My wings are like a shield of Steel!! The Devastator

[PG_Kevin B]

Right I thought I would start the thread off about this great Jack. I have to say this is one of the main reasons I started with Khador as I like the model and how tough it is.

To begin with I will go over the main strenght of the Devastator:

- High number of damage points, it can take a fair few hits
- Two open hands for power attacks
- Very powerful AOE attack
- The highest armour in the game!!!
- immune to fire attacks, well almost

Now the negatives:

- Slow, its a Khador jack we get use to it
- No ranged attack, only 3" from it
- No special combat attack
- its armour value drop once it attacks

To be fair the negatives dont worry me that much as the strengths of it are a headache to my opponents.

This thing is a tank amongst tanks with an Armour of 25 this thing just runs towards the heart of the enemy and dare them to hurt it. There is somthing nice in seeing the face of the enemy drop when it realises how little it can hurt it.

I have personally found that you can end up with a kind of Mexican Standoff with both sides ready for the counter charge once the other has made the move into "no mans land". To break this situation enter the Devastator (or Batfink as I call mine). He can take the hit and normally still live, and even if he doesnt you have then set the enemy up for your counter, if he still lives you can then give out the pain with a nice rain of death.

The area the rain of death covers is just sick and is very focus effiecient (one focus just to keep running towards the enemy or one to charge and BOOM!!!!). Combine it with pButcher's feat and the death he can deal is just wrong. Solo's, units, jacks, beasts and Casters/Locks will feel it.

The only major word of advice is to be careful when you attack with it, opponents will temp you with a oppotunity attack with a runt just to open up the armour, DONT DO IT. Only open up on your terms as often when he does he wont live long as the enmy will give it max attention due to how hard it is to drop normally.

Anyway thats my breif view now over to others...

[PG_malfred]

You forgot that he can Bulldoze. While tricky in places where other models would
block the push, it can be a handy device for herding infantry.

[tonyzahn]

Another thing to keep in mind is that if he can get in B2B it's and auto-hitting POW 18.
Most people forget about that because they think of it as solely an anti-troop jack, but it can do just fine on finishing off a warcaster if it gets the chance.

[PG_malfred]

Another thing to keep in mind is that if he can get in B2B it's and auto-hitting POW 18.
Most people forget about that because they think of it as solely an anti-troop jack, but it can do just fine on finishing off a warcaster if it gets the chance.

Which can make Bulldoze nice, if you're given an appropriate vector that
allows you to push models AND get through. Tricky, but possible.

[lce]

- immune to fire attacks, well almost

what you mean?

[Karyle]

He can charge and do his burst/open/whatever attack, right?

[lce]

He can charge and do his burst/open/whatever attack, right?

yes, but with only 2d6 on damage

[tonyzahn]

Yes, you can Rain of Death on the charge. It would be pretty useless otherwise.

[Mutton]

I run two with eIrusk. Gives people fits.

[PG_Kevin B]

what you mean?

Well until you open up a power 12 fire can't get throgh the armour of the devastator.

You are right to mention the bulldoze and the B2B power of the rain of death. Both useful, push through to the heart of the enemy to get max numbers on the blast or make sure a prime target feels the love of power 18. A game I had recently an angelus felt the full love and took half of it in one hit and also half a unit of def 15 archers as it bypasses the def of targets

[Voltimor]

what you mean?

I think the fire effect POW 12 damage roll does not much well nothing agians ARM 25 only when its open fire can do damage.

[lce]

I think the fire effect POW 12 damage roll does not much well nothing agians ARM 25 only when its open fire can do damage.

so can i say "devastator immune to 12 pow attacks"?

[Mercykiller]

As long as it's closed and hasn't lost any arms it's immune to unboosted POW13s as well

Another thing to consider is that the Devastator has the full range of power attacks, including two hand throws, available to him. While it's not the best use often your opponent will forget this, and it's fun to remind him hehe.

Mine often finds use on nButcher's feat turn helping to finish off high DEF casters with his blast ... just last game my opponent asked in wonderment "Are you sure it's 3" away from him and not a 3" template?!"

Oh yes. I am very sure

[BlitzR]

And when you are using one with Prime Orsus, you can drop a POW18 4D6 roll on a single model in base to base for the low cost of 1 focus and Orsus' feat!

Low ARM Warcasters go out of their way to avoid letting a Devastator near them.

If I know my mate is using Denegrha, I will normally take a Devastator as I know he WILL put crippling grasp on it. She has died far too many times to ROD for it to be allowed close now. This leaves units like the Great Bears, and Demo Corps (who are totally neutered with Crippling Grasp on them) free to do what I need.

[Avecrien]

It's 2nd to the Spriggan for best choice to toss at the opposing caster during eIrusk's feat turn too.
I don't use them as much as I used to, but I have a pair cause 2 Devas is hilarity.

[nefarion]

And when you are using one with Prime Orsus, you can drop a POW18 4D6 roll on a single model in base to base for the low cost of 1 focus and Orsus' feat!.

Butcher's presence could make Devy's fists at P+S19 with Fury. Load up 3 focus and we see a very dead warcaster.

The Devy is a wonderful board control tool against infantry and serves as a splendid spearhead for your march. The combi of Vlad's and OW's feat is still devastating as ever.

I agree that it is imperative to open up only at your own terms. Performing freestrikes with Devy is almost always wrong, unless you're gambling with a target that is a dying warcaster. :P

[Mirumoto Kojiro]

Just as a by the by, in MK2 bulldoze no longer affects friendly models.

[Grizwald]

I agree that it is imperative to open up only at your own terms. Performing freestrikes with Devy is almost always wrong, unless you're gambling with a target that is a dying warcaster. :P

If there's nothing left in your opponents army to activate, take a free strike.

[nefarion]

If there's nothing left in your opponents army to activate, take a free strike.

that too!

[The 13th Doomreaver]

They also give Cygnar Hunters fits if they are the only large to medium base models in the game. Armor 17 even with armor piercing is difficult for them. (17*1/2~=9+(4*2)= 17)

And then longgunners are busy trying to take them down, and Trenchers can't do a thing, and also everything else is useless... all the opponent can do is throw him away, or disrupt him every turn.
A funny thought: What if he had shield guard?

[DemonCalibre]

Another Trick with the Devastator is watch your opponents activations, then free strike(assuming you have the chance) when the only things left to activate either can't reliably hurt the Devvy, or have to position themselves in a way that gains you a big advantage.

[thrasymacus]

Models being immune to blast damage really affects the Dev.

[Yertle4]

They also give Cygnar Hunters fits if they are the only large to medium base models in the game. Armor 17 even with armor piercing is difficult for them. (17*1/2~=9+(4*2)= 17)

I think he goes to ARM 13 if hit by an arm-piercing attack - because he doesn't have any shields or anything. The arms just affect his base ARM stat.

[Ganmeyde]

I think he goes to ARM 13 if hit by an arm-piercing attack - because he doesn't have any shields or anything. The arms just affect his base ARM stat.

This.

But without boosts the Devastator takes no damage on average, and only 3-4 if they do boost it. Pretty damn good.

[GorBLiTZ]

I like to slam my Devastator throught the opponents army with another jack.

[MoDination]

After my game tonight fielding pButcher with MoWC and Devastator I have to say I still absolutely love the thing. He threw a reckoner into the enemy ranks then my ST (the one left) and DC charged leaving 3 boxes, but the Devastator lived! the following turn he proceeded to wrack the Avatar with fury, butcher's feat and only bought 1 extra attack to do it.

tldr: I <3 Devastator

[Ganmeyde]

Y'know what's glorious? A Devastator taking three turns of beatings from a pureblood and a feral warpwolf whiles the Drakhun and Berserkers do the dirty work, and then RoDing on Orsus' feat turn all over the enemy army, killing half of what was left and putting a ton of damage on Kaya (3" is longer than it seems, especially with Bulldoze!) that she couldn't transfer without killing something.

[The 13th Doomreaver]

I think he goes to ARM 13 if hit by an arm-piercing attack - because he doesn't have any shields or anything. The arms just affect his base ARM stat.

Ah, I stand corrected. I have to remember not everything is as it was. Thanks for the heads up.

[FrozenWrath]

Just as a by the by, in MK2 bulldoze no longer affects friendly models.

Dang, i liked to use it to move the Mortar about early game.

Ive used a Pair to herd Mortenbra into a corner and my opponent surrendered before they could RoD on her.

Bulldozed into a Bane Thrall unit and totaled the Deathjack that was behind them (also got one of own jacks that was too near...)

Much fun and the mear mention of actually getting some provokes a strong reaction from my Cryxian Friend.

[sharpe]

I got one not too long ago and it really changed how I made out in most of my games. I used to have to hope there was something alive by the time I got to the enemy. A Devastator virtually guaranteesa it.

I'm also always shocked at how many people shoot at it when they need twelves to do damage. I must be awfully distracting from the other players perspective.

[Mercykiller]

Indeed, I find people shoot at it with weapons that can't possibly damage it sometimes. It's just that much a fear factor to the opposing army.

[Vyrtigo]

I have a devastator related question. My friend likes to play a pretty much all trencher army and I was wondering if I bulldozed some trenchers do they no longer count as dug-in? That way I could finally kill those buggers since all my range and the devastators RoD is blast damage.

[sharpe]

I think any of the ones you came into base to base with and/or moved with bulldoze would lose dug in, and therefore be open for RoD. But yyou might just want to let the Dev knock them out of dig in and have something else kill them rather than opening up. I don't open his shell for very much unless its going kill something important.

[DarienStormBringer]

so out o curiosity, would A Devastator go down to armor 17 if he were to trample a unit?

[fintle]

I don't think so. He didn't use his arms.

[DemonCalibre]

Yes He does

Any time he makes an attack of any kind he drops his arms.

[peterchua96]

Hi Guys,

Who do you think is the best warcaster to fuel up the Devastator?

I have these 2 warcasters in mind, Ilrusk and the Butcher. Which one of them is the best or are there any warcaster that you would like to pair with the Devy?

[Kommissar Golovko]

Any caster can make use of the Dev. Right now though, Zerkova and the Dev and Spriggan are a match made in Khador. pButcher can also work as he can boost the RoD attack in feat turn. He's a good bodyguard for Karchev but that's about it unless you want to open him up to use his fists.

I'd say those 3 work best with it at the moment.

[Malkav13]

With the Bulldoze reversal that recently happened, it means Zerkova should always have one with her. Watcher and Bulldoze will work wonders to keep her safe from most non-reach models that are coming after her.
Putting Superiority on the Dev is fun, as it allows you to through and slam it around, knocking down whatever you need to.

[Unit1126PLL]

Which can make Bulldoze nice, if you're given an appropriate vector that
allows you to push models AND get through. Tricky, but possible.

I had it perfect in a game, then was told I couldn't do it as Bulldoze only affected models at the END of his advance. I only would've hit one model before hitting the Warcaster, and I would've nicked it and sent it flying far, far away.

Except that apparently bulldoze works only if you end your advance in B2B... or was I too trusting?