Steelhead Ironhead

While found in the largest numbers inside the Khadoran Army, fighting men and women decked out in heavy, steam-powered armor are not exclusive to that kingdom. A number of successful mercenaries with mechanikal aptitude have opted to be outfitted in this sort of gear. For those who can afford it, such armor makes its wearer nearly invulnerable to small-arms fire and greatly increases survivability to explosives and even direct hits from major ordnance. For the best mercenary mechaniks, being an Ironhead is the closest they have to a guarantee they will live long enough to collect payment.

Basic Info

Mercenary - This model will work for Template:Crucible Guard mercenary, Template:Cryx mercenary, Template:Cygnar mercenary, Template:Khador mercenary, and the Template:Protectorate mercenary.

Abilities

• Template:Jack Marshal
• Template:Girded
• Template:Mechanikally Adept
• Template:Power Lifter
• Template:Repair
• Template:Repairable

Weapons

Industrial Clamp
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				5				13
Template:Clamp
Forge Hammer
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				6				14

Theme Forces

• Mercenary
  • Template:Soldiers of Fortune - This solo gains Mark Target in this theme.
  • Template:The Kingmakers Army - This solo gains Feign Death in this theme.

• Other Factions
  • Infernal players can use this model in the Template:Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Crosse2 is leading the army.
  • 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 the Steelhead Ironhead

Steelhead Ironhead in a nutshell

The Steelhead Ironhead is a durable support piece that provides solid repair, some blast-immunity and most importantly, a 2" place that requires no expenditure of resources every turn. Power Lifter is endlessly useful, and this is a huge selling point for the Steelhead Theme. It's also halfway decent in melee should you ever find it necessary to put it there.

Power Lifter Synergies

There's a lot you can do with the Power Lifter

• Give models a 2" threat extension (see below).
• Pull your caster back into safety after they stick their neck out.
• Give a model LOS to their target so they can declare a charge.
• Disengage a model so you avoid eating a free strike.
• In Soldiers of Fortune you can combine the Power Lifter with a Heavy Cavalry's bulldoze to get 4" threat extension.
• The Ironhead Power Lifter combined with Boomhowler2's Reposition or Boomhowler3's Hoof It allows a lot of movement shenanigans.
• Similarly, Nemo4 can use Locomotion for a 3" threat increase on his jack, which stacks with Power Lifter for 5" total. He is also required if you want to bring the Ironhead into Irregulars or Strange Bedfellows.

In terms of models that like a 2" threat extension, here's some ideas:

• Weapon Crews like being Lifted into position to shoot, or even better aim. They can also be placed B2B with the Ironhead to avoid blast damage.
• Any of your beatstick warjacks love a 2" threat extension. Especially the slower ones.
• Magnus2's warjacks with Power Lifter plus Escort can go real far.
• Archons are a great target.
• Asphyxious4 is another great target.
• Death Archons loves +2" of movement. In Soldiers of Fortune or Scourge of the Broken Coast you can even have two of them.

Other Synergies

• Repair a Tried and True warjack for even more healing.
• In any non-Merc theme that allows double Archons, adding the Ironhead to Power Lift them is great (note that he can't Power Lift non-Merc models). Also he can repair the non-Merc jacks.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• He's a jack marshal without a Drive.
• In-Faction he is limited to Soldiers of Fortune or Kingmakers, or you have to summon him with Nemo4. Out-of-Faction he has much fewer targets for Power Lifting.
• MAT 5 does place this model solidly in the support category. It's weapons look good, but you won't want to use them unless desperate.
• Power Lifter is excellent, but two Ironheads don't do twice as much as one. You won't often need to Lift more than one target per turn. So most Soldiers of Fortune lists contain one but few contain two.

Tricks & Tips

• Although he's mostly a support solo, the Ironhead packs a decent punch (if he can hit). Especially under Damiano's feat and many other in-Faction damage buffs.

Other

Trivia

• Released in the Soldiers of Fortune expansion (2019.03)
• Is its head made out of Steel, or Iron?! It's a mystery!