Trollkin Champions

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Trollkin Champions Trollblood Unit Skaldi Bonehammer Northkin Character Champion Command Attachment

The champions are hardened trollkin veterans, rising as the great heroes of their kriels. A tight bond links them to one another, an awareness that theirs is a greater destiny. They formalize these ties with the kulgat blood oath, learning to draw strength from their brothers and fight with seamless precision side by side. They distinguish themselves on the front line, hacking into enemies with a weapon in each hand, inflicting grievous wounds.

The mighty Trollkin warrior Skaldi Bonehammer is a champion among the champions of the bitter North, his thirst for glory and carnage an infectious tide that spreads like wildfire among the Trollkin he leads. His thirst for battle is legendary, and his relentless fighting style combines bone-cracking strength and a fearsome swiftness that leaves allies in awe and enemies broken and bleeding.

Basic Info

Trollkin Champions
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Unit / Skaldi BASE Medium SPD 5 STR 8 MAT 7 RAT N/A M.A. N/A DEF 12 ARM 16 CMD 7 / 9 ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 5 / 8 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA 2 / C UNIT SIZE 3 or 5 +1CA COST 10 or 16 +5CA 3.5 each N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Abilities

• Entire unit
  • Tough
  • Defensive Line - While this model is B2B with one or more models in its unit, it gains +2 DEF against melee attacks and cannot become knocked down.
  • Relentless Charge - While advancing as part of a charge, this model gains Pathfinder.
  • Sanguine Bond - When this model would suffer damage from an enemy attack while in formation, you can choose one or more models in its unit to suffer any amount of that damage instead, divided as you choose. If you do, this model does not suffer that damage. A model cannot suffer more damage as a result of Sanguine Bond than it has unmarked damage boxes.".

• Skaldi only
  • Immunity: Cold
  • Officer
  • Granted: Practiced Maneuvers - While this model is in formation, models in its unit gain Practiced Maneuvers. (Practiced Maneuvers - Each model in this unit can ignore other models in this unit when determining LOS and can advance through them if it has enough movement to move completely past them.)
  • Rapid Strike - This model can make one additional melee attack each Combat Action.
  • Tactics: Northkin - Models in his unit are considered to be Northkin models and gain Immunity: Cold.
  • Tactics: Overtake - Models in this unit gain Overtake. (Overtake - When a model with Overtake destroys one or more enemy models with a basic melee attack during its Combat Action, after the attack is resolved it can immediately advance up to 1".)

Weapons

Leader & Grunts	Hand Weapon (x2)  RNG   POW   P+S  1 4 12 Weapon Master
Skaldi	Hammer  RNG   POW   P+S  1 4 12 Weapon Master

Weapon Attachment

As with most Trollblood units, they may have a Trollkin Sorcerer weapon attachment. His info has been omitted for brevity.

Theme Forces

• Trollbloods
  • Band of Heroes. They gain "Optional Take Down" in this theme.
  • Storm of the North. They become Northkin models and gain Immunity: Cold in this theme.
  • Vengeance of Dhunia

• Other Factions
  • Minion players can also use this unit in the Vengeance of Dhunia theme.

Recent Changes

2020.11 Vengeance of Dhunia CID

• Unit and Skaldi gain Relentless Charge as a base rule.
• Skaldi swaps Granted: Relentless Charge for Granted: Practiced Maneuvers.
• Skaldi finally gets the Champion tag.

Thoughts on Trollkin Champions

Skaldi Bonehammer, Command Attachment

Recent Errata - This article needs updating The "Basic Info" section has been updated to match a recent errata/spoiler, but the "Thoughts On" section hasn't been brushed up yet. If you play this Faction, please fix up the old info and then delete this warning. See also Category: Recent Change and Category: Recent Release.

Trollkin Champions in a nutshell

Trollkin Champions are the heavy hitters of Trollkin infantry. Hard hitting and hard to kill, Champions both wreck things on the charge and are effective brawlers (although not effective enough to truly wreck heavies).

The stand out special rule is sanguine bond, allowing you to spread damage out when any enemy manages to puncture their respectable armour. Your opponent may need to deal as much as 20 damage before even a single Troll needs to make a tough roll. More models reaching the front lines means more attacks and with weapon master and the Krielstone CA (either one) they can do a lot of hurt to all but the highest armour targets.

Champions are available in 3 of the 5 themes trolls can play in so they are naturally one of the recommended first purchases for new players.

Thoughts on the CA & WA

8 extra wounds on the Sanguine Bond, and a little more infantry killing is good. Being able to see and move through each other is handy but not essential. Skaldi has become a little bit less of an auto-include since the Vengeance of Dhunia update as the main reason to take him was Pathfinder on the charge. Overtake has a few issues with champions if you spread out too much; because hitting more enemies you will cause you to lose Defensive Line during the enemies turn. Reposition from Boomhowler2 or Jarl or Hoof it from Grissel1 or Boomhowler3 are good ways to minimise this issue. Skaldi has also picked up the champion tag which means he benefits from the Trollkin Heros retaliatory strike.

Trollkin Sorcerers can still utilise sanguine bond and the unit wide magical attack buff makes the Champions quite adept at killing stuff like Wraith Engines. The downside of the Vengeance of Dhunia CID is without granted Relentless Charge on Skaldi you end up with some models that can ignore terrain and some who cannot (though moving through each other helps prevent this being a massive issue).

Combos & Synergies

Warlocks

• Any DEF buffs make them almost unhittable.
  • Borka1 is the best for this with his Arcane Ward which has the added benefit of making them untargetable by spells, avoiding many potentially nasty debuffs.
  • Madrak1's Even Ground buffs their defence even higher, though defensive line already grants immunity to knockdown. Healing from his feat also works well with Sanguine Bond as its guaranteed to fully restore a Champion to max HP
  • Grissel2 has Deflection which makes their defense just as good vs guns.
• Grissel2 also has Dash, which makes them faster and immune to free strikes. Potentially handy when making overtake moves or to get at juicy targets.
• Jarl Skuld has Quicken for more speed and def against shooting, which helps deliver them tremendously.

Minion Warlocks (Vengeance of Dhunia only)

• Lord Azazello, The Castellan
• Helga the Conqueror

Other

• Stone Scribe Chronicler - The Champions like piling in where the battle is toughest, and they can get a lot of hitting power in a small area to maximize the damage buff.
• The Krielstone with the Northkin Elder attachment gives them another speed point.
  • Combine with Jarl's Quicken and you have a P+S 12 weapon master unit that threatens 11" on the charge. Not bad!
• The Trollkin Champion Hero gives them Retaliatory Strike.
  • Oddly Skaldi, who is the Champion's CA, is not a Champion himself so doesn't get Retaliatory Strike.
• Trollkin Sorcerers as long as they are not the initial target they can still have damage transferred to them via sanguine bond they can also help other models in the unit gain Defensive Line even if they themselves don’t get the +2 Def and no knockdown.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Expensive and they will get shot.
• If you only want a minimum unit and have a screen, the Sons of Bragg hit slightly harder and are slightly more flexible.

Tricks & Tips

• Trollkin Sorcerers that you attach to the Champions can have damage moved to them via Sanguine Bond, but not the other way.

Other

Trivia

• Unit released way back in Primal Mk1 (2006)
• Skaldi released in Forces of Hordes: Trollbloods (2010)

Other Trollblood models

Trollbloods Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warlocks	Borka1 - Borka2 - Calandra - Gunnbjorn1 - Gunnbjorn2 - Grim1 - Grim2 - Grissel1 - Grissel2 - Doomshaper1 - Doomshaper2 - Doomshaper3 - Horgle2 - Jarl - Kolgrima - Madrak1 - Madrak2 - Madrak3 - Ragnor
Warlock attachments	Trollkin Runebearer
Lesser Warlock	Horgle1
Light warbeasts	Ice Troll - Night Troll - Pyre Troll - Slag Troll - Storm Troll - Swamp Troll - Troll Axer - Troll Basher - Troll Bouncer - Troll Impaler - Winter Troll
Heavy warbeasts	Dire Troll Blitzer - Dire Troll Bomber - Dire Troll Brawler - Dire Troll Mauler - Earthborn Dire Troll Dozer & Smigg - Mulg the Ancient - Rök
Gargantuan	Glacier King - Mountain King - Sea King
Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Units	Dannon Blythe & Bull - Boomhowler1 - Dhunian Knot - Kriel Warriors - Stone Bearer - NK Bears - NK Fire Eaters - NK Raiders - Pummeler Crew - Pyg Burrowers - Pyg Bushwhackers - Pyg Lookouts - Sons of Bragg - Scattergunners - Thumper Crew - T Champions - T Fennblades - T Highwaymen - T Long Riders - T Runeshapers - T Scouts - T Sluggers - Warders Special WA: Trollkin Sorcerer
Solos	Boomhowler2 - Boomhowler3 - Braylen Wanderheart, Trollkin Outlaw - Bumbles - Dhunian Archon - Fell Caller Hero - Fennblade Kithkar - General 'Thunderstone' Brug - Horgle Ironstrike (1) - Horthol, Long Rider Hero - Janissa Stonetide - Ledfoot & Tredz - Northkin Shaman - Pyg Tank - Stone Scribe Chronicler - Troll Whelps - Trollkin Champion Hero - Trollkin Skinner Valka Curseborn, Chieftain of the North
Battle Engines	Hearthgut Hooch Hauler - War Wagon
Theme Forces
Band of Heroes - Kriel Company - Power of Dhunia - Storm of the North - Vengeance of Dhunia
Minions that work for the Trollblooods
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Trollblood Minion
This index was last updated: 2020.12

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Skaldi Skaldi is not classified as a "Champion" model, and thus won't benefit from Retaliatory Strike from the Hero. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Weapon Master - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Tough - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Defensive Line      (Edit) You don't need to have the entire unit in B2B to get the bonus. Even just two models in B2B will give it to each other. Which way they're facing doesn't matter, either. Defensive Line is 'always on' (unlike Shield Wall). You can still get Defensive Line while knocked down. Since models move in straight lines, it impossible to keep two models B2B while advancing. Thus you cannot benefit from Defensive Line while moving through acid clouds etc. Unless you have an ability to move through models, like Tactician.

Rules Clarification : Relentless Charge      (Edit) Pathfinder (Edit) - Pathfinder does not apply to involuntary movement (pushes & slams). (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification:  : Sanguine Bond and/or Bond of Brotherhood     (Edit) (Click Expand to read)

Bond of Brotherhood triggers when a model is damaged, whereas Sanguine Bond triggers when a model would be damaged. Who counts as damaged (Brotherhood) The original target always counts as having being damaged by an enemy attack, even if you transfer all thr damage to another model. (It's a bit like a warlock transfer in that respect.) As a result, the enemy can still trigger stuff like Drag regardless of how much damage is transferred. (Infernal Ruling) The model you transfer damage to counts as having being damaged by the ability, not the enemy attack. Who counts as damaged (Sanguine) With this ability you can do pretty much whatever you like: You can transfer some of the damage away, if you want to count as being damaged by an enemy for the purposes of stuff like collecting souls. You can transfer all of the damage away, which will mean the original target doesn't count as having being damaged by an enemy at all and this will stop them using Drag etc. You can even have the original target "transfer to itself" which will also stop Drag etc. (Locked thread) The model you transfer damage to counts as having being damaged by the ability, not the enemy attack. Both abilities The original target needs to be in formation to use the ability, but the model you transfer damage to doesn't need to be in formation. (Infernal Ruling) If you add an attachment (such as the Trollkin Sorcerer), then that attachment can receive damage from Sanguine Bond, because it is another model in the unit. But the attachment can't give out damage via Sanguine Bond because it doesn't have the rule itself. Vs simultaneous attacks that hits multiple models in the unit, they can transfer to each other regardless of who was/wasn't damaged. But you can't "double dip" on assigning the transferred damage. Roll all damage for all models, note it down for each model, but don't mark it. Call this "Raw damage". Choose which models you'll trigger Sanguine Bond on, and who you will assign the damage to. If you assign damage to a model, the "raw damage" plus the "assigned damage" cannot exceed its remaining hitpoints. Mark damage on the card. Example: Model [A] has two unmarked boxes, models [B] & [C] are undamaged. Then [B] & [C] are caught in a spray that does exactly 5 damage each. What you can do: Assign 1 damage from [B] to [A], and one from [C] to [A]. Then mark damage. [A] dies and the other two live with 1hp each. What you can't do: Assign 2 from [B] to [A], then assign another 2 from [C] to [A]. Then mark damage. Then claim Sanguine Bond "overkilled" model [A]. That would be "double dipping" the damage. (Infernal Ruling for the above)

Rules Clarification : Officer      (Edit) Even if they're not on the Officer's card, an Officer can give (and benefit from) any non-standard orders that are on the unit's card (such as Shield Wall). Refer main rulebook. A Ranking Officer can't do this, though. When the Officer dies, the Leader model becomes the new Unit Commander (you don't get to choose). But if your unit doesn't include a Leader model, then you do get to choose any of the remaining models to be the new Unit Commander. You don't swap the model, but it may be worth putting a token down so you can tell that grunt apart.

Rules Clarification : Cold - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Tactics vs Granted     (Edit) Granted = The unit loses the ability as soon as the model that grants it is taken off the table. (think "G for Goes away") Tactics = The unit keeps the ability for the entire game, regardless of who dies. (think "Tac-Tick = K for Keeps")

Rules Clarification : Practiced Maneuvers - None yet. (Edit)
Rules Clarification : Rapid Strike - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Swift Hunter and/or Overtake     (Edit) The free move must be resolved before other abilities that involve attacks (such as Quick Work or Berserk). Refer Step 12 vs 14 in Appendix A. This ability does not trigger off special attacks, only basic ones. An important difference: Swift Hunter can be triggered by any attack, including out-of-activation attacks. Overtake only works on attacks during your Combat Action. Even stuff like Impact Attacks won't trigger it.

Note to Editors To edit Skaldi's tagged abilities, Click here