My parents always told me not to play with fire. Thankfully my parents didn’t live in the Protectorate, because I’m pretty sure that viewpoint would earn you a one-way ticket to a wrack.

In today’s Insider, I present to you a list that would make any local Scrutator proud. I call it “Flame On!”

Ever since I got the opportunity to pen the introductory story for Malekus, I knew he would have to be one of my primary warcasters in the new edition. And if there is one thing Malekus loves, it’s fire. Man oh man, does he love fire.

• Malekus, the Burning Truth – WJ: +30
    Hand of Judgment – PC: 18
    Repenter – PC: 8
    Castigator – PC: 12
• Vassal Mechanik – PC: 1
• Vassal Mechanik – PC: 1
• Flameguard Cleansers – Leader & 9 Grunts: 15
    Flameguard Cleanser Officer – PC: 4
• Deliverer Sunburst Crew – Gunner & 2 Grunts: 5
• Holy Zealots – Leader & 9 Grunts: 13
    Monolith Bearer – PC: 3
• Choir of Menoth – Leader & 3 Grunts: 4
• Holy Zealots – Leader & 9 Grunts: 13
    Monolith Bearer – PC: 3
• Deliverer Sunburst Crew – Gunner & 2 Grunts: 5

This army is really built to make maximum use of Malekus’ feat Raging Inferno. Nearly everything sets things on fire, and most everything has an attack that causes fire damage. This list is all about prays, sprays, and AOEs.

Malekus and his battlegroup are fairly straightforward. While Hand of Judgment might be Feora’s personal ’jack, you know her boy Malekus is always asking for the keys on weekends when he’s rolling with his Cleanser crew. Its SP 10 immolator cannon makes it a perfect target for Malekus’ Open Fire spell. Top it off with the feat and Hymn of Battle, and that’s a potential 4-dice POW 15 with a guaranteed 3-dice POW 12 damage roll at the start of the next turn. And that’s before you factor in the ability that really makes Hand of Judgment Malekus’ Greased Lightning: Fuel for the Flames. Because when wouldn’t Malekus want a ’jack that adds +2 to fire damage rolls within 5˝ of it?

The Repenter is yet another sweet, sweet flamethrower and a perfect buddy for Hand of Judgment, while the Castigator can get some serious work done up close thanks to Ignite from Malekus and Hymn of Battle from the Choir. Combustion is also a great trick on the feat turn if you need to clear out a bunch of annoying infantry.

With the battlegroup locked, let’s move on to the other parts of this list, starting with even more flamethrower goodness with a unit of Flameguard Cleansers. I love this unit, as these guys are a basically bunch of mini-Malekuses (Maleki?). Ashen Veil gives them solid survivability against both ranged and melee attacks, but it’s really the Command Attachment that makes these guys sing. Tactics: Assault and his once-per-game ability Scouring Flames, giving models in the unit SP 10 on their ranged attacks, is a pyromaniac’s dream. While these guys are great at clearing out infantry, under Malekus’ feat they can also deal well with heavier targets. Their real value, however, comes from how they synergize with the next unit on the list: that staple of Crusadery goodness, the Holy Zealots.

Holy Zealots went through some significant changes, but they are still incredibly potent for their cost. The big one in this list is that they can now gain Immunity: Fire for a round thanks to their Path of Flames prayer. Just take a moment and think about that for a second. Sure it makes them immune to their own fire bombs (which also benefit from Malekus’ feat . . . yeah, you see where I’m going with this), but it also means they are immune to all the other beautiful fire-based attacks in the list. Want to get a better spray angle? Target a fire-immune zealot. Did you use your Holy Zealots to tie up an enemy unit, but now you want to use their sweet fire bombs? Clear out those pesky enemies with several flamethrower attacks from your Cleansers or Malekus’ battlegroup. Really, the potential tactical applications of this are damn impressive. Add in how their Fervor Prayer stacks with Malekus’ feat and you’ve got some serious destructive potential on top of tons of tactical applications. Toss in the Monolith Bearer’s Greater Destiny and this is a unit Malekus never wants to leave Sul without.

The Deliverer Sunburst Crew’s sunburst not only has an impressive RNG 16, AOE 4 POW 15 it also has—you guessed it, damage type: Fire and the Fire continuous effect to boot so you can reach out and burn someone no matter the distance.*

Rounding out the list, the Choir of Menoth does what the Choir does, pumping up Malekus’ warjacks’ damage potential and denying the enemy early damage from ranged attacks or the use of their sweet debuff spells. On the flip side, the Vassal Mechaniks tag along to help keep the warjacks humming, as nothing is worse than watching a perfectly good warjack not be able to burn people to cinders because a lucky shot broke its favorite flamethrower.

And there you have it, the list that I will be using to light my fellow staff members up with as I cackle with childish glee and mock the pathetic screams of their heretical models. Because let’s be honest, in this life or any other there’s little more fun than playing with fire!

Smoke ’em if you got ’em!

*Sunburst Reach Out and Burn Someone promotion is limited to within 16 inches or less. Successful ranged attack and/or damage rolls may apply.