Warcaster spotlight – Terminus, the Deathbringer | Cryx Dread Armada
In case you missed it, Cryx Dread Armada is now live on FronTiers!
Which means from now until October 29, you can get a whole Prime army of STLs at a (shockingly) good bundle price. With all rules free in the app, it’s a fast and cost-effective way to start playing Warmachine or collect your next army.
Included in the Collection Tier (and available to pre-order physically while the FronTier is live), it’s finally time we meet with the Deathbringer himself:
Terminus, architect of a thousand plots and hidden wars.
This towering lich lord cuts an imposing figure as he descends on the battlefield, leading the Dread Armada to victory and condemning his enemies to crushing defeat.
But who is Terminus, and what tactics does he employ to dole out death? You’d better get comfortable, because we’ve got a lot to cover.
Who is Terminus, the Deathbringer?
We will enslave or crush all of mankind’s cities to pave the way for our lord’s inevitable victory over his progeny. All we do is for Lord Toruk, glorious Dragonfather, master of all. In his name we unleash torment eternal, and by his power death is determined. — Lord Terminus, the Deathbringer
Towering over others who serve in the Dragonfather’s shadow, this twisted abomination of blighted bone and hell-wrought iron has methodically fought in service to his master’s ambitions for centuries.
Long ago, he who would come to be known as Terminus commanded the Dragonfather’s legions at the Dragon’s Roost, Cryx’s northernmost fortress and bastion for the fleet.
It was there Terminus began to internalize his master’s transfiguring blight. His body slowly swelled to immense size, and wings erupted from his back, tearing and distending skin and bone. As his flesh failed him, necrosurgeons replaced the cankerous portions of his body with necrotech and iron; as early as the Cryx assault against the remnants of the Orgoth invasion at Garlghast Island, no semblance of his previous form remained.
In the aftermath of Drer Drakkerung’s obliteration, Terminus rose to prominence in Toruk’s service. He led the efforts to rip the secrets from captured Orgoth, living and dead, and worked to apply that knowledge to rebuilding Cryx’s devastated fleet and armies.
Based on this lore, Terminus oversaw the construction of the first Cryxian blackships. When the Dragonfather witnessed the fruits of Terminus’ many labors, he granted him the title of lich lord, elevating him to replace one lost in the great battle.
With legions of thralls under his command, Lich Lord Terminus devoted himself to the conquest of the mainland. His agents throughout the Iron Kingdoms gathered information and searched for Toruk’s hated brood.
Terminus was vital in orchestrating the Scharde Invasions of 584–588 AR. While his counterparts established secret strongholds on the mainland, Terminus’ forces tested the defenses of the Iron Kingdoms, seeking to lay the foundation for their eventual destruction.
It is a testament to the ingenuity of Terminus’ plans that it would not be until 605 AR, during the Llaelese War, that Cryx’s enemies understood how the Black Fleet had managed to plant invasion forces so deep inside the mainland.
Although Terminus would survive the conflict, the Infernal War wrought a terrible toll upon the Cryxian forces on the mainland, forcing the armies of the Dragonfather to retreat to the Sharde Islands.
In the time since, Terminus has patiently overseen efforts to rebuild the strength of the fleets under his command, and methodically strategized both their return to the Meredius and the landing of new incursion forces. The time for the first phase of his plans is now upon the world, and his orders have heralded a return to open conflict in the waters along Cygnar’s western coast.
Such is the strength of his dark majesty that Terminus can inspire even the dead. He leads hordes of thralls equally eager to kill or sacrifice their own existences in his accursed name. Though a meticulous strategist, Terminus transforms into a killing tempest on the battlefield. Gripped with unmitigated bloodlust and charging ahead of his legions, he is an unstoppable scythe consuming the souls of all who fall by his blade.
So, what does a Dread Armada army led by Terminus, the Deathbringer look like?
How does Terminus play?
Terminus is unusual within Dread Armada. Not only because he’s a massive lich lord who towers over the rest of the warcasters, but because where most of Dread Armada’s playstyle focuses on speed, Terminus is tough. Really tough.
As you’d expect, armies led by this ‘caster can really push the speed and resilience angle. Let’s look at an example list with Terminus at the helm:
That’s right: maximum Field Allowance (FA) of Deepstalker warjacks. Three of them with Heavy Plate prows and Claw Shield left arms packing a mighty ARM 21.
Why so much heavy armour? We’re glad you asked!
Terminus himself is a tough nut to crack. 35 health boxes, ARM 19, plus the natural resilience of spending focus points to reduce incoming damage is an excellent start.
But there’s more. Entropic Shroud dials Terminus’ resilience up to 11, and you should expect to cast this spell most turns of the game.
Well, more specifically, it dials him up to an effective DEF 14 and ARM 21 because of the penalties it gives to nearby enemies. And on turns where Terminus rolls up his sleeves to get his claws dirty, Blood Boon on his Doomsayer sword means you’ll often get to cast this spell for free.
Worried about getting shot? Sacrificial Pawn lets Terminus choose to pass enemy ranged attacks onto his nearby warjacks. Suddenly, all those ARM 21 Deepstalkers make more sense! With three ARM 21 heavy warjacks to pass shots off to, Terminus can take serious fire and keep on coming.
This defensive symbiotic relationship goes both ways. You’ll want to position the Deepstalkers close to Terminus and often a little behind. First, because Terminus loves to aura farm by leading from the front. Second, because enemies attacking the Deepstalkers at close range will often have to enter the Entropic Shroud aura. DEF 14 and ARM 23 warjacks are no joke!
So, the heavy armour Deepstalkers make sense. But why bring a fourth equipped with Tidecaller and a Spiker? Two reasons:
One, because it’s almost always useful to have something with Tidecaller in a Dread Armada army list. Having that extra bit of control over applying the break effects of your Dreadtides means you’ll be able to land them right where you need them.
Just out of range to get that –2 ARM onto the thing Terminus needs to destroy? Tidecaller.
Just out of range to get that –2 MAT and RAT onto the thing threatening Terminus next turn? Tidecaller.
The second reason is army width. Terminus likes to keep most of his warjacks close by. Sometimes you need some heavy hitting on a far flank, and a Deepstalker with a POW 18 melee weapon is just what the lichdoctor ordered. Terminus’ 16” control area is ideal for letting warjacks function at a distance.
The rest of a Terminus army list you can largely fill to taste. In this case, we’ve gone for fast-moving Satyxis Marauders and Reavers to fight enemy infantry and contest objectives.
Scharde Ogrun Cannoneers are excellent for defending your own objectives where they can often aim and gain that sweet damage bonus from Commence Bombardment.
Satyxis Storm Witches are your main source of Dreadtides so we’d always recommend taking at least two of these.
Satyxis Blood Hags are perhaps the most important unit choice here, because they’ll be key for empowering and buffing your warjacks so Terminus can keep his focus points for himself.
Lastly, the cheeky addition of a Dredger armed with Ripteeth makes for an excellent counter-attacking piece. Keep it behind your Satyxis units. When the enemy charges at you, move your surviving Satyxis beside whatever you want the Dredger to attack and let it Flank (fly)!
Speaking of Dreadtides, Terminus likes to make a lot of defensive use of Undertow. After sending in any Dreadtides you want to use offensively, it’s a good idea to end your turn by using your Storm Witches to create Undertows just ahead of Terminus.
Placing Undertows ahead of Terminus means enemies seeking to harm him will often need to walk through the Undertows first and be slowed down by shallow water, or suffer the –2 MAT and RAT break effect before getting to attack him.
As you can see, Terminus is a force to be reckoned with! To unleash this tidal force of a lich lord on your enemies, pick the Collection Tier.
Want to build your own Dread Armada lists? Download the Warmachine app to access all the rules for free.
Fancy trying out the army? All Dread Armada models are now available for online games via Wartable.
