Theme - Winds of Death
This mk3 Theme Force has no equivalent in mk4. You can build a similar army in Unlimited Skorne (if/when the models in this theme get ported to mk4 rules) |
Although hoksune emphasizes melee combat above other forms of war, the armies of the skorne have been forced to adapt in order to counter the long-ranged capabilities of their western adversaries. New armies composed almost entirely of Venators are being drawn up for the first time to battle the enemy on equal footing, giving these low-caste warriors an esteem they have never before experienced. The ranged weapons of the Venators fill the air with clouds of razor-sharp needles and rain down death on the enemy with chymical ammunition and the artillery of heavy weapon crews.
Theme Rules
- For the core rules on how Theme Forces work, see this article.
Theme Restrictions
An army made use the Winds of Death theme force can include only the following Skorne models:
- Skorne warlocks
- Non-character warbeasts
- Template:Venator models/units
- Paingiver Beast Handlers units
- Template:Extoller solos
- Mortitheurge Willbreaker solos
- Skorne battle engines
- This army can also include up to one Minion solo and one Minion unit 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
Requisition Points
Each Requistion Point can be spent on either:
- Two Extoller Soulward solos
- One Venator Weapon Crew unit
- One Skorne command attachment
- One other small or medium based Skorne solo with a cost of five or less
Theme Bonuses
- Weapon crew units in this army gain Reposition [3"]
- Before models are deployed at the start of the game, you can place one wall template.
- It must be completely within 20" of the rear table edge of your deployment zone.
- It cannot be placed within 3" of an obstacle, or obstruction.
- It counts as an obstacle that grants cover.
Thoughts on Winds of Death
Winds of Death in a Nutshell
It's intended for a very shooty list and although this isn't Skorne's area of expertise it works at that and the Skorne are an excellent all-round faction. Unfortunately, although there is nothing wrong with either group of Venator infantry, they don't tend do do as well as models with more of a plan as although they are fairly costed and never completely wrong for the job there are almost always abilities the Venators do't use. Which can include minions and can include Cataphracts.
The biggest use of Winds of Death is that it is the only Skorne theme force to allow both Skorne's excellent battle engines; the Siege Animantarax and the Supreme Guardian, both of which are excellent in play. This is no longer as big a thing as it was after the rebalancepocalypse.
Theme Weaknesses
- This list has no melee infantry - indeed no infantry above MAT 5 or P+S 8 in melee.
- Venators are RAT 5 and either RNG 10 POW 10 or RNG 12 POW 12 so there's little they excel at killing although they can do something against everything - and DEF and ARM 12-13 meaning they die in a stiff breeze.
- the theme benefits are also kind of lacking too. Weapon crews have inherent weaknesses in every army they feature in (easy to kill, low speed, poor support options, low model count) and the wall you produce is just as likely to help your enemy in the late game as it helps you in the early.
List Building Tips
For requisition points the Soulwards are six points between them and the Flayer Cannons are five. Otherwise four's about the best you can do - but two Soulwards and two Flayer Cannons are 16 points and well worth it.
Starting a 25 point 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. It has been tweaked to the post October 2021 points costs, which has lead to the minimum unit of Venator Reivers being upgraded to a maximum unit due to points cost reductions on multiple models.
- Lord Assassin Morghoul: [+29 WBP]
- Aptimus Marketh: [4 pts]
- Titan Cannoneer: [14 pts]
- Cyclops Shaman: [7 pts]
- Basilisk Drake: [8 pts]
- Venator Dakar: [3 pts]
- Venator Reivers (Max unit): [13 pts]
- Command Attachment: [3 pts]
- Venator Flayer Cannon Crew: [Free] Template:Grey
Total RRP: USD $221 (based on PP's online store prices 2021.04)
Caster Thoughts
Skorne shooting revolves round our debuff casters.
- Dominar Rasheth has an ARM debuff and that excellent feat.
- Lord Assassin Morghoul has Mortality, his assassinations, and loves both the Siege Animantarax and getting Aptimus Marketh for free.
- Beast Master Xekaar loves free Marketh and having a wall to hide behind.
- Lord Tyrant Hexeris has Parasite to help you shatter heavies. Venator Slingers can do some really nasty things to parasited warjacks.
- Lord Arbiter Hexeris can get infantry shot off the board via Black Spot and also really does good things for the Siege Animantarax.
- Primus Jalaam has guns of his own, Dead Eye, and a decent toolbox to handle return fire. Because he lacks a damage buff he can struggle to leverage the volume of pow 10 attacks effectively so you will need to build around that.
There are also a number of beast-brick casters who've been running this theme because they want an infantry skirmish screen in front of their bricks; a free Swift Hunter is good as is making your skirmish screen even cheaper although most actual beast brick casters go into Disciples of Agony for minion beasts and either minion skirmishers or Paingiver Bloodrunners.
Other
Trivia
Released 2017.09
Other Skorne models
Rules Clarifications
- The size of the wall template is 0.75" by 4". (Infernal Ruling)