Savio Montero Acosta

File:MercenariesLogo.jpg File:Cygnar Logo.jpg

Template:FH2

The Ordsman Savio Montero Acosta is determined to test himself against the finest melee combatants the Iron Kingdoms has to offer in his relentless pursuit of martial transcendence. As an unabashed Thamarite and a master swordsman, Acosta regards perfecting his own abilities to be the highest calling. Armed with twin storm glaives, a legacy of his time fighting alongside Cygnar’s Malcontents, this duelist faces down the mightiest of foes. Few combatants can hope to match his prowess—and those are precisely the opponents he seeks most fervently.

Basic Info

Mercenary - Savio Montero Acosta will work for Template:Cygnar mercenary.

• Template:Partisan

Abilities

• Template:Immunity:Electricity
• Template:Dodge
• Template:Riposte
• Template:Swift Vengeance

Weapons

Storm Glaive Blast (x2)
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		6			1			Template:-			14
Template:Electrical Weapon
Storm Glaive (x2)
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				9				15
Template:Weapon Master

Theme Forces

• Mercenary
  • Template:Flame in the Darkness
  • Template:The Irregulars

• Cygnar
  • As a Mercenary model, he can be taken in most of the Cygnar themes. However, this will use your "Up to one Mercenary solo" slot (most of the time) despite his being a Partisan.
  • Template:Gravediggers
  • Template:Heavy Metal. Savio doesn't use your "Up to one Merc" slot in this theme. Also, he gains Reposition [3] in this theme.
  • Template:Sons of the Tempest
  • Template:Storm Division. Savio doesn't use your "Up to one Merc" slot in this theme. Also he gains Unyielding in this theme

• Other Factions
  • Khador players can also take this model in the Flames in the Darkness theme.

Thoughts on Savio Montero Acosta

Savio Montero Acosta in a nutshell

Acosta is an expensive melee solo who has a hard time getting to melee without getting killed due to his 5 measly boxes. If he gets to swing, it might be worth what you paid for him.

At first glance the 2021 Storm Division update didn’t really do much for him, by improving his damage output it didn’t fix any of his weaknesses or change how he plays. But gaining the Storm Knight tag is a really big thing, because he gains unyielding from the theme benefit and he can benefit from Gwen Keller’s Force Barrier leadership buff. These abilities make him that much easier to deliver into the fray, where he will hit like a melee light Warjack.

Combos & Synergies

• You need to maximize his damage output and ensure he is delivered. Things like Ragman, Positive Charge, Telekinesis, Shae's feat, Storm Rager, Kiss of Lyliss and Macbain's feat help accomplish this. The possibilities are numerous, but the question is whether you want to devote so many resources to a single model.
• Anything that buffs his DEF - Between Dodge and Riposte, your opponent will have to think carefully whether it is worth letting Savio potentially get even deeper into their lines.
  • Blur, Bullet Dodger and Temporal Distortion are all good options.
• In Flame in the Darkness you can keep him close to a unit you expect to be hit on the advance reaping the benefits of both Swift Vengeance and the theme's Vengeance.
  • Since some players don't like his hyper-accurate weaponmaster attacks, he can be a priority target. Keep him close to a Battle Priest or two and you can trigger both his and their Vengeance in the process of keeping Savio safe. Combined with his innate Dodge, your opponent has to be careful to avoid giving you too many extra moves (Just be careful not to dodge out of Shield Guard range!).
• He's Thamarite, so obviously enjoys the proximity of a Thamarite Archon if you need to hit a dodgy target.
• As a Storm Knight, he fuels the Accumulator of the Stormclad and Reliant and is the only non-caster model that does so in Flames. In Storm Division he also benefits from the Stormblade Captains Tactician, enables Maddox's, Gwen's and Dreyfus1's Flank and, most importantly, benefits from Gwen Kellers Force Barrier Leadership!

Drawbacks & Downsides

• He can't survive dedicated shooting without some protection.
• It is unlikely he will survive the turn after he charges.
• Never a Requisition option and 6 point solos compete harshly with each other.

Tricks & Tips

• He is far superior in melee combat. There are very few reasons to use his guns, like the target being unchargeable or charge denial on Savio himself. You might also want to think twice before charging if the enemy has Defensive Strike or similar abilities.

Other

Trivia

Originally appeared in an Iron Kingdoms Excursions (a collection of short stories by various authors) story by Larry Correia. He later reappeared in Correia's novels "The Malcontents Book One: Into the Storm" and "The Malcontents Book Two: Into the Wild"