Ghordson Avalancher

A dedicated mobile artillery platform, the Avalancher grants Rhulic forces both excellent control on the battlefield and a strategic advantage in the narrow mountain passes of Rhul.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Construct
• Template:Shield Guard
• Template:Sturdy

Weapons

Avalanche Cannon
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW			LOCATION
		12"			1			4			14			Right
Template:Quake
Assault Shield
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S				LOCATION
		1				3				15				Left
Template:Shield

Theme Forces

Within mercenaries, this warjack can be used in:

• Template:Hammer Strike. Ghordson Avalanchers gain Reposition [3] in this theme.
• Template:Steelies
• Template:The Irregulars. If 'Jack Marshalled, it gains Flank [Warrior model] in this theme.

Outside of mercenaries, it can be taken by Thor Steinhammer in a few more themes.

Thoughts on Ghordson Avalancher

Ghordson Avalancher in a nutshell

The Avalancher is the Rhulic ranged heavy. It's pretty durable sporting ARM 22 in the front arc, and has a scary gun but is simply dreadful in melee. You will likely choose it for Quake on the gun, especially in Hammer Strike which lacks hit fixers.

Combos & Synergies

Using Tune Up (from Thor) or Fire For Effect (from Ossrum) to fully boost the cannon shot is probably the most value you can get out of the Avalancher.

Casters

• Durgen Madhammer makes it set the world on fire. It's one of his best choices for a jack.
• General Ossrum provides Snipe for extra range, Energizer before it activates for extra range or Energizer after it activates to pull back to safety, and Fire For Effect for fully boosted shots.
  • Snipe + Energizer lets you knockdown something from surprisingly far away, which might even set up an assassination.
  • Add in Widget1 (in Irregulars) and you can get two shots per turn that are fully booted from FFE.
• Gorten Grundback can make it passable in melee with Strength of Granite ... but you probably have better targets to cast SoG on. He also has Energizer, like Ossrum.

Non-casters

• Thor Steinhammer can 'Jack Marshal it, his Drive gives it Repo [5], and he has Tune Up to boost its first attack.
  • With Tune Up (fully boosted attack) and Take Aim! (+2 to hit and damage) the gun is quite potent: It is effectively RAT 7 + 3d6, POW 16 + 3d6 on direct hits, and POW 9 + 3d6 on blast damage.
  • Add in Snipe from Ossrum and you can shoot something 16" away, then Repo 5" further back to do the same thing next turn.

• A Freebooter appreciates having someone else knock down a target for it.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• A bit pillow-fisted in melee, especially given its points bracket.
• Even when boosted, its gun's raw damage is comparable to the much cheaper Horgenhold Artillery Corps but without the threat range or the arcing fire. That said, the Avalancher has Quake.
• It competes with budget Gunners and Siege Crawlers for the role of "good gun".
• While it has a decent range on the gun, it has low SPD so it its threat range is "moderate".
• It's a shooting 'jack but it has no good target - it's not very good at shooting beasts/jacks (who just take a POW 14 hit and shake the knockdown), it's not very good at shooting infantry (who spread out and/or simply survive the POW 7 blast damage), and it's not very good at shooting high-DEF solos. It'll seldom do nothing but it's an exceptionally rare game where it makes back its points.

Tricks & Tips

• With its ARM it can walk out of most combats safely then shoot. It will not get the shield bonus against the free strike, however.

Other

Trivia

Released in Warmachine: Superiority (2006)