First analysis of new DE

[Calisson]

DE AB analysis.

DE has become more of a glass cannon than ever. Overall, new DE inflict a lot of damage, but are more expensive and even less resilient than they used to be.
It will require aggressiveness to get the most of our formidable combat capabilities; but it will require finesse in order to synergize between units and to avoid bad match-ups.

The preferred tactics must be to engage as soon as possible into melees, but only selected ones. With that offensive spirit, melee fighters should constitute the bulk of the army, with the help of support enhancing them, while agile troops and shooters provide the mandatory maneuverability edge.

Many options are to investigate (see also Scylocs tournament viable army builds)
- Melee units could be built as MSU (Many Small Units),
- or several hammers along with an anvil (or no anvil),
- Monster Mash is a variant of hammers, faster and tougher but with many less bodies (fat ones, though)
- or a single über-unit (horde or Death Star)
- Khainite Horde is probably the deadliest of the hordes/death stars.

- An alternative possible tactics might be Evasion: to evade damage and shoot & magic the opponent.
- Points denial is a defensive gameplay, combining extremely large or tough units you can't kill, and extremely fast one you can't reach.
- Magic/Gunlines seems out of competitive reach but nevertheless should be investigated,
- in particular, there might be a potential for Leadership Bomb.

Note: hereafter, I call “elite” anything but core.

1. Melee Fighters.

1.1. Small units.
In the range 75-150 pts, many units at minimum size provide a credible threat. Expandable, they help to control the battlefield. They can make up most of the army, MSU style, or a small part, or none. Typically, they are run "vanilla", i.e. minimum size with only musician upgrade.
There is a whole range in number of attacks (1-3), S of attacks (3-6), resilience (no AS to 4+, 5 or 10 wounds) and cost (75 to 150).

- WE have impressive number of hits, and are ItP thanks to frenzy. But no armour and S3.
- Swords are cheaper and more durable, but hardly bite at all. Little use.
- AHW Corsairs combine a good number of attacks and a good resistance.
- Execs are more expensive but they have the highest S available.
- BG, although expensive, have many attacks and are stubborn & ItP.
- Sisters, expensive too, are outstanding fighters once in melee, with S3 only, and their special properties is welcome.
- COC is a natural MSU unit, durable and deadly on the charge.
- “vanilla” COK are expensive, but provide high S and are very durable.
- DR with shields are not expensive and can be a threat.
- Warlocks can be considered, not too expensive and able to do damage.
- Harpies make the cheapest unit, but don’t kill much and are easy to kill.
- Shades can get high S and are versatile with RXB and skirmish, but most fragile too.


1.2. Buses.
Buses are to be used either in complement of MSU, or in cooperation with hammers. They are the natural complement for Sisters.
With the rise of model cost and command cost, buses are becoming expensive. Even core troops are expensive for buses, a unit 5x8, FC, magic banner costs 415 pts, or 495 for corsairs. Typically, they are run with FC. They may take a magic banner, normally the war banner.
The preferred method for breaking steadfast should not be buses, it should be eating the whale alive. Still, one bus might be useful to consider in the steadfast race, and even expensive, it bites.

A Swords bus is to be taken if ranks are all that matters.
A Spear bus is slightly less resilient but provide more attacks at the same cost.
AHW corsairs bus provides good armour, many attacks, but costs 80 pts more.


1.3. Hammers.
In the range of 150-300 pts, hammers provide credible threat along with some resilience.
There is a variety of S (3 to 7), speed (M5 to fly), armour (none to 2+) and attacks.
7-wide elite infantry, FC, 5-wide cavalry, FC or stand-alone monsters & chariots are likely to provide the best part of many armies, but may lack totally in others.
Typically, they are run with full command and some magic banner. They welcome the addition of a character or two.

AHW shades. Many attacks. Shoot & skirmish. Slow, weak, vulnerable.
Sisters. Many attacks, protection in melee. Deny ranks. Slow, weak, vulnerable to shooting.
BG. Many attacks, stubborn. Slow, vulnerable.
GW shades. Some strong attacks. Shoot & skirmish. Slow, vulnerable.
Execs. Some very strong attacks. Slow, vulnerable.
Hydra. Strong attacks, good protection.
DR large unit. Very fast unit with reasonable attacks, Strength & protection.
Warlock large unit. Very fast unit with more attacks, better strength & protection, but more expensive than DR, and only champion.
COK small unit. Excellent unit, with reasonable speed. The best all-around fighter.
COC. Deadly on the charge but slow. Reasonable protection.
Dragon. Speed, strength, armour. But extremely expensive, few attacks for the cost.
Pegasus Lord. Speed, armour and magic objects. But few attacks.
K-yss. Highest strength. But rather slow and few attacks for that price. Average protection.
Medusa chariot. Rather mediocre stand-alone unit but may join infantry unit.
Manticore. Great speed, correct Srength. Too few attacks for the price. Can get protection, now.


1.4. Über-units: Hordes & Death Stars.
The best 10-wide horde fill out the mandatory 25% core. A death star is more likely to remain 7 wide, but requires more support to become invincible. Along with its support, a death star may take more than 50% of the total value of the army.

Spear horde. Cheapest, many attacks.
Swords horde. Cheapest, less attacks but better protection.
WE horde. Cheap, incredible amount of attacks. COB, but dangerous for other characters.
AHW corsairs horde. Cheap, many attacks, good protection.
Execs horde/death star. Cheap, high S attacks KB. Tullaris in addition to normal characters.
Sisters horde/death star. Many attacks, good protection in melee.
BG horde/death star. Many attacks. Unbreakable with Kouran.
AHW shades death star. Not cost effective, little good points. No magic banner, lack of tools to make it durable.
GW shades death star. Not cost effective but high S attacks. No magic banner, lack of tools to make it durable.
COK death star. Expensive, few attacks, but outstanding protection.

The best candidates for hordes seem to be the WE for the number of attacks and AHW corsairs for a good compromise.
Good candidates for hordish death star seem to be the sisters, expensive but offering good protection in melee, and Execs for the high S.
COK make a great death star with high S and good protection, but they are very expensive per attack and per wound.
At first glance, Shades seem not really fit for a Death Star as they used to be.

[Calisson]

2. Support.
Fighting units need support. With self-contained support über-units need to become even killier, and more resilient. Costly hammer units need generic support, which can be provided either from inside or outside. An MSU army benefits from purely external support, which could make any of these modest unit become a threatening foe.

2.1. Horde & Death Star complements:
COB chariot. Best support for WE, which can get hardly any character but DH. Both could support other units, too.
Shrine’s KB.
“S” boosting sorceress on CO. Great support for COK.
Magic object wearing lords/heroes, Witchbrew DH.
Special characters (Malekith, Kouran, Tullaris).
Magic augments such as Beast sig.

2.2. General Support.
General: Dreadlord/master in unit, on lone monster - Sorceress in unit, on mount - Beastmaster on Manti, on Scrunner – Fleetmaster - Special character
BSB: Master in unit, on Pegasus - DH in unit, on COB
Magic objects.
Magic-users, including COB and warlocks.
Shadowblade, assassins.

2.3. Psychology.
The army book presents several new possibilities to hamper opponent’s psychology. In conjunction with a strong melee, that might prove a powerful augment.
- Terror (dragon, manticore, hydra, Kharybdyss, Lokhir); fear (COK/COC and DH cry of war).
- Death #1 causes fear or terror.
- Fire #3 Burning Head causes a panic test.
- Combat resolution causes a morale check.

- DH’s cry of war: all fear test made by enemy unit in base contact with hag suffer -3LD.
- Medusa’s shrine (aura of agony) gives +1Ld to units of this AB, -1Ld to everything else at 6”.
- Assassins’ black lotus: for each unsaved wound suffered by the character, he gets a cumulative -1LD – this poison works on range weapons.
- Kharybdyss makes reroll successful LD for those in base contact (abyssal howl).
- Dark Spell 4 Shroud of Despair: all units within 12” lose general Ld & BSB rerolls till own next magic phase. If fail Ld, gets -1 Ld till own next magic phase.
- Heavens’ sig makes -1 to Ld for 1 turn.
- Death #4 makes -3 to Ld for 1 turn.
Overall, there are many reliable means to lower enemy’s Ld or make it harder, and many means to cause a Ld test.
Imagine a combined charge by a Medusa’s shrine and a Kharybdyss, helped with autoselected Dark #4 and autoselect Heaven’s #1. Enemy will test at Ld-2 rerollable if passed, and no general or BSB to help.

[Calisson]

3. Getting control of the battlefield.
DE should not just rush to battle like Orcs. Some foes will be too hard (endurance, armours, ward save, ethereal). Some enemies will be too evasive (flyers).
With the fragility and the cost of our units, we need to make every sacrifice yield superior benefits, we cannot afford any waste.
Even more than before, we need to take control of the battlefield, to force the opponent’s maneuver and to prevent him to do so with us.
Agile troops hamper opponent’s maneuverability and threaten its warmachines.
Shooters kill opponent’s agile troops and soften its fighting troops.

A DE army with no agile or shooter will be at the opponent’s mercy.

3.1. Agile troops.
Fast cavalry, scouts, skirmishers, cheap flyers. They serve to hamper enemy’s movement, to hunt warmachines and to scavenge lone survivors.

Shades are excellent scouts. With AHW, they are good warmachine hunters. They are slow but can shoot.
Harpies are cheapest & fastest but hardly achieve anything and cannot be joined by characters. Their best role is to position where it hampers the opponent.
DR are core and make an excellent agile troop with muso. Shields are always good to have.
Warlocks can make a good harassing unit, especially with their Doombolt MM at 18”.
Pegasus Master is more than twice the price of other agile troops, but it is the most resilient, especially with the Cloak of Twilight.

3.2. Shooters.
Shooters will not win battles, DE are not a gunline. Light shooters serve to clear out chaffs, hard shooters serve to kill flying monsters.
Core provide good shooting variety and can be considered in large numbers. Elite provides high S shooters. In addition, magic-users can cast Magic Missiles.

RHB in MSU. Much better than before as taunting unit. Low cost per hit.
RHB horde. Durable, makes a fun S&S reaction. But is it realistic?
RXB in MSU. Good long range shooting. More expensive and less durable than corsairs.
RXB horde. Very expensive, but remains useful at range. 6++ in melee.
RXB DR. Outstanding range, but the price per shot is more than 50% higher. Shields must-have.
Naked shades in MSU provide the best cost effective RXB shot.
Warlocks: their MM is akin to shooting attack at competitive price and great S.
RBT multishot cost is between RXBmen and DR, with greatest range.

The high S shots cost much, much more than the lower S ones.
RBT high S bolt is the best cost-effective, by very far.
Scrunner shots are extremely costly. But the unit has other uses.
Beastmaster’s scrunner is as effective as basic scrunner, thanks to BS.
Medusa shrine has low range with unique KB capability.
Magic-users (Magic Missiles) are very cost-effective.

[Calisson]

4. DE army builder

DE armies can be built around one of the following style:
- MSU, it seems that DE are tailored for that;
- Hammers (with either anvil or chaffs), seems a very solid option, but buses should be avoided;
- Über-unit seems very possible, especially for a Khainite army;
- Evasive seems possible but may not be very competitive;
- A gunline seems unlikely to win battles, but could be considered.

4.1. Core.
The first thing to consider is the mandatory 25% core.
25% mandatory can be considered a liability compared to all specials. Anyway, like it or not, it is there, so let’s make the best use of it. All the more that actually, there is good choice aplenty.

Melee: WE have 3 attacks. Spears have 2 in front. Corsairs have 2 and are armoured. Swords have 1 and are rather armoured. Most of them could be considered for MSU, bus or horde.
Shooters: RHB shoot close. RXB shoot far. RXB DR shoot further. Small units should be the norm, but large units could be considered.
Agile: DR are fast cav. They could be also considered as medium cav.

4.2. Elite fighters (special & rare).
Next, I group special & rare & some characters in an elite category.
Cores provide some benefits, elites are to provide the complement that core lacks.
Most important is the lack of high S attacks. Go back & forth with core.

4.3. Support.
After that, a support category boosts the real killers. This support should be kept as small as possible, because who wins the battle is the fighter, not the support. If no pts enough remain, suppress the least useful of the fighters.

Battlefield must be controlled with agile troops& shooters. Unfortunately, these will decrease the number of killers. The best is to take them from the core category. Keep them at minimum, but that minimum is not zero.



As I said elsewhere,

With all these units competing for similar roles with slight advantages and disadvantages, this calls for a strong variety rather than same unit taken over and over.
I would happily consider an MSU army made with a single one of each potential MSU unit.
I would happily consider a classic hammer/bus army with no double unit at all.
I would happily try all kind of hordes, and fine-tune them.
I would happily take a sample of each agile unit and each shooter rather than same x 2 or x 3.

That would well illustrate Miyamoto Musashi's teaching about the two sabres: variety is good, take both the long sabre and the short sabre.


Have fun!

[jeffman]

warlocks can be a deathstar with there protection, or even a hammer unit. with 2a s4 and easy acces to hex (soulblight) or a dark wiz with the sig spell can give easy str.

[Calisson]

5. Mitigating DE drawbacks.

Our troops are expensive. We need to protect them.
Few troops have high S. We need to provide them with more attacks.
Another solution is to provide troops which have many attacks with high S & KB.
Guess what? We will miss a lot the previous COB. But that’s how life goes.

5.1. Protecting our troops.
- It is vital to get protected from warmachines and mass shooting. One way is to rush into melee, where shooters cannot aim at us (especially if they are in melee themselves). Another way is to hunt down warmachines. Agile troops will be in dire need more than ever.
- COB gives 6++ to the babysitting unit. 5++ if they are WE.
- Iron enchanted item gives to unit 6++ against warmachine. For 5pts, that’s a must have.
- Beasts sig: +1S, +1T, at 12” or 24”.
- Beasts #2 provides +3T to one or all characters at 12”.
- Metal #3 gives scaly skin 5+ to one or all units at 12”. Highly interesting for BG, execs, sisters, WE, DR, warlocks, medusa, Pegasus.
- Life attribute heals multiple wound models.
- Life sig gives regen to wizard’s unit.
- Life #2 gives +2T at 24”.
- Life #5 regrows units.
- Heavens #1 rerolls failed AS.

5.2. Multiplying high S attacks.
- DH with witchbrew gives frenzy (and double-frenzy to WE). This is really powerful (+50% damage in 2 ranks) inside a single attack troop like Exec (or GW shades). It is rather useful (+33% damage) inside double-attack troops such as BG.
- COB improved “to wound” rerolls for models at 6” is akin to getting more attacks. It is yummy for KB troops.
- COB bound spell is like witchbrew.
- Light #6 gives +1A and doubles M to one or all units at 12”.
- Heavens #1 rerolls failed wounds, which is akin to more attacks, especially good for KB.

5.3. Strengthening low S attacks.
Getting high S is useful against high T, but most important is to decrease opponent’s armour saves.
- AP banner.
- Dark sig 1 PoD grants own unit +1 strength till own next magic phase. Gain D3 power dice but if you gain 3 power dice this way the wizard suffers a wound.
The problem is the vulnerability of the sorceress casting it. Not only she will lose wounds because of the PD gained and the increased chance of miscast, but high S is own unit, so you’d expect that sorceress inside a melee unit. IMO, it is viable only in conjunction with Spell 5 Soul stealer, that you can get for sure thanks to ToFurion 25pts. Arcane. Pick up one spell rather than random (Dark Magic only).
Also, it is only +1S, not enough for S3 troops. I am tempted to use it inside a COK medium unit.
- Beasts sig: +1S, +1T, at 12” or 24”.
- Beasts #5 gives +3S and +3A to one or all characters at 12”.
- Metal #1 reduces opponent’s armour, which is our main problem.
- Metal #5 reduces opponent’s armour, which is our main problem.
- Metal #2 gives AP (CC and shooting).
- Shadow #6 gives incredible S to our troops.
- Death #3 hexes -1T. Note that it is known to warlocks.

5.4. Bypassing opponent’s armour.
- KB.
- High S provided by K-ryss; Execs, COK, dragon; hydra, manticore, GW shades.
- High S provided by S-runners or RBT
- Bloodwrack stare
- Dark sig2, #3, 5, 6
- Metal #1, 6
- Shadow #4, 5.
- Death sig, #2, 5, 6.

5.5. More high S shooting.
How can we destroy flying monsters with high T and good armour?
- RBT is the best cost effective high S shot.
- Scrunners cost much more per shot; beastmaster make them more reliable but not more cost-effective.
- Dark sig2, #3, 6 – note that sig2 is known to warlocks.
- Beasts #3
- Light sig, #5 (if Light covenant)
- Heavens #4, 6.

5.6. Reliable magic.
After having seen above which would be the most desirable spells for us, we can consider:
- Lvl1 selecting sig from Beast, Light, or Death
- Dark Lvl 2 selecting one among #3, 5, 6, plus sig 1 or 2
- Lvl 2 randomizing spells from Metal, Life or Death
- Warlocks
- COB
- Lvl 3 or 4 randomizing spells from Dark, Beast, Metal, Life, Shadows, Death
- Light covenant with Lvl4 taking #5 and several Lvl1 taking sig

In addition, what makes magic more reliable is more powerdice.
You can get that with dagger, Dark (PoD) and Death (attribute). Note that dagger is welcome with Life.

5.7. Summary.
A COB and DH’s witchbrew are must-have, and especially for execs.
Magic is a high necessity.
Warmachine hunters are most wanted.
4 RBTs is our best high S shot.

[Calisson]

warlocks can be a deathstar with there protection, or even a hammer unit. with 2a s4 and easy acces to hex (soulblight) or a dark wiz with the sig spell can give easy str.

They are better protected than shielded DR, with 6+/4++ rather than 4+.
They have 1 more attack, their attacks are and remain S4.
However they are 25pts rather than 20pts, and lack muso and pennant.
I don't see them as deathstar. But hammer, definitively yes.
Editing my post with your remark. Thanks.

[jeffman]

I don't see them as deathstar. But hammer, definitively yes.
Editing my post with your remark. Thanks.

I see your point!
glad i could contribute.

nice analysis. especially on what magic to use wil help me allot!

[MangoPunch]

A+ analysis Calisson. I am going to print this out and keep it in my new codex .

[marcopollo]

I would also like to add the synergy between life magic and the sacDagger. You can sac a warrior to heal others up again.

[Calisson]

Thx, added (5.6)

[johemero]

This is awesome Calisson, great for new comers and even for the veterans it's a great starting point for lists, tactics,etc...keep it up

[Helle]

Great composition! Thanks for your effort.
One minor thing though:
Heaven #1 only lets you reroll 1s, so its useless with MP in terms of damage.

[Calisson]

Heaven #1 only lets you reroll 1s, so its useless with MP in terms of damage.

True, most of Heavens #1 is wasted for us.
But still, rerolling some failed armour saves is good, especially for high save troops (COK, COC, monsters, even corsairs).

[HERO]

New impressions here:
http://lkhero.blogspot.com/2013/10/dark ... sions.html

[T.D.]

Excellent round-up

Thanks, Calisson

[Askador]

"Execs horde/death star. Cheap, high S attacks KB. Tullaris in addition to normal characters."

Is there any Rule that says that Tullaris could not be in every other unit you want him to be? I didnt find anything in my Rulebook that prevents me from moving him into Darkspears or Black Guard.

[Calisson]

Tullaris makes any unit he joins frenzy.
What I mean is that frenzy is godsent on 1-attack execs.

[Askador]

Tullaris makes any unit he joins frenzy.
What I mean is that frenzy is godsent on 1-attack execs.

True. And even better with the CoB Buff. I dont want to meet 30 Exec's with 3 Attacks each