Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Destruction/Sons of Behemat

Grand Alliance Destruction Sons of Behemat

Big and friendly these giants are not...

Lore Tactics General Tactics

Three new, MASSIVE THICC BOIS, the biggest plastic GW kit so far, able to stare Archaon in the eye while he's on Dorghar; plus some regular gargants; are ready stomp on your face.

Up for pre-order this weekend, more information has been trickling out, and there's plenty to go with.

Why Play Sons Of Behemat?

• 'Cuz they are fucken GIANTS. Chicks dig drunken giants.
• Ultra elite army. In 2000pts min six models, max ten.
• No need to bother with that other faff other factions have to think about: No allies, no wizards (unless you take an item from the Takers Tribe), no endless spells, no battalions, no faction scenery, no special dice.
• In 40k your favorite army are Imperial Knights.
• You watched Attack on Titan and sympathized more with the naked monsters than the humans (can’t say I blame you).

Pros:

• Getting your army built and painted will be really quick, despite the initial impression. Given they are basically oversized fa/tg/uys, they are ripe for customization too.
• Rending attacks everywhere.
• Decent shooting attacks (including Drogg's halitosis).
• Single model units are immune to bravery checks. Nagash's boney boys aren't the only faction to ignore bravery anymore by technicallity.
• If you thought Nurgle was EXTRA THICC...
• Unspeakably beefy. All your giants have a bunch of wounds, with your mega-gargants having more wounds than the oversized HQs of other factions while being immune to instant death.
• Your faction acronym is SoB.
• Shit-ton of tidbits to share with your gaming group: shields, bones, debri, even animal pieces! this all makes for fantastic scenery, terrains,and all kinds of kitbashes.

Cons:

• You're the AoS equivalent of Knight players.
• Just two kits. (Okay, one of those is amazing, and the other is ok)
• Everyone is a MONSTER, so good luck surviving specialist monster hunters. Other Destruction factions, especially Bonesplitterz Warclans and Beastclaw Raiders Mawtribes, will be your bane.
• Max one spell unbind makes you vulnerable to debuff spells and unable to stop your opponent buffing their troops. Not to mention said unbinding is limited to a single artifact for the Taker Tribe.
• Being ultra elite, you’re almost always bringing single digit models.
• No battalions means no one drop options and limited artifacts.
• +4 Save is by no way bad. But that's all you have to defend yourself without taking the FnP artifact (keyword: Artifact). So don't think you can sponge MW all day long.
• Your faction acronym is SoB. Could have been a lot worse...

Rulebooks

Faction rules and abilities: Battletome Sons of Behemat

Latest Matched play points: Battletome Sons of Behemat or Generals Handbook 2020

Core rules: here

Matched play rules, battleplans and expansions: General's Handbook 2022-23 Season 2, plus the battleplans from the Core Book.

Supplement all the above with any Errata and Designers' Commentary from the FAQs.

Allegiance Abilities

Mightier Makes Rightier

For objectives,MEGA-GARGANTS count as 20 models, MANCRUSHER GARGANTS count as 10.

Command Ability - Chuck Rocks

Command Ability, allows 1 mancrusher gargants unit to chuck rocks wholly within 18" of your general, 18" d3 attacks 4+/3+/-1/D3

Tribes

Each SoB army belongs to a tribe, dependant on choice of general.

Stomper Tribes

General: Warstomper

• Getting Stuck In: All MANCRUSHER GARGANTs attacks get +1 damage against units of 10+ models, or +2 against 20+

Battle Traits- Bawling Bellowing Lunks You gain all of:

These only effect MANCRUSHER GARGANTs within 18" of your general

1. Get a Move On, You Slackers!: Command Ability: All MANCRUSHER GARGANT can run 6.
2. Grab Those Rocks and Chuck 'em at Somethin'!: Command Ability: All MANCRUSHER GARGANTs (instead of just one) can chuck rocks
3. Oi You, Yes! Charge!: Command Ability: All MANCRUSHER GARGANTs reroll charges
4. Stop Muckin' About and Hit 'em!: Command Ability: All MANCRUSHER GARGANTs reroll hits of 1.
5. Watch Your Backs You Gormless Lot!: Command Ability: All MANCRUSHER GARGANTs reroll saves of 1.
6. Where Do You Think You're Going!: Command Ability: All MANCRUSHER GARGANTs don't take battleshock.

Command Traits - Veterans of One-Sided Battle Choose one of:

1. Monstrously Tough: You have 40 wounds instead of 35.
2. Old and Gnarly: You can re-roll save rolls of 1.
3. Louder than Words: Add 1 to your attacks for the club.
4. Inescapable Grip: Re-roll the dice roll for Hurled Body ability.
5. Very Shouty: D3 extra CP's at the start of the first battle round.
6. Eager for a Fight: Roll 3D6" for your charge and you can charge 18"

Artefacts of Power - Trappings of the Titan Warstomper Only. Choose one of:

1. Ironweld Cestus: Reroll failed Saves and deal a mortal wound on an unmodified save roll of 6 if the reroll was a 6 only.
2. Club of the First Oak: In your hero phase, heal 1 wound. in addition if the bearer is slain roll a dice on a 4+ the wound is negated as well as any unallocated ones, it doesn't break so you can keep using this.
3. Mantle of the Destroyer: Friendly gargant units within 12" have a bravery characteristic of 10 and they can re-roll charges.

Breaker Tribe

General: Gatebreaker

• Fierce Loathings: All Gatebreaker mega-garagants and mancrusher garnants get +1 to all hits against one of:
  • Bossy Pants and Clever Clogs: HERO or WIZARD.
  • Idiots with Flags: TOTEM or any unit with command models.
  • Shiny 'Uns: save characteristic better than 5+ that aren't a HERO or monster.
  • Crowds: units with 20 or more models.
  • Wannabes: monster or war machine.
  • Piggybackers: units with a mount that are not a monster.
• Breaking Down The Houses: mancrusher garnants gain the Gatebreaker Smash Down ability (+1 hit against enemies on terrain and ability to destroy terrain)

Command Traits - Unstoppable Besiegers: Choose one of:

1. Monstrously Tough: 40 wounds instead of 35.
2. Old and Gnarly: Re-roll save rolls of 1.
3. Louder than Words: +2 to flail attacks
4. Extremely Bitter: Pick an additional Fierce Loathing, but only applies to the General.
5. Smasher: Re-roll Smash-Down ability.
6. Sees Red: When within 9" of a terrain that has a garrison, attack as if it hasn't suffered any wounds.

Artefacts of Power - Legacy of Demolition: Gatebreaker only. Choose one of:

1. Enchanted Portcullis: 6+ FNP.
2. The Great Wrecka: Unmodified hit rolls of 6 with Fortcrusha Flail does a MW in addition, in addition +1 to Smash Down ability.
3. Kingslaughter Cowl: Reroll wound rolls of 1 that target a Hero (or all wound rolls for the enemy General).

Taker Tribe

General: Kraken-eater

• Get Rid of 'Em!: For objectives, MEGA-GARGANTS count as 30 models, MANCRUSHER GARGANTS count as 15. If you're having trouble with the objectives game, then maybe this is for you. Centre a Mega on a 6" objective, and it's going to be tricky for your opponent to get 31 models into that circle.
• More Stuff For Me Collection : Roll a triumph every time you kill an enemy wielding an artefact. You're going trigger this once, maybe twice per battle, so not the best. However, if your opponent really doesn't want you gaining these, then it's going to force them to play defensively with their artefact wielders (or even cause them to bring non-optimal lists).

Command Traits - Irascible Old Bullies Choose one of:

1. Monstrously Tough: You have 40 wounds instead of 35.
2. Old and Gnarly: You can re-roll save rolls of 1.
3. Louder than Words: Add 1 to your attacks for the club.
4. Strong Right Foot: Get off my land allows you to roll 3d6 instead of 2d6 (objective marker kick)
5. Very Acquisitive: You get 2 artefacts instead of 1 and your general can carry 2 artefacts.
6. Extremely Intimidating: -1 to hit rolls for every enemy model within 3"

Artefacts of Power - Trophies Taken By Force Kraken-eater only. Choose one of:

1. Jaws of Mogaladon: Once per phase, re-roll one save, hit or wound roll.
2. Walloping Tentacles: At the start of the combat phase, pick an enemy hero within 3". Roll a dice and on a 4+ it takes 1 MW and you can re-roll hit rolls of 1 with all your attacks.
3. Jar of Burning Grog: Once per battle at the start of the combat phase, pick 1 enemy unit within 3" of the bearer, on a 2+ it takes D3 mw's and re-roll wounds for gargants that target the unit, on a 1 you take D3 MW's.
4. Net of the Beast-Reaver: Start of combat phase, on a 4+ roll, for one enemy monster, they get -1 to hit, you get +1 to hit
5. Glowy Lantern: Your Gargant is now a Wizard. He can cast Mystic Shield or Arcane Bolt in your Hero phase and unbind 1 enemy spell in their phase. There's a little confusion about this, but it seems that this allows you to cast endless spells too - those left over points are suddenly useful
6. Krakenskin Sandals: Almighty Stomp has 3 attacks, rend -3 and damage 3.

Warscrolls

Leaders

All Mega-gargants have the following:

• 35 wounds, with 12 wounds needed to drop from the top entry on warscroll, and even then they don't drop much. These guys are beasts! Sadly that thick leathery skin only gives 4+ save, and they still needs protection against the some of the biggest damage dealers in the game, which is tricky when you don't have many models for screens.
• Rend -3. Whilst only a single attack, this flat out removes the chance of stopping attacks for anything with a 4+ or worse save. Don't underestimate it. Meanwhile, everything else has -1 or -2 rend.
• Son of Behemat: Auto kill abilities and spells instead just deal D6 mortals. Whilst it'd be hilarious to see an SoB fall wiped out this way, it's quite an essential auto-lose preventer.
• Crushing Charge: After making a charge move, roll a dice for each enemy unit within 1" of this model. On a 2+ they suffer D3 wounds if they're a MONSTER or D6 wounds if they aren't.
• Terror: Subtract 1 from the Bravery characteristic of enemy units within 3".
• Death Grip: Re-roll hits of 1 for Death Grip attacks that target a MONSTER.
• TIMBERRRR!: When it dies, winner of a roll off choses a point 5" away. Every unit within 3", except Mega garagants, gets D3 mortals. Essentially it's a 50% chance of sending a few mortals at the guy that just killed you. If your enemy is fully within 2", then this isn't going to do anything (assume they were stood between his legs). Also potentially deadly for your single unit Mancrushers.
• LONGSHANKS: Basically, limited flying, or hovering? Let me explain: you can walk over models with up to 10 wounds and terrain up to 4" tall.

• Warstomper Mega-Gargant (480)
  • For those who just want to hit stuff the hardest.

• Gatebreaker Mega-Gargant (490)
  • Do you hate faction terrain like the OBR Tithe Nexus or the constant sprouting Wyldwoods? Then brother, say hello to your new best friend!

• Kraken-eater Mega-Gargant (490)
  • You now get to play football with the objectives.

Battleline

Battleline in Sons of Behemat army and not counted as Behemoth. Maximum sized units count as 3 battleline units.

• Mancrusher Gargants (180/480, min 1, max 3)

Battalions

None.

Allies

All, but technically none. Refer to mercenaries.

Mercenaries

Mercenaries allow you to take a special named Sons of Behemat hero in a non Sons of Behemat army. One mercenary per list, with no other allies and restrictions depending on your allegiance - only destruction get a choice. Remember you're not getting any of those juicy SoB alliance abilities or tribe bonuses.

• Bundo Whalebiter Order or Destruction

A Kraken-eater mercenary. You can choose at the start of the Combat phase for him to fight at the end of the phase, in exchange for re-rolling failed hit rolls.

• One-Eyed Grunnok Chaos or Destruction

A Warstomper mercenary. Reroll jump attacks of 1, plus enemies within 6" get -1 to hit if the giant used his jump attacks earlier in the combat phase.

• Big Drogg Fort-Kicka Death or Destruction

A Gatebreaker mercenary. He has a breath attack that attacks one unit within 3" at the end of the combat phase; roll a dice for each model in the unit and deal 1MW on a 6+.

Tactics

List Building

With SoB allignment you don't have much choice

2000 points

• Exactly 4 choices to make (one for each 500 point "slot")
• Min 6 models; max 10 models.
• Realistically, 4 or 6 drops - although you can get more.
• Realistically min 1920 points (or 1970 if you buy a CP) - although you can get down to 1860; max 2000 points.

Possible lists:

#	Slot1	Slot2	Slot3	Slot4	#Points	#Models (with MMR)	#Drops	#Wounds	Buy CP?
1	3x 1 Mancrusher	Mega-Gargant	Mega-Gargant	Mega-Gargant	1980, 1990, or 2000	6 (90)	6	141
2	3 Mancrushers	Mega-Gargant	Mega-Gargant	Mega-Gargant	1920, 1930, 1940, or 1950	6 (90)	4	141	Y
3	3x 1 Mancrusher	3 Mancrushers	Mega-Gargant	Mega-Gargant	1980, 1990, or 2000	8 (100)	6	142
4	3 Mancrushers	3 Mancrushers	Mega-Gargant	Mega-Gargant	1920, 1930 or 1940	8 (100)	4	142	Y
5	3x 1 Mancrusher	3 Mancrushers	3 Mancrushers	Mega-Gargant	1980 or 1990	10 (110)	6	143
6	3 Mancrushers	3 Mancrushers	3 Mancrushers	Mega-Gargant	1920 or 1930	10 (110)	4	143	Y
7	5x 1 Mancrusher		Mega-Gargant	Mega-Gargant	1860, 1870 or 1880	7 (90)	7	130	Y
8	5x 1 Mancrusher		3 Mancrushers	Mega-Gargant	1860 or 1870	9 (100)	7	131	Y
9	8x 1 Mancrusher			Mega-Gargant	1920 or 1930	9 (100)	9	131	Y

• Mancrushers: One set of three can be split however you like, but due to needing the group discount, the rest must be taken in threes.
  • Alternatively, if you really want all your Mancrushers to be solo you could drop one. Generally not worth it, but might be feasible with 8, as that might give you some extra board control. With 5 you've got a lot of wasted points left over. Also, you're maximising number of drops.

1000 points

For 1000 points you just have two slots, and a very limited choice. And, unless you really want to drop a mancrusher to get that extra CP, realistically you're limited to a single load out.

#	Slot1	Slot2	#Points	#Models (with MMR)	#Drops	#Wounds	Buy CP?
1	3 Mancrushers	Mega-Gargant	960 or 970	4 (50)	2	71
2	2x 1 Mancrusher	Mega-Gargant	840 or 850	3 (40)	3	59	Y

Age of Sigmar Tactics Articles
General Tactics	Tactics Realm Of Battle Malign Sorcery Path to Glory Skirmish
Order	Cities of Sigmar Daughters of Khaine Fyreslayers Idoneth Deepkin Kharadron Overlords Lumineth Realm-Lords Seraphon Stormcast Eternals Sylvaneth
Chaos	Beasts Of Chaos Blades of Khorne Disciples of Tzeentch Hedonites of Slaanesh Maggotkin of Nurgle Skaven Slaves to Darkness
Death	Flesh-Eater Courts Nighthaunt Ossiarch Bonereapers Soulblight Gravelords
Destruction	Gloomspite Gitz Ogor Mawtribes Orruk Warclans Sons of Behemat
Others	Monstrous Arcanum Legends Old Rules