Theme - Disciples of Agony
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Theme - Disciples of Agony Skorne Theme Force |
Connected by a desire to wring power from pain, the students of the ancient skorne master Morkaash show the enemies of the empire the subtlety of their unique arts. Potent mortitheurges, indomitable Nihilator cultists, and talented paingivers work in concert to bring low all living flesh that opposes them. Captured enemies who prove useful are kept as subjugated warriors, while all others taken alive are introduced to new depths of suffering at the barbs and blades of their captors.
Contents
Theme Rules
Theme Restrictions
An army made use the Disciples of Agony theme force can include only the following Skorne models:
- Skorne warlocks
- Non-character warbeasts
- Chiron
- The Terrorizer
- Mortitheurge models/units
- Nihilator models/units
- Paingiver models/units
- Aptimus Marketh
- Skorne solos with the Lesser Warlock special rule
- Siege Animantarax
- Minion warbeasts controlled by Skorne warlocks (see benefits below)
- This army can also include any number of Minion solos and Minion units that will work for Skorne.
- These models/units can be included even if they have the Partisan [Skorne] rule.
- Minion units can have non-Ranking Officer attachments.
Full model list
The models allowed in Disciples of Agony are: [Show/Hide]
(★) Minion warbeasts can be put in a Skorne warlock's battlegroup, and become Skorne warbeasts when you do so. Note that they cannot be placed in a Skorne Lesser Warlock's battlegroup, though.
This list was last updated: 2021.10 (Edit)
Warlocks
- All Skorne warlocks
Warbeasts
- All non-character Skorne warbeasts
- All non-character Minion warbeasts (★)
- Chiron
- The Terrorizer
- Other character warbeasts can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
See Skorne beasts [Show/Hide]
Pack
Lesser
Light
Heavy
- Aradus Sentinel
- Aradus Soldier
- Archidon
- Bronzeback Titan
- Chiron
- Rhinodon
- Titan Cannoneer
- Titan Gladiator
- Titan Sentry
Gargantuan
See Minion beasts [Show/Hide]
Lesser
Light
Heavy
Gargantuan
Battle Engines
Units
Solos
- Aptimus Marketh - (Warlock attachment)
- Mortitheurge Willbreaker
- Makeda0 - (Lesser Warlock)
- Paingiver Bloodrunner Master Tormentor
- Paingiver Task Master
- Zaadesh1 - (Lesser Warlock)
Minions
- Any number of Minion solos
- Any number of minion units
(★) Minion warbeasts can be put in a Skorne warlock's battlegroup, and become Skorne warbeasts when you do so. Note that they cannot be placed in a Skorne Lesser Warlock's battlegroup, though.
Requisition Points
You can spend each Requisition Point on either:
- One Agonizer warbeast (which includes The Terrorizer as a character Agonizer)
- One Basilisk Krea warbeast
- One Skorne CA
- Two Paingiver Task Master solos
- One other small- or medium-based Skorne solo
Theme Bonuses
- Skorne warlocks can control non-character Minion warbeasts. Minion warbeasts in this army that are controlled by a Skorne warlock are considerd to be Skorne warbeasts, not Minion warbeasts.
- Tip: This benefit does not apply to Lesser Warlocks (Zaadesh1).
- Paingiver models in this army gain Sacrificial Pawn [Minion warrior model].
- Sacrificial Pawn [ Minion warrior model ] - When this model is directly hit by an enemy ranged attack, you can have one friendly, non-incorporeal {{{2}}} within 3" of it directly hit instead. That model is automatically hit and suffers all damage and effects. The Sacrificial Pawn special rule can only trigger once per attack roll.
Recent Changes
2020.02 The Terrorizer added to the list of allowed models.
Thoughts on Disciples of Agony
Disciples of Agony in a nutshell
Disciples of Agony is an incredibly flexible theme force and, whereas some theme forces (like The Exalted) almost build themselves, even if you are running an almost pure battlegroup build you have am overwhelming number of choices available and comparable to the flexibility of playing out of theme in a full faction. For their battlegroup most major factions have 8 non-character lights, 8 non-character heavies, and two colossals/gargantuans available for their battle group; for Disciples it's three lessers, thirteen non-character lights, thirteen non-character heavies, and three gargantuans. The sixteen available units is equal to the number of in-faction units available to the Retribution and one fewer than for Skorne. And there are more minion solos that work for Skorne than there are Skorne solos.
Disciples of Agony is therefore a truly vast theme and it will be a long time before what's available has been fully understood so making a guide for it is pretty difficult. Each of the following reasons for playing the theme is a good one:
- Even before you take your caster into account you can stack free charges and +2 STR from the Paingiver Beast Handlers with either Rage from a Blackhide Wrastler or Primal from a Battle Boar for a 4 or 5 point STR swing, allowing your lights to wreck heavies.
- You want to play Skorne warbeast heavy and get access to some excellent warbeasts and some animi that make you even harder hitting - notably Rage from the Blackhide Wrastler, Primal from the Battle Boar, and the threat extending Elasticity from the Swamp Horror
- You like Minions and like playing debuff casters, and realise that Minions don't have any particularly good ones (Calaban in specific has trouble channeling)
- You're a Minions player who wants to expand your caster range and don't mind getting a tiny handful of non-Minion models (notably a unit of Paingiver Beast Handlers, a Basilisk Krea, a Terrorizer, two Paingiver Task Masters, and probably an Agonizer and Aptimus Marketh).
- You want to use Skorne infantry that shreds enemy infantry in melee - namely Nihilators and Paingiver Bloodrunners. Which is just about the only thing minion infantry doesn't do well.
- You, possibly thanks to recent scenarios, want ambushers and lots of them. The Gatorman Husk and Paingiver Bloodrunners are particularly good - and when you include Farrow Commandos, the Bog Trog Ambushers, and even the Bog Trog Trawler you have more ambush possible than any other theme in the game.
That's a lot. You've an incredibly flexible theme force, approaching the flexibility of the entire Minions faction taken out of theme while getting theme force benefits. And the most expensive requisition, the Basilisk Krea and Terrorizer not only seven points but goes well into literally any battle group. The Agonizer and a pair of Paingiver Task Masters are both six points and at least one of them will play well in almost any list. And with Aptimus Marketh at five you should just about never have fewer than 18 free points and normally 20.
Theme weaknesses
Sacrificial What?
Sacrificial Pawn for Paingivers isn't very good. I mean, it's good for the Paingivers sure, but it's not great when compared to benefits that some other themes get. And after all, do you want Paingivers in your list? (Other than Beast Handlers of course - and on the offchance you want to use either a Morghoul or Xekaar). Do you want them hanging out next to Minions?
List Design Indecision
It's an exceptionally flexible theme force - but you can only bring the army you bring. Flexibility in list building often leads to disjointed lists that tried to cram in a "little bit of everything". If you put a generalist list on the table it'll lose to one that is focussed on one aspect (which most theme forces are).
Minion friendly - kinda?
Although it allows unlimited Minion infantry, it doesn't make them any easier to buff with "friendly Faction only" spells. So they'll only really benefit from a debuff caster, and a Task Master.
Primal is a great animus except when it isn't
Skorne players aren't used to having access to the Primal animus (which you can get from the ex-Minion Battle Boar). It can be all too easy to overuse Primal, it renders your beast irrelevant next turn. The threat of Primal on the other hand is scary and something the enemy needs to take into account, so getting a Battle Boar adds a lot of threat.
Starting a 25 point Brawl list
In 2020.09 Phillip Melvin, one of the LOS authors, put together this list for the Brawlmachine format. He even wrote about it's playstyle and expanding it beyond 25 points, which you can read here.
- Makeda3: [+25 WBP]
- The Terrorizer: [Free] {7 pts)
- Basilisk Krea: [7 pts]
- Cyclops Brute: [8 pts]
- Archidon: [10 pts]
- Molik Karn: [19 pts]
- Swamp Gobber Chef: [1 pt]
- Paingiver Beast Handlers (Min unit): [5 pts]
In 2020.11 Jaden Iwassa, another LOS authors, put together a list and wrote an accompanying article which you can read here.
- Morghoul2: [+29 WBP]
- Aptimus Marketh: [4 pts]
- Archidon: [10 pts]
- Bronzeback Titan: [17 pts]
- The Terrorizer: [Free] (7 pts)
- Paingiver Bloodrunner Master Tormentor: [4 pts]
- The Wastelander: [5 pts]
- Void Archon: [8 pts]
- Paingiver Beast Handlers (Min unit): [5 pts]
Casters of Note
This section will go into detail a bit more than usual, for the benefit of Minion players that are unfamiliar with Skorne warlocks.
Battlegroup Casters
- Lord Arbiter Hexeris (Hexeris 2) has a classical weakness that he doesn't fix ARM even if he handles infantry, and can run a big battlegroup. A wrastler or battle boar changes all that - and he doesn't do that much with or for infantry, but they help.
- Primus Jalaam is a battle-group centric caster who prefers his heavies to be higher DEF than titans because that synergises with his feat. Warpath is amazing, he hands out Pathfinder, and he has a nice defensive feat and can keep away shooting.
- Makeda & the Exalted Court (Makeda 3) - Skorne's S-Tier Caster with Incite, battlegroup Grievous Wounds, a DEF buff and a dance of death that can even lead to Makeda causing an assassination. Makeda is terrifying.
- Master Tormentor Morghoul (Morghoul 1) - Morghoul 1 has a fundamental weakness that he does not scale. But with Marketh's help and the help of the ubiquitous Paingiver Beast Handlers your light beasts get a 2 point SPD buff, four point STR buff, and free charges. Add Primal and your lights move like greased lightning and one-round heavies. And he may do nothing outside his battle group but can be good for them. He is, however, considered one of the worst warlocks in faction and with good reason - especially since Xekaar's recent buff.
- Xerxis, Fury of Halaak (Xerxis 2) is a scary battlegroup caster thanks to +2 speed, a great feat, and a couple of nice upkeeps. He likes warbeasts that can at least keep up with his SPD 7 - and you're always going to have frenzy after your feat turn, so Primal's worth bringing.
- Lord Tyrant Zaadesh - Countercharge for all, a MAT and STR buff and Defensive Strike for the battlegroup (and other models including Nihilators and the Siege Animantarax if you bring them). Come in at Zaadesh and risk getting handed your head.
- Beast Master Xekaar has recently been reworked, gaining the awesome Alpha Hunter and the ability to Reposition 5" after casting his spells. He's always been a minion-friendly caster and now gained a strong battlegroup buff while his being a Paingiver gives him Sacrificial Pawn in this theme. He can use Aptimus Marketh for an extra Mortality, and a Blind Walker for the channeling he needs or even just rely on the threat extension of Farrow Bone Grinders while sacrificial pawning to them. He looks like a really good jack of all trades, but in November 2020 this is just theorymachine.
Minion-friendly casters
Most minion-friendly casters are ones that have debuffs. Since the spells affect the enemy, it doesn't matter if your army is the same faction as your caster or not.
- Lord Tyrant Hexeris (Hexeris 1) has precisely one friendly faction infantry spell - and Death March is good (as all Minion players know) although it really wants Nihilators. He has Parasite which goes well with the Minion gunline but you bring him for his feat which can completely eviscerate infantryspam armies. He's not a tournament caster but is a great counter in league play and utterly eviscerates certain types of army.
- Archdomina Makeda (Makeda1) has, almost uniquely, a feat that affects friendly models and not just friendly faction ones. Grievous wounds and other things cancel it, of course, and minion infantry isn't affected by Carnage. Oh, and Molik Karn can get Rage or Primal for the assassination run.
- Lord Assassin Morghoul (Morghoul 2) is a pure debuff and assassination caster. And gets Sacrificial Pawn, allowing him to play forward. What's not to love?
Casters that want Skorne units
- Dominar Morghoul & Escorts - his feat turns Nihilators into MAT 7 infantry with Reach, Acrobatics, Berserk, and Overtake. And Night's Reflection is just good. But he's a Skorne infantry caster.
- Dominar Rasheth - the fat man is one of the best debuff casters around - but needs Skorne infantry to channel through. Bloodrunners are amazing at getting places to do this - and minion guns are as good as Skorne ones for taking advantage of debuffed models. He needs some Skorne infantry - but he's a superb debuff caster who can get by with only a few Skorne.
- Tyrant Xerxis (Xerxis 1) has a feat that turns lights into wreckers - and battle plans that really go with Nihilators; they can already thresh infantry but Stir the Blood and his feat lets them shatter heavies.
- Supreme Aptimus Zaal & Kovaas (Zaal 1) can Last Stand Nihilators to turn them into complete threshers. And Bloodrunners are just good. Two units of Nihilators and two of Bloodrunners is 32 models to power his feat, and more than enough souls. And then you can jam the enemy up with the Gatorman Bokor & Bog Trog Swamp Shamblers (who are no-knockdown tough thanks to the Paingiver Task Master).
Non-casters of Note
Disciples of Agony being such an unusual theme a crash course in Minions for Skorne and in Skorne for minions is useful to knowing where to look for for this theme, and thus this section is more expensive than in a more normal theme and assumes that the reader is only familiar with half the army. Note that to save space beasts that have an approximate equivalent between Skorne and Minions for Disciples of Agony aren't being included (it doesn't make that much difference if you bring a Gun Boar or a Cyclops Raider as a light shooty beast and the Ironback Spitter sits almost exactly between the Titan Cannoneer and the Aradus Sentinel). And Gargantuans are all distinctive, expensive, and should thus be bought with research and care.
Minions for Skorne players
There is no need for Skorne to take any Minions in Disciples of Agony - you can perfectly happily play a Skorne beast list, probably with a couple of Animantaraxes, Zaadesh for Fury management, and Bloodrunners for screening and have a decent list. On the other hand Minion heavy beasts are excellent and there is a lot of variety in minion units.
Minion beasts
For the most part, minion warbeasts can bring useful animis at the cost of being more fragile (especially for heavies) or slower (especially for lights). Skorne have a lot of warbeasts, which already pretty much cover every use cases, but alternatives can offer specific trade off which can come in handy.
Colossal
- Dracodile - the good part is that it have the speed and healing of an hydra and the resilience and a mammoth. The bad part is that it's much weaker than either as a ranged beast, and its animus is overall a lot less good too. The lack of ranged game mean in particular that he tend to have problem to deal with infantry and is easily jammed.
Heavy beasts:
- Blackhide Wrastler - a Gladiator with Rage instead of Rush. Usually, rush is more useful, but sometime your light need a boost.
- Blind Walker - an expensive, bad arc node, who need to activate before your caster to node. A bad beatstick, who scale reasonably with buff but won't ever be as good as an actual heavy hitter. A notably resilient roadblock with Shield Guard, especially for its bargain price. If your plan need an arc node, you should try to use a theme force allowing Immortal Vessel, but if you absolutely need to be in Disciples of Agony he can do the job.
- Swamp Horror - a slow beater who, because of 4" melee range threaten rather far, and drag can setup other beasts to finish. Scale extremely well with buffs and debuffs since it have a lot of low power attacks. Elasticity work on any (friendly faction) model, which can lead to hilarious results when you get imaginative. Tend to be much worse against model it can't drag, most notably battle engines, so take that into account.
- Road Hog - An archidon with a spray, for half as much point. Very brittle for its cost, but like the Archidon useful for Hit and Run and sprays aren't horrible.
- War Hog - for if somehow a Rhinodon don't hit hard enough but you don't have the points for an aradus soldier or gladiator. Can one round a colossal, but the colossal will probably kill him at a range before he can be delivered. His animus is almost worthless, which is a big problem for a 14 point warbeast competing with other beasts who have great animus.
- Ironback Spitter A cheaper Cannoneer ; a threat both at range and in melee. Conventional wisdom is to take neither due to not being good enough at either job, but not bad to the point you should never consider it.
Light beasts:
- Battle Boar - the Primal animus is scary, but remember that there's no way to prevent next turn's frenzy - so only use it on a warbeast you don't mind not being able to use next turn. Either because it's an assassination run (so no next turn) or because you're trading up. The beast itself can be decent in melee once buffed, but is notably slow for a light warbeast.
- Boneswarm - fully loaded with souls it's P+S 15, DEF 13, ARM 18 for seven points and with the Swarm animus if you need more DEF. An excellent light warbeast if you can load it with corpses (and awful if you can't). Fortunately a single Boil Master & Spirit Cauldron) can do that and has two other great support spells. Very mediocre without a boil master but solid with one. Remember that once you take into account the boil master, the boneswarms aren't really cheaper than archidons, which are often a very solid alternative by being faster, hitting harder, but overall more fragile.
- Gun Boar - generally, the ability of cyclops shaman to ignore cover and LoS make them much better, but occasionaly you just want high power shot and/or AoE.
- Splatter Boar - animus give +2 RAT to AoE shots, like for example a mammoth, and it's cheap enough to be spammed. Similar to a Gun Boar, his ranged attack can sometime be better than a shaman due to the attack type, including a POW 14 option. Remember that you cannot use Lucky Shot on Razorback Crew - the animus require to be friendly faction and in Disciple thoses beasts are Skorne. Also, remember it start at RAT 1 which tend to severely limit its usefulness.
Minion units
There are a lot of good minion units out there - far more than any one player needs even if this is their only theme. The problem is that other than no-knockdown-tough you've little defensive tech and your casters can't protect them.
- Boil Master & Spirit Cauldron - Puppet Master is great, a boosted Spectral Lash is great - and corpse tokens to a Boneswarm or even the Shamblers are great. The Skorne Mortitheurge Willbreaker finds little use in this theme thanks to the Boil Master.
- Croak Raiders - RAT 6, Pathfinder, Advance Deployment, and ranged burnination. Works really well with debuff casters - and the Task Master can give them either Reposition or make them no-knockdown-tough. Skorne players sometimes also use Raiders as their minion unit in Masters of War to oil things up for Cataphract Incindiarii
- Farrow Bone Grinders] very cheap infantry that can exploit debuffs - and are effective weapon masters against living warbeasts. You get what you pay for. and if you know your opponent is bringing Def 13- warbeasts these guys are exceptional value. If not they are walking tough bullet stoppers.
- Farrow Brigands - always played with the command attachment, Brigands are less than the sum of their parts, but that's a lot of parts. In general, especially backed by the Task Master, Brigands are less effective than the advance deploying Croak Raiders unless their Prey plays into their hands. But they are a very interesting, fun, and good look ing unit
- Farrow Commandos - shooty ambushers. They threat further than Bloodrunners the turn they ambush - although as advance deploying skirmishers the Bloodrunners out-threat the Commandos and kill more effectively.
- Farrow Slaughterhousers - if you have some ranged support to scratch up enemies first these are probably the best value weapon masters in the game. POW 12 with Finisher, MAT 9 and Pathfinder on the Charge, ignores tough, and removes from play. These are killers even without Task Master support to push them over the top but want some gun-support (most of which hasn't been discussed here)
- Farrow Valkyries - 8 points for 3 shield guards with Vengeance. Excellent if you either worry about shooting or want to go ARM skew. In general the Task Masters leave them alone because they are only three models to the unit - but they still benefit from being no-knockdown.
- Gatorman Bokor & Bog Trog Swamp Shamblers - recycle dead models into more zombies. Then use the Task Master to make those zombies no-knockdown-tough and get in your opponent's way.
- Gatorman Posse - they don't have the Blindwater Congregation buffs - but are still ARM 18 in melee heavy infantry (to stack with the Agonizer) and gain No Knockdown and +2 POW from the Task Master. In general Skorne players trying to brick up with infantry should play Cataphract Cetrati in Masters of War - but if Minion players want to use their Gators in different ways from Blindwater this is probably the third best way (with Maelok in Blindwater being the first and Rask in Blindwater being the second best way).
- Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew 2 points for a 5" cloud and two DEF 15 models. What's not to love? It's of course possible to use a Task Master with nothing better to do to reposiiton the bellows crew entirely out of the 5" cloud
Minion solos
Remember that all the Lesser Warlocks count as minion models and therefore can't take advantage of Beast Handlers. Only the most useful solos for Skorne have been listed here.
- Bog Trog Mist Speaker - Guidance is something that when you need you need (largely for killing incorporeal models). In any other theme Skorne just use the cheaper Extoller Soulward but it's not allowed here.
- Gatorman Husk A hard to kill ambusher is great on scenario
- Swamp Gobber River Raider - you get what you pay for and these are 1 point solos. Good for scenarios, and to exploit debuffs.
- Eilish Garrity, the Occultist - a standard bag of tricks, most notably shutting down spellcasting infantry who try targeting models within 5" of him. Other than that the Boil Master & Spirit Cauldron is a better Puppet Master, and Skorne tend to use the Cyclops Shaman to remove hostile upkeeps and do a whole lot of other things.
- Feralgeist - 2 point Incorporeal solo.
- Gremlin Swarm - 3 point living incorporeal solo which does things without losing incorporeal.
- Hermit of Henge Hold - the new hotness. Mostly useful for Telemetry and for Ancient Shroud making this model hard to kill as this theme has no problem hitting hard enough. Skorne in general are the players least likely to own the Hermit as other themes get Telemetry from the Immortal Vessel and Skorne are known for hitting hard without his help. Reposition 3" from the Task Master can put his aura in interesting places.
- Orin Midwinter, Rogue Inquisitor - Arcane Vortex on the cheap is great, and boostable e-leap are very useful too.
- Saxon Orrik - Pathfinder on a stick. There are generally better alternatives like the Rush animus for your beasts, and models that provide their own Pathfinder (including Bloodrunners, Croak Raiders, and Slaughterhousers) but he's there if you need him.
- Void Archon - the roving ball of death. Doesn't use the minion slot in The Exalted so is useful outside this theme.
- Wrong Eye & Snapjaw - these guys can't benefit from Beast Handlers or battle group buffs. On the other hand if you're running a DEF skew Star-Crossed is excellent.
Skorne for Minion players
Unlike Skorne players who can play Disciples with just Skorne models, Minion players must get at least a few Skorne models: a warlock and something to spend your Requistion Points on. And almost always a unit of Beast Handlers to turn their beasts into brick-shatterers. (Note that this doesn't mean that beast bricks here are automatically better than in Will Work for Food; free Overtake in that theme is excellent at turning hard hitting beasts into infantry-mulchers. )
Compulsory Skorne models
These options are effectively compulsory for Minion players that want to try this theme. Beast Handlers is the unit that makes Skorne play like Skorne, and the rest are all requisition options.
- Paingiver Beast Handlers (non-requisition unit) - these rather than the actual stats on Skorne heavies is what makes them so feared. Free charges and a choice of +2 STR, fury management, and healing turns shooters fury efficient, Road Hogs and Swamp Horrors into solid hitters, and Warhogs and Blackhide Wrastlers into wreckers.
- Two Paingiver Task Masters - two of them are a requisition option and turn any minion infantry up to 11. With a 7" no-knockdown aura for minions, and the ability to hand minion units either a STR buff, tough, or Reposition, a couple of these guys make up for the lack of minions being friendly faction for Skorne warcasters.
- Agonizer - a lesser warbeast and requisition option, the Agonizer produces an excellent STR debuff, making all your heavies that much tougher.
- The Terrorizer is the new kid on the block - a character Agonizer and requisition option who isn't pathetic (and doesn't debuff STR) but carries the Rush animus for +2" of speed, and it has a surprising punch if the enemy leaves it alive until the end game. It is, however, extremely squishy.
- Basilisk Krea - a light warbeast that produces a 3" bubble for +2 DEF and +2 ARM vs shooting means incoming fire doesn't have right of way. Don't forget the paralytic gaze. And don't forget it's friendly faction, meaning Skorne and your battle group but not your units. Still, an excellent requisition option.
- Aptimus Marketh is the Skorne version of the Gatorman Soul Slave and as such only works with some casters. With the right caster boostable Soul Slaves and free upkeeps are amazing.
Skorne beasts / battle engines
These options are not a "should get" but more of a "should consider getting".
Skorne don't generally have the best collection of heavy warbeasts as they are pretty reliant on Rush and Paingiver Beast Handlers.
- Siege Animantarax - this is essentially an amazing heavy warbeast masquerading as a battle engine. SPD 8, four P+S 18 attacks with knockdown plus an artillery piece on its back. Oh, and impact attacks and ARM 20. It's a scary heavy even when not paired with an excellent debuff warlock.
- Titan Gladiator - Solid offensive power for the points. Slow and very average in its defensive stats. Rush is almost alway an amazing buff to have, and help a lot just about any beasts. If you're willing to buy second hand these guys tend to be cheap as they have been in both versions of the battle group starter set. It is however likely to be deprecated in DoA in favour of The Terrorizer, who's a requisition option with the same great animus, unless you're using the excellent Dominar Rasheth)
- Aradus Soldier - slowest warbeast of the game, but advance deployement and Carapace. Hit like a truck. Specialized beast, generally speaking best for casters who can help its slow speed.
- Bronzeback Titan - Hit like a truck, and a serious contender to hardest hitting warbeast of the game. His animus make him as resilient as a sentry against melee attacks, and his leadership help a lot with fury management. The anti-melee alternative to the Aradus Soldier.
- Archidon - it may hit like a light on steroids, but at 10 points it costs like one. SPD 7, P+S 15 (before Paingiver Beast Handlers), long leash, and sprint make for an extremely good value beast if you can buff it. And with both Paingiver Beast Handlers and the Battle Boar in the theme you absolutely can.
- Titan Sentry - the Sentry is a niche beast whose selling point is its shield. This makes it ARM 21 from the front - or effectively 23 if it's protected by a krea or agonizer as appropriate. So it's great for bricking up. Very decent hitting power with Paingivers.
- Rhinodon - cheaper Titan Sentry, in that its main selling point is to be armor 20 with its animus, while still having decent damage output. Great on average, but quickly become horrible against Purification, Blessed army, and generate a lot of fury which can be a problem.
- Chiron - an expensive, squishy for its price unique drake - or essentially an oversized Road Hog. Its spray is a big selling point, being an accurate, high POW spray 10 he can do during your opponent turn. Fury management for basilisks.
Light warbeasts from Skorne on the other hand are frequently excellent and if going more deeply into Skorne it's worth considering doubling up on Agonizers or Basilisk Kreas.
- Basilisk Drake - a light with a gun stolen from a heavy, the Drake as an 8" range (boostable) POW 14 spray on an 8 point beast, good for burning down both heavies and infantry. It also works well with other basilisks, letting the Krea chew through armour via flanking - and turning Chiron into effective fury management. At ARM 14 it is a bit squishy.
- Cyclops Brute - DEF 13, ARM 18 light with set defense and reach that doesn't need corpses to get it there, the Brute is an excellent combat light.
- Cyclops Shaman with a solo-sniping gun that ignores line of sight, anti-upkeep tech, and the ability to borrow the animus of other warbeasts (mostly Rush from the Gladiator, Rage from the Wrastler, and Force Aura from the Krea) the Shaman is an amazing bag of tricks. They can be kicked into overdrive with the Snipe animus from the Cyclops Raider or Titan Cannoneer.
- Cyclops Raider Generally best as a way to give Snipe to shaman, but he can ignore stealth, have a great range, and his gun hit pretty hard. Too expensive and fury-intensive to spam.
Skorne units/solos
Units/solos have been combined under one heading because there aren't that many Skorne options available in this theme.
- Paingiver Bloodrunner Master Tormentor - a ball of infantry death, advance deployment, apparition, Pathfinder, and Reach get you there - and Anatomical Precision deals with tough and armour, while Weapon Master helps - and Thresher clears their environment. And Stealth and Sprint for safety. Oh, and they can be used to beat up your Animantarax and give it rage tokens so you can run a beast light list without handler support.
- Paingiver Bloodrunners are some of the best advance deploying melee skirmishers in the business. Pathfinder, Apparition, Advance Deployment to get there, Stealth and Reposition to stay alive, and MAT 7, Gang, and Anatomical Precision to kill things. Just remember they can't Apparition the turn they ambush giving them a lower threat range that turn than Farrow Commandos.
- Tyrant Zaadesh - Skorne's Lesser Warlock can only have actual Skorne warbeasts in his battle group.
- Nihilators are an option in this theme, but are only really useful if facing a very specific metagame or if you're abandoning Minions entire and going all-in on Skorne.
Other
Trivia
- Released with the Themeopocalypse (2017.09)
- There is a 2017.09 Insider article about it.
- Merged with the "pure warbeast" theme, Imperial Warhost, in the Theme Remix (2019.08)
Other Skorne models
Rules Clarifications
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Rules Clarification: : Sacrificial Pawn and/or Sucker! and/or Grim Salvation (Edit) |
Differences
From here down, the terms Sacrificial Pawn, Grim Salvation, and Sucker! are interchangeable
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Rules Clarification: Theme Forces (Edit) Themes that change a model's Faction [Show/Hide]
Rerolling the starting roll [Show/Hide]
Warjacks/Warbeasts with bonds [Show/Hide]
Including Mercenaries [Show/Hide]
Number of Mercenaries
Mercenaries and Ranking Officers
Other
Including Partisan Mercenaries [Show/Hide]
Partisans & Theme Forces (Edit)
Requisition Points [Show/Hide]
Free models and Specialists (ADR) [Show/Hide]
Unit Attachments [Show/Hide]
When to apply theme benefits [Show/Hide]
See also these Theme-Specific Rulings [Show/Hide]
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