ByronicHero

I'm new too, but have done quite well so far with FEC. I really don't think I would ever run a FEC list without at least one AAR. I can attribute plenty of victories to an early alpha strike with a buffed AGKOTG attacking twice instantly removing some of their key synergy, deleting whole elite units etc. He also almost completely replaces his points value instantly and then gives you 2 spells and unbinds (at +2 via artefact and trait if you want to make him the general). Outside of that, I did run Grim Garland on AGKOTG for a while and liked it, and if you are okay with realm artefacts the feather charm granting -1 to hit and +1 move is nice. I'm not sure how I feel about the lores myself yet. Blood Feast should be strong but just never seems to work out. Deranged transformation is nice on the knight units for sure. You will almost always be casting Vigour with the AGKOTG in my experience so it doesn't matter too much. I'm yet to play Hollowmourne, but I did run the numbers on a fun list and if the AGKOTG can get the jump on their artefact holding unit (which with the movement you can unless they bubble it) you will kill it basically no matter what it is. With a decent AAR buff too you could probably get 30 - 40 wounds through against something with a 3+ save assuming average rolls and no MW mitigation 😛

On a tangentially related note, I failed a 3" charge with my AAR buffed AGKOTG the other day with the rest of my army trailing behind somewhat. I wanted to shout something, but it had nothing to do with the sun. Haha.

Dark Wizardry.

I try to sit mine in cover with 10x ghouls if it is practical. The ghouls never do anything useful for me anyway so I prefer to have the AAR free to constantly win the low - mid level magic game with +2 to casts and unbinds. In the 20ish games I have played now he has entered combat twice that I can recall. The first time he survived on one wound vs some ghouls, and if he hadn't I'd have the lost the game. The second time he folded to a low level hero after being softened up by some shooting. I pretty much agree with your analysis; he is the only unit I routinely move backwards.

Hello. I'm a fairly new player who has been doing well with FEC butnhas grown bored and wants to try something else. As I like several chaos gods intjought starting with a fairly large force of these guys would allow me to also have playable forces for the other gods more easily and is this efficient. I was thinking of buying Archaon, a unit of Varanguard (though I can't find their point cost) and the Godsworn Warband. Is there any reason that this is a bad plan? I was about to pull the trigger but thought I'd post here and ask first. I should note that I don't want the army to be super strong, as I already have FEC, but also don't want to be stomped. Thanks.

So, I am still yet to ever lose a game of AOS, lol. I have played various scenarios, armies and points totals (but relevantly, all fairly low) and just seem to make it work - no doubt at least as much by luck as by skill. I actually look forward to getting stomped soon, as it has to happen eventually. I am also yet to make any kind of decent use of the endless spells and am pretty convinced that giving the AAR +2 to casts and unbinds is correct anyway. Getting the extra attacks consistently into the TG or a pack of horrors is just too valuable. Might experiment with the Stampede next game for fun, or just take the extra CP for more double attacks. I have been taking blood feast on the AAR, but I think I will take deranged transformation instead to propel the horrors as I rarely get to use it. I've been doing this with the TG but generally I always want to be casting his spell so the opportunity cost is too high. On another note, I know my next army will be one of the ones with more unit diversity as the limited FEC options are pretty disappointing with regards to long-term collecting. I enjoy my army, but there is nothing left for me to do to it that excites me now, which is a shame. I have a ZD to paint and then I think I'm done. Good luck to everyone with your upcoming games

It will get focused, but it is not easy for most units to do anything meaningful through the 4+/5+/6+ saves. If you can get the charge I think you would be fine.

Do you have to have 2 x BL all the way though? If so then I would do the same at 500 points. At 750 I would absolutely use the AGKOTG. My experience is that as long as you are intelligent with your positioning he will steamroll most things with the double attack. With only 3 drops you will be able to choose who goes first the vast majority of the time as well. You can go Hollowmourne if you want to run up the board and auto-delete their general. I have only been playing for a month though, so pinch of salt and all that.

Yesterday I had my first ever AOS tournament (small local store one) and my first competitive games. I managed to win all three games and thus the tournament, which was cool. It qualified me for the final later in the year. My third round game was against another FEC player and the game was so close it came down to one round of attacks from my horrors. My opponent was extremely pleasant which helped make it the most enjoyable game I've had. My impressions: AAR is disgustingly efficient. Chalice was never very useful, nor was barricade. Still unconvinced I want the chalice over an extra CP with one AAR. I like horrors a lot more than flayers. Just seems to be a lot of high bravery in the local meta and the re-rolls to hit become extremely strong with AAR buff. The different battle plans and realm rules really do mix up the way you have to play. All in all it was great fun actually. I think I am going to glue my other behemoth today. Might make it a AGKOZD for the variation. The AOE buff seems like it could be excellent with a blob of horrors. AAR buff, re-rolling all the things and then attacking twice. Good luck to anything trying to survive that.

I see - thanks. I think if he would realistically require a new army to be built around him I'd rather a different flavour. I shall have to think about it.

Spot on. It is basically just the first turn when generally nothing is in range of the Blood Feast. but even then my AGKOTG is usually planning to zip up the board so I prefer to throw the Mystic on him just to give him all the saves and re-rolls. I was tempted to take Hollowmourne and use the 6 horrors as 2 x 3 battle line and juggle the spells to also get an extra command point. AGKOTG, AAR (+2 cast and unbind), 6 x horror, 2 x 10 x Ghouls + barricade and chalice (summoning 3 x flayers and 1 x Varghulf) = 1190 Would become: AGOTG(+ damage vs artefacts) , AAR, 2 x 3 x horror, Varghulf + stampede + 1 extra CP (summoning 20 ghouls and = 1190 The benefit being better mortal wound output and the ability for the AGKOTG to travel ~36" up the board, ideally with AAR buff, and with average rolls kill pretty much anything holding an artefact. I'm sure this isn't better, but would be pretty sweet against anyone bringing a monster I can auto-delete. Would easily 1 shot a star drake. In other news, I am pretty tempted to buy Nagash as he looks cool but nobody seems to use him with many FEC models from what I have seen (the odd VLONZD). Do the ghouls and such not count as 'summonable'?

1200 point battles. I suspect the best use of it for me is plonking it down next to my AGKOTG who then becomes even more of an aggro sink, especially as usually he has unholy vitality on himself for all of the saves. I am going to leave it in the list because I want to actually play with it before discarding it, but so far I have tended to find better uses for my spells. I agree that in a 2000 points game I would have 2+ AAR personally and then would certainly include it. I'm also yet to successfully cast the barricade. I managed to fail to cast it the one time I tried with my AAR with both Dermal Robe and Dark Wizardry 😛 Evidently I am not very magical

I am yet to ever summon Chalice, and in a small list with only 2 x 10 ghouls, one unit of which screens my AAR, I am starting to wonder if I might prefer the extra command point.

As somebody very new to trying to paint somewhat well (and to be clear, I am not succeeding), I agree with that completely. I started out trying to do it well and in the end got annoyed and just half-arsed it. I also have a second one I hope to take more time over. Fingers crossed!

Hello fellow protectors of the realm. I have now played a grand total of three games of AOS, of varying points totals, and am yet to lose a unit. I am not claiming this is because of any great skill on my part, but more that AAR giving 6 horrors or the AGKOTG +2/+3 to their attacks and then attacking twice is disgusting. I also feel like FEC probably over-perform at lower points levels as armies have fewer ways to deal with AGKOTG running at them with 4+/5+/6+ saves and also the smaller board size makes it harder to get completely shot to death. I think I have settled on the below for a 1200 point tournament I have coming up. I was using Grim Garland on AGKOTG, but I like the idea of the AAR sitting in the middle of the board at the throne, protected by the ghouls, firing out and denying spells. Plus my kitbashed AAR is glorious(ly atrocious). If I could be bothered to glue and paint it, I would be very tempted to replace the horrors and spells with a second AGKOTG and just summon back three of the horrors. I am not convinced it would be worth weakening my objective control to do it - any thoughts? With regards to where I go from here with the army, I probably need to buy/make one more AAR and a few units of knights to round out a 2k list I'd be happy with. Beyond that, I am not really sure there is enough unit diversity to do much else so it will be time to try a second army. Please pray for my wallet 😛

Makes sense. I think I would like to give it a try in an elite list where the stats are heavily in my favour. I actually really quite like the model so hope to get some use out of it anyway.

The lapse in clarity was mine; the 'both' in my last post referred to SBR and Bringer of Death, as referenced in my initial post. I now understand though, thanks. I think setting up AAR to spam out successful spells and unbinds seems stronger. I shall wrap him in ghouls. In reference to your list above: I really like the idea of the Stampede, but is it not too double-edged when you run ghouls?

I see, thanks. So both would only impact the Gory Talons and Fangs? That is much less impactful. Might make AAR the general and give him Dark Wizardry then as you have above.

I have checked the errata and design commentary but, unless I missed something, did not see a clarification on how Fanged Maw interacts with Savage Beyond Reason? I am trying to do the math pertaining to whether or not I want to take SBR or Bringer of Death. I vaguely recall reading/hearing that it had been clarified how SBR works in this regard but I can't find it. Many thanks in advance.

40mm I believe.

You set it up before you start the game; after rolling to see who goes first but before deployment I believe. No it doesn't cost any points.

I started a few weeks ago by buying 2 x SC boxes and have played the grand total of two games so far so pinch of salt and all that. I'm yet to use flayers, but horrors re-rolling hits and attacking twice with Feeding Frenzy feels sweet, and I would imagine even sweeter with the AAR giving them extra attacks. Think of the sixes. I think the first thing you should do is read the grand courts and see if any of them are how you want to play. I have seen lots of people liking Blisterskin which is a lot of flayers and a lot of mobility which is probably the better choice on full-sized boards. I play on 4 x 4 so am pretty content with the horrors in general. I do now have a unit of 3 flayers to summon in though. I used the vamp lord's body and seated legs from the SC sprue with a spare flayer head (big ears - looked the best). Then I clipped down two flayer wings so that they resemble the AAR arms (though his arms are therefore somewhat comically large). Next I attached the throne chair for the ZD to the GK rock and added some detail so it appears to have been attached . Lastly a nice ring of skulls and heads around the base of the weird rock throne. It certainly lacks any finesse, but it amuses me and thus even if they don't allow it for some reason I will use it in casual games. When I asked about conversions they said as long as some effort had gone into it so it isn't just a proxy that's okay so this should hopefully count.

Finally glued the rest of the army. I also kitbashed an AAR out of spare parts. Aside from a few bits needing some green stuff I am pretty happy with it for my first ever attempt. It obviously isn't a ghoul king or vamp lord so isn't a proxy, but whether or not my local GW will accept it as 'counts as' or whatever is another question, haha. I know the model is going to be released as part of the main line at some point, but until then I'd enjoy not having to ebay it.

I see, so the unit I choose to summon doesn't matter - just the name of the ability. Thanks.

Am I right in my understanding that the AGK and AAR summoning command abilities can be used as many times as command points allow? I am considering juggling my list a little to fit in a TG or RZD instead of my block of 6 horrors, which would also allow me to start with an extra command point with which to summon 3 of them anyway alongside the free throne summon and AGKOTG summon I was already going to do. Am I missing anything that precludes this or makes it stupid? (I like the dragons).