Theme - Defenders of Ios
Template:Retribution Theme Force
This mk3 Theme Force has no equivalent in mk4. You can build a similar army in Unlimited Retribution (if/when the models in this theme get ported to mk4 rules) |
When Ios itself is threatened, the Homeguard Coalition leverages the assets of all the halltyr to form an army made up of the diverse forces of housguard warriors and the combined might of countless Iosan houses.
Theme Rules
- For the core rules on how Theme Forces work, see this article.
Theme Restrictions
An army made use the Defenders of Ios theme force can include only the following Retribution models:
- Retribution warcasters
- Non-character warjacks
- Hypnos
- Template:Houseguard models/units
- Template:Nyss models/units
- House Template:Ellowuyr models/units
- House Vyre Electromancers units
- Arcanist solos
- Elara, Tyro of the Third Chamber
- Template:Fane Knight solos
- Template:Ghost solos
- Lys Healer solos
- Sylys Wyshnalyrr
- Retribution battle engines
- This army can also include one Mercenary solo and one Mercenary unit that will work for Retribution.
- These models/units can be included even if they have the Partisan [Retribution] rule.
- Mercenary units can have non-Ranking Officer attachments
Full model list
Requisition Options
Each Requistion Point can be spent on either:
- One Retribution weapon crew unit
- One Retribution command attachment
- Two Ghost Sniper solos
- Two Houseguard Thane solos
- Two Lys Healer solos
- One other small- or medium-based Retribution solo with a points cost of 5 or less
Theme Bonuses
- Retribution solos, House Vyre Electromancer units, and Stormfall Archer units in this army gain Reposition [3˝].
- Before models are deployed at the start of the game, you can place a wall template anywhere completely within 20" of the rear table edge of your deployment zone. The template cannot be placed within 3˝ of an obstacle or obstruction. The template is an obstacle that grants cover.
Thoughts on Defenders of Ios
Defenders of Ios in a nutshell
These is a theme all about infantry. Mobile shooting infantry to be precise. It allows Stormfall Archers, House Vyre Electromancers, and solos to hit & run, and melee units to engage faster.
While Legions of Dawn focuses more on the melee aspect of Retribution with Flanking Myrmidons, Sentinels and Destors, Defenders employs shooting of extreme quality and nothing exemplifies this more that the Arcantric Force Generator only available in this theme. It's a giant control piece threatening to set up assassinations and also increases the range of Myrmidon guns and at least one, possibly two, should be taken at all times. More powerful shooting can be found in the units in Riflemen, Nyss Hunters, Stromfall Archers and Heavy Rifle Teams, but also in the solos with Eiryss1, 2 and 4 as well as Ghost Snipers. As the theme gives all the solos Reposition 3" and lets you take two Ghost Snipers as a single requisition option, it makes them extremely compelling choices. The theme doen't lack for good melee pieces either, though, offering you the choice between Halberdiers, Ryssovass and their respective solos and Swordsmen. Thus you can alternae between gunlines, triple battle engine lists, or a combined arms approach, giving you extreme flexibility.
Theme Weaknesses
Defenders is the most flexible theme in Retribution and any potential weakness a particular model/unit may have can be mitigated by ypur overall list build.
Low POW
Defenders of Ios isn't the most hard hitting theme.
Low scenario presence
It is not great at scenario owing to to the inherent weaknesses of Retribution infantry (cannot weather an alpha, cannot rely on caster intervention, feats aside, to help them hit harder).
Terrain mitigation
There is an almost complete absence of Pathfinder in the list which can only be solved by two casters and a third's feat.
List-Building Tips
This is a very flexible theme, as mentioned above, which makes it hard to give any generic tips.
It is noteable that between Ryssovass and Ghost Snipers, you can have an army where almost everything does targeted damage.
Casters with mass stationary (such as Goreshade4 and Kaelyssa) can abuse Electromancers and/or Eiryss1 to render enemy jacks useless for a round. First make the warjack stationary, then disrupt them so they get no focus to shake it.
Starting a 25 point Brawl list
In 2021.05 Phillip Melvin, one of the LOS authors, put together this list for the Brawlmachine format. It was then updated for the 2021.10 errata. He even wrote about it's playstyle and expanding it beyond 25 points, which you can read here
- House Ellowuyr Warden Executioner: [6 pts]
- Houseguard Thane: [3 pts]
- Arcanist Mechanik: [2 pts]
- Stormfall Archers: [7 pts]
- House Vyre Electromancers: [5 pts]
- Heavy Rifle Team: [Free] Template:Grey
Similarly in 2020.11 Jaden Iwassa, another LOS author, put together this list and article.
- Arcanist Mechanik: [2 pts]
- Eiryss1: [Free] Template:Grey
- Scythe: [6 pts]
- Houseguard Halberdiers (Min unit) [8 pts]
- Officer & Standard: [4 pts]
Total RRP: USD $200 (based on PP's online store prices 2021.04)|
- Note - This list/article was written before the 2021.10 Errata and therefore may have incorrect point values. In addition Kaelyssa has been added to the Epic list as of the Brawlmachine 1.2 Update.
Casters
- Kaelyssa, Night's Whisper - She loves AFGs to put refuge on and Blur is excellent on any of the bigger units. As mentioned above she also like Electromancers to follow up her stationary shots.
- Lord Ghyrrshyld, the Forgiven - He makes everything better and having a horde of angry Nyss capitalise on his ARM debuff and excellent shooting to make use of his anti stealth makes him feel right at home in this theme. Also, again, his feat and Electromancers go very well together.
- Lord Arcanist Ossyan - He cranks up anything shooty to eleven and unless Mage HUnter Strike Forces are your jam, you won't find better shooting anywhere else.
- Elara, Death's Shadow - Halberdiers under feat and Scything Touch are extremely fast and hit like a ton of bricks.
- Adeptis Rahn - Probably better in Forges but if he uses his kit to make Nyss Hunters not die to blasts and uses Priests of Nyssor and Lanyssa, backed up by his beloved Sphinx, for his feat he can make the theme work for him.
- Issyria, Sibyl of Dawn - She makes the list blindingly (heh) fast and her feat does wonders for anything shooty.
- Thyron, Sword of Truth - It's the home theme of his designated unit, the Swordsmen, and Spell Piercing Heave Rifle Teams are the icing on the cake.
Other
Trivia
Released in the themeopaclypse (2017.09)
Other Retribution themes/models
Rules Clarifications
- The size of the wall template is 0.75" by 4". (Infernal Ruling)