Toro

File:MercenariesLogo.jpg File:CG Logo.jpg

Template:FH2

Crucible Arms has taken over the production of the Ordic Toro chassis, an aggressive workhorse heavy warjack armed with sword and shield that has fought with the Ordic Army for decades. As a part of the Crucible’s agreements with Ord’s king, Crucible Arms now produces Toros in number, as well as variants outfitted with proprietary weapons better suited to the methods by which these alchemists wage war.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Construct
• Template:Countercharge

Weapons

Shield
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S				LOCATION
		1				2				13				Left
Template:Shield
Sword
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S				LOCATION
		2				7				18				Right

Theme Forces

• Crucible Guard
  • Template:Magnum Opus
  • Template:Primae Materia. This model gains Cutting Edge in this theme.

• Mercenaries
  • Template:Flame in the Darkness
  • Template:Llaelese Resistance
  • Template:Operating Theatre
  • Template:Soldiers of Fortune
  • Template:Strange Bedfellows
  • Template:The Irregulars. If it is 'jack marshalled in this theme, it gains Flank [Warrior]
  • Template:The Kingmaker's Army
  • Template:The Talion Charter

• Other Factions
  • Convergence players can use this warjack in the Template:Strange Bedfellows theme, or by putting it in Aurora2's, Asphyxious4's, or Nemo4's battlegroup in various themes.
  • Cryx players can use this warjack by putting it in Asphyxious4's battlegroup in various themes.
  • Cygnar players can use this warjack in the Template:Flame in the Darkness theme, or by putting it in Nemo4's battlegroup in various themes.
  • Infernal players can take this model in the Template:Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Crosse2 (not Lukas) is leading the army. This model gains Accumulator [Soulless] in this theme.
  • Khador players can use this warjack in the Template:Flame in the Darkness theme.
  • Aside from that, Mercenary warjacks can be taken in a plethora of Faction's themes by putting it under the control of a Mercenary 'Jack Marshal or Mercenary "Junior Warcaster" (see #Who can take this warjack?). However the "Faction Type" of the warjack doesn't change when you do it this way.

Thoughts on Toro

Toro in a nutshell

The Toro is a basic line heavy developed by the Ordic military, but now produced by the Order of the Golden Crucible after their exodus from Llael. There is nothing fancy about the Toro. It is meant to be a combat capable, albeit simple, heavy warjack. It has a pretty standard defensive statline of DEF/ARM 11/18 which is raised to ARM 20 thanks to the shield. However the main selling point of the Toro is its affordability at 13 points and access to the extremely useful Countercharge. It compares favorably to most other heavies in its price range as a result. In Crucible Guard it is considered the "default" heavy for the faction. It competes with the 11 pont Nomad in mercs which makes it a harder sell.

Combos & Synergies

Any list that runs a Toro can automatically bring Princess Delores Graciela, who will then grant the Toro(s) Veteran Leader making them MAT 7. They, in turn, will protect her. So if you bring one, you might want to consider bringing two as well as the princess to get a good package deal.

Every Guard warcaster has a good reason to start their battlegroup with a Toro, even if they later swap it out for something else

• Syvestro runs Toros especially well thanks to the winning combination of increased threat (Super Fuel & Admonition) and increased output (Transmutation & feat). Admonition works really well with the Toro's countercharge ability.
• Locke will almost always run multiple Toros in Crucible Guard. Redline, Road to War, and Jackhammer all work best in conjunction with a hard hitting melee heavy which can take a punch in return. Her feat can protect multiple frontline warjacks, and with Countercharge it can be almost impossible for her opponent to make good decisions that turn.
• Lukas is seems like he's mostly an infantry warcaster, but all of his buffs can also be used on battlegroup models. Coupled with his large focus pool, he actually makes for a very effective warjack commander.
• Baldwin does everything Syvestro does for his Toros, just less efficiently.
• Mackay generally prefers Prima Materia and offers her battlegroup Mobility, perfect for a couple of Toros.
• Bennet is the only Guard warcaster that doesn't buff the Toro's output somehow, but she still wants one anyway. Bennet loves to have a hard hitting warjack to follow up Rocketmen that have pinned down a crucial component of her opponent's battlegroup. Arcane Propulsion means the Toro can get where it needs to go quickly with a 13/20 profile, and it gains Flight which lets it countercharge from behind your screening models (note that although Flight lets you ignore LOS on charges, you still need LOS to trigger countercharge).

In Mercenaries, the Toro has to compete with the cheaper Nomad. It compares unfavorably at 2 more points to do the same job, but Dolores makes it MAT 7 so there's that. There are few merc casters who do anything unique for it that could not also be done for a Nomad.

• Ashlynn1 provides Admonition, which triggers simultaneously with Countercharge and can be used in either order, but is more cute than anything.
• Magnus2 is an actual battlegroup caster who grants it Unyielding for ARM 22 against melee attacks and, due to lack of focus, aporeciates MAT 7, ARM 22, MOV 7 Toros with the Princess more than most.
• Aurora2 gives a Toro the same mobility as Bennet thanks to Arcane Propulsion, but also offers additional defensive rules and a mean offensive feat that massively increases the reach of her Toros.

Drawbacks and Downsides

• MAT 6 can be a real issue against dodgier targets, and the cheaper Nomad can reach MAT 8 on the charge. Princess Graciela helps with this.
• An experienced opponent will just try to jam the Toro up to render countercharge moot.
• DEF/ARM 11/20 is solid, but it's not going to win a fight against premium heavies in other factions by itself. The Toro needs buffs to get full value.
• Maker's Mark allows Crucible Guard warcasters to take the Toro in Crucible Guard lists, but not outside of them. This means Lukas can't run any when fielded as an Infernals warcaster in Hearts of Darkness.
• In Crucible Guard the Vindicator is better than the Toro for the two extra points. The gun and its attack types is better than the off-hand shield, which you won't even get to use often due to being 1" shorter than the sword, and the Mace is as strong as the Toro's sword, so you don't lose any output on the main weapon either.
  • For the same price you can also get a Suppressor, which has four initials thanks to Dual Attack and thus makes better use of debuffs that the Toro's two, can double hand throw and has its own set of debuffs to apply.

Tricks and Tips

• To get the most out of Countercharge try to position the Toro in a place where it can charge while also making it hard for enemy chaff to block it.
• The Toro has 2" reach, which means it works especially well in conjunction with 2" reach small bases when engaging targets with shorter threat ranges. It's possible to place two-three small bases in front of the Toro such that a model without 1" reach will be unable to avoid the Countercharge from the Toro without removing the small bases first.
• You can't boost during a Countercharge attack, so spend the Toro's focus during its main activation.
• Due to the way Maker's Mark is worded, a Toro under the control of Gastone Crosse remains a mercenary model even when included in a Crucible Guard army.

Other

Trivia

• Beta rule released in the Crucible Guard CID (2018.03), final rules released with the Faction (2018.06)
• The Toro comes in the same plastic kit with the Vindicator & Suppressor. However due to production issues PP no longer has access to the Toro-specific sprue. For most of 2019 & 2020, Toros were thus a rare commodity. However in late 2020 PP released a hybrid plastic/metal kit which replaces the Toro's plastic sprue with metal parts.