Farrow Valkyries

99% of this website is about Mark 3 (mk3), which is the previous edition of the game (2016 to 2022). The reasons for this are explained here. 1% of the website is about Mark 4 (mk4), but only in regards to which mk3 models are useable in mk4 Prime and which are mk4 Unlimited. See Legacy Armies for more detail.

Farrow Valkyries Minion Unit

Prime This model is available in one Prime Army, The Thornfall Alliance. It can also be used in the Unlimited game mode. You can view the other Mk3 models that made it into a Legacy Army at this page. Note that the rest of this page is about the model's Mark III rules.

Determined, steadfast, and loyal, the farrow Valkyries make up the honor guard of the independent farrow warlock Helga the Conqueror. With hammer and cannon they beat back the Conqueror’s enemies, and with their shields and flesh they protect her from harm. When it serves Helga’s purposes, she has also been known to loan these prized warriors to her allies.

Basic Info

Farrow Valkyries
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Warcaster 0 BASE Small SPD 5 STR MAT 6 RAT 6 M.A. N/A DEF 13 ARM 16 / 17 (★) CMD 7 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 5 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA 3 UNIT SIZE 3 COST 8 2.7 each N/A (★) 17 with the Buckler bonus Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Minion - Will work for Circle, Legion, Skorne, or Trollbloods.

Abilities

• Tough
• Gang - When making a melee attack targeting an enemy model in the melee range of another model in this unit, this model gains +2 to melee attack and melee damage rolls.
• Point-Blank - During its activation, this model can make melee attacks with its ranged weapon, with a melee range of 0.5". Do not add this model's STR to damage rolls with ranged weapons. Charge attacks made with ranged weapons are not boosted.
• Shield Guard - Once per round, when a friendly model is directly hit by a non-spray ranged attack during your opponent's turn while within 3" of this model, you can choose to have this model directly hit instead. This model is automatically hit and suffers all damage and effects. This model cannot use Shield Guard while it is incorporeal, knocked down, or stationary. The Shield Guard special rule can only trigger once per attack roll.
• Vengeance - During your Maintenance Phase, if one or more models in this unit were damaged by enemy attacks during the last round, each model in the unit can advance 3" and make one basic melee attack.

Weapons

• Buckler Cannon - 8" range, POW 12 ranged weapon
  • Buckler
• War Hammer - 2" reach, P+S 10 melee weapon
  • Critical Knockdown - On a critical hit, the model hit becomes knocked down.

Theme Forces

• Minions
  • The Thornfall Alliance. They gain Rise in this theme.
  • Vengeance of Dhunia

• Other Factions
  • Trollblood players can use this unit in the Vengeance of Dhunia theme.
  • Minion models can be hired by other Factions. Normally those Factions' themes will have a limit on how many models they can hire. Refer to #Other Theme Forces, below.

Thoughts on Farrow Valkyries

Farrow Valkyries in a nutshell

Cheap Shield Guards for all Hordes factions; much cheaper (per model) than an Ogrun Bokur. They can fight adequately, although not exceptionally, for their cost. Vengeance is very good on a Shield Guard unit, as you can "force" your opponent to trigger it. The Valkyries hit surprisingly hard on the charge if they get to gang - a P+S 12 hammer attack and a P+S 14 unboosted gang attack from the Buckler Cannon is right at the point where they can really lever any other buff they get.

Combos & Synergies

Three shield guards for eight points is a bargain for almost anyone.

• Helga the Conqueror has Veteran Leader for them, and they can slam twice on her feat turn
• Midas gets to give Valkyries Battle Lust for two really nasty melee attacks.
• Lord Carver, BMMD, Esq. III is also a Veteran Leader of Valkyries, and they hit hard with his feat
• Paingiver Task Master offers them stellar support in the form of no knockdown and your choice of reposition[3] or +2 STR. Or, for that matter, the Task Master can stand near enough to the Valkyries to give them no knockdown while giving active buffs to a larger unit.
• Maelok the Dreadbound - a rare combination, but Maelok brings them up to ARM 19. It's rare to see Maelok outside The Blindwater Congregation, but he works well with Valkyries.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• They are vulnerable to a one-shot from a boosted POW 12 (which is a lot of charging infantry models)
• They aren't great fighters unless they get to team up.
• Trollkin Warders are better value shield guards in trolls.

Tricks & Tips

• Remember that Vengeance plus Shield Guard gives them an excellent threat range.
• Gang works on melee attacks made with your ranged weapon using Point Blank. This makes the buckler gun pow 14 in melee.

Other

Trivia

• First mentioned at the start of Mk3, when Helga gained Veteran Leader [Farrow Valkyries] (2016.06)
• Released a long time later (2017.12)
• They have a longer fluff blurb on PP's "extras" page.

Other Theme Forces

Circle Orboros (Edit)

• Secret Masters. This theme doesn't have a limit on how many Minion solos you can take. Also, you can spend Requistion Points on Minion solos.
• The Bones of Orboros
• The Devourer's Host
• The Wild Hunt

Legion of Everblight (Edit)

• Ravens of War
• Children of the Dragon
• Oracles of Annihilation. In this theme (1) There is no limit on the number of Minion solos you can take, (2) Minions become Blighted models, and (3) enemy models that end their activation within 2" of a Blighted model in this theme suffer continuous corrosion.
• Primal Terrors

Skorne (Edit)

• Disciples of Agony. There is no limit to the number of Minion solos you can take in this theme.
• The Exalted
• Masters of War
• Winds of Death

Trollbloods (Edit)

• Band of Heroes
• Kriel Company
• Power of Dhunia
• Storm of the North

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Shield and/or Buckler     (Edit) The only time you lose the Shield bonus is when the weapon is crippled, or if the attack originates in your back arc. (Infernal Ruling) In other words, you still get the Shield bonus while knocked down or stationary. You don't get the Shield bonus vs stuff originating in your back arc. This includes stuff that "leaps" off models in your back arc, such as Electro Leap. (Locked thread)

Rules Clarification : Knockdown      (Edit) Knockdown (Edit) - Remember, knockdown only prevents what it says it does. Refer to the Knockdown page for a recap of what a model can/can't do.

Rules Clarification : Tough - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Gang and/or Gang Fighter and/or Tag Team and/or Team Effort     (Edit) You can gain the Gang bonus on free strikes, but generally only the first "Ganger" will get it. For example, if a target is engaged by two models with Gang, when it leaves the melee range of the first Ganger it suffers a free strike with the Gang bonus. Then it leaves the melee range of the second and suffers a normal free strike.

Rules Clarification : Point-Blank      (Edit) Number of attacks Point-Blank gives you an extra initial melee attack (even though, RAW, it doesn't meet the criteria). (Infernal Ruling) If you can make additional melee attacks, these can be Point-Blank attacks regardless of the weapon's ROF. (Locked Thread) If you have the option of choosing between ranged or melee attacks (for instance you combined Point-Blank with Gunfighter), then you need to declare whether you're making melee or ranged attacks this activation, then declare the weapon and the target. (Infernal Ruling) AOE Point-Blank AOEs work just fine, because the AOE template isn't tied to the range. You make a melee attack roll then if you hit you centre the AOE template, or you miss and deviate the AOE template (it can only deviate 0.25"). If you have a buff to melee damage rolls (such as Flaming Fists) then it will affect the blast damage rolls too. Sprays Point-Blank sprays don't really work. The spray template is intrinsically linked to the attack's range, and Point-Blank overwrites the range. You still get one attack tho - you make the melee attack roll, then go straight to the melee damage roll. You never put the spray template down. Other Since Point-Blank only works during your activation, you can't use it on free strikes or other out-of-activation melee attacks. Gunfighter vs Point Blank (Edit) If a model has both Gunfighter and Point Blank, then you should declare whether you're using it as a ranged attack or melee attack whenever you shoot the gun. Because that can limit what other initial/additional attacks you can make. (Infernal Ruling) These two abilities are subtly different, but it's an important difference. Gunfighter allows you to make ranged attacks while in melee. Point blank allows you to make melee attacks with your ranged weapon. Since you can't make both ranged and melee attacks in the same turn, a Gunfighter model has a choice of either initial melee attack(s) or initial ranged attack(s). (unless it has Virtuoso or something). Whereas a Point Blank model chooses to make initial melee attacks, and then gets to make attacks with both weapons. Furthermore, the types of bonuses, penalties, and special effects you (or your opponent) can trigger will change dramatically: Any buffs/triggers on ranged attacks (such as Evasive, Shield Guard, Deadeye, etc) will affect Gunfighter attacks, but not Point Blank attacks. Any buffs/triggers on melee attacks (such as Battle Lust, Riposte etc) will affect Point Blank attacks, but not Gunfighter attacks.

Rules Clarification : Shield Guard and/or Shadow Guardian     (Edit) You can't use this ability vs spells. You shift all effects onto the new model, including stuff that triggers on "when this attack hits". When you use this ability vs an AOE attack, the template moves too. Because, with reference to Apdx A, the hit 'moves' at Step 6 and the template placement is determined at Step 7. This ability doesn't work vs Point Blank attacks. Because Point Blank attacks are melee attacks that are made using a ranged weapon. On the other hand, it will work vs Gunfighter attacks. Shield Guard only Since Shield Guard specifies "opponent's turn", it can't be used against stuff that shoots in your own turn (such as Watcher or Counterblast). The Shield Guard does not necessarily need to be in the attacker's LOS or range. The Shield Guarder is always hit even if they have an ability that makes them automatically get missed, such as Stealth. (Automatically missing is determined earlier in the timing sequence than the Shield Guard moving the hit.) (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Vengeance and/or Righteous Vengeance and/or Retaliation and/or Swift Vengeance and/or Tantrum     (Edit) Vengeance moves do not have to be towards an enemy model. You can choose to not move, but still get the attack. One is not conditional on the other. In this case, you will not count as advancing and thus will not trigger stuff like Countercharge. (Infernal Ruling) Vengeance is not an activation. It does not prevent the model/unit from activating and acting normally later in the turn. Stationary and knocked down models may not perform Vengeance moves nor attacks. Units only Out of formation models cannot make Vengeance moves nor Vengeance attacks. However if the unit commander uses their movement to bring the Grunts back into formation, then they can move and attack. When resolving Vengeance, move all models in the unit before making any attacks. (Infernal Ruling) If you have more than one unit with Vengeance, move all of unit A then complete all of unit A's attacks, before starting to move unit B. If you manage to spawn new models during the Maintenance Phase (such as with Reconstruction or Blood-Bound) then those new models can also make Vengeance attacks. (Infernal Ruling) Due to the way it is worded Vengeance can be "inherited" by unit attachments that do not actually have the Vengeance ability themselves. For instance, a Soulless Escort attached to the Spears of Scyrah. If anyone is damaged, including the attachment, everyone in the unit gets to trigger Vengeance. But if everyone is killed except the attachment, then he doesn't get to trigger Vengeance because the rule is "no longer on the table". Granted [ Vengeance ] If the model granting Vengeance dies, the unit will not get any Vengeance attacks. It is "If you have Vengeance, and you were damaged last turn, you get a move+attack." It is not "If you get damaged, you get Vengeance next turn." If you lose Vengeance halfway through resolving Vengeance, then you stop resolving Vengeance immediately. (Infernal Ruling) Triggers Only enemy attacks trigger Vengeance. There are plenty of ways enemies can damage you without attacking you (such as Electro Leap) and these will not trigger Vengeance. If a CA has Granted: Vengeance then only models in formation have it. However, models that are damaged while out of formation can trigger Vengeance, they just will not benefit from it. (Locked thread)