Coven Throne or Mortis Engine?

[Brother Mayhem]

Hi all, 

Hope you’re well . Quick query - I have the kit mentioned in the title; I bought it back in 2013 as part of those Christmas boxes . As a LoN player, what are the benefits of either ? 

Kind regards, 

[Sception]

Mortis engine can do small amounts of damage to all non-death units around it (once per game automatically, while also doing small amounts of healing to death units, every turn with failed beavery tests).  It also has a handful of spirit host attacks, has a short range buff to death spellcasting, and a short range debuff to non death spellcasting.

It's generally not considered worth its points on its own, especially as its utility drops dramatically whenever you find hourself playing against another death army, which is much more common these days.   However, it is part of a somewhat decent formation with arkhan and a couple nectomancers.  Not as decent a formation as befkre the spellportal nerf though.

The coven throne is like a midpoint between a vampire lord and a vampire lord on zombie dragon.  Good when you want a somewhat tougher, somewhat faster, somewhat killier hero, but don't have points to spend on a dragon.  It's also got a decent command ability and protective spell.  It's as big a target as the zombie dragon, though, so if you use it definitely give it a protective artefact.  The protective spell in particular is very nice when borrowed by nagash, though it's difficult to fit both the big guy and a coven throne in the sane army at normal points levels.

It's generally considered an ok hero for the points, though it isn't part of any formations, good or otherwise.

Aa of the Legions of Nagash book, there is also a third way to build this kit, a "bloodseeker palanquin", basically coven throne, minus the attendants, plus most of the tall mortis engine cage with the banshees about it.  It's got a short ranged anti hero magic missile spell, a situational buff to nearby soulblight units triggered by nearby enemy heroes dying, and the coven thrones aura of small damage to all nearby enemy units based on failed bravery tests.

It costs 60 points *more* than a coven throne even though it's generally considered to be the inferior option between the two even before you get into points cost considerations.  That said, it is part of a somewhat decent formation with neferata and a couple vampire lords (regular or dragon style), so there is a case to be made for it in a monster mash type list, or if you happen to be a big neferata fan.

 

So basically, if you're a big time arkhan fan, a dedicated legion of sacrament player, or just want to run a very magic heavy list with multiple necromancers, I'd build it as a mortis engine.  If you're a big time neferata fan, a dedicated legion of blood player, or you just want to run a monster mash list with multiple dragon lords, then I'd build it as a bloodseeker palanquin.

In all other cases, if you're looking for just an all round decent unit on its own that can be used equally well in multiple legions, game sizes, and army styles, and doesn't exist primarily as a formation tax, or especially if you run nagash and your local scene likes to play games in the 2500+ point range, then build the coven throne.

[Honk]

What he said...

really like the coven throne for it‘s in between option (lord-dragon) and think the engine for the battalion or against low-morale opponents.

since you don’t know what comes along, I mixed up the Pimp-Waggon

(mentioning it the 5th time in a week ??)

Still WIP, but playable...

Drachenfels got all the chicks

[deynon]

about playing I quote Sception, there is not such a thing like better, only more suitable to your own game experience.

 

About building instead... magnets^^ I'm preparing  a video about how to magneize it to switch easily from mortis to coven to palanquin