On Tuesday, Adrian from Tabletop Titans told us about the two new Spearhead forces from the City of Ash boxed set. Now, we’re looking at the new battle tactics, commands, and twists that will shake up your fast-paced skirmish games.
As experienced Spearhead commanders know, each army has a deck of battle tactics cards to draw from, each of which contains a goal to strive for and a command that can aid you. You can choose to score a battle tactic at the end of your turn for crucial victory points, or you can use the command for a one-off benefit – either way, the card is spent. Each side of the new gameboard in the City of Ash boxed set – the Shattered Crossroads or the Ashen Bastion – also has a twist deck associated with it. These add an additional rule for the battle round, which will usually be of most benefit to the player currently losing the game.
Many of the battle tactics and twists involve relics – valuable treasures that rival forces are seeking. For example, in the Ashen Bastion, you may be lucky enough to turn the Equivalent Escalades twist and discover the Barrel of Emberstone.
ASHEN BASTION TWIST
EQUIVALENT ESCALADES
By a twist of fate, both forces receive the order to besiege their enemy’s defences at the same moment.
Each player scores 1 extra victory point at the end of their turn if they control the large terrain feature in enemy territory.
The underdog must place the Barrel of Emberstone. If there is no underdog, the players roll off and the winner must place it.
Each relic also has a unique ability, which can be used by either side. As the mysterious emberstone leaks from the barrel, it makes even the most ordinary warrior into a killing machine.
BARREL OF EMBERSTONE
Once Per Turn (Army), Your Hero Phase
Aqshian realmstone stokes the battle fervour of those in its vicinity, lending strength to their sword arms.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit within 3" of this relic to be the target.
Effect: Add 1 to wound rolls for the target’s attacks for the rest of the turn.
Certain battle tactics, such as Material Gains, make controlling relics even more important. Of course, if it looks like you might have lost out in the relic rush, you can always just unleash the Grind Them to Dust command, and attack twice with one of your units. This can be especially useful with the Gutter Runners and Night Runners, as they both have the Reinforcements keyword and so have less to fear from D3 mortal damage.
BATTLE TACTIC
MATERIAL GAINS
Valuable resources lie scattered about this quarter of Embergard. Secure them before the enemy can do the same.
You complete this battle tactic at the end of your turn if you control more relics than your opponent.
COMMAND
GRIND THEM TO DUST
Any Combat Phase
These warriors fight with reckless fury to annihilate the enemy.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit to use this ability.
Effect: That unit can use 2 FIGHT abilities this phase. After the first is used, however, inflict
D3 mortal damage on that unit and it has STRIKE-LAST for the rest of the turn.
Our favourite twist is Assassinate. Choosing a target as the mark is very in-keeping with how Deathmaster Crixxit likes to operate, while also letting the underdog place the most unassuming of relics – the Inconspicuous Manhole
SHATTERED CROSSROADS TWIST
ASSASSINATE
The timely elimination of a chosen foe can all but ensure victory.
Starting with the active player, each player picks an enemy unit to be the mark. Each player receives 1 extra victory point at the end of the battle round if the enemy mark is destroyed this battle round.
The underdog must place the Inconspicious Manhole. If there is no underdog, the players roll off and the winner must place it.
What happens if you open the Inconspicuous Manhole? Well, the tunnels under Embergard can be used to give you quite the tactical advantage, allowing you to pop back up where your enemy least expects it in friendly territory.
INCONSPICUOUS MANHOLE
Once Per Turn (Army), Your Movement Phase
Embergard is built atop a warren of tunnels that can be traversed to gain a tactical advantage.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit wholly within 3" of this relic to be the target.
Effect: Remove the target from the battlefield and set it up again wholly within friendly territory and more than 6" from all enemy units.
Of course, rats love the sewer – but we also enjoy the idea of a unit of Freeguild Grenadiers heading down there, blasting away with their ruin-sweeper arsenal before they emerge smelling like the sweet scent of success.
If Sigmar/the Great Horned Rat (deleted as appropriate) smiles down on you, then maybe you’ll flip Assassinate while you’re holding the Cut Off the Head battle tactic. Simply name Jorvan Kreel or Crixxit as your mark, and you could earn two victory points for a single kill!
BATTLE TACTIC
CUT OFF THE HEAD
Claim the head of the enemy’s general to shatter their morale.
You complete this battle tactic at the end of your turn if the enemy general was slain this turn
OR the enemy general was slain in an earlier turn and any enemy units were destroyed this turn.
COMMAND
COUNTER-CHARGE
Enemy Charge Phase
These warriors charge forth to stall the enemy’s advance or enact a bold interception.
Declare: Pick a friendly unit that is not in combat to use this ability.
Effect: That unit can use a CHARGE ability as if it were your charge phase.
These new rules work with any Spearhead force, so the general you’re trying to slay could just as easily be the Arch-Revenant from the Spitewing Flight or the War Despot from the Helforge Host. In fact, all Spearheads will find new tactical options and strategic challenges in the rules from the City of Ash boxed set.
Spearhead: City of Ash is available to pre-order from Saturday. While you’re waiting, catch up with how you can use the new Clans Eshin miniatures in Warhammer Age of Sigmar with the free battletome supplement.
* Nothing is quite as conspicuous as something with the word “inconspicuous” in front of it.
