Malekus, The Burning Truth

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Determined to bring Menoth’s glory to the world, Malekus, the Burning Truth carries with him the righteous fire of the Creator. Malekus’ youth as an orphan was harsh, giving him insight into the perfidy of the world, and this inspired his conversion to the Sul-Menite faith. Malekus is ever willing to intercede on behalf of those willing to return to Menoth’s embrace, but he offers only scouring flames for those who persist in blind heresy.

Basic Info

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Warcaster abilities:


Feat - Raging Inferno

  1. When an enemy model suffers a fire damage roll while in Malekus' Template:CTRL range, add an additional die to that roll.
  2. Additionally, Fire continuous effects that affect enemy models in Malekus' Template:CTRL range cannot expire.
Raging Inferno lasts one round.

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Abilities

Weapons

Scouring Flames
File:Gun icon.jpg  RNG   ROF   AOE   POW 
SP 10 1 Template:- 13
Burning Blades
File:Sword icon.jpg  RNG   POW   P+S 
1 5 12

Spells

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Template:Brand of Fire Template:Ignite Delete Template Template:Scourge 

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Theme Forces


Thoughts on Malekus

File:Malekus1.jpg
2016 Battlebox sculpt

Malekus in a Nutshell

Malekus is the Mk3 "battlebox caster" for the Protectorate. As such he is designed to be relatively simple to learn and straightforward to use. If you're learning the game, it is best to use him vs one of the other battlebox casters because they're all designed to have roughly the same power level. They all received a quality of life update in 2020 which deepened their toolkits. Malekus’ book now plays a role in battle and it helps remove some of his focus concerns or protects his army.

Malekus likes fire. Currently the best way to get fire damage in Protectorate is with shooty 'jacks. Unfortunately Malekus isn't particularly good at running large groups of 'jacks, which can make list-building for him beyond the battlebox a bit difficult.

Feat thoughts

The first thing to note is that melee weapons only do continuous fire or critical cont fire, but not fire damage itself; thus melee attacks don't get an extra damage die. Although applying cont fire is nice because in the enemy's next Maintenenace Phase you'll get a 100% guaranteed POW 12 +3d6 damage roll, wouldn't you much rather have something with higher POW and which you can boost to 4d6?

So to really capitalise on his feat you'll probably want lots of ranged attacks (and a few offensive fire-based spells). Subsquently this means you need a fair portion of your army to be unengaged on your feat turn so they can shoot, which means you're likely to use his feat early, before battlelines fully engage.

Alternatively, you could build a melee list centered around a colossal(s) which can shoot even while in melee.

It's also worth noting that his feat has no "friendly Faction" clause so it interacts just fine with your Mercenaries.

Spell thoughts

  • Banishing Ward - Only useful if the enemy tries to debuff your army, but fantastic then.
  • Brand of Fire - It's a simple nuke spell. It stacks with his feat, and Verse of Cinders which is nice.
  • Ignite - Malekus gets less use out of this spell than the other Protectorate casters who have it (Reznik1 and Feora1).
    • Malekus doesn't want to cast it on himself, because he doesn't want to get in melee.
    • He probably doesn't want to cast this on a 'jack (at least not until the late game) because he mostly has ranged 'jacks.
    • It can be useful in the early game on a screening unit that wants to hit hard, as opposed to just running to jam.
    • Alternatively, take a pair of Castigators and hot-swap Ignite on them. Coupled with the Choir this makes for multiple P+S 20 flaming fists!
  • Open Fire - Malekus' most useful spell.
    • It can be useful to make to make extra melee attacks, for instance running a 'jack up to an enemy and using this spell to make one attack can be situationally useful.
    • Ranged 'jacks become potent, as it is effectively +1 ROF. Two Vanquisher AOEs a turn, yes please. Double Reckoner shots? Not to be sniffed at.
      As with a melee 'jack, you have the option to run the 'jack into position before casting, which can be situationally useful.
    • This spell of course gets its maximum effect on his feat turn against enemy 'jacks/beasts who have already been set on fire.
  • Scourge - Expensive, but when you need it, invaluable. It is the best reason to use Hymn of Might.
    • It doesn't need to directly hit to cause knockdown, so it has many uses:
      • Knock down an enemy caster prior to assassinating them.
      • "Clear" a charge lane by knocking down models that are threatening free strikes on that lane.
      • Neutralising a high DEF target you need to kill (for example a Circle Warpwolf).
    • A point to remember is that you can run up a disposable low-DEF model of your own until it is close to the real target you want knocked down - shoot your model in the back and voila.

Battlebox Fights

In a battlebox fight, two players who bought nothing but their Faction's starter set use everything in that box to play a game.

Malekus usually wins by assassination, trying to manuvere until he gets a clear shot at the enemy caster then feating, knocking them down with Scourge, and going to town with Immolation + his warjacks attacks.

Fable of Ash becomes redundant in a battlebox fight and blazing wrath will only effect 3 models max, so often you will be using the free spell cast each turn to bully your opponent 9 times out of 10.

Drawbacks & Downsides

  • Malekus' has a good CTRL, but he generally prefers popping his feat earlier in the game and therefore would want to be closer to the front line to catch more of the enemy in it, so his ranged warjacks can let rip. This can leave him exposed or nearer the front than one might like.
  • Fire Immune Models don’t really care about what he does.
  • He has quite a bit of overlap in his spell list with Kreoss3

Tricks & Tips

  • If you want to get an enemy model with Scourge but don't want to boost to hit or it can't be targeted by spells, run a model with a low weapon reach up to it and cast your spell on it. Although losing a model can be harsh, a knocked down warcaster/warlock is often a dead one when faced with Malekus' fire guns and feat.
  • Verse of Cinders is almost never worth using. It frees up one focus for the jack(s) charging the target, but if you use Hymn of Might to cast a free Scourge you just saved Malekus four focus AND your jacks no longer need to boost to hit the target, so it comes out about even on them as well.

List Building Advice

Strategy

Attrition victory (Normal win strategy)

Once he moves beyond the battlebox fights discussed above, Malekus does best aiming for attrition, playing for a slightly more ranged game, and picking off key enemy pieces and using Open Fire to keep up the volume of attacks from distance. Closing when necessary and using liberal spray attacks to clear out pesky enemy infantry. While watching for a possible opening for a kill.

Assassination victory

Malekus does have assassination options. It shouldn't be relied on, but never forget the chance, to pop feat, cast Scourge if needed to knock down the enemy caster or clear LOS to them, and then under feat ravage them with a couple of Immolations and then more from other ranged fire attacks as needed. With some extra ranged attacks that would do for most casters.

Other

Malekus will want some units to help protect his ranged warjacks. Most of the Protectorate infantry would fit in this role.

Theme Thoughts

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Not really Malekus preferred theme, but there are a few models here he likes.

  • The Covenant of Menoth - Can give a unit's ranged attack continuous fire, which benefits from his feat, albeit slightly more indirectly as the damage will be during the following maintenance phase from the boosted Continuous Fire that won't go out (if in his CTRL).
  • A couple of Exemplar Warders will provide resilient solos to hold flags, or contest zones.
  • Severius0 - The extra +1/+1 buff from Sev0 helps alleviate that. He can get rid of pesky upkeeps and he extends the threat range of his jack.
    • If you're taking Sev0, you might want Sev's character 'jack Blessing of Vengeance. BoV's bond will give +2/+2 to Sev's spells, so on feat turn you're looking at an effective FOC 8, POW 15 +3d6 nuke which you can cast twice, and boost damage once.
  • The Attendant Priest is in this theme giving you friendly faction non-partisan merc units while he is alive. See the merc section below for suggestions.

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The main reason to play this theme are Flameguard Cleansers and Hand of Judgement (see below), no Hierophant and limited solo options when compared to Faithful masses are big strikes against it though.

  • Flameguard Cleansers - Good to jam and clear out enemy infantry, and to light up potential feat targets with Continuous Fire. It is important to make space for the Flameguard Cleanser Officer too, as when an Assault charge is called, they make contact with the enemy and under the Officer's mini feat get to spray a long way behind the enemy front line. Good positioning can really burn down a lot. At the very least the enemy will have to account for this, playing more cautiously, giving you an edge, or aggressively and so exposing himself by trying to deal with those Cleansers with his faster options. With a potential 18" threat (5" move + 3" charge + 10" spray from the mini-feat), even enemy heavies are wary of entering the potential burning ground between the armies, with the threat of Malekus' feat.
  • Hand of Silence provides another flamethrower, provides anti-soul tools with Direct Spirits, and can spend souls to fuel warjacks.
  • Hand of Judgment - Feora's character jack. But Malekus arguably loves Hand more than his own character jack. The reason to take Hand of Judgment? A nice 10" fire spray, and of course Fuel for the Flames which ramps up all that lovely fire damage.

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Malekus will probably never use this theme, because other than Severius0 and Hand of Silence there's nothing in this theme that he wants.

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His hands down best theme, because it has loads of powerful solos that will be really annoying to remove with Ashen Veil, has units that spread fire and the Covenant. Basically everything he wants. Additionally, Hand of Vengeance is a nice benefit for your heavy warjacks.

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  • Thorn Gun Mages provide fire damage attacks with their pistols, and they've got pretty decent RAT.
  • Aiyana and Holt plus a Ranking Officer (Attendant Priest) can you get you access to a +2 damage buff.
  • Idrian Skirmishers - If they recieve continuous fire from the Covenant they can set up a very impactful feat turn. More over with Ashen Veil they go up to DEF 15 and can be made immune to spells by Arcane Ward. Later swap to Ignite and they hit really hard.
  • The Menite Archon is a source of Fuel for the Flames. It also is generally an obnoxious piece to remove. So flap it up into the enemy in the first wave and get that extra damage from fire type weapons. As it is immune to fire, it makes a great target to spray and catch enemies you cannot directly target for some reason. you can get two without using your merc slot in Faithful Masses and The Creator's Might.

Battlegroup

File:Eye of Truth.jpg
Eye of Truth is Malekus's pet warjack, that he can take in any theme.
  • Lights
    • Repenter - Provides flamethrower attacks on a cheap chassis.
    • The Revenger is the cheapest arc node in Menoth, and useful if you want to get Scourge onto something without exposing Malekus.
    • Purifier overtake and flame trail go well with his feat and getting a trigger for free charges without making an attack roll.
  • Heavies
    • Eye of Truth - EoT is a character warjack bonded to Malekus, so he can take him in every theme. EoT is a very powerful piece, and you should probably not field the two without the other, especially since it becomes an Arc-Node with its bond.
    • Reckoner - A solid choice and has a potential place in any Malekus build, the gun does Fire Damage and hits hard. It also has Flare, which really helps setting up unboostable Open Fire shots.
    • Vanquisher - Provides a 4" AOE fire attack that'll mulch infantry, and direct hits can hurt heavies too. It's a great target for Open Fire.
  • Colossals
    • Judicator - The Judicator is normally considered the better colossal, but with Malekus the fewer fire attacks tips the balance towards the Revelator. But still, the Judicator does do work into Malekus' overall battle plan. The Reliquary makes its fists and Flamethrowers more accurate and work for attacks it makes out of activation, which helps if you want to use Open Fire on it. Additionally, sprays ignore cover and concealment; combined with the Blessed bubble Eye of Truth hands out, you'll ignore even more defensive measures.
    • Revelator - All its ranged attacks are fire based, it isn't inaccurate (unlike the Judicator's rockets), and it provide large AOEs that put rough terrain into play. Again Open Fire is amazing on the Revelator - you can end up with three 4" AOE burning hazards that remain in play for a round. That is a lot of potential board control. The main reason not to field it is the huge point investment, as well as RNG 10" on the guns.

Starting a 25 point Brawl list

In 2020.11 Phillip Melvin, one of the LOS authors, put together this list for the Brawlmachine format. It was then updated for the 2021.10 errata. He even wrote about it's playstyle and expanding it beyond 25 points, which you can read here.

Theme - The Faithful Masses

Malekus, the Burning Truth: [+30 WJP]
Menite Archon: [9 pts]
Vassal Mechanik: [1 pt]
Holy Zealots (Min unit): [7 pts]
  • Command Attachment: [2 pts]
Deliverer Sunburst Crew: [Free] Template:Grey
Choir of Menoth (Min unit): [4 pts]


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Other

Trivia

  • Released in Prime Mk3 (2016.06) in the battlebox set
  • Resculpted in 2021 as a standalone model.
  • The sculpt shows a fellow who loves his food, so in the Protectorate he seems to be the answer to the perennial question "Who ate all the pies?", earning him the sometime epithet of: "The Piemaster".

Video Battle Reports

Other Protectorate models

Template:Index Menoth

Rules Clarifications

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Template:RC Magical Damage Template:RC Fire

Template:RC Warcaster Template:RC Ashen Veil Template:RC Divine Passages Template:RC Fable of Ash Template:RC Hymn of Might Template:RC Verse of Cinders

Template:RC Banishing Ward Template:RC Brand of Fire Template:RC Ignite Template:RC Open Fire Template:RC Scourge

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