Void Archon

File:Mercenary Logo.jpg File:Minion Logo.jpg

Template:FH2

This model is playable only in an Unlimited format.

Whatever their nature and however they are connected to the gods, either hidden or lost or forgotten, void archons exist and join the fight against infernals. Some manifest as though of their own will, neither invited nor called, while others answer summoning rites and are bound by mystical chains. Those who fight alongside the Convergence are considered gifts of the Maiden of Gears. Others join skorne armies, thought to be ancestral spirits returned from the Void. Those who join the Retribution are said to be sent by Lacyr herself, proof that their vanished creator still protects her people. Cryxian lich lords bind archons that they view as greater banes, occult weapons endorsed by Toruk himself. Perhaps all or none of these purported origins are true.

Basic Info

Mercenary - Void Archons will work for Template:Convergence mercenary, Template:Cryx mercenary, or Template:Retribution mercenary.

Minion - Void Archons will work for Template:Skorne minion.

Abilities

• Template:Assault
• Template:Flight
• Template:Dark Shroud
• Template:Divine Manifestation
• Template:Entropic Force
• Template:Spectral Scavenger
  • Template:Soul Phase
  • Template:Strength of Death
• Template:Soul Ward
• Template:Void Walk

Weapons

Void Howler
File:Gun icon.jpg		RNG			ROF			AOE			POW
		SP 10			1			Template:-			14
Template:Magical Damage
Void Touch (x2)
File:Sword icon.jpg		RNG				POW				P+S
		1				5				13
Template:Magical Damage

Theme Forces

• Mercenary
  • Template:Operating Theater
  • Template:Strange Bedfellows. It gains Swift Vengeance in this theme.

• Minions
  • Template:Will Work for Food

• Other Factions
  • Convergence players can use this model in the Strange Bedfellows theme. It becomes a "friendly Faction" model and gains Swift Vengeance in this theme.
  • A few themes allow you to take the full FA of Void Archons plus another Mercenary solo. However the Archon does not become a "friendly Faction" model. These themes are:
    • Convergence - Clockwork Legions
    • Cryx - Dark Host
    • Khador - Wolves of Winter (even though it's doesn't normally work for Khador!)
    • Retribution - Shadows of the Retribution
    • Skorne - Disciples of Agony and The Exalted
  • Aside from that, Mercenary/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 the Void Archon

Void Archon in a nutshell

As with most Archons, the Void Archon is a powerful combat solo. Unlike most Archons, it doesn't directly support your army but instead debuffs the enemy with Dark Shroud and Entropic Aura. Also unlike the other Archons it doesn't use Soul Ward to protect souls, instead it scavenges souls to make himself more powerful.

Void Walk makes this Archon particularly difficult to plan for, as it will show up in some inconvenient places and slap a backline model or pop up beside a really high value target to Dark Shroud it. Assault and a 10" spray gives you plenty of chances of triggering Void Walk.

The biggest question about the Void Archon is whether you can deliver it successfully. It's got a decent statline, but ni defensive abilities, soit's not invincible and it's going to attract a lot of incoming damage.

Combos & Synergies

Non-casters

• You can't always rely on getting enemy souls, so you should bring some living troops yourself.
• Shield Guards. It has a decent statline and can take a couple of hits, but it draws a lot of incoming fire. Shield Guard(s) will alleviate some of that.
• In the Strange Bedfellows theme it gains Swift Vengeance. So if a friendly model dies, it gets a soul and a free move+attack.
• In Exalted it starts with 1 soul.

Casters

• Aurora1 - Aerogenesis makes Archons go really fast, under her feat they can back up 5" to apply Dark Shroud where it is needed as well.
• Aurora2 - Aurora makes Archons really, really dangerous. Not only can she grant them Flying High to ensure delivery against guns, her feat also buff the damage of all of their attacks, we are talking about two effective P+S 17 Void Touches here, as well as a POW 16 range 10 spray attack (POW 18 against targets in its melee range), all of which are boostable with souls. If this wasn't enough, under feat and with Phantom Protocol an Archon can end up 24" from where it started its turn (Charge 11" with +2 SPD, Void Walk 8", Repo 5").
• Old Witch2 - Curse of Shadows increases its damage, Wind Storm protects it from shooting, its biggest weakness.
• Thexus - TK and feat stuff around to set up spray angles and charges, Decel protects against shooting.
• Lord Azazello, The Castellan - out of activation attacks a powerful feat and Storm Rager

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Large base, DEF 14, ARM 17, 12 damage boxes and no defence against shooting bar its statline. This thing is a bullet magnet!
• For Cryx, multiple Archons are allowed in Dark Host, but that theme is already full of Dark Shroud.
• Soul Phase only lasts a turn, not a round, so it doesn't protect you during the enemy turn. This means it lets you A - avoid non magical free strikes, and B - let your other models move through it for the rest of the turn.
• It's not a partisan to any of the factions it works for, so if you play outside of mercs or minions it can only ever receive non faction friendly buffs, unless you play it in the Strange Bedfellows theme force where it becomes both a merc and a Convergence model.

Tricks & Tips

• It can go in the Khador theme Wolves of Winter even though it's not a Khador Mercenary.

• Void Walk can trigger off a ranged attack or a melee attack.
• Void Walk + Assault
  • If you make an unsuccessful charge then you get the spray but no teleport.
  • If you make a successful charge and kill your charge with the spray - then you can teleport and make your initial attacks vs something else (or stay still and attack something already in melee range).
  • If you make a successful charge and don't kill your charge target with the spray, but kill something else - then you have the same options as before.

• Don't forget that Dark Shroud applies to ranged attacks too (but only models that are actually in your melee range, not the whole spray).

• Most of the time it is better to teleport backwards and stay safe, rather than teleport forwards to be greedy.

• Soul Phase only lasts during your own turn. Since you already have flight, Soul Phase only has two real uses:
  1. Ignore free strikes (unless the free striker has a magical weapon)
  2. Let your other models move through the Archon after it has activated.

Other

Trivia

Released 2019-10