Warmachine is not a game about massed ranks of troops, and it isn't a static game where the rules lead to units getting bogged down in combat or remaining in firing lines all game. Warmachine has many ways to move models around rapidly and pull and push models to your advantage.
Run and Charge
Things need to move, and movement is dictated by a model's Speed (SPD) stat. When activated, a model may move and then make its combat action. By sacrificing the movement action, a model can gain a bonus for their ranged attack (a +2 bonus on the attack rolls).
When a model moves, there can be modifiers to that movement - rough terrain reduces movement by 2 inches, to a minimum of 1, no matter how many times a model enters/exits rough terrain (unless you have the Pathfinder ability or Incorporeal).
Edit: When you have played numerous edition of Warmachine and other wargames you sometimes mix up rules.
Units though of course move a bit differently. When a unit moves, move one of the unit (following normal rules) and then place the rest of the unit within 2 inches of the model. However, if any of the models suffer an effect on their movement, they are placed as normal but lose their combat action.
If a model wishes to run, they get a bonus of +5 to their SPD. But, if they run, they can't use their combat action, and they can't cast spells or use other "anytime abilities".
Charging is like running, but instead, there is a +3 bonus to SPD. To charge, the model requires a line of sight to the intended target and moves in a straight line so that the model ends within the target's engagement range. Of course, if something gets in the way of that movement - terrain, moving into engagement range of another enemy, then the charge ends immediately. If the intended target is in engagement range after the charge move, then the model charging gets to make its initial melee attacks or special attack and will get a bonus to any damage roll from these attacks, so long as they move at least 3 inches to make the charge.
Units are a bit different in this respect because of how they move. If the model in the unit selected to charge fails the charge move, then all other models are placed as normal, and the unit's activation ends - none of them get to make an attack. The bonus for charging works the same to a degree, where the models in the unit get their charge attack bonus on damage rolls only against enemy models within the engagement range of the first model in the unit that was moved.
Models that move and leave the engagement range of enemy models, for any reason, lose their combat actions.
You will note we have not said charges need to be directly towards a target, just that they are a straight-line move that ends within engagement range of the enemy target. However, there are times when movement must be directly towards or directly away from a model.
Movement and placement of models are then important, as they open up lines for shooting since friendly models block line of sight (unless part of the same unit), and models all block movement. But there are tricks for opening up those lanes, plus Warjacks and Warbeasts have some further benefits that work into how they move.
Slams, Tramples, Throws
Warbeasts and Warjacks, unlike other models in the game, don't get just charged or run for free. Either a focus point has to be spent in the latter's case, or the Warbeast needs to be Forced and gain a point of Fury. But as we have noted, charging and the damage roll of the initial attacks are all boosted! So, looking back at the previous blog post, that helps make Warjacks and Warbeasts more efficient, and they can spend Focus/be Forced to boost their attack rolls.
As generally larger-based models, opening up lanes of movement for charges is important, and so to stop that occurring, the enemy can happily bog down your movement with disposable units of troops and small-based models. This is where Trample comes in.
Trample requires the model to have both its movement and combat actions available. The model using Trample doesn't lose combat actions as a result of moving out of the engagement range of an enemy model. The model performing the trample then gets to move at SPD + 3 in a straight line, and the model performing the trample must have space to be placed at the end of the movement. Furthermore, any small-based models are moved through, stopping if they contact a medium or larger-based model or some obstruction. All small-based models moved through by the trampling model are attacked simultaneously by the trampling model and by power attacks.
Throws are another type of power attack that can be made by a Warbeast or Warjack, so long as they have at least one Open Fist type weapon. The target of the throw must be of a smaller base than the model making the attack. If the attack hits, the target model is moved d6 inches directly away, gains the knocked down condition, and suffers damage as per a power attack.
Slams are somewhat similar to throws and tramples. Again, they must have a move and combat action available. The model making the slam moves SPD +3 inches directly towards the intended target, again stopping if it contacts obstacles or other models. If contacted, the target of the slam is then attacked with a melee attack by the slamming model. If hit, the target is moved d6 inches away from the slamming mode, gets knocked down, and suffers a power attack damage roll.
Slams and throws also have similar rules regarding the target model that is moved - it stops when it connects with another model or obstacle. And if another model can sustain damage (or terrain), then that model also sustains collateral damage. This slam damage can't be boosted (same as with throws) but if the slammed or thrown models contacts an obstacle or model of equal or larger size, the damage to the slammed or thrown model benefits from an additional die.
While not an attack that involves movement of the attacking model or the target model, headbutts power attacks do have a result similar to slams and throws. Knockdowns. A model that is knocked down is subject to a few conditions. The first is that while knocked down, their defence is reduced to 5. It loses its engagement range (meaning models can move past it without losing their attack action), can't cast spells or use feats or channel spells, and to stand up at the start of their next turn, they must lose either their movement or combat action (or be Forced/spend Focus). And if they stand back up and move, they can't charge or run.
From the above, it is clear that power attacks and being able to knock down enemy models have a lot of utility—they can allow models to move through others, move enemy models, and cause enemy models to lose their engagement range. They are a toolkit of actions to open up charge lanes and line of sight while also hampering the enemy target's own ability to fight.
Other Shenanigans
We can already see that there are ways to move models around with attacks, and Warjacks and Warbeasts are not the only models able to cause Slams or knockdowns. Some weapons can cause these effects, and others can cause similar effects.
Some attacks result in Pushes. A push is simply the model being moved in a direction and stopping if it contacts an obstacle or another model.
While we said a trample model must have space for its final position, smaller models whose base overlaps in the final position, and likewise models overlapped by another model due to other effects, must be moved out of the way in a manner that moves them the least and does not break unit coherency.
Some attacks and spells can result in the target being dragged and thus moved directly towards the attacker. Some weapons and spells can result in the target being Placed, which means the model moved, but this doesn't count as movement. Examples of being placed would be spells such as Caine's Teleport.
Of course, flight is a massive benefit for models, as their movement can ignore models and intervening obstacles, so long as there is room for their final placement.
We have already mentioned that Incorporeal models can move through terrain and other models and only lose the benefit when they make an attack. So until the next turn, they do block movement and can be attacked. But the reverse is also true. Incorporeal models don't block movement.
Let's Move
If we put all the above into action we can see tactics that emerge where we block charge lanes and light of sight, while also opening up such lanes in the enemy lines. The ability to move the enemy is also critical for winning objectives - why waste attacks and focus trying to slowly kill a model when you can just move them away from the objective.
For some armies, exploiting the movement rules is critical to their tactics. Cryx has many Incorporeal models, so units can slip past enemy lines and cast spells that cause models to move.
Ultimately, movement in Warmachine is something to think critically about, in a way not like many other wargames. While trying to kill enemy units and models is important for winning the game, moving and knocking down the enemy is just as important for controlling the flow of the game and disrupting your opponent's well-laid plans—costing them time, Focus/Fury, and victory points.
Movement In Action
Caine is an assassin, and so is all about movement and finding opportunities for a "caster kill". With SPD 7 he can cross distances easily without needing to give up his attack action.
Caine also has Evasive, meaning if he does get hit, and survives, he can move 2 inches - either out of line of sight of the enemy, further into cover, or into a position ready for his next turn.
Caine also comes with Teleport. Simple and too the point, it means Caine can happily run out of cover, fire off his attacks, and then pop back into cover.
Also in the Cygnar arsenal is the Stryker heavy warjack and the option to arm it with a Galvanic Shield, which can pre-emptively shut down charge and slams targeting it, which if used right means it blocks attack lanes from enemy warjacks.
A perfect case for using such a weapon is the Khador Great Bear, a staple of their army, with the option of the Aggressive head which grants is the ability to run and charge without spending Focus - making it an efficient warjack - and a warjack that it it runs, can close down the space with the enemy much quicker ready for the next turn.
The Great Bear then is a perfect target for enemies to slow down, flinging disposable units in the way, or a heavily armoured warjack or warbeast, in order to block the way. But the Great Bear has a trick up it's sleeve - Bulldoze. So by making a regular move - not a charge or trample - the Great Bear can push past enemy models, and move them out of the way. This can help break up shield walls, or open up charge lanes or line of sights for shots.
Vilkul is also quite the fast moving warcaster for Khador. In a turn, without running, Vilkhul can cover 14 inches using Cyclone, and thrust into the heart of a enemy unit, ideally one soft enough so that each killed causes the creation of a cloud effect to keep her safe.
Nekane is also a movement trickster in the Cryx army. LIke our previous two examples, she also has a SPD of 7, and has Dodge, which allows her to risk being shot to close the ground with the enemy or dart further into cover. Her Grappling hook also provides a further move at the end of her activation.
Her gun, Rune Thrower, is also perfect for effectively dragging an enemy into position, such as moving a Warcaster or Warlock closer so they can be charged by a warjack.
Combine this with Mirage (cast on a warjack in a previous turn), to enable you to get closer to your target with a warjack you have a combination for an assassination run (objective grab) with the Hades, which as it kills enemies can hop along another 2 inches. Mix in Ghost Walk for the ability to move through terrain or models, you can use Nekane to pull the enemy off an objective, while the Hades runs through the enemy lines onto the objective, using combat actions where needed move about further
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