Storm Lances

The earth-shuddering charge of Storm Lances is a vision of precision in motion. Bound within a corona of crackling energy, the knights pound into the enemy without remorse. The rippling surge of hooves and weaponry advances like a living thing while bolts of electrical power arc into the enemy. Using the resonance of storm chambers, Storm Lances can form an electrical charge between heavily insulated riders deadly to anyone caught between them.

Basic Info

Abilities

• Template:Cavalry
• Template:Assault
• Template:Electricity Immunity
• Template:Reposition 3

Weapons

Electrical Bolt
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		8			1			Template:-			12
Template:Electricity Damage
Electro Lance
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		2				8				14
Template:Brutal Charge Template:Electro Leap
Mount
File:Mount icon.jpg		RNG						POW
		0.5						12

Theme Forces

• Cygnar
  • Template:Storm Division. They gain Unyielding in this theme.

• Other Factions
  • Infernal players can use this unit in the Template:Hearts of Darkness theme, but only if Sloan is leading the army.
  • Mercenary players can use this unit in the Template:Llaelese Resistance. They become Llaelese models and gain Pathfinder in this theme.

Thoughts on Storm Lances

Storm Lances in a nutshell

Cygnar's elite cavalry and quite possibly the best heavy cavalry unit in the game (closely followed by the Praetorian Ferox). They have respectable ranged game, which can be boosted by Cygnar's numerous Electricity buffs. They are the only heavy cavalry unit in the game, who can both threaten at range, and have a constant 2" melee range (units, like the Dawnguard Destors or Iron Fang Uhlans have 2" melee range only in charge). With a borderline ridiculous 3 attacks on the charge, plus electro-leaps from the melee attacks, Storm Lances can devastate nearly any unit in the game and even jacks and beasts are wary of their presence. Many consider them the best unit in Cygnar, and for a good reason. They are pretty expensive but when you field them, you often field 2 max units with all the necessary trimmings in Storm Division.

Combos & Synergies

Defensive buffs

• Arcane Shield is the most widespread ARM fixer. An ARM 20 cavalry with DEF13 is nothing to be sneezed at. Beside casters, it is the main attraction of the Journeyman Warcaster - if you take Storm Lances, you'll most likely take him too. Stryker1 deserves a special mention, as he can make them an utterly obnoxious ARM25 for a round. In Storm Division that can go up to ARM27 with Unyielding. Stryker2 can take them to ARM22 against ranged and magic attacks with Deceleration. His feat also gives them an additional round of attacks with yet more Electro-Leaps.
• Blur can be found on many casters, even on those, who are not primarily considered for Storm Division, like Caine1. Def 16 cavalries, especially when topped with concealment or cover are truly a challenge for non-CRA and non-boosted ranged fire.
• Haley3 can keep them in the game for a long time thanks to Revive and Temporal Flux.
• Maddox brings not only Dauntless Resolve, but also Onslaught for Pathfinder.
• Want more? Keep them in Gwen Keller's Force Barrier aura for a "2 DEF against ranged attacks + Blast Resistance.

Offensive buffs

• Firefly and Stormguard dial up their electrical damage rolls.
• Laddermore and the Storm Strider gives them outstanding accuracy.
• Stryker2's feat and Positive Charge allows them to kill the world in a single turn. If you're lucky, a single Storm Lance can kill 6 models in that turn (Impact attack, Assault shot, Charge/melee attack, electro-leap, feat attack and the electro-leap from that) and that's assuming you only impact a single model.
• Stryker3's Fury, along with his feat guarantees a crushing charge.
• Nemo3 loves anything with electrical damage.
• Don't need Pathfinder? Gabriel Throne adding Stir the Blood to a unit gives them hitting power in line with a heavy warjack (or more with either of the two Strykers above).

Movement buff

• The Stormblade Captain solves any issues with other models in the unit blocking each other in.
• Pathfinder is essential for your charges to connect. Rhupert or Gabriel Throne is a really good fix for that. The bold piper can help you with cover or Tough too.** It's worth putting Haley Future near them - Ghost Walk also has a lot of utility. He competes for the mercenary solo slot with Lanyssa Ryssyl, who can extend charges with Hunter's Mark.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Just like all cavalry units, they're expensive and high priority targets
• Can't be affected by the Stormblade Captain's Desperate pace.
• No native Pathfinder, and like every Cavalry, they are vulnerable to charge-denial tricks.

Tricks & Tips

• They have an effective range of 16 by walking and shooting. If you can't charge or don't have a good target, it may be better to advance, shoot, then reposition backwards for a better opening next turn. This is no longer as effective as it was as they no longer get electro-leaps from their shooting.
• Watch out with Assault shots, if they can trigger abilities upon missing, that might result in the target no longer being in melee range. Prime examples are Dodge and Poltergeist.

It might sound like an anti-Cygnar tip collection, but you also better be aware of things, that can affect the performance of your Storm Lances.

• Spacing - They are on large bases, so it might prove difficult to position them so that they all could strike. They don't have Practiced Maneuvers, so don't ignore each other when drawing LOS, or moving. A Stormblade Captain can alleviate that, however, you must be in his CMD range to take advantage of his ability.
• Blocking LOS - you can't charge and can't shoot, what you can't see. Trencher smoke from their Into the Breach minifeat, or combined with Haley's Tactical Supremacy can be really annoying.
• Blocking charge lanes - Enemies will likely place models with Tough to stop cavalry charge, and make you to fail your charge entirely.
• Target behind obstacle - without Pathfinder, you will have to evade obstacles, if you want to charge.
• Difficult terrain - It might come either from spells, abilities, or attacks - the result is all the same. Without Pathfinder, you will struggle charging through.
• Charge denial - An in-faction example, the Polarity Shield of the Centurion counters charges. Also, spells, like Rebuke disallow orders, so no charge, no assault shot, and no brutal charge for you.
• Upkeep Removal - a mentioned above, upkeeps are essential of keeping them alive.
  • Watch out for Purgation, Dispel and Purification, as well as Eilish and Eiryss2's bow and blade.
  • Also, you'll have to rely on your basic stats against Blessed weapons.
  • Any combination of these followed up with boosted damage rolls tends to leave Storm Lances very sad...and dead.

Other

Trivia

• The unit leader's horse is probably one of the most badass horses in the game.
• Released in Warmachine: Superiority (2006)