Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Order/Fyreslayers
Please note: Fyreslayers 2.0 had been confirmed. Please feel free to add depth to the article once we get the full release.
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For your new half-naked Dorfs in the Age of Sigmar setting.
Want an army that is visibly different from your standard issue Dorfs and still much closer to their Old Norse origins? Well, these might be the army for you, mixing the best elements of forge-crazy, greedy and insane berserker-rage.
Why play FyreSlayers?
Pros
- Half-naked dwarfs.
- New battletome mean a new piece of terrain and 3
endless spellsmagmic invocations. - Many charismatic heroes to use.
- Even being half-naked dwarfs, this is one of the most tankiest army in the game.
- Have many abilities to improve save.
- Your Bravery Scores is pretty decent for a non death/chaos army.
- Prayers, so ne denied from your opponent.
- Hearthguard Berzerkers.
- Half-naked red dwarfs.
Cons
- Expensive army.
- Half-naked red dwarfs are cool, but you might be tired of it after painting the same colors for 60-80 models.
- We have a lot of heroes, but only 3 units, wich mean it can be complicated to use different strategies.
- No magic (but we have tools to defend ourselves against it).
- Heroes dependent army, be careful with heavy shooting/magic list that will try to snipe them.
General tips on using half-naked raging dorfs
- Because they only wear a loincloth, some people think Fireslayers are kamikaze glass cannons, like the Slayers of old. That's not the case at all: in fact they wear armor, only it's in the shape of flesh-embedded runes of divine gold. The "core" units, Hearthguard Berzerkers
and Vulkite Berzerkers, have innate saves-after-the-save, that also work against mortal wounds. With some Battlesmiters to improve your saves, most of your army should have a 4+ Save, and then the save-after-the-save. This means Fireslayers can be, in fact, arguably the best all-around protected army of the game: against things without Rend you have a combined protection equivalent to a 3+ or even 2+ Save, things with Rend are less effective against you than if you had a normal Save (a save-after-the-save actually becomes BETTER if your normal Save is diminished by Rend, minimizing its impact), and you also have protection against Mortal Wounds. All of this mitigates Fireslayer's works weaknesses (slowness, lack of magic and long-ranged units) and makes much more bearable those first turns of receiving shot after shot until you reach the enemy. Kill or maim your opponent's most dangerous ranged units/war machines with the Runesmiter + Auric Hearthguard combo in the first turn, and you're set!- now all troops have 2 wounds for more hidden enducence.
- Always remember every one of your Dorfs has a ranged attack, the throwing axe gimmick. It's weak and short-ranged, so it seems bad at first, but because you can shoot into combat, it makes your melee units even more awesome: the opposing unit will receive both the melee attacks of the first rank of your units and the throwing axes from EACH member of the unit!
- With the new book, the army can be a top-tier Army(Hearthguard Berzerkers), but we are really hero dependent and we do not have a lots of tools to counter magic (1 artefact and 1 prayer), so a heavy shooting/magic army can snip our heroes and then wipe our weekened troops(Hearthguard Berzerkers whitout the 4+ FnP for exemple...), be aware of that.
Rulebooks
The Fyreslayers Battletome has all the Warscrolls
- This should be supplemented with the Fyreslayers Errata and Designers' Commentary from the FAQs.
Battations and Allegiance Abilities are in the General's handbook 2018.Matched play points are in the General's handbook 2018.- Everything is now in the new battletome.
- Alternatively up to date warscolls can be found in the WH AoS app. Warscrolls on the GW webstore match those in the Battletome.
As with all factions you'll want:
- The core rules are either downloadable or in the Core Book.
- Games taking place in a Realm need the Realm of Battle rules from the Core Book.
- In you want to take advantage of realm specific artefacts you'll need the Artefacts Of The Realms section from the Malign Sorcery book.
- Matched play battleplans are split across the Core Book and General's handbook 2018.
- All books should be supplemented with any updates from the FAQs.
Allegiance Abilities
Ur-Gold Runes:
At the beginning of your hero phase, you choose one of these bonuses and roll a D6. On a 1-5, you get the basic version, on a 6 you also get the enhanced version. Each can only be used once per battle and lasts until the start of your next hero phase.
- Rune of Fury: Basic: Reroll hit rolls of 1 for your Fyreslayers in the Combat Phase. Enhanced: Add 1 to the Attack characteristics of your Fyreslayers melee weapons.
- Rune of Searing Heat: Basic: If you roll an unmodified 6 to wound, your weapons get +1 Damage. Enhanced: Roll a dice for each unit within 3 inches of a friendly Fyreslayers unit, on a 2+ that unit suffers 1 mortal wound.
- Rune of Awakened Steel: Basic: Increase the Rend of your units Melee weapons by -1. Enhanced: Increase it by another -1. The best rune, use it the turn where you have the most units in combat.
- Rune of Fiery Determination: Basic: Add 1 to the bravery of all your units. Enhanced: All your units are immune to Battleshock.
- Rune of Relentless Zeal: Basic: Add 2 to your Movement. Enhanced: Add 2 to your charge rolls too. AkA your first turn rules.
- Rune of Farsight: Basic: Add 1 to hit rolls for Throwing Axes. Enhanced: Add 1 to wound rolls for Throwing Axes too.
Command Traits
2 tables, one for Father and Son, one for Master and Smiter.
- Inheritance of Grimnir: RUNEFATHERS and RUNESONS only.
- Fury of the Fyreslayers: Friendly Fyreslayer units wholly within 18 add 1 to charge rolls.
- Exemplar of the Ancestors: Friendly Fyreslayer units wholly within 12 of the general don't take Battleshock tests.
- Blood of the Berserker: Once per battle, in the combat phase, the general can pile in and attack a second time immediately after attacking.
- Iron Will of the Guardian: Add one to the save rolls for attacks that target this general.
- Destroyer of Foes: Add 1 to damage characteristic of general’s melee weapons.
- Spirit of Grimnir: If the general is on the battlefield, the enhanced effect occures on a roll of 5+ instead of a 6. Most likely the best one, you have a much better chance of getting the bonus effect and it is more likely to occur more than once a game.
- Magmic Empowerments: RUNEMASTERS and RUNESMITHERS only.
- Fyremantle: Subtract 1 from hit rolls from enemy units while they are 3 inches from the general. Best on a Runesmiter on a magmadroth.
- Wisdom and Authority: At the start of the first battle round, you receive d3 command points.
- Oathslayer: Add 1 to the bravery characteristic of Duardin units while wholly within 18 inches.
- Ash-Beard: The General knows 2 prayers.
- Fyresteel Weaponsmith: Add 1 to the generals weapons rend characteristic.
- Master Priest: Once per battle, if the general is on the battlefield, you can activate an Ur Gold rune that has already been used.
Fyreslayer Artefacts:
- Heirlooms of the Lodge. RUNEFATHER and RUNESON only.
- Magnetized Runes: Add 2 to charge rolls for the bearer.
- Draught of Magmalt Ale: Once per battle, the bearer can double the attacks of all the melee weapons they are armed with.
- Drakeslayer: Once per battle, the bearer can use this instead of their fyresteel throwing axe. If you do, pick a monster in 8 inches and roll a dice, on a 6 the monster suffers 3d6 wounds. No, just no. Way too unreliable for a once a battle trick.
- Obsidian Glowhelm: Roll a dice at the start of each hero phase roll a die, on a 4+ you gain a command point.
- Shimmering Blade: Pick one weapon and add 1 to its rend characteristic. And if the unmodified hit roll is a 6, add 1 to the damage of that attack.
- Axe of Grimnir: Re-roll attacks made my the bearer.
- Artifacts of Wrath and Doom. GRIMWRATH BERZERKERS and DOOMSEEKERS only.
- Beastslayer: Pick one weapon, when targeting a monster 1 hit roll counts as 2.
- Bracers of Ember-iron: Add 1 to save rolls.
- Rune of Blazing Fury: Once per battle, at the start of the combat phase, you can re-roll hit and wounds for the bearer.
- Artefacts of the Forge-Temple. RUNEMASTER and RUNESMITHER only.
- Salamander Cloak: Negate a wound or mortal wound on a 5+
- Ash-cloud Rune: Unbind 2 spells a turn. If you think your facing wizards, you will need this since you have nothing that can unbind spells without an artifact.
- Volatile Braizer: You can summon 2 Magmic Invocations a turn
- Ancestor Helm: If an enemy fails a battleshock test within 12 inches of the bearer, add d3 to how many models flee.
- Emberstone Rune: Add 1 to the invocation rolls made for the bearer.
- Droth-helm: Re-roll hit rolls for the claws and horns attack for friendly Magmadroths within 6 inches of the bearer.
- Icons of Grimnir. BATTLESMITHS only.
- Icon of the Ancestors: The Icon of Grimnir and None Shall Defile the Icon rules increase their range to 18 inches.
- Icon of Grimnir's Condemnation: The bearer can unbind 1 spell a turn. Also, if the bearer unbinds a spell, roll a dice. On a 2+ the caster suffers 1 mortal wound.
- The Nulsidian Icon: Each time a friendly Fyreslayers unit wholly within 12 inches of the bearer is effected by a spell or endless spell, you can roll a dice. On a 4+ ignore the effects.
Magmadroth Traits
MAGMADROTHS only.
- Cinder-crest Youngblood: When you use this model’s Lashing Tail ability, subtract 1 from the dice roll that determines if the target unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. If this model made a charge move in the same turn, subtract 2 from the dice roll instead.
- Flame-scale Youngblood: After this model has made a charge move, pick 1 enemy unit within 1" of this model and roll a number of dice equal to the charge roll for that charge move. For each 6, that enemy unit suffers 1 mortal wound.
- Fire-claw Adult: If the unmodified wound roll for an attack made with this mount’s melee weapons is 6, that attack has a Rend characteristic of -3.
- Lava-tongue Adult: When you use this model’s Roaring Fyrestream ability, subtract 1 from the dice roll that determines if the target unit suffers mortal wounds. If this model is wholly within your territory or within 6" of an objective, subtract 2 from the dice roll instead.
- Coal-heart Ancient: Worsen the Rend characteristic of melee weapons that target this model by 1, to a minimum of 0.
- Ash-horn Ancient: You can re-roll save rolls of 1 for attacks that target this model and friendly MAGMADROTHS within 6" of this model.
Prayers
Molten Infusion: 3+ to be answered, pick a magmic invocation within 12" of the priest, do not make a temperamental nature roll for that invocation.
Searing Heat: 3+ to be answered, pick an enemy unit within 18" of the priest, it gets -1 to hit until your next hero phase.
Prayer of Ash: 4+ to be answered, a friendly unit wholly within 18' of the priest gets +1 save until your next hero phase.
- For far our best prayer, always try to put the priest within 18" of the forge to have it on 3+.
Ember Storm: 3+ to be answered, a friendly unit of vulkite berzerkers or Hearthguard Berzerkers wholly within 18" of this priest can run and charge.
Prayer of Grimnir's Fury: 3+ to be answered, a friendly hero not mounted on a magmadroth within 12" of this priest and 3" of an enemy unit can pile in and attack with all its melee weapons. Weirdly this does not specify Fyreslayer hero despite the magmadroth stipulation. Have fun with allies.
Gilded Claws: 3+ to be answered, pick a friendly magmadroth within 12" of this priest. You can reroll wound rolls for attacks made with that unit's claws and horns until the start of your next hero phase.
Magmic Invocations
Just like Khorne's legions, these take the place of faction-specific Endless Spells, cast by Fyreslayer Priests instead of wizards. Also like the Endless Judgments of Khorne, these have a random chance of vanishing each turn at the end of each Round.
- Zharrgon Flame-Spitter (3+): You summon a setpiece that acts as anti-horde artillery. During the Shooting Phase, one Priest within 6" can fire at a unit 24" away and roll 12d6, dealing Mortal Wounds on 6's. The reason this is anti-horde? If the unit carries over 10 models, the rolls all get +1, while a unit with over 20 models adds +2 to the rolls. If you smell anything, that's probably all the charred flesh you just cooked from that mob of goblins.
- Runic Fyrewall (3+): You get a small piece of cover that can block line of sight with an added benefit of letting Fyreslayers wholly within 12" re-roll save rolls of 1. Magmadroths can also run over these walls without issue. Walls are always good at also controlling the movements of the opponent, making it harder for them to run on foot to objectives.
- Molten Infernoth (3+): You can bring another monster to your side. It has a rather meh movement of 2d6", but it rolls 12d6 for every unit within 3" after it moves, scoring mortal wounds on a 6. Fyreslayers are not only immune to this blast, but are also encouraged to follow it by adding +1 to Bravery for any unit entirely within 18".
Lodges
Vostarg
- Ability: +1 Charge Rolls, In movement phase in first battle round Run 6”
- Command Ability: Start of combat phase +1 to hit rolls of Vostarg Hero and friendly VKB and HGB wholly within 12” (once per phase)
- Command Trait: Wholly within 12” can run and charge in same turn.
- Artifact of Power: improve rend by 1 and on unmodified 6 plus one dmg to one melee weapon
- Clearly the best Lodge we have, reducing the greatest weakness of the army. The only question is to choose between this Lodge and the really good traits/artefacts we can pick without a Lodge.
Greyfyrd
- Ability: 2 additional heroes get an artifact
- Command Ability: In Combat phase when a Greyfyrd hero is picked to fight, other non magmadroth heroes that are within 3” can fight immediately afterwards before your opponent gets to pick a unit to fight. Any model that attacks this way cant attack again without some other ability of spell letting them attack more than once.
- Command Trait: +1 attack to melee weapons when 5+ enemy models within 3” of general
- Artifact of Power: +2 wounds
Hermdar
- Ability: Hermdar units wholly within 12” of objective do not take battle shock test
- Command Ability: start of combat phase pick one friendly VKB or HGB unit wholly within 12” of Hermdar hero, the unit fights at start of the combat phase before other players
- Command Trait: -1 wound rolls for attack against general and units wholly within 12”
- Artifact of Power: pick a weapon, re-roll wound rolls that target enemy heroes if unmodified hit is 6 then 1 MW in addition to normal dmg
Lofnir
- Ability: All MAGMADROTHS get a trait, you can include 1 more Behemoth in your pitched-battle army if they are all MAGMADROTHS.
- Command Ability: choose enemy unit within 12” of friendly Lofnir Priest until end of phase +1 hit and +1 wound for attacks made by friendly magmapikes (unit only picked once per phase)
- Command Trait: +1 charge rolls for magmadroth within 12” of general
- Artifact of Power: roll dice every time allocate a wound or MW on 6+ it’s negated
Warscrolls
Leaders
- Auric Runefather on Magmadroth: This count also as Behemoth.The big lizard with the big boss on top. The Runefather himself is already a beast in combat with his damage 3-axe that can break enemy weapons in order to permanently lower their Hit rolls and on top of that you get the Magmadroth. 14 Wounds at a 4+ save, high movement, a strong melee profile and an outrageous amount of Mortal Wounds. It can breathe fire which causes mortal wounds, swipe with its tail which causes mortal wounds and it can bleed fire on enemies which, you guessed it, causes mortal wounds. It is sort of fragile though, considering it's a high-priority target and huge. His Command Ability is don't take Battleshock tests wholly within 18".
- Auric Runesmiter on Magmadroth: Priest.This count also as Behemoth. Make no mistake. The Runesmiter is a support hero and the Magmadroth is probably wasted on him. If you do use them together, the Magmadroth becomes a sort of walking altar from which the Runesmiter can cast his blessings. This blessing lets a friendly Fyreslayer unit reroll To Wound (so by itself it's better than most Command Abilities) and once per game, he can make that ability affect (also) ALL Fyreslayers around him, which can be PAINFUL. Always give him the Key, so the re-roll ability works at 18".
- change to have a once per battle aura that boost in Armour saves and prayer to re-roll wound rolls for a unit. With Invocation and Prayers will help the Runesmiter running around the field.
- Unlike the RuneFather, this guy pay only 120 more points than the regular version for his Magmadroth, so it is a good pick to have the priest and the lava-beast cheaper (do note he does loses his tunneling ability).
- Auric Runeson on Magmadroth: This count also as Behemoth. An alternative stat-line for a Magmadroth rider. His ancestral war-axe pales in comparison to the Runefather. Alternatively, his javelins offer a stronger matchup against monsters, in contrast with his mount which is better geared towards hordes. His Command Ability is pretty lackluster, allowing to re-roll failed charge rolls for Fyreslayer units 'wholly' within 12". This is a less flexible version of 'At the double' that has to be declared in the hero phase. Unless you have a bunch of units about to take dicey charges, save yourself the command-point and re-roll using 'At the double' if necessary (Vulkites can already re-roll one dice). He's a good option to complete battalions that require a Runeson because of the survivability offered by the Magmadroth; Otherwise, look to the Runefather for better stat lines and command abilities at a similar price point.
- Runesons now Re-roll hits if near another Runesons and command ability causes a Magmadroth to deal Mortal wounds to one unit on the charge.
- Auric Runefather: Aside from not having a Magmadroth, the Auric Runefather exchanges his defensive-minded Command Ability for a more offensive one that allows your guys better pile-in moves and gives a sort of Look Out, Sir! to the Runefather because, you know, he doesn't have a huge fucking lizard to soak up damage (as written, unlike similar abilities, this one lets the unit protecting the Runefather still take their saves/saves-after-the-save, so most times you'll avoid the wound completely). Other than that, even without the Magmadroth, the Runefather is a beast in combat who can trade blows with the best of them.
- lost his protection and piling-in command ability and become a give a unit +1 to charge.
- Auric Runesmiter: Priest.This guy is probably better on foot, as he has a really mean special rule that basically allows him and another Fyreslayer unit to deep strike at least 9" away from the enemy, which is unfortunately slightly too far to use your throwing axes that turn. All he sacrifices for this awesome trick is the whole "once per game he can use his buff on all the Fyreslayers at once" thing.
- If you think Fyreslayers are too weak and limited because they don't have any Wizards, artillery, long-range shooters and whatnot, just take a Runesmiter and twenty Auric Hearthguard. The first turn, emerge from a tunnel 15" to that unit you think is unfair, then shoot 40 blasts of lava at it, and watch how it melts. Now, which is the unfair army? Remember to position well both the Guard and the Runesmiter: if your opponent can't kill all of the Guard in his turn, then in yours you can give them re-roll to Wound with the Runesmiter, and watch them maim something again!
- Vulkite Berzerkers also work well with the Runesmiter, because with their musician they add 1 to charge rolls, which is still good. Riskier than just using Auric Hearthguard, yes, but they are cheaper and much less squishy in great numbers.
- invocations now also lets your Runemaster drop a lava dragon on the enemy likey when they are the most bunched up.
- Auric Runeson: As it says on the tin, it's a Runeson without the Magmadroth. This also means that you really should not give this version the Javelin, because he doesn't have the Magmadroth's melee to fall back to. The Runeson's command ability has been updated to a 12" AoE giving friendly Fyreslayers wholly within it rerolling 1s to wound. So more general choppiness for everyone in both shooting and combat.
- Grimwrath Berzerker: This guy wants to be right in the middle of your opponent's army. He has a save-after-the-save that gets better when in combat (nerfed to only be improved by one), and he can potentially pile in and attack a second time in each combat phase on a 2+. When he's killed, he can immediately pile in and attack again. Still a Strong Beatstick.
- Auric Runemaster: Priest. Skip. Seriously. He is awful at melee and range and his main gimmick aids the enemy more than you. Your opponent picks one of his units to carry some Ur-gold. That unit can reroll To Wound-rolls of 1. If your Runemaster gets close to that unit, all Fyreslayers get an extra attack with all their weapons against that unit. Your opponent can easily use this to his advantage by, for example, picking a war machine. If you manage to charge a backfield war machine, it's dead even without bonus attacks and until you get there, his cannon has a better chance of blowing you to shreds. His other special rule of summoning magma underneath a terrain piece is potentially useful but not worth putting up with the other one.
- If you still want to use him, you can always go with the Runesmiter + Auric Hearthguard trick, to kill whatever your opponent chooses in the first turn. Your opponent will probably choose that cannon/archers unit you were going to kill with the Hearthguard anyway... But if they don't have dangerous ranged units, the Runemaster actually becomes pretty good: the advantage he gives to the unit is minimal, and the one he gives against it is enormous: +1 to ALL of your attacks, even those throwing axes all your units have!
- Update, benefits only you now as now instead of giving a boost, the Runemaster now has a chance to find gold on any nearby enemy, granting a re-roll of 1 to wound against the unit for the rest of the battle and also a reroll to hits if your lucky. his Terrain prayer is better as it turns it into Deadly scenery for a turn and GW is encouraging people to stand around their pieces.
- Battlesmith: Totem. Must have in any list. In terms of killyness, the Battlesmith is awful, but that's okay because he's a support Hero and support he does. Now he gives to all units wholly within 12" +1 save, which is awesome. With the inherent save-after-the-save that some of your units get, you'll actually be one of the best-protected armies of the game! Other Standard Bearers have to be immobile for their ability to work, but the Battlesmith only makes you unable to retreat, a very minor drawback. When he dies, all Fyreslayers wholly within 12" can decide to not move away and protect his banner, meaning they have to stand still but get to reroll all To Hit and To Wound rolls. If you think this sounds perfect for Auric Hearthguard, you are doing it right.
- Doomseeker: A pure melee Hero, in an army that doesn't need these at all. He can be very damaging against the unit you choose as his target, especially hordes with low Save, and he's cheap, but he's still too slow and one-dimensional. He can work with a Battlesmith, Runesmiter or some other way of protecting him/making him reach combat faster, but everything he does a Grimwrath Berzerker does better, and in a more epic way.
- Doomseekers are OOP anyways so they probably won't show up in the next book.... ( Will be returning to shelves with Battletome release, we at least get something other than endless spells and a terrain piece...)
- Fjul-Grimnir: The leader of the Chosen Axes from Shadespire. Required to be taken together and thus should be considered together. On his own, he's basically a Runefather with no throwing axes (same weapon, same abilities). Unlike the Runefather, if he's within 3 of his Chosen Axes, he has 5+ FNP save. Unfortunately, his Chosen Axes are ludicrously easy to delete and will thus almost never be worth the points to take them and Fjul over just a normal Runefather and some more Vulkite's. Pass.
Troops
All the troops, independently from their equipment can take throwing axes. Which you should always do since it gives you additional attacks at range without paying more for the unit!!!
- Vulkite Berzerkers: Your standard Battleline unit. Per their update they now have got two wounds and now have the ability that once per battle they can attack after being slain in the combat phase. this is huge. if you're gonna be charged by a really powerfull enemy unit, crack this to still get the full attacks of your berzerkers. In addtion, you can charge a powerful unit, fight, and then then the models your enemies kill can fight again. This has to be activated at the begining of the combat phase so don't forget it. In addition they now hit on 3's for all their weapons so overall they arguably lost some durability (though arguable with two wounds now) but gained a large increase in damage output. One in five models can have a Horn of Grimnir which adds 1 to charge rolls. Would be especially nice when combined with Runeson on Magmadroth's command ability to roll 3 dice and pick the best two. They come with several different load outs for the whole unit:
- Bladed Slingshield and Handaxe or War-pick: the axes and picks are pretty similar, with the axes wounding better and the picks having some Rend. The shields on the other hand grant you better saves in melee when they have not charged AND can cause mortal wounds on a charge, which is unreliable, but potentially powerful. Stats wise handaxes are better against 5+ and equal against 4+, but don't forget we have a prayer that give rerolls to wounds rolls, which makes the War-picks far superior, so good choice in a big buffed unit.
- Two Handaxes: Unlike most units with these options, Vulkite Berzerkers with two weapons get to reroll all failed To Hit rolls, not just 1s, so these make your Dorfs much killier outright.
- If you're planning on a minimum unit of these zerkers, take the shields to have a better chance at surviving combat. Also don't forget that they have a suicide ability but it is only once per game. So you better be sure you use it wisely and not to waste it on combats you know you'll win.
- update took away inbuilt Save after save in exchange for an army-wide +1 attack, wound, and ability to once per game gets in more attacks if you feel you will take more casualties this turn.
- Auric Hearthguard: These are probably the best unit in the Fyreslayer list. The normal Dorfs have Irondrakes, who are almost universally acknowledged as one of the most powerful ranged units in the game. Auric Hearthguard are about as killy with their great big Magmapikes, which make them halfway decent in melee and utter murder at range, with 2 shots each at 4+/3+/-1/1, Keep in mind now that most ranged units lose efficacy if they move or enemies are too close. Auric Hearthguard doesn't. They can charge right in and finish the job if their shots only almost killed something. And in addition, they can use their shots to trap enemy monsters in magma, halving their movement and lowering their Hit rolls.
- Totally disagree, with their 4+ to hit they are one of the last unit that do not hit on 3+ in the army, for the same price you can have Hearthguard Berzerkers that have a 4+ FnP, hit on 3+ and have flat 2 damage. They are a good support (especially against monsters where they gain a nasty +1 damage) and they can protect heroes (intercept wounds on 4+) but they will struggle to hit enemy heroes with the -1 to hit from Look Out Sire!, you have no way of making them battlelines, they do not benefit from some of our runes that affect only melee weapons and they will die fast in close combat.
- Hearthguard Berzerkers: Per the new battletome Hearthguard may have argably seen the biggest improvement out of the whole book. Hearthguard have a nifty ability to ignore wounds and mortals wounds on 6's, and this is increased to 4's when near another Fyreslayer hero. In addition Hearthguard come with two wounds and two attacks base on all their weapons along with 2" reach. Their Berzerker broadaxe has better rend and damage than the Flamestrike Poleaxe, however the Poleaxe has the potential to deal 2 mortal wounds on top of normal damage on 6's to hit. Always take the broadaxe for their better damage output against 3+ and their stability, except against unmodificable save like Nighthaunt or Idoneth. Overall a very powerfull unit that surpasses Vulktite Berzerksers. While maybe lacking some of the reliability of Vulkite Berzerkers with their better armour save in combat and ability to attack after dieing. The Hearthguard Berzerkers are there to smash through any enemy lines and tank enemy attacks with their extra save after the save. Though remember to keep a hero nearby at all times as they lose a lot of their surviability without it.
- Don't forget we have easy way to give 3+ save (BattleSmith + prayer), and even 2+ with the Runesmiter. Now take a unit of 30 (they have the horde reduction cost unlike vulkite...) with a 3+ (or 2+ for 1 turn) save and a 4+ FnP they will not die easily, and they will hit like a truck in return: 2 attacks each 3+/3+/-1 2d, with a range of 2" they can fight on 2 ranks... this is nasty(without even including our runes, you know like rerolls hit roles of 1 or add -1 to rend...). And you can even give them rerolls all failed wounds rolls. And you can make them attack twice in the combat phase with a battalion(if anything survive the first wave to begin with).Vulkite and Auric are good, Hearthguard Berzerkers are really, really, good. And oh, we can make them battlelines with a RuneFather as general.
- Chosen Axes: The Fyreslayer Shadespire Warband. Required to be taken with Fjul-Grimnir. For 40 points you get 3 Duardin, 1 with 2 4+, 3+ Rend-, 2 Damage Attack (rerolling to hits), 1 with 2 4+, 3+, Rend - 1 damage attack (also rerolling to hits) and 1 with 2, 4+, 3+, Rend -1, 1 Damage attacks. They also never take battleshock and get +1 to wound when within 3 of Fjul-Grimnir. Unfortunately, they only have a 5+ save and a 6+ FNP, and for only 3 wounds, that's not a lot. Given that they cost the same as 1/3rd of a unit of Vulkite Berzerkers, it's hard to justify taking them, and thus hard to justify Fjul-Grimnir.
Terrain
- Magmic Battleforge: As is the case with AoS, each army must now have a free piece of terrain with benefits exclusive to their faction, so what do the naked berserker-dorfs get? For starters, a Priest within 6" of it can invoke its powers and either let any Fyreslayers Priest within 18" add +1 to their prayers or spend the forge's power to let all Fyreslayers on the field re-roll any 1s on their save rolls in exchange for it being useless afterward. In truth, you might be keen to skip this unless you plan on going heavy with your Runepriests, as this gives no benefit to the rest of your army outside of a single-use item.
Battalions
Hajkarl's Sons of Fortune (Start Collecting)
An Auric Runefather on Magmadroth, an Auric Runesmiter, an Auric Runeson and a unit of Vulkite Berzerkers.
Move the units of the battalion 4" closer to a selected enemy during the hero phase. Only units starting more than 3" away from the target can move. All units must end their move closer to the target.
Lords of the Lodge
Found in the Fyreslayers Battletome Min cost: 510 An Auric Runefather or an Auric Runefather on Magmadroth, an Auric Runemaster, a Battlesmith and a unit of Hearthguard Berzerkers.
The Hearthguard Berzerkers in the Battalion can pile in and attack twice in each combat phase as long as they're wholly within 12" of any Hero from the Battalion.
Warrior Kinband
Found in the Fyreslayers Battletome. Min cost: 560 An Auric Runeson or an Auric Runeson on Magmadroth and 3 units of Vulkite Berzerkers.
The Vulkite Berzerkers in this Battalion use their Berserk Fury a second time if they are wholly within 12" of this Battalion's Auric Runeson when they do so.
Forge Brethren
Found in the Fyreslayers Battletome. Min cost: 560 An Auric Runesmiter or an Auric Runesmiter on Magmadroth and 3 units of Auric Hearthguard.
At the start of the enemy hero phase, you can pick 1 friendly unit wholly within 18" of any units of AURIC HEARTHGUARD from this battalion. If you do so, add 1 to save rolls for attacks that target that unit until the start of your next hero phase.
Grand Fyrd
Found in the Fyreslayers Battletome. Min cost:2250 A Lords of the Lodge battalion, 2 Warrior Kinband battalions, and a Forge Brethren battalion.
Units from a Grand Fyrd subtract 2 from their battleshock test rolls. The other bonus has no effect in Matched Play.
Arngard's Berzerker Fyrd
A Grimwrath Berzerker, a Battlesmith, and 3 units of Vulkite Berzerkers. From The Realmgate Wars - Balance of Power, narrative or open play only.
Army Building
1000 pt.
At 1000 pt. you can deploy almost all the battalions at minimum size and you have room for a lot of customization. Consider that not all of them respect the minimum requirement for a Pitched Battle so you have to left some room for your Battleline units.
Alternatively you have a really low minimum core tax of 240 pt. with 2 Battleline units and a Runemaster/Runeson.
If you're not thinking of using a Runemaster or a Runefather as general, you're stuck with Vulkite Berserkers as Battleline unit, and you want units of at least 20 Dorfs to gain some bonus. This means 640pt. plus your mandatory leader which should be a Runeson. After that you have 280pt. for customization and a tough choice to make. You can either add a third smaller unit of 15 Vulkite Berserkers and play with the Warrior Kinband battalion, you can add a unit of 10 elites and another Runeson/Runemaster or add a unit of five elites, add 5 Vulkite Berserkers and a major 100pt. leader.
In this sense a nice 1000pt. list could be: a Runeson as General with 2x20 Vulkite Berserkers equipped at will, 5 Auric Hearthguards with a Grimwrath Berserker for bonus and a Runemaster to spice things up. If you're passionate for Behemoth a variation of the same concept is a Runeson on Magmadroth as General with 2x20 Vulkite Berserkers equipped at will and the Runemaster.
2000 pt.
At 2000 pt. a single battalion is not enough and you can start considering to double your choices.
Alternatively you have a really low minimum core tax of 320 pt. with 3 Battleline units and a Runemaster/Runeson.
2500 pt.
Grand Fyrd level. With the bonus given by the Dour and Fearless rule you should really consider this. Also, you have 680pt. more for customization.
Alternatively you have a really low minimum core tax of 400 pt. with 4 Battleline units and a Runemaster/Runeson.
All of these numbers are very outdated, I will come back and update them soon. Meanwhile feel free to buy a Start Collecting kits or two.
Allied Armies
- Dispossessed: guns and better armor
- Ironweld Arsenal: gives long range guns
- Kharadron Overlords: Grants guns and flying units.
- Stormcast Eternals: gives better-focused shooting and wizards.
External links
Rules are here
https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-auric-runemaster-en.pdf
https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-vulkite-berzerkers-en.pdf
https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-auric-hearthguard-en.pdf
All of those profils are outdated.
| Age of Sigmar Tactics Articles | ||
|---|---|---|
| General Tactics | ||
| Order | ||
| Chaos | ||
| Death | ||
| Destruction | ||
| Others | ||