Ace

Cygnar First Army Storm Knight Heavy Warjack

Model stats and abilities

Model Statistics

Base size = 40mm		SPD	MAT	RAT	DEF	ARM
Health = 24
FA = C
Cost = 8		6	6	7	14	15
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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)
Construct	This model is a construct, and is not a living model. No errata for Construct (Create)
Dual Attack	This model can make melee and ranged attacks in the same activation. When this model makes its initial melee attacks, it can also make its initial ranged attacks. A model with Dual Attack can make its initial melee and ranged attacks in any order you choose. This model cannot make ranged attacks after making a power attack.   Errata-Dual Attack and Unit Charges (2023-10-27) Question: If a unit with Dual Attack charges a single model, are all placed in melee range, and the first model kills the charge target, can the remaining members of the unit make ranged attacks, or do they forfeit their Combat Action because they don't have any enemy models in their melee range? Answer: The check for melee range is done at the end of movement. If you kill the targets before they attack, they can still do their ranged attack. (Malkav13) Explanation: This post is correct. Infernal Ruling: elswickchuck (Bulldog) - PP Community forum   Errata-Dual Attack and Special Attacks (2023-08-10) Question: Can a model with Dual Attack make any combination of ranged special attack and normal melee initial attacks, or its melee special attack and normal ranged initial attacks? (Example: Bison Both Barrels and Ram, or Mariner Thresher and gunshot). Answer: No. Explanation: The bison can not use dual attack and also make a special attack. That is correct in that (Thresher) example too. Infernal Ruling: elswickchuck (Bulldog) - PP Community forum
Pathfinder	This model treats rough terrain as open terrain while advancing. While charging, slam power attacking, or trample power attacking, this model does not stop its movement when it contacts an obstacle. No errata for Pathfinder (Create)
Prowl	While this model has concealment, it gains Stealth.   Errata-Prowl (2024-2-17) Question: Does Prowl prevent a model from losing stealth while it has concealment? Example 1: A Warpwolf Stalker with Prowl has concealment and is shot by a weapon with Flare. Thus the model gets -2DEF and loses Stealth. However, as soon as the model loses stealth, it gains it back by having Prowl and being in Concealment. Example 2: A Soul Stalker is targetted by Spyglass and thus loses Stealth for a round. However, when it was shot by an AoE also hitting a cultist, the cultis dies and Agathon now casts Occultation on the soul snake, does it gain Stealth again despite having lost it? Answer: For now stealth will not be reapplied in the above example. Explanation: So we will be using the ruling from MKIII until we have time to go through the different abilities. For now we are looking into the issue brought up by this thread for now. Mainly due to the volume of rules we need to address this first prior to moving on the the other issues, similar to this. Also it is due to the fact we have a previous edition ruling that we are applying to this scenario. Infernal Ruling: elswickchuck Infernal - PP Community forum
True Sight	This model ignores cloud effects when determining Line of Sight (LOS). This model also ignores Stealth. No errata for True Sight (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

Designed in secret by the Cygnaran Armory to carry out covert operations for the Cygnaran Reconnaissance Service, Ace was built as a one-of-a-kind prototype. The machine integrated an experimental mechanikal device intended to camouflage the warjack, rendering it almost invisible in the field. Though the original chassis of the ’jack was destroyed during an operation in Llael in 596 AR, Allister Caine was able to recover Ace’s cortex. Since the warjack’s reconstruction, Caine has relied on it during a number of CRS missions requiring an abundance of both discretion and firepower.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Construct
• Template:Pathfinder
• Template:Bond
  • Template:Shadow Fire
  • Template:Thunderbolt
  • Template:Trick Shot
• Template:Infiltrate
• Template:True Sight

Weapons

Rune Shot Cannon
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		14			1			Template:-			12
Template:Magical Damage Attack Type - Only when bonded with Caine (see above).
Battle Axe
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				4				12

Theme Forces

• When taken by Caine0
  • Template:Heavy Metal
  • Template:Sons of the Tempest
  • Infernal players can take Caine0 and Ace in the Template:Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Sloan is leading the army. Ace gains Accumulator [Soulless] in this theme.

• When taken by Caine1, Caine2, or Caine3 in Cygnar
  • Template:Gravediggers
  • Template:Heavy Metal
  • Template:Sons of the Tempest
  • Template:Storm Division. Ace gains Immunity: Electricity in this theme.

• When taken by Caine3 in Mercenaries
  • Template:Llaelese Resistance
  • Template:Steelies
  • Template:The Irregulars
  • Ace becomes a Mercenary model when taken in these themes.

• When taken by anyone else
  • Template:Sons of the Tempest

Thoughts on Ace

File:Caine0.jpg

Caine0

File:Caine1.jpg

Caine1

File:Caine2.jpg

Caine2

File:Caine3.jpg

Caine3

Ace in a nutshell

He's a shooty light, normally only seen with one of the various Caines. Despite being built on the Hunter chassis, he's not an ARM-cracker. Instead he prefers to be go after key support models, generally solos, that lurk near jacks or behind units.

Besides being a solo hunter extraordinaire thanks to True Sight, Ace is good for clearing out small Stealth units from long range using Trick Shot. Ace is also handy for getting a reliable Shadow Fire onto a key model blocking Caine2's line of sight by virtue of using his Power Up focus to boost to hit - because if you're taking anything in Caine's army, chances are it's to help him kill the opponent's Warcaster or Warlock.

Combos & Synergies

As a rule of thumb, Ace is a very self-sufficient warjack with any version of Caine. It is usually satisfied with the power-up focus, and you will usually use it to boost the attack roll to land an important hit on key targets with Shadow Fire, or Trick Shot.

With Caine0
Caine0 has to bring a warjack, and Ace is an excellent choice with great synergy and relatively low cost. Ace lets Caine0 keep most of his focus for his own guns and helps keep him safe with Infiltrate. Together they're fast, independent, and efficient solo hunters.

With Caine1
Ace can allow Caine1 to be extremely aggressive with his feat, as you run both of them forwards first turn (declare Infiltrate before starting the run) to get Caine positioned for a deadly, or at least wickedly inconvenient, feat on turn 2 that his enemies can't ignore. Sure, Caine1 can be this aggressive all on his own but Ace can make it a safer and more appealing prospect to try and pull off.

With Caine2
Shadow Fire attack can help Caine get a clear view on a hiding warcaster. And it is also another source for Trick Shot beside Caine's guns.

With Caine3
Ace is a considerable point burden, with its 10 point he is only slightly cheaper than another Cyclone, a jack which is considered to make the most out of Caine3's feat. However, Caine has to play forward to reliably deliver Calamity, and occasionally the stealthy aura from Infiltrate is all he needs to be safe from retaliation. Watch out that it only cloaks Caine, and not the B13 members.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• 90% of its field performance is tied to shooting (apart from occasional infiltration bubbles, and running for scoring). Anti-shooting techs make him really sad.
• The melee weapon is there for looks; if you're using it you're probably wishing you weren't.
• The gun, and by extension the entire jack, is really only interesting if it's getting the sweet buffs from the Caine bond. Off-themes it is usually too expensive for what it does as an ordinary (if magical) POW 12 gun simply doesn't do the work to justify a 10 point jack.

Tricks & Tips

• The "Bounce-off" - if you can't see a certain squishy support model, aim at something you can see and then Trick Shot into your real target.
• Trick-shot is great against lynchpin models with Sacrificial Pawn or Sucker! (like Kovnik Joe, or Madelyn). Because even if the initial shot has been re-assigned, the bouncing POW10 hit will get them. And the 4" radius of the Trick Shot surpasses the range limits of both abilities.

Other

Trivia

• Released in Warmachine: Reckoning (2015).
• Ace's first use by Caine is told in The Warcaster Chronicles: Volume One: The Way of Caine by Miles Holmes (April 30 2013)