This article is a pilot (so to speak), if there’s enough interest and people find this informative then I’ll continue this with other factions. Let me know what you think!

Win Rate

While the most popular subfaction inside the Stormcast Eternals appears to be the Hammers of Sigmar, Hallowed Knights have the (ever so slightly) higher win rate. Both of these subfactions are inside the ideal 45-55% win range, although I’m sure some SCE players would rather that be on the other side of the 50% mark.

While Celestial Vindicators do have a 60% win rate, that’s only been driven by two players in the last month (two 3-0-2 results) and so is to early to judge.

The same goes for the Astral Templars, Tempest Lords and Anvils of Heldenhammer. There’s not enough data to draw conclusions from this, only that perhaps the fact they’re not being chosen would suggest that players believe they’ll have a higher chance of winning with the other subfactions.

However, players do appear to be struggling to get the wins with Knights Excelsior even though it is one of the more popular factions.

5 wins Results

Date	Tournament	Name
17th July 2022	Midwest Bash	Tyler Emerson (USA)

4 wins Results

Date	Tournament	Name
17th July 2022	Midwest Bash	John Lindsey (USA)
17th July 2022	Midwest Bash	Zano Korellio (USA)
24th July 2022	BWG: Summer Slaughter	Ryan Lavoie (USA)
24th July 2022	BWG: Summer Slaughter	David Klamm (USA)
24th July 2022	Miniparadice Anniversary Tournament	Andreas Hölter (Germany)
24th July 2022	Miniparadice Anniversary Tournament	Bastian Gerstner (Germany)

Other Results

Only the Hammers of Sigmar have achieved five wins at tournament so far, while Celestial Vindicators, Knights Excelsior and Hallowed Knights have all also achieved 4 wins.

Top Lists

Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals
– Stormhost: Hammers of Sigmar (Scions of the Storm)
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs

Leaders
Celestant-Prime, Hammer of Sigmar (325)*
Lord-Commander Bastian Carthalos (300)*
Knight-Relictor (140)*
– General
– Command Trait: High Priest
– Prayer: Translocation
Lord-Castellant (155)*
– Artefact: Arcane Tome
– Spell: Celestial Blades

Battleline
10 x Judicators with Skybolt Bows (400)**
– Reinforced x 1
5 x Liberators (115)**
– Heavens-wrought Weapon and Shield
– 1x Grandweapons
5 x Liberators (115)***
– Heavens-wrought Weapon and Shield
– 1x Grandweapons

Units
10 x Protectors (450)***
– 4x Starsoul Maces
– Reinforced x 1

Core Battalions
*Command Entourage – Magnificent
**Expert Conquerors
***Bounty Hunters

Additional Enhancements
Holy Command: Call for Aid
Holy Command: Unleash Thy Hatred

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 100
Drops: 8

Brett: A strong return to hero hammer, and after a year of experimenting it’s probably the best way to play Stormcast Eternals (SCE), with a very hero heavy list taking first. The list isn’t without it’s tricks however. Using a Knight Relictor vs a Lord Relictor, an uncommon choice, but when you are staying close to a particular unit – the judicators – the 6″ prayer range isn’t important. The model is more available and importantly saved the 5 points needed to make the list work. Bastian hits very hard (D4) and once per turn can inflict mortal wounds on a unit by rolling D6 against their wound characteristic, on a 6 inflicting a mortal wound. Into a Mega Gargant that’s an average of 6MW per turn. Anyone that plays 40k will recognise the Terminator block at the heart of the list, 10 Protectors. With half the models having Glaives they have +1 to save and can easily receive +1 to hit. As bounty hunters they receive a +1 to damage (D2 against Galletian Veterans). They are also inflicting 4D3 mortal wounds 80% of the time.

The Lord Castellan either stays with the Protectors (+1 to hit and +1 to Save) or the Liberators making the Liberators save on 2s with a 6+ ward near objectives. And Call for Aid means that there are 15 Liberators not 10 in this list. Even placing the judicators into Eternal Conquerors plays a roll, they will count as 30 models on objectives and attacking them exposes you to Unleash Hell. Usually they have the Relictor to translocate them to the rear, a real late game objective threat. The Celestant-Prime is a hero deleter, the trickiest part is whether to use him Turn 2 or 3. Usually in that turn Orrery will guarantee a successful charge. Without his shooting and arriving turn 3 that’s an average of 12wounds into the hero of his choice. Like Bastian he has a 4+ ward.

A very balanced list that deserves to go 5/0 it’s only real weakness is mobility. The combination of Scions and Steadfast March help a lot there as well. It was a very low scoring victory (65) indicating that board control and forcing the opponent off their game was a major part of the victory. In other words a very good general won using this list.

Army Faction: Stormcast Eternals
– Army Type: Scions of the Storm
– Army Subfaction: Hammers of Sigmar
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs: Inspired

LEADER
Krondys (600)*
– Spells: Thundershock
Lord-Relictor (145)*
– General
– Command Traits: High Priest
– Artefacts: Mirrorshield
– Prayers: Translocation

BATTLELINE
1 x Dracothian Guard Tempestors (440)*
Judicators with Boltstorm Crossbows (190)*
– Thunderbolt Crossbow
Dracothian Guard Desolators (220)**

ENDLESS SPELL
Purple Sun of Shyish (70)

OTHER
Stormstrike Chariot (165)*
– Stormstrike Axe and Tempestuous Spear
Stormstrike Chariot (165)**
– Stormstrike Axe and Tempestuous Spear

CORE BATTALIONS:
*Battle Regiment
**Bounty Hunters

TOTAL POINTS: (1995/2000)

Brett: Another SCE list doing well, it’s only loss was to the eventual winner. In contrast to our first list this has brought some needed mobility. Interesting choices of Dracothian’s here; Tempestor’s (ranged) and Desolators (axe murderers). Tempestor’s will have an average of 4 hits from their 3 ranged attacks on top of their Dracothian’s breath attack. On top of that by using a unit of 2 for the Desolators they will almost always have an extra 2 attacks. Stormstrike Chariots are very mobile, hard to kill and their impact mortals make them dangerous to most opponents. Along with the Dracothian’s we have the Purple Sun and Krondys. The Purple sun is difficult to cast but Krondys gets a +3 to cast at his top profile making the Sun a CV of 5 and probably on the board from Turn 1. Importantly this list has 4 denies which is a big part of the current meta.

No Holy Command is included on the list but Thunderbolt Volley is likely, given the unreinforced unit of Judicators. All up a very different list to the winner with a lot of mobility but few units so a focus on killing your opponents. The lists he faced in this run up were interesting but ultimately until the last round very exposed to this combination of mobility and Mortal Wounds. Wound output into that Protector brisk wouldn’t have been enough. Well done on the 4/1 result.

Performance Against Other Factions

Stormcast armies appear to have a great time against armies such as Cities of Sigmar, Hedonites of Slaanesh and Ironjawz. While they suffer against Disciples of Tzeentch, Kharadron Overlords and Slaves to Darkness.

Top 10 Players