The Captain Dunax preview introduces one of Warmachine’s more unusual new mercenaries.
Barl “Demolisher” Dunax does not simply bring another gun or melee threat. Instead, this Rhulic explosives expert actually changes how terrain functions during the battle. For players who enjoy manipulating the board itself, that creates some wonderfully nasty possibilities. This is a sumamry of a community post found here.
Captain Dunax Fortifies Terrain Before Blowing It Apart
Captain Dunax works for Cygnar Gravediggers, Southern Kriels Kithguard, Khador Winter Korps, Covenant of the Flame, and Rhul Guard. Consequently, several armies gain access to his unusual mix of defensive engineering and aggressive demolition.
His signature Fortify That Position! ability targets area terrain within five inches and applies one of three effects. Stakes gives friendly models inside that terrain +1 DEF against incoming melee attacks. Sandbags instead makes the terrain provide cover alongside its normal benefits. Therefore, even something like tall grass can suddenly become meaningful protection from concentrated shooting. Runic Wards takes the magical route, granting Magic Resistance to models occupying the selected terrain. That versatility makes Dunax particularly useful for armies expecting to hold key zones or objectives. He is also surprisingly difficult to remove.
Dunax sits at ARM 19 thanks to his shield, while Girded protects him from blast damage. Better still, friendly models standing close to him gain that blast protection as well. However, the real fun begins with Light the Fuse. Once per game, Dunax selects any terrain feature within three inches. At the start of the opponent’s next Maintenance Phase, that terrain is completely removed from the battlefield. A building blocking your battlegroup can disappear. Likewise, a forest hiding enemy troops can suddenly stop protecting them. Even clouds can be removed, opening firing lanes that did not exist a turn earlier. The timing creates an important catch, since destruction happens during the opponent’s turn. Blow up the wrong terrain and you might accidentally clear their charge lane or expose your own models.
That makes Light the Fuse less of a simple damage button and more of a tactical puzzle. Overall, Dunax looks like a specialist who rewards players thinking one turn ahead.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this Captain Dunax preview gives mercenary players something genuinely different. He can strengthen defensive positions, protect nearby troops, and then erase terrain when the battlefield needs reshaping. More importantly, none of those tricks play themselves. Dunax looks strongest in the hands of players who enjoy planning movement, firing lanes, and objective control several steps ahead.
