Galamund

Hey all! I play a Cities army and want to incorporate some mobility into my slow gunline. I want to make a more Cities-themed version of the Soulscream Bridge, using the Bolt Action Stone Bridge miniature to do so. I don’t like the idea of “good guys” traipsing across a horrifying causeway of blood and bone! But, I want to respect my opponents and have my proxy be entirely consistent with the size of the proper model. What is the base size of the Soulscream Bridge? 90x120 it looks like, or is it rather one of those “custom” Endless Spell bases? Thanks so very much! All hail the God-King!

I use a Hurricanum with Ignax's Scales nearby as the 'nexus' of the Channeling, so the General isn't in any risk (from those MW, at least). I then cast Sear Wounds on the Hurricanum from another Wizard to keep it topped up. I've got 4 wizards so I don't feel like I'm hurting too badly for the number of unbind/dispels I can attempt, but being able to Dispel the Comet a 4+ on 2d6 means I can slam it back down almost every turn.

Has anyone tried out taking a Knight-Incantor with Famed Spell-hunter and an Everblaze Comet? I've run it in a few games and I'm pretty reliably able to cast and dispel the Comet every turn (probably 75% of the time) and slam the table with MW. I thought the Comet was an overpriced Endless Spell when I played SCE, but given how you can cast it at +d6 and dispel it at +3, I think it gets far more of an opportunity to earn its points back. Thoughts?

Hey all, I am wanting to run a very competitive CoS army. I've got tons of old Empire minis and think I can build a hell of a gunline. HEROES: General (General, Drillmaster) Cogsmith with Grudgeraker Battlemage (Adjutant to the General) Celestial Hurricanum with Battlemage BATTLELINE: 40 Guard with Halberds 20 Handgunners (Long Rifle) 20 Handgunners (Long Rifle) 20 Crossbowmen ARTILLERY 3x Helstorm Rocket Batteries Greywater Fastness Battalion This gets me to 1920 points. The plan is to have the Halberd Guards be the outer screen, with the missile troops behind them as a second screen. Behind that I'll park the Hurricanum and the triple Rocket Batteries. Using the Battalion, the Rocket Batteries fire twice on T1, giving me 18 shots hitting on 3s RR1s. This does about 10-12 wounds to a model with a 4+invul, and so it has the potential to alpha-strike almost anything off the table at 39". The 60 missile troops can be hitting on 2s wounding on 2s relatively easily, rerolling 1s from the General's Drillmaster, with either rending shots from the Handguns or larger plain volleys from the Crossbows to clear chaff and light infantry targets. The Wizards do Wizard stuff (Greywater has decent spells imho) and the Hurricanum pours MWs into targets. I've also got 80pts to spend on Endless Spells, too. As I see it, this list's weakness is mobility and board control. So far to remedy that I've been thinking of dropping the Crossbows for 2x10 Shadow Warriors to pop up and hold objectives, etc. Aside from that, I'm moving huge blocks of troops at a slow march at best. What other weaknesses do you think this has? Am I deluded in thinking that shooting alpha strikes can work in AoS? Or am I using too much of a 40k mindset and overestimating the power of shooting in this game? Thank you so much for your thoughts! FAITH, STEEL AND GUNPOWDER!

I am very, very interested in this subject. I ran 3 before and really liked them and want to continue doing so. They're FAR more durable now, since your crew can't get sniped away by a stiff breeze. That balances out the substantial loss in damage output. d6 was swingy but when it worked, it worked. The loss of Ignore LOS is actually worse I think, since they're now a harder unit to use. I was thinking of using them in a pure gunline Greywater Fastness list. 3 of them in the Battalion with a Cogsmith (required for the Battalion) and a Hurricanum (auto-include unit now imho) nearby give a hell of a alpha strike: 18 shots hitting on 3sRR1 on the first turn at 39", which does 10-12 wounds to something with a 4+ invul save. With a bit of luck it can one-shot a KoS!

They should be 180pts, or should be 3+ save and 3 attacks at 220. It's tragic since I have 10 beautifully painted ones sitting on the shelf, as I am sure most of us do too.

I think that's a superb list. It's roughly close to what I've been playing since 2.0 and I've had so much luck. I'd say you're on the right track. I am particularly pleased to see the exact same suite of 4 heroes that I'm using, except I'm taking Solbright instead of the regular LAoGC since I had to lose 20pts from my list. How are you finding them? The LAoGC is compulsory for Sequitors as Battleline, and the Castellant is also compulsory (imho) if you're taking 20 Sequitors. Gavriel is the sleeper hit of our codex... but how are you finding taking the Knight-Incantor? If you're using Realm Rules (and the massive added spell list) I think she gets so much better, and having the auto-dispel is so good against that big pivotal debuff on your 20-block of Sequitors. As for spells, Azyrite Halo on the LAoGC to cast on the 20-block of Sequitors is the most "bang for your buck" - I find I get like 3-5 mortal wounds on big mobs attacking me, and that's waaaay more MW than any of the other spells. Aside from that, I usually play with Realm Rules so I'm more often casting random realm spells than SCE ones. My only thought is to make sure that you have enough units who can cast Speed of Lightning, so that no charges are failed if it can be avoided.

Definitely improved, but I just find basically every Stormcast unit to be too expensive to be used disposably just to inflict a few wounds on a target that will be all over them immediately. Especially since they're best against hordes with low saves. I fear they couldn't kill enough of whatever they land near in order to clear their LZ and be safe!

You are absolutely on the right track, so I'd sure vote for both those configurations... but let's see what others say. Judicators with Skybolt/Shockbolt Bows have the ability to keep back and hold backfield objectives, which for 160pts is a more useful role than suicidal deepstrikes 9" from the enemy. Evocators with staves are absolutely bonkers - 2" is a massive bonus for 40mm based models, and D2 is so good against the vast majority of foes.

Greathammer is 100% better on the Prime. In terms of the Blades, if they're sufficiently buffed they are better than the Mauls, I think most would agree to both those points. The question is, as far as I'm concerned: is it worth all the bloody effort to convert 11 of 20 men in giant unit, and also reliably buff them with Empower and Celestial Blades, to be worth the physical effort of effecting the conversion? They get an extra attack then, but you can't always depend on getting those casts off.

This makes me feel very clever indeed, since this is very similar to a list I used in the last three games I've played. I really, really like it. Let's speculate though - why take the Skinks? Also, why no Cleansing Phalanx? Gavriel is a CP-hungry hero so taking a Battalion to fuel his deepstrike tactic seems almost compulsory to me.

By Sigmar's Hammer man, shut up! Shhhhhh. Haha, don't go suggesting points increases for the units we desperately need to be competitive! I struggle to overcome Nagash lists, or Death generally, as well as well-built Tzeentch or Nurgle lists. Even other Order lists, with Kroak or Witch Aelves are scary. We don't need nerfs If the goal is to make older units better, which I concur is a good thing, I would agree with some other posters suggesting that most older units (Paladins especially) should go down by 20-40pts. But putting Evocators and Sequitors up in points is heresy against Azyr's Throne as far as I'm concerned. Those units are costed appropriately given the stuff we have to face. The solution is making other options appropriately costed, not drag everything into the realm of over-costed irrelevance (like our poor Retributors).

I agree they're all terrible and I certainly wouldn't volunteer to use them. However, sometimes this is unavoidable (playing a random opponent and you don't want to launch into a tirade about how they're awful or try to convince them not to play with them, or if you're in a tournament) so I want to discuss how to adapt to this unfortunate new world we find ourselves in.

Thanks so much man for the thoughtful and detailed reply. Really like to see that on these forums. I thought Chamon is interesting for the ignore rend. I like having -1 on rend for so many units (Sequistor Greatmaces and Judicators in particular) against various common troops. While I fear people rending our good SCE armour down, I think there are a lot of scenarios where I need -1 rend and rely on it to just cut through enemy chaff. Is putting the enemy on a 6+ really worth putting our troops on a 5+? Aqshy is also tough since I play against a lot of Chaos Dwarves a lot and they're even scarier in Aqshy, since their big sorceror lord gets +1 to cast in that Realm. I agree that's not as much of a problem if you're not fighting Dawi Zharr from FW. I recognize this is local to me only and not people generally... but facing 3 Magma Cannons that do 3d6 MW at 18" has traumatized me. What other thoughts do we have on this topic?

I don't mean this to turn into a criticism of those rules! I personally don't like them, but I want to focus on being positive and upbeat about this change to Matched Play and instead try and find a way to minimize their impact. I want to accept and adapt to this new reality.

I want to get some opinions and start a conversation about Realm Rules in the context of SCE. My groups seem to be adopting a "we might as well try them" approach and we use them more often than not. My question is simple: which Realm have you found to be the LEAST impactful on your games? What I mean is, what Realm do you think has the minimal impact on the game in terms of imbalanced or swing-causing Realm characteristics. The idea being: if my opponent wishes to nominate a Realm, what one should I suggest so as to get at least a 50% of fighting in it? As far as I'm concerned, it isn't Ulgu or Ghur, since reducing shooting to 18/12/6" is massive for Comet/Judicator/Longstrike using armies, and having the two beasts also to add huge variables to the game that are totally unpredictable. Some guys I play against have pretty wacky FW monsters. Shysh is also scary given how it helps Death armies disproportionately, and they're already really strong and I struggle with them a bit. That narrows it down to the remaining 6 (or 5 if you're as scared of Shysh as I am!) What Realms have you guys had luck with SCE fighting in? Any cool tips or tricks about Realm rules in the context of running Stormcast?

I would say that the Cleansing Phalanx is the only good battalion in the book. This comes as a function of several things: - first and foremost it is the only one that doesn't include rubbishy tax units: it includes 4 units we always want to take anyways and 2 of which are battleline. - the buff it provides isn't trivial and makes an already good unit even better, and is an easy synergy to make happen. it also lasts all game long as long as the units required to cast and obtain the buff are alive. - it's relatively cheap. granted battalions are pointed completely arbitrarily (I suspect numbers were drawn out of a hat) but this one is good and isn't 200pts. - taking one battalion is almost compulsory for us since Stormhost rules rob us of the ability to pick a Relic, and starting the game with 1CP is SO important if you have a large unit you need to save from Battleshock if you go second and get alpha-struck. Cleansing Phalanx is the best of a bad lot! Also, the name of the Battalion is utterly dope.

20 and 5 for sure. Saving the 80pts is nothing to look lightly upon, and 20 lets you get a gigantic front rank of Greatmaces into a large enemy unit. They also make buffs more efficient (such as a Castellant's Warding Lantern), or using a CP to auto-activate your rerolls with a LAoGC. Granted they are at a greater liability to debuffs, but that's what all the unbind opportunities Evocators give us are for

For the number of models it will kill, I'd rather just spent 100pts for a Comet cast by a character with the Staff of Focus. 2-4 MW per unit in a colossal radius. All the effort required to coordinate a bravery bomb scenario would be better spent focused on directly killing enemy models, in my opinion.

Right now there seems to be a lot of discussion on the utility of different shooting units, and good debate of their merits. Has anyone tried SCE lists without any shooting at all? I'm contemplating purely melee, counting on the raw strength of our hammers, swords and faith in the God-King. I also think that if we're going to be using Realm Rules, I don't want to depend on shooting at all since so many ruthlessly nerf shooting. As far as I see it there are a variety of shooting units competing for our attention: - Judicators with 24" Longbows or Judicators with 20 short-range Crossbow shots, which are the best and most important given the need to fill Battleline, or: - Castigators, either as small units or giant units, Raptors with Crossbows or Raptors with Longstrikes, which fulfill distinct tasks. As far as I'm concerned, Castigators get booted from serious competition simply by virtue of not being Battleline. I played most of 1.0 with 2x5 Judicators with Skybolt/Shockbolt Bows and came to really lean on their ability to snipe and weaken units. Now, however, I'm finding that character sniping is a far more difficult process (given how many characters can get -1 or -2 to hit, easily). I'm doubtful that mass Crossbow fire (either from Judicators or Raptors) is useful, either, since they won't kill enough cheap screening models to be worth sacrificing 140 or 160pts of Stormcast dropping in that close to the enemy. The Longstrikes are alright but I am queasy at the thought of paying 180pts for 6 wounds of 4+ models that my opponent is going to nuke immediately. Moreso now that Anvils got nerfed, too. So, my question is: SCE without shooting - is it possible? Do we fundamentally need something to harass or weaken that key enemy unit? Is it compulsory to have those rending long range bows to snipe at enemy giant monsters? Or can we do it without shooting support and beat the enemy to death in glorious melee?

I appreciate the reply and I think you might be right. And haha, I'll keep it quiet and won't talk about the E-word any more!

Hey all, I've been playing a Cleansing Phalanx based list, with a 20 block of Sequitors, some Judicators, LAoGC, and the Everblaze Comet. It's been doing alright. I've been getting the Comet shut down by some magic-heavy lists (Nagash, Tzeentch especially) and so I'm growing a bit disenchanted with it and I was thinking of other ways to get consistent massive MW onto the enemy. I've been thinking of ditching the comet and Judicators and taking Gavriel Sureheart and upping one of the units of Evocators to 10. LAoGC Gavriel Sureheart Castellant Incantor 20x Sequitors, 5x Sequitors, 5x Sequitors 10x Evocators, 5x Evocators Cleansing Phalanx (1940/2000 2 CP) The idea would be to deepstrike with Lord Sureheart and the 10 Evocators and them only need a 3" to get the charge after using his Command Ability twice. I know screens are the thing but you could wait a turn and peel them away with Sequitors, or worse comes to worse, hit the screen and obliterate it. The 10 (with 5 Staves) and Empower cast on themselves cause so much damage in the games I've played with them (and that's unteleported). And obviously: an average of 10 MW at the end of their phase. If you get lucky you could one-shot a giant enemy model! But, I would have no shooting whatsoever. What are your thoughts? Has anyone actually had any success with the much-talked-about Sureheart automatic charge Scions attack? I fear some armies could screen it too easily, but given the MW output coupled with the natural damage potential of buffed Evocators... it seems pretty good. I am very curious if anyone else has tried this?

I really like the idea of dual 20-blocks of Sequitors! It's a tight fit taking them as part of a Cleansing Phalanx though (1320 if you're taking 2x20 Sequitors and 2x5 Evocators). That's the only Battalion I've found that's remotely worth it since I want to take Evocators and Sequitors anyways. What do you think you'd compliment the 'hammer and anvil' style of dual 20 man units with? Also that witch unit sounds terrifying! Do you have any experience countering it?

Yikes I haven't faced Witch Elves like that yet! The Sequitors take it in the chin for sure. They seldom hit the foe intact and almost always die to a man late in the game, but I haven't had them alpha-struck off the table too quickly. I find Refractor Lens helps a lot. You're sure right about them being slow though. Do you think having them at a 2+ save through SD would help more than being able to swing twice per turn?

I should add, I run them as Anvils of Heldenhammer. I hate losing Staunch Defender and Mirrorshield, but I find the Castellant mitigates the loss of the Command Trait somewhat and being able to attack twice with the buffed-up 20-man of Sequitors is bonkers. They utterly massacre units of light and medium infantry and with full re-rolls the 9 Greatmaces can threaten even the biggest of monsters. It's a CP-hungry list though, obviously.