Warmachine: Thornfall Alliance Core Expansion
If Emperor Carver provides the Thornfall Alliance with ambition, Dr. Arkadius provides the mad science. A brilliant alchemist, biologist, and arcane researcher, Arkadius has spent years pushing the limits of what can be done to living creatures. When he discovered just how readily Farrow flesh responds to his experiments, he knew he’d found the perfect subjects for his work.
Now working alongside Carver, Arkadius has an almost endless supply of test subjects and a battlefield full of opportunities to see his creations in action. The Thornfall Alliance Core Expansion brings some of his strangest and most effective creations together, from the unpredictable firepower of the Splatter Boar to the speed and aggression of the Chainbelchers, backed by the scouting and ranged support of the Farrow Brigands and the leadership of a Brigand Warlord. At the centre of it all stands Arkadius himself, pushing his creations further and further in his relentless pursuit of perfection.
Warmachine: Splatter Boar
Why settle for shooting the enemy when you can cover them in burning tar, corrosive chemicals, or something that makes them see things that aren’t there? The Splatter Boar is Dr. Arkadius’ answer to mobile artillery, carrying a mortar loaded with an assortment of highly questionable alchemical concoctions.
Splatter Boars provide the Thornfall Alliance with mobile ranged firepower, lobbing volatile payloads over the battlefield and into enemy formations. They’re not exactly precision instruments, but when the general plan is “throw something horrible over there”, pinpoint accuracy isn’t always necessary. Just make sure everyone nearby remembers to wear a mask.
Warmachine: Chainbelchers
The Farrow don’t have much use for horses. Thankfully, Dr. Arkadius has found a much more entertaining solution to the problem of cavalry. By combining a Farrow warrior with the body of a razor boar and adding a generous helping of machinery, he created the Chainbelchers: fast, furious and considerably less interested in following the rules of conventional warfare.
Their harpoon-like chain weapons let them hook into their prey before winching themselves violently towards the target. What follows is exactly what you’d expect from a Farrow riding a mechanical razor boar into battle: a headlong charge, a lot of momentum, and a very unpleasant meeting with several inches of sharpened tusk.
Warmachine: Farrow Brigands
Once outlaws, mercenaries, and wandering members of rival warbands, the Farrow Brigands have found an unlikely new home beneath Emperor Carver. Their years of surviving on the fringes of civilisation have made them more than capable soldiers, while the growing Thornfall Alliance has finally given them something they’ve rarely had before: proper training and a steady supply of ammunition.
Brigands make excellent forward scouts, digging in ahead of the main force and picking away at the enemy with their reliable pig irons. They’re tough, scrappy, and more than happy to take a few hits while they find the perfect position. For an army built around brute force, having a few Farrow who know when to stay put and pull the trigger is surprisingly useful.
Warmachine: Farrow Brigand Warlord
A Farrow doesn’t become a Warlord by asking nicely. These hardened veterans have fought, schemed, and scrapped their way to the top, earning the respect of their fellow brigands through a long history of bloody battles. Now, under Emperor Carver’s banner, they bring that experience to a much larger and more organised Thornfall Alliance.
The Brigand Warlord provides a seasoned leader for the Farrow fighting around them, bringing the experience of countless battles to a force that is rapidly becoming something greater than a collection of scattered warbands. When the fighting gets ugly, there’s nobody better suited to keeping the rabble moving in the right direction.
Warmachine: Farrow Commandos
The Farrow Commandos learned their trade by watching the best infiltrators in the Iron Kingdoms and deciding they could do it just as well. After plenty of trial, error, and probably more than a few explosions, these cunning warriors have become experts at getting where the enemy least expects them and making a mess when they arrive.
Armed with grenades and kukris, Commandos are built for skirmishing and sudden attacks. They slip around the battlefield, find unexpected angles, and strike at vulnerable targets before disappearing back into the chaos. They may not have the discipline of human soldiers, but they have certainly learned how to make their particular brand of mayhem work.
Warmachine: Farrow Sapper
Not every Farrow is content to charge headlong into the enemy. Sappers are the engineers, tinkerers, and battlefield troublemakers of the Thornfall Alliance, putting their practical skills to work before the fighting even begins. Armed with explosives and a healthy disregard for personal safety, they sneak ahead of the main force to tear apart fortifications and prepare the battlefield for the Farrow advance.
Once the fighting starts, Sappers help their fellow Farrow make the most of the chaos they’ve created. Whether opening a path through enemy defences, picking out safer routes through rough ground, or helping their allies stay hidden, these crafty engineers make sure the Thornfall’s more straightforward warriors have an easier path to the enemy.
