Gastone Crosse

Template:Mercbox This model is playable only in an Unlimited format.

A natural at hit-and-run tactics, the bitter, reckless Gastone Crosse prefers to strike from a distance, whether with his powerful mechanikal pistol Gypsy Kiss or the cannons of his warjacks. He lends his arcane power to extending the range of his battlegroup's arms, while each kill provides them with a burst of arcane speed.

Basic Info

Mercenary - This model will work for Template:Cygnar mercenary, Template:Crucible Guard mercenary or Template:Menoth mercenary.

Abilities

• Template:Backstab
• Template:Battlegroup Controller
• Template:Dodge
• Template:Field Marshall (Template:Run & Gun-alt)
• Template:Run & Gun
• Template:Shadow of a Giant

Weapons

Soul Reaver
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		12			1			Template:-			12
Template:Magical Damage Template:Reload 1
Knife (x2)
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		0.5				3				8

Spells

{{Category: Template:DiscombobulateTemplate:Fire Group }}[[Category: Template:DiscombobulateTemplate:Fire Group ]]

Theme Forces

• Mercenary
  • Template:The Irregulars
  • Template:Llaelese Resistance - This model gains Pathfinder in this theme.

• Other Factions
  • Template:Si. Crosse1 is one of the few models that can't go in Hearts.
  • Furthermore, Mercenary models can be hired by other Factions. Normally those Factions' themes will have a limit on how many models they can hire. Refer to #Other Theme Forces, below.

Thoughts on Crosse1

File:Gastone1 limited.jpg

Limited Edition Kickstarter sculpt (2014)

Crosse1 in a nutshell

Gastone Crosse is the mercenary journeyman warcaster - a ranged 'jack specialist with a magical 2-shot hand cannon combined with hit and run tactics.

His Discombobulate spell sets up many interesting plays.

Battlegroup thoughts

• Fire Group and Run & Gun commend him to ranged jacks, the Swabber, Vanguard, Mule, Mariner and Rover being strong candidates.
• However, Shadows of a Giant steers him towards melee jacks, which have a reason to be with 5" of enemy models. A Nomad, or Toro can be used for this purpose as a throwaway heavy that gets a few hits in before dying and leaving Crosse to go shoot things.
• There's also a good case for a Talon or a Buccaneer as a really cheap warjack to enable Shadow of a Giant.
• A Swashbuckler can be irritating to remove from a zone or flag under a defensive feat like Fiona's or Ashlynn's and you don't care much if you lose it eventually due to it being only 8 points.
• Mule - Crosse is the best at running it, for what that's worth. With Fire Group and Run & Gun, it shoots respectably far and can move after it shoots if it kills something. Paired with Snipe for extra range, it becomes rather effective in messing up enemy plans from afar if you get Devastation. Damiano can cast Deadeye on Crosse's Mule, which dramatically improves the odds of a crit and can wreak all sorts of havoc.

Combos & Synergies

Casters

• Ashlynn1's feat can provide a similar effect for but one turn. Veteran Leader is also huge for him.
• Ashlynn2 - She lets her hang out in an Artifice to keep him safe. She can also feta him back, but he will have no focus on that turn.
• Lukas - Telekinesis makes for easy Backstabs out side of Discombobulate, Disintegration also makes his gun more powerful and with Run & Gun he can move behind some Burning Ash Clouds after shooting. Just note that Lukas cannot reactivate Crosse's jacks after he dies, even if they were a Toro or Vanguard.
• Haley2 - Similarly has TK, she also is very good at hitfixing and control.
• Fiona - Curse of Veils makes his gun more devastating, especially if Backstab is online. Befuddle can be used to push an enemy model within 5" of his jack.
• Damiano - +3 STR and ARM for Crosse's jack means even a Mule or Talon hits hard in melee. Dead-Eye and Death March on Crosse's Cutthroats is also obscene.
• Magnus1 - Blur put him at DEF 17 and Magnus1 has native Backstab.
• Magnus2 - He also has Backstab, so a Convection or Obliteration (especially if Arc-ed through a Renegade) will be quite devastating. Woe is any heavy or gargossal that finds itself of the receiving end of his Foe Cleaver X if Backstab is online.
• Gorten - He can give Gastone a rock wall to hide behind and Solid Ground to prevent know down so he can always use Dodger.
• Ossrum - FFE on one of Gastone's jacks can be pretty powerful if it is a Mule or Mariner. Unstoppable Force lets you line up targets for him to kill. Even though Crosse has Dodger already, Bullet Dodger lifts his DEF to 16, which keeps him very safe.
• Durgen - Crosse can run a jack that benefits from his feat, like a Buccaneer, Rover, Mariner or Mule. Force Field can safe Gastone from a stray blast.

Non-casters

• Gibbs or Boomhowler2 give him Reposition, which makes sure he can stay alive a bit longer.
• Croe's Cutthroats - Backstabs all day! His new best friends "Crosse's" Cutthroats will tear anything with Discombobulate on it apart at range or in melee.
• Kayazy Assassins - Their UA gives them Backstab for one turn, even if it's in melee only.
• Hermit - Shadow of a Giant already grants Discombobulate a good chance to hit, but relies on Crosse's jack, who might die before it fulfils this function. Telemetry can help out here. Master of Ruin makes shooting heavies of the board even easier of course.
• Eilish1 - Puppet Master to nail an important Discombobulate.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Like all non-warcasters controlling jacks, he's squishy and has a huge bullseye on his head.
• He has to pay a "warjack tax". Crosse would be taken much more often if he didn't have to have a jack, as he's a strong solo on his own.
• Despite having two knives, if he is stabbing things something has gone terribly wrong.
• He has very poor RAT, which effectively requires him to boost or aim to reliably hit, even vs Khador jacks.

Tricks & Tips

With the speed granted by Fire Group he can work out on the flank, and threaten back arcs for Backstab. If only mercs had a cheap shooty jack that could also run and gun (the Buc of course can't).

Other

File:Gastone1 minicrate.jpg

Limited Edition Minicrate sculpt (2018)

Trivia

• In Mk2, Crosse1's gun was known as 'Gypsy Kiss.' It's even still referred to by that name in the fluff. However PP renamed it Soul Reaver in Mk3.
• On release of his next incarnation, Crosse2, it was revealed that the gun is cursed and likes to eat souls.
• Trying to understand and master the power of his cursed gun is what led Crosse to the teachings of Thamar, and why Crosse2 can be used as an Infernalist. Crosse1, however, does not count as a Thamarite (because he hasn't started down this path yet).

• He has some backstory in the ebook anthology Rites of Passage, 2014.04, alongside the other Journeymen released in the Tactics game.

• His rules were published in Warmachine: Vengeance expansion (2014)

• This model has 3 sculpts, 2 of which are limited editions.
  1. A limited edition for Kickstarter backers (2014)
  2. The 'default' sculpt available to anyone (2015-ish)
  3. A limited edition for MiniCrate (2018.08)