Tenebris Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Greetings As a Stormcast player I usually can handle most armies but of late the Ironjawz are presenting a problem. In six games against them I have managed to score only once a Minor Victory, the rest were either Major or Minor Defeats. My main problem is the hard hitting and awfully tough orruks my adversary can bring. We speak of orruks with a Liberator profile and a ton of attacks, all this without counting the beast that is their Mega Boss and the Gore Gruntas. I usually field a generic army, with Liberators, Judicators, Retributors and spicing of Decimators or Protectors. I have not yet integrated the Dracoth cavalry (save the Lord) in my list. Now my Liberators can stop an unit for a turn, maybe two if I am lucky but once the Ironjawz hard hitters come into play it is a steamroll for them. I have tried a lot of things, from peppering them with Judicator fire, to feeding them with hammer and axe from my Paladins, all to no avail. It seems that the Ironjawz can simply shrug off most of the damage and go on pulping me to dust. I usually play around 1000 - 1500 points so I do not have much flexibility, especially in a tournament list, so I was hoping for first hand advice on how to deal with the Ironjawz as a Stormcast Eternals player. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracothjay Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 I used to be an ironjawz player, and strangely enough I felt they were a let down in terms of combat performance. However, the advice I would give you is focus on instant mortal wound models, such as 10 retributors, knight heraldor for the terrain damaging D3 MW spell, dracothian guard for the breath attacks and obviously their charge attacks. Do you have a celestant prime? I've 1 turned a mawcrusha with my prime once. With ironjawz you have to be super offensive as their army is super offensive. Try using units of 10 liberators to soak damage. 3 units that can blow through ironjawz, like I said earlier, RETRIBUTORS, DRACOTH GUARD, and the CEOESTANT PRIME. Orruks are slow moving so you have time. Skyborne slayers is a nice way to control them, drop your army onto them and focus one unit, move onto the next. Stardrake ive never used, or even own, but I've watched a mawcrusha shove a star drake in his backpack before, which was heart breaking to watch as I seriously thought the star drake could have stolen the win over it. this is my advice, but no doubt someone on here will reply with far better advice than myself. But, as an ex-ironjawz player I'd take a celestant prime to start. He literally kills anything in his path, but be careful. He also dies very easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malakithe Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Yeah they are crazy tough. I only like 2k lists but in general they are super fast and brutes smashing into you is bad. As a whole though they suffer from battleshock and lack of mortal wound output. If they get 1st turn they will be on you thanks to ironfist + destruction traits. So you have to weather that storm. After thou you need to out maneuver them via teleport or range. To cut their speed in half you need to kill the ironfist battalion leader who your opponent picks. He will have 2 more wounds then normal but if you kill him the battalion bonus is gone. Also with their lack of mortal wounds and one wizard you could super armor save buff and basically ignore all their attacks. Fulminators and Concussors have crazy armor and will smash into them well. Buffalo a unit of 10 libs with the armor guy would help too. Plus terrain. Just a few thoughts there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracothjay Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Yeah, Lord castellant with 10 libs is nice. They'll be sticking around more than 2 turns at least. Coupled with a relictor to heal. Ironfist is nasty, especially when that battalion is supported by ogre mournfang. But that's what the teleport banner is for. You want first turn? Take skyborne slayers so you don't have to drop anything when setting up, complimented by a unit of 10 rets and a Vexillor. There's your first turn, get your rets in early and just as they are dwindling, drop your rest of the army. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malakithe Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Stormcast have one thing above all others. Flexibility. It seems cheesy to some but you need to capitalize on movement plays. The Skyborn Slayers and Warrior Brotherhood allow you to deepstrike almost anywhere. There is also Hammerstrike Force which let's retributors teleport near prosecutors. Any of those plus the banner will help. At 1k thou...no idea lol they run up the field right at you, you teleport behind them. Grab those objectives. Use the right units for the right job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dez Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 It's time you accept the inevitable, Ironjawz iz BEST! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracothjay Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 1000 points.... Vanguard wing, night venator, stock up on battle line judicators and use the rest of the points on prosecutors hammers/javelins. Apparently that does ridiculously well at 1000 points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight-Errant Posted September 19, 2016 Share Posted September 19, 2016 Field Skyborne Slayers if the enemy uses Ardboyz due to decimators. 1020 points (Celestant on foot, no battleshock due to battalion) Warrior Brotherhood if Brutes. 1360 points .Use Azyros and land Retributors 4'' away, also Celestant on foot or Castellant,even Venator for monster) Get first turn due to all units dont need to be fielded. Place them in such a way that the monster is in shooting distance from both units of judicators (bows) and if he is in the open, place the protectors as close as possible, 2 starsoul maces. Shoot the hell out of the monster (plus Celestant or Venator) ,charge the protectors. Dont charge the Liberators which must be at both sides of the formation to withstand the coming ork charge. 3rd Liberators to hold the lines.If placed properly the will pile in at the orks. Hail Sigmar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papapene Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I play Ironjawz and a few of their weaknesses have been exposed here but another one is getting them out of the big blob! Their combat prowess is strongest when they're all together in the middle of the table. If you find a way to break them up, perhaps attack at either flank, they loose a lot of their strengths. Good luck man! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebris Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 I have compiled a list for the next tournament considering the points from above: - Lord Celestant on Dracoth - Knight-Vexillor - Tempestors - 10 Liberators Hammer/Shield - 5 Judicators - 5 Judicators - 5 Retributors - 5 Decimators For a total of 1600 points as will the next tournament probably be. I would go for Skyborne Slayers but since I am tight on points I must maximize the hitting power of my units before moving to formations. I think that the block of Liberators would be able to hold the tide, provided they get supported with Paladins. The Vexillor I have yet to test but he has the potential to place a nice ambush when combined with my Retributors. Between them probably the Boss will die. I have to include the Decimators since there is a good chance that I will happen against hordes too in the tournament. Point being I will trust my beefed up Liberators. It will be hard to stop the full might of the Ironjawz but between them and the Judicators it is 20 models and 40 wounds they have to cleave through. Hopefully this will buy me time to kill the orruks with my Lord and his cavalry escort. Will it work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracothjay Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I could see this working. However, teleporting a unit of 5 paladins won't provide enough punch though. I'd drop the LCoD and replace him for a LC on foot and a castellant, making your Libs a 3+ save from the castellant and +1 to hit from the LC on foot. So, if your libs go up against anything with 5 wounds or over, they are +2 to hit with a +1 save. 10 of them wont be easy to punch through and WILL hold for a good while. Also, how many Tempestors are you using? I'd replace them with fulminators right away. If you have 4 of them then teleporting them will guarantee you the charge and boy, they are devastating. There's your hammer right here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malakithe Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Yeah increase the save on those libs and one of 2 things will happen. Your opponent will know to avoid them or a unit will smash against them. If brutes go against high saves they can't get through. Also the LCoD can be used with the Vexillor too if you build him with the right tools. Give him +1 attack and either +1 dmg or rend and he will rip guys apart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracothjay Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Yes, he is lethal, but with a list like this you need as much synergy as you can get. I like both LC's equally, but i field LC on foot 90% of thew time as he's cheap and his +1 to hit is soooooo tasty! And your retributors will blast to ashes on 5's and 6's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malakithe Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 True but if you banner the rets across the board the LC on foot can't help them. Now if your using SS or WB not a problem there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dracothjay Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 I just faced off against sylvaneth this evening. My opponent brought 2 durthu's, 2 treeman ancients, dryads and a wizard. I used SS with a celestant prime, knight venator, LCoD and 3 prosecutors. I tabled him only losing my LCoD. I really like using the celestant prime with the SS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malakithe Posted September 20, 2016 Share Posted September 20, 2016 Wow lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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