Archive Notice: This content was originally published at mk.strats-welt.at. I’m working to archive as much Mage Knight 1.0 content as I can find before it disappears from the web.

Stormfox’s Newbie Guide

A summary of basic do’s and don’ts for those that do not read forums five times a day and think about warrior combos each evening before going to sleep.

This is by no means a complete or absolute rulebook! These are opinions, and there WILL be armies that do not fit the “basic army types” presented herein that are still effective or even better than most others.

---

Part 1: The Dilemma of Action Usage

Assumptions

• You have at least a bit of a choice what figures to use (meaning you own more than 10-15)
• You build your army for a standard tourney: 200 points and 2 actions per turn
• The “Doubleturn”: A time unit created because of the nature Warriors of Mage Knight use actions. In most cases, you do not want your figures to push if you do not have to, so we assume each figure only moves every other turn.

In a standard game, you have 4 actions to spend per doubleturn.

Case 1: Fewer than 4 Figures

This can work, but at the beginning, you end up either wasting actions, pushing a lot, or both. If one gets killed, things get even worse. Most figures are ok for their points, but an army that only uses 3/4 of its allowed actions will always be at a disadvantage! While the Hierophant may be ok for his 145 points, if you are not using your other 3 actions and the occasional command bonus well, he will end up losing—while he shoots once, the enemy shoots up to 4 times in the same timeframe.

Case 2: 4-6 Figures

Most of the time, this will work out good. Almost always, one or two of those figures is a support unit like a healer or enhancer that will not be used much until another figure is badly damaged—just “borrowing” the action of the damaged unit.

Case 3: More than 6 Figures

This is the hard one. Most successful armies have more than 6 figures, but those are not individual warriors running by themselves. This is where formation usage comes in. Having 4 actions means you can have 4 formations moving each doubleturn.

Formation Examples

Boomer/Fuser/Fuser Combo:

• Uses one action to move
• First 4 turns: uses one action
• Next 2-6 turns: shoots in formation to break high defenses (one action)
• Later: three separate shots would be more effective than one attack of 11

Does this mean you count three figures as 3 actions? No—after 6-10 turns, you will have lost some units OR some of this formation will be damaged/dead, freeing up actions. A formation like this tends to use about one action at start, and later about two.

Troll/Troll/Priestess Combo:

• To move: one action
• To shoot: two actions
• To heal one Troll: another action (but if the Troll really needs healing that bad, he’s in no shape to fight—the Priestess just “borrows” his action)

Result: one action at start, 2 after moving into position.

The Three Phases of Battle

1. Setup Phase (Turns 1-6): Both armies move around taking positions. Any formation uses one action per doubleturn.

2. Heavy Battle Phase: Groups with few heavy hitters and much support use one or two actions. Groups of equally hard hitters take one for each warrior.

3. Late Game Phase: After warriors have taken a beating and/or there are weakened enemies nearby.

Using our examples: Rebel group uses 1/1/2.5 actions, Trolls use 1/2/2 actions during a battle.

Special Action Considerations

Quickness: Figures with Quickness (except Amazon Queen) are mostly harassers and living shields. Count about three of them together as 0/1/1.

Command: Gives you about 1/3 action every doubleturn. With one Commander, ignore it in the math. The Queen has both Quickness and Command, so she almost pays for herself. With two or more Commanders, assume 5 actions per doubleturn.

Recommended Action Usage

When building an army, aim for action usage like: 2-4 / 4-6 / 3-4

This way you can set up fast, use most figures efficiently once battle begins, and still have good actions in late game.

---

Part 2: Supporting Your Stars & Specialization

Building Around Your Core

Start by choosing which figures to base your army around—maybe a unique or expensive non-unique, or an entire formation.

Look at your chosen figure’s abilities, then find figures with complementary abilities:

• If your unique has Flame or multiple attacks, add Magic Enhancement
• If your unique has low defense, add Defend and/or Healing

Don’t Overdo Support

Adding 5 Shamans or Demis to a single figure may enhance it, but it will eat up all your points, leaving you with a single formation that falls apart as soon as either:

• The big figure is dead, or
• Your support figures are damaged for 2-3 clicks

Same goes with Healing—more than one Healer is seldom needed. Any more just trades firepower for unneeded healing power.

The gist: Support your damage dealers, but don’t sacrifice too much damage for staying power. Just standing there and taking hits has not won many battles.

Avoid Over-Specialization

With points left over, you could expand your main group with similar figures, but that makes your army:

• Vulnerable to formation-breaking abilities (Flame, Shockwave)
• Easy to outmaneuver

Instead, use at least two formations OR add cheap cannon fodder to distract and intercept enemies.

When adding single figures, look for abilities that:

• Remove a weakness from your army
• Provide new ways to enhance other figures

Example: Adding a Ki Devil or Screeching Terror to a push-spawn army (Werecreatures, Worms). They add a nice ranged attacker with flight AND can “accidentally” enrage your spawn even more!

---

Part 3: Range, Melee, and Terrain

The Aggressor’s Problem

In Mage Knight, playing aggressive means the enemy almost always hits you first. If they have good range (more than you can move in one turn), it’s even worse. But just sitting and staring won’t win battles.

Ways to Close the Gap

Throw-Away Figures (Living Shields)

Good options:

• Imps: Cheap
• Freelancers: Cheap with lots of clicks
• Quickness figures (Shades, Scouts): Don’t waste actions, reasonably cheap, can threaten enemy support

Move your formation of 3 Freelancers in front of your dangerous troops. Let them be shot down, then step up with the real thing when his fighters have action tokens.

Harassers

Imps, Scouts, and Shades can flank to the enemy’s rear and deny shooters their ranged attacks. Even if they spend 2 rangers to kill one Scout or Shade, they waste:

• An entire turn
• Must wait one turn
• Turn around one turn
• Wait another turn to avoid pushing

That’s 3 full turns, 4 actions, and 1 click of damage to get back in position—more than enough time for even dwarfs to close in.

Terrain, Stealth, and Fliers

• Use blocking terrain or hindering with stealth to move up unhindered
• Fliers ignore terrain during movement and have 10” speed
• It’s easier to stay out of an enemy’s firing arc than out of their range

For flanking, consider ** and *** Screechers/Ki Devils or the Neophant.

Durable Closers

Against figures like Magus or Queen (can blast stealthed figures, good arc), use figures with:

• Toughness and Battle Armor: Blade Golems, Seething Knights, Living Elementals
• Push-spawn: Werecreatures and Worms that get better when damaged

---

Part 4: Special Abilities Breakdown

Movement Abilities

Ability	Rating	Notes
Quickness	★★★★	Great for supporters and harassers. Add figures without action troubles.
Magic Levitation	★★★★★	One of the best. Only way to get first strike with melee. Can move attackers AWAY from your precious Magus!
Flight	★★★★	Often paired with 10” move. Fly next to them, then behind them, then hit them. Easy to disengage (just roll 2+).
Aquatic	★★	Nice to have, useful for drowning tactics or island scenarios.
Stealth	★★★★★	Great! Only Magic Blast or melee can hit hidden stealthers. Counter enemy Stalkers with Werewolves.

Damage Abilities

Ability	Rating	Notes
Berzerk	★★★	The ability itself is often a disadvantage, but the stat increase is worth it.
Magic Enhancement	★★★★	Works best with multi-target attacks (Flame/Lightning) or low damage. Don’t boost existing 3+ damage—wastes points.
Battle Fury	★★★	Figures that have it usually need it. Essential on Crypt Worm!
Demoralized	★	We all hate it.
Necromancy	★★★★	Great for undead, long-lasting units (10-11 clicks), push-spawn (especially bears and worms), and figures with Vampirism. Pairs well with healers.
Command	★★★	Extra action is unreliable alone. Great for healing Demoralized figures back to useful slots. Works wonderfully with Screeching Terrors.

Attack Abilities

Ability	Rating	Notes
Healing	★★★★★	Definite boon for every army. Better with damage value 2+ for reliable healing. Add a healer to almost any army.
Weapon Mastery	★★★	Great with damage 1-2. With damage 3+, consider if normal damage would already cripple the enemy without risking a 1.
Magic Blast	★★★★	Can blast anything in range not engaged in melee. Can hit Stealthed warriors. Very useful but don’t rely entirely on it.
Flame/Lightning	★★★	Formation breaker. Only use when enhanced or if one click to a whole formation makes a real difference (like Stalkers dropping 3 attack after one click).
Shockwave	★★★★	The bomb. Different usage than F/L, harder to pull off, but ignores ALL victim abilities—Defender, Battle Armor, even Toughness are useless. Include a shocker in most armies; two is even better.
Vampirism	★★★	Don’t rely on it too much, but it heals without additional actions. Count 3 clicks of Vampirism as one extra click of life.
Magic Healing	★★★★	Like Healing but at range with variable value. Use one healer in almost any army.

Defense Abilities

Ability	Rating	Notes
Battle Armor	★★★★★	Really good. Solves the problem of closing on ranged attackers. Can pair with terrain and Defend. Must have for melee troops.
Pole Arm	★★	Doesn’t really cut it currently. May be useful in dungeon scenarios.
Magic Immunity	★★★	Depends on opponent. Great against Magic Blasters or Enhancement-heavy armies. Prevents Magic Healing/Enhancement on yourself though.
Toughness	★★★	Translates to “subtract one from the first hit.” Not as useful as it looks—not better than Vampirism.
Defend	★★★★★	Very good, especially with Knights, Queen, and Priest (17-18 Defense). Benefactors can add Battle Armor or terrain bonuses. One of the best ways to boost a formation.
Regeneration	★★	Use if you have the action to spare, but don’t expect wonders. The -2 on the die roll makes it impractical.
Invulnerability	★★★★★	Probably the best ability in MKR.

---

Guide by General Stormfox