Obavnik Kommander Zerkova and Reaver Guards

Privateer Press's most recent front page update gave us all some awesome new models to check out. Some players will be excited because of the specific models, but some of the previews should be exciting for everyone, based on what they generally represent.

Most important to me, as a crusty 'ol Khador player, is the reveal of Zerkova2's full name and painted models:

I love these models. Zerkova in particular is pretty great; her model avoids a lot of the "standard" WM model poses but still manages to convey plenty of character (aided in no small part by her baller coat). All three models look to have great details that I will appreciate at a glance but hate painting, which is usually a sign that someone did something right.

I have a lot more to say about Zerkova2 and the models that joined her on the front page that day, but I'll save those thoughts for after the break.



Zerkova2's fluff blurb, as has been the case with many recent 'casters, isn't terribly illuminating in terms of tabletop potential. Though it is a nice little bit of backstory (shocking, I know):

Through a combination of fearsome reputation, ruthless tactics, and intimate knowledge of the occult, Aleksandra Zerkova has scaled the ranks of the Greylords Covenant. Her open display of mystical power, from forbidden relics to guardians enslaved to her will, has earned her many enemies—but none capable of standing in her way. She is as skilled at espionage as the dark arts, and more than a few of her detractors have disappeared without a trace, while those once vocal about her wrongdoing have grown strangely quiet.

Next, is there anything we can glean from the models? Not much, considering that we saw them represented on the Warmachine: Reckoning cover, but there are a few things worth noting.

First: it definitely looks like Zerkova has a new sword. The pommel, guard, and rune inlays look dramatically different. What that means practically in-game, who's to say? I'm not exactly eager to use Zerkova's melee weapon, though it would be moderately amusing if she ended up as something of a melee beater somehow.

Second: Zerkova's sword is the only prominent weapon on her model. That isn't necessarily indicative of anything - she could have a damn laser whip under that coat for all we know - but it may be a clue that Zerkova doesn't have any other weapons. Significant weapons, melee or ranged, usually feature prominently on warcaster models (one of the reasons I think Zerkova1's green ice cream cone is so unnaturally auspicious) though there are exceptions - Stryker2 actually has a fantastic gun, but it's very easy to overlook on his model.

I think at the very least we can assume that the Rod of Whispers is no more (especially since its nowhere to be seen in the Reckoning art). Farewell silly green stick. You won't be missed.

Third: despite much (hopeful) speculation about the Doom Reaver guards accompanying Zerkova2 in the Reckoning cover artwork, it looks like they're just really beefy Doom Reavers with different equipment. No 40mm raging monstrosities for her.

That said, it is interesting to see that they're classified as "Reaver Guard", and get a really good look at how they're equipped. Who/whatever they are, those bodyguard models definitely seem to be something more sophisticated, important, and interesting than just re-purposed Doom Reavers. I'm very curious to see what their rules are, and how they interact with Zerkova.

Fourth: we were recently graced with some second-hand spoilers for Deneghra3 and Haley3, courtesy of a battle report between the warring sisters in the most recent No Quarter (#60). I won't go into the spoilers - they're very interesting, but difficult to appreciate without the full rules for each 'caster - and they're readily available on some forums. What is most interesting from those spoilers is seeing just how unique the mechanics are on those 'casters: Deneghra3 gains and uses Souls in ways that no one has before, and the (purported) mechanics for Haley3's time echos are amazing.

Compare those spoilers with the rules for early Mk. 2 'casters - almost universally cobbled together from existing rules, often with very tested, safe designs - and it's just that much easier to get excited for Zerkova2's full rules.

Finally: the hobbyist in me feels the need to praise just how well Zerkova2 is executed. Her pose, posture, and design all communicate her character of a power mongering, ruthless, scheming, pragmatic, sorceror-spy. Now compare that with her original model (which is, theoretically, supposed to communicate the same character):

I don't think there are words sufficient to communicate how dramatic an improvement the new Zerkova2 model is over that thing. Even if Zerkova2's rules are a complete dud, she'll be worth the creation efforts just to have an excellent model. And if Zerkova2's rules are as big a jump in quality over Zerkova1's that her model is, she's going to be a force to be reckoned with.

nailed it


Along with Zerkova2, Privateer Press also posted up two other plastic heavy kits, each containing two new models:

 - Skorne Aradus Soldier
 - Skorne Aradus Sentinel
 - Cygnar Stormclad (plastic resculpt)
 - Cygnar Reliant

This set of model previews is noteworthy for a few reasons:

1) All of the models are plastic. This is nothing new - PP's heavy kits have been almost all plastic for awhile now - but it is remarkable to see just how much detail and overall quality they're able to get out of the medium. The Aradus models are especially cool looking, and plastic has practical benefits for them as well; they'd be a nightmare to assemble if they were metal.

2) The Aradus models are, or at least were, some of the most desired Skorne models from Hordes: Exigence. Their release marks the coming of a potentially game changing heavy kit for Skorne, and they thankfully haven't had to wait a terrible amount of time to get them.

3) The previous sentence is there because of the Stormclad/Reliant kit and why it is important: this is the first time we've seen a production model for any of the warjacks that were part of the Warmachine: Vengeance release cycle. The product description essentially confirms that this kit will be released August 2015, making it a breezy 17-ish month wait for the first of the Vengeance warjacks.

While this is no guarantee that the other kits will be showing up around that time, it's reasonable to expect that the Stormclad/Reliant kit is the front runner of the set, and the others probably aren't far behind. I think its perfectly reasonable to expect that all of the Vengeance warjack kits will be out by the end of 2015. For some factions - Cryx and Khador - it's the light at the end of a very long tunnel, waiting for interesting, useful new heavies that sure would have been nice to be able to use a year or so ago. But, better late than never.

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I keep saying it, but only because I'm so excited: we're very likely only a few weeks away from the full reveal of everything in Warmachine: Reckoning. Seeing Zerkova2's model - wondefully well executed - has me that much more excited to see her rules, and thankfully that isn't too far away. Until then I'll keep staring at the 360 and hoping for some awesome rules to go along with a fantastic set of models