Clueless with Stormcast - 1000 point help

[8bit_Jesus]

I have a small collection of Stormcast, the Lord Castellant, 20 Liberators and 10 Judicators. I've only got those for my Guardians of Alarielle formation, which I've not had the chance to use yet!

I've never really been keen on Stormcast but playing against a friend yesterday, they seem like they've got some really interesting rules now! I've got a 1000 point tournament in 3 weeks, we're playing on a 4x4 board so I'm wondering if you guys can help?

Do Stormcast suffer at 1000 point games on a small board? What would you guys add to what I've got to make a fun, potentially even semi-competitive list? And is there advice on how Stormcast play? Liberators, as good as they are, just seem to disappear in squads of 5 

thanks for any help

[Let's 'ere it for da boyz!]

The Lord Castellant is a strong choice regardless of game size.  Use him to make those Liberators the ultimate tanky tarpit with Staunch Defenders and his lantern.

There is certainly an argument to be made that Judicators are the best Battleline unit in the game.  Never a bad choice.

You've a good start to a nice list with the pieces you already have.  Really, just about any other models could fit in and help you out.

How do you want your list to play?  Maybe we could help you a bit better with more information.

[Ruben]

Here's my list:

Leaders
Lord-Celestant On Dracoth (220)
- Tempestos Hammer & Thundershield
Lord-Relictor (80)
Lord-Castellant (100)

Battleline
10 x Liberators (200)
- Warhammers
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows

Units
5 x Paladin Retributors (220)

 

So the idea here is to setup the liberators with the castellant on the center board, along with the judicators behind them to have some good shooting on turn 1. Then the LCoD, relictor and retributors kept aside to be dropped in with scions of the storm later. Give your opponent the first turn if they rely a lot on their heroes for synergies, or take the first turn and drop the LCoD + relictor and retributors on objectives instead.

The key here is to know that your main damage dealers are the retributors, judicators and LCoD. The rest are there to support and defend, or tarpit. 10 libs + a castellant is disgustingly good at being a tarpit, unless if your opponent has rend or mortal wounds. Then you're screwed.

Anyways, try this list out first. It'll be fun to find out what you can do with it.

[8bit_Jesus]

11 minutes ago, Let's 'ere it for da boyz! said:

The Lord Castellant is a strong choice regardless of game size.  Use him to make those Liberators the ultimate tanky tarpit with Staunch Defenders and his lantern.

There is certainly an argument to be made that Judicators are the best Battleline unit in the game.  Never a bad choice.

You've a good start to a nice list with the pieces you already have.  Really, just about any other models could fit in and help you out.

How do you want your list to play?  Maybe we could help you a bit better with more information.

I'm not actually sure! haha

I'd obviously want to play to their strengths, I'm not sure what missions we're playing yet. From the games on a 4'x4' board I've played so far, I want to have enough bodies to take and hold any objective I've got. I'm currently taking Ironjawz, who are awesome with the extra speed and ability to just delete units, but they're weak to mortal wounds and battleshock tests. So I guess I'd be after something that has that punch but staying power to go along with it

 

[8bit_Jesus]

20 minutes ago, Ruben said:

Here's my list:

Leaders
Lord-Celestant On Dracoth (220)
- Tempestos Hammer & Thundershield
Lord-Relictor (80)
Lord-Castellant (100)

Battleline
10 x Liberators (200)
- Warhammers
5 x Judicators (160)
- Skybolt Bows

Units
5 x Paladin Retributors (220)

 

So the idea here is to setup the liberators with the castellant on the center board, along with the judicators behind them to have some good shooting on turn 1. Then the LCoD, relictor and retributors kept aside to be dropped in with scions of the storm later. Give your opponent the first turn if they rely a lot on their heroes for synergies, or take the first turn and drop the LCoD + relictor and retributors on objectives instead.

The key here is to know that your main damage dealers are the retributors, judicators and LCoD. The rest are there to support and defend, or tarpit. 10 libs + a castellant is disgustingly good at being a tarpit, unless if your opponent has rend or mortal wounds. Then you're screwed.

Anyways, try this list out first. It'll be fun to find out what you can do with it.

You know, that actually surprises me. It doesn't look like an awful lot! My friend has those models so I can borrow those to try out  

and you can set up outside the 12" deployment zone with stormcast?

 

[Let's 'ere it for da boyz!]

1 hour ago, 8bit_Jesus said:

I'd obviously want to play to their strengths, I'm not sure what missions we're playing yet. From the games on a 4'x4' board I've played so far, I want to have enough bodies to take and hold any objective I've got. I'm currently taking Ironjawz, who are awesome with the extra speed and ability to just delete units, but they're weak to mortal wounds and battleshock tests. So I guess I'd be after something that has that punch but staying power to go along with it

I also play Ironjawz, so I know what you're talking about.  Where Ironjawz are a sledgehammer - brutal and straightforward, Stormcast are more of a Swiss Army Knife - multifunctional and able to roll with the punches.

For survivability, the Liberator + Staunch Castellant is tough to beat.  10-15 Liberators with that setup will be really hard to shift at 1000 points.  

Unfortunately, like Ironjawz Stormcast are also susceptible to MW.  There are ways to mitigate this slightly with the Relictor's prayers and a hero with the Lantern of the Tempest.  But it will always be a concern.  

Finally, if you want to never worry about Battleshock again, look into getting a Lord Celestant on Dracoth.

Honestly, I would recommend looking at the range of Stormcast models and picking something you like the looks of.  There aren't really any bad choices.  If there's something you find aesthetically pleasing or would just really like to use, there are lots of smart people on this forum that can help you fit it in and make it not suck!

[Criti]

I'm currently running the following:

Lord Castellant

Lord Relictor 

Knight Venator

1x10 Liberators w/2 Grandhammers

3x3 Javelin/Trident Prosecutors 

1x5 Judicators with bows and Shockbolt Bow

Vanguard Wing batallion

I've got speed.  I've got shooting. I've got Rend.

The changes I'm considering are swapping the Venator and Relictor for a Heraldor and an Azyros...or swapping the Venator and the Relictor for an Aquilor.

The former would give me some more guaranteed mortal wounds at a better range, and a quick moving character who is decent in combat and can get up quick in 3 Places of Power.

The latter gives me a model that can pop up in conjunction with the teleporting Liberators and do some real damage.

[Let's 'ere it for da boyz!]

11 minutes ago, Criti said:

The latter gives me a model that can pop up in conjunction with the teleporting Liberators and do some real damage.

Just out of curiosity, how are you planning on kitting out your Aquilor?  In my experience, he has been mediocre in combat.

[Criti]

11 hours ago, Let's 'ere it for da boyz! said:

Just out of curiosity, how are you planning on kitting out your Aquilor?  In my experience, he has been mediocre in combat.

I don't plan anything for that.  In my neck of the woods,  Command Traits and Artifacts are always eked randomly. 

[kozokus]

I just played a 3 round 1000 points tournament and here is what i ran :

Lord Celestant

Azyros

2X5 judicators

5 Protectors

5 Retributors

3 Prosecutors javelin

I ll post more about that later, lets just say that everything went ok for me until i ran into a Kunninrukk.

There are obvious flaws in that build but the inhérent strenght is that everything is doubled and reliable.

[Ruben]

1 hour ago, kozokus said:

I just played a 3 round 1000 points tournament and here is what i ran :

Lord Celestant

Azyros

2X5 judicators

5 Protectors

5 Retributors

3 Prosecutors javelin

I ll post more about that later, lets just say that everything went ok for me until i ran into a Kunninrukk.

There are obvious flaws in that build but the inhérent strenght is that everything is doubled and reliable.

Kunnin rukk? Swap the rets with protectors and watch them struggle. Swap the celestant with castellant, and watch them really scream.

[Heksagon]

23 minutes ago, Ruben said:

Kunnin rukk? Swap the rets with protectors and watch them struggle. 

Well... why Protectors?

[kozokus]

1 hour ago, Heksagon said:

Well... why Protectors?

Protectors have a -1 stacking debuff to be hit by ranged weapons.

[Let's 'ere it for da boyz!]

Please delete this comment.

[Let's 'ere it for da boyz!]

1 hour ago, Heksagon said:

Well... why Protectors?

 

Protectors' Storm-shield ability:  Arrows are deflected by the Protectors’ weaving Glaives. Subtract 1 from the hit rolls of enemy shooting attacks that target a unit of Protectors, or which must cross a unit of Protectors to hit a model that lies beyond them.

 

[Jamister1]

The 1000 points I currently use:

2 x 5 liberators

Lord Veritant w/ staunch and lantern of the tempest

2 x Lord Relictor

5 retributors

10 vanguard hunters

gryphhound (if opponent doesn't mind 1020 points)

won the last three games with this. Everyone seems pretty scared of the hunters, and liberators with staunch is nice, and the lantern gives more defence against shooting. 3 priests means lots of prayers, and double relictor is nice for the those lightning storms. one unit of libs held up belakor for 2 turns without losing a man, and big B was eventually taken out by the lightning. And its a composition I hardly ever see.

 

[8bit_Jesus]

14 hours ago, Jamister1 said:

The 1000 points I currently use:

2 x 5 liberators

Lord Veritant w/ staunch and lantern of the tempest

2 x Lord Relictor

5 retributors

10 vanguard hunters

gryphhound (if opponent doesn't mind 1020 points)

won the last three games with this. Everyone seems pretty scared of the hunters, and liberators with staunch is nice, and the lantern gives more defence against shooting. 3 priests means lots of prayers, and double relictor is nice for the those lightning storms. one unit of libs held up belakor for 2 turns without losing a man, and big B was eventually taken out by the lightning. And its a composition I hardly ever see.

 

That's an interesting list! I'm amazed at the variation in stormcast haha

[8bit_Jesus]

On 02/04/2017 at 9:46 PM, Let's 'ere it for da boyz! said:

I also play Ironjawz, so I know what you're talking about.  Where Ironjawz are a sledgehammer - brutal and straightforward, Stormcast are more of a Swiss Army Knife - multifunctional and able to roll with the punches.

For survivability, the Liberator + Staunch Castellant is tough to beat.  10-15 Liberators with that setup will be really hard to shift at 1000 points.  

Unfortunately, like Ironjawz Stormcast are also susceptible to MW.  There are ways to mitigate this slightly with the Relictor's prayers and a hero with the Lantern of the Tempest.  But it will always be a concern.  

Finally, if you want to never worry about Battleshock again, look into getting a Lord Celestant on Dracoth.

Honestly, I would recommend looking at the range of Stormcast models and picking something you like the looks of.  There aren't really any bad choices.  If there's something you find aesthetically pleasing or would just really like to use, there are lots of smart people on this forum that can help you fit it in and make it not suck!

I think that's a new problem to face, Stormcast have more models than IJ and Sylvaneth combined haha 

I quite like the thematic element of "you shall not pass!" and having units that just outlast the enemy. I managed to get a Relictor, Lord something on a Dracoth and Protectors for a decent price. They're being sold on eBay from the starter set, I think £30 in total? I'll start there and see how I get on