With the release of the Battlescroll: Galletian Reinforcements I’ve been able to go back through the data from the release of the General’s Handbook and tidy everything up. In doing so, I though it may be cool to give you a run-down of how each faction performed under the current General’s Handbook until the Battlescroll took effect.
The data used for analysing these results was taken from 110 Grand Tournaments between 3rd July 2022 and 6th November 2022.
Idoneth Deepkin
Region Comparison – Popularity
Idoneth Deepkin saw their highest popularity in Europe with 4.6% of players choosing the faction for tournament play, while at the opposite end of the world the uptake was only 1.2% in Oceania.
Region Comparison – Win Rates
Oceania had the highest win rate with 80.0% (insane!), while North America had the lowest with 44.0%.
Scandinavia was the only region which didn’t see the Idoneth achieve a 5-0 result.
Subfaction Analysis
Subfaction
Players
Win Rate
Briomdar
7
55.56%
Mor’Phann
30
55.33%
Fuethan
25
51.19%
Ionrach
34
51.18%
Dhom-Hain
9
47.78%
Nautilar
45
41.74%
None/Unknown
18
50.00%
Faction Total
168
49.23%
There appears to be a fairly even spread between 3-4 subfactions, with Mor’Phann being the most successful of those at 55.33% and Nautilar having the least success at 41.74%. These tables often go to show how much difference the subfaction allegiance abilities can make to an army.
Top 10 Idoneth Deepkin Players
You may notice that some players have a better World/Nation ranking than players above them in this table. This is due to players playing with multiple factions. These players have been ranked on their top 4 Idoneth Deepkin results only.
This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Proving Grounds that took place in Canada on 22nd and 23rd October. It involved 15 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament.
Before I jump into the Top Three AoS Lists, I wanted to remind everyone of our friendly Discord server where you can join in the conversation with the Woehammer crew and suggest articles or series for the website.
If you like what we’re doing, why not join our Patreon and help keep it going?
Also if there’s a one day or two day tournament you’d like us to cover drop us a comment on this post and we’ll have a look at it for you.
The Top Three AoS Lists
Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals – Stormhost: Hammers of Sigmar (Scions of the Storm) – Mortal Realm: Ghur – Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs – Triumphs: Bloodthirsty
LEADERS Lord-Imperatant (175)* – General – Command Trait: Master of Magic – Artefact: Arcane Tome – Spell: Celestial Blades Lord-Commander Bastian Carthalos (300)* Lord-Relictor (145)* – Prayer: Translocation Knight-Judicator with Gryph-Hounds (205)*
UNITS 3 x Annihilators (200)*** 3 x Annihilators with Meteoric Grandhammers (240)*** 2 x Dracothian Guard Fulminators (230)*** 3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (240)* 5 x Vindictors (130)** 5 x Vindictors (130)**
ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS Holy Command: Call for Aid Holy Command: Thunderbolt Volley
TOTAL: 1995/2000 WOUNDS: 83 DROPS:10
Brett: Now we’re talking, 1 of almost everything really good in the SCE book, drops be damned. The result is some really powerful mortal wound projection and good mobility with Translocation, Annihilators and Fulminators. That combined with Bastian and 30″ shooting is punishing. He’s only lost to a list that could get close enough in the early rounds. With the Annihilators only coming in from reserve the Idoneth could really get an advantage in early rounds. We never see 2x Holy Commands, but I think they are underrated. Here they are giving an extra round of shooting and an extra 10 wounds.
This is just a fun list to play with and has some of the best or most interesting units SCE can bring.
Declan: Small tournaments are great in that you can win with a good 4-1 result, and it means the number of 0-5s is hopefully limited — in this case zero! But Matthew has come out on top with a SCE list that has teleporting, armour saves, and good shooting. It’s also a list we’ve seen before but Translocation has gone out of favour recently – so it’s good to see it still being good enough to get success.
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Army Faction: Idoneth Deepkin – Army Subfaction: Nautilar – Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak – Triumphs: Bloodthirsty
LEADER 1 x Eidolon of Mathlann Aspect of the Storm (355)** – Artefacts: Arcane Tome – Spells: Arcane Corrasion 1 x Akhelian King (250)** – General – Command Traits: Unstoppable Fury – Bladed Polearm and Falchion – Artefacts: Armour of the Cythai – Mount Traits: Voidchill Darkness 1 x Lotann (115)**
BATTLELINE 1 x Akhelian Leviadon (500)* – Mount Traits: Ancient 10 x Namarti Reavers (170)** 10 x Namarti Thralls (130)*** 10 x Namarti Thralls (130)***
TERRAIN 1 x Gloomtide Shipwreck (0)
OTHER 2 x Akhelian Allopexes (330)* – Alpha Allopex – Razorshell Harpoon Launcher – Barbed Hooks and Blades
Brett: This is a very interesting top 3, this list beat the one in first and was beaten by the list below in third. I haven’t seen that before. Idoneth is still throwing up a lot of variety, they haven’t taken a lot of tournaments so there is no “net list”. Here there is a return to the Allopexes/Leviadon with a supporting cast of infantry. Of course Eidolon and the Ahkelian King are here as hammers. Turn priority is important for Idoneth and would have worked in Pendelton’s favour against first place. The heavy hitters here and Reavers could do devastating damage to the small SCE units in the first turn and then deal with Annihilators. Pretty much every other list would have suffered exactly the same way, unless they had Gotrek or a Big Dragon.
Declan: Good to see IdK still doing well – even if they are Aelves. This is a relatively ‘normal’ list since the new book with Leviadon (big turtle), some sharks, a king and a Eidolon. It’s an interesting list which seems to rely on the characters, sharks and turtle… although don’t underestimate the Thralls. I prefer them in bigger units, but they can still contribute to the game.
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Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals – Stormhost: Hallowed Knights (Scions of the Storm) – Mortal Realm: Ghur – Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak – Triumphs: Indomitable
LEADERS Gardus Steel Soul (150)** Lord-Relictor (145)** – Prayer: Translocation Lord-Celestant on Stardrake (500)** – General – Celestine Hammer – Command Trait: Master of Magic – Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact) – Mount Trait: Celestial Instincts – Spell: Thundershock Gotrek Gurnisson (485)** – Allies
UNITS 5 x Liberators (115)* – Heavens-wrought Weapon and Shield 5 x Liberators (115)* – Heavens-wrought Weapon and Shield 5 x Liberators (115)* – Heavens-wrought Weapon and Shield 3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (240) Everblaze Comet (100)
Brett: And so here is an army you don’t want to get close to, Gotrek , 5+ wards and fight on death for all of those enticing Liberators. Long range shooting and a dragon are always pretty effective. This list is really banking on Everblaze, Stardrake and the Longstrikes to weaken you at range (30″ to 36″). If there is a weakness it’s the crippling lack of mobility in this force. You can teleport (or translocate them) but their scoring opportunities are going to be fewer with only 4″ to 6″ on everything other than the dragon. You really want the enemy to be coming to you which looks like what happened. His only loss was to another fight on death army. Zainthar Kai is brutal with so many attacks and they get to you fast so it makes sense.
Declan: 2 big characters! We’ve not seen Gotrek in a while and the little dwarf is here to provide a big bubble that the enemy doesn’t want to go into. He’s still a monster in combat and can safely kill most things in the game if he can roll normally.
It’s also great to see a Stardrake doing well – it’s seen as overcoasted by most players but the model is great – even I own one. It’s also a great centre piece for drawing attention to the army – something Gotrek just can’t do.
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Army Faction: Cities of Sigmar – Army Type: Living City – Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs – Triumph: Inspired
LEADERS Doralia ven Denst (115)** Freeguild General (100)** – Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome – Spells: Lifesurge Freeguild General on Griffon (290)*** – General – Command Traits: Ironoak Artisan – Sigmarite Runesword – Artefacts of Power: Spear of the Hunt – Mount Traits: Soaring Guardian Galen Ven Denst (115)*** Haskel Hexbane (180)***
Brett: Is this someone that also plays Warhammer Fantasy battles? This looks a lot like a Fantasy army (also if you are checking on Best Coast Pairings this is listed as Beastclaw Raiders but as you can see, it isn’t). Good to see the Underworlds here with Hexbane, now go see if you can find his warscroll. Huge number of rank and file combat and shooting hampered only by it’s short range. And that’s what’s happened by the looks of it, every army that needed to charge died to a hail of fire. Even the Lumineth list which was Stoneguard following their glow up in the new book. Lists with long range shooting to hit those crossbow men did a lot better. This is the first of the 3/2 lists and scored really well in all rounds (that he won) other than the last. Stoneguard are really good now.
Hard to disassemble a castle like this without shooting or spells, your best option is to play the mission and try to get tactics where you can avoid engaging. Either way try to get rid of the Demigryph Knights as soon as possible to limit his movement and remove them as a threat to your smaller units.
Declan: I’ve not reviewed a Cities of Sigmar list in a while and this one’s interesting. With both the Ven Denst’s making an appearance and with Freeguild Crossbowmen there is a ranged threat here that is not to be ignored. I’m interested in the Greatswords though.
3+/3+ is the stat-line Games Workshop are using for models and units they want to be good in combat. So the Freeguild are going to hit, and the 4+ armour save is not to be ignored. They are not cheap at 150 points for 10, but with a unit of 10 and 20, they will be able to push out some damage. It’s not seen often, as they’re probably not good enough for a 5-0, but they are great if you want to have fun and have a good paint scheme.
This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Coliseum of Sigmar Carnage GT that took place in Florida, USA on 2nd and 3rd July. It involved 9 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament.
Before I jump into the Top Three AoS Lists, I wanted to remind everyone of our friendly Discord server where you can join in the conversation with the Woehammer crew and suggest articles or series for the website.
If you like what we’re doing, why not join our Patreon and help keep it going?
Also if there’s a one day or two day tournament you’d like us to cover drop us a comment on this post and we’ll have a look at it for you.
The Top Three AoS Lists
Army Faction: Lumineth Realm-lords – Army Subfaction: Zaitrec – Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs – Triumphs: Inspired
LEADER Sevireth (345)* Vanari Lord Regent (155)* – General – Command Traits: Fast Learner – Artefacts: Gift of Celennar – Spells: Speed of Hysh, Overwhelming Heat, Total Eclipse Hurakan Windmage (120)* – Spells: Guiding Flurries, Overwhelming Heat, Transporting Vortex
BATTLELINE Vanari Auralan Wardens (145)* – High Warden – Spells: Overwhelming Heat, Etheral Blessings Vanari Auralan Wardens (145)* – High Warden – Spells: Overwhelming Heat, Protection of Hysh 2 x Vanari Auralan Sentinels (510)* – High Sentinel – Spells: Overwhelming Heat, Lambent Light
TERRAIN Shrine Luminor (0)
OTHER Hurakan Spirit of the Wind (265)* Hurakan Spirit of the Wind (265)*
CORE BATTALIONS: *Battle Regiment
TOTAL POINTS: (1950/2000)
Brett: A list that plays well to Lumineth’s strengths at the moment. The list is doubling down on mortal wounds with no less than 5 sources of Overwhelming Heat (hits do mortals on a 5+ not 6+). Something is always going to be in range. The Spirit’s of the Wind can dart out to make ranged attacks and then fall back to be healed and we all know what Sentinels are like if they can’t be shut down. This list makes that hard by not only providing screening (Warden’s), but Sevireth and the Lord Regent can punish a unit that gets too close. Looking at the matchups and that’s what has happened, with only Nighthaunt able to push Jonathan to a loss through a combination of ignoring rend and their ward save blunting the shooting. Legion of the First Prince may have had the bodies, but is too reliant on it’s Hero units to be really effective into this list and poor Sons. A well deserved win with a faction that is not at the top of the meta showing the overall balance in AoS is pretty good.
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Army Faction: Nighthaunt – Army Subfaction: The Emerald Host – Grand Strategy: Take what’s Theirs – Triumph: Bloodthirsty
LEADER Guardian of Souls (150) – General – Command Traits: Master of Magic – Chill Blade – Artefacts: Midnight Tome – Spells: Seal of Shyish Spirit Torment (115) Dreadblade Harrow (145)** – Artefacts: Arcane Tome – Spells: Seal of Shyish Kurdoss Valentian (210)** Krulghast Cruciator (150)**
BATTLELINE 1 x Chainrasps (220) Hexwraiths (160)* 1 x Grimghast Reapers (320)* Hexwraiths (160)*
Brett: An Emerald Host list with only 20 Chainrasp? But it also has 20 Grimghast and a host of heroes. What makes this interesting is eschewing Lady Olynder gives the list both Kurdoss and the Dreadblade Harrow (costing an extra 15 points). Great play for mobility because the Dreadblade can stay with the Hexwraiths and issue a command for free. So if the Guardian of Souls issues an All-out Attack to the Grimghast, the Dreadblade can issue the same order for free. The Mourngul is a rarer inclusion and I think still too expensive, but brings some useful abilities, mortal wounds and de-buffs on top of his reasonable damage. This is a very aggressive list with the ability to put out serious damage, the Grimghast will operate at 3 attacks each for most of the game. The Purple Sun is a natural inclusion with this many wizards, and since the new pack is a really useful spell. I expect to see this in a lot of lists (at least 2 here). Strong mobility with the 8″ natural movement for the infantry and the inclusion of highly mobile cavalry the list is good at playing both the mission and the opponent.
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Army Faction: Stormcast Eternals – Army Type: Scions of the Storm – Army Subfaction: Hallowed Knights – Grand Strategy: No Place For The Weak – Triumphs: Inspired
LEADER Gardus Steel Soul (150)* Lord-Castellant (155)* – General – Command Traits: Master of Magic – Artefacts: Arcane Tome – Spells: Celestial Blades – Bonding: Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur
BATTLELINE 1 x Judicators with Boltstorm Crossbows (380)* – 2 x Thunderbolt Crossbow Liberators (115)* – Liberator-Prime – Heavens-wrought Weapon and Sigmarite Shield Liberators (115)** – Liberator-Prime – Heavens-wrought Weapon and Sigmarite Shield
BEHEMOTH Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur (400)*
OTHER 1 x Stormdrake Guard (680)** – Stormdrake-Prime – Drakerider’s Warblade
Brett: Stormcast making it to the podium with the help of the Incarnate. We have already seen a shift away from hero hammer in a few lists and this is a very clever way of using all of the tools SCE has. The inclusion of the incarnate sees 2 mobile threats on the table in combination with the 4 Stormdrakes. Keep the Incarnate close to the heroes and you can give it both a 3+ save and a 5+ ward making it very hard to lower it’s levels. Your best hope may be a more horde approach, because you wouldn’t want a monster anywhere near the Incarnate in case it levelled, but you need 18 wounds in a turn to force it down a level. Looking at the results that’s happened with Daniel’s loss in Round 2 to the 2nd place Nighthaunt list. The small heroes keep costs down to allow the list to include shooting, dragons and the incarnate. The Liberators are here just as the cheapest battleline. The Storm drakes in bounty hunters is a terrifying prospect – 36 D2 -1 and 16 D3 -2 attacks in melee (no rend against Nighthaunt though). The Judicators shouldn’t be ignored either, they get 2 hits for every successful attack, Unleash Hell from this unit, say protecting the Incarnate and Heroes, would be devastating but limits the Incarnate’s mobility. A good solid and a little counter intuitive list.
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Army Faction: Idoneth Deepkin – Subfaction: Nautilar – Grand Strategy: The Creeping Gloomtide – Triumph: Inspired x2
LEADERS Eidolon of Mathlann Aspect of the Sea (325)* – General – Command Traits: Endless Sea Storm – Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome – Spells: Steed of Tides Akhelian King (250)* – Bladed Polearm and Falchion – Mount Traits: Voidchill Darkness Isharann Soulrender (120)*
BATTLELINE Namarti Reavers (170)** Namarti Reavers (170)** Akhelian Leviadon (500)*** – Mount Traits: Ancient Namarti Thralls (390)*** – Icon Bearer
ENDLESS SPELLS & INVOCATIONS 1 x Purple Sun of Shyish (70)
Brett: Our last instalment had an Idoneth list on the podium, here we see another variation that didn’t quite make it. I feel like this is more of an Idoneth list with the Leviadon and bigger heroes (Eidolon and the Akehlian King). The new book seems to favour the smaller infantry units though, to me that feels more like Daughters. Anyway back to the list, the combination of Eidolon and the Leviathan gives some really strong mid board threat, forcing your opponent to decide if they want to play into it (and get shot) or play the fringes. The Purple Sun is an unusual inclusion for Idoneth but that shows just how strong it is. Underlining how useful the Arcane Tome is, there are no wizards in this list but there is an endless spell. I would prefer Master of Magic as the trait to ensure I could get the Sun out. Looking at the scoring for the overall tournament I wonder if the lack of bodies (800 points in 2 models) made playing the mission more difficult. A very flavourful list that still performed well in this format.
Looking at the overall placings it’s interesting to see that 3 and 4 out scored the top 2 who took the tournament on wins. Does this suggest a change with the new Battle Tactics/Grand Strategy where consistently scoring the same points is more difficult and there are a lot more swings?
Atlantic City Open took place in New Jersey, USA on 11th and 12th June. It involved 73 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament.
Before I jump into the Top Three, I wanted to remind everyone of our friendly Discord server where you can join in the conversation with the Woehammer crew and suggest articles or series for the website.
Also if there’s a one day or two day tournament you’d like us to cover drop us a comment on this post and we’ll have a look at it for you.
Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle – Subfaction: Drowned Men – Grand Strategy: Hold the Line – Triumphs: Bloodthirsty
Leaders Bloab Rotspawned (300)* – Lore of Malignance: Magnificent Buboes Festus the Leechlord (150)* – Lore of Malignance: Gift of Disease Lord of Afflictions (210)* – General – Command Trait: Overpowering Stench – Artefact: The Splithorn Helm
Battleline 4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (440)* – Reinforced x 1 2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)* 2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)* 2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)* 2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)*
Declan: The Drowned Men with Pusgoyle Blightlords is having something of a impact on the meta at the moment. Lots of flies were seen at AoS Worlds and at events before and since. The Lord of Afflications seems to be a given for the battleline, and the army is very quick – like ‘old’ Nurgle quick. The slow chip of mortal wounds from disease markers don’t seem to slow the game down much (in my experience) either.
It’s a good army – well piloted by Emma – but may be in danger of becoming the ‘new’ Dragons!
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Army Faction: Soulblight Gravelords – Army Type: Legion of Blood – Grand Strategy: Predator’s Domain – Triumphs: Bloodthirsty
LEADER Vampire Lord (140)* – General – Command Traits: Master of Magic – Artefacts: Arcane Tome – Spells: Spirit Gale, Invigorating Aura Neferata (365)* – Spells: Decrepify Mannfred Von Carstein (380)** – Spells: Fading Vigour
BATTLELINE Deathrattle Skeletons (85)* Deathrattle Skeletons (85)* Black Knights (100)** Black Knights (100)**
ENDLESS SPELL Horrorghast (65)
OTHER 1 x Blood Knights (390)*** 1 x Grave Guard (280)*** – Great Wight Blade
CORE BATTALIONS: *Battle Regiment **Battle Regiment ***Hunters of the Heartlands
TOTAL POINTS: (1990/2000)
Declan: Ah… Soulblight Gravelords. They have been good since their book was released and Jeremy has piloted this to a superb 5-0 in a large field. Well done to him. It’s a low drop but definitely reliant on the Mortarchs. I’ve not seen Neferata before (although as fate would have it, I am reading a Black Library book about her) but Manfred is a superb caster – sort of a mini-Nagash – and both Mortarchs are monsters in their own right.
It’s worth noting despite the entry Peter has got this from that the Blood Knights and Grave Guard are reinforced… I know what 20 Graveguard can do (ouch), but I’m glad I’m not facing 10 Blood Knights in one unit! Wow… and ouch.
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Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle – Subfaction: Drowned Men – Grand Strategy: Hold the Line – Triumphs: Bloodthirsty
Leaders Lord of Afflictions (210)* – General – Command Trait: Overpowering Stench – Artefact: The Splithorn Helm Be’Lakor, the Dark Master (360)* Plague Priest (85)* – Universal Prayer Scripture: Curse
Battleline 4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (440)* – Reinforced x 1 4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (440)* – Reinforced x 1 2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)*
Units 1 x Cockatrice (95)* 1 x Cockatrice (95)*
Endless Spells & Invocations The Burning Head (20)
Declan: Bill is always there or there abouts at tournaments and this is no exception with a 4-1. With more Pusgoyle Blightlords (GW may run out at this rate), and the required Lord of Afflictions, Bill has gone for Belakor. As most readers will know he can ‘turn off’ a unit meaning that a unit may not act in a turn. It is not fun charging and then finding you can’t fight, and if you’re lucky enough to double-turn Bill’s army… the ability lasts until his next hero phase.
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Army Faction: Idoneth Deepkin – Subfaction: Nautilar – Grand Strategy: Hold the Line – Triumph: Inspired
LEADERS Lotann (115)** Isharann Tidecaster (150)** – General – Command Traits: Teachings of the Túrscoll – Artefacts of Power: Rune of the SurgingGloomtide – Spells: Steed of Tides Akhelian Thrallmaster (110)**
CORE BATTALIONS *Hunters of the Heartlands **Battle Regiment
TOTAL POINTS: 1985/2000
Declan: Peter’s selection of one to watch here is fourth… so no real prizes to him for finding it…! But it is another 4-1, and it has lots of Thralls. With the new book the Eels were quickly dropped by most players and it’s because of the output of the Thralls and that they get bonuses against models with 1 wound, and models with 3+ wounds. They are made of paper, but they are solid paper hammers… smash! I’m just glad I run a few Ardboyz for these guys — perfect, as long as it’s my turn, I go first and it’s not High Tide (ah well…. maybe not perfect then!!)
