Stalker

The Stalker is a nightmarish fusion of darkness and steel designed for a single purpose: to butcher those who oppose the will of the Dragonfather. With a shadowy hull that seemingly writhes and ripples in the light, this insidious creation is nearly indiscernible from a distance. Template:TOCbox

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Construct
• Template:Stealth
• Template:Pathfinder
• Template:Advanced Deployment
• Template:Bounding Leap
• Template:Extended Control Range

Weapons

Eviscerator x2
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S				LOCATION
		1				5				12				Left + Right one each
Template:Blessed Template:Grievous Wounds

Theme Forces

• Cryx
  • Template:Black Industries
  • Template:Dark Host
  • Template:The Ghost Fleet
  • Template:Scourge of the Broken Coast. Stalker gains Gang Fighter in this theme.

• Other Factions
  • Infernal players can use this model in the Template:Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Mortenebra is leading the army. It gains Accumulator [Soulless] in this theme.
  • Mercenary and Convergence players can use it by either:
    • putting it under the control of Asphyxious4 in various themes,
    • putting it under the control of Mortenebra in Template:Strange Bedfellows.

Thoughts on Stalker

Stalker in a nutshell

The Stalker is an assassin. It is perfectly suited to work on the flanks, with Extended Control Range and Stealth keeping it safe. Even if it gets engaged, its high DEF will keep it safe from most unboosted attacks. It's fast, has Pathfinder to get to its target, and has good enough MAT and P+S to wreck most non-warjack models. And let's be honest, that thing is just downright creepy looking.

It's generally either an early-game piece used to scalpel out a key solo that has positioned itself badly (sometimes it is worth throwing away an 8 point warjack to kill a 4-5 point solo), or a mid-game piece that runs up the flanks for the first couple of turns. It doesn't normally survive to the late-game.

Combos & Synergies

• Any caster that can give it extra movement, to close the last little gap to the enemy caster. For example, Mortenebra1 (Overrun), Scaverous (Telekinesis), or The Coven (Infernal Machine). In a pinch, Sturgis2's feat also counts.
• It is useful to Mortenebra2's feat. It can jump into an enemy's back arc to trigger Flank, without blocking your heavies' charge lanes.
• Usual caveat of the Cryx de-buff engine: stack abilities (Bane Warriors Dark Shroud), feats and spells (pDenny), or STR buffs (Skarre1) to let it punch way above its weight class.
• They're a popular choice for Aiakos1 who can speed them up (Escort) and, because Aiakos has a low Focus stat, he appreciates their extended control range. Also, you get an all-stealth, all-jump, secondary battlegroup, which is pretty cool.
  • I particularly like Aiakos1 and Scaverous, because between them they can push the Stalker's threat range up to an absurd 19".
• Since they often work on the flank, they can be good in the Theme Forces with ambushing units (Black Industries or Scourge of the Broken Coast). If the enemy moves towards the flank to deal with the Stalker, your ambushing unit can jump in to help out.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Has all the durability of a wet paper bag.
• It relies on the high DEF and stealth to survive, so anything that auto-hits will give it a bad day.
• Unbuffed it struggles against high ARM targets.
• The model is difficult to assemble. First off the arms/legs can be difficult to align without them hitting each other, and second you've got 4 tiny contact points with the base. Most players put a piece of decorative scenery on the base and stab the legs through it, and/or put the legs adjacent to the scenery and put glue on the side of the leg.

Tricks & Tips

• Jump is a place effect, not an advance. Use it to circumvent enemy abilities which trigger on "advance" (such as Admonition, Counter Charge, Enliven).
• Sometimes, if assassination is difficult to come by, it can be worthwhile to sacrifice the Stalker to finish off an enemy objective.
• You threaten 2" further with a Jump than you do with a Charge, for the same focus cost. Very useful when your target cannot be charged (like Polarity Shielded units). On the other hand, if you Jump you don't get boosted damage on your first attack. Choose wisely.

Other

Trivia

File:MiniCrate GrimStalker.jpg

Grim Stalker, Mini Crate exclusive

• Released in Warmachine: Escalation (2004)
• 2004 Sculptor: John Winter
• Template:LES