Commissar Yarrick is back in action, and today we’re going to see just what he brings to your Astra Militarum armies on the battlefield.
Despite his advanced age and many near-death injuries, Yarrick is still a keen-minded commander and powerful combatant who effortlessly inspires the soldiers around him. Decades of battle in the most desperate wars imaginable have given him a grasp of tactics few can match, and when leading his Guardsmen from the front, the Hero of Hades Hive can turn even the rawest of recruits into a razor-sharp fighting force.
Yarrick’s signature ability lets him choose one of three powerful effects each turn, putting him on par with legendary characters like Roboute Guilliman and Abaddon the Despoiler.
The first, Counterstrategist, is a fantastic tool for adapting to your opponent’s moves, as it lets you choose fight or flight depending on the situation. We’re particularly fond of having a Cadian Heavy Weapons Squad within 6” Fire Overwatch at a unit that thinks they’ll have a crack at Yarrick in close combat – hitting on 4+ if Old Bale Eye has a PLATOON bodyguard – only to then have them shoot again with Counterstrategist before their target even gets to declare a Charge.*
Decisive Command is ideal when the good Commissar is leading from behind a massed mob of Infantry or Vehicles, as he can spread one of the faction’s many powerful Orders to a whole group of targets, such as boosting the Ballistic Skill of a whole squadron of Leman Russ tanks with Take Aim!. He also wouldn’t be much of a Commissar if he couldn’t instil morale in his troops, though being an Inspiring Hero is enough to ensure his laspistol rarely leaves its holster.**
One of Yarrick’s most famous abilities is to get back up from certain death – as we recently saw him do for the umpteenth time – and his Will of Iron is still as strong as ever. This time, it’s more likely to activate than before, but it will only bring him back once. He’s earned a rest, after all.
Aside from his outstanding abilities, Old Bale Eye is no slouch as a fighter either, and has so much practice snipping Orks to bits with his power klaw that he hits on a 2+ – better than even a hulking Warboss can manage. He can also whip out his formerly ceremonial power sword if quantity is more valuable than quality, and the famed Bale Eye implanted in his skull now burns enemy champions better than ever with double the Range, Strength, and Attacks, and loads more Damage than before – not to mention Precision, so he can always target the most valuable foe.
BALE EYE (PRECISION)
RANGE: 12"
A: 2
BS: 2+
S: 6
AP: -2
D: D3+1
You’ll get your chance to deploy Commissar Yarrick on your own battlefields very soon. Come back tomorrow to find out just how fast certified speed demon Wazdakka Gutsmek can blaze around the board, and if you’re raring to see how the rest of the Imperium’s newcomers fare, we’ll be showing off their rules later this week.
* We’re sure you can find all sorts of ways to get one over your opponent with this toolkit of an ability.
** Don’t worry, old-school Commissariat fans. Commissar Graves shoots enough for the both of them.
