Widowmaker Marksman

Operating independently, Khador’s senior Widowmaker marksmen move unobserved across the battlefield. The expert sharpshooters are equipped with the prized Vanar Liberator rifle. The Liberator weighs a full twenty pounds, nearly twice the weight of the standard hunting rifles issued to Widowmaker units. Capable of tearing through plate armor, Liberator rounds are as accurate as they are lethal in the hands of a Widowmaker marksman.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Advance Deployment
• Template:Pathfinder
• Template:Stealth
• Template:Marksman
• Template:Swift Hunter

Leadership

While within {{{d}}} of this model, friendly [[{{{model}}}]] models gain [[:Category:{{{ability}}}|{{{ability}}}]].

Weapons

Vanar Liberator
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		14			1			Template:-			12
Template:Deadly Shot
Sword
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		0.5				3				8

Theme Forces

• Khador
  • Template:Jaws of the Wolf
  • Template:Winter Guard Kommand

• Other Factions
  • Infernal players can use this model in the Template:Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Malakov2 is leading the army.

Thoughts on Widowmaker Marksmen

Widowmaker Marksman in a nutshell

The solo version of the Widowmaker Scouts, the Marksman is better defended, thanks to his native Stealth, and packs more punch due to Deadly Shot. His main job is to pick off isolated solos, support Widowmaker Scouts, and knock off critical aspects / weapons / systems from tougher targets. He does that from a solid distance, while remaining mobile with Swift Hunter.

Combos & Synergies

The Marksman works well on his own, but with his leadership you get the most bang for your bucks, if you include him beside a unit of Widowmaker Scouts.

• Ol' Grim, being a Widowmaker model, also benefits from the Leadership ability. Alongside the Marksman he can Apparition out, forfeit his movement to Aim, kill a couple of things, and then Swift Hunter back into cover (or onto a flag).
• Other models, who are capable of inflicting targeted and/or multi-wound shots tag along nicely with the Marksman. Kell Bailoch, Eiryss1 or Alten Ashley are all ideal candidates. The Marksman, Bailoch and a unit of Widowmakers can peel off 13 points of targeted damage from any warjack or warbeast. Ashley's Grievous Wound still complete nicely to the above mentioned models.
• Contrary to Kell Bailoch and other mercenary snipers, the Widowmaker Marksman is a Khador faction model. Which makes it possible for Warcasters to enhance his performance (Like Strakhov1's Sentry spell, or Irusk2's Fire for Effect).
• The Widowmaker Marksman is available in both the Jaws of the Wolf and the Winter Guard Kommand theme forces, making the sniper a popular pick due to him bringing an effective gun for cheap (or sometimes even free).

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Low ARM, which might enable him to survive a stray AOE, but anything with a POW 9 or more will kill him on average rolls.
• Struggles against targets with Stealth.
• For 1.5x the cost, Ol' Grim is better in almost every way. If you're getting him for free, might as well take Ol' Grim instead. Usually you take Ol' Grim as your requisition choice and pay for a Marksman to give him Swift Hunter, unless you are really starved for points in your army and cannot afford even 4 points.
• Multiwound models tend to have 5 boxes at least so they need some softening up before deadly shot can be used.

Tips & Tricks

• When plinking a hard target, obviously go for the 3 fixed damage from Deadly Shot instead of the normal damage roll. When attacking a soft target (like a model with 5 boxes and ARM 14 or less), you're likely to take it out with rolling the POW 12 damage. For something in between, it can be a judgement call. Sometimes having a chance at taking out an important solo with one hit is more valuable than a guaranteed 3 damage.

Other

Trivia

• Released in Forces of Warmachine: Khador (2010)