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Battletome Review: Skaven

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This will be the first of our Age of Sigmar 4th Edition battletome reviews.

Like other Battletome reviews you see elsewhere, we’ll be looking at the Battle Traits, Battle Formations, Artefacts, and Heroic Traits. But we’ll be adding our own twist as we look at their effectiveness and usage by players using our own stats that we publish each week. We’ll keep this updated throughout 4th edition so you can keep referring back.

On top of this, because not everyone is a competitive player, we’ll be looking at the lore in the book as well as the rules for both Path to Glory and Spearhead.

Also, a little reminder that you can purchase your copy of the Skaven Battletome through our affiliate link with Element Games (£31.45). You’ll be helping the site and saving money on the RRP at the same time!

And if you want to chat to us directly, why not join our friendly Discord server?

I want to thank everyone who has helped create this Battletome review by either sending me pictures of their models to use or giving me little snippets of their tactical thinking around Skaven:

  • Boggy
  • Carl Stokes
  • Celefaze
  • Droog
  • DustyDness
  • HairyHogg
  • Jesterscf
  • Kieren Coates
  • Noel Fundora
  • Patrick German
  • Roland Rivera
  • Schokoweck
  • Scott Huber
  • Vericur
  • Vladislav Turusov
  • Zaza / Elsaz
  • Fazer

Also, a massive thank you to our Patreon supporters! It’s because of you that the site no longer had ads!

What are the Skaven?

To witness the Skaven at war is to glimpse the apocalyse. Twisted fusions of man and rat, they epitomise the most despicable traits of mortalkind. Callous, cunning and foul beyond imagining, they strive to reduce the realms to ruin, overthrowing the natural order with wicked glee.

The Skaven are a race of humanoid rats who plot and scheme for realm spanning domination (think Pinky and the Brain). They number in the their billions, and the realms have not yet been overrun by the Skaven only due to constant infighting and distrust of one another.

Each Skaven claws their way as high as they can through the social structure by any means necessary, whether through double-dealing, bribery or assassination.

Crazy and ingenious, their War machines are things of terror, as are their menagerie of monsters, created from the visions of the warp-addled minds of the Clans Moulder.

The Chittering Horde Advances – Carl Stokes

Battletome Lore

The lore of the battletome focuses on the Hour of Ruin, a time when the Skaven unite under their father-god, the Great Horned Rat, and swarm across the Mortal Realms. Central to this narrative is the Great Horned Rat’s grand scheme: for the sprawling Skaven stronghold of Blight City to breach the weakened veil of reality and spill into the fiery hellscape of Aqshy’s Great Parch, now corrupted and renamed the Gnaw.

The Gnaw is a landscape saturated with the corrupting taint of Chaos and glittering with warpstone dust, lethal to both body and soul. Only those with resistance to Chaos can tread within its bounds, and even then, they must face the countless hordes of Skaven that infest the area.

The battletome also explores the larger Skaven clans in detail, highlighting their character and roles within Skaven society:

  • Clans Eshin specialise in espionage, deception, and assassination, their shadowy operatives striking from the darkness with deadly precision.
  • Clans Pestilens venerate the Horned Rat as the Great Corruptor, willingly infecting themselves with virulent plagues they believe bring them closer to their father-god.
  • Clans Moulder are macabre beastmasters, known for creating horrific warbeasts by melding creatures together through dark alchemy and mutation.
  • Clans Skryre are diabolical engineers, crafting devastating machines and warp-powered devices capable of wreaking havoc from a distance.
  • Clans Verminus derive their strength from sheer numbers, commanding endless hordes of Skaven to overwhelm their enemies in a tide of fur and claws.

The battletome digs into the details of Blight City, describing its labyrinthine layout and painting a picture of the Skaven’s festering metropolis. Alongside the background lore, it includes a selection of short stories. One, Red in Fang and Claw, recounts the fate of Greatcost, a fortified city in the Great Parch. This story captures the destruction carried out by the Skaven.

Faction Rules

Battle Traits

Skaven armies have a number of thematic abilities that reflect their devious and unpredictable nature. These traits allow players to embrace the Skaven underhanded style of warfare:

  • Lurking Vermintide (Deployment Phase): Allows one friendly Skaven unit to be held in reserve, representing their knack for striking from the tunnels below.
  • Always Three Clawsteps Ahead (Enemy Hero Phase): Once per turn, a non-Monster Skaven unit not engaged in combat or freshly deployed can make a ‘Normal Move‘ as if it were the movement phase, showcasing their quick reflexes and adaptability.
  • Too Quick to Hit-Hit (Passive): Skaven Infantry and Cavalry are immune to mortal wounds caused by Retreat abilities, reflecting their frantic and slippery nature.
  • Splinters of the Vermindoom (Once per Battle Round): If there are fewer than three Gnawholes on the battlefield, this ability allows you to place another Gnawhole, provided it adheres to specific placement rules.
  • Gnawhole Ambush (Your Movement Phase): A unit in reserve can emerge from the tunnels, deploying within 6″ of a Gnawhole and at least 9″ from enemy units, enabling surprise attacks.

These traits reinforce the Skaven‘s strengths in mobility, and making their heroes difficult to pin down, making them partially unpredictable to play against.

Skaven in battle on the tabletop – Credit to HairyHogg

Battle Formations

The Warpcog Convocation stands out as the current favourite among Skaven players, offering a combination of risk and reward during the shooting phase. Once per turn, the Skaven player rolls a dice for up to three Skryre units. The outcomes vary dramatically: on a 1, the unit suffers Kaboom! and takes D3 mortal wounds. Rolling a 2-5 (66% Chance) grants More Power!, adding +1 to wound rolls for shooting attacks for the turn. But roll a 6, and you get More-more Power!, not only improving wound rolls but also adding +1 to the rend characteristic of ranged weapons. This mechanic captures the chaotic nature of the Skryre faction, rewarding a little risk-taking with offensive boosts.

This affects the following units:

Trailing behind but still notable is the Fleshmeld Menagerie, a solid second choice for many Skaven players. Triggered during the hero phase, this ability allows the player to target up to three friendly Moulder units and roll for each. On a 1-2, the units suffer Self-destructive Fury and take D3 mortal damage. A roll of 3-4 grants +1 to the attacks characteristic of melee weapons until the next turn. On a roll of 6, the rewards stack with the addition of Ward (5+) alongside the increased attacks. While not as universally useful as the ranged effect of Warpcog Convocation, the Menagerie appeals to those looking to boost their melee-centric Moulder lists. Fleshmeld Menagerie affects the following units:

In contrast, Virulent Procession and Claw-Horde struggle to make a similar impact. Virulent Procession offers a situational effect for Pestilens units, allowing up to three of them in combat to pile in and deal mortal damage. Affecting:

While Claw-Horde, provides a straightforward +1 to the rend of up to three Verminus units’ melee weapons for the turn, which affects:

While both abilities have their uses, neither matches the versatility or consistent boost of the top two choices, leaving them underrepresented in competitive play.

Heroic Traits

When it comes to Heroic Traits in the Skaven Battletome, Scurry Away emerges as the clear favourite among players. This trait allows the hero to attempt a Retreat on a 3+ if they are engaged in combat. What makes this effective is its synergy with the Too Quick to Hit-Hit ability, detailed in the Battle Traits section, which ensures that Skaven Infantry or Cavalry units don’t suffer mortal damage when doing so.

Short-tempered sees moderate play and offers a straightforward but useful buff. It adds +1 to both run and charge rolls for friendly Skaven units wholly within 13″ of the hero. This trait is ideal for lists looking to capitalise on mobility and aggression, helping to close the distance to enemy lines or reposition quickly.

Lagging slightly behind in popularity and in terms of success on the tabletop is Skilled Manipulator, which grants the hero a Ward (4+). However, the trait comes with a twist: successful ward rolls pass the damage onto a nearby non-hero Skaven Infantry unit. While this provides survivability for the hero, the reliance on sacrificial units to absorb the damage can make it a more situational choice, particularly in lists with limited disposable infantry (but entirely thematic).

Artefacts of Power

Among the Artefacts of Power in the Skaven Battletome, Foulhide takes the top spot, chosen by roughly a third of all competitive GT players. Its straightforward utility allows the bearer to Heal D3 health each turn, offering much-needed durability.

In second place is Skavenbrew, a once-per-battle artefact that provides a powerful but risky buff. In any combat phase, the bearer can target a friendly non-hero Skaven infantry unit wholly within 13″. The chosen unit suffers D3 mortal damage, but gains +1 to the Attacks characteristic of its melee weapons for the rest of the turn. This trade-off is very Skaven and has proven a solid choice for players looking to enhance their offensive output at crucial moments.

Warpstone Charm, on the other hand, sees little use and limited success on the tabletop, falling just outside the ideal 45-55% win rate range. Its effect allows the bearer to target an enemy unit in combat, and on a 3+, that unit suffers a -1 penalty to save rolls for the rest of the turn. While potentially impactful, its situational nature make it less appealing compared to the more reliable Foulhide and the high-risk, high-reward Skavenbrew.

Prayer Lore

The Skaven’s Noxious Prayers offer a blend of offensive and defensive abilities. These prayers are chanted by Skaven Priests each with effects that grow stronger on an higher ritual points. The Skaven Priests are:

Skaven Plague Furnaces – Carl Stokes

Bile-Torrent is an offensive prayer with a chant value of 4. The Skaven Priest targets a visible enemy unit within 13″ and rolls a dice for each model in that unit. Each roll of 5+ inflicts a mortal damage. If the chanting roll is an 8 or higher, the prayer deals mortal damage on a 4+ instead. This makes Bile-Torrent particularly effective against large units.

Filth-Crust, also with a chant value of 4, enhances the offensive power of a friendly Skaven Infantry unit wholly within 13″. It grants +1 to their wound rolls for melee attacks. On a chanting roll of 8+, the effect becomes even more devastating, giving the unit’s weapons Crit (Mortal), until the start of the next turn.

Rabid-Tough shifts the focus to defence, with a chant value of 5. It allows the Skaven Priest to target a friendly Skaven Infantry unit wholly within 13″, subtracting 1 from wound rolls made against that unit. On a chanting roll of 8+, the targeted unit gains +1 to their save rolls until the start of the next turn, boosting their survivability.

Spell Lore

The Skaven Spell Lore, Lore of Ruin provides spells for controlling the battlefield and disrupting opponents. Each spell has a casting value of 6, making them relatively easy to cast for their Wizards:

Grey Seer – Zaza / Elsaz

Skitterleap offers mobility, allowing a Skaven Wizard to teleport a visible Skaven Hero wholly within 13″ to anywhere on the battlefield, as long as it is at least 9″ away from enemy units. This spell is perfect for achieving battle tactics like Take Their Land, Take the Flanks, or Attack on Two Fronts.

Warpgale provides battlefield control. Targeting a visible enemy unit within 18″, the spell inflicts the Strike-Last effect for the rest of the turn. This can swing key combats in your favour, particularly when used against high-impact enemy units.

Wither allows the Skaven Wizard to pick an enemy unit within 13″ and inflict D3 mortal damage. This makes it an excellent option for sniping vulnerable enemy heroes or chipping away at key threats, adding a touch of reliable damage to the Skaven arsenal.

Each of these spells brings utility, whether for enhancing mobility, controlling the flow of battle, or dealing targeted damage.

Manifestation Lore (Manifestations of Doom)

Most Skaven players are choosing to take Krondspine Incarnate or Forbidden Power over their own Manifestation Lore, Manifestations of Doom. And we can see that they are having good success with Forbidden Power at 72% win rate where it’s included.

Manifestations of Doom is seeing little success and falls short of the 45-55% win rate we see for lists where its included.

I asked the Skaven players on our Discord server why they are choosing Manifestations of Forbidden Power over their own lore and generally Forbidden Power allows the units of Ratling Guns and their screens to be teleported which is especially useful when the Gnawholes have been removed or can’t be set up. Forbidden Power is also great for area denial.

The Krondspine Incarnate is taken as something to sit in the midfield and tank the enemy.

There are three spells within the Manifestations of Doom, the first being:

Bell of Doom

Bell of Doom by Vericur

This is fairly easy to cast on 7+. It has a 3D6″ move and it will force the Skaven opponent to subtract 1 from wound rolls for attacks that target a Skaven Infantry unit wholly within 13″ of the Bell of Doom.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.60.91.21.51.8

Vermintide

Vermintide by Vericur

Vermintide has a move of 7″ with a health of 13 and save of 6+. If can also be cast on 7+. At the end of any turn it will Heal (D6).

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.51.01.41.92.4

Warp Lightning Vortex

Warp Lightning Vortex by Vericur

During the Hero Phase in a turn in which it was not set up enemy units within 6″ of the Manifestation suffer D3 mortal damage on a dice roll of 4+. It will also force enemy units to subtract 2 from run and charge rolls while they are within 6″ of the Warp Lightning Vortex, and if any enemy unit passes across the Warp Lightning Vortex they’ll suffer D3 mortal damage.

But considering none of the three models that make up this manifestation move, it wouldn’t be hard for a canny player to avoid.

Warscrolls

Currently for the 24/25 Season, you can see that most players are taking Clanrats, Ratling Guns, Greyseer, Stormfiends, Thanquol on Boneripper, Arch-Warlock, Night Runners and Plaguepack being the most popular units.

Throughout the following warscroll reviews you’ll see figures for average shooting and melee damage output. These do not include bonuses from All-Out-Attack or the effects of Covering Fire. Please bear this in mind when viewing these figures.

Hero

Arch-Warlock

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.60.81.01.31.3

But note, this unit can shoot in combat as well.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.52.12.73.33.7

The Arch-Warlock is a Skryre Hero and a Wizard (1). It has an ability that negates the need to spend a command point for using the Covering Fire command for nearby Skryre units.

Works with other Skryre units that have ranged weaponry:

Clawlord

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.32.02.73.34.0

However, if this unit has been damaged it adds three to the number of attacks increasing it’s damage output to:

2+3+4+5+6+
2.03.04.05.06.0

You could tie this in with the Skavenbrew artefact when it comes up against a tougher opponent. It would mean it suffers D3 mortal damage, but then its attacks would increase to 10 and its damage output would increase to (I’m not at all advising this!):

2+3+4+5+6+
2.23.34.45.66.7

Once this unit has fought, you can also get another nearby Verminus Infantry unit to then resolve their Fight ability immediately after the Clawlords attacks have been resolved.

The Verminus Infantry units that this would work with are:

Clawlord on Gnaw-Beast

Clawlord on Gnaw-beast by JSPayne

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.60.91.21.51.8

This is another unit that can shoot in while in combat.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
2.03.04.05.06.0

Like the Clawlord on foot, if this unit is damaged, it can add three further attacks to it’s Warpforged Blade. Increasing its output to:

2+3+4+5+6+
2.74.05.36.78.0

It can also inflict 1 mortal damage on a nearby Non-Hero Verminus Infantry unit to then add 5 to that unit’s control score until the start of the Skaven players next turn. This works with:

Deathmaster

Deathmaster by Peter Holland

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.71.42.12.83.5

This is another unit that can shoot in while in combat.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
2.52.93.33.84.2

But against enemy heroes it also gains an additional pip of rend:

2+3+4+5+6+
2.93.33.84.24.2

Anything fighting this unit is also going to find it difficult, with any unmodified hit rolls of 4 or less counting as their attack sequence ending.

Other Eshin units that are nearby can also benefit from being able to shoot and/or charge even if that unit used run in the same turn. This benefits:

Grey Seer

Grey Seer by Schokoweck

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.50.81.01.31.5

But let’s be honest, its melee damage output isn’t why you’re taking it.

The Grey Seer benefits from having Warpstone Shards which boosts his casting rolls to 3D6 instead of 2D6. If the casting roll is 13, the spell is cast successfully and cannot be unbound but the Grey Seer suffers mortal damage as a result – but beware, if two of those dice rolls are 1’s then it will count as a miscast, regardless of the dice you choose. Otherwise, the player may choose which two dice to use for the casting roll.

Grey Seer on Screaming Bell

Screaming Bell

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
3.34.96.68.29.8
Note that the number of attacks reduces once this unit has 10 or more damage

The Screaming Bell has a number of abilities that accompany it, such as giving Skaven Infantry wholly within 6″ a Ward (6+). Peal of Doom has a random effect of either subtracting 1 from hit rolls for combat attacks for enemy units nearby or dishing out up to 3 mortal damage for each enemy unit within 13″, but if the roll for Peal of Doom is a 1, the Screaming Bell itself suffers D3 mortal damage.

The last one is not an ability, but a spell – Cracks Call, with a casting value of 6 (which is easy enough considering the Screaming Bell has Wizard (2)) it will inflict an amount of mortal damage on an enemy unit based on the difference between the casting roll and the enemy units move characteristic. It comes in particularly useful against those tough slow units like Chaos Warriors – lifting an average of two of them.

Krittok Foulblade

Krittok Foulblade by Vladislav Turusov

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.01.31.72.02.0

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
3.33.94.45.05.0

At the expense of using commands, this unit can use the Strike-First ability as well as adding 1 to the wound rolls for friendly Stormvermin units while they’re wholly within 13″ of this unit.

Krittok Foulblade can also pick 2 units to benefit from the Always Three Clawsteps Ahead ability instead of 1 (providing 1 of those units has the Verminus keyword).

Lord Skreech Verminking

Lord Skreech Verminking by Fazer

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
7.39.712.214.614.6

Lord Skreech Verminking also comes with a Rampage ability that reduces his opponents control score and prevents them from using commands that turn.

He has the spell The Dreaded Thirteenth Spell which he can cast on 7+ (a 72% chance of success), this will allow the Skaven player to pick a visible enemy unit within 13″ of Lord Skreech Verminking and then roll 13 dice. For each 5+ it inflicts 1 mortal damage on that enemy unit, but also returns 1 slain model to a friendly Clanrat unit wholly within 13″ of Lord Skreech Verminking.

He can also choose to pick one of the following in the Hero Phase for his ability The Thirteen-Headed One:

  • Add 1 to casting rolls for friendly Masterclan Wizards
  • Add 1 to the charge roll of nearby Verminus units
  • Add 1 to the hit rolls for nearby shooting attacks made by friendly Skryre units.
  • Add 1 to the rend characteristic of nearby Eshin units.
  • Add 1 to chanting rolls for nearby friendly Pestilens Priests
  • Heal (D3) for nearby friendly Moulder units

It’s worth noting that he also has Ward (5+).

Master Moulder

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.71.01.21.51.5

Like other Skaven Hero units, the Master Moulder can also shoot in combat.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.60.81.11.41.7

This unit is really only useful as a buff to your other Moulder units, giving a nearby Moulder unit Heal (D3) at the end of any turn, and adding 1 to the charge rolls for a Moulder unit in the Skaven charge phase. The units that benefit from this are:

Plague Priest on Plague Furnace

Plague Furnace by Boggy

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
4.36.68.811.113.4

The Plague Priest on Plague Furnace also buffs Pestilens units within 6″, giving them Ward (6+), while also subtracting 1 from Ward rolls enemy units. The buff can be applied to:

Thanquol on Boneripper

Thanquol on Boneripper by Celefaze

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.72.22.83.33.3

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
4.46.07.69.29.5

In addition to the melee attacks, Thanquol on Boneripper also benefits from the Boneripper Rampage which inflicts a number of mortal damage on one enemy unit he’s in combat with. This can range from a single nothing (33% chance), to D3 (50% Chance) to 2D3 (17% Chance) depending upon a dice roll.

While Thanquol on Boneripper is a Wizard (2) his staff also grants a plus 1 to casting rolls, making him one of the most reliable Wizards in the game currently. Add to this the ability to Heal (D3) at the end of any turn, and you can see why the unit is a top pick for players right now.

His signature spell is Terrible Madness which can prevent enemy units from using commands and causing mortal damage at the same time – though don’t expect this to cause too much damage.

Verminlord Corruptor

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
4.76.27.89.39.3

This unit goes well with any Priest models in the Skaven army. If any friendly Priest models roll 6 on their chanting rolls it will allow the Skaven player either cause mortal damage for a nearby unit of the Verminlord Corruptor to suffer D3 mortal damage each time that enemy unit moves, or, re-roll chanting rolls for friendly Pestilens Priests, or, inflict 2D3 mortal damage on a nearby enemy unit. This can benefit:

In addition, once this Verminlord is in combat it can cause mortal damage to up to 3 enemy units with its Rampage ability, it also gains ritual points for mortal damage it does deal in this way.

Verminlord Deceiver

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
2.03.04.05.06.0

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
7.18.29.39.39.3

This unit has the unique ability to be be able to teleport out of one combat to an area 13″ away even if that brings it into another combat. However, this only has a 50% chance of working.

It can also allow friendly Eshin Infantry to Redeploy a minimum of 4″ when using that command ability if they are wholly within 13″ of the Verminlord Deceiver. This benefits:

Verminlord Warbringer

Verminlord Warbringer by Fazer

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
7.99.310.812.312.3

In addition to this damage output though, the Verminlord Warbringer also has a Rampage ability called Killing Blow, which it can use at the end of any turn. The Skaven player can choose a damaged enemy unit in combat with the Verminlord Warbringer. If a dice roll is less than the amount of damage the unit has it inflicts that amount of mortal damage.

It can also use the All-out Defense or All-out Attack commands on two units of Verminus Infantry even if those commands have already been used that phase. This affects:

Verminlord Warpseer

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
3.45.06.37.57.5

The benefit that would appeal to me personally of running the Verminlord Warpseer is adding 2″ to the distance of the friendly Skaven units when using the Always Three Clawsteps Ahead ability. However this can be lost by using your Hurl Scry-Orb to cause mortal damage (average of 3 mortal damage) on an enemy the Verminlord is in combat with. It can dish out Strike-Last to a unit it is in combat with, but you want to avoid having this fella in combat and instead take advantage of his Wizard (2) keyword. Though Thanquol is better….

Vizzik Skour, Prophet of the Horned Rat

Vizzik Skour by DustyDness

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
5.87.18.59.911.2

Vizzik Skour can cause some decent damage to enemy units in combat, especially when adding in the mortal damage (average of 2) it can dish out from its Fissures in Reality ability, and reducing the hit and wound rolls of an enemy unit facing it in combat by 1.

Vizzik also has the ability to reroll his chanting rolls once per battle until the Skaven players next turn. While his signature spell, The Death Frenzy, which he can cast on a roll of 8+ can target either an enemy unit or a friendly Skaven Infantry unit within 13″. If the target is an enemy unit, then they must subtract 1 from their attacks characteristic of their melee weapons. If the target is a Skaven Infantry unit, that unit can use 2 Fight abilities this turn, with the second Fight ability also having Strike-Last. If this was cast on 12+ you can even pick 2 targets for the spell.

This spell can effect:

Warlock Bombadier

Converted Warlock Bombadier by DustyDness

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.81.21.61.92.3

This weapon does have anti-Infantry and so would deal a little more damage to them:

2+3+4+5+6+
1.21.61.92.32.3

Being D6 damage though, this weapon can spike a fair bit, the above is based on an average dice roll. You can also add 1 to the hit rolls for the unit if it targets an enemy unit that has 10 or more models, and if the Warlock Bombadier doesn’t move or wasn’t set up you can change it’s damage to D3+3 instead of D6. All of this combined boosts its damage output against infantry units with 10 or more models to:

2+3+4+5+6+
2.23.03.74.44.4

There’s possibly better ways to spend the points.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.10.30.40.50.6

Don’t get it into combat?

Warlock Engineer

Warlock Engineer by Schokoweck

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.81.01.31.51.5

But like the Warplock Bombadier it comes with a few abilities to boost this output. More-more Warp Energy! will give it the chance (83%) to set the damage to flat 3 instead of D3, while Sniper-master will allow it to target an enemy Hero ignoring the effects of Guarded Hero – which it can also give to a unit of Warplock Jezzails.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.30.50.81.01.3

Warlock Galvaneer

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.11.51.92.22.2

The ranged weapons do also have Anti-Cavalry (+1 Rend) making them a little more potent there. But the better ability is the once per battle Lightning Master, allowing a chance (83%) for a friendly Warpvolt Scourgers unit within combat range to set the attacks characteristic of their Warpvolt Scourgers to 10 for the rest of the turn.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.10.20.30.30.4

Dangerous.

Infantry

Acolyte Globadiers

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.52.23.03.74.4

That not be the most impressive of damage output, but they are able to shoot in combat and if shooting enemy Infantry, they’ll get an additional pip of rend. If the enemy unit has more than 10 models as well, they’ll get to add 1 to the damage of their ranged weapons.

This ups their damage output to:

2+3+4+5+6+
3.34.45.66.76.7

Also, set them up within combat range of a Clanrat unit with 5 or more models and the enemy won’t be able to target them.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.20.30.50.70.8

Clanrats

Clanrats by Patrick German

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.93.85.77.69.5

The damage ramps up a bit when facing units with a 5+ or 6+ save.

Tactical Note: With 20 models and being relatively cheap, Clanrats are perfect as screens for your ranged weapons and expensive toys.

Night Runners

Converted Night Runners by DustyDness

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.12.23.34.45.6

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
3.94.34.75.15.4

This unit gets Slinking Advance, allowing it a free move in the Deployment Phase. Plus, while all the models in this unit is within 1″ of terrain they can’t be targeted by shooting attacks unless the attacking model is within 9″.

And don’t forget this unit can use a Shoot and/or a Charge ability even if this unit used Run when they’re near a Deathmaster.

Tactical Note:… I usually run a Night Runner unit with (Verminlord) Deceiver for turn 1 objective completion….

Jesterscf – Woehammer Discord

Plague Monks

Plague Monks by Fazer

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.93.85.77.69.5

Plus, if their near a Plague Furnace they can benefit from both having a Ward (6+) and if chosen to be the target of the Prayer Filth-crust, they’ll get +1 on their wound rolls. This ups their average damage output to:

2+3+4+5+6+
2.34.66.89.111.4

Don’t forget that Vizzik Skour could get them to fight twice in one combat phase.

Plaguepack

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.52.43.34.35.2

Enemy units that shoot at the Plaguepack subtract 1 for hit rolls due to its Enshrouding Fumes ability.

This unit does count as a Priest (1) however, and even comes with a Plague Rat, which if you roll 1 on a chanting roll, you can burn the Plague Rat to re-roll that chanting roll.

Rat Ogors

Converted Rat Ogors by DustyDness

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.51.92.42.92.9

But, this is based on average dice rolls and considering its shooting attack is based on 2D6, it could spike a fair bit.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
3.35.06.78.310.0

But their ability Unleashed Warp-fury can add to their attacks characteristic for the remainder of a turn at the cost of D3 mortal damage. But this could be healed (as well as adding 1 to their charge roll) if there’s a nearby Master Moulder.

Ratling Guns

Ratling Guns by Boggy

Be honest, how many of you clicked straight here from the menu?

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
2.63.95.36.67.9

Which doesn’t look great off the bat, but this unit can spike with 3D6 shots each and at 15″ range they’re fairly decent. Plus if you have this unit near a unit of Clanrats, they aren’t visible to enemy units.

You’ll often find that players may run these as a reinforced unit.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.20.30.50.70.8

Stormfiends

Stormfiends by Zaza / Elsaz

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

Weapon2+3+4+5+6+
Warpfire Projectors1.51.92.42.92.9
Ratling Cannons1.21.82.32.93.5
Windlaunchers1.01.31.72.02.0

In a unit of 3 you’ll only have two Stormfiends that can take ranged weaponry and one of those can take the Ratling Cannons but this is at the cost of taking Grinderfists. This leaves your other model to choose between either Warpfire Projectors or Windlaunchers.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

Weapon2+3+4+5+6+
Clubbing Blows1.31.72.12.52.5
Doomflayer Gauntlets3.14.25.26.36.3
Grinderfists1.72.22.83.33.3
Shock Gauntlets2.03.14.15.16.1

Again, we’ve listed the weapons as you’ll get to choose which ones you want to take in the unit. While one model will have to take Clubbing Blows, your second model can choose whether to have Ratling Cannons and Clubbing Blows or just Grinderfists. While your last model can either have Doomflayer Gauntlets or Shock Gauntlets.

Tactical Note: If this unit does include the Grinderfist unit, you’ll be able to use the Grinderfist Tunnellers ability if it has been set up in the tunnels below (Reserve), they can pop up on the table anywhere more than 9″ away from all enemy units. You can use this ability at the end of the enemy movement phase as well meaning you opponent can’t react with their hard-hitting units to remove them. Plus when it rolls over into your turn, if you’re going second you can move and then make a 3″ charge into the enemy.

Stormfiends by Patrick German

Stormvermin

Stormvermin by Vladislav Turusov

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
3.45.26.98.610.3

Though remember Krittok Foulblade? He can add +1 to their wound rolls, boosting their damage output to:

2+3+4+5+6+
4.66.99.211.513.8

Plus Vizzik Skour could get them to attack twice in one combat phase.

There are benefits for friendly Skaven Infantry Heroes who are within combat range of the Stormvermin, they gain Ward (5+). This benefits:

Warpfire Throwers

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
4.45.87.38.88.8

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.20.30.50.70.8

Like the other Skryre weapon teams, the Warpfire Throwers aren’t visible to enemy units while they are in combat range of Clanrats.

Warplock Jezzails

Warplock Jezzails by Celefaze

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
2.33.13.94.74.7

While this unit has a range of 18″ this can be increased to 24″ if they don’t move. A Warlock Engineer can also allow them to ignore the Guarded Hero rule and snipe enemy characters.

Tactical Note: You can use Warplock Jezzails to shoot ranged non-hero enemies from 24″, Heroes on Monsters or teleporting from a Gnawhole to shoot without the possibility for your opponent to Redeploy.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.20.30.50.70.8

Warpvolt Scourgers

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
3.55.37.08.810.5

Not bad eh? But also, against enemy Cavalry units they’ll get an additional pip of rend.

But what’s even better is that a Warlock Galvaneer can (on a 2+) set the Warpvolt Scourgers attack characteristics to 10 once per battle. That will up the damage output to:

2+3+4+5+6+
5.07.510.012.515.0

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.20.30.50.70.8

Monsters

Brood Terror

Brood Terror by Boggy

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
2.13.14.15.26.2

If facing off against Infantry, it’ll also get an additional pip of rend.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
5.16.07.07.98.2

This unit also has some defensive abilities making it durable in a fight. At the end of any turn it can Heal (D6) and, once per turn in any combat phase, for its Rampage ability it can subtract 1 from enemy hit rolls if they’re within 6″ and the Skaven player rolls 2+ on a D6.

Hell Pit Abomination

Hell Pit Abomination by Celefaze

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
5.47.29.010.810.8

This isn’t bad, but you’ll also have access to Avalanche of Flesh for its Rampage ability which on a roll of 3+ will allow it to roll a dice for each model for a unit its in combat with and cause mortal damage on 5+. Like the Brood Terror, it can also Heal (D6) at the end of any turn.

The first time this unit is destroyed, you also have a chance (33%) of causing D3 mortal damage on each unit it was in combat (33%) with and a chance of having the unit remain in the battle with D6 health.

War Machines

Doom-Flayers

Converted Doom-Flayers by DustyDness

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
2.13.14.25.26.2

But you do get a bonus of +1 damage on the charge and it also has Anti-Infantry (1 Rend), which would up the damage against Infantry units if it charges to:

2+3+4+5+6+
6.28.310.412.412.4

This unit will also cause an average of 2 mortal damage on its charge into any enemy unit. Compare that damage output to the two Monsters above who cost double its amount.

Doomwheel

Doomwheel

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.01.62.12.63.1

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.30.71.01.31.7

The other benefit from using the Doomwheel is its Rolling Doom ability. This unit can move through other units but it cannot end its movement in combat. When it does move through units, you can choose up to three enemy units that it passed across and rolling a D3 for each one, you’ll cause mortal damage equal to the roll on a 2+. This unit has a movement of 2D6 +7″ so that’s an average of a 14″ move. The Doomwheel can use this ability even if it is combat.

Plagueclaw

Plagueclaw by Vericur

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.31.92.63.23.9

If you’re targeting an Infantry unit though, this does get an additional pip of rend in doing so.

When you do hit a unit and remove models as a result, you have the ability to roll a dice, if the roll is equal to or less than the number of slain models killed by the Plagueclaw that phase then that unit suffers from Strike-Last for the rest of the turn.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.10.20.40.50.6

Ratling Warpblaster

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.82.63.54.45.3

If the target has 10 or more models though you can add 1 to the hit rolls. Plus, once per turn you can use More-more Warpstone Bullets! if it is within combat range of Skryre Hero. This will boost the number of attacks from 3D6+3 to 6D6+3. But! for each unmodified roll of a 1 it’ll suffer 1 mortal damage (average 1 mortal damage). This will boost its damage output when attacking a unit of 10 or more models to:

2+3+4+5+6+
4.06.08.010.012.0

Given it has a range of 20″, that’s not too shabby.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.10.20.30.40.6

Warp Lightning Cannon

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
3.53.53.53.53.5

Damage inflicted by the Warp Lightning Cannon is all mortal damage and is resolved after it makes its hit rolls. If this unit is within combat range of Skryre Hero it can add 6 to the number of attacks making its mortal damage output:

2+3+4+5+6+
6.56.56.56.56.5

Given that it has a 20″ range, it could be a great way to chip wounds off those high save targets at distance.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.10.20.30.50.6

Warp-Grinder

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
2.93.74.54.64.7

This unit and one other friendly non-Monster Skaven unit can be set up in reserve (in the tunnels below) during the deployment phase. During the Skaven movement phase you can pick an enemy unit as a target that is more than 6″ away from other enemy units. On a dice roll of 4+ this unit can be set up (along with the other Skaven unit that joined it in deployment) within 3″ of that target and more than 6″ away from other enemy units. This works with:

Faction Terrain

Gnawhole

Ganwholes by Vericur

The Gnawhole is often the key to success for the Skaven on the battlefield, providing a couple of key functions.

The first is the ability for the Skaven player to transport units from one Gnawhole to another. Handy for claiming objectives further up the table, or getting a unit away from trouble.

The second, is a once per turn command ability that costs a measly 1 command point, The Endless Vermintide. This will allow the Skaven player to pick a friendly non-Hero Skaven Infantry unit that has been destroyed and set up a replacement unit with half the number of models from the unit chosen, rounding up near a Gnawhole. It can be handy for either reclaiming an objective, finishing off an enemy unit or perhaps putting out a bit more firepower from a unit like Warpvolt Scourgers. This ability works with:

Spearhead Army (Gnawfeast Clawpack)

The Clawfeast Gnawpack are an infantry based Spearhead army which aims to wear the enemy down with shear weight of numbers. The army contains:

The warscrolls and the unit sizes for these units differ from those given in the match play rules above. For one, you’ll notice that you have two units of 10 Clanrats, where in matched play their minimum size if 20.

Spearhead Battle Traits

The Skaven player has two Battle Traits to use, the first is allowing any one of their units to be set up in reserve in the tunnels below. The second is to allow a unit that has been set up in the tunnels below to use an ambush ability that sets them up wholly within 6″ of a corner of the battlefield more than 9″ away from enemy units.

Spearhead Regiment Abilities

They have a choice of their regiment abilities. Either Warpstone-Laced Bullets allowing units in their army with ranged weapons to have Crit (Mortals) that shooting phase once per battle. Or, Too Quick to Hit-Hit, where no mortal damage is inflicted on friendly Skaven units when they retreat.

Spearhead Enhancements

The Clawlord on Gnaw-Beast is allowed one of four enhancements. The first being Lead the Seething Horde, allowing the replacement unit from ‘Call for Reinforcements‘ to be set up within 13″ of the Clawlord on Gnaw-Beast.

Another, Warpstone Charm, will subtract 1 from save rolls for enemy units in combat with the Clawlord on Gnaw-Beast. While Skryre Connections will allow its Ratling Pistol to change its attacks characterisitc to 2D6 instead of D6.

The last is Cloak of Stitched Victories which gives your general Ward (5+).

Spearhead Warscrolls

Spearhead – Clawlord on Gnaw-Beast

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.60.91.21.51.8

But if you choose to give this unit the Skryre Connections Enhancement and use Warpstone Laced-Bullets to give Crit (Mortals), its damage output increases to:

2+3+4+5+6+
1.92.32.73.13.5

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
2.03.04.05.06.0

Though, if this unit has been damaged its attacks increase by three boosting this output to:

2+3+4+5+6+
2.74.05.36.78.0

Spearhead – Grey Seer

The Grey Seer comes with two spells (in Spearhead you don’t make casting rolls) which it can do in the Hero Phase. One will add 3 to the control score of a nearby unit, while the other will inflict D3 mortal damage on a roll of 6+ on 2D6 onto a nearby enemy unit.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.50.81.01.31.5

Spearhead – Warlock Engineer

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.81.01.31.51.5

You could use the Warpstone-Laced Bullets on this unit, but with only two attacks, it’s not really worth it. But what you can do is increase the damage to 3 from D3 on a 2+ if the unit hasn’t moved. This will increase its average damage output to:

2+3+4+5+6+
1.52.02.53.03.0

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.30.50.81.01.3

Spearhead – Clanrats

You’ve two of these units and each one is able to come back once during the course of a Spearhead game. Plus each turn this unit is able to return D3 slain models at the end of the turn.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
0.61.11.72.22.8

These are the main troops of the army that you’ll be using to claim the objectives in game.

Spearhead – Rat Ogors

Average Shooting Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
1.51.92.42.92.9

This unit does have the benefit of being able to shoot in combat as well.

Average Melee Damage (v Save Value)

2+3+4+5+6+
3.35.06.78.310.0

These are your main hitters in Spearhead, though be careful as these models don’t come back once they’re destroyed. Which makes their ability a little dicey, for the cost of inflicting D3 mortal damage on the Rat Ogors you can increase their average damage output to:

2+3+4+5+6+
4.06.08.010.012.0

Is the mortal damage worth this extra output? Possibly not.

Path to Glory

This is my favourite game mode as members of the Woehammer Discord server would tell you. Though I’m disliking how long it takes to increase your list sizes in 4th Edition PTG…. but that’s just my niggle.

Anvil of Apotheosis

The Skaven Battletome comes with rules to create your own unique special character to include in Path to Glory campaigns.

You have three different hero types you can create, each costing a certain amount of points and coming with their own Destiny Point Limit (DP).

Hero TypeDestiny Point LimitPoints Cost
Skaven Underling10150
Skaven Chieftain30250
Skaven Clan-lord50350

Having run a couple of campaigns for Path to Glory now in 4th Edition, I can tell you that it is possible to break campaigns with Anvil of Apotheosis characters, so my recommendation is to run any characters past your opponents before using them.

You’re guided through a step-by-step process on creating your unique character starting with their basic stats and then adding to those by spending your Destiny Points (DP).

You’ll be asked to choose a Great Clan for your character with each one giving a benefit to your character. Each one of these costs 4 DP.

Then you move on to choosing an origin and/or flaw for your hero. You’re allowed to pick up to 1 Origin and 1 Flaw – with Origin costing DP and Flaws giving you additional DP to spend.

In step 3, you can pick up to 1 Skaven Contraption or up to 1 Moulder-Beast for your hero. Some cost more than others, but they do give both a narrative element and an opportunity for you to start converting a Hero you can use in a campaign. Your given the choice of:

  • Siege-Engine Chassis
  • Gnaw-Beast
  • Moulder-Beast

By choosing these you’ll also be asked to adjust your Health, Save, Move or perhaps your Control characteristics. They’ll also come with some Keywords to add to your Hero.

The next step will then allow you to pick some upgrades (also at the cost of DP) for your Contraption or Mutations for your Moulder-Beast. All of these will add abilities to your Path to Glory Hero.

In the final step you can then pick a number of upgrades for your hero (all of which cost DP), but none of these upgrades can be picked more than once. These range from Adding 1 to the Hero’s Control characteristic to making you hero a Wizard or Priest.

Skaven Paths

The book gives you two additional paths to those that you can use from the Core rulebook. One for a Hero (Path of the Master) and one for non-Hero Skaven (Path of the Swarm).

Path of the Master

As in the book each Path has four levels, with the player forced to choose between two abilities at each level. Some of the standout skills here are giving the Hero Strike-First or adding 1 to the charge rolls.

Path of the Swarm

Path of the Swarm is for non-Hero Skaven units only. The abilities in here reflect the Skaven mentality of war and there are a few here which stand out. Such as giving the unit Ward (5+) (I would not like to see that on Stormfiends for example) or giving the units melee weapons Crit (Mortal).

Rules of Renown

Armies of renown are armies that use specific faction rules and units for the army. Often the roster of units is much less than you would get with the usual matched play armies.

Army of Renown: The Great-Grand Gnawhorde

Roster Options:

  • Vizzik Skour, Prophet of the Horned Rat
  • Non-Unique Masterclan units
  • Non-Unique Verminus units
  • Non-Unique Skryre units
  • Non-Unique Moulder units
  • You CANNOT include Regiments of Renown or Gnawholes for this Army of Renown.

When units are included in army of the Great-Grand Gnawhorde they gain the Gnawhorde keyword.

I’m not going to sugar-coat this, the loss of Gnawholes is possibly a little too large to overlook when choosing a Skaven Army.

Battle Traits: The Great-Grand Gnawhorde

There are four Battle Traits available to the Great-Grand Gnawhorde. The passive ability Disciples of Vizzik will allow Vizzik Skour to have a Ward (4+) and to pass off the saved damage to another Gnawhorde unit within combat range.

The three remaining Battle Traits, also have the keyword Warpshatter Throes. This means based on the rules of these, you can only use one of these traits each turn so you’ll have to consider carefully which one you may want to use each turn.

With Frenzied Momentum if you have not used any Warpshatter Throes abilities that turn, you can pick up to three Gnawhorde units in the movement phase to add 2 to their run and charge rolls and subtract 1 from their control score.

In the shooting phase, you’re able to use Unstoppable Warp-Volley which, again, if you haven’t used any Warpshatter Throes that turn, you can pick three Gnawhorde units. They can then add 3″ to the range of their ranged weapons at the expense of receiving commands.

Finally Reckless Abandon will allow you to pick up to three Gnawhorde units and add 1 to their attacks characteristic of their melee weapons, but this comes at the expense of your opponent being able to add 1 to hit rolls for units that have benefitted from this ability. Again, you can only use this ability if you haven’t used another Warpshatter Throes ability that turn.

Heroic Trait: Harbringer of the Great Ascendancy

Any Hero in the Skaven force may have this and use it once per battle, allowing the unit to use 2 Warpshatter Throes abilities in a single turn if the unit is not in combat.

Artefact of Power: Icon of Great-Total Supremacy

Once per battle you can return up to D3 slain models to each friendly Gnawhorde Infantry unit with a health characteristic of up to 3.

Spell Lore: Deafening Frenzy

A Gnawhorde Wizard may attempt to cast this on 8+ targeting a visible Gnawhorde Infantry unit wholly within 13″. This will allow them to have Strike-First at the expense of using commands.

Prayer Lore: Reverberating Ritual

A Gnawhorde Priest may chant this Prayer with a value of 7, allowing them to give a Gnawhorde Infantry unit wholly within 13″ an extra 3″ move when it makes a pile-in until the start of the Skaven players next turn. If this was made with a chant roll of 8 or more then that unit can add 1 to it’s control score.

Manifestation Lore: Summon Vermintide

With a 7+ a friendly Skaven Wizard may summon a Vermintide to the battlefield wholly within 13″ of the caster and more than 9″ away from all enemy units.

Army of Renown: Thanquol’s Mutated Menagerie

Roster Options:

I’m not going to sugar-coat this, the loss of Gnawholes is possibly a little too large to overlook when choosing a Skaven Army.

Battle Traits: Thanquol’s Mutated Menagerie

There are four Battle Traits available to Thanquol’s Mutated Menagerie. Monstrous Entourage will allow Thanquol to pass off wounds with Ward (4+) that were meant for him to another friendly Mutated Menagerie unit within combat range.

More-more Mutation! will allow the Skaven player to pick a friendly non-Hero Mutated Menagerie unit (Note: Any one unit can only be chosen once per battle) and add 2 to their Health characteristic, 2 to their Move characteristic, 1 to an Attacks characteristic of one of the units melee weapons and give them Ward (5+). BUT, and it’s a big but, I cannot lie, at the end of each turn that unit will suffer D3+2 damage.

Spiteful Swarm is a Rampage abilitie and allows the Skaven player to pick a non-Hero Mutated Menagerie Monster that has not used any Rampage abilities. That unit will have Strike-First for the rest of the turn, but, at the end of the turn it is destroyed. When it is destroyed, you can also subtract attacks on a 3+ from enemy melee weapons that are within 6″ for the rest of the battle.

Finally Rampaging Demise is also, if you hadn’t guessed it, a Rampage ability. The non-Hero Mutated Menagerie Monster gains Strike-First like Spiteful Swarm and is also destroyed at the end of the turn, but instead on a D3 roll of 2+ inflicts mortal damage equal to the roll on enenmy units within 6″.

Heroic Trait: Pack Tactics

You can pick two friendly non-Hero Mutated Menagerie Monster units within 13″ of the bearer to use All-out Attack or All-Out Defence. This is a once per battle ability.

Artefact of Power: Warpstone Innards

This is a once per battle ability where you can add 1 to the number of attacks to a Non-Mutated Menagerie Monster for the rest of the battle. However, that Monster then suffers D3 damage points at the end of each turn.

Spell Lore: Untapped Mutation

This has a casting value of 5, and allows a Mutated Menagerie Wizard to pick up to 3 Mutated Menagerie units with 13″ that are already affected by More-more Mutation!. For each damage point allocated to those units at the end of the turn by More-more Mutation! They add 1 to their Control characteristic until the start of their next turn.

Manifestation Lore: Warp Lightning Vortex

If there is no friendly Warp Lightning Vortex on the battlefield then a friendly Skaven Wizard may attempt to cast this spell on a casting roll of 7+. This would allow the Skaven player to set up the first part of the Warp Lightning Vortex within 18″ of the caster, the second part and third parts exactly 7″ from the first part and from each other creating a triangle.

Regiment of Renown: Krittok’s Clawpack

This Regiment of Renown may only be included in other Chaos armies with the exception of Beasts of Chaos. It consists of Krittok Foulblade, a unit of Stormvermin and a unit of Doom-Flayers.

Units in this regiment will be able to add 1 to the attacks characteristic of their melee weapons while the player has more victory points than their opponent. The Doom-Flayers will have Ward (5+) while they are within combat range of the Clawpack Stormvermin.

Once per turn a single unit in this regiment that is not in combat may use a normal move in the hero phase.

Regiment of Renown: Volt-Klaw’s Enginecoven

This Regiment of Renown may only be included in other Chaos armies with the exception of Beasts of Chaos. It consists of a Warlock Galvaneer, a unit of Warpvolt Scourgers and a Ratling Warpblaster.

This may be a good unit for Blades of Khorne who don’t have access to much in the way of ranged weaponry.

Once per battle in the shooting phase units in this Regiment of Renown may add 1 to the hit rolls for their shooting attacks and add 3″ to their ranged weapons.

If any of your units within this Regiment of Renown are within combat range of the Ratling Warpblaster then it will not be visible to enemy units more than 13″ away.

Change Log

This will be updated with changes to the articles and the date they occurred throughout 4th Edition.

14th December 2024 – Initial Release
23rd December 2024 – Update to the Skaven Grey Seer comments. Update to Skreech Verminking as a Wizard (2).

Dwarfen Mountain Holds, Faction Focus, Fantasy, Forces of Fantasy, Games Workshop, Peter Holland, Reviews, The Old World

The Old World: Dwarfen Mountain Holds – Arcane Journal Review

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Lore Review

The Dwarfen Mountain Holds are a series of mountain holds collectively known as the Karaz Ankor to the Dwarfs. The Dwarfs have a strong sense of identity and are an incredibly proud race. In times past, the Dwarfs were found throughout the mountain ranges of the Old World and beyond, mining for precious metals and creating a vast underground empire linked together by long tunnels known as they Underway.

However, the Dwarfs now find themselves besieged from all sides by the Ravening Hordes after a calamitous earthquake rocked the Worlds Edge Mountains where the majority of Dwarfen Holds stood. The Dwarfen empire is now in a slow decline as with each passing century, further holds are lost to the enemies that surround them. Don’t say that to the Dwarfs though….

There are three distinct flavours of Dwarfen army playable with the release of the new Arcane Journal, with options for you whether you want to run a traditional Dwarfen army of the sort that is constantly fighting to protect its holds, or a more focused force representing the experience troops that make up a Dwarf Kings throng, or the forces of an expeditionary force looking to reclaim a lost hold.

The lore section of the Arcane Journal focuses on the various Dwarf holds spread throughout the Old World, before expanding into exploring Dwarf society, from clans to the guilds.

The main focus of the lore is around Burlok Damminson and his expedition to reclaim the lost hold of Khazid Vosk, for which there is also a narrative scenario to allow you to recreate the battle. This section is perhaps the most detailed, going into the background of Burlok and the reasons for his expedition as well as the mustering of his troops. This is clearly intended to give some inspiration for creating a background for your own force.

The Book

As with our other Arcane Tome reviews, the core rules for an army from the Dwarfen Mountain Holds exist within the appropriate tome, with this one being the “Forces of Fantasy” book that also includes rules for Bretonnia, Empire, Wood Elves, and High Elves.

As a supplement to that, and the focus of this article, the Arcane Journal for the Dwarfen Mountain Holds includes two alternative ways to represent the Dwarfs, either as part of a Royal Clan Army or as an Expeditionary Force.

Besides containing two new “Armies of Infamy” as these alternative compositions are known, there is a selection of named characters, and a slew of extra runes and also runic tattoos that can be used both for these armies of infamy, many of which can also be selected as choices for your standard Dwarf army lists.

Armies of Infamy

The Armies of Infamy offers novel and thematic approaches to constructing your faction’s army lists. Introducing unique army-wide special rules and granting access to upgraded units that enhance specific playstyles. However, opting for an army of infamy imposes greater restrictions on your army composition compared to the base books by excluding certain units.

It’s important to mention that these Arcane Journals differ from traditional army books from previous editions. They act as supplements to the unit lists and army rules found in Ravening Hordes and Forces of Fantasy books. Playing a game in the Old World only using the Arcane Journals is not possible, as they rely on references to the special rules from Ravening Hordes and Forces of Fantasy. These journals provide new ways to play your faction, including special characters, but they don’t provide details on specific rules.

Royal Clan Army

The Royal Clan Army represents the throngs of the most experienced warriors available to the Kings and Queens of the Karaz Ankor. Notably for this army is the lack of Engineers and Slayers and black powder units such as the Cannon and Thunderers. However, this army list does allow your to field more than 1 King, but also an Anvil of Doom alongside of them. A Royal Clan army is all about the elite troops. Royal Clan Warriors replace the standard Dwarf Warriors, and, aside from points, there’s no limit on the number of Hammerers you can fit into your Special section.

Special Rules

Ancestral Fury – Units in a Royal Clan army that have made a charge of 3″ or more, or have made a follow up move gain a +1 modifier to their strength characteristic. Excellent for Dwarfs and encourages you to charge the enemy rather than standing and waiting to be charged.

Riches & Heirlooms – All character models in the army an spend an additional 25 points on runes. Units that have access to Standard runes may also spend an additional 25 points on Standard runes. The latter does not apply to the Royal Clan Warriors who have this bonus already included in their unit entry.

Striking a Grudge – You may nominate a single enemy character to become hated by all friendly models, regardless of the army you are facing. As well as this, you win a bonus of 75 victory points if the nominated character is slain, has fled or is fleeing the when the game ends.

List Composition

As a result of the army representing the experienced army of a King or Thane, there no limits on the amount of Royal Clan Warriors or Longbeards in an army.

There are enough changes to the general composition that it would make it a dull read to list them all here, but some highlights are that Royal Clan Warriors replace Dwarf Warriors as a core choice, Longbeards become an optional core choice, while Thunderers, Engineers, Slayers (of all kinds), Cannons and Flame Cannons have been removed entirely. Hammerers are now no longer limited to 1 per King of Thane (0-1 per 1k), and Ironbreakers move from Special to Rare.

Unique Units

Royal Clan Warriors are more experienced versions of Dwarf Warriors and are only available in Royal Clan armies. These come with shields as default, as well as gaining the Gromril Armour (re-roll natural 1 when making an armour save) and Gromril Weapons (Gives hand weapons Armour Piercing of -1) special rules. They can also spend 25 points more than Dwarf Warriors on Standard runes, while their champion gains access to Talismanic runes. 2pts more than the Dwarf Warriors, but I consider this a bargain when comparing the two units like for like.

Expeditionary Force

As a nice counter to the experienced Royal Clan Army, you have the option to create an Expeditionary Force. A force which may be tasked with testing a new invention created by the Engineers Guild, or tasked with reclaiming a lost hold and the treasures within. The Expeditionary Force selection features a lot of Black Powder weapons and no Kings or Runelords.

It goes to some length to explain the reason why Doomseekers and Slayers accompany these expeditionary forces and this does feel a little shoe-horned in. But it still makes for a nice read and still gives plenty of inspiration for players looking to create their own lore backgrounds.

Special Rules

Expeditionary Marksmen – As mentioned, the focus of the Expeditionary Force are it’s Engineers and black powder weapons. So one unit of Thunderers per 1,000 points may be upgraded to Expeditionary Marksmen for +1 point per model. This allows the unit to ignore the negative effects on hit modifiers for moving and shooting. It also allows any Dwarf Engineer to also have the same rule.

Function Over Form – To represent the Expeditionary Force being a mobile army, you can reduce the toughness of any Cannons, Organ Guns or Flame Cannons by 1, which then allows them to lose the Move or Shoot special rule.

Subterranean Ambush – If the army includes a unit of Miners, the Dwarf player may deploy two 32mm round Mine markers, plus one additional marker for each additional unit of Miners in the army. There are conditions on where these markers may be placed, for example, not within the enemy deployment zone or within 12″ of another marker. However, this does allow the Dwarf player to place Miner units held in reserve within 6″ of a mine marker rather than a board edge.

List Composition

No Kings, Runelords or Anvils of Doom here. However, you do gain access to the Engineer Sapper character.

In Core there are no more Quarrellers, but they have been replaced by Dwarf Carts. While the usual 0-1 Longbeards for a King have been replaced by 0-1 units of Scout Gyrocopters per 1,000. Joining them are the Rangers, but instead of a 0-1 per army, this is now 0-1 per 1,000 points.

Miners, Scout Gyrocopters and Gyrocopters are the main units in the Special category and are joined by 0-3 of Bolt Thrower, Grudge Thrower and Cannon.

In the Rare section, your choices have jumped up to 33% of your army from the usual 25%. Gyrobombers have no limit and are joined by up to 1 unit of Slayers and up to 2 war machines per 1,000 points, made up of, Organ Guns and Flame Cannons.

Unique Units

Dwarf Engineer Sapper – Is essentially the same as the standard Dwarf Engineer but for the additional 20 points in its price you lose the Entrenchment, “Stand Back Chief!” and Artillery Master abilities for the “Dig In!” special rule, which can be used during any Command sub-phase. This allows the character and any unit they are with to be considered behind partial cover. On top of this, you also have the Hostile Terrain special rule, causing any enemy model that ends its movement within the combat range of this character to make a Dangerous Terrain test.

Scout Gyrocopter – The Scout Gyrocopter are more manoeuverable than the regular versions, and have increased speed over less armour and weapons. They’re the same price as the regular Gyrocopter but in that price you lose the Dive Bomb special rule and gain a host of others. Gaining the Extended Formation, Fly (10) rather than Fly (9), and Hatred (Orcs & Goblins). They also lose a little armour and count as having heavy armour rather than full plate. They do gain Hit & Run, this allows them to Fall Back in Good Order rather than having to make a follow up or pursuit move after winning a round of combat. They have the clattergun as their only weapon.

Miner’s Cart – Dwarfs haul a lot of baggage when mounting an expedition, from barrels of Black Powder, to barrels of Bugman’s XXXXXX. There are two types of Dwarf Cart. The Miner’s Cart allows any unit within 3″ to make a Stand & Shoot charge reaction as if it were equipped with Blasting Charges. When it loses its last wound to an enemy in the combat phase, on a roll of 4+ it explodes and each unit within 3″ suffers D6 Strength 3 hits at AP -1 with the Flaming Attacks special rule.

Bugman’s Cart – Any Dwarf unit that is within 6″ of a friendly Bugman’s Cart in the Command sub-phase gains a +1 modifier to its Movement characteristic until the end of the turn (not cumulative).

Special Characters

The main army composition lists found in Ravening Hordes and Forces of Fantasy notably lacked the array of special characters that enthusiasts have grown fond of within their cherished factions. While it’s understandable considering the shift in time period, with many of these iconic figures potentially not yet existing, it leaves a void in the hearts of fans longing for something extraordinary to connect with. The Arcane Journals address this gap by introducing a selection of special characters, both familiar and new, to their respective armies

Thorgim Ulleksson, Kharl of the Dammaz Kron

At first you may not have realised that Thorgim Ulleksson is non other than Thorgrim Grudgebearer from the original Warhammer Fantasy Battle series and the Warhammer Total War franchise. (His ignominious death still hurts….).

Here, we’re treated to playing Thorgrim before he became High King, and you can read about his younger years and how he became intrinsically linked to the Book of Grudges.

At 250 points, Thorgim is already a beast of a model. Wielding Grudge-settler which is not classified as a great weapon and so does not have the Strike Last or Requires Two Hands special rules. It still has S+2 and -1 AP in combat, along with Armour Bane (1) and Magical Attacks. It is inscribed with the Master Rune of Smiting (Multiple Wounds – D6) and the Rune of Parrying (Enemies suffer a -1 to hit modifier when targeting Thogrim in the combat phase).

He wears the Armour of Skaldour, which is classified as heavy armour but with the benefit of a 4+ Ward save against a Killing Blow, or against any wounds suffered that has the Multiple Wounds (X) special rule.

He has the Grudgestone, which once set, allows Thogrim and any unit he has joined to gain the Unbreakable special rule and automatically pass any Panic tests they may be required to make. However, once placed, Thogrim and his unit cannot Flee as a charge reaction and cannot move other than to Give Ground or to make a follow up move or reform.

As well as this, being a master of Grudgelore, allows he and any unit he is with to replace the Hatred (Orcs & Goblins) with Hatred (all enemies) when the Grudgestone has been set.

Ungrim Ironfist, Slayer King of Karak Kadrin

Players of both the original series of Warhammer Fantasy Battle games, and the Warhammer Total War franchise will recognise the second special character to be listed in the book – Ungrim Ironfist.

Obviously a younger version than we’ve seen in previous editions, the lore talks about his background and how he became a Slayer King as did his father, and his father before him, for their Ancestor King Baragor. Who at the loss of his daughter on her way to wed the High King in Karaz-a-Karak, lost his battle against grief. Unable to to hold anyone else accountable other than his own decision not to travel with her, the King chose to shave his beard short and swore oaths to the Slayer Cult.

At 315 points, Ungrim Ironfist is available to any Dwarfen Mountain Holds army. As King of the Slayer Hold, Ungrim Ironfist allows for Daemon Slayers and Dragon Slayers to be taken as character choices in a Royal Clan army. He will also allow 1 unit of Slayers to be taken per 1,000 points as a core choice and up to 4 Doomseekers in every 1,000 points to be taken as Special choices.

Ungrim Ironfist can join a unit of Hammerers or Slayers. If he does join a unit of Hammerers, they benefit from gaining the Immune to Psychology and Unbreakable special rules for however long he remains with them.

Unlike other Slayers, Ungrim Ironfist does have armour, albeit only light armour. However, this is made up for with the Slayer Crown, which allows him to improve his armour value by 2 and have a 5+ Ward save against any wounds suffered.

His axe, the Axe of Dargo, is not classified as a great weapon, enabling Ungrim to attack at the Initiative 5 step, with both Magical Attacks and Monster Slayer at Strength +2 and -3 armour penetration. As with other, Slayer models, his rolls to wound of 4+ are always regarded as a success, regardless of the target’s toughness.

Burlok Damminson

It’s three for three with returning characters from the original Warhammer Fantasy battle series.

Following in the vein of the previous Arcane Journals released so far, Burlok Damminson is the prime focus of the lore within the first few pages of the book. This allows players to either recreate the historical battle in the book, or create new stories with the character.

Damminson is the cheapest of the three special characters in the book, coming in at only 85 points. This makes him only slightly more expensive than a regular Dwarf Engineer.

He has Range Finding Optics, which allows one friendly unit of Quarrellers, Thunders or Dwarf war machine to re-roll any rolls to hit of 1, or re-roll a single artillery dice. Provided that unit or war machine is not engaged in combat or fleeing. Any unit he accompanies do not suffer the usual -1 to hit modifier when shooting at long range either.

Mercenaries

Before we move to the two Armies of Infamy available in the journal, we should point out that there are three units provided in the book that can act as Mercenaries in any Dwarfen Mountain Holds force (Armies of Infamy or Grand Army) or Empire of Man Grand Army.

Doomseekers

Doomseekers are considered crazed individuals, even amongst the Slayers. Often covered in tattoos, Doomseekers throw themselves at the enemy without fore thought, flailing around themselves with axes attached to chains known as the whirling blades of death.

At 50 points, they’re cheap and versatile. They also have a host of options to tool them up Weapon runes and Runic Tattoos which we’ll cover later in this review.

Having no armour, you’d expect they wouldn’t survive long and you’d be right. However, the clever narrative influenced rule ‘Doomseeker‘ comes into play here. If you’re opponent does kill them during the battle, then they are worth no points to the enemy player. However, if the enemy player allows them to survive, they’ll gain bonus victory points equal to 100% of their points cost.

0-3 Doomseekers may be included as Mercenaries in any Dwarfen Mountain Holds or Empire of Man Grand Army. As a result they will be subject to the Misbehaving Mercenaries special rule.

Imperial Dwarf Mercenaries

Imperial Dwarfs, are those Dwarfs who have made homes for themselves within the Empire of Man. Here they’ll help humans build their homes, walls and craft weapons. When called to muster, they can be seen marching alongside the troops of the Empire, their weapons and armour often mimicking that of their Human allies.

Imperial Dwarf Mercenaries have a wide weapon selection, but come with light armour rather than the usual heavy armour as standard. Though this can be purchased as an upgrade. They have access to great weapons, thrusting spears, crossbows and handguns. As well as being able to purchase the Drilled or Veteran special rules for them, they can also take up to 50 points of Standard runes for one unit per 1,000 points.

However, only 1 unit of Imperial Dwarf Mercenaries can be included in any Dwarf Mountain Holds or Empire of Man Grand Army, and, like the Doomseekers, are subject to the Misbehaving Mercenaries rules.

Goblin-Hewer

The Goblin-hewer is rare amongst Dwarf armies due to its less than honourable origins. The original blueprints said to have been stolen from a famous engineer and rushed to completion by a thief. When unveiled, a fight broke out, resulting in many of the Engineering Guild shaving their beards in shame and taking the design with them.

The Goblin-hewer is a mercenary unit that may be taken in any Dwarf Army of Infamy and so, subject to the Misbehaving Mercenaries special rule.

Though if your Grand Army or your Expeditionary Force includes a Slayer of Legend, you may include 0-1 Goblin-hewer per 1,000 points as a rare choice. If included in this way, they’re also not subject to the Misbehaving Mercenaries special rule.

The Goblin-hewer fires a salvo of axes at their foes. An artillery dice roll determines the number of shots it fires plus a D3 modifier per rank or file depending upon which facing of an enemy unit the war machine fires upon. The Goblin-hewer has a 36″ range at Strength 4 and AP -1, plus Armour Bane (1).

Runic Tattoos

Not available in the Forces of Fantasy book, GW have expanded here to allows Doomseekers, Daemon Slayers and Dragon Slayers runic tattoos. Doomseekers are allowed up to 3 tattoos, Daemon Slayers, two and Dragon Slayers One. They cannot be duplicated on the same model and no two characters may have the same combination of tattoos. But with 10 tattoos there’s a decent enough choice.

I’ve picked the most how powered to go through rather than list each tattoo.

At 50 points Rune of the Dishonoured will allow Daemon Slayers and Dragon Slayers to benefit from a 3+ Ward save when losing their final wound. This also allows the enemy player to score bonus victory points up to the models points cost if it is still alive at the games end.

Rune of Endless Battle will allow a model with this runic tattoo which charged to make an additional attack for each unsaved wound.

Rune of the Reckless gives the model the Frenzy special rule (+1 attack and automatically pass Fear, Panic or Terror tests) as well as a +1 modifier to its to hit roll in combat. However, this is offset by the opponent also gaining a +1 to hit in the combat phase.

Engineers’ Weapon Runes

The runes can only be inscribed upon a crossbow or handgun, and follow the normal rules for Weapon runes described in Forces of Fantasy.

With 8 runes available, each gives varying benefits. Perhaps the most needed considering the current game state is the Master Rune of Slaying. This allows a to wound roll of 3+ to always be considered a success against an enemy whose troop type is behemoth. It also gives the weapon the Multiple Wounds (D3) special rule.

The Master Rune of Piercing gives the weapon a +1 modifier on its Strength characteristic and allows the weapon to shoot like a Bolt Thrower with the Through & Through special rule.

The Master Rune of Bursting Flame will allow the weapon to cause 2D3 hits on the target for each successful to hit roll.

The lesser runes all have smaller benefits such as the target of the shooting attack suffering from the Stupidity special rule until the start of the next turn, or the weapon not suffering from any negative to hit modifiers.

Wrap Up

Overall I think the book is a great benefit to Dwarf players, both Armies of Infamy bring something new to the table, with the addition of some of the Runes from this book, the Dwarfs no longer have to be terrified when an opponent brings a behemoth to the table.

As a long time Fantasy player I was pleased to see younger versions of three returning special characters. Although it may have been nice to have a one special character that hadn’t featured in the original Warhammer Fantasy series.

The Armies of Infamy are full of flavour and counteract each other perfectly (for Dwarfs at least) in their unit compositions.

The additional runes will go someway to help Dwarf players to take on Behemoths as well, and at range. Well done GW.

Given the relatively low cost of the Arcane Journals and the amount of lore and new play options, it feels worth picking up regardless of the army you collect.


Faction Focus, Fantasy, Forces of Fantasy, Games Workshop, Kingdom of Bretonnia, Reviews, Royal Rich, The Old World

The Old World: Kingdom of Bretonnia – Arcane Journal Review

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Lore Review

Bretonnia is a feudal kingdom in the west of the Old World known for its chivalric knights, mystical enchantresses, and… well… and peasants. Its knights live by a code of honour known as, “The Code Chivalric” that defines its society, promising to protect the weak from the wicked and to defend the lands of Bretonnia.

Once these lands were occupied by the High Elves of Ulthuan, who built many harbours and cities along the western coast and thrived on trade with the Dwarfs, however when this relationship broke down (impressively…) the land became a wilderness which orcs and humans fought to control until the Bretonni tribe emerged triumphant.

There are three distinct flavours of Bretonnian army playable with the release of the new Arcane Journal, with options for you whether you want to run a traditional Bretonnian army of the sort that is constantly fighting to protect its borders and forests, or a more focused force representing knights participating in an Errantry Crusade, or the forces of an outcast lord establishing his place in the Border Princes.

The lore section of the Arcane Journal focuses initially on the codes of chivalry that the knights are beholden to, before expanding into exploring the various areas of Bretonnia, from mountain frontiers to the great forests and walled towns that dot its landscape.

The main focus of the lore in there is on the Border Princes and the description of a crusade force riding to battle the undead legions, for which there is also a narrative battle plan to allow you to recreate the battle. The section on Outcast Nobility is somewhat shorter (2 pages vs 8) but gives some great ideas as to how and why a Lord may become an outcast and leaves plenty of narrative hooks for you to establish your own Lord’s background.

The Book

As with our Tomb Kings review, the core rules for an army from the Kingdoms of Bretonnia exist within the appropriate tome, with this one being the “Forces of Fantasy” book that also includes rules for Dwarfs, Empire, Wood Elves, and High Elves.

As a supplement to that, and the focus of this article, the Arcane Journal for the Kingdom of Bretonnia includes two alternative ways to represent the Bretonnians, either as part of an Errantry Crusade or as Outcast Exiles.

Besides containing two new “Armies of Infamy” as these alternative compositions are known, there is a selection of named characters, and a slew of extra magic items that can be used both for these armies of infamy, many of which can also be selected as choices for your standard Bretonnian army lists.

Armies of Infamy

The Armies of Infamy offers novel and thematic approaches to constructing your faction’s army lists. Introducing unique army-wide special rules and granting access to upgraded units that enhance specific playstyles. However, opting for an army of infamy imposes greater restrictions on your army composition compared to the base books by excluding certain units.

It’s important to mention that these Arcane Journals differ from traditional army books from previous editions. They act as supplements to the unit lists and army rules found in Ravening Hordes and Forces of Fantasy books. Playing a game in the Old World only using the Arcane Journals is not possible, as they rely on references to the special rules from Ravening Hordes and Forces of Fantasy. These journals provide new ways to play your faction, including special characters, but they don’t provide details on specific rules.

Bretonnian Exiles

The immediate standout for this army is the ability to bring outcast wizards and artillery. An army of Exiles will likely be looking to leverage the powerful Border Princes Bombard alongside some of the other unique units in this book.

Special Rules

Banished Lords – Barons and Paladins lose access to the Grail Vow, and instead, they and several other units get access to the Exiles Vow, granting them the Stubborn and Veteran rules, as well as not having to take panic tests from units with Levies or Peasantry rules.

Reclaimed Glory – Exiles cannot pray for the Blessings of the Lady at the beginning of a game. Instead, if a unit with the Blessings of the Lady special rule runs down an opponent’s unit, they get the benefits of this rule as if they had prayed at the start of the game. Alternatively, a character killing an enemy character in a challenge will do the same for them (and any unit they have joined)

List Composition

As a result of the army representing outcast nobility, there are restrictions in place on Grail Knights, Dukes and Prophetesses (Not present) and Damsels (1 per army).

There are enough changes to the general composition that it would make it a dull read to list them all here, but some highlights are that Yeoman Guard replace Men-at-Arms as a mandatory core choice, mounted yeomen become an optional core choice, battle pilgrims are more limited (0-1 per 1k), and Questing Knights move from Special to Rare.

Free Company Milita and Empire Archers can also be included as Mercenaries.

Unique Units

Outcast Wizards give the option to include a level 1-3 wizard in your Exiles army, with access to a wide variety of lores. These roll an extra dice when rolling on the Miscast table and discard the highest, but at 105pts for a level 3 come in very cheap.

Yeoman Guards seem to be more professional versions of Men-at-Arms… they lose Polearms as default and instead take a spear or halberd, but can buy them back for a point. BS and LD increases aren’t hugely important by the time you add a Yeoman to a unit of men at arms, so if we take that into account then, they gain an extra WS and Veteran for 2 points as well as having access to a 25pt magic banner. The extra WS may not seem huge but can offer significant defensive benefit vs other WS3 units (now hit on a 4+), or WS5 units (hit you on a 3+ instead of a 2+)

Border Princes Brigands are a rare choice in an Exiles army and have a huge amount of variety when choosing weaponry and special rules. They come default with Open Order but can change that to Close Order or Skirmishers, can Ambush, Scout, and have Motley Crew so can take a mix of weaponry within the unit. That weaponry can consist of anything from the default hand weapon to additional hand weapons, shields, pistols, blunderbuss, and crossbows, giving you many ways to run these. I’m interested to see what people come up with!

The Border Princes Bombard is perhaps the highlight here and the one that I think most people taking an Exiles army may be attracted to. Effectively this is something between a Cannon and a Great Cannon, with the strength and range of a cannon, but with the armour piercing and damage of the Great Cannon.

Errantry Crusade

A little less dramatic a change than with the Exiles, the main distinctive feature of Errantry Crusades are that Knights Errant are likely to be in much greater prevalence, and you can run a higher than normal points value of rare choices such as Grail Knights.

Special Rules

Crusading Knights – The majority of units, anything from Mounted Yeomen to Grail Knights, gain the “Crusader’s Zeal” special rule and can swap their knight’s vow with the crusader’s vow.

Crusader’s Zeal increases a unit’s charge range but gives them impetuous meaning they have to charge, a nice bonus to have, but with a significant drawback.

The Crusader’s Vow gives a unit the Veteran ability and makes them immune to panicking peasantry or levies.

Earn Your Spurs is the final special rule and is very useful, boosting Knights Errant by giving them re-rolls of 1 to hit when within 6” of a Lord of Bretonnia or a friendly model with the Grail Vow. Additionally, should they capture an enemy standard, it’s worth 100 points rather than the normal 50 points at the end of the game.

List Composition

Characters remain unchanged in the main although Paladins become 1+, you were likely taking one anyway though given they retain the ability to upgrade one Paladin to a Battle Standard Bearer for no cost.

Core and Rare immediately jump out as the percentages for these have changed, with you requiring 33% minimum in core, and up to 33% in Rare, rather than the usual 25% for each of these. That shouldn’t be a huge problem however as your mandatory unit is Knights Errant (1+ per 1000) and you will likely be building around an all-mounted force, with no requirement for Men-at-Arms or Peasant Bowmen in an Errantry Crusade. Notably, you could take a unit of Battle Pilgrims as core, but I feel most players will be spending their core on a mixture of Knights Errant and Knights of the Realm.

You retain the ability to run Pegasus Knights in Special, which I’m sure will continue to be very popular.

Empire Knights and Inner Circle Knights are available as Mercenaries should you wish to bring some knights along to support your knights…

Unique Units

N/A – No change here

Special Characters

The main army composition lists found in Ravening Hordes and Forces of Fantasy notably lacked the array of special characters that enthusiasts have grown fond of within their cherished factions. While it’s understandable considering the shift in time period, with many of these iconic figures potentially not yet existing, it leaves a void in the hearts of fans longing for something extraordinary to connect with. The Arcane Journals address this gap by introducing a selection of special characters, both familiar and new, to their respective armies

The Green Knight

One of the most recognisable characters and models available for Bretonnia, the Green Knight comes in at 275 points and is available to any Bretonnian army. Interestingly you don’t deploy him at the start of the battle but begin to roll from the first turn. On a 3+ he appears completely within a “natural” terrain feature (on most tables I imagine this will be a forest or water feature). He can’t (Edit: We stand corrected! 16/07/24) He can charge that turn. Being able to appear from nowhere, or even just the threat of him doing so, will keep an opponent thinking.

When removed from play, the Green Knight is not slain and may continue to appear, but becomes weaker each time, with -1 to the roll and -1 wound when he appears.

With ethereal, a 5+ ward, and terror, he can potentially hold up whole units by himself, and with the Dolorous Blade giving him a choice of D6 extra attacks (potentially 10 at ap-1) or +2 strength and multiple wounds, he can put out some hurt as well.

Sir Cecil Gastonne, The Worm Slayer

A named baron and the leader of the army of Bretonnian Exiles that stood in the path of Settra’s legions, Sir Cecil has a profile typical of a Bretonnian Baron, except for an extra weapon skill (WS7)

Notably, he is unmounted and comes with the Exiles Vow (Stubborn and Veteran) and a Dragonhide Cloak (a 3+ ward save vs flaming attacks as well as reducing AP of attacks against him by 2 and making him immune to Killing Blow and Multiple Wounds)

Sir Cecil wields an axe known as “Sorrow’s End” which means he’ll be striking at strength 5, with -1AP, Monster Slayer, and multiple wounds (2)

Overall though at 165 points and without an option for a mount I’m not sure how much we’ll see of the Wyrm Slayer.

Lady Élisse Duchaard, Prophetess of Brionne

Lady Élisse is a little different in that as a Prophetess she is not available to an army of Exiles, although will find a place in generic Bretonnian lists and Errantry Crusades. She was tutored by the Fae Enchantress and as a result, is exceptionally gifted at dispelling an enemy’s magic.

225 points is expensive for a level 3 wizard but with 5 wounds, the ability to switch two of her randomly generated spells rather than one, and the “Arcane Backlash” special rule that allows her to dominate an opponent’s wizards, it feels like she is great value.

Likely, the reason that you’re bringing Lady Élisse (other than that awesome model!) is her ability to dispel. She dispels at +4 due to an additional +1 to the roll, but more importantly, any natural double on that roll (not including a double 1) means the spell is immediately unbound and additionally the caster immediately loses a wound.

Magic Items

Within this section are 18 new magical items usable for Bretonnian armies. Of these four are usable only in an Errantry crusade army, six are reserved for Exiles, and the remaining eight are freely available to any Bretonnian army. I’ve picked a few that jumped out at first read below:

The Frontier Axe, reserved for Exiles and acting similarly to a great weapon with an extra point of AP, Multiple Wounds (2) and without Always Strikes Last (S+2, AP -3, MW(2), Requires two hands) which at 30pts seems pretty solid.

Ironspike Shield, another that’s locked to Exiles, is a shield that causes a strength 3 hit at AP-1 whenever an opponent rolls a natural 1 to hit or wound.

Crusaders Clarion, an enchanted item reserved for Erranty Crusade armies and giving mounts in the unit +1 strength when they charge

Of the items not locked to an Army of Infamy, I don’t feel many are particularly competitive, perhaps the choice is the Banner of Honourable Warfare which for 25pts gives re-rolls to hit in the first round of combat if the enemy is equipped with any missile weapons.

Wrap Up

Overall I think the book delivers well, two Special Characters are likely to see play, both Armies of Infamy bring something new to the table, and we’re seeing some good results competitively from them. (As I write this there’s an Errantry Crusade army undefeated from the first four games in a 100-player online tournament)

I do think I would have preferred if the armies of infamy locked down the Pegasus Knights in the same way that the Orc and Goblin book restricts access to Night Goblin Fanatics, as I feel they seem so much better than other units in the book it’s a shame to see competitive lists rush straight to take as many as they can so perhaps a missed opportunity there.

Given the relatively low cost of the Arcane Journals and the amount of lore and new play options, it feels worth picking up regardless of the army you collect.


Fantasy, Games Workshop, Gamesplanet, Reviews, Total War: Warhammer

Should you give Total War Warhammer 3 a go? Fitts’ completely biased review

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Are you waiting for AoS 4.0 but still want to crash armies against each other? Either grab yourself a copy of Total War Warhammer 3 and jump in or read on and I’ll try to convince you that it’s worth a whirl!

If you do want to give it a whirl, why not purchase a copy of Warhammer Total War 3 using our affiliate link?

Why I play Total War Warhammer games

Total War Warhammer is my guilty pleasure game and one of the hardest to say game titles I’ve ever played. I’ve been jumping in and out of it since the 1st one dropped and I’ve started to lose count of all the campaigns I’ve played, Khemri, Dwarves, Empire, Undead, Lizardmen, Vampire Coast, Skryre (because they are definitely the best clan, so says my 2000 pt pure Skryre AoS army), more Khemri, more Vampire Coast, more Dwarves, and a little bit more Khemri. Playing the campaigns multiplayer has been one of the highlights (shoutout to my mate Samwise who is much better at the game than I am).

Look at all my cute little diabolical ratties!

Looking at the list of the factions I tend to take is also one of the reasons why I come recommending TWWH3, the games bring me a nostalgia hit which I don’t get from any other games (don’t tell Games Workshop but when I thought I was going to start with the Old World minis… I just loaded TWWH3 again instead). Playing on the computer with those armies and those units which I looked at hungrily in the White Dwarfs of old is one of the draw cards. As with each game and DLC before, it expands on the roster available and with some real treats this time around. All the chaos gods are finally represented along with Ogors and a couple of new factions.

  Oh how I wish I’d owned some of these models

Getting started with TWWH3

I went into it thinking I would be starting up a Slaanesh campaign… and I started the tutorial then thinking that Kislev would be an interesting option too. Kislev is a really interesting faction being built upon a few of the units from Empire of old and some of the lore but then really pushing it out into a fleshed out faction that feels like it has always existed that way in the Warhammer universe.

When I came to start up a new campaign though, I found myself drawn to the Jade Empire, Grand Cathay. I hadn’t expected that from the previews but looking at some of the units available and the starting map, I could see a faction that really vibed with how I like to play my armies and campaigns in Total War Warhammer.

The start of Miao Ying’s victorious campaign

That was a lot of waffle to start but I wanted to make sure I covered some of that reflection from the tabletop gamers’ side of things. I’ll keep rambling on and give you some of my experience getting into the meat of the campaign (the good and the bad)….

Finding an army that fits to you makes the game much more enjoyable

Cathay is army that really lends into building up combinations of units that allowed me to adapt tactics and to focus certain armies towards different builds. I loved the look and the feel of Cathay (which to me is probably the most important thing when it comes to an army on the tabletop or in a Total War game). Trying to reflect a little, I had been a bit dubious that this would feel like a Warhammer army within TWWH3… but the inclusion of the massive constructs and a general who can turn into a dragon when you want helped prop that end up.

I remember the days when lizardmen and Lustria were coming into the Old World, Cathay riffs on a different vibe of being a land on the edge of the world… something that has always been there and interacted with the Old World but is also apart and has its own strong identity. The campaign with Cathay was also a blast… although I didn’t feel like the story was woven deeply enough into the campaign mechanics and I would really like to know more about that story. Mechanically, it took me a while to get to grips with the Ying-Yang mechanic but once I had it figured out, it was easily controlled by recruiting the correct heroes. The combination of the mechanics and feel of Cathay was a hit for me.

The unit diversity in this picture will make Kharadron and Fyreslayers players jealous!

The stuff I didn’t really like

This is where I want to get down into the “bad” part of TWWH3, the campaign mechanics can be a bit annoying, in the sense that it forces you to start tending your lands to stop the daemonic incursions in a way which feels more like housework than enjoying a wargame. The fact that these mechanics and the camapign end goals are effectively the same across all of the starter factions was also a real bummer. After being treated to varied and interesting campaign goals across the other games and DLCs this was a real let down.

I finished up my Cathay adventure (or so I’d thought) and I more or less immediately went back to the new campaign screen to try and choose my next faction (maybe Slaanesh). However because of the lack of variety in the campaign I just didn’t feel it and in the end didn’t start a new one. You know what? I think that’s a real shame, it feels like a lot of love and development work went into that map and I hope with the future expansions we’ll be given reasons to go back to it (I still need to do a Kislev campaign… those bears and beards look great).

Getting on with it…

Well, that didn’t last long and later that day I was booting it up to jump into Immortal Empires instead and for the first time ever I jumped back in with the same faction I’d just played (and won with) and got stuck into a grand campaign with Cathay. For TWWH3, Immortal Empires is really where its at, there are a series of quality of life improvements in regards to victory conditions making it feel a bit more like I had some concrete goals and could happily finish a campaign with a Long Victory instead of feeling like I needed to grind and grind to get towards a final victory. I don’t know how they did it but I’ve felt much happier jumping into Immortal Empires in TWWH3 than with the earlier games.

The valiant army of Cathay stand fast against a Tzeentch assault (and the dragon gets covered in blood and daemon juice)

I’ve gotta start wrapping up this review so I can’t get into too many details but I’ve had fun popping in and out of TWWH3. I’ve played a bit of Ogres and lot of Chaos Dwarves since (I won’t get into Chaos Dwarves in detail yet but if you like their vibe, the DLC is worth it at full price. I actually mean that. It is a vastly different faction with in-depth mechanics that feel like they work and the campaign is *chef’s kiss*. Also, hobgoblins and evil dwarves in big hats, and bull centaurs)

How does it play?

Oh, you came here for an actual review and managed to read through all those long sentences up above! The game runs pretty nicely on my 6 year old computer (don’t ask me for the specs). The performance actually felt better than in the earlier entries, I didn’t feel like I was waiting overly long for the transitions from campaign map to battlefield (as has been a problem before for me). The graphics weren’t glitchy (as I’ve also had a problem with) and this really helped keep me immersed.

The small campaign map felt “personal” I really started to form a rivalry with my fellow Cathay empire below me and the threat of chaos trying to break through and wreak havoc felt right. Later on in the campaign, I started to really want to get to grips with the slippery Tzeentch forces.

Immortal Empires gave me this too but on the grander scale that comes with it. When you get into these bigger longer campaigns, in this iteration (and the earlier entries), I really find myself going after personal goals rather than the ones imposed by the game but I never felt I was being penalised or pushed towards doing it differently.

I haven’t tried out the Multiplayer with TWWH3 but have had a blast in earlier versions. Now it’s upgraded to let you play a campaign with up to 8 players and they even made two special campaigns focussed on multiplayer. I’ve heard though that stability is an issue and you’ll want to check out dedicated server options if you want to go down that road.

Time to settle some grudges… with a war zeppelin!

Onwards and upwards

It’s been a while since my last foray into the “Old World” of Warhammer and I’m getting that itch again. My sincerest condolences to Slaanesh though, you’re going to have to wait a bit longer. Next campaign, I’ll be jumping into Thrones of Decay… Dwarven Engineer with a deathwish, pirate slayers, a war zeppelin… I’ll be back soon with a review of the DLC from the perspective of Malakai!

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Age of Sigmar, Chat with the Champs, Fantasy, Games Workshop, General Speaking

Chat with the Champs: What do you want to see Changed for 4th Edition?

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Peter Holland: What changes would you all like to see made for Age of Sigmar in 4th Edition this year?

Aida Paul: Terrain. As in actual rules for terrain.

Peter: Obscuring? 😉

Aida: Don’t vex me this morning 😜  Terrain is by far the weakest part of aos, it’s a leaflet of absolute mess and the onoly reason it functions is because tons of TOs made up a lot of rules and schemas, limits, common sense applications.

Tavendale (No Rerolls): The rules are tokenistic at best.

Peter: Does anyone use the mystic terrain rules?

Aida: outside of the uk, everyone. This and playing defender wrong are the main UK quirks with AoS (by rules defender FULLY sets up the terrain, and yes, can do it unfairly, that’s the point).

in the UK mystic is… Sometimes, you can not really say no if someone wants to play them at an event, but rarely people do.

The funny thing with them is that people who do not play them go “oh they do nothing, well, maybe arcane…” and then you talk them through the rest and find that almost all have impact on games 😜

Noel Fundora: A more impactful mysterious terrain table would go nicely with proper terrain rules (please make climbing and spidermaning go away).

Hanna Leppänen: More focus on objectives of the scenario instead of BT/GS.

Patrick German: 4+ rallies can burn in hell. They could change nothing else, and I would be happy if 4+ went away.

Carson Whitlock: Generalization of common abilities. i.e Bodyguard, impact mortals, buffs/debuffs, deep strike/reserves.

If you’re very in the know on the current rules of the game it isn’t so much of an issue, but when your opponent is not and you’re at a loud tournament, god help you.

Also (assuming we can pick two things!), melee weapon reach being determined in inches. 99% of the time, somebody is hovering a widget 4 inches above a bunch of models at an angle and goes, “Looks like it’s in to me dude”. Just make it determined by the base touching an enemy base and use ranks as a measurement over inches.

Jon Anderson: Death of the Battle Regiment

Games Workshop, Hobby Update, Reviews, Sci-Fi, Warhammer 40k

Chaos Space Marines – Possessed, are they good yet? (Build Review)

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Credit: Games Workshop

Introduction

Possessed are central to the entire concept of Chaos Space Marines, especially Word Bearers (my Chaos legion). Their primarch commits some of his sons to a risky mission in the Warp. Those that returned are hosts. Called Gal Vorbak they are the first true possessed. Further experimentation yields mixed results with none of the new Possessed reaching the same strength of the Gal Vorbak.

Gal Vorbak; c/ Games Workshop

Possessed are among my favourite models in the Games Workshop range, I have at least 30.

Background

The original plastic models were available back in 7th edition (and probably before). For its time, it was a small kit with only 5 models, but there were a lot of options. You could build five Possessed and convert 5 more from standard Chaos Space Marines.

Orginal Possessed Kit (with conversions)

During 8th edition, there was a line refresh with Chaos Space Marines and Obliterators being remodelled and 3 new kits. Introduced with the Shadowspear Army Box, were the new Venomcrawler, Master of Possession and Greater Possessed. Greater Possessed were a separate unit to the Possessed until the 9th edition codex. The Shadowspear models were available in the Start Collecting Box exclusively, leading to a lot of eBay trading. As cheap Chaos Space Marines everywhere.

Greater Possessed

With the 9th edition codex, there was another refresh. This time, the Possessed kit was replaced. Possessed were “Primarised” increasing in size to match the Greater Possessed they became just Possessed. 

Comparison between generations

What’s in the box

That brings us to this review. It might be a bit late. The Chaos Space Marine – Possessed kit was released almost 18 months ago now. But maybe you want a Chaos Space Marine (CSM) army, and it’s not CSM without Possessed. Plus, with a balanced dataslate soon, they could be a competitive option again, replacing Chosen in armies. 

The box includes 5 x 40mm bases and 2 sprues. There are fewer options than the old kit, but there’s enough to build a few different models. There are 2 backpack options for the champion and at least one alternative arm for each model. 3 are shown with options for the heads, but the heads can be swapped on all models. There is also a base option, and the powerpacks can be mixed across all models. Not including the backpacks, it gives about 18 different combinations to make sure all of your Possessed aren’t identical. 

Preparation and construction

Unfortunately, the different weapon options are model specific, restricting how much you can mix the models. The parts in these kits are the wrong scale to modify current Chaos Space Marines. You could use them with some sculpting to modify Primaris Marines (Assault Intercessors would be my choice).

The instructions are clear, and for the most part, the castings are clean with minimal flash. Most of the sprue attachments are well thought out and accessible from underneath. The plastic is the same as all current kits, cut easily enough, and responds to light sanding.

The builds are mono dimensional with some very close fitting parts. I recommend removing all of the pieces from the sprue and cleaning them up before dry fitting.

Champion in subassembly ready for building

The models come together well without any gaps (unlike push fit). If you have any issues getting a tight fit check that you’ve cleaned the joining surfaces well enough. They lack the positive engagement of newer kits (released in 10th edition), but they are relatively easy to assemble. 

Heading for the painting stick

The trickiest steps are the first step (parts 1 and 2) and 5a (Parts 35 and 36). You need to get the angle right on the torso for the legs to make a clean join with the hose (that is part of 36), meeting the hole on 35. All up, it took about 1.25 hours for me to put them together in two bursts. 

Primed and ready

Paint and final steps

Now the tricky part, painting. I prime black and then heavy dry brush a bright silver (Vallejo Aluminium Air) to catch the trim (Word Bearers). Working out where the armour stops and flesh starts is harder on the new models than the old. I’ve gone with a demonic flesh with a strong red accent. It reduces the contrast between ceramite (armour) and a trait of Possessed is their armour moulds with them. 

Finished models

Here are some I prepared earlier. It will take me a week or more to complete the latest additions. If you look closely you’ll see that Squad has 2 champions.

Are they good again?

Possessed are fast (9” move) and more tanky than Chosen (3 wounds, toughness 5 and 5+ invulnerable save). They are expensive (140 points) and lack output, though. With only 1 AP, 2 Damage, and devastating wounds, you may be disappointed. The current meta has a lot of 3/4 wound models (Chosen, Wraithguard, Wraiths, and Aggressors). A Master of Possession can join them (80 points) giving a 6+ Feel No Pain and limited, precision, ranged. 

Word Bearer Possessed

They lack the advance and charge of Chosen (unless you make them Slaanesh and spend a CP). Or their output (thanks Chaos Lord) and are inconsistent against vehicles and monsters. But they can get up the board pretty fast without Rhinos (a Chosen weakness) and are more tanky than Chosen. If they receive a points drop, they could be a good trading piece and objective/mission tool. I’m going to be testing that theory later this month.

So are they good yet? To be determined

Age of Sigmar, Death, Faction Focus, Fantasy, Flesh-Eater Courts, Games Workshop, Reviews

Flesh-eater Courts: Battletome Review

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Lore Synopsis

The Flesh-eater Courts are leagues of valiant nobles, courtiers, knights, and serfs that aim to bring peace to the Mortal Realms. At least, that is what the Delusions have led them to believe. In reality, the nobles of the Flesh-eater Courts are bestial vampires and ghoulish monstrosities all led by Ushoran. Known by many titles, the Carrion King, the First Exemplar, the Sumeros Summerking, the Lord of Masques, the Sombre Paladin, the Mortarch of Delusion.

Credit: Games Workshop

Ushoran, one of Nagash’s great Mortarchs, was driven mad by something that occurred at the edges of the Realm of Death. Nagash placed him within the prison of the Shroudcage in an attempt to repair his broken mind. Sigmar’s invasion of Shyish resulted in the destruction of the Shroudcage and Ushoran’s escape. The madness, however, turned into something greater within the Shroudcage. Ushoran emerged a monstrous bestial creature dripping with madness. The delusion he now held was that he was still the valiant and beautiful Sombre Paladin that he once was. He would rally his courts and lead them to defend the mortal realms. This delusion spread to the members of his courts simply by proximity. Mortals would feast on his blood and on bountiful feasts of carrion, devolving into the ghoulish monstrosities that make up the Flesh-eater Courts. However, the madness takes them in turn, and they, in turn, see themselves as heroic figures led by the beneficent Summer King.

Playstyle

The Flesh-eater Courts is a battletome that supports a number of distinct playstyles centred around the common theme of recursion (returning slain models to the battlefield). Heroes utilize spells and abilities to debuff the enemy and strengthen your forces. You can deploy hordes of serfs or bands of knights that level volumes of attacks at your opponent while confidently occupying objectives. Or you can stomp across the battlefield with imposing monsters that wield a combination of debuffs, melee, and missile weapons.

Credit: Games Workshop

Allegiance Abilities

The FEC Deathless Courtiers battle trait is their version of the Death signature 6+ ward for all of their units. The crux of their other allegiance abilities are Noble Deed Points (which we will shorten to NDPs for the rest of this article) that are earned by their HEROES. FEC HEROES start the battle with 0 NDPs. Each time they chant a prayer or cast a spell that isn’t unbound, they get 1 NDP. After they fight, they earn a number of NDPs equal to the amount of wounds allocated to enemy units (excluding those caused by mount attacks). Each HERO can have a maximum of 6 NDPs. They will need them for FEC’s other abilities because Feeding Frenzy, Muster, and Summoning have changed entirely from their previous edition.

Feeding Frenzy is now a 12” aura that emanates from your HEROES that have 6 NDPs. The aura gives +1 attacks to melee weapons for all FEC units that are wholly within the aura. Rather than extra attacks being tied to spells, it is now just a passive buff you get for doing things you already planned on doing. So you will still have plenty of dice to chuck at your opponent.

Credit: Games Workshop

Muster Guard is the first recursion mechanic that they can utilize to return slain models. At the end of the movement phase, each COURTIER can spend 1 NDP to return 1 slain model to a SERF unit within 10” or 2 NDPs to return a KNIGHT. You can use this ability as many times as you wish as long as you have the NDPs to spend. Summon Loyal Subjects is the second major recursion mechanic. At the end of the movement phase, each ABHORRANT can spend 6 NDPs to pick 1 SERF or KNIGHT unit that has been destroyed. You can summon an identical replacement unit with half of the number of models rounded up, wholly within 6” of the board edge and more than 9” away from all enemy units. You can only replace each of your units once, and replacement units themselves can’t get replaced. What makes FEC very unique here is that the remaining models that are not set up are considered slain. This means they can be returned with abilities like Rally and Muster Guard. Note that both Summon Loyal Subjects and Muster Guard are both at the end of the movement phase. So you can position your COURTIERS, summon a replacement unit, and then muster that unit. The mustered models can be placed closer to the enemy to reduce your charge distances. Managing this NDP economy makes for interesting decision-making.

The last battle trait we have to cover is Delusions, which have also been overhauled. You get to pick 1 Delusion to apply to your FEC units for the whole battle, but you do not pick until before the first turn and after starting command points have been received. The flexibility of being able to pick your delusion after knowing the battle plan, your opponent, and who is going first is really neat. Crusading Army gives +1 to run and charge, perfect for chasing down some pesky invaders. Defenders of the Realm give +1 to save rolls while contesting objectives that you control, which is a nice durability boost for our not so great save characteristics. The Royal Hunt gives +1 to wound rolls against MONSTERS, sorry Gargants (He’s not sorry – Peter). The Grand Tournament gives +1 to hit for HEROES that are not a general and made a charge move in the same turn. The Feast Day allows Feeding Frenzy to apply, while HEROES have 4 NDPs rather than 6.

You also have access to 2 unique heroic actions. The first being Rousing Oration which allows you to roll a number of dice equal to the number of FEC units wholly within 12” of that HERO. Every 5+ gives that HERO 1 NDP. A nice extra way of generating NDPs and keeping your economy steady. The second is Scent of Blood which allows you to roll a die and on a 3+ make a move of D6”. You have to finish the move outside of 3” of enemy units. If there is an enemy with wounds allocated to it, you have to finish the move closer to that unit. A neat, albeit niche tool we can use for some minute repositioning, like walking out of combat!

Subfaction Traits Summary

Morgaunt

Morgaunt will allow each of your MORGAUNT HEROES to gain 1 NDP at the end of each turn if they are contesting an objective. A nice NDP trickle. This subfaction will also make the new Crypt Guard unit battleline.

Battleline in Morgaunt. Credit: Games Workshop

Hollowmourne

Hollowmourne will give HOLLOWMOURNE KNIGHTS +1 damage on the charge for their melee weapons (excluding mount). This subfaction will also make your Crypt Horrors battleline.

Yes, Horrors will be damage 4 on those 6s to wound.

Crypt Horrors, battleline in Hollowmourne. Credit: Games Workshop

Blisterskin

Blisterskin gives your ABHORRANTS the PRIEST keyword. Your HEROES can not chant a prayer and cast a spell in the same phase. This subfaction will also allow your Crypt Flayers to be battleline. The prayers are good, but I don’t think they are so good that this is warranted. This is really just for the Flayer enjoyers.

Gristlegore

Gristlegore will allow you to pick 1 of your GRISTLEGORE MONSTERS at the start of your combat phase to have Strikes First. This subfaction will also make your non-hero Zombie Dragons and Terrorgeists battleline. Monster mash enjoyers rejoice!

Credit: Games Workshop

Spells and Prayers

Misamal Shroud (Spell)

Miasmal Shroud has a casting value of 6 (CV6) and a range of 18”. It allows you to pick 1 visible enemy and roll 6 dice (8 if the casting roll is 10+). If 2 of those dice share a number, the enemy takes 1 mortal wound. If 3 share a number, they get -1 to hit rolls. If 4 share a number, they get -1 to wound rolls. These effects are cumulative.

Crimson Victuals (Spell)

Crimson Victuals has CV6 and range 18”. You pick one enemy unit and one FEC unit within 6” of that enemy that has a wounds characteristic of 1. The enemy suffers D3 mortal wounds and you can return 1 slain model to that friendly unit for each wound not negated. If the casting roll was 10+, the enemy suffers 2d3 mortals instead. This will help keep your SERF units topped off.

Deranged Transformation (Spell)

Lastly Deranged Transformation has CV6 and range 24”. Pick an FEC unit with a wounds characteristic of 7 or less that is wholly within range and visible. They get +2 to their move characteristic and +1 to wound until your next hero phase. If the casting roll was 10+, you can pick 3 friendly units instead of 1. This one is certainly the highlight for this lore, keeping your units screaming across the battlefield.

Bless this Meal (Prayer)

Bless this Meal is CV3 and range 18”. Pick 1 visible enemy unit. Each time a model from that unit is slain, you can heal 1 wound to a FEC unit within 6” of that enemy. This could be nice for keeping your monsters topped off.

The Summerking’s Favour (Prayer)

The Summerking’s Favour is CV3 and range 18”. You can pick 1 friendly HERO and they gain 1 additional NDP each time they slay an enemy model. Given that the max is 6, I am not sure our fighty heroes will be able to really take advantage.

Charnel Conviction (Prayer)

Charnel Conviction is CV3 and range 18”. You can give a 5+ ward to one of your units until the start of your next hero phase. A 5+ ward on any of our dense wound blocks is quite the jump in durability.

Command Traits and Artefacts

Your ABHORRANT generals will have access to 3 command traits. Shadowy Obfuscation will make your general invisible to models more than 12” away from them. Piss off pesky archers! Feverish Scholar will give your general +1 to casting, unbinding, and dispelling rolls. That bonus jumps up to +2 if that HERO has 6 NDPs. This is really nice for all those 10+ effects in the spell lore. And Kroak is shaking in his boots when it’s FECs time to unbind! Master of the Menagerie makes it so that you can use Summon Loyal Subjects on a NON-HERO MONSTER instead of only SERFS and KNIGHTS. When the MONSTER is summoned, it has 6 wounds allocated to it. Get back on the battlefield, you big beautiful monsters!

Your ABHORRANT HEROES have access to 3 artefacts of power. The Grim Garland subtracts 2 from the bravery characteristics of enemy units while they are within 9” of the bearer. This will combo nicely with some features we will cover later. The Blood-river Chalice allows the bearer to heal 2d3 in the hero phase once per battle. The Heart of the Gargant allows the bearer to add 1 to the attacks characteristic of themselves and their mount once per battle. Those last two leave a little bit to be desired.

Your COURTIER general will have access to 3 command traits. Stronger in Madness will add 2 to their wounds characteristic and give them a 5+ ward while they have 6 NDPs. Savage Beyond Reason makes their melee weapons score 2 hits instead of 1 for each unmodified hit roll of 6, 3 hits if they have 6 NDPs. Cruel Taskmaster improves their ability to use Muster Guard. Now when they spend 1 NDP to muster, they can return 1 slain KNIGHT model or 2 slain SERF models. The first two seem ok if you want to focus on a smashy Varghulf Courtier. However, the value on Cruel Taskmaster is absolutely and insanely efficient if you want to focus on blocks of KNIGHTS.

Your COURTIER HEROES have access to 3 artefacts of power. The Medal of Madness allows them to once per battle round issue a command as if they were a general without spending a command point. This simply isn’t the choice with such a lack of impact. The Flayed Pennant allows all Flesh-Eater Courts units to reroll charges while wholly within 12” of the bearer. This is not the worst artefact. The Charnel Vestments gives the bearer the PRIEST keyword. Having access to a prayer without having to invest in the Abhorrant Cardinal is really nice.

Mount Traits and Monstrous Actions

Your Royal Zombie Dragons and Royal Terrorgheists will have access to 2 unique monstrous actions. Delectable Appetizers allows you to pick 1 enemy unit within 3” with a wounds characteristic of 2 or less and roll a dice. On a 3+, that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds and the monster heals the number of wounds that were caused and not negated. This is just more healing to ensure your monster is topped off before the fight. Bloodcurdling Shriek allows you to pick 1 enemy unit within 3” and roll a dice. On a 3+, subtract 2 from the target’s bravery characteristic until the end of the turn. More bravery debuffs for more bravery shenanigans.

Your Zombie Dragon HEROES will have 3 mount traits to choose from. Baneful Breath will give the Pestilential Breath rend 2 rather than 1. Death from the Skies allows you to set up this unit in reserve and deploy at the end of the first movement phase anywhere outside of 9” of enemy units. Venerated Zombie Dragon allows you to add 1 to hit rolls for friendly Flesh-eater Courts MONSTERS wholly within 12” of this unit. That last one will be the obvious pick if your goal is Monster Mash.

Your Terrorgheist HEROES will also have 3 mount traits to choose from. Gruesome Bite adds 1 to the attack characteristics of this units Fanged Maw. This is for all your gamblers out there as the Fanged Maw is still going to cause 6 mortal wounds on 6s to hit. Horribly Resilient allows you to heal 2d3 in the hero phase with Royal Blood rather than D3. Morbheg’s Swiftness allows this unit to retreat and charge, which is a really nice bit of mobility.

Warscrolls

Nagash is in the book, but the spell lore is not really one he can take advantage of. The points seem tight, and there are a lot of neat FEC toys that interact with each other. If Nagash is your jam, he definitely fits the theme of recursion.

Terrain

The Charnel Throne is back and mostly the same. Enemies still can not use abilities that would allow them to ignore battleshock tests while they are within 12” of it. However, when one of your little 7 wound or fewer heroes is garrisoned inside, they generate D3 NDPs at the start of your hero phase! Chuck an Archregent in there and the rest of your army around it to hear a Rousing Oration, and you will be at 6 NDPs before you know it.

Abhorrant Heroes

Ushoran, the Mortarch of Delusion, has some very interesting abilities on his warscroll in addition to being a two caster Wizard. His warscroll spell is CV7 and range 18”. You pick an enemy model and 1 of its weapons. That model has to make that weapon attack against another unit within range. If your opponent is not careful, their units might get a bonk! He heals 2d3 in the hero phase and has a 5+ ward which makes him quite resilient. In the hero phase, Ushoran can pick a second delusion to apply to the army until your next hero phase. The flexibility this provides you can be so valuable. His Feeding Frenzy range is 24” rather than 12” if he has 6 NDPs. At the start of the combat phase, he will give -1 bravery to each unit within 3” that lasts for the rest of the battle. And then, he rolls 2 dice against the bravery characteristic of each enemy within 1”. If the roll surpasses that unit’s bravery, that enemy will fight last. Combining this with another hero carrying the Grim Garland can make Ushoran hand out fight last to even the bravest of units. There is a lot of utility in this single warscroll.

All ABHORRANTS can heal D3 in the hero phase with their Royal Blood ability.

The Abhorrant Archregent can use Countless Servants to return 3 SERF models or 1 KNIGHT model to a single unit within 18” of this unit. I will have a side of recursion with my recursion. Thank you very much. Being a two caster means the Archregent can generate NDPs quite well. Their CV6 warscroll spell Carrion Call allows a unit that is set up at the end of the following movement phase to make a D6” move. This warscroll is packed to the brim with value.

The Abhorrant Ghoul King does not come with similar value. It is a single caster with a CV6 warscroll spell that allows them to make a 3d6 charge in the hero phase. In the combat phase, it can pick an enemy hero to duel and get +1 damage against them. 5 attacks at damage 3 is funny, certainly. However, I do not think this mini missile will afford you the same utility as some of these other warscrolls.

The Abhorrant Cardinal is going to be your only priest outside of a COURTIER, taking the Charnel Vestments. Their warscroll prayer is CV 4 and range 18”. Pick a unit, and every time it receives a command, the command fails on a 4+. I am not sure how this prayer is expected to compete with the 5+ ward or healing/recursion prayers that have CV 3s. They generate 1 NDP from 1 prayer and then offer no other utility.

The Abhorrant Gorewarden is going to make your Morbheg Knights battleline if it is the general. It can set itself up in reserve and bring a unit of Morbheg Knights or Crypt Flayers to reserve with them, dropping onto the battlefield outside of 9”. It is a single caster with a CV6 spell that teleports them and a flying unit anywhere outside of 9” of enemies. A good bit of utility on this one, and a great pick if you want to focus on Morbheg Knights!

Grand Justice Gormayne is an interesting fella. He is not a priest, but instead has 4 judgments he can pick from to pronounce in your hero phase on a 3+. Petty Transgression lets you target a visible enemy (no range) and get +1 to wound rolls for all your FEC units that target that enemy that turn. There is some redundancy here with Deranged Transformation, but it has its uses.. Grievous Insult to the Court is the same but with +1 to hit rolls instead, with the added requirement of that enemy having to be within 3” of an ABHORRANT to be selected. Dishonourable Conduct in Battle lets you target a visible enemy (no range) that is outside of 3” of your units. All your FEC units can run and charge if they finish the charge within .5” of the target. Even more mobility? Yes, please! Regicide lets you pick a visible enemy (no range) that has slain an ABHORRANT. Your units get +1 damage against them. We have found the Abhorrant Ghoul King’s purpose!

The Abhorrant Ghoul King on Royal Terrorgheist is up to 16 wounds now. The rider has damage 2 attacks, and the Skeletal Claws are up to 7 attacks! The warscroll is otherwise mostly the same except for the CV6 warscroll spell – Ferocious Hunger, which allows a Royal Terrogheist to reroll those Fanged Maw to hit rolls. So the Terrorgheist is still the same moderate beat stick 6 fisherman we all know and love.

The Abhorrant Ghoul King on Royal Zombie Dragon also received the 16 wound and damage 2 rider treatment. On this warscroll, however, you will shut down Inspiring Presence or units within 3” of any Royal Zombie Dragon, which will combo nicely with the Bloodcurdling Shriek and the Charnel Throne. The CV 6 and range 18” warscroll spell Monstrous Hunger will give out run and charge to every FEC monster within range. If you like Monster Mash, this hero is an excellent inclusion to send your monsters barreling forward.

Courtier Heroes

Your COURTIER heroes will give you access to the Muster Guard ability, but that means they will need to generate NDPs in order to use them. None of them are wizards or priests innately, so you will have to rely on Morgaunt, Rousing Oration, the Charnel Throne, or combat to generate those NDPs.

The Marrowscroll Herald is invisible to the enemy if there are 5 FEC models within 6” of them. This keeps them exceptionally safe, and you can even abuse this to charge the Herald in and shut off unleash hell (yes, unleash hell requires visibility). The Herald can also give out an infected bone at the end of the charge phase. The enemy can deny it and give all your units within 3” of the Herald fight first. If they accept, then you can roll against their bravery every time they try to issue or receive a command, cast, or chant. If you beat their bravery, they fail. Yet another case where our bravery debuffs are going to come in handy.

The Crypt Ghast Courtier and the Royal Decapitator will be able to chain activate a SERF unit in the combat phase. In theory, you can have them fight, generate NDPs, and chain activate SERFs that are now benefiting from Feeding Frenzy. In practice, their combat profiles are just not what they need to be for this trick to work. Not to mention, they are very squishy, so the frontlines might not be where you want them. The Decapitator also has the funny 5+ auto slay at the end of combat if it dealt any wounds to a hero. Are you feeling lucky?

The Varghulf, Crypt Infernal, and Crypt Haunter are going to be your punchy COURTIERS that might be able to fight with your units a bit more efficiently. The Varghulf 2 extra attacks against 1 or 2 wound non-mounted units, a D6 heal if it slayed models, and a retreat move at the end of the combat phase. With some decent mobility and combat stats, the Varghulf could prove an interesting inclusion. If the Crypt Infernal manages to kill a model in the shooting phase, it will give +1 damage to your nearby Crypt Flayers for that shooting phase. If you’re into shooting, Flayer bricks can surprise your opponent with this trick. The Crypt Haunter can chain activate your Crypt Horrors in the combat phase, and it might have the best chance at taking advantage of that Feeding Frenzy trick. The Infernal and Haunter are only 6 wounds, meaning they can receive Deranged Transformation. Sporting 8 wounds, the Varghulf is not so lucky.

Knights

The new Morbheg Knights can pick 1 unit within 1” after a charge, and that enemy can not receive unleash hell. You can also roll a dice for each model in this unit that is within 1” of that enemy unit, and each 4+ will cause D3 mortal wounds. Archers be damned! These KNIGHTS sprint around with 12” move and a tasty 4+ save. They get +1 to run and charge and count as 3 each on objectives if they charged. On top of all of this, they can retreat and charge. These batty KNIGHTS are not to be trifled with.

The Crypt Flayers and Crypt Horrors remain the same. Flayers can pick up and transport your sub-7 wound heroes, which is the perfect tool for positioning your COURTIERS that need to muster elsewhere on the board. They also get +1 to wound for shooting sub 7 bravery targets, of which there will be many with all the bravery debuffs we can hand out. Crypt Horrors are going to be the cheapest battleline option in Hollowmourne and very hitty to boot.

Serfs

The new Cryptguard will allow Flesh-eater Courts HEROES that are wholly within 3” of a unit of Cryptguard to add 1 to their ward rolls. This will provide a nice little boost to the durability of your ever important heroes. They can also form a U shape around larger bases to get your monsters wholly within 3” of the unit. You can deploy your Cryptguard or charge them into this formation to make your monsters even more formidable (yes, Ushoran will have a 4+ ward). They also prevent enemies they damage from receiving commands for the turn. Niche for the combat phase commands, but very good for turning off Inspiring Presence.

Crypt Ghouls are the same on the warscroll, but the pitched battle profile has seen a huge update in that they are now minimum size 20! This means you can rock up to the table with Crypt Ghoul units as large as 40 or 60 models strong! The wound density of these little Ghouls makes them an exceptionally efficient choice. They will also be your only non-conditional battleline.

Royal Beastflayers are the cheapest serfs but are in no way battleline. The unit has a wounds characteristic of 1 and the SERFS keyword. This means you can return 1 model to this unit for 1 NDP from a COURTIER, 3 models to this unit with Countless Servants from an Abhorrant Archregent, and the number of other tricks this book has for replenishing SERFS. The reason this matters is because of the Offal Hound and Flaymaster models within this unit that have 2 and 3 wounds, respectively. For the price of returning a SERF model that is typically 1 wound, you can return Offal Hounds and Flymasters. This makes the Beastflayers so absolutely efficient that they will compete with Ghouls at clogging up the board and tying up your opponent. They also turn off monstrous actions and make monsters -1 damage, which is just a cherry on top.

Monsters

The non-hero version of the Royal Zombie Dragon and Royal Terrorgheist are going to be the makeup of your monster mash lists. They sport 14 wounds a piece. The Terrorgheist has the same mortals on the maw, and the Zombie Dragon has the same shutting off inspiring presence. The Zombie Dragon can be set up in reserve, which may combo nicely with Carrion Call. 

Endless Spells

The Chalice of Ushoran is CV 6 with 24” range.  The endless spell is all the same, except now it is an 8” flying predatory spell! You keep track of the number of models slain within 12”. At the end of the turn, you roll that many dice. For each 4+, you can heal 1 wound allocated to a Flesh-eater courts model within 12”, or return 1 slain model to a Flesh-eater courts unit wholly within 12” that has a wounds characteristic of 1. This will confidently keep your units topped off as it always did. However, now you can move it around to hide behind terrain or get out of range and avoid dispellment.

The Cadaverous Barricade is CV5 with 24” range. It becomes a piece of terrain that prevents runs, retreats, and halves movement within 3”. It might be easy to dispel, but it is super cheap and can be used to block redeploys or counter charges in your turn. Not to mention, the laughs that may ensue should it fail to be dispelled.

The Corpsemare Stampede is a CV7 with a range of 3d6” and predatory flying move of 12”. You roll 6 dice against every unit it flies across, and it does a mortal for each 6, and for each roll that’s greater than that unit’s wounds characteristic. It is on a decent sized base, so it could also be used for move blocking outside of the ok damage.

Grand Strategies

The Grand Strategies are quite difficult to achieve, and you may be better off with a generic option. On the table, none of these have proven to be very reliable.

Legendary Exploits requires having 3 FEC heroes alive with 6 NDPs each at the end of the battle. FEC feels like an army that wants to grind to the final turn, and it needs to spend those NDPs to stay on the field. I am not sure this one is feasible at all.

Expand the Kingdom requires an Abhorrant to be wholly within enemy territory while the enemy general is not wholly within their territory. This one is very easy for the opponent to deny, especially if their general is the type to sit in the back and hide anyway.

Defend the Throne requires you to have no enemy units within 6” of the Charnel Throne and have it garrisoned by one of your heroes. This one is also easily preventable by your enemy simply running up alongside the throne. The way you score this is by sitting the throne in the corner, but then the hero inside of it does not get to interact with the battle and you do not get to take advantage of the turning off battleshock abilities.

Battle Tactics

Some of these are going to be a bit challenging, but with the specific setup and list building, they can be good alternatives to the GHB tactics.

Screamed to Death requires you to kill an enemy unit with the shooting from Crypt Flayers, the Crypt Infernal, or a Terrorghiest. If you are running Crypt Flayer Bricks, this one is quite achievable. Or if there is a weakened unit or model running around that a Terrorgeist can pick off with a shout, even better.

Valiant Slaying requires you to kill a monster with attacks made by an Abhorrant. If you are not running a big monster, this one may be quite impossible unless there happens to be a severely wounded monster for an Archregent to pick off.

Overrun requires every enemy unit on the battlefield to finish the turn within 3” of an FEC unit. If you’re running large SERF blocks, then this tactic is much more achievable as you can spread yourself quite effectively and squeeze in between screens. However, this one may be a safer tactic to pick up later into the game when there are fewer enemies to tag.

Glorious Feast requires every friendly unit to be wholly within 12” of a FEC hero that has 6 NDPs. On certain battleplans where you do not want to travel far from your deployment, you may be able to reliably set this up on turn 1. You can roll Rousing Oration before you select your battle tactic. If you are going second, 2 good orations and a good roll on the D3 from Charnel Throne could guarantee this tactic. REALLY, good rolls could even make it possible as a Turn 1 tactic. More likely, though, you can pick this up towards the end of the battle when there are fewer units to track.

Lance Formation requires you to charge with two or more KNIGHT units, and each of those charge rolls must be a 7+. With +1 to charge from Crusading, +1 to charge on the Morbheg Knights, and potentially a reroll charge for a CP, this tactic is doable. Two 7+s is still a lot to ask for. Not to mention, if you are aiming to charge with more than 2 KNIGHT units, you risk more chances of failure.

The Ties of Chivalry requires you to take an objective from your opponent and be contesting it at the end of the turn with a SERF, KNIGHT, and COURTIER unit. This requires very specific positioning on the battlefield but may be one of the easier tactics we have access to.

Final Thoughts

The new Flesh-eater Courts tome has a lot of really interesting interactions that make multiple playstyles viable. Whether you want to swarm the board with hordes of bodies or punch the enemy with powerful hammers, you will be a nuisance that dies and keeps standing back up. Our overall weak save characteristics are aided by wound density and some good defensive buffs. The army has the same issue as it did last edition, which is a lack of rend across the board. We can still hope that the volume of attacks will help crack those tough saves. With strong objective presence and very neat warscroll rules, the Flesh-eater Courts are the perfect army to be able to push around a variety of toys and experiment with different lists from one battle to the next.

Age of Sigmar, Danny Wadeson, Fantasy, Games Workshop, Order, Reviews, Sylvaneth

Age of Sigmar – Sylvaneth Battletome Review

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Limited Edition Sylvaneth Battletome
Limited Edition Sylvaneth Battletome

Sylvaneth have been a troubled faction for a while in Age of Sigmar – a beautiful but relatively small model range, endlessly tweaked faction terrain rules (and let’s not get started on transporting those wyldwoods) and almost all competitive lists lists built around the dominant ‘Warsong Bomb’ combo.

In no uncertain terms, the new book changes everything. That’s almost literally true. So without this review becoming a novel-length guide to the entire faction, I’m going to try and focus on the biggest changes and offer a broad perspective on what it looks like Sylvaneth are now, in terms of play-style, predicted strength overall, and the biggest winners/losers from the Tome.

A quick note on ordering, based on some learnings from our last Tome review. And we feel it actually makes sense to start with army abilities and sub-faction rules, before diving into units, then tackling Enhancements (so you can understand who they make sense on) before finishing up with the Grand Strategies and Battle Tactics.

QUICK LINKS

Sylvaneth Battletome Review

ARMY RULES

Sylvaneth strike from the trees

There’s a crazy amount of synergy in this Battletome, and it all starts with and revolves around Places of Power.

Image taken from Warhammer Community

Start of a battle you pick 3 terrain features wholly outside enemy territory and they become ‘overgrown terrain features’. By default, each Sylvaneth unit within 9″ can regen 1 wound. Where it gets interesting is how this combines with all sorts of rules – but the next army rule is From The Woodland Depths, which has two main effects.

Image taken from Warhammer Community

The first is essentially the same as the old Walk the Hidden Paths – allowing one unit wholly within 9″ to teleport to within 9″ either an overgrown terrain or wyldwood – with two provisos. Standard teleport rules apply (not within 9 of an enemy unit) and crucially, the terrain piece can’t be in engagement range of an enemy unit.

For the rest of the review we’ll refer to these combined teleporting restrictions as ‘Walking the Paths restrictions’. And we’ll use the shorthand ‘within terrain range’ to mean ‘wholly within 9″ of an overgrown terrain or awakened wyldwood’.

Overall this is more flexible than before but does mean a clever opponent can limit your teleporting options by careful positioning.

Image taken from Warhammer Community

The second effect is Strike and Fade, which is potentially huge, even if it requires some careful set up – once per turn, a Sylvaneth unit that has fought can immediately teleport, with Walking the Paths restrictions. This is potentially very tasty, allowing glass-hammer units to fight with impunity, or as a way to radically reposition a tanky slow unit, etc etc – I expect we’ll all be having lots of fun with this one.

Finally, Verdant Blessing remains, unchanged – a cast 6, 18″ spell to summon a wyldwood outside of 3″ of the usual objects.

A really tactical and interesting new addition are Seasons of War, which you can essentially think of as modifiers to the terrain rules, and therefore apply to units wholly within 9″ unless stated otherwise. These are added to your list, and you obviously just pick the one.

The Burgeoning gives units that didn’t charge a Ward of 6. Can’t complain. The Reaping adds 3″ to the terrain effect range – probably really useful given the average big base size of sylvaneth units, and allows you a bit more latitude. In many ways I can see this being my go to, as being slightly outside of ‘wholly within’ could ruin a whole turn’s worth of shenanigans.

The Dwindling allows for a hero phase re-roll of 1 cast, 1 unbindand 1 dispel – as in, 1 of each. Obviously strong given how good Sylvaneth magic is. Lastly, Everdusk reduces terrain effect range by 3″ but in exchange you get exploding 6s to hit in melee. I feel like the 6″ range is going to be too restrictive for this to be reliable, but you’ll see that there are a few ways to make certain units count as overgrown, which does make this more flexible than it appears at first glance.

Overall, I love these rules, they’re easy to remember, are all upside, and give you a meaningful tactical layer.

GLADES

Glades return (obviously) but follow the 3rd edition paradigm of being streamlined and fluffy. And good!

Oakenbrow makes Treelords battleline and for bracketing purposes you halve the damage taken by all of the biggest trees – so also Treelord Ancient and Durthus. Durthi? In the new GHB meta, this is an interesting option to avoid giving up extra damage against your battleline units and allows you to lean into a tanky Ent list, which is awesome for obvious reasons.

Gnarlroot remains the magic pick of choice, allowing a once per turn cast on 3d6 removing one dice while in terrain range. Given some of our spells get better with higher values, this combined with the potential re-roll from Dwindling could be very nice.

Heartwood sees a big change – now it makes Kurnoth battleline, and allows you to pick 3 enemy units that your whole army gets +1 to hit against. This is a great CP saver and even though, as you’ll see, I’m not totally sold on Kurnoth Bows, it means they could make sense as MSU in this Glade.

Ironbark now gives you a command ability usable on a unit in engagement range of an enemy that has charged – on a 2+ that unit suffers d3 mws. A nice punishment for daring to charge your lovely stickmen – and here’s the kicker – it can be used multiple times, but not on the same enemy unit. Obviously fairly useless against horde units but the chance to kill a mid-wound model and deny its attacks could add up over the course of the game – overall, I think this is too niche to be taken competitively.

Winterleaf leans intro a control playstyle, and prevents enemy units from falling back. And if combined with Everdusk (which is a cool combo, and kind of a shame the others don’t offer a combined effect) that unit also can’t be removed – as in, they can’t be teleported somehow away either. Teleporting shenanigans are becoming more prevalent in the game so this is (situationally) more useful than it first appears.

Dreadwood plays clearly into Spite-revenants – making them battleline and allowing you to use Walk the Paths and/or Strike and Fade twice but with the proviso that one of those times it must be Spite-revs. I can’t really think of a reason this isn’t the weakest Glade going, but, y’know, if you really love Spite-revs and want to play more of a horde Sylvaneth, this is how you do it.

Harvestboon allows EACH unit of the new flying cavalry to make a pre-game move of 12″ – and they’re battleline in it. You will see that Spite-riders have a strike first effect, meaning if you can fit into a one drop, this Glade allows you to set up an alpha strike of as many bug cavalry as you want, all fighting before any enemy unit can retaliate. Risky but potentially hilarious!

SPELLS

Sylvaneth are a faction who’ve always had a pretty great time with magic, and it’s better than ever now.

Throne of Vines (casting value 9) heals 1 wound to the caster at the end of each phase until next hero phase – so a minimum of 6 and a max of 12! It’s a ‘heal over time’ so you trade immediacy for reliability. At CV 9 it’s a great candidate for using the Vesperal Gem on (more on that below).

Regrowth (18″ – cv 5) heals d6.

Dwellers Below (12″ cv 7) rolls a dice per model in a unit and does mws on a 5+. Could be fun now we’re more likely to see more, bigger units in general. As you will see, there are similar spells you can combo this with to potentially decimate big units – although part of me would like to see a little variation in effects, and something more targeted towards smaller units.

Deadly Harvest (3″, cv 6) does d3 mws to each unit in range. Not amazing but fine for combat-casters, of which we have a couple.

Image taken from Warhammer Community

Verduous Harmony (18″, cv 7) brings back a model to a unit, or d3 models to tree/spite revs or dryads. See a healing theme emerging yet?

Treesong (16″, cv 7) is a great new spell that gives any unit in terrain range but specifically of wyldwoods an extra rend. Shame it’s not any terrain, but still potentially very strong, as in the right situations you could improve the rend of multiple units at once with this.

Overall, it’s a useful, fluffy and powerful lore with some fun effects. At first glance it seems like it wants you to lean into big, tanky, multi-wound units to make the most from it.

ENDLESS SPELLS

I’m over the moon with what GHB22 is doing for endless spells in general and Sylvaneth’s fall in line, offering some excellent, highly synergistic effects at a new bargain price that means *gasp* you will actually use them.

Spiteswarm Hive (40 pts) got brought in line with 3e rules but still rocks – you choose between two effects, each applying to one unit wholly within 9″ in the hero phase – +3″ to move and charge or reduce rend by 1. Buut both go off on a 2+, annoyingly again – you’ve already paid the points, summoned the spell…and it can still fail on you? Bogus!

Gladwyrm (50 pts) is the same but well costed now – d3 mws on a 3+ to owt within 1″ AND heals d6 on a 3+. Get that in the mix and it will add tonnes of value to a melee.

Skullroot (60 pts), one of the damn coolest looking endless spells in the game, adds d3 units to a failed battleshock test AND, when it flies (8″) over an enemy unit, and any unit within 1″ of the tree, it does d3 on a 2+, or d6 if that unit is within 6″ of a wyldwood. There are plenty of opportunities for enemies to be near wyldwoods, but even if they’re not, this has clear and obvious value.

I mean, you’d be tempted to take all 3 right?

Sylvaneth Battletome Review
Sylvaneth Lady of Vines

UNITS

Heck, there’s an awful lot to cover here. Lots of varied stat lines, abilities, and huge changes to the old book. Again, we’ll keep this high-level – don’t want to miss the wood for the trees – (SORRY I HAD TO) in the interests of not just transcribing the entire book.

Let’s start the A-mama herself, the Beetle-Queen, Ol’ Thunder Thighs, Alarielle. She’s good now – potentially really good – but with provisos. Talon of the Dwindling, Swirling Glowspites and her spell, Metamorphosis remain the same, but Lifebloom has seen a crucial glow up – now, after she’s been killed, she comes back on a 6+battle round number, but you only get one attempt so choose when to try it wisely. She’s got a great 1 shot 2/2/-2/6 bracketing shooting attack, and the beetle horns are decent in melee.

Alarielle the Everqueen Sylvaneth Battletome Review
Alarielle the Everqueen

The other great new addition to her scroll is a once per game ‘turn everything into Overgrown’, which obviously has big synergy implications.

Basically, Alarielle does a little bit of everything now, and seems very viable to me as a lynchpin piece that operates in all phases. If she gets shot off turn 1 by pesky Stormfiends or what have you, at least she can now come back to play in the later rounds.

A big investment at 840 – but if you subtract the cost of the best unit she can summon, that’s more like 590. You’ll need to build your list around her, but a very pleasing glow up from her previous incarnation. Difficult to gauge whether she’ll be competitively viable – 16 wounds on a 3+ with no built-in after-save can still be liquified by plenty of things without too much effort – but I think with careful use she can contribute meaningfully to a list.

Sylvaneth Lady of Vines Sylvaneth Battletome Review
The Lady of Vines

Her (strong independent literally used to be her)right hand – The Lady of Vines – is an exciting alternative. A good, tanky wizard who can chip damage at range and hold her own against smaller stuff in melee, her main incentives are a once per game Dryad summon – although it’s super frustrating to me that it goes off on a 2+ and is therefore guaranteed to fail when you really need it – and a 12″, CV 7 spell to give an aura of a 5+++, which is potentially huge. She also counts as Overgrown terrain but with a 9″ range, allowing her to be a mobile, much-cheaper alternative to her ‘mum’.

Drycha remains largely unchanged, functioning as a harassment piece who buffs spite-revenants with a +1 to their wound rolls. But I still don’t see why you’d ever really want to run them even with that. She still offers plenty on her own merits, as a mixed range, 1 cast wizard with a super swingy warscroll spell that does MWs based on the difference between your roll and their leadership. Her notable strength is the ability to double either her melee or ranged output to 20 attacks, and fish for mws on 6s, which means flexibility, good horde clearing potential, and a potentially great Unleash Hell candidate. Hard to see how the tree-mech competes with the more specialised Big Trees, but her versatility and speed (9″) does mean she’s nice and flexible.

Warsong Revenant also remains pretty much the same, losing his knowledge of the whole lore but remaining a very potent wizard (the only straight source of +1 to cast) with 2 casts and his great warscroll spell, rolling dice equal to the casting roll and doing mws on 5+. The 4 up ward will keep him hanging around, and as you will see, there are plenty of Enhancements that will find a great home in him. He also has a 12″ +1 bravery to friendlies and -1 to enemies aura which, weirdly, kinda combos well with Drycha’s warscroll spell – and also the Skullroot. Bravery buffs are always welcome too as a way to just avoid having to use Inspiring Presence.

The Arch Revenant gained a huge ability, and nothing else on his scroll is worth a damn, including his melee output – but it doesn’t matter. He now gives +1 wound to Kurnoth (ANY attack) within 12″, and has a CA to give one unit of them +1 attack. If you take any Kurnoth – who, spiler alert, are now amazing – you’d be mad not to bring him too. A fantastic buff piece now with another 4+ ward to help him survive sniping attempts.

Durthu remains a beat-stick – in the truest sense of the term! Well, more of a beat-wood but that has its own problems…. anyway, he’s the big melee hero. The main change to him is that his ‘fight last’ ability now counts as a unique monstrous action BUT goes off on a 3 now. So less swingy, but unfortunately means you can no longer try to do it twice with two Durthus. Still great overall as he dishes out the damage, walks the spirit paths himself (so freeing up the generic version) and gets an extra attack for being in terrain range.

Sylvaneth Battletome Review

The Treelord Ancient is basically unchanged, which isn’t exciting, but his once per game auto-wyldwood has bigger implications before due to our improve army rules, and he’s the tankiest wizard yet – bar Alarielle – who is no slouch in melee with a few -1 d2 and 2 -2 rend 3d attacks.

The generic Treelord is also largely the same, buuuut has one really cool new ability called ‘Lash and Tangle’ – if he hits something in melee, it can’t pile in. So, charge him into the ‘end’ of an enemy unit so only one of them is in weapon range of him, fight, dish out a fair bit of hurt – and boom, only 1 or 2 can slap back. Against a bigger unit, this is potentially HUGE if you position him right.

The Branchwych remains unremarkable save for having the Warsong’s spell and basically being our cheapest wizard. Which isn’t a bad thing to be in such an elite army – unexciting but fills a role, so can’t complain.

Gossamids! Much has been made of their d3 mortals on 6s to hit ability but, with 2 shots each, that’s 2 mws on average and not much else on top given they have no rend. They exist, frankly, to be an annoying screen, with their ability to fly away on a 2+ after Unleashing Hell – again, guaranteeing them to hover in place when you most need them to buzz away. They’re also flimsy, and will die to almost anything with so much as a rock to throw. I’m not saying they’re bad – against predominantly melee armies, the ability to fly up, do a few lucky MWs, move-block and fly ‘safely’ away once charged could be very annoying. But at 220…it seems like a big risk to me.

Sylvaneth Gossamids Sylvaneth Battletome

OK, let’s talk ‘true’ battleline: Tree Revenants, and their woodier counterparts, the Drayds. The Revs have 2 wounds each now but still die to a mean look. Their Tree cousins teleport still (which is always useful and a great scoring vector) and get a free All Out A/D which is fine. Dryads picked up a -1 to hit and -1 wound while within terrain range, which is kinda funny and could make for a frustrating screen, but they do literally nothing else other than hope for cold rolls from your opponent. And require careful positioning – a big blob could be nice but fitting it wholly within terrain range makes it much less appealing.

Spite Revenants, if you were paying attention in the Glades section, are no longer ‘true’ battleline. And they still don’t excite me, with 6s to hit doing a mortal and 3 attacks each, that’s 2 MWs (and again, not much else) per activation. Now, there are ways to situationally buff them a fair bit by adding rend while near a terrain, but in all honesty, the amount of set up required to make them put out meaningful stats is going to be too difficult or unfavourable in the vast majority of circumstances. They’re kinda cheap though and worth running if you want lots of little bodies accompanying Drycha. Maybe.

Sylvaneth Spite Revenants

Kurnoth of all variety fare much better, and frankly are going to be hard not to take. Scythes points went up to match swords at 250, and do -3(!) rend for 2D. Swords get -1 but do their 2d on 6s to hit. Bows, bafflingly, still hit on 4s but have flat 2 damage and are slightly cheaper. So you have some tactical decisions to make – for my points, bows are out in the cold at the moment as you’re paying a large premium for how tanky they are – which is great for swords/scythes who are also standing there on objectives dishing out pain. But statistically the bows do very little without some buffing and support – and while useful for MAYBE sniping out a support hero, there are just much better ways in the book to do that.

Also, all flavours of ‘Noth have an updated ‘Envoys’ ability – when the ‘Noth is contesting an objective, they make friendly units in objective range also count as being within 6″ of terrain. More mobile synergy!

The new Bug Cavalry are also wonderful. Tanky, fast, and they hit hard with a good number of attacks, -2 for both with the Seekers having d2. The main difference is the Spite-Riders have fight first, while the Seekers can revive something with up to 5 wounds on a 2+. So yep, chances are they can bring back a Kurnoth model per turn, per unit. Both flavours heal their own models back to full health if they kill a model, have a 6″ pile in and rally on a 5+. So they’re survivable, flexible, hit decently hard and fill a niche Sylvaneth were otherwise sorely lacking. Very impressive unit.

Sylvaneth Bug Cavalry Sylvaneth Battletome Review

Overall, a huge glow up, which was expected. There’s speed, tankiness, some good reliable output and a number of fun plays. There are some outright swings and misses – Spite Revs, Dryads – and some situationally good but too costly (and therefore risky), like Gossamids and maaaaaaybe Alarielle – or that require maybe too much set up (Dryads…again) and potentially Treelords. But I think overall there’s multiple viable lists in here.

COMMAND TRAITS

Gnarled Warrior makes your save unable to be modified, up or down. Obviously application on a 3+ Durthu or such! Lord of Spites reduces a unit’s attacks by 1 if it finishes a pile in within engagement of the hero – another great way to boost survivability. They’re both good, but Warsinger might be even better – adding 3″ to units within 12″ of the hero at the start of movement phase. Combine with Spiteswarm for 11″ move Kurnoth with a 10″ average charge, don’t mind if I do.

Wizard traits also run hot – Nurtured by Magic heals a unit d3 wounds within 18″ on a successful cast. Certainly not a bad incidental source of healing. Potentially HUGE is Warsinger, allowing a wyldwood to be where you measure the effect of a spell from – yeah, any wyldwood. This allows you to potentially be in spell range from turn 1, punish people trying to block your teleports, and all sorts – really interesting plays available here. Radiant Spirit ignores spell effects on a 4+, which seems more niche to me but is still a good counter to magic heavy armies if you pop this on a Treelord Ancient or you really want to ensure your Warsong remains alive and kicking, etc.

Hero wizards get Acorn of the Ages for an auto-wood within 12″. Luneth Lamp gives a wizard the option to banish an invocation with +2 to the roll – this is massively niche! Why you would ever take this unless you’re playing a casual grudge match against your invocation loving friend, I don’t know. Unless it’s a sign we’re somehow entering an invocation meta…. Preventing this page from being a complete waste of a dryad is the returning Vesperal Gem, allowing a once per turn auto-cast that can’t be unbound, but a 1 on a d6 roll does d3 mws to the user.

ARTEFACTS

Sylvaneth artefact, Luneth's Lamp. Add 2 to the roll when the bearer attempts to unbind an endless spell.

Other heroes can choose from Greenwood Gladius, which adds d3 attacks to a melee weapon. I can the whispers of ‘Durthu’ on the wind…. Crown of Fell Bowers picks a unit within 6″ and gives all units +1 wound against it. This would be decent if it was just the hero, but all units? Nice! Seed of Rebirth rolls a d6 when the hero dies – on a 2+ they survive with d3 wounds and all other damage negated. With all the healing Sylvaneth has access to, this could be huge on a chonky hero.

MATCHED PLAY RULES

Topline, most of these are unfortunately a bust, which is frustrating given the design space and the fact the forthcoming GHB Tactics all seem harder to pull off on average. Factor in the book’s lack of good Galletian Vet candidates and it feels like Sylvaneth have been a bit short changed in terms of scoring potential, at least in the short term.

Grand Strategy wise, it’s tempting to just write ‘bin’ and move on, but in the interests of being thorough… Chorus of the Woodlands asks you to complete 4 battle tactics from the Sylvaneth list. You’ll see why I don’t think that’s very doable shortly. Vengeance and Spite wants you to kill the enemy general with an Outcasts keyword unit – so, Spite-revenants or Drycha. Urm. That’s not going to be terribly easy. Drycha could do it, but if the general is any kind of monster, she’s not doing it alone, which means a big game as you will have to soften it just the right amount with other units for her to finish it off.

Baffling that they’d hinge a whole Strategy on a keyword only two units have. Baffling and aggravating. Roots of victory tasks you with having a wyldwood in each corner of the board, and there being no enemy units with 6″ of them. This feels more doable but also like a huge win-more strategy, as it basically implies you will have almost complete board control. Thematic but hugely risky for so many obvious reasoons.

Massive let down.

Battle tactics fare slightly better. Eradicate Trespassers wants an enemy unit within 6″ of a wyldwood to die. With good positioning, there should be plenty of times in a game the enemy can’t help but be in range for this, so overall it’s nearly as bankable as ‘bring it down’ or ‘broken ranks’ used to be, perhaps better in some ways as it’s any kind of unit.

Harness the Spirit Paths requires a unit to use From The Woodland Depths (i.e. teleport to a terrain piece) and successfully make a charge. Now, charges of 9″ are far too risky, so I don’t like it – unless you have a Spiteswarm Hive set up, in which case your charge is now a re-rollable 6″ – much more doable.

Balance the Cycle wants you to kill a unit within 12″ of a terrain piece by a unit added to your army that turn – which basically means you’ll need Alarielle to summon Kurnoth or a Treelord, and for them to make a 9 incher – in this instance Spiteswarm doesn’t help because it picks a unit end of hero phase and Alarielle summons end of movement. I guess you could summon in 3 bow hunters and plink the last couple of wounds off a weak unit – otherwise this is a massive gamble.

March of the Forest Lords is, thank god, another sensible one. Kill an enemy monster with one of your Big Trees. All of which are good – but Durthu is obviously a beast, so this one goes some way to making amends for the others.

Unleash Ghyran’s Wrath needs a wizard you pick to kill a unit with a spell or endless spell. Given, as I mentioned before, that none of the Sylvaneth spells are really reliable single-target damage, this isn’t super bankable. However, plenty of our wizards have casting bonuses and multi-casts – so Warsong using Unleash Spites, having a Gladewyrm or Skullroot kicking around from the last turn and another spell/Arcane Bolt means you may have a few chances to finish off the last few wounds needed to score this.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There’s a lot to take in here. Having noodled on it all for a few days, I think the book’s strengths lie in tanky, reliable damage units that have surprising mobility – but the best combos in the book require a lot of careful positioning and over-lapping failable effects – i.e. there’s a risk one part of your plan falls through and ruins the synergy.

It’s also a really expensive book – and even though on average the costs are fair, it makes list-building a challenge because of not many smaller costs that can slot into the gaps between 300+ models/units.

A corollary of that is it’s another highly elite army. Heartwood offers the chance to take battleline that doesn’t give up additional damage against them from the new GHB Bounty Hunters battalion, but it also means it doesn’t place super nicely with some of the keyword scoring opportunities. And in general, if you wanted to run a more horde or infantry based list, in light of GHB 22, your options are severely limited – in competitive reality, I’d go so far as to say, limited to zero.

However, I’m bullish on the book in the long term. It’s flexible and non-linear – Enhancements seem varied and have plenty of candidates for them, the book can lean into magic dominance, pure anvil lists, hyper-mobility and alpha strikes, or leafy, synergistic death stars.

If nothing else, for existing Sylvaneth players, it feels like the first time in many years the faction feels like it should. And I woodn’t trade that for the world.

What do you think of the Tome? Got any thoughts on combinations that we may have missed? How will the Sylvaneth slot into the current meta?

Peter Holland, Reviews

Neat and Handy Airbrush Review

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I’ve never actually owned an airbrush despite wanting one for many years. With the birth of my first child in 2019 I decided to postpone this purchase further as I was concerned that an airbrush would wake any children in the house when I used it (myself being a late night painter).

Recently however I had seen the YouTube advert for the neat and handy airbrush. The main draw was the fact that this was a cordless airbrush and no louder than an electric razor.

Delivery

I ordered the product on 21st February via their website, when ordering you’re given three locations for the airbrush to be despatched from. These are the UK, USA and Australia. I was given updates throughout the week on the progress of my order until it arrived on my doorstep on 23rd February. 3 working days! Impressive!

The box
Note I purchased the pack with the additional battery.

The airbrush came very well wrapped inside a bubble wrap envelope, the airbrush itself sits in a foam tray as shown above, very little opportunity for this to be damaged on route.

Batteries

Being an eager beaver I charged up the batteries immediately with the USB connector supplied. There is no plug with this, so you will need to plug the USB either into a computer or a phone charger plug with a USB port. The batteries were charged within 40 minutes each and they both provide 30 minutes of non-stop use.

Note that you can also use this while connected to the power supply if you wish through a power inlet on the compressor shown below. So if you do run out of battery you can still continue using the airbrush.

Noise

So how was the noise? Was it really as quiet as an electric razor? Actually, it was quieter! I recorded this on my phone (phone is approx 15cm from the airbrush).

AirbrushDownload

But the true test of this, was my infant son of 5 months was sleeping in his cot in the next room and he didn’t even stir! Exactly what I need so far!

First Use

Here I had a problem. I had connected the charged battery, screwed the cup in and filled the cup with a little diluted Abaddon Black. I went to use the airbrush and only air was ejected from the nozzle. After playing around for sometime and becoming increasingly frustrated I emailed neat and tidy using their contact us page.

Bear in mind that I emailed them at 23:30 GMT, with this in mind I had a response within half an hour from a nice chap called John. John asked me how I had used it so far and if I could provide a video for them to view. After saying that I had cleaned the brush and tried it with water alone I was provided with a link to a quick fix.

Yup, that did the job!

I used citadel paints on my first go and immediately found that these needed diluting for them to work, but once they had a little water added to them the airbrush worked a treat.

There is very little in the way of over spray from what I can tell and the airbrush is extremely easy to control.

Conclusion

It’s obviously not a high end airbrush but it’s a perfect tool for undercoating your miniatures indoors as well as giving you an easier way to paint OSL if you wish.

Plus with the support I received I can’t recommend this brush enough!

Rating: 5 out of 5.