Spire of Dawn

No cool new box art, but a new sample paint scheme.

Spire Of Dawn is an Age of Sigmar boxed set containing an Aelves force and a Skaven force. It is a rerelease of the Warhammer Fantasy 8th edition starter set Island of Blood. It functions as a starter set for the game, or as a startup force for the two? (since those models belong to different subfactions now) armies. Contains the Warscroll Battalion info for both forces as well as two Pitched Battle Profiles.

Interestingly enough, its the first Age of Sigmar set to contain both round bases AND square bases (which are no longer used by any Games Workshop game) suggesting that they just didn't bother to remove the square base when they repackaged the things.

Lore

From the Games Workshop website: The Dawnspire stands at the edge of the Transient Isles. Immense, drifting islands of black stone hanging in the air above an azure sea, they were once the subject of foul sorceries, a powerful Chaos wizard seeking to bring them crashing down. The mages of the Eldritch Council were able to stop this foul ritual, but not before two of the islands were lost to the depths.

To protect the isles, the Dawnspire was created; housing objects of incredible power, it is protected by the most elite warriors the Transient Isles have ever known. Yet cruel eyes glow in the corners of the realms. fixated on the Dawnspire, intent on harnessing its power for their own dark purpose…

Dawnspire is a fantastic box set filled with Citadel miniatures, with a book telling the story of the Skaven Warlord Ripsnikk’s attempt to take the Dawnspire from the Swifthawk Agents who protect it.

Models

Contained are the same models as in the Island Of Blood, although notably at a slightly cheaper price (IoB cost around $120 USD, SoD costs around $80 USD). Of note is the fact that you can play these at 1000pts with just a chariot and a warplightning cannon (as opposed to having to buy another IoB set because the high elves' part was in no way a legal list even when doubling)

Aelves

• 1 High Warden
• 1 Archmage
• 10 Swordmasters
• 10 Spireguard
• 5 Reavers

Skaven

• 1 Skaven Warlord
• 1 Warlock Engineer
• 1 Packmaster
• 2 units of 20 Clanrats
• 2 Rat Ogors
• 1 Poisoned Wind Mortar Weapon Team
• 1 Warpfire Thrower Weapon Team

Current Viability

So more that half of this box is now no longer used in actual Matched Play. Now this doesn’t mean it’s worthless. You just have to get creative with some of the models. And before any lore police start screaming, there are Aelven Freeguild Regiments according to the Cities of Sigmar Battletome.

• The High Warden makes for a perfect Freeguild General on Griffon.
• Archmage and Packmaster are good as a Battlemage and Master Moulder Respectively.
• The Swordmasters can be used as Bleakswords or Freeguild Greatswords.
• Similarly, the Spireguard make excellent Dreadspears or Freeguild Guard.
• Just give the Reavers your choice in guns and you got a unit of Freeguild Pistoliers, Outriders, or Dark Riders.
• The Poisoned Wind Mortar Team can be split into two Skryre Acolyte models.

See Also

Island of Blood