Do you like short people, axes, being angry, and really hate clothing? Well, crank your favorite Wind Rose and/or DragonForce song, it’s time to fight in the name of Grimnir!
(I painted this ‘one ‘droth in UV paint which will never show up on a table ever and maybe was a waste of time.)
Preface
Well, after only a couple GTs in with the Fyreslayers Index, I have thoughts.
Are they good thoughts? Maybe. It’s hard to place things in context with the game not even having its first balance patch.
But listen: this is the internet and bad takes are every person’s divine right.
Lore Blurb
Long ago Duardin (Dwarfs) worshiped many gods, one of them was Grimnir, the god of war. A lot of things happened that made a lot of people angry then blah blah blah Grimnir had to fight Vulcatrix, a gigantic lava god and “mother of Salamanders.” It was an epic battle and both died. Their essences mingled and exploded, dispersed as “ur-gold” across the realms. Fyreslayers pound this ur-gold into their flesh (metal af, ngl) to “use” its power in battle. They believe if they can use it all they will revive Grimnir (and some also want to revive Vulcatrix).
(The Chad Grimnir)
Playstyle
Aesthetically you may think Fyreslayers will be a faction about screaming forward into battle at maximum speed and giving everyone the best fight ever (see: Ironjawz), but their stunty legs generally deny this.
The faction’s playstyle is what I’d call a defensive toolbox. Most everything has a place — every unit and ability is a tool in this box and you just need to figure out when and how to use it. Thus, the army primarily operates off correct usage/timing of once per game buffs as well as unit synergy. You don’t get a lot of unit variance, but each unit is very important for its job.
Don’t get me wrong, the army does love combat and few armies can beat it purely in that arena: if you want to fight in glorious combat then few armies are better than Fyreslayers. That’s why most of the army’s play is finessing the battlefield and planning to get the fights it wants when it wants it.
Battle Traits Summary
Here we see the fulcrum on which all the Fyreslayers’ shenanigans rest: the MAGIC RUNES.
(This Scotsman from Samurai Jack is basically a Fyreslayer)
It’s good to remember that the runes are not supposed to have a set order. Is it common that you’ll use the Rune of Fury or Fiery Determination in rounds 1 or 2? Yes. Should you always? Absolutely not! In fact, in multiple games I have not used Fury (strikes first) until round 5.
The key bit about them is you can only choose one each round. That means you have to pick very wisely, not just which, you use but when you use it. You don’t want to pick the run+charge rune in a round when you REALLY needed it in a later round or when it did nothing at all, for example. Correct rune usage is paramount to winning games as Fyreslayers.
So when do the runes get used? Well, that depends on the board state and what your opponent can do.
Remember each rune can be enhanced as well by a Runemaster, we’ll get to that later, but it makes him a near automatic pick in every list.
Some generalities on when to use the runes:
Searing Heat: Used when you’re going to be in combat, lots of combat, and especially if you really need to punch through mortal damage. This makes your units go from decent, to the kings of Slaptown. This is particularly important if you’re already stuck in combat (e.g. no one’s really charging) or if you think you’re the one who is going to be doing the charges and getting the fighting initiative.
Relentless Zeal: Normally used when a key opening has presented itself. One or more of your units has a way to suddenly get somewhere your opponent very much does not want them. When those situations arise, you’ll know to burn this bad boy. Your Poleaxes going from 4″ move to 10″ can throw a wrench into your opponents plans as an axe into their head.
Fiery Determination: It’s the the top of the round and next turn your opponent is about to unload spells? This one. But that’s not all, it can be used to whether any storm really and is often a precursor to setting up for the Searing Heat or Fury rune. If you can bog down your opponents for a little longer than they like you can sometimes put the game away. A good example is if you were made to go first, moved to the middle, then you can use this with enhancement from Runemaster to have a 5+ ward and +1 save, this can make even Axes stick around.
Fury: Strikes first if charged is good. This rune needs more setup than you might think but may be the strongest of them all. This often will force opponents to NOT charge, setting you up for punishing them. It can also cause people to not take a double they otherwise would because they know you have this in your pocket. Saving it for the right time can be backbreaking to your enemies. They need to get you off points and kill you, with this they will be punished severely for it.
Farsight: Maybe the most niche of the runes, but when you need it you’ll be glad you have it. Many times I have had an opponent’s support hero sitting pretty on 1 or 2 wounds behind their lines and popping this can polish them off. Being able to kill a unit just out of reach, or at least put some mortal damage on them, can rarely shape the entire course of the game. It can also knock on wounds when no other rune really fits the situation.
Subfaction Traits Summary
Warrior Kinband is the go-to here: +1 to wound when charging is great. If you aren’t spamming magmadroths then you’ll often start here. Your infantry, even your heroes, all wound on 3s. Making them wound on 2s is a nice boost in damage and it can also counteract negative to wounds on things like Nighthaunt. This also works if you counter-charge, so that’s quite spicy.
Forge Brethren can be amazing on some battleplans, but not others. Its weakness on a few battleplans is what prevents it from truly competing with Kinband as a top tier subfaction. But it’s still strong and giving everyone +1 to save is great. This means with an enhanced Fiery Determination rune you’ll see your army having +2 to save, +3 with all-out defense, now that’s save-stacking! I can see this finding a nice place if you see a tournament pack using all battleplans that are half the board or if alpha-strike (particularly shooting) becomes the meta. If only it also worked on objectives and not just territory, shame.
Lords of the Lodge has potential, certainly. Making droths worth 8 and foot heroes worth 5 is great. With a runefather that makes a lowly Grimwrath worth 6-10 on an objective, now that’s some cooking! But the infantry heroes are bit too-high costed to perhaps make the best use of it. Still, I’m certain a list can be built to take full advantage of it. Outcapping a monster with a single runesmiter is not bad at all. If control reduction becomes common then this might also see more play.
Scales of Vulcatrix is where GW’s creativity decided to die. Two extra wounds on droths is nice, but that means with 5 droths your list has received a whopping 10 extra wounds… wow. The extra tank is appreciated but on the quite-expensive monster with a 4+ save and a 6+ ward, it’s just not game-changing. If Magmadroth spam ever comes back into the light you may see this one, though.
Prayers/Manifestations Summary
Prayer of Ash is the shining star as both an unlimited prayer and the most powerful. Getting -1 to wound to everything is powerful, full stop. Getting an additional rend reduction occasionally? Amazing! This prayer makes the army function so much better by letting you bog down opponents and survive shooting barrages.
Grimnir’s Fury is very situational and seldom used. It can be great, but it’s limited to foot heroes so often only used on a Grimwrath or Runefather, but the Fight-Last on a foot hero means it’s going to be very rarely see usage over prayer of Ash.
Wrath of Vulcatrix is really strong if you’re running heavy magmadroth lists. Two extra attacks (one on the jaws, one on the claws) is great, but if your droth is damage it can REALLY see some potency. It’s usage is still niche in that it’s droth limited, and companion attacks at that.
Flamespitter is what you put on turn one or two. It’s a second prayer to get off and can tack on damage to units. Is it amazing? No. Is it consistent? Yes. Worth getting out.
Runic Fyrewall is a shadow of its former self. It no longer does basically any movement blocking which is kind of strange; in fact it probably gives opponents MORE movement. What it does do is AoE mortal damage and OC reduction. Don’t sleep on this. The mortal damage adds up and the OC reduction can surprise opponents and thwart their plans.
Molten Infernoth is also a shell of its former glory, but still good. Need a 6 to chant for, it’s not coming out easily. But with some saving of points or a 4+ on a +2 Runemaster you can put it on the field. Its damage is decent, but it also can act as zoning piece. Multiple times now I’ve sat it somewhere just to prevent deepstrikes onto an objective or vulnerable unit. It also has a shooting attack now which isn’t bad. If you can get it out then it’s worth having.
Heroic Traits
Ash-Beard is amazing. It’s easily the best of the lot. Turning any hero into a priest is great! On top of that giving your runemaster +1, +2 near forge, makes Prayer of Ash go off on anything but a 1 and makes praying in the enemies turn incredibly likely to really push the magmic tokens harder. This is likely what you take the majority of the time.
Blood of the Berserker is good, but it’s not amazing. +1 to charge is always nice and this likely can see a slot in a Droth heavy list or perhaps to push the synergy with the enhanced Rune of Relentless Zeal even harder: +2 to charge!
Fiercely Competitive is far too niche. Maybe on a runefather droth? But droths just aren’t tanky enough or do enough damage to warrant this.
Artefacts
Ash-Cloud Rune is your anti-shooting piece. One, possibly two, turns of not having your infantry shot is backbreaking to some armies. Skaven, Lumineth, Slaanesh, etc. all do not want to see this. Extremely powerful.
Droth-Helm is what you want if you’re spamming magmadroths. You probably aren’t, but there’s this. Giving multiple magmadroths +1 to hit can be quite strong.
Magmalt is fine on a Runefather (droth or foot) or Grimwrath, but it being once per battle sinks its usefulness a lot. Getting 3 (possibly 6 with Grimnir’s Fury) extra attacks is nice, especially when they are 3 damage attacks, but it’s rare that it will change the flow of an entire game; unlike Ash-Cloud which can put a shooting army on its back foot.
Warscrolls
Key Warscrolls:
Auric Runefather (on foot): His Royal Retinue ability is very good. Giving +1 to hit to a unit is potent. This makes Hearthguard Berserkers or Auric Hearthguard hit so much harder. It also means that your Auric Hearthguard using covering fire get to negate the -1 to hit to stay at 4+; with priority target the Auric’s will be sitting pretty at +2 to hit and +1 to wound, that’s hard to pass up. Plus, this gives him a 4+ ward making the Runefather stick around so much better. This commanding presence ability is good. It won’t always come up, but when it does, *chef’s kiss* amazing. Nothing like entering round 5 and telling your opponent that your Runefather counts as 7 and the two AHG on a point count for 7. Good look taking that with your two horses, NH. At 160 he’s worth the price.
Auric Runefather on Magmadroth: while possibly overcosted at 350, he acts as such a potent support piece that he can make or break certain lists. His once per game attack aura is obviously incredibly, his rampage lowering save is a crazy buff to every unit in your army. He won’t act as the hammer he was in 3e, but he can still knock a few damage onto things. Still, he’s not the tankiest monster in the world and you need to be very careful with him.
Auric Runemaster: Auto-take in basically every list. A two-chant priest is amazing, a two-chant priest that also enhances your runes? Absolutely bonkers good. This should be in nearly every list unless you have good reason to not take him. The two BIG enhancements (though all are good) are: making Crit(mortal) rune also give 1 additional rend (incredible!) and the 5+ ward rune also give +1 save (amazing!). Those two things alone make him worth every point of 190.
Auric Runesmiter (on foot): You need to do tactics. This let’s you do them with his deepstrike. It also let’s you put a little fear into opponents so they can’t just deploy any way they want. Deploying in the hero phase is a brilliant change from GW and makes deep-striking a priest not feel so bad.
Flameseekers, Vulkites (both types): Your line infantry. You need them and they do what they should: damage and take points. They are fairly well-costed with flameseekers being the standout. Flameseekers are just better than vulkites: while their anti-monster abilities (rend and damage reduction) won’t always be useful, when they are useful it’s clutch. I
Hearthguard Berserkers (both): These are your hammers. They can get a 5+ ward, but that won’t save them from dying. Instead these exist to punish your opponents. Broadaxes are cheaper and can be buffed higher than poleaxes with their bonus attack near damaged heroes (e.g. a magmadroth), but Poleaxes are better in more situations, though it comes with a cost.
Auric Hearthguard: D3 damage shooting? Fuck yes. 12″ range is short, but if you make the most of your movement and redeploys you can abuse your opponents with these hard. Extremely good in a runesmiter regiment or with a Runefather to have always-on +1 to hit and possibly priority target.
Underrated Warscrolls:
Auric Flamekeeper: Perhaps a bit overcosted at 130, but still quite good. He can make Hearthguard Berserkers go from decent hammers to the stars of the show. Crit(mortal) on 3 damage swings is incredible.
Battlesmith: The aura for disallowing OC modification is fine, but not useful often. The rallying buff is very nice, though, particularly on magmadroths. But rallying back an extra one or two infantry due to this buff is very strong and he’ll often pay for himself throughout a game. He can also just hangout with Hearthguard and tack on some damage to anything nearby. At 110 points he’s not so expensive that you can’t be a little aggressive with him.
Probably Won’t See Much:
The Runeson (on foot) and the Doomseeker just aren’t in a good place. The Runeson suffers from being overcosted (130 is criminal) for what he does while also taking up a drop. If he could slot into a Runefather’s regiment (it’s bizarre he can’t) then I could see him maybe hitting the table, but he can’t. The Doomseeker just is a worse Grimwrath, so why take it for the same cost? It might see niche use, but not right now.
The Runeson on Magmadroth suffers a similar fate to his infantry brother: not only does he require an extra drop but he just doesn’t do a lot for his relatively steep cost. 300 points is a lot to ask for a unit that’s not particularly tanky, doesn’t do a particularly high amount of damage, and is geared to kill monsters with a super niche rampage in a meta that sees not many monsters. Will he see the board? Sometimes, but at 300 and in this meta, not a lot.
Tactics/Strategies:
It’s difficult to go over everything you need to consider when playing the army. But there’s one big thing you have to do when playing Fyreslayers: PLAN PLAN PLAN. You are too slow to live in the moment. You need to know where your units will be going one or two turns ahead of where they are. You have to know which tactic you’ll be getting on the next turn while you choose your tactic now. If you can make these plans come to fruition even if you don’t win you’ll find yourself completing tactics and being competitive. This index begs a Fyreslayer’s player to plan their turns 1 or even 2 turns ahead.
Example Lists
I’m just going to plop down my two Nashcon lists:
Fyreslayers
Warrior Kinband
2000 Points Limit
Drops: 4
Prayer Lore – Zharrgrim Blessings
Manifestation Lore – Magmic Invocations
Regiments
General’s Regiment
Auric Runefather (160)
• General
• Ash-cloud Rune
Auric Hearthguard (260)
• Reinforced
Regiment 1
Auric Runemaster (190)
• Ash-beard
Vulkite Berzerkers with Fyresteel Weapons (140)
Vulkyn Flameseekers (160)
Vulkyn Flameseekers (160)
Regiment 2
Auric Runesmiter (120)
Hearthguard Berzerkers with Flamestrike Poleaxes (280)
• Reinforced
Vulkite Berzerkers with Fyresteel Weapons (140)
Vulkyn Flameseekers (160)
Faction Terrain
Magmic Battleforge
Regiments of Renown
Saviours of Cinderfall (230)
Callis and Toll
Toll’s Companions
This list makes use of Callis and Toll as well as a Runesmiter to give more mobility/board-coverage to the army, something it normally lacks. The AHG + Runefather combo is extremely potent and protected by numerous infantry lines and the ash-cloud rune. You can set them up in the center of the board and create a bubble of pew pew bad times for opponents. The damage this list outputs can surprise opponents and once you catch them off guard you can push press the advantage while getting easy tactics with Callis & Toll + their companions.
(Callis and Toll make great allies)
Fyreslayers
Warrior Kinband
2000 Points Limit
Drops: 4
Prayer Lore – Zharrgrim Blessings
Manifestation Lore – Magmic Invocations
Regiments
General’s Regiment
Auric Runefather on Magmadroth (350)
• General
• Ash-cloud Rune
Hearthguard Berzerker with Berzerker Broadaxes (240)
• Reinforced
Regiment 1
Auric Runemaster (190)
• Ash-beard
Grimwrath Berzerker (110)
Vulkyn Flameseekers (160)
Regiment 2
Auric Runesmiter (120)
Auric Hearthguard (130)
Hearthguard Berzerker with Berzerker Broadaxes (120)
Vulkite Berzerkers with Bladed Slingshields (150)
Regiment 3
Auric Flamekeeper (130)
Vulkite Berzerkers with Fyresteel Weapons (140)
Vulkyn Flameseekers (160)
Faction Terrain
Magmic Battleforge
This list makes use of sacrificial pawn units (e.g. Broadaxe MSU and Runesmiter+its drop) to power up a flamekeeper which can then buff Broadaxes or Vulkites. The Runefather acts as a mobile support mothership to buff the infantry even harder. This is a combo list that can take a bit of finesse to play but will out-combat almost anyone.
