Azamar

You’re absolutely correct. Abilities that ignore wards (or the equivalent older wording of the save) have been around since the first warclans book (so about three years at this point). As well as bonesplittaz, we also have OBR, Slaanesh, Fyreslayers, KO and Kruleboys with artefacts, spells or a particular hero that can do the same thing. Not to mention the quicksilver blades available to anyone who has a wizard. I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with the rest of the temple units- temple themed armies are pretty terrible at the moment and I’ve heard they’re getting a decent boost.

An order for the remaining battletomes perhaps? So OBR, Khorne, soulblight, gitz, ?? (Trophy), seraphon, Ko, Slaanesh, beasts, ?? (Crossed tools- would love that to be new duardin) Edit: although that would leave flesh eaters out and I don’t know if they fit any of the symbols

My only disappointment (like many others) is with the tree lord ancient. They’re not bad as such, just they don’t really have a niche anymore- the warsong and lady of vines are both better casters with a good chance to get an extra wildwood out early anyway, the warsong is arguably as durable with their ward and both are cheaper- I’m hard pushed to think of any reason to take a tla beyond “I like this model” (which will be reason enough for me at some point).

Any changes for other 3.0 battletomes? Sometimes point changes for recent books only appear in the pdf and not the print, so if there’s no other stormcast or orc changes we might still see them later.

It did for all except the underworlds warbands as far as I know? Only time subfaction stuff doesn’t apply is if a named character has a subfaction keyword already so they can’t gain a second.

I think probably axes with the new warscroll. With so few attacks I think the 3+ to wound would be preferable to actually force some saves in the first place.

Fully agree as well- I like that it gives some counter play with large terrain but won’t affect placement around the wyldwood much (especially the single trees). Though if walk the spirit paths for the tree lords remain unchanged (Durthu’s new scroll is on the app already, and as far as I can tell, the teleport is the same as before except overgrown terrain is included) that does not have the same restriction. Might be a good way to clear the path if there’s a single model tagging terrain.

I play both armies but it’s hard to compare like to like here- the lady of the vines’ version is clearly better but tied to a single named model. The lumineth have many ways to get pluses or rerolls to the casting attempt and any wizard can know it, meaning theoretically it’ll be active more consistently for lumineth.

Huh. Changes things a bit if that’s the case as it means they’re the same points as 5 hearthguard for double the wounds. With a battlesmith and all out defence I could see the shield vulkites being disproportionately hard to kill, especially if you doubled down on a reinforced unit. The lack of damage output remains an issue for them though so I think for 10 points more you might still be better off with the axes if you’re going to run vulkite berserkers

Sadly no retinue for the battle smith but I’m thinking for me a runefather and Runeson on foot, Runemaster and 2 units of 10 hearthguard (as retinue for the father and son) make a nice core for about 1000 points, especially in a greyfyrd lodge. Might then add a battlesmith and some vulkites to park on an objective with still room for a magmadroth and some other toys in 2000 points. Or I’ll just go wild, convert all my old daemonslayers into grimwrath berserkers and have at it.

So overall impressions now I’ve seen all of the review- really want to be positive but sadly the two main things I wanted to see from this book- a reason to (even at a casual play level) want to take any units but hearthguard berserkers, and one (just one please!) unit with an unbind on the warscroll. The issue remains that anything you could use to buff vulkites you’d have been far better using on hearthguard. Will I still put vulkites in my list? Probably but doesn’t mean I’m not going to be grumpy about doing it. On the bright side the hero choices are amazing now- runefathers and runesons on foot feel perfect to run alongside hearthguard thanks to the retinue rules and the runemaster sounds awesome- might have to dedicate an artifact for a spell book on him now the ash cloud rune has changed though. overall at a glance it feels like survivability has dropped right down, but the killing power of the on foot heroes has increased and hearthguard still have incredible potential. But if you like a mix of different units there’s some painful changes here.

Only been able to watch first half of the video but quick early impressions- I’m going to miss the -1 to wound aura from hermdar and the battle shock immunity has been gutted, but it’s good there’s a -1 to wound prayer now and the other lodges look decent. Was worried there’s be no bodyguard rules but they’ve turned up on the runefather warscroll- deflect to a unit on a 3+ AND that unit can still make a ward roll, which is nice.

Bonus points from me if the runemaster becomes suddenly amazing, and my stubborn insistence to include him in every list finally pays off. I’d settle for a hero that can unbind on the warscroll though

It’s also always active now (so you don’t miss out if you get hit before you’ve had a turn) and doesn’t prevent retreating based on the preview. with the amount of mortal wounds flying around, an always active ward sounds good to me

I laughed then cried a little

80 points for the flamekeeper might help him see some use. Ouch on the rest but the hearthguard berserker increase was long overdue.

At a quick glance I predict an incoming meltdown/tantrum my view- great shame that the new character isn’t a priest (as far as I can tell). The vulkite scrolls being split means there might be different point costs for them and it’ll be interesting to see how that goes. I use 20 shields frequently as a tunnelling force and their damage output getting halved stings a bit. However they never won me any games by killing things, they win by landing somewhere my opponent doesn’t want them and being difficult to shift (40 wounds and immunity to battle shock in hermdar). A basic 4+ save enhances that considerably, and they don’t lose it if they charge either, so overall I’m ok with that. I think vulkites will keep their value as screening troops as well- twin axes will die fast but do more damage as they go down, whilst shields could blunt a charge nicely and stay on their feet. hearthguard berserkers now have to be wholly within 9 for the ward but kept the 4+ and still look like the best infantry in the game to me. Auric hearthguard have kinda lost their niche- no two damage shots against monsters and no bodyguard rule. If they stay the same cost as hearthguard berserkers then they’re difficult to justify. any word on points?

On the other hand, soak up a charge of something nasty with some vulkites, then next turn chuck in the hearthguard with 3 damage weapons and make them sorry? A cursed enemy is already in big trouble from vulkites if you take them with paired axes- so yes I’m feeling the spice more than the salt here! Although getting all 20 to swing would be nigh impossible. Most lists I’ve used in 3rd edition have found room for a runemaster to guard the forge and chuck out curse- this new guy hopefully can perform that role better.

Forget the prayer, just give him the ability to unbind and he’d be an auto include for me.

This hasn’t shown up yet- more fyreslayers yet to come or is it chaos dwarfs after all?

There were also the underworld warband models, with a much better Runefather model and examples how how amazing vulkite berserkers could have looked with more dynamic posing

Yes you can- using their command ability a unit strikes first. Then once all units with a strike first ability have gone you start alternating normal units starting with one of yours. This means, in your turn and assuming no enemy units have a strike first ability, you’d fight with the unit you used “skull breakers and oath takers” on, them immediately follow with a unit fighting normally.

They can stack, but it’s only helpful if there’s rend basically a unit can have as many +1 save modifiers as it likes, but the overall bonus can only be +1. So if a unit with a 4+ save had all out defence and was in cover, it would have a 3+ save against an attack with no rend- the extra +1 would be irrelevant. however the overall +1 limit is worked out after rend (clarified in the faqs) so if that same unit was hit by an attack with -1 rend, its save would still be 3+ thanks to the two modifiers. hope that helps!

It begins with a single sapling, pushing through the earth as the days shorten and the nights grow darker. Perhaps growing in a town square, sometimes hidden in an overgrown garden. Most frequently, it will take root somewhere in the wilderness of the realms, unseen and unnoticed. The sapling is not much to look at save for one detail- even in heat of the sun its leaves are frozen solid. Those who have heard the legend will act quickly. A mage or priest may dig the sapling up, set a fire where it stood and salt the earth around it. The fire will not be permitted to burn out until the first shoots of spring arrive. More nomadic races will simply up and leave, traveling without rest throughout the winter, always casting an eye into the shadows. If ignored or unnoticed, within a few days the sapling will have grown into a small Witch Hazel tree. Its warped leaves hard and as cold as ice. Any attempt to remove the tree now will fail. However carefully it is dug out, however large the fire, within a few hours the Witch Hazel will have returned. By the end of the first week, other trees will start to grow. Denizens of the mortal realms may wake to find a forest of Oak, Ash and Birch filling their camps or roads. Despite the cold and the changing season, most trees still bear their leaves, but every leaf is frozen solid. Survivors speak of attempts to clear a path with fire or axe, only to turn and find new trees have grown. They may, reluctantly, also speak of the sound- a crystalline ringing, faint at first but growing steadily louder each day. By the end of the first month, the snow will set in, covering the trees and ground in a thick white shroud. By then the Herald walks amongst the trees, and it is too late to flee. Those too close to the Witch Hazel will be swallowed by the forest, be it an Orruk camp, human settlement or even a city, it will not be seen again until the Spring, and the bodies of its inhabitants may not thaw until well into the summer. Those on the outskirts must stockpile food and prepare for siege, for every day throughout the winter the forest will draw closer. And every night, the Sylvaneth of the Witch Hazel grove will emerge from the snow, their limbs stiff and cold, their eyes and Lamentiri glowing blue, following the Herald into battle.

I believe (and competitive players please stop me if I’m wrong) that meta KO builds are more about the skyport and certain artefacts rather than what units you take. For a casual setting I’ve found there aren’t really any units that are so bad you should always avoid. A good start might be to get the ironclad, a start collecting set and a box of arkanauts. That’s 1105 depending on how you build the balloon troops. He’ll need to go with Urbaz or Nar (to make the gunhauler or thunderers battleline) if he wanted to play some test games with it, but it’d be a good starting point. From there I would expand on what models he like the look of. Getting an endrinmaster with dirigible suit and using that as a general makes having the rest of his battleline easier, but isn’t essential if he goes with a skyport that unlocks battleline choices or just likes arkanauts. Hope that’s some helpful thoughts for a starting point