Stormcast are known for two things. Dragons and Paladins. Today’s article is about both and a super nasty way to get the most out of the combination of the two.
Everyone loves Karazai and Krondys. Beautiful sculpts with compelling lore and super dope abilities, but they have a critical flaw that’s kept them from seeing much competitive play. 18 wounds, even on a 3+ save, is surprisingly easy to kill.
All too often your badass centerpiece model would get blown off the table in a single shooting/hero phase leaving you missing your key hammer. Several top players found an elegant solution to this: Praetors.
Praetors are a bodyguarding unit that sucks wounds away from your heroes, and Krondys/Karazai are indeed stormcast heroes. But even then, Praetors are slow, and your dragons are trying to fly about the battle wreaking havoc. So what are we to do to keep your dragons from being vulnerable once they’ve gone aggressive?
Well here is the really clever bit. By bringing along a lord relictor with translocation, you can teleport up those Praetors to remain in bodyguard range of your dragons.
“But once my dragon charges in those Praetors will be left 9″ out and won’t be up front with my hero!”
There is truth here, but also a really cool interaction.
Krondys and Karazai are on MASSIVE bases. Approximately 6.5 inches across. What this means is that even if your dragon charges into the fight, the back of their base will still be just 2.5″ away from the Praetors, allowing the bodyguards to stay out of the fight (where they might be targeted by opposing attacks leaving your dragon vulnerable) but still keep your dragons alive so they can rip the heart out of the enemy army.
If you’ve been wanting to field those 520 point terrors but haven’t been able to keep them alive, try this strategy out in your next game!
This is the top three lists for the Gallant Games AoS Store Championship, a 14 player event held in Singapore on the 7th and 8th of April. I think this may be the first time we’ve had the chance to cover an event from Singapore.
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: Slaves to Darkness – Subfaction: Host of the Everchosen – Grand Strategy: Take What Is Theirs
LEADERS Chaos Sorcerer Lord (120)* – General – Mark of Chaos: Nurgle – Command Traits: Master of Magic – Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome – Spells: Daemonic Speed, Binding Damnation – Aspects of the Champion: Tunnel Master Chaos Lord on Karkadrak (220)* – Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
BATTLELINE Chaos Knights (460)* – Mark of Chaos: Khorne – Cursed Lance – 2 x Standard Bearer – 2 x Hornblower – Ensorcelled Banner: The Banner of Rage Chaos Knights (460)* – Mark of Chaos: Nurgle – Doom Knight – Cursed Lance – 2 x Standard Bearer – 2 x Hornblower – Ensorcelled Banner: The Eroding Icon Varanguard (580)* – Mark of Chaos: Nurgle – 6 x Ensorcelled Weapon Spire Tyrants (80)* Spire Tyrants (80)*
CORE BATTALIONS *Battle Regiment
TOTAL POINTS: 2000/2000
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Army Faction: Gloomspite Gitz – Subfaction: Jaws of Mork – Grand Strategy: Chasing the Moon – Triumph: Indomitable
LEADERS Loonboss on Giant Cave Squig (140)* – General – Command Traits: The Clammy Hand – Moonclan Stabba – Artefacts of Power: The Clammy Cowl Squigboss (80)* Fungoid Cave-Shaman (90)* – Spells: Itchy Nuisance – Aspects of the Champion: Tunnel Master Squigboss (80)** Skragrott, the Loonking (160)** – Spells: The Hand of Gork
Army Faction: Stormcast Eternals – Army Type: Scions of the Storm – Army Subfaction: Knights Excelsior – Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs – Triumphs: Indomitable
LEADER 1 x Knight-Vexillor (120)* – Meteoric Standard 1 x Knight-Vexillor (120)* – Meteoric Standard – Aspects of the Champion: Tunnel Master 1 x Lord-Imperatant (170)* – General – Command Traits: Master of Magic – Artefacts: Arcane Tome – Spells: Celestial Blades 1 x Celestant-Prime (330)** 1 x Knight-Vexillor (120)** – Meteoric Standard 1 x Knight-Vexillor (120)** – Meteoric Standard
BATTLELINE 6 x Annihilators with Meteoric Grandhammers (480)* 10 x Freeguild Guard (80)* – Sergeant – Standard Bearer – Drummer – Freeguild Sword and Shield 3 x Annihilators with Meteoric Grandhammers (240)** 5 x Vindictors (130)**
This is the top three AoS lists for the Lords AoS Tournament that took place in Vietnam on the 25th and 26th of March. It involved 8 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5-game tournament.
As this event had less than 20 players attending there won’t be any list comments here as the guys will be concentrating on the larger events of the week.
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: Nighthaunt – Procession: Quicksilver Dead – Grand Strategy: Dismantle the Brave – Triumphs: Bloodthirsty
LEADERS Guardian of Souls (150)*** – Artefact: Midnight Tome – Lore of the Underworlds: Shademist – Lore of the Underworlds: Spectral Tether Krulghast Cruciator (150)*** – General – Command Trait: Ruler of the Spirit Hosts – Artefact: Lightshard of the Harvest Moon – Aspect of the Champion: Fuelled by Ghurish Rage Lady Olynder, Mortarch of Grief (340)* – Lore of the Underworlds: Seal of Shyish – Lore of the Underworlds: Spectral Tether Spirit Torment (120)*** Spirit Torment (120)* Tomb Banshee (90)*
UNITS 20 x Dreadscythe Harridans (320)** 5 x Hexwraiths (170)*** 8 x Myrmourn Banshees (200)** 3 x Spirit Hosts (130)** 3 x Spirit Hosts (130)**
Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals – Stormhost: Knights Excelsior (Scions of the Storm) – Grand Strategy: Survivor’s Instinct – Triumphs: Inspired
LEADERS Knight-Incantor (120)*** – Spell: Celestial Blades Lord-Imperatant (170)*** Lord-Relictor (150)*** – General – Command Trait: High Priest – Artefact: Arcane Tome – Spell: Lightning Blast – Prayer: Translocation – Aspect of the Champion: Tunnel Master
UNITS 3 x Annihilators with Meteoric Grandhammers (240)** 3 x Annihilators with Meteoric Grandhammers (240)** 3 x Aetherwings (70)*** 3 x Aetherwings (70)*** 5 x Vanquishers (110)** 5 x Vanquishers (110)** 3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (240)* 3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (240)* 3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (240)*
ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS Holy Command: Call for Aid Holy Command: Thunderbolt Volley
TOTAL: 2000/2000
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Allegiance: Disciples of Tzeentch – Change Coven: Hosts Arcanum – Grand Strategy: Master of Destiny – Triumphs: Indomitable
LEADERS Kairos Fateweaver (440)** Ogroid Thaumaturge (170)** – Artefact: Arcane Tome – Lore of Fate: Shield of Fate – Aspect of the Champion: Fuelled by Ghurish Rage Fluxmaster, Herald of Tzeentch on Disc (170)** – Artefact: The Eternal Shroud – Lore of Change: Unchecked Mutation Be’Lakor, the Dark Master (355)* – Allies
UNITS 10 x Pink Horrors of Tzeentch (250)* 10 x Kairic Acolytes (120)* – 7 x Cursed Blade & Arcanite Shield – 3 x Cursed Glaives 10 x Kairic Acolytes (120)* – 7 x Cursed Blade & Arcanite Shield – 3 x Cursed Glaives 3 x Tzaangor Skyfires (190)**
ENDLESS SPELLS & INVOCATIONS Chronomantic Cogs (70) Umbral Spellportal (80) The Burning Head (30)
Leaders Warsong Revenant (300)* – General – Command Trait: Spellsinger – Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact) – Lore of the Deepwood: Verdurous Harmony – Aspect of the Champion: Tunnel Master The Lady of Vines (290)* – Lore of the Deepwood: Verdurous Harmony Spirit of Durthu (350)* – Artefact: Greenwood Gladius Arch-Revenant (120)*
Battleline 3 x Kurnoth Hunters with Kurnoth Scythes (250) 3 x Kurnoth Hunters with Kurnoth Greatswords (250) 3 x Kurnoth Hunters with Kurnoth Greatbows (230)* 5 x Tree-Revenants (110)
This is the top three AoS lists for Realmgate Rampage II that took place in the USA on the 4th and 5th of March. It involved 37 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: Slaves to Darkness – Subfaction: Cabalists – Grand Strategy: Follow the Path to Glory – Triumph: Inspired
LEADERS Chaos Sorcerer Lord (120)* – General – Mark of Chaos: Undivided – Command Traits: Master of Magic – Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome – Spells: Chaotic Conduit, Daemonic Speed – Aspects of the Champion: Tunnel Master Chaos Sorcerer Lord (120)* – Mark of Chaos: Undivided – Spells: Chaotic Conduit, Daemonic Speed
BATTLELINE Chaos Knights (460)* – Mark of Chaos: Nurgle – Doom Knight – 2 x Standard Bearer – 2 x Hornblower – Ensorcelled Banner: The Eroding Icon The Unmade (80)* Corvus Cabal (80)*
OTHER Chaos Chosen (480)* – Mark of Chaos: Khorne – Exalted Champion – 2 x Icon Bearer – 2 x Skull Drummer Varanguard (580)* – Mark of Chaos: Khorne – 6 x Fellspear
ENDLESS SPELLS & INVOCATIONS 1 x Soulscream Bridge (80)
CORE BATTALIONS *Battle Regiment
TOTAL POINTS: 2000/2000
Peter: I reached out to Anthony to see if he would be able to give us some info on how this list works. The legend kindly responded:
Anthony: So I mostly just lifted the list from Big Phil Marshall, with a few tweaks to marks. The army has 3 key pieces, with a bit of utility to support them. First, the block of 10 Nurgle-marked Knights with the Eroding Icon is incredibly tough to shift, while also able to do a fair bit of damage on the charge. Next are two hammer units: 10 Khorne Chosen, and 6 Khorne Varanguard with spears. I chose to go with Khorne on both units because, for the most part, these units perform threat removal duty, and I want those threats gone immediately. Plus, it means you get even more value if you use the ability to activate a second time in the combat phase on the turn that they charged. All three units are 30 wounds on a 3+ save, but have drastically different roles, and you can further enhance with the 2 Sorcerer Lords. There are quite a few spells that you want to get off, hence the choice of adding Arcane Tome, Master of Magic, and being in Cabalists. Lastly, Corvus Cabal is a nice piece to be able to save and snag an objective after the battlelines shift, the Unmade help ensure that the units you want to charge cannot redeploy away and make the charge harder, and the bridge increases your threat range immensely.
Being one drop means you decide first turn in most cases. A typical game sees you giving away the turn, although you do have the speed to rush across the board to hit your opponent before they can set up any of their buffs if they misdeploy in an egregious way. The other advantage of going second is that it allows your Sorcerer Lord to use both the heroic action for 3d6 cast and 3d6 for rolling on the Eye of the Gods table. You want to be rolling for that early and often. Getting an 11-12 on 3d6, rerolling one die isn’t too unlikely, but it’s still something that relies on rolling, and all it takes is your sorcerer lords getting killed off to remove your ability to achieve your Grand Strategy. I typically use the Knights to block areas of the board off from my opponent and initiate trades. It will cost most armies more value to remove this unit than the 460 points that the knights cost, and the Chosen and Varanguard hit hard enough that most things will struggle to survive contact with them. You’re looking to value trade more efficiently than your opponent, which is what the Slaves to Darkness do incredibly well.
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Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals – Stormhost: Knights Excelsior (Scions of the Storm) – Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs – Triumphs: Inspired
Leaders Karazai, The Scarred (550)* Celestant-Prime, Hammer of Sigmar (330)* Lord-Imperatant (170)* – General – Command Trait: Master of Magic – Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact) – Spell: Celestial Blades – Aspect of the Champion: Tunnel Master
Battleline 3 x Annihilators (180)* 3 x Annihilators (180)* 3 x Annihilators (180)*
Units 3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (240)* 3 x Praetors (140)*
Peter: We reached out to Joseph, who kindly offered a quick synopsis on how his list works.
Joseph: Use the longstrikes the aoe mortals and the charge mortals from the annilators to punch large holes in their army’s screens and key buff pieces. Then go for the kill with the prime and Karazai.
Brett: Joseph undersells his list a bit, there is a bit of tech in how he has set up the list to do exactly what he says it will. There is a Lord Imperatant to make sure those Annihilators only have a 7″ charge. Best case that’s 3 turns of skyfalling. The list is Knights Excelsior to give a Paladin unit +1 to hit and wound on top of being battline. The Annihilators don’t have Grandhammers so cheaper (by 60pts) and more durable. Rerollable 7″ charge that does D3 mortals on arrival, more mortals on the charge (on a 4+) and then hits on 2+, wounds on 2+, saves on 2+. Even if they don’t wipe a screen some will probably survive the counter attack. It also makes dropping 2 units in a turn more palatable, even if the second fails it’s 9″ charge it may survive to try again.
The Longstrikes have Thunderbolt Volley (and aren’t reinforced) to give a turn of double shooting. Praetors to bodyguard Karazi in the early game (he out paces them) wraps up the troops. After that the Lord Imperatant has Tunnel Master for a sneaky teleport and celestial blades just in case something needs help with wounding (melee weapons only). And lastly the Celestant Prime for another hammer mid to late game (when Karazai is normally running out of steam).
Not without it’s risks, in the end there are only 75 wounds in the list and it needs to dictate the engagement. Karazai is more rarely chosen because he is vulnerable to mortal wounds generally. Being a one drop army helps, Joseph will dictate the first round activation in most games. Competing well against combat armies, Joseph faced down a Tzeetch army which is a tall order for an army with almost no denies.
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Army Faction: Blades of Khorne – Army Subfaction: Reapers of Vengeance – Grand Strategy: The Day is Ours! – Triumphs: Inspired
LEADER 1 x Skarbrand (390) 1 x Archaon (860)* 1 x Bloodsecrator (130)* – General – Command Traits: Mage Eater – Artefacts: Skullshard Mantle – Aspects of the Champion: Fuelled by Ghurish Rage 1 x Slaughterpriest (100)* – Bloodbathed Axe – Prayers: Blood Sacrifice
A lot of armies in Age of Sigmar can be broken down into units of hammers and anvils. This is a useful distinction, since it gives a quick idea of what role a unit needs to play, why you would include them in your list, and what to expect from your opponent’s force. Blades of Khorne do not work this way.
Blades can be better broken into three categories: independent operators, tech pieces, and drones. In Samuel’s case, he has brought a balance of the three, with a skew towards independent operators.
In this list, the idependents are Archaeon and Skarbrand. Both are meant to be beatstick intimidation pieces with minor buffs to other units. Archaeon is the only wizard in Samuel’s list, and he will see some benefit from Mystic Shield, but the known spell are limited since Khorne does not have a spell lore (for obvious reasons). Skarbrand is an excellent intimidating force, and only opponents that have never faced him before will risk damaging him without being positive that he will die. At his lowest bracket (his best) he can guarantee 8 mortal wounds with his axe, Carnage. While he can’t score VP from killing a Galletian Champion, he can certainly deny his opponent a few battle tactics through the use of the rare rule: “you can just pick that one up.”
The Bloodsecrator, Slaughterpriest, and Cockatrice are Samuel’s tech pieces. The first provides two useful auras (forcing Wizards to re-roll successful casting attempts and providing Blades of Khorne units +1 attack). The second gives access to prayers (Blood Sacrifice in this case, allowing early blood tithe gains) and invocations (which Samuel has elected to leave at home). The Cockatrice brings a particularly interesting ability that is one of the few in this list that will benefit Archaeon. If the Cockatrice manages to ping some mortal wounds on an opponent, that unit can only hit on 6s in that combat phase. This can be used to either protect Archaeon and Skarbrand from the beatings Samuel’s opponents are surely going to throw at them, or can be used to add some additional protection for his drones.
A note for the above units: Skarbrand, the Bloodsecrator, and the Slaughterpriest can all be used at summoning points for daemon units. Khorne is in a great spot right now, partially because the summoning mechanic allows them to pull a GC out of thin air onto an objective for the measly cost of 2 blood tithe points. This allows for some seriously flexible scoring, ecen into the late game, assuming you have a hero or skull alter and some blood tithe points burning a hole in your pocket.
Back on the subject of drones, Samuel has chosen to take the mortal flavor of drone: 10 blood warriors and 30 blood reavers. The blood warriors’ 2 wounds and 4+ somehow make them one of the most durable units in the book (about equal with Mighty Skullcrushers), which is saying something. The blood reavers are fast and will die as soon as they connect with something, providing some early blood tithe points.
All around a deceptively technical list, and one that was piloted to a great 4-1.
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Allegiance: Flesh-eater Courts – Grand Court: Blisterskin – Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs – Triumphs:
LEADERS Abhorrant Archregent (240)* – Artefact: The Dermal Robe – Lore of Madness: Deranged Transformation – Aspect of the Champion: Tunnel Master Abhorrant Ghoul King on Royal Terrorgheist (450)* – General – Command Trait: Hellish Orator – Artefact: Eye of Hysh – Mount Trait: Gruesome Bite – Lore of Madness: Spectral Host Crypt Infernal Courtier (130)*
UNITS 9 x Crypt Flayers (540)** 10 x Crypt Ghouls (80)** 10 x Crypt Ghouls (80)*
BEHEMOTHS Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur (480) – Allies
CORE BATTALIONS *Warlord **Galletian Veterans
TOTAL: 2000/2000 WOUNDS: 83 DROPS: 7
Declan: Well I’m the first to admit that I’m not an expert in Flesh Eater Courts, but I have fought them a few times and this one has a Incarnate of Ghur – so there’s that. Frederic has gone for the 4-1 that’s difficult to pull off known as the submarine (LWWWW); and it’s a great result with a difficult army to use. This one is all about close assault, the Krondspine, Terrorgheist and Crypt Flayers.
Despite the increase in cost (480 points from 400 points in the latest balance update), the Krondspine is still good, and as he doesn’t die until the end of the turn so when it’s in combat you can guarantee it will dish out damage.
Games Workshop via Wahapedia
This allows teleporting Ghouls and gives the Terrorghiest a useful -1 to be hit with the Eye of Hysh, not to mention his warscroll ability to summon more Crypt Flayers. The Archregent can do the same, but also comes with a great utility spell:
Games Workshop via Wahapedia
It’s easy to cast and – crucially – lasts to the next hero phase. This means Frederic can make one awesome unit a turn with additional D3 attacks in combat. Sure, he may roll a 1, but you’ll never forget it if you’re on the other end of a 3 on a Terrorgheist or Crypt Flayers.
The army certainly has potential, but Frederic must have commanded it well to get a 4-1; they’re still not common with FEC.
This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Gateway Open that took place in USA on 20th and 21st August. It involved 43 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: Knights Excelsior (Scions of the Storm) – Mortal Realm: Ghyran – Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak – Triumphs: Inspired
Battleline 3 x Annihilators with Meteoric Grandhammers (240)*** 3 x Annihilators with Meteoric Grandhammers (240)** 5 x Vanquishers (125)**
Units 2 x Stormdrake Guard (340)** – Drakerider’s Warblade 3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (240)*** 3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (240)*** 3 x Aetherwings (65)*
Brett: A rare venture into top spot by Stormcast with an army composition that is showing a lot of promise in the current meta. A few subtleties in the construction of the list though. Firstly the Grand Strategy – that will force you to hunt down the opponents battleline. It’s a fair chance that you’d be doing that to win anyway, and an equally fair chance that the drakes (Bounty Hunters) will be doing that if any try to hide. The Magnificent Bonus from Warlord is important, Warlord is rarely used by Stormcast, but they probably benefit the most from it with their Holy Commands. The chosen 2 are amoung the best, in one turn one of the raptors are shooting in both the Hero and Shooting phase.
That gives you an effective 9 Raptors worth of shooting (one turn, 18 shots for 36 potential damage). Call for aid returns the Vanquishers the first time they are killed (recycling if you will). The heroes are the standard combination – Lord Imperatant for 7″ charges, Lord Relictor for Translocate (here with the Tome to increase utility) and the Knight Incantor for casting an a clutch dispel (one guaranteed/battle). The 7″ charge applies to any Thunderstrike unit (includes the Lord, Storm Drake and Vanquishers as well as the Annihilators) put only one unit per turn. This list is sometimes called a gambler’s list – you are banking on the 7″ charge (82% chance with reroll) otherwise you have 10 wounds with a 4+ save waiting to die.
This list is a bit low in durability with 85 wounds, mostly on a 4+ vs the normal SCE 3+. And 3 Galletian Veteran units make 28 of those wounds. The Aetherwings and Vanquishers are valuable as screens to begin with to keep the raptors safe. Later turns their mobility (Aetherwings) and damage is useful for board control and grabbing objectives. The drakes provide mobile, swingy damage – their breath weapons can hit hard or whiff horribly. Even the number of drops plays into the strategy – does your opponent make you go first? Or do they try to blunt your shooting (unlikely)? His matches were basically melee armies and the DoK armed (10 Blood Sisters) are overmatched by the Raptors.
Quite a few good players are using variants of this list, with Prime Hunters gone it should see man improvement in SCE win rates. It’s not instant win by any measure but gives you the tools to get the job done. The high drops is a nice touch, as is Horrorghast to maximise the impact on low bravery units of that long range shooting.
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Allegiance: Cities of Sigmar – City: Living City – Mortal Realm: Ghur – Grand Strategy: Bastions of Hope – Triumphs: Inspired
Leaders Anointed on Frostheart Phoenix (315)* – General – Command Trait: Ironoak Artisan – Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact) – Lore of Leaves: Lifesurge Battlemage (100)* – Mortal Realm: Ghur – Lore of Leaves: Ironoak Skin Sorceress (90)* – Lore of Leaves: Lifesurge Gotrek Gurnisson (485)** – Allies
Battleline 10 x Dreadspears (85)* – City Role: Honoured Retinue (Must be 5-20 models) 10 x Dreadspears (85)* 10 x Dreadspears (85)*
Units 4 x Stormdrake Guard (680)** – Drakerider’s Warblade – Reinforced x 1
Endless Spells & Invocations Purple Sun of Shyish (70)
Brett: Living cities with SCE based hammers was popular before Prime Hunters so no surprise they are back with the new season. Gotrek is arguably a Cities character since he hangs there between adventures. The book Grand Strategy is interesting, you need to control more terrain features than your opponent at the end of the battle. Interesting since that implies keeping the Dreadspears alive, 1 W and a 4+ save makes that “fun”. Doubly so since the Sorceress is likely taking wounds from them to empower her spells (kills a model for +2 to cast). Overall with the Tome there are 3 casters and 3 casts. Lifesurge can heal D6 wounds and Ironoak Skin makes incoming attacks -1 to wound.
The Battlemage has Wildform which you could put on Gotrek (+2 to run and charge) to make him more mobile. Otherwise the Stormdrakes or Anointed could benefit. The Stormdrakes and Gotrek are in bounty hunters (so Gotrek is rocking a 4 damage axe). Using the Anointed early might be risky but he is quite tanking particularly with Ironoak Artisan that also grants +1 to wound rolls with melee weapons, it shouldn’t apply to the mount unfortunately. A big block of Dragons to threaten any open flanks or open objectives, they can also be covered by the Anointed (and cover the Anointed). Lifesurge is very useful healing the 9 wound dragons for D6 every turn. A very mobile hard hitting block. And of course the Purple Sun for both it’s debuff and it’s board control abilities. Your opponent will normally try to avoid it as much as possible.
A dependable list, Gotrek is an interesting addition even though he suffers from a lack of mobility. It’s possible to play around him but with the Dragons and Purple Sun there isn’t that much board to play with. In this case Ryan’s opponents for the most part needed to come to him to play making it much easier to get Gotrek into combat.
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Army Faction: Blades of Khorne – Subfaction: Reapers of Vengeance – Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs – Triumph: Bloodthirsty
LEADERS Bloodthirster of Unfettered Fury (295) – General – Command Traits: Mage Eater – Artefacts of Power: The Crimson Crown Skarr Bloodwrath (105)** Slaughterpriest (100)** – Hackblade and Wrath-hammer – Prayers: Blood Sacrifice Skarbrand (380)** Bloodthirster of Insensate Rage (280)*** – Artefacts of Power: Skullshard Mantle Bloodsecrator (125)***
Brett: Ahead of a possible new book (40k is getting new Daemons codex and Tzeentch is due soon, does that mean a new Khorne tome?). Khorne is another faction that really benefited with the end of Prime Hunters, it gives them more freedom with their Greater Daemons. Reapers of Vengence subfaction granting a Horrorghast effect (D3 extra fail battleshock) and a 3″ pile in and fight again command. Mage-Eater and Skullshatter are the mandatory trait/artefact but grant a spell deny and a 2+ spell ignore. The Crimson Crown effectively grants a free CP every round (5) that can only be used on the bearer’s warscroll ability (if they have one). In this case a 6″ pile in within 16″.
The key to Khorne in AoS are the big Daemons,, the Bloodthirsters and Skarbrand. Unusually there is no (Slaves to Darkness) Daemon Prince to affect movement/charges. Each of the Greater Daemons can do appalling levels of damage but each has an element of chance so they can also whiff horribly. The Unfettered Rage is probably the least damaging with a 12″ ranged attack and 6 melee attacks all doing D3 damage. The Insensate Range. His number of ranged attacks and to wound chance in melee degrade with wounds. Insensate Rage does D6 damage with his axe, and the number of attacks plus the Mortal Wounds (MW) caused on 6s degrade. The MW are to all units within 8″. Your best tactic against these is to get some damage in early to degrade them. Skarbrand needs to be treated differently though.
Skarbrand’s attacks increase as he degrades, and if he isn’t engaged in combat he fights next round as if he was in his lowest bracket. His main weapon is a flat 3 damage, his 8″ ranged attack is a 50% chance to inflict 1 MW for each successful attack and his Carnage 8MW. At lowest bracket it does that on a 1. Skarbrand either needs to be engaged all the time or removed early. Haven’t even mentioned the smaller heroes – Skarr can return to the field after death on a 8 (2D6) and is an anti horde fighter (either 5 attacks or the number of models within 3″), the Bloodsectator forces wizards to reroll successful casts within 16″. He also grants an additional attack to Khorne units within 16″. The Slaughter Priest is here to farm Blood Tithe points for summoning.
Finally we finish with the troops and summoning. Reinforced Bloodletters get +1 to hit (for 20 models in the unit), 6s do MWs, they can force rerolls on successful bravery rolls for the enemy and on a battleshock roll of 1 return D6 models to this unit. They only have 1 wound and a 5+ save so die easily. Bloodreavers are even more fragile but double up on the bonus attacks from the presence of a Bloodsectrator. Unnamed Beasts are very fragile but bring a lot of mobility and potentially grab outlying points or Battle Tactics. The Hexgorger is a nice touch, it is a prayer that is an endless spell. It inflicts a -2 to casting within 12″ and if a wizard within 8″ casts an 8, the spell fails, they forget the spell and take D6 MW. Nice.
That’s a lot to take in for a simple army that wants to get close,bash, stab, slash and generally maim you. You are best to shoot them from afar and hope for the best. When you look at his opponents though almost all of them had decent shooting (not the Skaven, those poor rats) but only one was able to use it effectively. That’s the difference between 24″ and 30″ range I suspect.
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Allegiance: Legion of the First Prince – Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs – Triumphs: Inspired
Leaders Be’Lakor, the Dark Master (360)* – Lore of Ruinous Sorcery: The Master’s Command Bloodthirster of Insensate Rage (280) – General – Command Trait: Ruinous Aura Kairos Fateweaver (435) – Lore of Ruinous Sorcery: The Master’s Command The Blue Scribes (160)* – Lore of Ruinous Sorcery: The Master’s Command The Contorted Epitome (245)* – Artefact: Fourfold Blade – Universal Spell Lore: Ghost-mist
Battleline 5 x Flesh Hounds (105)* 5 x Flesh Hounds (105)* 5 x Flesh Hounds (105)*
Endless Spells & Invocations Emerald Lifeswarm (60) Purple Sun of Shyish (70) Umbral Spellportal (70)
Brett: Another hero based list with 3 combat and 2 caster heroes, all with 10″+ movement. 3 Greater Demons is fairly common, we’ve already covered The Unfettered Rage above. Otherwise, and even with the Khorne elements, this is a casting army with 7 casts. The “Masters Command” on most of the leaders lets model, if slain, fight on Death. Otherwise Be’Lakor’s warscroll spell is enfeeblement giving an opposing unit -1 to wound. That’s on top of his once a game ability to stop pretty much all actions from a unit on a 3+ in each phase. Kairos is the epitome of a caster, his key ability is everytime he casts, dispels or unbinds he can set the lowest D6 (of the 2D6 roll) to match the highest D6. To summon the Purple Sun or his warscroll spell he only needs one 4 on 2 dice.
His Oracle of Eternity is also clutch, allowing him to set the number on a dice once per battle. It doesn’t have to be his roll, there is no range and no limit on what type of roll it’s used on. That’s on top of his 3 spells. You may be wondering why there is no Cogs in this list, the Blue Scribes are why. They have a warscroll spell with a casting value (CV) of 4 that allows other wizards to reroll. They can also copy spells and ensure successful casting once per hero phase on a 2+. Kairos then summons whatever Endless Spells are needed that turn. Umbral Spellportal to extend spells range, Purple Sun for threat and Lifeswarm for healing. The Contorted Epitome is mostly a combat unit but Ghost mist is a good choice to hide it’s approach.
The Flesh Hounds are here because outside of Gargants you need battle line. They are somewhat durable (2 wounds on a 5+), fast (8″) and annoying in combat. They are expendable and of course more units can be summoned. For LoFP it’s a battleline unit based on the Chaos god they represent (Bloodletters, Horrors, Demonettes etc). Belakor can summon any of these or 6 Furies. Chose which hero based on what you need and where it on the board (the reinforcements are arriving within 12″). A very broad range of abilities that it would be hard to track and apply but that means the list plays well into almost anything. The only loss was to 2nd place, Gotrek is great into daemons and the Stormdrake block is capable of clearing anything in this list in a turn. Once the Greater Daemons start dying this list is pretty fragile.
