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Faction Overview & Strengths

The Marchers are a motley collection of miners, individualists, outlaws, and the remnants of a warrior aristocracy. The Marcher Worlds themselves occupy a wide reaching area of space, often on the frontier of the known galaxy for the human race. There is no single governing body in the Marcher Worlds, but rather they are a collection of trade guilds, labor unions, and feudal states with a long history of ancient traditions. They are united solely by their hatred of the Iron Star Alliance, and the desire to remain free of outside intrusion. Those who seek out life in the Marches are often searching for freedom, low taxation, and the right to live by their own set of rules. As such, they are a group of individuals who pride themselves on their pragmatism and self-reliance, and they cherish their self-made freedom above everything else. 

On the table they are masters of hit-and-run guerilla warfare. Their strength comes primarily from their vehicles and warjacks, and above all else they are masters of speed and ranged attacks. Some of their strongest squads and solos also boast excellent ranged abilities and mobility, and the variety of abilities that allow them to move after shooting is key to their survivability on the table.

For Marchers, some of their biggest strengths come from their warjacks. Both chassis have great range options, as well as the ability to boost their maneuverability through charging or spiking. Their cortices tend to improve their ranged capabilities, and they have a good baseline of survivability that allows them to have a strong board presence. With access to blast, strafe, repulser, arc booster, null, and spray weaponry, they have a wide range of capabilities that can be built into their warjacks to perform a variety of roles. In general, they are considered to be some of the best jacks in the game. 

The vehicles available to this faction lean even more into these strengths. The Razorbat is one of the tankiest models in the faction, and that combined with its Maelstrom Activator and Guns Ready maneuver allow it to really dish out the punishment and stand strong against many threats it may face. The Marcher’s are also unique in that they have a second vehicle option in their cadre champion, the Storm Vulture. While not as obviously strong as other factions’ cadre champions, it does have some great utility and versatility that we will go into later in this article. 

While their squads and solos are often overshadowed by the warjacks and vehicles, the Marcher’s infantry have some excellent access to speed, utility, and power that allow them to hold their own against everything the thousand worlds can throw against them. It’s with them that you really get to enjoy the hit and run playstyle that can come from fielding Marcher Rangers. A feeling embodied in their motto.

Hit and Run

I’ve thrown this phrase out quite a bit, but what does that look like with Marchers? The biggest advantage this faction has comes from its ability to move quickly, and to shoot hard and from a distance while doing so. However, it can be difficult to stay out of range in this game, so that mobility doesn’t come just from the baseline speed of most models. Models like the various forms of Ranger squads have slip displacers, allowing them to move at the end of their activation by spiking, thus also clearing any arc they may have had for that turn (great for arc economy). The Ranger Hunter has fire and displace which allows it to move after resolving a ranged attack, and the Ranger Outrider has a similar (if shorter ranged) ability named sidestep. The Dusk Wolf warjack also has a slip displacer, and the Strike Raptor gets free movement out of shooting with explosive weapons on its Bomber cortex. Dragoon teams often come with sequence dominator, which allows them to move after hitting an enemy model. This doesn’t even take into effect things like Arcantrik Turbine on the Storm Vulture and Dusk Wolf that allow the model to move faster once charged. Essentially, it can be difficult to find a Marcher Worlds list that doesn’t have some form of movement skills inherent in it. As such, keeping an eye on the battlefield terrain and how it can help you as you fight, both through cover and full blocking of line of sight, can make or break the best of Marcher World’s fighters. Really get to know the rules on your models cards, and from there you’ll begin to see synergies between Cyphers, models, and movement. It’s the heart of what makes the Marcher Worlds truly at heart with the storm.

Example Warjack Loadouts

Problem Solver

Dusk Wolf with Scout Cortex, Ripper, Battle Rifle, and Rail Gun

(only requires Dusk Wolf A jack/weapon pack, and can be built from the starter box. Upon acquiring another Dusk Wolf A jack/weapon pack you can swap in a second battle rifle for more ranged threat, or with a Dusk Wolf B you can swap in a Blazer or Slug gun for some more utility)

This is a great all-rounder jack to start with, nick-named for the utility of its primary weapon as well as a nod to its usage in Jericho Reach. This loadout allows you to project some of the typical ranged threat you can see from Marchers, while simultaneously allowing you to still put forth some close combat damage with the ripper in case your jack comes across a wayward system failure effect. The scout cortex also allows for the ability to ignore cover and gives your jack pathfinder such that rough terrain doesn’t hinder its movement, boosting its already great mobility.

Ripper Doc

Dusk Wolf with Fighter Cortex, 2x Ripper, and a Blazer

(This requires two copies of Dusk Wolf A weapons and one Dusk Wolf B weapon pack to complete. The Blazer and fighter cortex come from the B pack, while the rippers will come from the A pack)

Some might argue this loadout is more fun than good, but why else do we play tabletop games? Focused around the fighter cortex, this model is built around providing a flurry of blows. In melee, its baseline output gives 4 attacks at range 2 with POW 4 (certainly nothing to sniff at). With the added benefit of cleave on the ripper, each one of these attacks has the capability to generate an additional attack up to a potential total of 8 melee attacks in one activation! If this all sounds too good to be true, it’s because the setup for this c-c-c-c-combo is extremely unlikely. You’d need a weird mix of a large enough number of models that die easily to a ripper, and enough durable models to drive the remaining attacks into. Rather unlikely in the single 2 inch aura around a 50mm base, but still one can dream. Regardless, throwing a Blazer on top of this loadout allows you to have decent ranged output, as well as the capability to set things on fire to reduce their combat effectiveness. Honestly a great anti-infantry bot and a lot of fun to try and pull off the crazy combo with.

Thunderbird

Strike Raptor with Bomber Cortex, 2x Talon Rocket Pod, 2x Flamethrower

(can be built entirely from a Striker Raptor A kit and the Talon Pod and Flamethrower of a Dusk Wolf A kit left over from building The Problem Solver Dusk Wolf loadout. For added null utility, you can swap out the talon rocket pods for vortex missiles on a one to one basis, but this does require the purchase of two Strike Raptor B jacks/weapon packs)

This loadout is just crazy. The bomber cortex buffs up your explosive weapons and allows you to have fun with a little shoot and scoot action. You’re hitting at RAT 5 with explosive weapons baseline, and get to move up to 13” a turn of combined flight movement on turns you spike. Combine that with an engineer’s tune-up, and you’ve got one of the scariest models in the game on your hand. Not responsible for any friends lost while playing this loadout.

Recommended First Lists

Skirmish List (8 units, plus 1 hero)

• 1x Coalition Weaver
• 1x Hunter
• 1x Engineer
• “Problem Solver” Dusk Wolf ꞏ Scout Cortex, Rail Gun, Battle Rifle, Ripper
• “Problem Solver” Dusk Wolf ꞏ Scout Cortex, Rail Gun, Battle Rifle, Ripper
• “Thunderbird” Strike Raptor ꞏ Bomber Cortex, 2x Talon Rocket Pod, 2x Flamethrower
• 1x Ranger Fire Team
• 1x Ranger Infiltrators
• 1x Artemis Fang (“free” hero choice)

This list builds around the starter, which will get you a cypher deck, rules, tokens, a Coalition Weaver, Hunter, Dusk Wolf A, and a Ranger Fire Team squad. From here the list adds on:

• An Engineer (bonus points if you grab the coffee mug variant), which greatly improves the output of your jacks
• A second Dusk Wolf A pack, which allows you to build another “Problem Solver” or double up on arm weapons to make one ranged focused and another melee focussed 
• A Strike Raptor for the “Thunderbird” build. This jack chassis will be your powerhouse going forward
• Ranger Infiltrators to double down on the hit and run Philosophy that Marchers are well known for
• Artemis Fang, who is an iconic hero for the Marcher Worlds

Some things to note with this build:

• Artemis Fang, while iconic to Marchers, fills a slightly different role that can make her difficult to play. As opposed to “hit and run,” she follows a much more “stand and deliver” mentality with her playstyle. She can be a crucial piece when deployed and used properly, just take care to not use her before she’s had her chance to shine. She dies quickly when focused, and is deceptively slow because she’s a solo. A speed 6 stat will go much farther on the Ranger Fire Team than her speed 7 will go with her as a solo. 
• A good opening move is to deploy the strike raptor and the engineer on the start turn. The strike raptor can be a big DC investment, so starting with it on the table, buffing it with the engineer’s tune-up, and allowing it to be aggressive can be a big tempo swing for you at the start of the game. Just try not to lose too many friends!
• One weaver can be somewhat placement restricting in this game when attempting to utilize fury cyphers. Keep that in mind, and plan accordingly such that your opponent doesn’t negate a large portion of your deck by removing your weaver. That said, Marcher weavers tend to be less strong than other factions’ weavers, so taking only one in favor of stronger options can still be a good move at this game size.
• Feel free to pick up a Warder attachment if you want to play around with how attachments work in this game, but with Marchers, their Ranger attachment isn’t as crucial of a take as other factions’ attachments may be. Often, you’ll want to be spending that DC on bringing back your solos rather than attaching a warder to a squad. 

Modified Skirmish List (11 Units, plus 2 heroes)

• 2x Coalition Weavers
• 1x Ranger Outrider
• 1x Engineer
• “Problem Solver” Dusk Wolf ꞏ Scout Cortex, Rail Gun, Battle Rifle, Ripper
• “Problem Solver” Dusk Wolf ꞏ Scout Cortex, Rail Gun, Battle Rifle, Ripper
• “Thunderbird” Strike Raptor ꞏ Bomber Cortex, 2x Talon Rocket Pod, 2x Flamethrower
• 1x Razorbat ꞏ Blazer
• 1x Ranger Heavy Support
• 1x Ranger Fire Team
• 1x Ranger Infiltrators
• 1x Artemis Fang (“free” hero choice)
• 1x Axel for Hire (“free” wildcard hero choice)
• 1x Warder (“free” Ranger Attachment)

This List takes the previous list and does the following:

• Adds another Coalition weaver to help keep your enemy from negating your fury cyphers so easily. Good time to pick up the variant!
• Swaps out a Hunter for a Ranger Outrider, which for an additional DC fills the role a little less well but with a lot more durability
• Add a Razorbat vehicle, which works great with the blazer, providing both fire effects and strafe. It’s also one of the tankiest vehicles in the game, and has great ranged output
• Adds a Ranger Heavy Support squad to really add to that “stand and deliver” mentality. A second Ranger Fire Team is a great for filling this slot as well, as they provide a little more tactical flexibility and maneuverability than the Heavy Support squad
• Adds in Axel for Hire, who fills a similar role to the Hunter, but is just a much better model overall
• Formally includes the Warder in the list. It is free to the list, so is worth having at the table in the event you think some arc flexibility or cypher defense may be needed

Full Battle Force List (15 Units, plus 3 heroes)

• 2x Coalition Weavers
• 1x Ranger Outrider
• 1x Engineer
• Variant “Problem Solver” Dusk Wolf ꞏ Scout Cortex, Rail Gun, Battle Rifle, Impaler
• Variant “Problem Solver” Dusk Wolf ꞏ Scout Cortex, Rail Gun, Battle Rifle, Slug Gun
• “Ripper Doc” Dusk Wolf ꞏ Fighter Cortex, Blazer, 2x Ripper
• “Thunderbird” Strike Raptor ꞏ Bomber Cortex, 2x Talon Rocket Pod, 2x Flamethrower
• 1x Razorbat ꞏ Blazer
• 1x Ranger Heavy Support
• 1x Ranger Fire Team
• 1x Ranger Infiltrators
• 1x Cadre Dragoon Assault Team Squad
• 1x Cadre Dragoon Strike Team Squad
• 1x Cadre Dragoon Strike Team Leader
• 1x Artemis Fang (“free” hero choice)
• 1x Axel for Hire (“free” wildcard hero choice)
• 1x Corebus (“free” wildcard hero choice)
• 1x Warder (“free” Ranger Attachment)
• 1x Cadre Dragoon Gunner (“free” Dragoon Attachment)
• 1x Cadre Storm Vulture ꞏ Vortex Missile (“free” Cadre Champion) 

This list can be created with the inclusion of the following:

• B Variant Dusk Wolf, which gives you the Slug Gun, Impaler, Fighter Cortex, and Blazer to swap in. With the slow growth of your collection up to two Dusk Wolf A kits, one Dusk Wolf B kit, and One Strike Raptor A kit, you will have enough weapons to run the above jack loadouts. The Slug Gun allows for good repulsor shenanigans, and the inclusion of the Impaler allows you to play around with armor piercing on a secondary weapon. 
• Dragoon Air Cavalry. This box will get you the rest of the models you need to fill out the force. The dragoon cadre in general is great at providing even more speed and fire down range. While the Storm Vulture is not the most revered champion among the cadre boxes, it does have one notable advantage in that it is a vehicle that can place gates. As such, a Storm Vulture and a Ranger Outrider make for an excellent opening deployment as they are both decently fast pieces that are durable and can deploy gates in subsequent turns. 
• Corebus. A light jack in and of himself, he is an Empyrean/Marchers Wildcard Solo who has been repaired by the hands of Marcher engineers. He hits hard, especially against jacks, and provides an ever useful slam to the Marchers’ arsenal. 

First Cypher Deck

• Fury (3)
  • Instability Equation
  • Null Collider
  • Velocity Projector
• Geometric (3)
  • Conviction Countermeasure
  • Reiteration Complex
  • Displacement Index
• Harmonic (4)
  • Reclamation Principle 
  • Gremian Tormentor
  • Aggression Theorem
  • Arcane Synthesis
  • Cyclonic Vitalizer
• Overdrive (3)
  • Cortical Rampager
  • Ascension Catalyst
  • Devastation Optimizer

This is just my base recommendation to start out with. Feel free to tweak and try out different cards that strike your fancy, but I believe this batch of cards will provide strong support for Marcher’s Models specifically. 

Unique cyphers chosen for this list are Conviction Countermeasure, Reclamation Principle, Gremian Tormentor, Cyclonic Vitilizer, and Cortical Rampager. Marchers have some great Harmonic cyphers that really improve their squads and warjacks. 

Keeping your deck on the smaller side allows you to cycle through cards faster, an effect that is only increased by cards that last through the duration of the pulse round. 

Additional Resources

https://soundcloud.com/morethandice-apodcast/wardice-4-marcher-worlds – Podcast focussed on Marcher Worlds list building and tactics

Rules for all models are available free here: https://privateerpress.wiki/index.php?title=Marcher_Worlds or in the back of the excellent “Thousand Worlds Sourcebook”: which includes rulebook, scenarios, rules for all models released to date, and a huge amount of lore for Warcaster.

Privateer press faction overview: lore, strategies and list building (note timing was before the release of Cadres, so slightly out of date)

Part 1: The Shield Against the Darkness

Part 2: By Any Means Necessary

Part 3: We Come with the Storm

If you want more or have any questions, feel free to ask in the Marcher Worlds channel of the Warcaster Discord https://discord.gg/j6jhvdBH2v