GW News: SKAVEN VICTORY! #NewAoS

Not at all. I had never even heard of it.

Just sharing the news.

 

Fair enough!

 

Talisman is actually a great game. I used to play it regularly with 4 or 5 mates. I remember my local games shop (The Tin Soldier in Sydney) you could buy a hard clear plastic box of about 16 Talisman figures in white metal.

But beware....The Finger of Death..... an awesome spell..

 

DoK:

Faction:

• CA: 1 unit can fight twice. Once per battle. 2nd time it has strike last.
• Blood rites that slowly give buffs over the course of a game, e.g. +1 to run, +1 to hit. Buffs change every turn

The CA is weird. Didn't we see a SCE who had that as a regular ability?
Blood rites is fine, I suppose, but if that's all its a bit limited. Maybe this is another faction where half the faction abilities have moved to the warscroll (e.g. the old army-wide ward might've gone there.)

Subfaction:

• Unmodified charge-rol of 8+ gives melusai and khinerai strike first.

Simple, and a bit boring. But also far more powerfull as a subfaction ability than most of the things we have seen. Even if it is unreliable.

Spells:

• Bladewind:
  • 7 wounds 6+/6++ save/ward. Lol....
  • Reasonable enough melee profile
  • After charging; ignore positive safe modifiers on a nearby model

The charge effect is good, especialy since it isn't limited to just the bladewind. But this also seems to be the extend of what it can do given its horrible defensive stats; which is a bit dissapointing.

Units:

• Morathi khaine (so, elven form)
  
  • +1 to casting
  • Wounds go to the snake form
    
  • Personal spell: swap places with snake form
  • level 3 wizard
• Morathi Snakeform:
  • max 3 damage per turn.
  • Rampage: deal some damage, if it kills something nearby khinerai and melusai get +1 attack.
  • Does not have a damage table
• Sister of slaugher
  • -1 to hitrolls in melee
  • save rolls of 6 deal 1 mortal wound to the attacker
• Heartrenders
  • Deepstrike
  • can move D6 after shooting. Can't move into combat this way.
• Damage profiles are all pretty similar to the old stuff.

Spearhead:

• Simplified bloodrites
• Blood stalkers:
  • 18"/3/3+/4+/1/1/crit (auto-wound)
  • Shooting crits on a 5+ if they didn't move

Surprisingly little changed for these.
I like the normal units. They're simple, but they have enough going on.
The endless spell continues GW's streak of dissapointing with Magic. The effect isn't bad, but it very much seems to be a sacrificial spell you purely use to get that charge effect and then forget about.

Morathi still has the same design flaws she's always had; but without a damage table her ability to tank damage is even more annoying to deal with. You need to deal 12 damage to achieve anything whatsoever, but focusing her down is impossible thanks to her iron heart. Really weird that the damage table is just flat out gone.

Also, GW really needs to show an actually decent wizard. Or at the very least show us a full spell lore or an interesting combo or something, so we can actually tell what the point is of having a level 3 wizard. Cuz based on Morathi's warscroll it doesn't serve any purpose, and it's not like Kairos looked better.

 

Never even heard of it? I am a little surprised about that. It's been around quite a while and I think it's pretty fun. Personally, I enjoy the art style of their older editions as opposed to this reveal. Still, it's fun to see them put out an updated version.

This is a photo of the early edition that I played


But 3rd is the edition I remember most. GW eventually added expansions to extend gameplay and give you crazy options.

 

I always thought the expansions were creatively implemented, just casually slide an L shape into the corner and you have extended the map. I do not recall a physical pyramid in the middle, so I'm going to assume that's a fifth expansion?

 

This is literally the first I've ever seen or heard of it. Sounds like it is much more popular in your neck of the woods.

 

Atop the pyramid was a large dragon that had to be slain. You travelled around the board trying to build up life and mana to give yourself enough to slay the dragon in the centre. And try not to be killed by the other players.

 

Lumineth

Faction:

• 2 units fight at a time mechanic stays
  
• Pick one buff (facet of war) that lasts the entire round. Choose from five buffs
  • I swear we've seen this mechanic on like 4 factions now.
  • One of the few factions that can use the same buff multiple times

Subfaction

• You can use Enduring Rock in addition to a 2nd facet of war as your faction ability

Spells:

• Sanctum of Amyntok
  • Can now be cast on other heroes
    
  • Gives the target +1 power level if it's a wizard, 4+ ward save, dispell it when the target moves.
    
  • An endless spell that can't be destroyed by dealing damage. Because of course the Lumineth need to be special....

Units:

• Ellania and Ellathor
  • Pick which models has the lead:
    • Ellania: 4+ save, +1 power level
    • Ellathor: add damage equal to the battleround to an 5/2+3+/1/2 attack
  • Sudden translocation:
    • If you slayed an enemy heal D6 wounds, then teleport. Ellania must take the lead next turn
  • Total eclipse personal spell:
    • The first CA used within 18" costs an extra CP
• Sevireth
  • Can't be targeted by ranged attacks from more than 9". It's own attack is 12".
    
  • Rampage: Deal damage to enemies its in combat with, -1 to wound rolls if its damaged
  • Nearby Hurukan units can shoot/charge and run/retreat. Also, don't suffer damage from retreating
• Stoneguard:
  • 5+ ward when fully contesting an objective
• Wardens:
  • 2/3+/4+/-/1 anti-charge, crit (mortal)
  • If it didn't charge itself, but was charged, roll a D6, add 1 if the charging unit was cavalry. On a 4+ get strike first

Battle traits:

• Different set of buffs. (facets of war)
• bladelords:
  • Perfect strike remains
  • Flurry of blows: 3/3+/4+/1/1 crit(Mortal) anti-infantry
  • while near the general both the general and the bladelords get a 5+ wardsave

No idea why facets of war exists. The "two units strike at once" is already better than most faction abilities. Nor is it particularly unique or thematic.
No idea why Sanctum of Amyntok is the only endless spell that can't just be destroyed. It's also one of the few (only?) examples of a 4+ ward we've seen so far. Wards have been rather tame so far. I like that you can put it on a different hero than the caster though.

Ellania's and Ellathor's personal spell continues GW's streak of magic just being an utter dissapointment. I don't care if it's powerfull or not, show us an interesting spell already instead of the same effect you've already shown 10 times.

Sevireth just seems obnoxious to deal with; a ranged unit that can't be shot at. If you engage it in melee it damage you & gives -1 to wound. And nearby Hurukan units are massivly buffed just cause, of course this means he buffs himself as well. It just looks increadibly annoying.

Stoneguard are weirdly simple compared to the rest that's shown.

Wardens are fine; but is that strike first really needed? Like it's thematic and all, but also just really obnoxious to play around for melee armies. Especially to stick something like that on the most basic troop there is. At the same time, armies like KO will just shoot them off the table without any problems. Such binary design is never good.

Bladelords seem rather powerfull for spearhead. Aren't spearhead units supposed to be simplified and a bit weaker?

 

Slaanesh

Faction

• pick up to 3 targets, they become euphoric
• For each target: give your opponent a temptation die which they can trade in for a roll of 6
• When using a dice, roll a D6 on 1-2 the unit that replaced a die suffers damage
• Remove the remaining dice at the end of a turn
• Euphoric units have: crit(2 hits) and can run and charge/shoot

Seems like they finally realized that temptation dice should be an actual temptation where the victim could get lucky and not suffer.
Unlike the older implementation where the victim suffered regardless of what they did.

Subfaction:

• +1 to hit for sybarite infantry units that are damaged or lost a model

Thematic, but relativly uninteresting mechanicly.

Spells:

• Turn the buff from euphoric into crit(mortal) instead
• No rule of one

Could be worse I guess.

Units:

• Shalaxi hellbane
  • o look, anti-hero on a 6/2+/3+/2/3 attack... seriously does GW not understand the basic concept of "specialization" type rules?
  • -1 to hit rolls in melee
  • Personal spell: +1 to wound rolls against heroes, +1 to save rolls against attacks from heroes
    • A personal spell that's thematic, and has a vaguely interesting mechanic? A miracle
    • Still pretty freaking minor though... the fact that this is limited to a personal spell on a named character really indicates how gutted magic is....
  • Give a unit the ability to fight twice, second time is strike last (I swear we've seen this ability like 5 times now...)
  • Reactive rampage: If an enemy hero charges within 9" (does it need to end within 9" or start within 9"? Unclear.) get a free 2D6 move. You need to end within 1/2" of that hero. That hero no longer counts as having charged, if it has a charge ability it doesn't count either. And shalaxi count as having charged instead
• Fiends
  • melee profile: 4/4+/3+/1/D3 anti-monster (companion)
    • A unit that only has mount attacks basicly? Weird.
  • Give an enemy strike last when in combat
  • -1 to unbinding for enemies wizards within 12". Presumably everything that isn't a wizard but can unbind does not suffer this effect
  • Maximum control score of 1
• Symbaresh twinsoul
  • If this unit didn't charge:
    • enemies get -1 attacks when in combat with it
    • It gets a 5+ ward
• Fane of Slaanesh
  • Deal some damage to a nearby hero in exchange for a minor buff (e.g. +1 to casting)

Spearhead:

• The old depravity point system with the old temptation dice for some reason? But only the buffs, no summoning
• Slickblade seekers: Basic cavalry unit, reroll charge rolls.

So; the faction ability seems an improvement, at least where the tempation dice are concerned. They also removed Shalaxi's stupid challenge mechanic. Though in exchange it now has that weird charge reaction thing.
The fiends only having mount attacks is weird...
Not a fan of the twinsouls out of principle. Debuffing an enemy simply for standing next to him, especially a major debuff like -1 attacks, is always annoying.

The fane of slaanesh is absurdly minor, and it makes me wonder how terrible most faction terrain is going to be.

The spearhead is weird; why is it using the depravity point system and the old temptation dice?

 

New Skaven model inbound:






Just stick a Warlord model on top and he'll make a great Rat Ogre Bonebreaker. And the Warpfire Scourger is a new shooting weapon I can write rules for as an upgrade. Looking forward to seeing what other ratty goodness the Warlord Clans come up with...

 

Well that just looks horrifying... Can't wait for my skaven playing friend to bring one to the table. T'will be a glorious battle.

Hate to regurgitate the common masses... But GeeDubs really decided that Dark Souls was going to be their main source of inspiration lately.

 

Another enemy of the Old Ones!

 

Looks like a Stormfiend reject to me, honestly. Probably is.

I'm painfully aware that Skryre and Moulder were both in dire need of range updates to refresh them, but I feel like I'm more likely to Frankenstein this lesser Hellpit Abomination out of the spare parts I already have.

 

That's something I was thinking too... but then this is Skaven we're talking about here, they couldn't give a damn about Quality Control so long as it's capable of ripping enemies apart

 

Kruleboyz:

faction:

• You can use 1 dirty trick per phase.
• tricks get harder to use the more tricks you use in 1 turn
• Tricks:
  • Charge: pick an enemy that charged, it suffers damage and can't benefit from charge (1 damage)
  • Hero phase: buff an infantry unit, it crits on a 5+
  • Movement: teleport a unit of infantry to a piece of terrain (max 10 models)
  • combat: Give an enemy strike last

Funny & thematic, a bit unoriginal (the it currently works it's basicly just CoS commands. For like the 4th time or something...), but it has potential.
The rule of 1 limitation is a bit sad.
But most importantly; there is no oppertunity cost or way for the opponent to interact with it.
Punish the kruleboyz for failing a trick; give the opponent ways to block tricks, etc.

crits on 6's has been moved to warscrolls, but is basicly just a faction ability.
I really hate that they don't even mention this is in the faction focus. Like just state "all units in this army have this one rule" or something.

Subfaction:

• give kruleboyz stealth while near terrain.

Funny, but most people simply do not play with enough terrain for this to work.
Also, if you do play with a lot of terrain it quickly gets absurdly powerfull in the right circumstances

Spells:

• -1 to attacks for the target
• A support spell with 18" range? How rare..

The spell is fine, but at this point I just want to see an entire lore or a combo. Seeing 1 vaguely interesting spell after seeing so many boring examples is not very exciting.

Units:

• Gobsprakk:
  • Melee profile:
    • 4/3+/4+/-/D3 anti-wizard crit (mortal)
    • 7/4+/2+/1/2 anti-wizard (companion)
    • 1/3+/2+/1/D6 companion
  • Pretty solid for a wizard.
  • barely affected by it's wound table (it losess 2 of it's wewakest attacks.. who cares?)
    
  • Also, the anti-wizard seems a bit of a waste; wizards aren't exactly known for being sturdy. Though at least for once they're using anti-X somewhat correctly.
  • Once per battle use 3D6 to unbind
  • rampage: kill a random model with max 5 wounds.
  • Deal damage to the caster when you unbind succesfully
  • Personal spell:
    • 18" range?
    • Roll dice equal to the targets health (max 10 dice, cuz fun things like oneshotting Nagash isn't allowed...)
    • Deal damage on a 4+
• Killaboss on gnashtoof
  • While contesting an objective nearby infantry get +1 to hit
  • Add some control score to a unit....
  • Melee profile is surprisingly similar to a carnosaur? How bad is our spearhead carno?
• Murknob with belcha-banna
  • nearby allies have a 6++ ward
  • Does mortal damage to a nearby unit
• Gutrippaz
  • give enemies -1 to hit when targetting them in combat

Spearhead:

• Give your general and 1 unit strike first, once
• beast-skewer killbow
  • 24"/2/4+/2+/2/D6 crit (auto-wound)
  • 6 damage instead of D6 against monsters

So; faction ability is fun but doesn't go far enough. And since it doesn't go that far, it ends up being kind of unoriginal.
Subfaction ability is neat, but depends heavily on how you use terrain in your games.
Gobsprakk is one of the few examples with a halfway fun personal spell.
Killaboss makes our carnor look rather bad.
Other than that there isn't really all that much to say.

 

Is it just me, or have The Old World rumours/reveals/releases utterly died out?

The big upcoming Age of Sigmar release has pushed The Old World completely out of the picture.

 

Well, with the new AoS release just around the corner, that is the time for them to really shove it in our faces so that in theory we get hyped up and buy it the second it hits shelves. A little time after the AoS new ed, I imagine if GeeDibs haven't abandoned ship, we'll start seeing The Old World edge back into the picture.

Really hoping that GeeDubs haven't abandoned that ship yet.

 

I agree... but it would be nice if they still dropped a few small The Old World hints here and there.

That would be awful. I don't think we have to worry about that though.