New story – Wrath of Caine, Part I | Warmachine Wednesday

It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for your weekly Warmachine update!

Pre-order your Gravediggers army

Set to change the face of war in Immoren, the Cygnar Gravediggers airdrop March 27. If you haven’t already, now’s the time to pre-order your army.

Warmachine Stockist Programme

Want your local gaming store to stock Warmachine? Ask them to get in touch with our trade team about the brand new Warmachine stockist programme we unveiled at GAMA! 

It was our most successful GAMA ever, with a fantastic number of stores signing up to stock Warmachine. If your local store wasn't one of them, here's where they can get in touch about the programme. 

AdeptiCon looms

Speaking of events, AdeptiCon is nigh. We know many of you are keen on seeing the big keynote livestreamed, so we’re working with the AdeptiCon team to get that set up. Make sure you’re following Warmachine so you get the updates. 

P3 Grandmaster painting competition

The P3 Grandmaster painting competition will also return at AdeptiCon! Hosted by and showcased on the Steamforged booth, it’s open to painters of all styles and skill levels. 

Full rules will follow soon, but here’s a quick summary:

• It’s open to all Steamforged Games miniatures.
• Drop off your entries between 10am-5pm Thursday, 10am-5pm Friday, or 10am-1pm Saturday at the Steamforged booth (810). 
• Every entry will be judged on its own merit, which means there could be multiple golds, silvers, and bronzes, as well as Honourable Mentions. There’s only one P3 Grandmaster award, which will go to the best entry in the competition.
• Max. three entries, not exceeding eight models per entry

Coming soon – Shadows & Scum rules preview 

If you’re one of the many folks keen to check out the rules for the upcoming Shadows & Scum two-player set, then make sure you’re following Warmachine in some capacity.

Because the two-player set is ideal for new players looking to get into Warmachine, we’re invoking the unholy powers of the algorithm gods for this release. Starting next week, we’ll be sharing the rules one-by-one on our channels ahead of releasing them in full on the app, and any comments, likes, or shares will help us reach even more potential players.

Feel free to speculate, ruminate, and theorise to your heart’s content — your engagement means even more eyes on Warmachine, meaning more future players for you to hang out and play with. 

New story begins – Wrath of Caine, Part I

Speaking of Cygnar, this month marks the beginning of a new story focused on legendary Cygnar gun mage, Allister Caine.

A cadre warcaster found in the Khador v Cygnar two-player set (and upcoming Hellslingers Command Cadre), Caine plays for both the Storm Legion and upcoming Gravediggers armies.

THE royal palace in Caspia soared over the bustling capital, its streets teeming with the industrious pursuits of a million citizens that dwelled, free of outside concern, within its mighty walls. At the center of the palace was the war room, a squat chamber with map-covered walls and deep leather chairs, where for centuries, the fates of untold people had been meticulously debated and decided by those with the power to shape kingdoms. 

It seemed a small ask in such a hallowed place for the formidable authorities gathered to tip the scales in the favor of one very unlucky girl, but here they were. Moreover, the conversation was becoming heated.

“Goddammit, that’s not all!” Captain Allister Caine slammed the table with a fist, his cigar nearly falling out of his mouth as he spat the words.

“You will remember your place here, Captain.” Caine knew the elder Warmaster General Ebonhart was not easily riled but regarded Caine’s outburst with simmering irritation. “We are fighting a war of attrition on three fronts. We simply cannot spare the resources you propose for a single child. Even if she is yours.”

The torchlit room felt overly warm to Caine, forcing him to loosen his collar. He looked around at the grand tapestries of wars long past, finding no reprieve there. Before him, the council of six sat deadpan except for Bolden Rebald, who was visibly bristling. It certainly came as no surprise to Caine; they had nemeses many times over the years.

“The chance your raid succeeds is effectively zero,” Rebald hissed, pressing his moustache as he looked at Skell on the map laid out before them on the great table. “Your expedition may as well be gift-wrapped.”

“Of all people, Rebald, yeh’d best hope I bring her back.” Caine bristled, turning to the man. “It’s as much yer fault as mine she’s there at all.”

For his part, Rebald did not dignify the remark, only scoffed.

“I warned you once, Captain.” The weathered warmaster rose, clearly on the edge of summoning the guards at the chamber entrance.

“It’s not me yeh need worry about,” Caine hissed, barely holding back. “This is about resources, yeh say?”

“What are you getting at?” Ebonheart cut in.

“Even a cynical old bean counter like Rebald here knows the value of a ticking bomb.” Caine eyed Rebald with simmering resentment.

“Elaborate.” By his expression, Ebonheart had been taken by surprise.

“Cryx found it worth their while to come here for my Cynthia now, didn’t they?” Caine peered around the table to find apprehensive stares greeting him. “Because she’s a right chip off the old block is why. She has the Gift, and she has it in spades. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”

Uncomfortable silence followed.

“Did I stutter?” Caine was incensed. “How would yeh relish another Caine playing for the other side?” 

Still no answer, but the faces considering his words had become grave.

“We’ve seen it before.” Caine paced. “What cost to Cygnar that Cryx was able to take Victoria Haley’s sister? Do yeh know the answer, bean counters?” 

Muttered grumbling now, but Caine saw his point was registering. 

“How many lives has that Warwitch Deneghra cost us when she might have held the line alongside our major?” Caine moved now behind the backs of his detractors.

“It’s a valid point.” Leto leaned in with a measured voice to advise Ebonheart as King Julian’s proxy. His pallor seemed whiter than usual at Caine’s suggestion.

“And a small detachment is all I ask.” Caine saw the effect of his words shake the table as he pointed to the map. “I lead them into Skell, quick as a wink and back again. Then she’s back, safe and sound.”

Ebonheart narrowed his eyes. “How do you know she’s in Skell? How will you find her?”

“We’ve got enough intelligence on Cryx to know that witch’s master, the Lich Lord Asphyxious, is based in Skell. So, call it an educated guess. And once I’m there, I can find her.”

“Laughable,” Rebald sneered. “You don’t even know where you’re going. If you could actually find her, you’d never get out of Cryx alive. Better operators than you have tried and not returned.”

“Yeh lend me that skyship, and they’ll never see us coming.” Caine exhaled a cloud of cigar smoke into Rebald’s face. “Or going.”

He watched their reaction, shrugs around the table. It appeared nothing could assuage Ebonheart. Caine watched him like a hawk as he shifted in his seat, pulling his beard. 

“You ask for our most precious asset as though it were nothing.” He shook his head, incredulous.

“Warcasters are yer best assets,” Caine countered. “Not only will I bring yer pretty flyer back, but we’ll also make sure Cryx has one less warcaster. Do the math, Warmaster.”

“Zero. Zero is the math.” Rebald snorted. “She is gone, Allister.”

Caine purpled, giving rise to a sudden flash of runes around him. In an instant, he was across the table. 

Caine reappeared to grip Rebald’s collar with a single Spellstorm pistol shoved in the spymaster’s face before anyone knew what was happening.

“Say it again.” Caine hissed, pressing the gun closer to Rebald’s face. “Say it again.”

When the guards at last pried him off an indignant Rebald, Caine already knew what Ebonheart would say.

“Damn your temper, Captain!” The warmaster shook his head in anger. “Rebald is correct, no matter how it burns your ears to hear. You’ll take your leave now, before I have you up on charges. Again.”

“You’re going to allow that?” A seething Rebald adjusted himself, trying to regain composure.

“You don’t make light of a man’s kin, Rebald,” Ebonheart answered. “He owed you that one.”

Caine meanwhile shrugged off his escort’s grasp with a simple teleport. A few leaps later, he reappeared at the grand entrance to the palace in front of two very surprised guards.

“Further orders my ass,” Caine growled and started walking. As he moved beyond the palace grounds, he joined a steady traffic of pedestrians along one the city’s busy thoroughfares. Alongside him, the lean frame of Ryan, wrapped in a cloak and then Watts, smoking a stogie with a worn canvas jacket, materialized from the crowds. Both wore tricorns pulled low over their eyes.

“Plan B?” Ryan asked with little surprise, her eyes darting through the crowd ahead, never looking to Caine.

“Plan B,” Caine agreed, walking with greater purpose now.

Read more in the Warmachine app

Want to read the rest of Part I? You can find it in the Warmachine app, where subscribers get access to a wealth of stories and background on the characters and events of the Iron Kingdoms — including a recent Heroes & Villains piece on Caine’s own daughter, Cynthia Rosko, found in the Gravediggers Battlegroup Box. 

New in the app

Finally, here’s what’s new in the Warmachine app:

Subscribers

Wrath of Caine, Part I

Additions

None

Removals

None

Corrections

• Heavy Weapon Crate, Rocket Pod: AOE 2

• Light Airdrop Command Card now reads “Starting on round two, you can play this card any time during the activation of one of your Gravedigger models/units. When you play this card, choose one of the activating models and whether to drop an Ammo Crate, Fuel Canister, Mantlet, or a Medical Crate. Add the selected defense or model to your army. Place the airdropped model 1” away from the chosen activating model.”