Age of Sigmar/Tactics

Hello, this is the general Tactica dump for the (Skubtastic) Age of Sigmar armies, units and rules.

The Rules (What little there is)

The first thing you'll realize about AOS is that it's a very different system compared to WFB, and the familiar tactics about flanks and ranks are all down the shitter. Why? Because it takes too much time away from buying more models!

Phases

The game is split into multiple phases, like Fantasy, but these splits are a bit different.

• Hero Phase: Here's where your wizards can do wizardy shit and heroes do leadery shit. Unlike the complex strategies of the old game, your magic spells are SEVERELY cut down. Like, cut down to only at most 3-4. Why that many? Because ALL wizards learn the following two spells by default. And don't worry, spells are cast in the same manner, but all of them only use 2d6 to cast. But don't count your non-wizard leaders out, though! Some have a Command Ability that they can still use in this phase.
  • Arcane Bolt - Cast on a 5+. One enemy unit within 18" takes d3 Mortal (Read: Unsaveable) wounds.
  • Mystic Shield - Cast on a 6+. A friendly unit within 18" of the caster gains +1 to his save for the turn.
    • Unbinding - If you have a wizard within 18" of another wizard that's casting, you can roll 2d6 to repel it. All you need to do is beat his roll, which can be laughably undoable if the other guy managed to roll real high.
    • Inspiring Leadership - This isn't really a magic power. It is, however, available to your general regardless of who he is. It just lets one unit within 12" of your general auto-pass any Battleshock tests he takes for the turn.
• Thrusting Phase - Each unit still has a movement range described in their profi-I mean WARSCROLL, which they can walk. Running adds d6 to that result (but can't shoot or charge afterwards) and flying units can only move within 3" of an enemy.
• Shooting Phase - Here's where the changes come up in the old system. It runs the same way as before...
  • Pick a bitch to blam.
  • Roll to-hit, which means seeing if you roll over your chosen weapon's To-Hit score on a d6. This isn't modified based on any armor or other factors, meaning that if you have a weapon that hits on a 3+, ANYTHING will get hit. It's generally stupid because cover seems to do shit here.
  • Roll to-wound, which means using a d6 to roll over the chosen weapon's To-Wound Score. This is stupid because it ignores the fact that some guys, like Dwa-DUARDIN and OGORS are unnaturally tough, and thus shouldn't take a gunshot the same way an Aelf or a humie would.
  • Roll saves, which are now all covered in one stat. Yeah, this'll go downhill so quickly. I mean, it is a bit of a pain when there were units with Regens, Armor, and Ward saves, but it's not like they all qualified in the same instances. Oh, and any cover, no matter how huge it is, adds a flat 1 to ALL SAVES. Yeah, that's just fucking retarded. Another thing, you can shoot into combat and your guys in combat can also shoot.
• Climax Phase - For each unit within 12" of the enemy, roll 2d6 and if you can get a model with 1/2" of another unit with that roll, you can charge that unit. Means if you have 2 targets in range, you can pick which one you hit. Which is stupid, because now all beasts and cavalry are stuck with the same stupidity of failing a charge even though it could reach that same range far more quickly in a normal move.
• Attack Phase - Combat phase, move on. Now this is where things are a bit different... For hitting and wounding it is the same thing as shooting... However the main differences is who you pick to attack first. So if it is your turn you pick 1 unit in a combat, they attack, then your opponent picks 1 unit in combat, they attack, and you continue until all units attack. You have to be tactical if you have multiple combats as you have to try and maximise the amount of attacks your guys get before your opponent maximises his... Also two other differences is that 1) each weapon has a range (normally 1") so you actually have to pay attention to the poisitoning of your guys. And 2) your units can use all weapons they have equipped on them (monsters can bite and swipe in the same attack). NO thats not true. If you see description on units you will see that you (sometimes) have to choose what you models are equpied with, for example Warrior of Chaos can be armed with Hand weapon and Shield (bonus to hit, 5++), Halberd and shield (longer range but no bonus to hit, 5++), Greatsword (rend -1 but no 5++) or 2xhand weapon (re roll 1 to hit but no 5++) or you assume single chaos warrior is equiped with hand weapon, halberd, greatsword and shield?
• Battleshock Phase - This is the panic phase, remade into an unneeded phase. Any unit who lost models during the turn has to test Bravery on d6, adding 1 for every 10 models the unit has. Failing this test means a model leaves for each degree it fails by.

Army Tactics

Technically, nothing in the rules limit your model choices and thus can field anything from any army alongside each other. You should expect players to be grizzled sex pests, and prepare to fight fire with fire (if you know what I mean). While this can create interesting thematics, such as oldschool Morathi armies using Dark Elves and Daemons or Chaos Magic Sigmarines, most players will limit themselves to one of the four major factions or stick to the old tactic of choosing just one race army.

Order

• Stormcast Eternals: Edition 1.0 For your not-Space Marines created by your not-Emperor
• Humans: Come in two flavours:
  • The Empire: Edition 1.0 For the nation you know and love
  • Bretonnia: Edition 1.0 For Knights backed by cannon fodder peasants
• Steamhead Duardin: Edition 1.0 Your Dwarfs, back to shove cannonballs in your face
• Aelfs: Come in three flavours, all of whom are dicks
  • Highborn: Edition 1.0 Here to tell you how bad you are at everything, still here to help
  • Exiles: Edition 1.0 Here to rape and pillage your shit, being the Skaven of Order
  • Wanderers: Edition 1.0 Here to hug trees and campaign against global warming shoot lumberjacks.
• Seraphon: Edition 1.0 Order Daemons, here to pop up out of nowhere and wreck your shit. Also, fucking teleporting dinosaurs!
• Sylvaneth: Edition 1.0 For all the people who want a purely Ent army and lead by Alarielle (even though she's in the High Aelf army)

Death

Note: As the armybooks don't even begin to correspond to the new factions, I'm making faction pages and let you guys deal with the shit of organizing which unit goes where.

• Vampires: Edition 1.0 For your bloodsucking fiends of the night
• Mummies: Edition 1.0 Where most of the old Tomb King stuff will go
• Skeletons: Edition 1.0 For the anorexic Undead

Destruction

• Orruks: Edition 1.0 For the goofy green barbarians you know and love. Also where you'll find Grots and Troggoth
• Ogors: Edition 1.0 For the walking slabs of semi-sentient fat we can't get enough of
• Gargants Who now have their own army
• Troggoths, also now have an army

Chaos

• Daemons: Edition 1.0 For the good old fashioned servants of the Dark Gods
• Beastmen: Edition 1.0 The Furry wet dream come true (if that wet dream included ample vore and scat)
• Mortals: For the mortal followers of the Dark Gods, currently come in two varieties
  • Warriors of Chaos: Edition 1.0 The old-fashioned Vikings who wrestle Bloodthirsters
  • Khorne Bloodbound: Edition 1.0 The nu-Vikings dedicated to Khorne-exclusively, here to axe your skull
  • Tamurkhan's Horde: Edition 1.0 An army of plague monsters from the Forge World stable.
  • Legion of Azgorh: Edition 1.0 Evil stunties whom are only remembered by FW.
• Skaven: Edition 1.0 For the backstabbing rat-men, who's big daddy joined the pantheon

Each race (in the 8th Edition sense) have several preset lists of troops which if taken grant bonuses to those troops, giving incentive to take specific things. Most often these lean towards thematic choices (such as three Units of Crypt Ghouls, one of Crypt Horrors, and a Strigoi Ghoul King) or in existing groupings (such as the Island of Blood High Elves or the components of a Battalion Box). While its still better to min/max yourself by simply taking massive gobs of the best models available to you (the "ten Nagash army" example is thrown around quite often in disparaging discussions of crunch), players looking to be a bit less...douchey will aim for these bonuses instead.

Realms of Battle and Battleplans

The primary change with Age of Sigmar now is that where you fight and what the objectives are play a role in basic games rather than only campaign ones. Now before the start of a game you can discuss with your opponent what type of mission (Battleplans) you want to play. These replace the victory conditions (and sudden death conditions) of the normal game to suit the mission type. Then you choose a Realm you want to fight in out of 7 (Heavens is a no-go because Sigmar is there and he ain't lettin' any Chaos bitches in at all), and after that you choose a location in the Realm to fight in.

At the moment there are rules for:

• Realm of Fire

Hellfire Brimstone Peninsula: All Wizards know Fireball (18" Mystic Arrow that does mortal wounds depending on Unit size). All shooting attacks that fire further than 12" reroll to wound cuz' the missiles catch fire. Geysers randomly blow up throughout the battlefield doing mortal wounds to anyone nearby.

• Realm of Life

The Greenglade: All Wizards know Shield of Thorns (anyone near the buffed unit at the end of the combat phase take d3 mortal wounds). Forests can appear on every turn, so be sure to buy all those licensed Games Workshop Sylvaneth Forests (in all seriousness, hit your local pet store and pick up some aquarium decorations) if you plan on fighting here...you tree hugging hippy. Also any Battleshock tests of 1 are insta-passes and heal any Wounds taken (doesn't revive models though). Nurgle-heavy players will mostly take this place as they get lots of bonuses too. Once a game a Nurgle character who died can try to revive, either being healed to full health, staying dead or turning into a Chaos Spawn. Nurgle Wizards also get their own unique spell.

Another thing is that each area also has a major victory table, so if you smash your opponent's face to the ground you get to roll on a buff table that is better than the basic one (again, each area has its own table).

Terrain

Of course, in a setting like this where the flow of magic is entirely weaved into the land, there are plenty of setpieces with curious rules dependent on how you play. However, most terrain rolls off the following list, which you roll for before the game begins.

1. Damned: Suckers within 3" can opt to take d3 Mortal Wounds in exchange for adding +1 to all hit rolls until the next Hero Phase. Mobs can especially benefit from this since the damage won't mean so much to them and they get more guaranteed hits.
2. Arcane: Wizards within 3" of this piece add +1 to all casting and unbinding rules. The use is pretty obvious.
3. Inspiring: All within 3" add +1 Bravery. While wasted on Duardin and Stormcasts, this can mean the difference between a pack of Orruks holding on or breaking for the hills.
4. Mystical: Now here's a wildcard. All units within 3" have to roll d6; on a 1, the unit becomes stupefied and can't do shit until your next Hero Phase, but on any other result, you can re-roll wound rolls.
5. Sinister: The units within 3" now trigger fear (Inflict -1 Bravery against any other enemies) until your next Hero Phase. Pretty much your go-to for deleting mobs with the fist of a spiteful god.

• Arcane Ruins: Not only do these ruins add +1 to all casting and unbinding rolls for any nearby wizards, but they also give the wizards the ability to absorb a magically-caused Mortal Wound on a 5+. Wizards within 10" of them also gain a new Casting Value 7 spell that summons 1-3 Spirit Hosts into play. Wizards will totally want this just for wizard duels.

• Baleful Realmgate: The first new piece of scenery for AoS. It can roll for two different terrain traits, but if it rolls dubs, it inflicts d3 mortal wounds to nearby units, shutting it down for the turn. If a unit enters it, each model has to roll anything but a 1 in order to not die (Heroes or Priests near the gate can give the unit a re-roll). Those that win get set up near another gate or on another table edge for their movement phase.

• Balewind Vortex: Unlike most terrain, this setpiece has to be summoned; It's Casting Value 5, but if it's cast, it'll automatically be erected under your Wizard's feet and they can still cast more spells (it won't count towards the total if it passes). This gives massive boosts (Double casting range, +1 to Casting and Unbinding) and forces everyone to back off from it, but it also makes the wizard a sitting duck. Good thing, then, that this can be undone and re-summoned at any point you want.

• Chapel: Order units within 6" don't take battleshock. A Hero and some attached unit can also garrison themselves within it at the start of the Movement phase, allowing them to shoot from inside it while gaining cover. A Priest that's inside or within 6" of this Chapel can also heal a nearby model by d3 Wounds. Pretty much meant for Empire/Brett/Stormcasts.

• Dragonfate Dais: This is a Priest's platform, but any model can get on it to benefit from a 6+ FNP-lite. If he's on it for the Hero Phase, he can pray for something to happen: On a 1, he fucks up, the dais shuts down and now your priest eats -1 on his hit rolls and the FNP roll for the entire game. On a 2-3, nothing happens. On a 4-5, the Priest or a nearby unit gains +1 to hit, but the dais shuts down. On a 6, your priest gains +1 to his FNP and he and another unit gets +1 to hit, though the dais shuts down.

• Deathknell Watch: Your units can hide here too, with the bonus being that you can elect an enemy within LoS and all units now re-roll hits against them. However, you can now be charged, even if you're inside it.

• Dreadfire Portal: Taking this means you now have to race to harness its power: Once you reach it, you have to roll a d6: On a 1, you take a mortal wound, but otherwise you now force all enemies within 3" to take -1 on all Battleshock Tests for the entire game. To stack up with that, Wizards on it can cast a spell that inflicts d6 Mortal Wounds on the target and then has a chance on inflicting another wound on nearby goons.

• Dreadstone Blight: Like the Arcane Ruins, you add +1 to cast and Unbind and boosts Arcane Bolt to cause d6 Mortal Wounds on a 7+ or 6 wounds on a 9+. On top of that, it also automatically has the Damned Trait. Yeah, it's another platform for Wizard Duels.

• Eternity Star: This piece has the Mystical trait by default and any heroes that are on there during the Hero Phase can roll d6 (+1 for Priests), on a 5+, a selected enemy now must re-roll hit rolls of 6. For the entire battle. Goodbye Spider Venom. Goodbye Spare Attacks. This will shut down quite a bit.

• Garden of Morr: Thanks to a certain skeletal pope eating said god, this now heals a wound on any Death models nearby. Death Wizards also gain +1 to cast and a new spell which allows them to summon up to 20 zombies, just in case you needed more cannon fodder.

• Magewrath Throne: It's a giant command throne. Generals and heroes can sit on it on the Hero Phase. This allows any other heroes within 15" to use their Command Abilities, even though they're not the general, but any wizards within that same range take -2 to casting because it hates magic or some shit. On top of that, the guy in the throne can also aim at an opposing unit within 15", making d3 Mortal Wounds, but if that hit roll is a 1, your guy instead takes those d3 mortal wounds.\

• Numinous Occulum: This is a Mystical set of terrain for wizards. Not only do they gain a new spell that allows them to choose the result of one roll for your army, but it also at as a backup for any failed unbindings, neutralizing it on a 5+ for any models on it. Even if you don't have a wizard, this is pretty much your answer to their fuckery.

• Ophidian Archway: This is a piece of cover with the Sinister rule. On top of that, a nearby Hero can attempt to use it to attack during the Hero Phase: If he targets an enemy model within 6" and rolls above their Bravery, that model dies, no saves allowed. However, if he fails that roll, then he has to roll under his own Bravery or else he dies instead.

• Sylvaneth Wyldwood: Slvaneth, take note. You'll NEED this. If any model that lacks the Sylvaneth, Hero, or Monster keywords walks through it, they roll a die that kills them on a 1. In addition, any non-Sylvaneth models that cast magic near it can get hit on a 5+ after casting, dealing d3 mortal wounds to any models right next to it.

• Temple of Skulls: This is meant for Chaos armies. Any Totem units on top of it can double the range of their abilities and Generals can double the range of their Inspiring Presence. Chaos Heroes can re-roll hits and Chaos Wizards can re-roll a casting or unbinding roll. On top of that, it has the Damned trait, so your hordes can also raise some hell.

• Walls and Fences: This is pretty stupidly obvious. It gives cover. Signposts also give nearby units an extra inch of movement.

• Watchtower: It's yet another thing to garrison inside. On top of that, Heroes that are inside of it gain 6" range on their Command Abilities. Any allies within 18" of it can also re-roll charges, so melee armies can make use of it.

• Witchfate Tor: Ahh, this overpriced heap of plastic. Things can garrison inside it and if a Wizard's in it, they gain +1 to casting or unbinding. If another spell is cast (if your have any other wizards in the game), they can also hijack it on a 4+, with any other result causing a mortal wound. Shooty wizards will like it.