Age of Sigmar: Points and Handbooks

[Cheesegear]

I'm particularly interested in how much AoS is just 'throw dice at each other', as it seems on first glance as if it would be worse than 40k, what with the static to wound roll as well as static to hit roll, it seems like there is always going to be a clear 'best' unit

There is going to be a clear best unit, if your only criteria for taking a model is how much Damage per Point it does. Pick the unit that has the best statblock and go to town...

Except as Requizen already pointed out; Each unit in the game comes with half a page worth of text. That's where the power in the unit lies. Do your models ignore Rend? Do your models do Mortal Wounds on a 4+? Do your models ignore Battleshock? Can they teleport somehow? Do your models provide some sort of buff to surrounding units? Do your models get better when you have 10, 20 or 30+?

Yes. Mathammer has value. Just like it does it 40K. But, if you're basing your units solely on their ability to do Damage - and not, say, on their ability to hold Objectives - then you're in for a bad time.

[Saambell]

Whats the best way to get started on AoS, if you dont want one of the big two/three armies? I know I need the Army book, and The Generals Hand Book, but do I only need the most recent version? Is there any other books I need to pick up?

[Cheesegear]

Whats the best way to get started on AoS, if you dont want one of the big two/three armies? I know I need the Army book, and The Generals Hand Book, but do I only need the most recent version? Is there any other books I need to pick up?

If you have your Battletome, and the patch notes General's Handbook, you're good to go.

[Requizen]

If your army doesn't have a Battletome, then all you need is The General's Handbook! Depends on what you want to play. What were you looking at?

[Saambell]

Daughters of Khaine mostly. But Ironjaws, Greenskins, and Slaves to Darkness also look nice. Im mostly going by design at this point, as I dont know at all what is actually good. Also the SC! boxes have Amazing deals for some of them, but I dont know if they give actually good units.

[Requizen]

Daughters of Khaine mostly. But Ironjaws, Greenskins, and Slaves to Darkness also look nice. Im mostly going by design at this point, as I dont know at all what is actually good. Also the SC! boxes have Amazing deals for some of them, but I dont know if they give actually good units.

Daughters haven't had a real chance to play at any events yet, but general consensus is that they are pretty strong. Morathi is total beastmode, the pigeon ladies are good board control, blocks of Witch Aelves are pretty scary, and the built in rules are quite solid.

All the SC! boxes are quite good deals, I agree! Out of the ones you mentioned, the Ironjawz one is very good and at least one is purchased by everyone who plays that army, and while Slaves are not an overly strong army, pretty sure all the units in the box are good units from that army. Greenskinz are overall not in a great place, but it's a good deal nonetheless.

[Adrastos42]

No specifics until later today, but it seems there's going to be a new edition of AoS on the way: https://www.warhammer-community.com/...mepage-post-1/

[9mm]

videos from todays announcments:

The hell I can't!

Afraid of some ghosts

No longer able to shoot out of combat, FINALLY

[Requizen]

SO EXCITE

So many new Stormcast models for me to fawn over. Yusssss.

Even pretty hyped on those Death models. The mounted Hero looks super dope.

[RagingBluMunky]

Well, I'm excited. Finally reasons to protect archers etc. And I'm totally getting some wizards for my stormcast army (it even fits their lore!)

[Grim Portent]

The Knight of Shrouds already had me considering a Nighthaunt army, and now I think I'm more or less obliged to do one, those ghosts look delightfully ghastly.

[Adrastos42]

Speaking as someone who can I think count their ranged models on one finger, no more shooting out of combat sounds great to me! The new general's handbook is supposed to come out alongside the new edition, I wonder if ranged units will be getting price drops?

ION:
Does anyone have suggestions for a cool female head that would fit on a chaos knight? I want my Doom Knight to be female, but my first thought of a Necromunda Escher head ran into some scale issues... GW bitz preferred if possible, as I play at GW enough for it to matter. Thanks!

[RagingBluMunky]

There are a few options, though I'm not sure about scales. Most obvious to me would be the Darkoath Warqueen or Valkyia the Bloody. For full-faced helms, there are Angharad Brightshield from Shadespire boxed set, and Neave Blacktalon. The latter two are stormcast models, so they might not be quite what you're looking for.

[Adrastos42]

Hmm, Neave Blacktalon's unhelmeted head could work, if I can find it separately. Stormcasts are fairly big so hopefully it would fit. The scale really is the issue, otherwise I wouldn't have bothered asking and just found a nice dark elf head or something. But I don't want to do that and then find it has the same problem as the Escher heads.

[RagingBluMunky]

New Nighthaunt faction preview

I'm loving these models, though I'm unlikely to start them as an army. The entire army being immune to rending is scary, and if they can all do mortal wounds on 6's like spirit hosts, yikes. This does leave me wondering where tomb banshees and cairn wraiths are going to fit into this army. They are Nighthaunt, right?

[9mm]

New Nighthaunt faction preview

I'm loving these models, though I'm unlikely to start them as an army. The entire army being immune to rending is scary, and if they can all do mortal wounds on 6's like spirit hosts, yikes. This does leave me wondering where tomb banshees and cairn wraiths are going to fit into this army. They are Nighthaunt, right?

all but the knight of shrouds currently has mortals on 6s after Legion of Nagash. Tomb Banshees and Cairn Wraiths are likely to either gain command ablities, stop being hero units, or are Hero units for Legions of Nagash only.

[RagingBluMunky]

Here is where I start hoping and praying that the Sacrosanct chamber give stormcast a way to protect against mortal wounds

[Requizen]

Here is where I start hoping and praying that the Sacrosanct chamber give stormcast a way to protect against mortal wounds

AoS2 sounds like a great time for them to review some of the more insane sources of MWs and keep them in check. But yes also, a Wizard who puts out a 5+ ignore MW spell would be pretty dope.

[LeSwordfish]

Lord-Aquilor - 200
Neave Blacktalon - 140
Vanguard-Hunters x5 - 140
Vanguard-Hunters x5 - 140
Vanguard-Palladors x6 - 440
Vanguard Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows x3 - 180
Aetherwings x3 - 60
Gryph-Hound - 40
Gryph-Hound - 40

140pts left, which could get me a Knight-Azyros and change, or some interesting allies. (The Namarti Reavers are my favourite models released in years, so I'm thinking those, for 140pts exactly). It's a neat fluffy list mostly, and also an extremely cheap one to build (about £100). Assuming I don't really want to buy into the standard stormcast (I'm not a fan of the look of any of them but the Vanguard chamber), would it lose me every game or just most?

[Requizen]

Lord-Aquilor - 200
Neave Blacktalon - 140
Vanguard-Hunters x5 - 140
Vanguard-Hunters x5 - 140
Vanguard-Palladors x6 - 440
Vanguard Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows x3 - 180
Aetherwings x3 - 60
Gryph-Hound - 40
Gryph-Hound - 40

140pts left, which could get me a Knight-Azyros and change, or some interesting allies. (The Namarti Reavers are my favourite models released in years, so I'm thinking those, for 140pts exactly). It's a neat fluffy list mostly, and also an extremely cheap one to build (about £100). Assuming I don't really want to buy into the standard stormcast (I'm not a fan of the look of any of them but the Vanguard chamber), would it lose me every game or just most?

That puts you at 1380, what point level are you playing at? Also you're short a Battleline.

Overall, I think it's not the best list but it's not terrible by any means. Aquilor with Staunch and a defensive upgrade is really solid, especially with the Pallador bodyguards. You'll be playing a more positional and tricky list than most SCE builds, obviously, but I think you can win on that front. Maybe consider throwing in a Wizard (hey new ones are coming out!) to put Mystic Shield on the Pallador unit - with Shield and Stauch, you'll have a hardy 2+ unit that's super fast and hangs out with your really solid leader.

Speaking of Wizards:

https://www.warhammer-community.com/...mepage-post-3/

YESSSSSSSSSSSS

Though I am a bit meh on the fact that they're kinda just regular Stormcast with extra magic. Like, magic Liberators, magic Paladins, magic Judicators, magic Aquilor. I guess it's the "totally not Grey Knights" Chamber?

[LeSwordfish]

I was aiming for 1500pts. I probably made a mistake transcribing the points costs - war scroll builder says 1360. Looks as if I need another Battleline then (or to lose the menagerie and go down to 1250).

[Tome]

Knight-Incantors seem... kind of rubbish? Spirit Flasks could do a good bit of damage in melee but they're also liable to get the KI killed. Spell seems a bit useless too. I suppose if they're reasonably cheap they could work to cast whatever faction spells the sacrosanct chamber gets.

Models seem cool though.

[Requizen]

Knight-Incantors seem... kind of rubbish? Spirit Flasks could do a good bit of damage in melee but they're also liable to get the KI killed. Spell seems a bit useless too. I suppose if they're reasonably cheap they could work to cast whatever faction spells the sacrosanct chamber gets.

Models seem cool though.

Spell seems fine, not particularly impactful but decent against MSU. Flasks are ok, I guess. I think her biggest power is going to be the auto-dispel scroll, which is seriously good against a lot of armies. If you can shut down a lynchpin spell for just one turn, you flip the game on its head.

[LeSwordfish]

I was aiming for 1500pts. I probably made a mistake transcribing the points costs - war scroll builder says 1360. Looks as if I need another Battleline then (or to lose the menagerie and go down to 1250).

Ahah - Neave is 120 not 140. So yeah.

It looks as if RAW the answer to "how many battlelines do you need in a 1500pt army" is "why would you want to play 1500pts lol" which is... very silly. Do people just not play intermediate points values? But picking up an extra box of Vanguard-Hunters is no particular skin off my back, and should give me enough to still be going when I get to larger games.

[Requizen]

Ahah - Neave is 120 not 140. So yeah.

It looks as if RAW the answer to "how many battlelines do you need in a 1500pt army" is "why would you want to play 1500pts lol" which is... very silly. Do people just not play intermediate points values? But picking up an extra box of Vanguard-Hunters is no particular skin off my back, and should give me enough to still be going when I get to larger games.

Ah, that makes sense.

Yeah there's no "official" guidelines for anything outside of 1000/2000/2500, so it's a bit wiggly. If your group is only playing 1500 2-Battline, I think you're perfectly fine. Reavers are a solid choice for those last points, but not really the best since they really want the Deepkin army buffs. My choices would be some good blobby unit (20 Skinks is 120 points) or a Wizard/Castellant for the aforementioned 2+ Palladors.

[LeSwordfish]

Ah, that makes sense.

Yeah there's no "official" guidelines for anything outside of 1000/2000/2500, so it's a bit wiggly. If your group is only playing 1500 2-Battline, I think you're perfectly fine. Reavers are a solid choice for those last points, but not really the best since they really want the Deepkin army buffs. My choices would be some good blobby unit (20 Skinks is 120 points) or a Wizard/Castellant for the aforementioned 2+ Palladors.

Any recommendations as to what wizard? My concern with the Lord-castellant is... Well firstly I don't like the model much, and secondly he's pretty slow and trundling. Something a bit more nippy and able to keep up with the palladors might be helpful. That upcoming wizard on Gryph-hound will probably do the job, but I doubt he'll come in at under 240pts.

Edit: which fits if I drop some bird/dog/birddogs or Neave. Still seems a lot of points invested in what seem to be mostly mid-level heroes.

[Requizen]

Any recommendations as to what wizard? My concern with the Lord-castellant is... Well firstly I don't like the model much, and secondly he's pretty slow and trundling. Something a bit more nippy and able to keep up with the palladors might be helpful. That upcoming wizard on Gryph-hound will probably do the job, but I doubt he'll come in at under 240pts.

Edit: which fits if I drop some bird/dog/birddogs or Neave. Still seems a lot of points invested in what seem to be mostly mid-level heroes.

Skink Starpriest is a decent pick since he can also debuff enemies and is cheap/fast. Loremaster is popular as well since he can give out to-hit rerolls instead of Shield depending on the situation. Battlemages are popular for being cheap, and the Life spell can also heal if necessary.

Yeah if you free up room though, there are other good options. I've seen Sisters of the Thorn used to good effect, since their innate spell is another option if you want more damage instead of a better save. Behemoth Wizards like Battlemage on Griffon or Morathi are pretty popular as well.

[Requizen]

Since we've posted about both in this thread, Shadespire Beta rules:

https://www.warhammer-community.com/...mepage-post-2/

I'm relatively ok with the changes. A bit sad that Relics had to die for the sake of balance, but it's almost needed.

IMO, Relics weren't a problem. Passive decks (like SCE) as well weren't problematic. It was the interplay with both that would randomly give a player +30 glory swings that was the issue. Still, it's good for the health of the game. Now I can play my Skellies again, I think.

[LeSwordfish]

Skink Starpriest is a decent pick since he can also debuff enemies and is cheap/fast. Loremaster is popular as well since he can give out to-hit rerolls instead of Shield depending on the situation. Battlemages are popular for being cheap, and the Life spell can also heal if necessary.

Yeah if you free up room though, there are other good options. I've seen Sisters of the Thorn used to good effect, since their innate spell is another option if you want more damage instead of a better save. Behemoth Wizards like Battlemage on Griffon or Morathi are pretty popular as well.

I like the look of the sisters of the thorn very much - apart from anything else, grabbing an extra wizard gives me the potential for an outflanking 2+rr deathstar. I probably wouldn't do that because I think Palladors probably don't hit hard enough to justify all that fuss and all those points into their defenses. Also, there's no way to do that without losing Neave and she looks fun.

[Cheesegear]

Write a 400-word article saying "In the case of a draw, whoever went first last round, goes first again."

*headdesk*