You want big guns and louder booms. I get it, the Kodiak and Linebacker look spicy.
However, the humble Coyote and Jackal quietly win games. They move like greased lightning and punch above their weight.
Why Light Walkers Matter
Sure, the Pondskater variants have roles, but the star duo are two-legged, arm-swinging DV 8+ troublemakers. Moreover, both walkers Advance 12 inches or Run 24 inches, covering board space fast. Crucially, biped walkers can make two 90 degree pivots on a Run, so you can slash through and end facing threats. Additionally, the Jackal’s Jump lets it hop terrain and deploy anywhere from Reserve.
Movement Traps and Reserve Ambushes
Ideally, place a Coyote on one flank and pretend to refuse the other. Then bring the Jackal from Reserve without the penalty thanks to Death From Above. Consequently, you interdict charge lanes and force your opponent to recalc their plan. Furthermore, central staging lets you reach any corner in two turns, but flanking coverage keeps your thin armor safer.
Monster Control and Close-Quarters Brutality
Schreckwulfen and Ursus are nightmares for infantry and vehicles. Nevertheless, walkers are the answer. Uniquely, walkers can assault with Advance or Run, making contact and forcing a Morale Check that deletes non-Fearless units. Then they complete the move and swing as they pass: one attack per leg at +2 Pen and one per arm at +4 Pen, giving the Jackal and Coyote two at +4 and one at +2. Additionally, if you Advanced, you still fire your HMG or a Flamethrower upgrade; the Coyote improves odds with The Arsenal of Democracy re-rolls. Moreover, if they charge you, walkers strike first and auto-hit, so even DV 7+ horrors lose models before swinging. Consequently, opponents face a true dilemma: ignore the walker and get carved, or charge and feed it bodies.
Surviving Return Fire and Target Priority
Admittedly, anti-tank guns hurt DV 8+, so respect lanes of fire. Fortunately, shaped charges halve Pen against walkers, making Panzerfausts less terrifying. Additionally, run-through slashing lets you pivot 180 degrees so enemy chargers need sixes if Fast, or cannot hit if not. However, beware huge Totenkorps blobs; a Surging Rift die gives them +1 Pen, so do not park in front of them. Consequently, numbers help: at 105 points Regular or 126 Veteran, fielding two or three light walkers spreads threats.
Extra Tech: Commonwealth Tricks and Hero Guts
The British Commonwealth fields the same frames, the Jackal and the Coyote rebranded as the Guardian. Moreover, Superior Codebreaking can hand you first activation to double-tap a run-over at the end of a turn, then do it again at the start. Additionally, both factions can end within 6 inches of a Hero with Guts, toss the unit’s Order die back in the bag, and go again next pull. Consequently, your walkers become tempo engines, not just melee blenders.
Summary
In short, Coyotes and Jackals win by speed, angles, and forced choices. Moreover, Jump reserves, slashing assaults, and auto-hit countercharges flip monster matchups on their heads. Consequently, protect them from long-range AT, harvest pins where you can, and time your runs to strand enemy hammers. Finally, if the Kodiak is your hammer, these light walkers are your scalpel, and together they cut the table to ribbons.
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