We’ve seen how Cogforts work on the tabletop, now learn how those marching in the shadow of such technological titans operate.
The tenacious and courageous mortal armies of Sigmar bring devastating blackpowder weapons, armoured cavalry, and brave frontline warriors to claim victory in the name of the God-King. The faction rules from their new battletome focus on using discipline and a combined-arms approach to overcome your enemies. But before you march to war, you have to Form Up!
While under orders, your units gain access to a range of extra abilities, representing just how reliable and dependable these stalwart warriors are. For example, Take Aim! with your Freeguild Fusiliers and improve the accuracy of your ranged attacks.
FORM UP!
Start of Battle Round
Once the order is given, shieldwalls and cannon batteries link up to form a fortress of flesh and steel that little can stand against.
Declare: Pick a friendly CITIES OF SIGMAR unit to use this ability, then pick 2 other visible friendly CITIES OF SIGMAR units wholly within 12" of it to be the targets.
The unit using this ability and the targets:
cannot be under orders.
must each be a different unit type.
Effect: For the rest of the battle round, the unit using this ability and the targets are under orders.
Designer’s Note: ‘Unit type’ refers to the name of the warscroll (Core Rules, 4.0), e.g. ‘Freeguild Cavalier-Marshal’ or ‘Cannonade Cogfort’.
TAKE AIM!
Once Per Turn (Army), Your Shooting Phase
While their shield-slogging comrades keep the foe at bay, sharpshooters rain down punishing volumes of fire on helpless foes.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit that is under orders to use this ability.
Effect: Pick 1 of that unit’s ranged weapons. Add 1 to hit rolls for shooting attacks made with that weapon for the rest of the turn.
It’s important to note that Form Up! is not a once-per-turn ability, which means you’ll always need to be thinking about how you can ensure your army is in blocks of three. This becomes harder as the game progresses and your units start getting killed off, so having a plan or some redundancy is key. Keeping your army together and having a few spare heroes to move around works, and clever use of Redeploy and Counter-charge will also help.
Tahlia Vedra and the Freeguild Marshal with Relic Envoy both have abilities to get units under orders, so if the chaos of battle means your line is starting to crumble, you’ll still have opportunities to get your troops back in line.
Many of the Cities of Sigmar warscrolls also have abilities that are in effect while a unit is under orders. After taking aim, the Fusiliers can adopt a Fortified Position, allowing them to use their fusil-cannons at point-blank range.
FREEGUILD FUSILIERS
FORTIFIED POSITION
Passive
Heavy pavises are slammed into the dirt, forming a wall of oak and iron as strong as a fortification.
Effect: While this unit is under orders:
This unit’s ranged weapons have Shoot in Combat.
Subtract 1 from the Rend characteristic of weapons used for attacks that target this unit.
The shield-slogging comrades mentioned in the Take Aim! ability can be ordered to Hurl Them Back! – punishing the enemy for daring to charge into your Freeguild Gallants. You can get your elite infantry up to three attacks with Rend 2 and Damage 2, which is before you start looking at other combinations, such as Crit (Mortal) from an Alchemite Warforger or Damage 3 against wizards and manifestations thanks to the Ven Densts.
HURL THEM BACK!
Once Per Turn (Army), Any Combat Phase
After the enemy has spent their fury, the Sigmarites heave forward, shoving their foes off balance and leaving them open to a killing blow.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit that is under orders and in combat with an enemy unit that charged this turn to use this ability.
Effect: For the rest of the turn, add 1 to the Rend characteristic of that unit’s melee weapons.
One of the new battle formations lets you double down when you are charged – Throngs of the Faithful means you’ll be adding 1 to your wound rolls too. This opens up some great opportunities to set the perfect trap for your opponent.
If you prefer to go on the attack, why not crack out one of the Treasures of the Cities? Give The Last Blade of Embergard to your Freeguild Cavalier-Marshal* and watch them hack their way through enemy lines.
ZEALOUS HORDES
THRONGS OF THE FAITHFUL
Once Per Turn (Army), Reaction: Your opponent declared a Fight ability
All that remains in these Sigmarites’ hearts is a burning desire for vengeance against the reavers who slaughtered their loved ones.
Effect: For the rest of the turn, add 1 to wound rolls for combat attacks made by friendly SIGMARITE units that target the enemy unit using that FIGHT ability.
THE LAST BLADE OF EMBERGARD
Deployment Phase
This chipped and scratched blade grows steadily hotter as allies and enemies fall, fuelled by the fury of battle.
Effect: This unit can use this ability while it is in reserve. Pick 1 of this unit’s non-Companion melee weapons. Add 2 to that weapon’s Attacks characteristic and Rend characteristic for the rest of the battle.
You can call on the arcane arts to empower another unit in your army. Cast High Star’s Light on your Freeguild Cavaliers so they follow in the footprints (hoofprints?) of their Marshal and hit home hard with additional attacks.
Your Priests can also recite from the Scriptures of Sigmar. Chant the Reckoning of Sinners prayer and ensure that crucial objectives stay under the control of the followers of the God-King. If you chant loud enough, you may create sufficient fervour to inspire a second unit to cast down non-believers.
HIGH STAR’S LIGHT
Your Hero Phase (6)
The mage summons a simulacrum of Sigendil, the High Star of Azyr, to inspire their allies to the greatest heights of valour.
Declare: Pick a friendly CITIES OF SIGMAR WIZARD to cast this spell, pick a visible friendly CITIES OF SIGMAR unit wholly within 12" of them to be the target, then make a casting roll of 2D6.
Effect: Add 1 to the Attacks characteristic of the target’s melee weapons for the rest of the turn.
KEYWORDS: SPELL
RECKONING OF SINNERS (5)
Your Hero Phase
Searing oratory causes enemies to be stricken by the weight of the sins and outrages they have committed against the God-King’s folk.
Declare: Pick a friendly CITIES OF SIGMAR PRIEST to chant this prayer, pick a visible friendly CITIES OF SIGMAR unit wholly within 12" of them to be the target, then make a chanting roll of D6.
Effect: If the chanting roll was 10+, you can pick another eligible unit to be a second target. Until the start of your next turn, enemy units have a maximum control score of 1 while they are in combat with any of the targets.
KEYWORDS: PRAYER
The new faction rules open up lots of options for Cities of Sigmar generals, and the key will be ensuring that your units are under orders for as much of the battle as possible to get the best from your disciplined force. The easiest way to do this is to take a variety of units, and you’ll find that well-balanced armies perform best in battle – just as Sigmar intended.
The new Cities of Sigmar battletome is available for pre-order from Saturday, along with a whole host of new units. We’ll be taking a look at what some of them will bring to your army tomorrow, so stay tuned to Warhammer Community.
* Or give one to your Fusil-Major on Warhulk and watch that mace go to six attacks with Rend 4 and Damage 2 – ouch!
