Iron Fang Kovnik

Template:Khadbox This model is playable only in an Unlimited format.

Veteran Iron Fangs are brutal and skilled personal combatants. They move between regiments and units coordinating the assaults of subordinate Iron Fangs, lend their tactical prowess where needed, and stand ready to support their brothers with great axe and warjack.

Basic Info

Abilities

Leadership

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

• Template:No sleeping on the Job
• Template:Precision Strike
• Template:Unyielding

Weapons

Great Axe
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				5				12
Template:Weapon Master

Theme Forces

• Khador
  • Template:Legion of Steel - This solo gains Countercharge in this theme.

• 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 Iron Fang Kovnik

Iron Fang Kovnik in a Nutshell

The Iron Fangs represent an ancient Khadoran tradition of elite warriors stretching back to even before the founding of the Khardic Empire. They are history walking, a caste of elite soldiers who eagerly face the most indomitable of machines and the most ferocious of beasts with only the flats of their shields and the exploding tips of their pikes and lances.

Each individual Iron Fang warrior is a formidable fighter, but their true strength derives from their strict adherence to their legacy tactical formations. Iron Fang units operate as if they were entities with a singular mind, working together to shore up their weaknesses and amplify their strengths.

Iron Fang Kovniks are Iron Fang support solos that can also mix things up in combat. Their natural home is in the Legions of Steel theme force where they can be surrounded by their Iron Fang brethren. Almost any Legion of Steel benefits from at least one Kovnik, and many take two because they synergize so well with the army and make good use of the Countercharge theme benefit. They should generally be advancing as part of the second wave, directly behind one or two units of Pikemen who help screen them from ranged attacks.

Combos & Synergies

• In Legions of Steel the Kovnik gets the powerful Countercharge ability.
• Kovniks love buffing Iron Fang Pikemen, and they love screening him on the advance.
• When (counter)charging, the Kovnik pumps out an average of 16 damage on the charge at MAT 8!
• Models under the effect of No Sleeping on the Job that are also Tough will not be knocked down and can thus pass consecutive tough rolls.
• Uhlan Kovnik Markov's Tactician ability allows Kovniks to Countercharge through other Iron Fang models.
• Kapitan Skirova: Sofya is highly synergistic with Kovniks; they benefit from her Veteran Leader ability, and No Sleeping on the Job makes her nigh-immortal on the enemy turn through her Inhuman Resolve.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Between DEF 12 and ARM 17, the Kovnik's quite vulnerable when not engaged in melee.
• Unlike literally every other Iron Fang, the Kovnik only has a 1" RNG on that axe, don't forget!
• The Kovnik has a strong attack, but it's only óne attack and it's often going to need to be enough to recoup the Kovnik's points cost.
• Several Iron Fang models already have abilities that protect them against knockdown, leading to some redundancy depending on the force.
• And perhaps most notably, Kovniks are one of the few Iron Fang models that don't have Relentless Charge, meaning they won't be able to keep up with their troops charging through rough terrain unless they're Black Dragons and Sofya.

Tricks & Tips

• Leadership and No Sleeping on the Job affect Iron Fang models, not just Pikemen.
• While it has Precision Strike, be careful about pitting a Kovnik against a warjack or warbeast unless you're very specifically looking to cripple a system or aspect. This ability is more powerful when paired up with Black Dragons so they can combine forces to surgically disable key targets.

Other

Trivia

Released in the Warmachine: Vengeance expansion (2014)