Cyclone

Cygnar First Army Storm Knight Heavy Warjack

Model stats and abilities

Model Statistics

Base size = 50 mm		SPD	MAT	DEF	ARM
Health = 30
FA = 4
Cost = 11		4	7	11	19
-
-

Model Advantages and Abilities

Headbutt Power Attack	This model can make Headbutt power attacks. No errata for Headbutt Power Attack (Create)
Slam Power Attack	This model can make slam power attacks. No errata for Slam Power Attack (Create)
Trample Power Attack	This model can make a trample power attack. No errata for Trample Power Attack (Create)
Construct	This model is a construct, and is not a living model. No errata for Construct (Create)

Weapons

Bombard
	RNG	ROF	AOE	POW	LOCATION
	14	1	3	14/8	L
Arcing Fire	When attacking with this weapon, this model can ignore intervening models. No errata for Arcing Fire (Create)

Executioner Axe
	RNG	ROF	AOE	POW	LOCATION
	1	-	-	17	R
Critical Amputation	A critical hit occurs if the attack directly hits and any two dice in the Attack Roll show the same number. This Critical grants the following weapon qualities or has the following effects: Amputation On a direct hit on a warjack or warbeast, fill in the unmarked damage boxes or circles on the last column or branch damaged. No errata for Amputation (Create)

Changes and Updates

Release Trivia

Originally released in Warmachine: Prime (2003)

Lore

The Cygnaran Armory takes pride in its innovation and technological superiority, traits seen in all the battle-tested warjacks built on the classic Ironclad chassis. With its dual whirling chain guns, the Cyclone can support sweeping advances across the battlefield while suppressing the enemy under a hail of lead. Template:TOCbox

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Construct

Weapons

Metal Storm (x2)
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		12			d3			Template:-			12
Template:Covering Fire
Open Fist (x2)
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				3				14
Template:Open Fist

Theme Forces

• Cygnar
  • Template:Flames in the Darkness
  • Template:Gravediggers
  • Template:Heavy Metal
  • Template:Sons of the Tempest
  • Template:Storm Division. This model gains Immunity: Electricity in this theme.

• Other Factions
  • Infernal players can use it in Hearts of Darkness, but only if Sloan is leading the army. This model gains Accumulator [Soulless] in this theme.
  • Mercenary and Khador players can use it Flame in the Darkness
  • Mercenary and Convergence players can use it by putting it under the control of Nemo4 in various themes.

Thoughts on Cyclone

Cyclone in a nutshell

The Cyclone is a heavy with two good infantry killing guns - and the lowest power melee weapons for a heavy warjack (including Triumph). It is utterly unsuited to killing heavies and is closer to a light on steroids. However, also keep in mind that despite being "pillow fisted" for a heavy, both of those pillows are open fists. Therefore, once the enemy closes in on you, simply move your Cyclone up and start throwing the enemy around.

Combos & Synergies

• It has way too low melee potential, and way too many, average power shots to make focus allocation normally worth. The focus from Power Up is usually enough to serve its needs, save for making a Throw attack, when you want to boost either or both of the rolls.
• On the other hand jack marshaling it, given the number of shots it gets, can be an excellent idea. And as a multi-shot jack it's worth using the ATGM Officer to give it Rune Bullets.
• It especially shines with the above mentioned ATGM Officer. Under the Take Aim! benefit the Cyclone will be shooting at rat 8 and hitting at Pow 14. With Lieutenant Bastian Falk's Rune Marked ability the cyclone is hitting at pow 16 with an average of 4 and a possibility of up to 6 shots. All of this at 16" range with the Rune Shot Drive from the ATGM Officer providing snipe.
• Caine3 made the Cyclone from (near) zero to hero. Thanks to his feat and the ever-useful Calamity spell, it is usually the first jack he looks for in his army list, and often in an obscene number. Under Calamity + Reap the Whirlwind it can pump out 2D3 shots with an effective RAT 11 POW 17.
• If you want to use it for area denial, combine it with the Trencher Chain Gun Crew and the Stormwall - the 3 of them can cover a 19" long area (plus a good half inch, if you juggle out the distance between the templates for 30 mm).

Drawbacks & Downsides

• In melee it hits only slightly harder than a light - possibly the least hard hitting heavy in the game. All else being equal this is a serious waste of potential and unless you have significant synergies the Cyclone will rarely make its points back.
• There are some good choices in its role that are only slightly more expensive.
  • The Reliant has its own board control gun with its AoE, and though it is less accurate it has way better melee output for only one point more.
  • Two Sentinels are only two points more, have about the same ranged damage output (remember each gets to power up), are with their shields each almost as tough and both shield guard, and are generally more flexible
• The Trencher Chain Gun Crew can also lay down a wall template for area denial, and they can boost its effectiveness against warrior models.
• It’s impossible to work out how much focus to give it due to its variable ROF. You have to assume you are always going to roll low on the ROF, or you risk allocating for nothing.
• Though cross faction comparisons are always tricky, Crucible Guards Suppressor has the exact same price and role in a list, but has stable ROF, Dual Attack and Shot types, while Retribution's Manticore also brings Covering Fire but is a melee beast for just one point more.

Tricks & Tips

• With two open fists, an increased MAT and a STR near the top of its class, it can reliably perform Throw attacks against nearly anything not on a huge base.
• When marshalled by the Gun Mage Officer, you can place a template behind an advancing enemy, and use the Mages' Thunderbolt rounds to shoot them into it.
• Unlike the Stormwall's Sustained Fire, you can place the Covering Fire template even if you are not allowed to make ranged attacks (like Issyria's Blinding Light spell), as you don't do it "instead of attacking with your ranged weapon".
• Watch for Siege1's feat in a mirror match - it removes the covering fire template.

Other

Trivia

Released in Prime Mk2 (2010)