Kommander Zoktavir, the Butcher Unleashed

Template:Khadbox This model is playable only in an Unlimited format.

Orsus Zoktavir is a living legend, having earned a place in the company of other almost-mythical heroes from the frozen north. A brutal warrior capable of unbridled savagery, he is feared by his soldiers as much as by his foes. His only companions are his two war argus—two-headed hounds that are a living embodiment of the untamable darkness inside the Butcher.

Basic Info

• Butcher3's unit includes two War Argii.

Zoktavir

Feat: Red Haze

1. Zoktavir immediately gains 6 focus points. He cannot have more focus points than his current FOCUS as a result of Red Haze.
2. Living enemy models cannot charge Zoktavir.

Red Haze lasts for one round.

Abilities

• Template:Officer
• Template:Tough
• Template:Granted (Template:Vengeance-alt)

Weapons

Blunderbuss
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		8			1			Template:-			12
Lola
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		2				8				16
Template:Magical Weapon Template:Weapon Master

Spells

{{Category: Template:EnergizerTemplate:Flashing BladeTemplate:Impending Doom DELETE Template:Silence of Death }}[[Category: Template:EnergizerTemplate:Flashing BladeTemplate:Impending Doom DELETE Template:Silence of Death ]]

War Argus

Abilities

• Template:Gang
• Template:Granted (Template:Relentless Charge-alt)
• Template:Sprint

Weapons

Bite (x2)
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		0.5				4				11
Template:Combo Strike

Theme Forces

• Template:Armored Korps
• Template:Si
• Template:Jaws of the Wolf
• Template:Legion of Steel
• Template:Si
• Template:WG Kommand. In this theme the caster gains Sacrificial Pawn [Winter Guard trooper model].
• Template:Wolves of Winter

Thoughts on Butcher3

Butcher3 in a Nutshell

Butcher3 is without doubt the best suited caster in the entire game to kill, smash, maim, murder and (queue various other synonyms) stuff. His personal combat output is second to none, and he can deliver death farther than his previous, or first incarnation. The ability to have Weapon Master, Take Down and Flashing Blade on your melee attacks, all that topped with an elite MAT is something truly frightening. Additionally,the two Argus have formidable combat potential on their own, capable of delivering a single MAT 7 P+S 17 (19 with Silence of Death) attack when standing near each other, then Sprint back to safety. They also fuel the Butcher with 2 very important abilities:

• a Granted Pathfinder, which fixes up terrain issues he had previously
• triggers for Vengeance, giving a net 3" to the unit's threat range

Thanks to that, enemies often forced to kill them both at once, or not bothering them at all.

Feat thoughts

If you ever faced or played Asphyxious1, you'll know, how useful an extra stack of FOCUS is. Extra spells, extra FOCUS to camp, and more than anything, all the greater chance for your assassination. Gaspy has great attack spells and sustained attack; Butcher has Flashing Blade and Lola. With a roving semi-circle of destruction, you can deliver up to 12 Flashing Blade attacks. Also, the feat protects you from (counter)charges - but not from walk-and-punch attacks. Be aware of Warjacks, constructs (especially construct warbeasts) and undead models. Don't forget, living models (mainly beasts) can still attack you with Power Attacks (Power Strike, Slam, Throw, Headbutt, Trample, Sweep). They may also still charge the Argii which can be dangerous to Zoktavir of they have means to advance thereafter (Overtake, Sidestep, Overrun, etc).

Spell thoughts

• Energizer - Probably will see play in every turn, since it moves not only your jacks, but Butcher and the Argus as well. It also helps you to change facing throughout melee; see Strategy for details.
• Flashing Blade - Orsus finally mastered how to control his rage, and won't decapitate friendly models in sight. It makes jamming the Butcher a terrible idea, and goes hand-in-hand with Impending Doom. Once the targets are clustered together - cast this and watch armies crumble.
• Impending Doom - His signature spell, reeling in the enemy from those last few crucial inches for some chopping. Also really good to pull models outside from zones. As the range is a set 5", watch out for rough terrain, and obstacles as well as obstructions. It is also great to pull back the enemy if they used Admonition/Enliven to get away from your charge (granted they did not use it to get behind an obstacle).
• Obliteration - Same thing as with Butcher1, even with your double FOCUS pool on feat turn you'll rarely use it.
• Silence of Death - His only upkeep spell, which he usually doesn't have to pay for thanks to the Greylord Adjunct. Since he doesn't have much focus to cycle, you will usually upkeep it on himself and his dogs to push his damage output even further. It should be noted though that cavalry models such as the Winterguard Gun Carriage also love it so successful enemy tough rolls don't stop their cavalry charge impact attacks.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• He is still easily gets shot or knocked down - though shooting against his dogs will probably work for your favor.
• Speed de-buffs and charge denial still hurt him.
• Minimal army support for his army outside the Battlegroup's mobility, and even that one will usually end up on him.

Tricks & Tips

• This is a unit, and Butcher wants to charge - a LOT. Remember upon their activation to handle out the press forward order first, and cast spells only thereafter, as you can be called upon by your opponent, if you start with spell-casting, and handling out orders afterwards.
• Flashing Blade is not an attack per se - if you don't need your Movement, shaking a knockdown costs just as much as casting FB.
• Since his feat doesn't replenish FOCUS, but gives him focus, it works even if you've been hit by a Disruptor shot from Eyriss1.
• The Argus are helpful tools in the offensive. Due to their speed being slightly faster then the Butcher himself, they make an excellent screening unit, just place them in base contact to cover Butcher. Or, leave some gap, and place clouds on them from the Greylord Ternions - just watch out for things that ignore cloud effects.
• Occasionally the dogs can be great for stopping someone from landing a model's base somewhere you don't want it.
• Use Impending Doom to pull casters like Azazello out of protective auras such as the Krielstone's, then go ham on them with Lola.

List Building Advice

Strategy

Assassination

Assassination is always on the board with the Butcher. Though he lost the extra moves from Homicidal Maniac, he gained the far more reliable Energizer and the always useful Impending Doom.

Standard assassination pattern is the following:

• Energizer (2) + Move (5) + Charge (3) + Reach (2), giving 12"

The following threat range is rarely linear, as he needs something to be in melee with by the end of his charge move to cast Impending Doom, and avoid its activation to be over because of a failed charge.

• Energizer (2) + Move (5) + Charge (3) + Impending doom (5), giving 15"

If there are outside helpers, well, all the better. If the enemy killed an Argus then the formula above is extended by 3", meaning that very few things can hide from you.

• Vengeance (3) + Energizer (2) + Move (5) + Charge (3) + Impending doom (5), giving 18"
• Add Sorscha0 and Boundless Charge to get up to 20" of Murder Threat.

If you don't need that extra 2", the casting of Energizer can happen after the charge move as well - it will eventually help you to have your intended target in your LOS and melee range, as by the end of the charge move you must directly face your charge target, and this can lead to positions where you'll be unable to attack your real target. Just remember that you must keep your charge target in your melee range throughout the charge, and that you can only make your initial melee attack against other than your charge target, if you cannot attack it (for example, it died to a Flashing blade between your movement and your combat action). In that case your charge attack will not be boosted.

Scenario

Yes, you read it right. The profane melee capacity of Butcher and his dogs ensures that enemies will rarely leave valuable pieces in your melee range. Use this to your advantage to aggressively lock enemy models out of scenario. The flip side is also true: if the enemy placed some important thing into your melee, always suspect a trap.

---

Butcher3's army support is negligible. Just like in Mk2 you will still likely to begin the list building by taking those things that will help his assassination. Thankfully, most of these solos and units can enter to the theme forces, so pick accordingly.

As mentioned, Buther's army tends to be self-reliant. Units with minimal outside support (or those coming from the Theme forces) can fit into his lists well.

Theme thoughts

Jaws is Butchers preferred theme, simply by the virtue of all his favorite delivery tools being here and the theme benefits playing right into his play style. He can use to hide his jacks as well as himself from incoming fire and Energize his jacks through it. So long as his dogs are alive as well he can also charge right through the forest.

• Sorscha0 - Boundless Charge and FoW are essential for him. She can run a Rager for the extra Shield Guard as well.
• Malakov1 - Malakov can be seen as a 3 point upgrade to a Marauder. Thanks to Redline said marauder wont miss out on the threat range buff from Energizer, but will also get gain +2 STR, which is great. Sucker! on Malakov means you should keep him close to an Argus, so he can pawn of a shot and trigger Vengeance on Butcher.
• Widowmaker Marksman - A great shooting solo at a cheap price!

Winter Guard Kommand is Butcher3's other preferred theme. Sac Pawn is an amazing theme benefit for a caster who does not want to get shot on the way in, and thanks to their solos, Winter Guard are self sufficient enough to do work without Butcher's input. Also, Sorscha0 is here, you should not play Butcher without her, as are the Widowmakers and Malakov.

• Assault Kommandos - AKs are very important to Butcher as Sac Pawn targets with Immunity Fire and Corrosion, which makes him immune to assassinations through those damage types; an Archangel will not be able to shoot him down, neither will Malekus with his jacks and Deliverers, you get the picture. With Shield Wall they can be fast and durable jammers and with Veteran Leader they are MAT 7, with Bear's Strength and Silence of Death they are P+S 17 on the charge, so they do work on their own. flame throwers can clear chaff to pave Butcher's way.
• Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich - The dedicated support solo for all Winter Guard, including AKs.
• Winter Guard Artillery Kapitan - Two for one requisition option is great value and gives you two contesting solos and two Veteran Leader bubbles.
• Beast 09 - A stable threat of 13" is great on a beat sick heavy, which the combination of Energizer and Boundless Charge from Sorscha provides.
• Winter Guard Field Gun Crew - Getting a knock down on anything means lights out if Butcher then gets his hands on it and potentially saves you a focus you would have used to boost to hit.
• Winter Guard Gun Carriage - Not recommended due to it's high price point and lack of support for Butcher, but it should be pointed out that Silence of Death is awesome on any cavalry, so Tough cannot ruin your impact attack day, for completion's sake.

• War Dog - Can save your bacon from counter-assassins.
• Greylord Adjunct - A free upkeep of Silence of Death as well as a cloud for LOS blocking. Both the Dog and this guy have a claim to fame with Butcher, so test what you like better.
• Battle Mechaniks - Some repair guys to Sac Pawn to and to keep his jacks running. Ruin without an arm or leg hurts! Be sure to take the CA to give Butcher or a key solo protection from blasts.
• Thamarite Archon - Support hunting, chaff clearing, all with an excellent magical gun and it needs no input other than the occasional Guidance from an Adjunct.
• Morrowan Archon - A Shield Guard and a buff to his Defense.
• Death Archon - Conversely this is essentially an ARM buff for Butcher thanks to Mortal Fear. The range on this ability is larger, but needs the expenditure of a corpse token on the Archon and only affects living models, so your milage may vary.
• Orin1 - Shut down spells that would reduce your SPD.
• Eilish1 - As above, remove any pesky upkeeps on Zoktavirs Unit.

Battlegroup

File:33108 Ruin WEB.jpg

Ruin is Butcher's pet warjack, that he can take in any theme.

Butcher3 does very little for Warjacks despite Energizer, so no particular jack stands out with him especially however you may consider...

• Ruin as his pet warjack which he can take in any theme. Ruin gives you ample protection from magic assassinations. He can also run on souls, collected by other army members.
• Devastator - They are amazing at being in the way, so you can use 2-3 of them to form a wall in front of Butcher and energize it forward. Bulldoze later sets up charge langes for him. They are an essential way to deliver him.
• Demolisher - basically the same as the Devastator, but for two extra points you get a set of low ranged guns, but more importantly Girded, which means that Gunnbjorn2 cannot shoot Butcher to death.
• Destroyer - Given it’s long range Energizer helps it move then aim.
• Kodiak - Vent Steam, screen Butcher on the advance.
• Rager - A basic shield guard that offers more to Butcher than Butcher gives to him. You want Butcher3 to be hit once to Trigger Vengeance anything else needs shielding. You can also stand near an Argii so it suffers blast damage it’s unlikely to kill it but it will trigger Vengeance. It is better to put one on Sorscha0 100% of the time as it does not need Energizer.

Other

Trivia

• Released in Warmachine: Vengeance (2014)

Video Battle Reports

• 2018.08 Arcane Assist 75 points vs Locke
• 2018.04 Advanced Maneuvers 75 points vs Jarl
• Template:VBR