occupying armies are driven back or the bountiful coffers of the Llaelese nobility run dry, these soldiers of fortune will not stop fighting for the dream of a free Llael.

Play StyleOne of the key elements of the Highborn Covenant reinforcement deck is a spirit of cooperation. The army has numerous cards that become more powerful or more resilient when fighting alongside other friendly cards.

Other cards in the Highborn arsenal protect friendly cards in some way or another. This includes a couple of different cards with the familiar Shield Guard ability, but it extends to other types of protection as well. Abilities like Stall, Entangle, and Quick Draw help protect the underdog Highborn forces even when they are outnumbered or outmatched.

Card PreviewSThe Grundback Gunner and Hammerfall War Marshal are a great example of Highborn cooperation. Though they have a combined base Power of just 3, that jumps up to 5 after factoring in Warjack Marshal and Powerful Attack.

Whether alone or alongside other Highborn cards, the Amethyst Rose Gun Mages’ Quick Draw is one of several support abilities with which the Highborn Covenant can make it very difficult for enemies to conquer locations, allowing the Llaelese Resistance to hold their ground against daunting odds.

highbOrn COvenant

35HigH Command faitH & fortune

36 HigH Command faitH & fortune

PURCHASE:Illus. by Brian Snoddy & Mariusz Gandzel © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

CULTIST RITUALRESOURCE

—

—

When you discard this card for CMD or WAR, reveal the top card of your army deck to all players. If it’s a basic resource, draw it.

P

2 CMD

2 WAR

2 CMD

2 WAR

P

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Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

NOMADWARJACK

4

3

RELIABLEWhen this card would be destroyed, reveal the top card of your army deck. If it’s a resource, return this card to your hand.

O

0 CMD

2 WAR

4 WAR 9 WAR

1

O

PURCHASE: RUSH:Illus. by Andrea Uderzo © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms®, all faction names logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

PRESS GANGERSPIRATE, WARRIOR

2

2

SHANGHAIIf there is an enemy warrior card at this location, when you deploy or rush another Pirate card here, reduce the cost by 1 CMD.

G

1 CMD

1 WAR

2 CMD 4 CMD

G

RUSH:Illus. by Andrea Uderzo © Privateer Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Iron Kingdoms, all faction names, logos, warjack, warcaster, and warbeast are TM Privateer Press, Inc.

FIONA THE BLACKCHARACTER, WARCASTER

—

2

BATTLEGROUP COMMANDER

Friendly warjack cards at Fiona’s location gain +1 Power.

DARK OMEN

When you rush Fiona, reveal the top card of your army deck. If it’s a resource card, draw

two cards. If not, destroy up to one card here with the same card type as the revealed card.

2 CMD

Y

P

fOur Star SyndiCate

OverviewThe Four Star Syndicate isn’t following some grand divine plan, and its members are not freedom fighters seeking the liberation of their people. This second fortune-seeking faction is all about booty. These pirates, cutthroats, cultists, and necromancers are mercenaries in every sense of the word.

The goals of the Four Star Syndicate are not well publicized or well understood, but if there’s some angle to play and some coin to earn, you can bet the Syndicate will be involved. In some cases, this

represents a legitimate work-for-hire contract, but far more often it represents opportunistic manipulation or outright piracy.

Play StyleOf the four High Command: Faith & Fortune factions, the Four Star Syndicate has both the lowest average Health values and the lowest average purchase costs. Under the right circumstances, they can reduce their costs even further with abilities like Death Field and Shanghai. This allows a Syndicate commander to overwhelm a location with numerical superiority more easily than any previous High Command faction.

Beyond their raw numbers, the Four Star Syndicate also has numerous cards that utilize a gambling mechanic. Pirates and cutthroats are no strangers to gambling, and when the cards fall their way, cards like the Trollkin Sell-swords become more dangerous than ever.

Card PreviewSThe Nomad and Cultist Ritual cards are a couple examples of the gambling effects within the Four Star Syndicate card roster. Though these gambling effects aren’t as reliable or predictable as cards with raw discounts, a free Nomad or basic resource card can allow you to pull off a bigger turn than your opponents are expecting.

Even when the cards turn against you, however, the Syndicate is well known for its big turns. With the help of a couple of Press Gangers or Wandering Necromancers, it’s not uncommon to deploy four or more cards to one location in a single turn.