Theme - Storm of the North
Template:Trollblood Theme Force
This mk3 Theme Force is somewhat similar to the mk4 Legacy Army. If you're planning on starting a mk4 Storm of the North army you may get some use out of this article, espcially the In a Nutshell, the Theme Weaknesses, and maybe even the List-Building Tips sections. |
For generations the Northkin have stood as disparate clans, fighting one another as often as they battled the many rivals who surround them. For the first time in centuries, these hardy northern folk now fight for a common purpose. Resilient warriors wage war alongside the legendary warbeasts of the trollkin, while powerful warlocks wield arcane might to enhance the battle prowess of their warbands. All opposition is crushed beneath the Northkin onslaught or is frozen and shattered by the power of winter itself.
Theme Rules
- For the core rules on how Theme Forces work, see this article.
Theme Restrictions
An army made using the Storm of the North theme force can include only the following Trollblood models:
- Trollblood warlocks
- Non-character warbeasts
- Rök
- Template:Champion models/units
- Template:Long Rider models/units
- Template:Northkin models/units
- Template:Scout models/units
- Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes units
- Kriel Warrior units
- Fell Caller Hero solos
- Trollkin Runebearer solos
- Troll Whelp solos
- This army can also include one Minion solo and one Minion unit that will work for Trollbloods.
- These models/units can be included even if they have the Partisan [Trollblood] rule.
- Minion units can have non-Ranking Officer attachments
Full model list
Requisition Points
You can spend each Requisition Point on either:
- One Trollblood CA
- Five Troll Whelp solos
- One other Small- or medium-based Trollblood solo with a point cost of 5 or less
Theme Bonuses
- Non-warlock Trollblood warrior models in this army become Northkin models and gain Immunity: Cold.
- Warlocks in this army can upkeep spells on friendly Northkin model/units without spending fury.
- Tip: Combine the two theme benefits and the result is you get free upkeeps on everything in your army, except for some warbeasts.
- Before models are deployed, you can place two 4" AOE snowdrift terrain features anywhere completely within 20" of the rear edge of your deployment zone. Models without Immunity: Cold treat snowdrifts as rough terrain. Models with Immunity: Cold gain concealment while completely within a snowdrift.
Thoughts on Storm of the North
Storm of the North in a nutshell
While most themes try to be mini-factions, this is one of the few that truly is - with lots of potential playstyles and -rounded options to choose from. It has decent heavy melee (bears, champs, Long Riders), decent shooting (Fire Eaters, Raiders, Lookouts), its own Krielstone attachment that can make everyone faster, and in general it's a great all-round theme. This means that anyone looking to start trolls might find this a very good place to start.
Between Northkin Fire Eaters, Northkin Raiders, and Pyg Lookouts and a mostly ranged battlegroup you can put together a pretty impressive Kriel Company-style gunline with a slightly better threat range thanks to the movement buff, and massive scenario presence thanks to the advance deployment. On the other hand between the Northkin Bear Handler & Battle Bears, the Trollkin Champions, and the Long Riders you can put together a Band of Heroes-style melee infantry line (although you don't get the RFP effect). On the third hand between the bears and the specialist Northkin Krielstone you hit harder against enemy bricks.
With all the advance deployment and even ambushes allowed to this theme you can have some pretty impressive scenario presence.
Theme weaknesses
There aren't really any weaknesses in this theme; there are things other themes do better - but this is an absurdly flexible theme force with heavy infantry, light infantry, shooters, support, and a battle engine. The only real weaknesses this faction-within-a-faction has is that other themes are more focused.
Major reasons to use the other Trollblood themes
- Band of Heroes - the anti-tough/remove from play theme bonus is good. Also Trollkin Fennblades for an absurd melee threat range thanks to Vengeance and No Quarter, or Trollkin Warders for tough cheap shield guards.
- Kriel Company - If you want either a tank squadron with the War Wagon or Ledfoot & Tredz and a Pyg Tank or two (as well as the Hooch Hauler) or want flexibility with your shooters (mostly Trollkin Scouts for grievous wounds, Scattergunners for sprays, or Pyg Burrowers)
- Power of Dhunia - this is the warbeast theme and has the best fury management of any Trollblood theme.
Starter Set
Unlike most themes, the Storm of the North has a starter set. This is not a great purchase as you only save about 2% over buying the contents individually and, unless you're a brand new Troll player, you probably already own a Krielstone unit.
The contents are:
- A 6-man unit of Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes plus their Northkin command attachment.
- A 3-man unit of Northkin Fire Eaters.
- A 3-man unit of Northkin Bear Handler & Battle Bears.
- 5 Troll Whelps solos
- A Trollkin Runebearer solo
- Valka Curseborn, Chieftain of the North, a character solo
- This adds up to 29 points, plus Valka who you'll take as your first free card.
You'll notice that there is no warlock or warbeasts included. This set is intended to be an add-on to the battlebox starter.
List Building Tips
There are far too many options to this theme to really narrow it down other than that the Krielstone is normally bought with the Northkin attachment rather than the regular Stone Scribe. Unfortunately, without the regular Stone Scribe, your main way of dealing with incorporeal enemies will need to come from from the Northkin Shaman, Trollkin Sorcerer, and/or Bog Trog Mist Speaker.
The most expensive options you can get for free are:
- Valka Curseborn, Chieftain of the North (6 points)
- Fell Caller Hero (5 points)
- Trollkin Champion Hero (5 points)
- Skaldi Bonehammer (the Trollkin Champions' Command Attachment) (5 points)
- Trollkin Runebearer - you'll know if you want one based on your warlock. (5 points)
Note that the following warbeasts are Northkin and will benefit from free upkeeps:
- Dire Troll Brawler
- Glacier King
- Ice Troll
- Rök
- Troll Basher
- Winter Troll
- And anything in Borka2's battlegroup
Starting a 25 point Brawl list
In 2020.11 Jaden Iwassa, one of the LOS authors, put together this list for the Brawlmachine format. He even wrote about it's playstyle, which you can read here.
- Borka2: [+27 WBP]
- Pyre Troll: [8 pts]
- Rök: [19 pts]
- Fell Caller Hero: [5 pts]
- Gremlin Swarm: [3 pts]
- Valka Curseborn, Chieftain of the North: [Free] Template:Grey
- Northkin Bear Handler & Battle Bears: [10 pts]
- Northkin Fire Eaters: [7 pts]
Total RRP: USD $261 (based on PP's online store prices 2021.03)
Simarily in 2021.03 Phillip Melvin, another of the LOS authors, put together this list and this article.
- Madrak1: [+29 WBP]
- Earthborn Dire Troll: [16 pts]
- Troll Impaler: [9 pts]
- Pyre Troll: [8 pts]
- Valka Curseborn, Chieftain of the North: [Free] Template:Grey
- Dhunian Archon: [6 pts]
- Troll Whelp: [1 pt]
- Trollkin Champions (Max unit): [16 pts]
Total RRP: USD $202 (based on PP's online store prices 2021.06)
Casters of Note
- Borka is a Northkin warlock, and Borka2 in particular gains nice things from this theme.
- Jarl Skuld loves to upkeep for free. Especially as it's the only way he is ever going to be able to fuel the Krielstone.
Other
Trivia
Released in the Themeopolcalypse (2017.09)
