Witchling+Stalkers


 * Witchling Stalkers, Guild Minion** toc

=__Overview__= Witchling Stalkers (Stalkers for short) were once humans, Arcanist sympathizers who used the magic prevelant in Malifaux to their own ends. Sonnia Criid and her Witch Hunters captured these criminals and used their own magic to twist the witches into hunters, adept at sensing and wiping out those who use magic outside of the Guild's influence.

Stalkers are most useful against Arcanists, and are great for controlling your opponent's Control Hand. Many of their abilities force the defender to dicard cards from their Control Hand, making it difficult to cast spells and use abilities that require specific suits or high numbers.

=__Mobility__= The Witchling Stalkers have a 4" walk and a charge of 6". Every Stalker has the //Scout// ability, which allows the model to move over severe terrain without penalty.

=__Offense__= The Witchling Stalkers are an asset to the Witch Hunters because of their ability to attack their enemy with every weapon they have. Many of their offensive traits make them especially deadly against the Arcanists.

Hunter
Witchling Stalkers are adept at moving through rough terrain. The //Hunter// ability also allows them to see twice as far through obscuring terrain.

Disrupt Magic
Witchling Stalkers have a (0) action called //Disrupt Magic//. It is a 6" Aura around the stalker and enemy model's attempting to cast receive a negative flip until the Start Closing Phase.

Shattered Runed Blade
The Shattered Runed Blade is a Witchling Stalker's primary weapon. He is better skilled in its use, and it is more effctive against his enemies than his pistol. This weapon is Magical, so it inflicts regular damage on models with the //Spirit// characteristic. As an added bonus, it makes it harder for casters to declare targets. If a caster is wounded by this blade, they must discard a Control Card when declaring the target of a spell untill the end of its next activation, or the action immediately ends.

Pistol
While the weapon is not as effective against Arcanists as the Runed Blade, the Pistol a Witchling Stalker carries is an effective ranged weapon in slowing his enemies. With a 10" range, and decent damage (2/3/4), it slows potential targets enough to allow the stalker to charge in and finish the job.

Dispel Magic
In order to keep the Stalkers from falling back into their Arcanist ways, they are only allowed one spell. Dispel Magic is useful against enemies who use counters or effects. The caster has the ability to discard one counter or end one effect on a target model. This does not include Wds, and carried counters cannot be discarded.

Cb (R) Critical Strike: Shattered Runed Blade.
This trigger does +1 Dg per Ram in the Duel total.

Cb (C) Drain Magic
This trigger is great for whittling down your opponent's Control Hand. After the model is hit with a Shattered Runed Blade Strike, the defender must discard one Control Card.

=__Resilience__= Witchling Stalkers have slightly better than average Willpower and Defense. More often than not, their ability to reflect magic makes them an asset.

Magic Reisistant 2
Stalkers take less Dg from spells due to their making. When the dust settles, they take 2 fewer Dg (to a minimum of 1) when being hit with a spell that inflicts Wds.

Immolating Demise
There is not explanation why, but when a Stalker dies, he does so messily. This ability is a 2" pulse that does 2 Dg when this model is killed.

Df/Wp (R T) Reflect Magic
A Witchling Stalker is often outside the protection of some of its more powerful crewmates. This Trigger helps ensure the Stalker's survival. If the Stalker is successful at defending against a spell targeting it, the caster becomes the target of the spell, using the totals already flipped. This doesn't work if the caster can't be the target of the spell (e.g. Masters cannot be the target of //Obey//, so it doesn't get reflected).

=__Tips and Tricks__=
 * Witchling Stalkers are effective against any model that casts as its primary form of weaponry.
 * Stalkers are a cannon fodder model, and are a renewable Minion when run in Sonnia Criid's Crew (she can summon more Stalkers).
 * Stalkers should be kept together - they are a more effective fighting unit when they can strike together (and become more effective with the Witchling Handler around). They tend to be ignored (especially with powerhouses like Samael Hopkins on the board) and are great for obtaining objectives.
 * Keep them close enough together to use them as back up for one another, but far enough apart so that //Immolating Demise// won't hit the other Stalkers.
 * It is advised to keep them away from other friendly models as well.
 * Holding High Tomes or Crows in your control hand will help you hit your Triggers. While //Drain Magic// is useful (because it forces a model to discard), //Reflect Magic// is a more effective spell against casters who do damage with their spells.
 * Use //(0) Disrupt Magic// every turn. It is the Stalker's only (0) ability, and is especially effective when the Stalkers are in Melee combat.
 * The Witchling Handler will make the use of Stalkers even more effective, especially against Arcanists.

=__Master-Specific Tips__=

Sonnia Criid
Witchling Stalkers are built to be run in Sonnia's crew (the Witch Hunters). They are meant to work with Sonnia and Samael. Many players get distracted by Criid and Hopkins, so the Stalkers are able to move freely around the board. Sonnia's //Advanced Counterspell// is great at protecting all her Minions, and will help keep the Stalkers alive longer if you don't have a high Tomes in your hand for defense. They are also effective in Criid's Crew due to Sonnia's ability to summon more of them.

Perdita Ortega
Perdita Ortega is a jack-of-all-trades Master, who is most effective against the Neverborn. Adding Witchling Stalkers to her crew adds a degree of magical defense. Many Neverborn models use spells to try and affect their enemies. Using Stalkers to hunt these particular models is effective, and gives the casters something to focus on other than the family. Using Abuela's //Shotgun Wedding// ability on a Stalker gives it the ability to move with the Family and be affected by spells targeting the //Family// Characteristic.

Lady Justice
Lady Justice is the major force in the Death Marshals, who revel in killing Ressurectionists. Adding Witchling Stalkers to her crew adds the //Hunter// and //Scout// abilities, which are useful in all different kinds of terrain. They also add (as with Perdita's Crew) an element of magical defense. Stalkers make a good addition to Guild Crews because their abilities are not Caster-specific (//Drain Magic// is great against any model).

=__Minion-Specific Tips__=

Samael Hopkins
Samael Hopkins is Sonnia's right hand man. Because he is a Witch Hunter, he is already adept at defending himself against Arcanist attacks. Using Sam's //Arrest// and //Snare// abilities is a great help to the Stalkers, who are slower moving and excel at Melee combat. He can move with them, (due to //Hunter// and //Scout//), and should be used as a setup model (Sam makes them stop or slow down long enough to let the Stalkers get their enemy).

Witchling Handler
Specialized in buffing and otherwise improving the performance of these minions, the Witchling Handler gives a number of bonuses to the Stalkers in almost every department - movement speed, damage, Df and Wp resist flips. As she's immune to the damage from //Immolating Demise//, the Stalkers are encouraged to fight alongside her on the front lines. The synergy between these two models is absolutely fantastic and can be a nightmare for opposing casters.

=__Playing Against Witchling Stalkers__= Witchling Stalkers have 6 Wd. They don't move very fast, and have an average Df and Wp. Overall, they are quite squishy and VERY susceptible to guns.

As with many minions, do not ignore them. They may be the little squishy minions who can't really bother you when compared to the other models in their crew, but they will move out around the combat, take the objective, and then come back to avenge their Master. They may not be able to kill your entire crew, but they will be able to do enough damage to make you regret letting them pass you early game.

** __Ownership__ **
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