Guide to Warpath Operation Heracles: Forge Fathers

After looking at the ruthless Enforcers include in the Warpath Operation Heracles Two-player Battle Set yesterday, today we’re focusing on the Forge Fathers of the ward ship Brudrheim. So, without further ado, let’s look at the forces available to the Star Realm in the box set.

The disciplined Steel Warriors are the core of Forge Father battlegroups. While they aren’t as quick or maneuverable as Enforcers, they make up for this with grit and firepower. Forge Fathers are Headstrong, which allows them to remove more suppression than normal as they recover. Suppression can effectively shut down your own units, so this rule ensures that your Dwarfs are always in the fight. In addition, their weapons have a longer effective range than Enforcer’s Genling rifles, while maintaining the same amount of hitting power, which means you can counteract your opponent’s speed.

You can support squads by equipping them with the suppressing Hailstorm Autocannon, or swap every trooper’s weapon for a Dragon’s Breath Flamer, creating a squad of specialists called Rehkyrrs who can be used to clear out buildings, or burn out infantry squads. Like other factions, Forge Fathers can take unit leaders, who in this case grant the Leadership rule (bonus to recovering from supression) as well as an extra point of Nerve.

Those who fight for the armies of the Star Realm for long enough will eventually become veterans, specialising in heavier weapons and forsaking any life outside of the military. These squads are tailored to a specific role on the battlefield, from the tank-busting Issilgarim, to the close combat Thorgarim or the anti-infantry Brakkarim. In Warpath, each squad is set, but in Firefight you can customise each squad with their own mix of weapons. These miniatures are built from the Steel Warriors kit.

In Operation Heracles, you will receive ten hard plastic Steel Warriors, who can also be built as Stormrage Veterans. The sprues include a total of two Autocanons, two Magma Cannons, two Missile Launchers and four Flamers, plus options for Leaders and other accessories. You can build the miniatures in whatever configuration you want to; although personally, I would go for five Steel Warriors with a Hailstorm Autocannon and team of five Issilgarim with two Magma Cannons and two Missile Launchers.

The Forge Guard are the most heavily armoured troops in the Forge Father army.  Each one wields a wrist-mounted Hailstorm rifle and a Heat Hammer, allowing the Forge Guard to be effective either at range or in melee. The suit can also carry heavier weapons such as Magma Cannons, Hailstorm Cannons or Missile Launchers, while retaining the free hand to wield a Heat Hammer.

Forge Guard are Headstrong like other Forge Father units and their leader, being an esteemed veteran in his own right, can issue orders as if he were a force commander. Alternatively, you could field him as a Huscarl to lead your army into battle. Warpath Operation Heracles includes six hard plastic Forge Guard, including a Magma Cannon, Hailstorm Autocannon, Missile Launcher and a Forge Guard Unit Leader/Huscarl. You can field the Huscarl either as part of the unit, or as a five strong squad with a separate hero.

Forge Father weapons platforms are often the envy of enemy commanders. Essentially a small tank, these armoured rigs can match most enemy vehicles in terms of firepower. While they aren’t as resilient as the Forge Fathers’ own Sturnhammer battle tank, they still have heavy enough armour to survive in battle. The Jotunn is fitted with a quad-barrelled Heavy Hailstorm cannon, which is capable of decimating enemy squads with a stream of high calibre rounds. Those who survive the fusillade are suppressed and driven into cover positions, allowing the rest of the Forge Father army to advance unscathed. Warpath Operation Heracles includes 1 PVC Plastic Jotunn Weapons Platform, armed with a Heavy Hailstorm Cannon.

Although this covers all of the Forge Father army in the smaller Warpath Operation Heracles Set, there are even more units in the Mega Set, including the lightning quick Enforcer Jetbikes and the indomitable Forge Father Iron Ancestor, which we will be going over tomorrow. There will be more armies and units in the coming months, each of which will have their own strengths, weaknesses and play style. What are you looking forward to and what would you like to know more about?