Post by Fadril Adren on Mar 9, 2017 21:40:51 GMT -5
STORMCAST ETERNALS: Units And Tactics Part 1
by Frontline Gaming and Robert Hensell
When Sigmar was tricked into losing Ghal-Maraz, he fell into despair and closed the gates of Azyrheim, believing he failed the mortal realms. After much thought, he came to realize that in order to defeat Chaos, he had to drop the mantle of God-Warrior, but instead become the God-King. Over the centuries, he snatched up mortals that still defied against the Dark Gods, even though they were born knowing only them. Through his divine magics and the help of Grungni, he forged a near-immortal army that stood a chance against the daemons and corruption. Thus, the Stormcast Eternals were born, justice and vengeance incarnate!
With the RealmGate Wars now over and mighty Sigmar not only fortifying his increased domain, huge civilized cities are being built and expanded. The Extremist Chamber unlocked during the great war 50 years past, he has opened his newest: Vanguard (though retroactively, this chamber wasn't known then but was active) to fight the upcoming war against another great foe... the brother to Khorne and Nurgle... The Keeper of Secrets himself - TZEENTCH!
Hey everyone! Anvil here, and today, we’ll go over an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the Stormcast Eternals faction and the units that come in the starter box, since those models are the most common for players to use. in later weeks, we will go over all of the other units that were released post-starter box, and the Battalion Warscrolls. For Sigmar!
Stormcast Eternals: The Faction
Stormcast Eternals, aka “Ground Marines”, “Sigmarines”, etc, are the first faction that was released when Age of Sigmar came out. Heavily armored and tough, they are an elite army where even their most basic troops that can stand toe-to-toe with the most monstrous of units. All models (except for the Gryph-hound) has at least an Armor Save of 4+ and 2 Wounds, and some of them have Sigmarite Shields, allowing you to reroll 1s on Saving throws. Well balanced in all of the Combat Roles (Tank, Support, Striker, Flanking, and Tech) and having some nifty rules for being summoned, they are a great addition to any army of Order, or even Destruction.
STRENGTHS
Very durable with high Wounds, Armor Saves, and Sigmarite Shields
Have different abilities that allow them to be summoned without a Wizard, like the Overthrow the Tyrants rule
Lightning Strike abilities on their Battalion Warscrolls, making them flexible in positioning
More Battalion Warscrolls than any other faction (at the time of writing this article)
Really strong Support units for their own faction
Have the Rain of Sigmar prayer, and other anti-Chaos tools
WEAKNESSES
They lack Wizards and any form of Casting and Dispelling, meaning enemy Wizards will have less problems casting their own spells
Low Rending values, with the Celestant-Prime being the only model that has an attack with a value greater than -1
All of their Support buffs affect only Stormcast Eternals, so no buffs to other factions
Flanking units are bulky, making them difficult to maneuver around
though with the new Vanguard units, they NOW have better options
Very slow for most of the army, with Duardin being the only ones that are less mobile
Lord-Celestant on Dracoth
Primary: Striker, Flanking; Secondary: Support
The first Hero for most SE players, he is a solid model for a starting army. Having a 3+ Save with 7 Wounds is already pretty good, but being able to move 10″ is what makes him solid. His Command Ability allows for all Stormcast Eternal units within a whopping 24″ automatically pass Battleshock tests. His Tempestus Hammer is strong and reliable to attack with, especially on the charge, and the Dracoth’s Claws and Fangs can deal a lot of Damage on some lucky dice rolls. Besides just his Lord of the Host Command Ability, he can also support your other units in combat with his Storm Breath, staying behind your lines and plinking off enemy models and reducing number of attacks they would normally be taking. When you combine all of these attributes together, the best way to use them is to place him around the middle of your army, slightly behind your lines. Doing so will make sure that it’s difficult for the enemy to reach him, he can target one of multiple combats with his Storm Breath, almost everyone become immune to the Battleshock tests, and if a unit really needs help right away in combat, he has the speed to get there quickly. He is at his strongest when you charge with him for the extra D3 attacks with the hammer, and don’t forget that because the Storm Breath is an ability, and not a ranged weapon, he can still fire it off even if he ran that turn. Very flexible, very solid, all around good choice, even if he’s not your general.
Lord-Relictor
Primary: Support
The Lord-Relictor is a personal favorite of mine, mostly because he is what I wish Chaplains would be in 40k. He is alright as far as his stats go, but is a bit slow and just okay in combat. But his real strength lies in providing a lot of support for one unit through his prayers: Lightning Storm and Healing Storm. They’re pretty reliable to get off on a roll of 3+, and can swing combat in your favor very quickly. Lightning Storm is great for those D3 mortal wounds, but the real beauty of it is the -1 To Hit rolls debuff that he applies to that unit. It makes Monsters and Heroes less scary in combat, and lesser units will struggle to even get a wound on your models. In the late game, where he’s by himself and trying to stay alive, I’ve often used it in the Hero phase, and then performed a Run in the movement, slowly chipping away at them to increase my odds of winning when the inevitable melee combat occurs. Healing Storm is straightforward: heal D3 wounds on a Stormcast Eternal model (note that it’s not a Unit, only one model). Great for keeping your other Heroes, like the Lord-Celestant above, in the thick of fighting. But because of his slow speed, he is often paired up with your Paladins: Retributors, Protectors, and Decimators. They will often be outnumbered, and because they each have 3 Wounds instead of 2, you’ll get a lot of benefit from both prayers. Also, it cannot be overstated that another strength of his is having the Priest keyword. That is important because there’s a number of Terrain, Realms, and Battleplans that give lots of special rules if there’s a Priest nearby (like the Realmgate). One of the MVPs of Sigmar, indeed!
Liberators
Primary: Tank; Secondary: Striker, Tech
The bread-and-butter of the Stormcast Eternals, they will often make up most of your army, considering that this faction is Elite in nature, and will benefit from having a more defensive force in general. They’re slightly faster than Paladins, and even though they have 1 less wound than their big brothers, their Sigmarite Shields actually make them more durable, making them excellent Tanks. They have the option of dropping the shield to dual-wield weapons, which give you another option when adding on to your army and you plan on making your force more offensive. They’re surprisingly good when faced against other elite units, Heroes, and Monsters with their Lay Low the Tyrant, adding +1 to their To Hit rolls against models with 5+ Wounds characteristic. When dual-wielding, they reroll 1s to hit, making them really reliable against the mentioned units. They also have access to Grandhammers and Grandblades for every 5 models in the unit, giving them a little extra “oomph” in combat. As far as whether to go with hammers or swords, it’s up to you, but statistically, it’s better to go with hammers. The reason I say that is because it’s much easier to get bonuses for To Hit rolls vs To Wound rolls, meaning that their’s a point where you’re auto-hitting with the swords, but still having a 50% to wound as well, while with the hammers, it’s common for me to be rolling 2+ hit, 3+ wound from those buffs, and even better when dual-wielding. Personally, I would keep the unit at their minimum of 5 models, with the Liberator-Prime equipped with the Grandhammer or Grandblade to take advantage of his 3 attacks.
Retributors
Primary: Striker; Secondary: Tank
Retributors are to Liberators as Terminators are to regular Marines. They have 1 more Wound than their “lesser” counterparts, and 1 more Bravery, but they are also 1″ slower, making them rely on Running and staying behind your other units. They’re very reliable at dealing damage with their devastating Lightning Hammers, and the Starsoul Mace is a nice amount of reliable mortal wounds to inflict. However, the mace does not have an Attack value, so the Retributor-Prime gains no additional benefits with it, so give it to one of the other models. But what scares most opponents is their ability to inflict a lot of mortal wounds. Blast to Ashes makes their attack rolls of 6 or more (and the “or more” is key) to automatically inflict 2 mortal wounds! But the real magic is if you give them +1 on their To Hit rolls; remember that bonuses like that are added AFTER the dice are rolled. So a roll of 5 becomes a 6, and a 6 becomes a 7. The Lord-Celestant on foot has a Command Ability that provides that beautiful buff, and so does a Lord-Relictor on a Dragonfate Dais (if the rolls are in your favor), or even if they’re near terrain with the Damned special rule, and they all stack! Aim for those situations where you can get multiples of those buffs so that you can inflict those mortal wounds on a 4+ or even a 3+ if really lucky, but don’t be a slave to it. Keep the objective in mind. Like other Stormcast Eternal units, best to keep them at minimum squad size.
Paladin Protectors
Primary:Striker, Monster Hunter, Secondary: Tank
Much like their cousins, these Protectors are devastating in combat, but have a more direct role. The stat line is the same but these guys are designed to get multiple lines surrounding a Monster or high wound model. Their Stormstrike Glaives have a fantastic 3" range and 3 attacks each! They share the same Hit and Wound as their cousins with a 3+ each and a -1 rend BUT they only have a damage output of 1. They can also equip 2 in every 5 with a powerful StarSoul Mace as their Retributor cousins can as well.
However, that is just their normal stat line. Their Prime can dish out a whopping 4 attacks! And with the Deathstrike Ability: a Stormstrike Glaive can slay a monstrous foe in no time! If the wound roll is 6 or more and the target is a Monster, it does D6 Damage instead of 1!! WOW!
Prosecutors with Celestial Hammers
Primary: Flanking, Secondary: Striker, Tank
They have the one advantage that the rest of the army sorely lacks: speed. With a profile similar to Liberators, except with 12″ movement and the Fly ability, they can come to the aid of anyone or assassinate lone Wizards if needed. They can either dual-wield hammers or have the hammer/shield combo, and both have their merits. If you sorely need more Tanks, then the Sigmarite Shield is the way to go. But having dual-hammers makes them ideal for aiding your units in combat from a distance (the rerolls for 1s affects both melee AND ranged attacks) or for getting a few hits in before charging. Speaking of which, they are some of the most reliable chargers in the game with their Heralds of Righteousness ability, giving them 3 dice to roll instead of 2 for Charging, for a potential 30″ threat range! If your units are having no problems with the front lines, then they are excellent as harassment, and very good at countering the enemy’s ranged units, like archers or cannons, since they tend to have low armor saves, making them vulnerable to any attack. They can also have the Grandblade or Grandhammer for every 3 models, which I would give to the Prosecutor-Prime. The Grandaxe is a great choice if you need something to counter Hordes, giving you 1 attack for each model within 2″ of the wielder, which given their large model size, is a big deal.
Prosecutors with StormCall Javelins
Primary: Flanking in rows and shooting from distance, Secondary: Striker, Tank
Much like their cousins, these Prosecutors have a similar but distinct other role. While their range attacks are the same in distance at 18", their 3+ to both Hit and Wound are an improvement. However, what you sacrifice is the number of attacks which is 1. They have the same damage output at 1 as well with zero rend. So, for range, if you're after a better chance with your attacks, then these are the ones to go with. However, if you rather have strength in numbers over the quality of attack, then the Prosecutors with Celestial Hammers would be your choice.
The Melee offers a bit more difference. Their Javelins have a very nice 2" range which allows more models to get into the fight, though still only 1 attack each and at a 4+ to Hit and Wound. Also, like their cousins, you equip these guys with Sigmarite Shields for the same buffs.
Now, here is where this unit shines: Its abilities and it's Prime which carries a Stormsurge Trident. The leader can make 2 attacks rather than one in the shooting phase. For every 3 Prosecutors with Javelins, you can equip one with a Trident. The Trident is also very potent in the range category with an 18" standard and 1 attack, 3+ to Hit and Wound BUT also gets a -1 Rend and a damage output of 2! Not bad for a flanker.
The Stormcall Javelin ability says that if your Prosecutor throws a Stormcall Javelin at a unit over 9" away, the attack has a Damage 2 instead of a 1. These are your distance shooters. They also have the same Heralds of Righteousness as their cousins do.
Judicators
Primary: Range, Enemy Character Targeting (Crossbows) , Secondary: Flanker, Objective Bunker
Judicators have an average statline, 2 Wounds, 6 Bravery, 4+ Save and a mediocre 5" Move. But these are the main ranged attacks for the Stormcast so while they can Melee and are a bit beefier, they are still better performers at Range. You can equip Judicators with either a Skybolt Bow or a Boltstorm Crossbow. The Skybolt Bow has your overall long range attack at a decent 24", 1 attack, 3+ to Hit and Wound, -1 Rend and 1 Damage. 1 in every 5 can equip a Shockbolt Bow where the stats are exactly the same as the Skybolt, BUT it has the Chained Lightning ability where if you score a hit it explodes into a storm by rolling a dice (instead of the single wound) and make a number of wound rolls equal to the number scored. The Boltstorm Crossbow is designed for close ranged power and is better at taking out Characters. It has a range of 12", 2 attacks with a 3+ to Hit and a 4+ to Wound, -1 Rend and 1 Damage. Just like the Skybolt Bows, 1 in 5 models can equip a Thunderbolt Crossbow instead which has an 18" range plus the ability: when a target is struck, pick an enemy unit within 18" and roll a dice. Subtract 1 from the roll if the target is a Monster. If the result is equal to or less than the number of models in the unit, the unit suffers D3 Mortal Wounds. This is an excellent way to take out your enemy character models.
Also, Rapid Fire ability allows your Boltstorm Crossbow units to add 1 the Attack characteristics in the shooting phase if that unit has not moved in the movement phase.
The Melee offers a bit of lackluster performance, but it's also not their main function. They carry a Storm Cladius which has a 1" range, 1 attack, 3+ to Hit and 4+ to Wound, zero Rend and 1 Damage.
Eternal Judgment also allows you to reroll any hit rolls of 1 when a Judicator attacks a CHAOS unit in the shooting phase.
Gryph Hounds
Primary:Flanker, Blocker , Secondary: Striker, Objective Bunker
Gryph Hounds can have any number of models in a unit. Their stat line has 3 wounds, 6 Bravery, No Save but is one of the faster units to Stormcast with a movement of 9". These guys can speed block or capture an objective pretty quick. They attack with their Beak and Claws at a 1" Range, 2 Attacks, 3+ to Hit, 4+ to Wound, No rend and 1 Damage. However, it's their Abilities that define this unit. If a unit of Gryph Hounds is within 3" of a Lord Castellant, they make 4 attacks rather than 2 under Loyal Companion. Also, with Daring Attacks, immediately after this unit attacks in the combat phase, roll a dice and move each model in the unit up to that many inches. This makes these guys a nice Hit and Run addition to the Stormcast army.
They also have a Warning Cry which if an enemy Sets Up within 10" of this unit, roll two dice. Any unit within that many inches of the Gryph Hounds is alerted and can attack the enemy unit with one of its weapons as though is were your shooting phase. It's not much, but it's something.
Dracothian Guard Concussors
Primary: Heavy Calvary , Secondary: Tank, Mortal Wounds potential, stunner
Concussors are the Stormcast mobile heavy hitters. They are also a bit more braver riding on their mounts. 5 Wounds, 7 Bravery, 3+ Save and 10" Movement. Since all the different types of Dracothian Guard have the same mounts, lets go over those first. They attack with Claws and Fangs 1" range, 3 Attacks each, 3+ to Hit and Wound, -1 Rend and a damage of 1. They can also do Intolerable Damage where if a Wound Roll is a 6 with their Claws and Fangs, the attack causes D6 Damage instead of 1. They also have a Ranged Attack of 12" with their Storm Blast. 1 Attack, 4+ to Hit and IF it hits, do not make a Wound roll. Instead the unit suffers D3 Mortal Wounds.
The Concussors strike with their Lightning Hammer. 1" Range, 3 Attacks, 3+ to Hit and Wound, -1 Rend and a nice 2 Damage. The Thunderstrike Ability grants on a Hit Roll of 6+, the attack inflicts a Mortal Wound in ADDITION to any other damage it causes. Also, if a unit suffers any Mortal Wounds this way, it is stunned for the rest of the combat phase and cannot pile in before it attacks.
Dracothian Guard Tempestors
Primary: Heavy Raged Calvary , Secondary: Tank, Debuffer
Tempestors are the Stormcast mobile Ranged heavy hitters. They are the same in stats as the Concussors as well as Dracoth and it's abilities with the exception of their ranged attack. They have Lightning surge with a 6" Range, D3 Attacks, 3+ to Hit and when a unit is Hit by Lightning Surge, do not make a Wound roll but instead the unit suffers a Mortal Wound or two Mortal Wounds if it is within 3" of the attacking model.
The Tempestors are good at close range attacks and can take a beating doing it. They also make your opponent think twice about charging them too. They carry a Volleystorm Crossbow with a 12" Range, a whopping 4 Attacks! 3+ to Hit, 4+ to Wound, No Rend and 1 Damage each. Disruptive Fire allows you at the start of your Shooting Phase, you can declare this unit will concentrate fire on an enemy unit within 12". All models from this unit MUST attack that unit with their Volleystorm Crossbows. Until your next Hero Phase, your opponent must subtract 1 from the result of any Hit rolls made for that unit.
They also carry a basic Warblade with a 1" Range, 3 Attacks (not bad for Melee!), 3+ to Hit, 4+ to Wound, No Rend and 1 Damage.
Dracothian Guard Fulminators
Primary: Heavy Charging Calvary , Secondary: Tank
Fulmiators are the Stormcast heavy charging unit. They are the same in stats as the Tempestors as well as Dracoth and it's abilities.
The Fulmiators are good at charging large base single models. They carry a Stormstrike Glaive with a 2" Range, 3 Attacks! 3+ to Hit and Wound, -1 Rend and 1 Damage each. Glaivewall grants Fulminators a +1 to the result of any Save Rolls you make during the shooting Phase. Where this unit really shines is on the charge. Impaling Strikes grants this unit 3 Damage rather than 1 if this unit charged in the same turn.
Dracothian Guard Desolators
Primary: Heavy Large Unit Calvary , Secondary: Tank
Desolators are the Stormcast heavy strength in numbers unit. They are the same in stats as the Concussors as well as Dracoth and it's abilities.
The Desolators are much like Concussors with a few differences. Their Thunderaxe has a 2" Range, 3 Attacks, 4+ to Hit, 3+ to Wound, -1 Rend and 2 Damage. Their Fury of the Storm grants more attacks with more models in this unit. With 4 models, you can make 4 attacks instead of 3 with this unit. Or you can make 6 attacks if there are 6+ models. This gets expensive points wise in Match Play, so depending on your build, be careful about putting more than needed here. They also carry Sigmarite Shields with a Save re-roll of a 1.
Vanguard Hunters
Primary: Ranged Hit and Run , Secondary: Sudden Strike
Vangaurd Hunters are the Stormcast Scouts in heavy armour. 2 Wounds, 7 Bravery, 4+ Save and 6" Move. They carry a Bolstorm Pistol 9" Range, 2 Attacks, 3+ to Hit, 4+ to Wound, No Rend and 1 Damage. They all cary the Pistol but you have a choice for melee weapons. Shock Handaxe is a 1" Range, 2 Attacks, 4+ to Hit, 3+ to Wound and 1 Damage. While the Storm Sabre is nearly identical but with a 3+ to Hit and 4+ Wound. Not much different but depending on who you are bringing to buff your units, this is something to consider.
The main ability Hunters have is that they have Tireless Hunters ability which allows them to Run and Shoot in the same turn! This is pretty huge tactically. Also their Astral Compass allows you to place them in the Astral Realm when deploying and in any of your movement phases, you can summon them and set them up wholly within 6" of any edge of the battlefield but more than 7" away from the enemy which also counts as their movement phase. This tactically can set you up for a sudden flank or even to prepare to grab an ill-guarded (or none at all) Objective.
Vanguard Raptors With Longstrike Crossbow and Aetherwings
Primary: Long Ranged Accurate Attack, Character Sniper , Secondary: Objective Bunker, Mortal Wounds Attack
Vangaurd Raptors are the Stormcast long range Scouts in heavy armour. 2 Wounds, 7 Bravery, 4+ Save and a normal 5" Move. They carry a Longstrike Crossbow with a 24" Range, 1 Attack, deadly 2+ to Hit! 3+ To Wound, -2 Rend and 2 Damage. These guys can take out enemy characters from a distance or soften up multiwound units. They also have a Longshot ability where if your unit does not move in the Movement Phase, the unit can add 6" to the range of their Longstrike Crossbow during the Shooting Phase of the same turn. That means these guys have a 30" range! That's Sylvaneth Hunters range! Plus, if the Hit roll is a 6+ it causes 2 Mortal Wounds instead of its normal damage. These guys are mean!
The Aetherwings add a bit of close protection with a 1" Range, 2 Attacks, 4+ to Hit, 3+ to Wound, No rend, and 1 Damage. Their Warning Cry grants your Raptors that include a Prime (leader) when an enemy unit makes a charge move that ends within 1", roll a dice for each Vanguard Raptor in the unit. Any rolls of 6 inflicts 2 Mortal Wounds on the Charging unit!
Vanguard Raptors With Hurricane Crossbow and Aetherwings
Primary: Medium Range Mass Attack, Unit Destoyer , Secondary: Objective Bunker, Enemy Debuff
Vangaurd Raptors with Hurricane Crossbows are a mass attack volley unit. They have an 18" Range, 6 Attacks!!, 4+ to Hit! 4+ To Wound, No Rend and 1 Damage. These guys can take out large swaths of enemy troops that have little to no armour. They have a Rapid Fire that when your unit doesn't move in the Movement Phase you can add 3 to the Attack Characteristic during the Shooting Phase in the same turn. That's 9 attacks each!! Suppressing Fire lets a unit who directs all of its attacks on a single enemy unit in the shooting phase, that unit suffers a -2 penalty from any charge move they would make until your next Hero Phase.
The Aetherwings have the same profile as the Longstrike Crossbow Hunters.
Vanguard Palladors
Primary: Fast Attack, Ranged Mobile Scout , Secondary: Flanker, Objective Snatcher
The fastest units in the Stormcast army, Vanguard Palladors have 5 Wounds, 7 Bravery, 4+ Save and a nice 12" Move! Each Pallador has a Boltstorm Pistol. 9" Range, 2 Attacks, 3+ to Hit, 4+ to Wound, No Rend and 1 Damage. You can also equip them with either a Starstrike Javelin or Shock Handaxe. The Javelin is both a range and melee, very versatile. 18" Range, 1 Attack, 3+ to Hit and Wound, -1 Rend and 1 Damage. When using it as a melee, the stats are the same but with a 2" Range and 4+ to Hit and 3+ to Wound. The Shock Handaxe is a 1" Range, 2 Attacks, 3+ to Hit and Wound, No Rend and 1 Damage.
The Leader is a Pallador Prime and can be equipped with a Lunar Blade in addition to the others. When attacking, choose and enemy unit within 1" and roll a dice. On a roll of 2+ that unit suffers a Mortal Wound.
The Gryph Charger attacks with its Razor Beak and Claws. 1" range, 3 Attacks, 3+ to Hit and Wound, a nice -2 Rend and 1 Damage. They have the Ride the Winds Aetheric ability where in the Movement Phase they can choose, instead of moving normally, a direction to which the unit will move. Roll 6 Dice. The unit can move up to the number of inches added up on the results in the direction chosen. They must end their movement more than 3" from enemy units, where, if this is impossible they cannot move at all. The unit also cannot run or charge in the turn which they Ride the Winds of Aetheric. This is quite the objective snatcher!
STAY TUNED FOR PART 2 WHERE WE COVER CHARACTERS! - Fadril