Let's chat Stormcast Eternals

[Paul_Veyne]

I was wondering if anyone has come up with any cool or interesting vanguard armies?

I really like the models and was wondering if there is any fun or exciting lists that people have come up with for 1k, 1.5 or 2k.

Any help your be greatly appreciated.

[boombyeyeah]

15 hours ago, Auroch said:

Would you please tell me more about your game and the 30 liberators vanguard wing ?

I am very interrested in this list, but I don't have the opportunity to test it yet...

Sure, it was the same list i posted some pages before:

Allegiance: Order
Lord-Celestant (100)
- General
- Trait: Staunch Defender 
- Artefact: Mirrorshield
Lord-Castellant (100)
- Artefact: Drakescale Armor 
Lord-Relictor (80)
- Prayer: Bless Weapons
Lord-Relictor (80)
- Prayer: Bless Weapons
Knight-Azyros (80)
30 x Liberators (520)
- Warhammer & Shield
- 6x Grandhammers
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows
2 x Tempestors (220)
3 x Prosecutors with Stormcall Javelins (100)
3 x Prosecutors with Celestial Hammers (100)
- 1x Grandhammers
3 x Prosecutors with Celestial Hammers (100)
Vanguard Wing (200)

Total: 2000/2000

I had two games so far, i won both easily but my eniemies did some deployment mistakes, so i cant really tell how powerful it is.

My game vs Order Gunline: Battle of the Pass

We both deployed 24' away from each other, i did not understand why he deployed so offensive because i had fewer drops than him.

First Turn Prosecutors going foward so i could deploy  about 25 Liberators infront of his gun line, the others stayed in range of the Celestant for Staunch Defender and +hit.

They were buffed by blessed weapons and mythical terrain. He conceded after round 1.

I like the inceredible range of the vanguard wing, if you put some prosecutors in celestial realm you can strike everywhere and kill heroes/monsters with 5 or more wounds, and you can prebuff the Libs with the Relictors.

Changes i consider are: 1. Consumate Commander with a LCoD for Battleshock immunity, Tempestors out. 2. Third Relictor for Knight Azyros

 

[Requizen]

37 minutes ago, Chrisdanish said:

I was wondering if anyone has come up with any cool or interesting vanguard armies?

I really like the models and was wondering if there is any fun or exciting lists that people have come up with for 1k, 1.5 or 2k.

Any help your be greatly appreciated.

Vanguard armies are very strong imo but they play differently from most Stormcast lists. Vanguard Wing, Hammerstrike, and Skyborne are all focused on alpha striking things to death. "Old school" Stormcast armies with lots of foot Paladins and Heroes are focused on being as unkillable as possible. Stardrake builds are focused on having that one hammer do all the heavy lifting and supporting it with Heroes and ranged units (mostly). 

In the end, they're all hammer builds. They all want to get in and smash face while taking little punishment in return, either by striking too fast or stacking defensive buffs. 

Vanguard armies, on the other hand, like to play cagey. You can start Aquilors and Hunters off the table without using Scions of the Storm, and Raptors/Palladors/Aetherwings can be swept off by the Aquilor as well. Nothing in the army is as hard to kill as a Stardrake, Dracoths, or buffed Paladins/Liberators, so you don't want to engage directly. They're the scalpel to the regular Hammer of the army. You generally want to jump around the board, shooting important targets to death with Raptors and then crippling lesser units with repeated Hunter pokes, before going in for the kill with the Lord-Aquilor, Palladors, or Hunter flanks. Most of your fighting will be done at a range, and your opponent should basically feel frustrated by the time he reaches combat. 

I don't think pure Vanguard works, the unit choice is a bit too limited, especially for heroes. Adding in a Lord-Relictor, Knight-Azyros, and/or Knight-Venator is good, and it also works fairly well with a Stardrake. Some frontline units like Libs wouldn't be amiss either, so your ranged stuff doesn't get rushed and killed without a speedbump.

[Vondrack]

1 hour ago, Chrisdanish said:

I was wondering if anyone has come up with any cool or interesting vanguard armies?

I really like the models and was wondering if there is any fun or exciting lists that people have come up with for 1k, 1.5 or 2k.

Any help your be greatly appreciated.

I'm not sure a full vanguard list works, yet I'll try one for 1000pts. 

Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals

Leaders
Lord-Aquilor (200)
- General

Battleline
5 x Vanguard-Hunters (140)
- Stormcast Eternals Battleline (Lord Aquilor General)
5 x Vanguard-Hunters (140)
- Stormcast Eternals Battleline (Lord Aquilor General)

Units
3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (180)
3 x Vanguard-Palladors (220)

Total: 880/2000
 

There are 120pts missing. I'll be testing Neave Blacktalon and Knight Venator for a spot of a second hero.

[Requizen]

23 minutes ago, Vondrack said:

I'm not sure a full vanguard list works, yet I'll try one for 1000pts. 

Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals

Leaders
Lord-Aquilor (200)
- General

Battleline
5 x Vanguard-Hunters (140)
- Stormcast Eternals Battleline (Lord Aquilor General)
5 x Vanguard-Hunters (140)
- Stormcast Eternals Battleline (Lord Aquilor General)

Units
3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (180)
3 x Vanguard-Palladors (220)

Total: 880/2000
 

There are 120pts missing. I'll be testing Neave Blacktalon and Knight Venator for a spot of a second hero.

That list + a Knight Venator is what Ben Johnson brought to Adepticon and won both 1000 point events with. It's very strong, especially if the opponent has no ranged defense or shooting of their own. Would probably have issues with 2 Thundertusks + Grots, but what doesn't?

[BURF1]

3 hours ago, Requizen said:

That list + a Knight Venator is what Ben Johnson brought to Adepticon and won both 1000 point events with. It's very strong, especially if the opponent has no ranged defense or shooting of their own. Would probably have issues with 2 Thundertusks + Grots, but what doesn't?

Aetherstrike and the old Thunderer Kharadron list mostly.

[RocketMan]

I have 10 liberatore from base set and 10 in sprue. Which is the best option to' go with?  Still hammer and shield?

[rokapoke]

45 minutes ago, RocketMan said:

I have 10 liberatore from base set and 10 in sprue. Which is the best option to' go with?  Still hammer and shield?

Double swords look the best!

if you're planning to build hammer and shield build all four grand weapons so that each unit has one. 

[Burf]

8 hours ago, Chrisdanish said:

I was wondering if anyone has come up with any cool or interesting vanguard armies?

I really like the models and was wondering if there is any fun or exciting lists that people have come up with for 1k, 1.5 or 2k.

Any help your be greatly appreciated.

Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals

Leaders
Lord-Aquilor (200)
- General
- Trait: Staunch Defender 
- Artefact: Mirrorshield 
- Gryph-Charger Trait: Aethereal Stalker
Neave  (120)
Knight-Venator (120)
- Artefact: Luckstone 
Lord-Relictor (80)
- Prayer: Bless Weapons

Battleline
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows
- Stormcast Eternals Battleline
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows
- Stormcast Eternals Battleline
5 x Vanguard-Hunters (140)
- Stormcast Eternals Battleline (Lord Aquilor General)

Units
3 x Aetherwings (60)
6 x Vanguard-Palladors (440)
6 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (360)

Battalions
Blightwar (160)

Total: 2000/2000
You can make it more or less vanguard at your leisure

[Paul_Veyne]

Thanks for all of your advice. I like the look of the 1k army @Vondrack & @Requizen largely due to having all the model I need to field it already in my pile of plastic. And also become having the few birds in the list looks cool. Thanks for you tips and list!

Thanks for the list @Burf, I could be tempted to sway out the judicators for some more hunters. I know it might not be as powerful but in my head I would feel happier about it

I haven't had a chance to read through Blightwar yet, what does the Battalion do?

 

 

[ledha]

1 hour ago, Chrisdanish said:

Thanks for all of your advice. I like the look of the 1k army @Vondrack & @Requizen largely due to having all the model I need to field it already in my pile of plastic. And also become having the few birds in the list looks cool. Thanks for you tips and list!

Thanks for the list @Burf, I could be tempted to sway out the judicators for some more hunters. I know it might not be as powerful but in my head I would feel happier about it

I haven't had a chance to read through Blightwar yet, what does the Battalion do?

 

 

it's naeve+1 unit of vanguard hunter+1 unit of pallador+1 unit of aetherwing+1 unit of vanguard raptor

everyone at 6" of Naeve in the hero phase can move 5" for free, which make everyone very fast. The coolest bonus, however, is that you have +1 to hit in melee against ennemy units who were shot by another unit from your warscroll battalion. So everyone (except vanguard raptor but you don't bring them in melee) hit on 2+, and naeve make a additionnal attack on 5+, and the pallador a mortal wound on 5+. It make the units in the battalion quite competent in melee, and very fast. If you want to take it, i think a 10 man vanguard-hunter unit and 6 vanguard pallador with axes is the best deal

[Paul_Veyne]

Thanks @ledha, that is pretty tasty isn't it! That +1 to hit in combat is awesome.

Hopefully won't be too long before Neave and the battalion are up on the Azyr or Warscroll Builder.

[ledha]

24 minutes ago, Chrisdanish said:

Thanks @ledha, that is pretty tasty isn't it! That +1 to hit in combat is awesome.

Hopefully won't be too long before Neave and the battalion are up on the Azyr or Warscroll Builder.

it's 160 pts

[mystycalchemy]

8 hours ago, ledha said:

it's 160 pts

Well the battalion is, Neave herself is 120 pts

Overall, it looks to be a pretty good battalion for a vanguard chamber army.

[Xateotech]

On 2017-09-11 at 4:58 PM, boombyeyeah said:

Sure, it was the same list i posted some pages before:

Allegiance: Order
Lord-Celestant (100)
- General
- Trait: Staunch Defender 
- Artefact: Mirrorshield
Lord-Castellant (100)
- Artefact: Drakescale Armor 
Lord-Relictor (80)
- Prayer: Bless Weapons
Lord-Relictor (80)
- Prayer: Bless Weapons
Knight-Azyros (80)
30 x Liberators (520)
- Warhammer & Shield
- 6x Grandhammers
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows
2 x Tempestors (220)
3 x Prosecutors with Stormcall Javelins (100)
3 x Prosecutors with Celestial Hammers (100)
- 1x Grandhammers
3 x Prosecutors with Celestial Hammers (100)
Vanguard Wing (200)

Total: 2000/2000

I had two games so far, i won both easily but my eniemies did some deployment mistakes, so i cant really tell how powerful it is.

My game vs Order Gunline: Battle of the Pass

We both deployed 24' away from each other, i did not understand why he deployed so offensive because i had fewer drops than him.

First Turn Prosecutors going foward so i could deploy  about 25 Liberators infront of his gun line, the others stayed in range of the Celestant for Staunch Defender and +hit.

They were buffed by blessed weapons and mythical terrain. He conceded after round 1.

I like the inceredible range of the vanguard wing, if you put some prosecutors in celestial realm you can strike everywhere and kill heroes/monsters with 5 or more wounds, and you can prebuff the Libs with the Relictors.

Changes i consider are: 1. Consumate Commander with a LCoD for Battleshock immunity, Tempestors out. 2. Third Relictor for Knight Azyros

 

I really like this one. I'm 15 Libs short but I think I'm gonna try it out. I see the possibilities

 

I wonder if it's possible to fit a hammerstrike force as well in 2000 pts ?

[Turragor]

I am playing a game against a good tourney player soon. I unfortunately can't make any tourneys for a while so I'll be able to revise based on what I read online. In any case he's taking 'hordes' - specifically Fireslayers.

The basic idea is to rely on Stormcast's own naturally strong unit choices to take out the horde units after all buffing characters have been removed via ranged threat. The logic being that horde units are most dangerous when immune to battleshock and buffed by other characters.

Now whether this will work is up for debate (especially so versus vulkite berserker blobs in this case - prob the most durable horde unit) but anyhow!

Draft 1 is:

Lord-Celestant On Stardrake (560) - Celestine Hammer
Lord-Celestant On Dracoth (220) - Tempestos Hammer & Thundershield
Lord-Castellant (100)
Lord-Relictor (80)
Lord-Relictor (80)
Knight-Venator (120)
Units
5 x Judicators (160) -Skybolt Bows
5 x Judicators (160) -Skybolt Bows
5 x Liberators (100) -Warhammers
2 x Fulminators (240)
3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (180)

No effort made to take ally hordes. No particular focus on horde slayers.

Can it work?

Or will I be taking off a few things and just buying and painting, say, 80 skinks?

[chord]

1 hour ago, Turragor said:

I am playing a game against a good tourney player soon. I unfortunately can't make any tourneys for a while so I'll be able to revise based on what I read online. In any case he's taking 'hordes' - specifically Fireslayers.

The basic idea is to rely on Stormcast's own naturally strong unit choices to take out the horde units after all buffing characters have been removed via ranged threat. The logic being that horde units are most dangerous when immune to battleshock and buffed by other characters.

Now whether this will work is up for debate (especially so versus vulkite berserker blobs in this case - prob the most durable horde unit) but anyhow!

Draft 1 is:

Lord-Celestant On Stardrake (560) - Celestine Hammer
Lord-Celestant On Dracoth (220) - Tempestos Hammer & Thundershield
Lord-Castellant (100)
Lord-Relictor (80)
Lord-Relictor (80)
Knight-Venator (120)
Units
5 x Judicators (160) -Skybolt Bows
5 x Judicators (160) -Skybolt Bows
5 x Liberators (100) -Warhammers
2 x Fulminators (240)
3 x Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (180)

No effort made to take ally hordes. No particular focus on horde slayers.

Can it work?

Or will I be taking off a few things and just buying and painting, say, 80 skinks?

IMO I would pair a loremaster (as ally) with the venator, this way have a better chance of sniping heroes and taking out the synergies for the hordes. 

[PlayerOfGames]

Hi!

I am new to AoS and to this forum (but a WHFB and 40K verteran). After checking the rules and several armies and some theory crafting, I decided to go for the golden boys, mainly because of the Vanguard (awesome models, and guerilla rules/gameplay that suit my playstyle).  Also, the new Blightwar set arrived just in time (I already got 2 which I share with my 'Nurgle'-friend)

Anyways, what do you guys think about Neave Blacktalon? I am a bit underwhelmed, really. It would have been easy to make her a viable choice:

- give her an Astral Compass, or the ability to join a  unit of Vanguard hunters in pursuit and be set up next to them (e.g., within 3" and 7"+ away from enemies)

- give her the ability to charge after using her Windrider ability

To balance this, her offensive capabilities could have been reduced (e.g., only 5 or 6 attacks for the axes, with no additional attacks on 6+). Maybe we'll get a regular Knight-Zephyros (without the Nemesis rule, which is her personal trademark) along those lines later on - I definitely hope so...

As for her Shadowhammers Battalion: this is really held back by the fact that only 1 unit of each type can be selected. With 1-3 or even 1-2 units each, this could be pretty good, actually...

I also have a question regarding the Aetherstrike Force and Raptors:

Under which conditions is it not possible to apply the Raptors bonus (+3 attacks/+6" range) when shooting in my hero phase or after one of my units is destroyed? I think the only occasion is when I moved the Raptors in my own movement phase and one of my units is destroyed after that in my own turn.  Is this correct?

[BURF1]

4 hours ago, chord said:

IMO I would pair a loremaster (as ally) with the venator, this way have a better chance of sniping heroes and taking out the synergies for the hordes. 

Is it really worth though? Outside of Star Fated, the venator doesn't really do all that much damage, giving him a pocket loremaster seems iffy. 

[ledha]

For the people who count on a alpha strike with the vanguard wing/hammerstrike : sometime, the general trait who give you D3 unit moving 5 inches before the game start is before that a not always easy to use staunch defender. It give  to one/two/three of your prosecutor unit a 17" move (20 AT LEAST when running), making it very hard for your opponent to escape the big blob of liberators/paladins

[BURF1]

1 hour ago, PlayerOfGames said:

Hi!

I am new to AoS and to this forum (but a WHFB and 40K verteran). After checking the rules and several armies and some theory crafting, I decided to go for the golden boys, mainly because of the Vanguard (awesome models, and guerilla rules/gameplay that suit my playstyle).  Also, the new Blightwar set arrived just in time (I already got 2 which I share with my 'Nurgle'-friend)

Anyways, what do you guys think about Neave Blacktalon? I am a bit underwhelmed, really. It would have been easy to make her a viable choice:

- give her an Astral Compass, or the ability to join a  unit of Vanguard hunters in pursuit and be set up next to them (e.g., within 3" and 7"+ away from enemies)

- give her the ability to charge after using her Windrider ability

To balance this, her offensive capabilities could have been reduced (e.g., only 5 or 6 attacks for the axes, with no additional attacks on 6+). Maybe we'll get a regular Knight-Zephyros (without the Nemesis rule, which is her personal trademark) along those lines later on - I definitely hope so...

As for her Shadowhammers Battalion: this is really held back by the fact that only 1 unit of each type can be selected. With 1-3 or even 1-2 units each, this could be pretty good, actually...

I also have a question regarding the Aetherstrike Force and Raptors:

Under which conditions is it not possible to apply the Raptors bonus (+3 attacks/+6" range) when shooting in my hero phase or after one of my units is destroyed? I think the only occasion is when I moved the Raptors in my own movement phase and one of my units is destroyed after that in my own turn.  Is this correct?

Here's the thing about that battalion, go ahead and actually try and build a list using it. You realize pretty quick that you have no need for the more than one of each unit. A unit of 6 palladors and a unit of 6 raptors, your battleline and a your hero outfit are 2000ish point right off the top, and since you almost always use a Lord Aquilor with the battalion, large units  are more efficient because he can teleport them easier.  I would argue that not being able to take more than one of each is actually totally irrelevant.

As for Neave, the formation makes her a lot better, 11" move and all, but she is a double turn gamble character for sure. All said she's not really splashable. She needs her battalion to function which is fine because outside of Aetherstrike her battalion is the most powerful way to run a Vanguard army.

[chord]

11 minutes ago, BURF1 said:

Is it really worth though? Outside of Star Fated, the venator doesn't really do all that much damage, giving him a pocket loremaster seems iffy. 

I've had really good luck with the pairing. The venator has  good to-hit, to-wound rolls, so re-rolling the fails makes him hit/wound very often. Plus each star eagle re-roll is another chance at that 6 which gives the -3 rend.  

Add in the range and that the venator is elevated it makes it easy to snipe those heroes (especially pesky wizards).

Plus the loremaster can be used to buff your LCoS or LCoD if needed both of which will benefit from him.

[Turragor]

41 minutes ago, chord said:

I've had really good luck with the pairing. The venator has  good to-hit, to-wound rolls, so re-rolling the fails makes him hit/wound very often. Plus each star eagle re-roll is another chance at that 6 which gives the -3 rend.  

Add in the range and that the venator is elevated it makes it easy to snipe those heroes (especially pesky wizards).

Plus the loremaster can be used to buff your LCoS or LCoD if needed both of which will benefit from him.

I'm more interested in the LCoSD or LCoD I think but the venator is also good before battle is joined. I must test. 

[chord]

1 hour ago, Turragor said:

I'm more interested in the LCoSD or LCoD I think but the venator is also good before battle is joined. I must test. 

Really great against wizards 

[Turragor]

Speaking of wizards and buffing units - what about lifesurge or wildform in the list? I think wildform is best if you take, say,  4 dracoths.

Lifesurge looks great with everything else on the LCoSD - or gives you an option to give one unit life surge and one the lantern (if you think the main anvil is tough enough).