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T55AM2

2022-10-04T05:30:05Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* IRL */

[[File:T-55AM2_Picture.jpeg|300px|right|thumb|She's old but has a certain beauty.]]
{{topquote|When the T-34 first appeared, it was very intimidating, and then we realized the Soviets couldn't shoot or drive for shit.|Anonymous Wehrmacht soldier, Company of Heroes 2}}

The feared muscle behind the Warsaw Pact during the 50s and 60s, the T-55 is an aged tank in 1985. The T-55AM2 however, represents a comprehensive upgrade program to attempt to bring the chassis to the modern era or at least make the crew feel somewhat less like cannon fodder.
The glacis plate was thickened, a distinctive "horseshoe" brow armour was added to the turret front, and a smoke launcher was added to increase survivability. A laser rangefinder, wind sensor and a ballistic computer were added to increase gun accuracy. Finally, new gunner optics were added to enable missiles to be fired from the D10T 100mm gun.
The T-55AM2 upgrades were the first prong in East Germany's plan to modernize the Panzer of the Volksarmee (the second being further procurement of [[T-72M]]).

==T-55AM==
===Soviet Union===
[[File:T55amsoviet.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Onwards for the Soviet Union!]]The ''Soviet Union'' book introduces the T-55AM Battalion to Soviet forces. Whereas the AM2 is slow firing and has an AT of only 17, the AM has an AT of 18 and no slow firing. Even better, the AM can take Stabber missiles – meaning access to an AT of 21. This significantly increases their threat level, especially towards more modern NATO tanks – and for only 2pts across the entire platoon.

{{clear}}

==T-55AM2==
===East German===
[[File:T-55AM2_Stat_Card.jpeg|300px|left|thumb|Die Statistikkarte des Volkspanzers!]]
While the T-72M began phasing-in to replace the aging T-54/T-55 in the 1970s, the majority of East German tankers were still riding in these old things in 1985. Of those men, only the luckiest got the T-55AM2; it's estimated that out of over 2,000 T-54/T-55s in the 1980s East German arsenal, a mere 300 were upgraded to be T-55AM2's.

The T-55AM2 combines sturdy armour and a moderately powerful gun with bargain basement point cost. While NATO tanks and ATGMs can penetrate the T-55AM2, most other enemy assets on the battlefield cannot, this makes the T-55AM2 a priority target as they close the distance with the enemy, tying up enemy anti-tank assets that may otherwise be shooting at something else. The D10T 100mm can't frontally penetrate the NATO MBTs but can be dangerous if you can enter a melee where the gun can be brought to bear against side armour. The slow firing rule discourages firing on the move, once your T-55s have reached an advantageous position you'll want them to keep them stationary to fire. Dash mobility and Cross-Rating is sub par, however the poor cross can be mitigated using Movement Orders which synergizes with the NVA's superior skill rating over the Russians.

Two schools of thought have emerged when including T-55AM2s in a Volksarmee force. The more instinctive approach for horde force players is to take multiple large companies of tanks to push down the field in a wave of guns and steel in a display of might that would make the [[Imperial Guard|Astra Militarum]] proud. Simply providing more targets than the NATO opposition can hope to kill, until you can enter a messy melee fight or tie up objectives all game. But alternatively, due to a quirk in points costing, a minimum strength T-55AM2 Battalion of 10 tanks (1+3+3+3) can be taken for 7 points, making each tank cost less than a single point. While these small companies can be erased by NATO tanks in a single salvo, they can operate independently (rather than an unwieldy mess of a 10 tank parking lot) and, when taking multiple minimum strength T-55AM2 Battalions provide extra command tanks to issue more orders.

East German armies make take T-55AM2 Kompanies ranging in size from 3 tanks to 10 tanks, starting out at 2 points and topping out at 16. Basically every time you add a tank to the original 3, tack on an additional 2 points. And yes, this does mean that you can take 10 tanks where a US Player could only take 2 Abrams (and base Abrams at that).

With the new Warsaw Pact book coming out, DDR T55AM2s can be outfitted with AT-10 Stabber missiles now, putting them roughly on par with Soviet T55AMs.

===Polish===
[[File:Slide6.JPG|300px|thumb|left|Polish Stats, towarzysz!]]
Just like in East Germany, the T-54/55 was the workhorse of Polish tank forces well into the 1980s, and while the T-55AM2 is currently the only official variant featured on Europe's battlefields, the majority of Polish T-54/55s had not been upgraded to that version in 1985. The Polish People's Republic ''really'' liked these things, producing some 10,000 T-54/55 tanks between 1956 and 1979. They sold many of them to foreign customers, including (ironically) East Germany.

The Polish T-55AM 'Merida' is Poland's locally-upgraded T-55, the best obsolete tank the Polish People's Republic has to offer. Its crews are brave and well-trained, and they'll need both to overcome the far better tanks the <s>capitalist dogs</s> NATO forces to the West are using. Unlike the East German version, which is affordable enough to fill the role of a spam tank even in multiple small units, the Polish version is designed to make you take large tank units: unlike the East Germans, your smallest company size begins at 5.

As with any version of the T-55 used by any country, the 'Merida' is a cheap old tank that is really good at exploding. Unfortunately, the Polish profile favours units which can survive a beating: 3+ remount and rally help you get back in the fight after getting pinned or bailed, but the T-55 is guaranteed to explode when touched by most dedicated anti-tank weapons. Your Polish T-55 crews won't live that long once NATO gunners start going after them, so their skill and courage is almost irrelevant. ATGMs, tank cannons and even man-portable anti-tank weapons like the Carl Gustav and the RPG-7 will punch through your front 50% of the time, and a 105mm or 120mm shot from a NATO main battle tank will mean instant death. There is little reason to invest in the Polish T-55 unless you are a fluff player: the points you spend for stats which will never be used with the exception of mine-clearing could be better spent on additional weapon systems. The Polish T-55AM2 is nonetheless devilishly cheap for what it can do if given a chance, so if you're a Pact player, it might be worth trying out sometime.

The Poles may take 5 tanks for 6 points, up to 10 tanks for 17 points.

{{clear}}

===Czech===
[[File:Slide5.JPG|300px|thumb|left|I may not want to be here, but at least my tank is very, very old.]]

The T-55AM2 'Dyna' is the Czech version of the modernized T-55 platform and is arguably the best T-55AM2 variant of the PACT countries for a competitive player.

Where the Polish profile excels on the defensive, the Czechs are unmatched on the offensive where firepower decides the success or failure of your attack. For a significant discount, you can bring about 30% more units to the field. The reason that the Czechs are suited for this role is the simple fact that T-55s will never survive any fire whatsoever. Aside from autocannons, the majority of anti-armour weapons will go through your front without any issue whatsoever and you have just enough armour there to attract their attention. The Czech 5+ remount becomes irrelevant in this case, as anything which hits you is probably going to result in a kill and not a bail.

The Czech point costs make T-55 hordes more appealing than the other lists since your discount in comparison to the East Germans and Poles only grows the more tanks you take. Taking entire ten tank companies makes it more difficult for your opponent to claim a kill point or to force your unit to run away, but once any terrain becomes involved you may find your unwieldy ten tank parking lots blocking their own movement and shots more often than not.

Do note that with units larger than five tanks your sixth, seventh, and tenth tank cost two points instead of a single point. So assuming you aren't playing at some ridiculous point level and have run out of slots you will find that taking as many small units of T-55s as you can will maximize the number of tanks you can bring. Unfortunately you are only saving a single point per unit compared to East German and Polish lists also bringing five tank units. East Germans can actually bring more thanks than you if they take them as three tank units and don't run out of slots. You will be giving up kill points more easily this way, but your alpha strike will be stronger and you will likely have an easier time spreading your tanks out and keeping them out of each other's way.

When building a Czech T-55 spam list. your 4+ skill is far less terrifying than the sheer numbers you can bring to the field.

Keep in mind when building your list that you are still spamming T-55s: these are not units which can take objectives unsupported. <s>5+ courage means that minefields will stop your companies dead in their tracks</s> Your cowardly czechs can run gleefully through mines now, and you do not have ''Brutal'' to shred through entrenched infantry. If you are lucky or play well, you might kill a couple of Leopards or Abrams', but will need to rely on your infantry to close in for the objective.

The Czechs may take 5 points for 5 tanks to 13 points for 10 tanks. Interestingly, tank battalions may also bring one company of the other version (T-72M or T-55AM2) in your third company slot.

==T-55==

Featuring none of the weapons or armor upgrades of the T-55AM2, the standard T-55 is the weapon of choice for real gamers. It loses 1 frontal armour, 1 anti-tank (in for the Iraqi/Iranian variants), and the laser rangefinder on the main gun, and bazooka skirts. While it may start struggling to reliably punch through the front of the MBTs of yesteryear, a 100mm tank cannon will still turn an Abrams inside out if hit from the sides. The plastic T55AM2 kit comes with the parts to build them as strait t55s so don't fret where you can get your hands on some.

More vulnerable to light anti-armor without bazooka skirts, RPG-18s and LAWs have a somewhat higher chance to bail aT-55 in close range, given the numbers infantry fight in.

Now available in Czech, DDR, and Pollak versions.

===East German===
[[File:DDR T55.png|thumb|left|Could be worse, you could be those guys using DDR T34s in the Wargame European Escalation tutorial.]]
13 points for 10

===Polish===

===Czechoslovakian===
11 points for 10

===Iraqi===
[[File:5667-970x350.jpg|300px|thumb|right|A T-55, rolling off to fight ISIS.]]
[[File:Iraqi T-55.png||300px|thumb|right|Not the best image I will scan a better one later]]
Given the Soviet Union's none-too-friendly attitude toward Israel and Jews in general, the USSR was plenty willing to sell T-55 tanks to Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Not only did the Hussein regime hate Israel with a burning passion, they hated the United States about as much. The Soviets only got so generous with Iraq, however; the modernized T-55AM2 never made it to the Middle East and Saddam Hussein's men had to make do with the original "vanilla" T-55. It served with the Iraqi Army (not the Republican Guard; they got the good stuff), providing commanders with a fire support unit that might not penetrate anything tougher than a Frenchman on treads, but remains a deadly foe against enemy armour and infantry without heavier anti-tank weapons.

Compared to the T-62, the T-55 is identical except for the cannon. Its main gun has an AT16 FP2+ round with slow firing and lacks brutal. The armour might be paper thin against even the weakest of ATGMs, but it gives you enough protection from HEAT shells and autocannons to engage and destroy enemy IFVs without taking too many losses.

While you probably won't be taking a T-55 battalion, a single company for your infantry can serve as a VERY cheap source of fire support, and a wall of armour headed for your opponent's rear-line may distract them from your heavier weapons.

The Iraqi T-55 battalion is incredibly cheap, making it a very viable choice for spam lists. Starting at 5 points for 5 tanks, a company tops out at 10 tanks for 11 points. Additionally, you may purchase bazooka skirts for an ENTIRE company for only one point.

===Iranian===
The Iranians use T-55s captured from those cowardly Iraqis, as well as Chinese rip-offs. The biggest weakness of the T-55 in Iranian lists is how hard it is to take any meaningful amount. They can only be taken as a single group of 3 per formation for 3 points, attached only to the T-62 Company, Mech Company and Basij Battalion. 3 Tanks per group with front armour 13 will melt and only one group per formation, they are hard to spam: which is their only strength being cheap. Its worth spending another point to upgrade the group to T-62s, gaining brutal and AT 19 (up from 16). Not an inherently bad unit, just a bit pointless.

{{clear}}

==IRL==
[[File:Battle-tank-driving-t55am2.jpg|right|300px|thumb|I am on a tank!]]
If the original T-54/55 is the AK-47 of tanks, the T-55AM2 is an AKM with some nice accessories. The T-55, like all Soviet tanks, is never going to look good if you judge it by Western standards. The T-55, like the AK-47, was designed as a cheap, extremely tough workhorse for an army largely composed of short-term conscripts with little to no education to speak of. It needed to be easily comprehensible to guys who had quite possibly never seen so much as a tractor before being voluntold for service to Mother Russia. The idea was that if you used enough of these at once, the superior quality of the enemy's tanks would be drowned out by the thunder of a million cheap tanks being driven by <s>angry peasants</s> heroic Soviet soldiers. And if you think that sounds ridiculous, it sure worked for the Soviets on the Eastern Front.

That said, the T-54/55 was not a bad tank at its debut. In fact, it was a rather nasty shock to NATO when it showed up, and they were quite grateful when Hungarian rebels drove one into the British embassy in their country during the 1950s revolt. Presented with a powerful 100mm main cannon, good armor, and solid maneuverability in a tank that the USSR could easily produce in mass numbers, the British concluded that their then-standard 20-pounder gun was incapable of defeating it, while the Americans decided the M48 Patton was not enough either and began development of the M60. It has not aged well as a main-line tank after the better part of 100 years, but in its prime, the T-54/55 gave NATO lots to be afraid of.

The T-54/55 series is also the most widely-produced tank of all time, with numerous copies being circulated around the world and total production estimates ranging from 86,000 to 100,000 units. The People's Republic of China started their line of tanks with a copy of the T-54, the Type 59, and still maintains a massive arsenal of them today. This might be a cramped, noisy, inefficient piece of junk, but it ''works'', and it's so cheap even the most pitifully broke nations on Earth can get one easily.

All this may still leave you wondering why the T-55 was still hanging around in the 1980s, long after newer, better models like the T-72 had been tested and put into production. See, the thing about the Soviet Union is that when you're large enough to reach from one hemisphere to another, equipping all those soldiers can be a pain in the ass. As such, the Soviet Union tried to keep its old equipment in service for as long as humanly possible and just passed them down to less important units as the newer, better stuff arrived to replace the old gear. Russia proper got the good shit, second-line units older equipment, Warsaw Pact nations got stuff a generation behind, and so on. This is why the East Germans, Polish, and Czechoslovakians in Team Yankee use the obsolete T55AM2 while the Soviets proper don't. The USSR also took a long time to retire equipment that still worked. This is why when you look up Soviet equipment you sometimes find lists of at least five different types of machine all doing the same thing.

The T55AM2 was an attempt to get more life out of the aging T-55, to give it at least ''some'' chance against the then-modern NATO tanks like the [[M1 Abrams]] and [[Chieftain]] MBT, which by that point it was something like two tank generations behind. It was a valiant effort to do the impossible- to give a very old tank a chance on the modern battlefield- but it wasn't enough. Any army fielding these against NATO in Team Tankee will likely take heavy casualties, especially against NATO heavy armor. Against light and medium armor and infantry, it will do better, but losses will still be significant simply because the T-54/55 is no longer able to stand up against the firepower of NATO anti-tank weapons the way it could have in the 1950s and 1960s.

The Slow Firing rule on this tank is because of its small size. This is NOT a big tank by any standards, and the domed turret restricts movement significantly for the three crewmen inside. The loadout of 70-pound shells is in all manner of places, meaning no ability to perform the same motions and gain the benefit of muscle memory as the loader. Additionally, ventilation is bad, the fume extractor (which <s>the T-54 doesn't have, only the T-55</s> comes and goes depending on who is building the tank and who they are building it for, the actual difference between the two is the presence of the NBC system) does not work well, and the loader must shove the base of each shell into the breech with his left hand due to the positioning of the gun. Loading this thing's gun is difficult at best and a nightmare at worst, such as under sustained firing as noxious fumes fill the inside of the tank.

If you want fun facts about the T-55, there are at least two. First, since it was one of the first vehicles with multifuel engine, no one really knew how far it could be pushed. With WW3 involving a nuclear apocalypse being a real possibility, it was kinda important to know. So someone in the high command asked: "Can we use crude oil directly from a Comecon Pipeline?", and instead of calling him a madman everyone just went along with it. The test itself was one of the most metal things on this Earth: the oil didn't burn completely in the cylinders once the engine was started, so the still-burning mix created a thick cloud of grey smoke which quickly turned black when ''flames half a meter long'' started coming from the exhaust pipes. During acceleration, those flames extended up to one and half meters, visually giving the T-55 wings of fire, (Something similar happens if you thrash a diesel engine, particularly on the large unit's used on trains if you want a visual for how that might look). Of course, both speed and acceleration suffered quite a bit, but not as much as expected: average speed was still 36 km/h (that's roughly 22 miles per football field for barbarians denying metric system) with crude oil vs 41 km/h (25,5) on diesel. What's even more curious, the test was conducted for 20 hours straight and after that, despite the fuel filter requiring cleaning every 2 hours, it was concluded that: yes, the T-55 can use crude oil as a fuel, and no, the engine wasn't fucked up beyond repair by the experience and could be cleaned by the crew and continue working on diesel even if performance suffered.

Second, when Soviet engineers were tasked with designing [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunokhod_1 Lunokhod_1], the first drafts were made with T-55's chassis as a base. Unfortunately, it was abandoned the moment specifications became clear due to being outlandishly big and heavy. However, it hooked Korolev with the right people to do the job. But there is a parallel universe where Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong were greeted by a sight of T-55 tread marks after leaving the Lunar Module.

If you play 40k and think this thing looks a bit familiar, you're not entirely wrong. The bubble top turret from the T-55 and T-62 tanks was likely an influence on the forge world "[[Predator Tank#Deimos Pattern Predator (Forge World)|Deimos pattern Predator]]" tanks. It's also the tank [[James Bond]] drives in ''GoldenEye'', albeit dolled up to look a bit like a [[T-80]] and equipped with rubber tracks so it could be filmed in the city.

{{Soviet Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{East German Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Polish Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Czech Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Iraqi Forces in Team Yankee}}
{{Iranian Forces in Team Yankee}}

[[Category:Vehicles]]

Team Yankee

2022-10-04T05:16:24Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* Sweden */

[[File:Team-Yankee-cover.jpg|250px|right|thumb|FREEDOM, BITCHES!!!]]
''"Sunday, August 4, 1985 the Warsaw Pact thundered across the Iron Curtain. 6 Soviet Armies, backed up by the forces of Poland, Czechoslovakia, and East Germany, hammered into the NATO forces guarding the border. The Americans, supported by the armies of West Germany, Britain, and France, are strained to the breaking point at the Soviet Advance. It is 1985, and the Cold War has just gone hot."''

Welcome soldier to Team Yankee, Battlefront Miniatures' alternate history game where World War 3 breaks out on the fields of central Germany. Maybe you're here for the cool tanks, maybe you're here to fight to spread your preferred form of economic system, or maybe you're here to titillate your acronym fetish. Team Yankee is based on the book of the same name by Harold Coyle, the story of Team Yankee follows a unit of the US Army named Team Yankee (of course) as they struggle to hold off those damn commies, with viewpoints from the other armies added in their respective Army rule book.

==The Story==
So, obviously the story of Team Yankee is a bit unrealistic but bear with us, alright? In 1985 the Soviet Union is dealing with mounting internal issues, and with the death of Leonid Brezhnev, the USSR was faced with a choice between Mikhail Gorbachev or another hard line communist. In our world Gorbachev was elected as the Premier of the Soviet Union, which would eventually lead to its collapse, but in the Team Yankee universe an old Stalinist took his place instead.

Believing that after the disastrous war in Afghanistan, the best way to reassure the people of the Union's strength would be a victorious war with the West, and any seized resources could be used to immediately shore up the slumping economy (incidentally, this is probably why there was not a nuclear exchange and the subsequent destruction of the world).

It was in the Persian Gulf that the USSR found its excuse to begin preparing for war. The Iran-Iraq war had been blazing for 4 years and though it was an active warzone, the trade of oil continued mostly unabated. That was until a pair of Iranian jets attacked and sank a Saudi tanker with huge loss of life. The United States began increasing its Naval presence in the Gulf to prevent additional attacks on commercial vessels in international waters. As part of this action, on the 27th of July, the destroyer ''USS Charles Logan'' was patrolling off the Strait of Hormuz when it was rammed by a Soviet cruiser, which was ostensibly there to do the same thing. In the confusion, both ships fired on each other before retiring to their respective ports.

Claiming that this was a blatant attack on a Soviet warship, the Warsaw Pact issued a statement of solidarity and then began to increase troop movements toward the Iron Curtain. In response, the United States began to react in kind, and over 100,000 national guardsmen were federalized as front line combat units started moving to their wartime posts. The Warsaw Pact subsequently invaded West Germany, driving through to part of the Netherlands, but their efforts have met with stiff resistance, and the fortunes of war could soon turn the other way.

==The Game==
Team Yankee is a 15mm (about 1:100 scale) Table Top Wargame, usually played on a standard 6x4 game table. To play Team Yankee, you will need a tape measure (both Inches and Centimeters work), a whole bunch of D6 dice, an army of models, and some friends to play with (that one will probably be the toughest, to be honest).

===Playing the game===

;Example Turn
What follows is a basic layout of a standard turn

'''1. Starting Step'''<br>
This is where most of the administrative stuff happens. Check the Morale of your formations and units, roll for reserves, rally pinned units, free bogged down tanks, remount bailed out tanks, remove smoke from the previous turn, etc. etc. etc.

'''2. Movement Step'''<br>
Move your units (duh). The amount a unit can move is dictated by the terrain they have to deal with. The majority of orders are given in this phase as well.

'''3. Shooting Step'''<br>
No problem cannot be solved through the application of superior fire power. Team Yankee uses abstraction rather than true line of sight, meaning that tanks clearly visible behind slopes may not actually be seen due to terrain height rulings. All shooting and artillery occurs in this phase, with smoke being fired before any other shooting.

'''4. Assault Step'''<br>
Time to get up close and personal. Units charge into close quarters to beat the enemy to death with their rifle butts or crush them underneath their treads. Infantry teams don’t get saves in close combat so be wary.

===List Building===
Note that all lists are based on historically based equipment at a specific point in time, even if that equipment was unique or incredibly rare.

Army lists in Team Yankee are usually built from a single book or 'codex' which tells you what your country has access to. Each nation has different 'sub lists' but most follow three types: armoured and mechanized infantry. Armoured companies let you bring several platoons of tanks, while mechanized infantry does the same with infantry that can come in your bog-standard metal boxes or a metal box with an autocannon. Some armies have more unique options, but those will be discussed on their respective pages.

NATO armies tend to be cheaper thanks to their smaller sizes, while Pact forces have much more units that are identical across the 4 nations. If you buy an M1 it can only be used for a USA army; paint a T-72 in Soviet green (without national emblems) and it can be used in four armies.

Want a cheaper single army? Buy American (or any other NATO power). Want a cheaper collection and several army lists? Buy Soviet.

'''Force Command'''<br>
Your force will always have an HQ. Your Force Commander and 2nd in Command (also known as the meatshield) represents you in the game, commanding the battle on foot or some vehicle. If the Force commander dies, your army will begin to panic. Lose too many platoons and you will immediately lose the game. At higher point games, you may have two or more force commanders to mitigate this (as you will probably be forced to utilize multiple formations to fill out the points). For NATO Players, the Force Commander is generally a company commander wielding his company and any company-level support the higher-ups have deemed to send his way. For PACT players, the Force Commander is usually at the Battalion level, which is made up of several companies, to balance out the power differential between the average NATO and Pact units.

HQS usually DO NOT count as platoons for Company, or even Battalion strength. They function as 40k independent characters do, so you would have 4 units on the field whether your company commander joined a platoon or ran around on their own.

'''Combat Platoons'''<br>
AKA Troops choice: like with 40k, each organization chart will have a minimum requirement of a Company Commander and two platoons of troops, which could be [[Motor Rifle Company|IFV-mounted infantry]] or a unit of [[Huey Rifle Platoon|heliborne infantry]]. This is where your list building starts, with the size of your unit and taking additional weaponry like anti-tank weapons, medium machine guns, or anti-air missiles.

'''Platoon Support'''<br>
Unlike 40k, platoon support is unique to each company. This is the reason you selected the specific Company: access to unique toys that your other companies or nations can't take. Historically, this would be a platoon from the support company of the battalion: infantry companies might have a mortar platoon, while armoured companies might have a platoon of vehicle-mounted ATGMs. Your platoon support may also have platoons of the alternate unit type: tank companies almost always have the option to take a platoon of infantry, and vice versa.

'''Division Support'''<br>
These are the rarest systems in your army, and often among the most expensive options. Historically, it would be things like air support, heavy artillery or attached helicopter squadrons. This varies from nation to nation: some countries have platforms that serve [[AMX Roland|crucial support roles but won't win the war for you]] to [[ADATS|snowflake units that provide the teeth to your force]]. These options are open to all company types, and should therefore be used to round out the weaknesses of your list. Additionally, platoons for troops like tanks and infantry might be purchasable here.

'''Allied Support'''<br>
These are your 'Allies of Convenience', to continue the 40k analogy. Generally, only one allied formation (company, battalion, whatever) is allowed. Generally this would mean NATO Allies for NATO countries, and vice versa for the Warsaw Pact (but not the Middle Eastern powers, who all want to kill each other and are much more uncaring in where they get their gear from). Additionally, smaller factions may have allied units that fall under the same lines as Divisional Support, just with a different flag. For example, Canadians have access to German Leopard 2s and American Abrams' to round out their lack of modern battle tanks.

These units do NOT count as platoons which add to your last stand count, so your army may rout if the last Canadian troops have been picked off even if half of your (American Allied) units are on the table. Like Division Support, this is taken to smooth out the rough edges of your list and might be very interesting if you like the idea of a British-French coalition battlegroup, or are a powergamer who just wants the best companies of each nation.

As a disclaimer to the young teens reading this wiki and calling themselves a military expert, Team Yankee is a HISTORICAL FANTASY game. The models might represent real weapon systems, but the organization of lists ranges from relatively accurate to outright blasphemous. Pretty much all your tanks and artillery fired across kilometres in real life, but only fire up to several hundred meters on the tabletop. [[M247 Sergeant York|Prototypes that never made it past the testing phase can be found]], while organizational details have been simplified for gameplay purposes.

For the prospective kommandant who reached this point, consider reading the rulebooks at your FLGS or read on to decide which nation might be for you.

===List Archtypes===

Like any other tabletop game, each army has its own pros and cons leading to very distinct archetypes: just like the real-life counterparts, an infantry company will have a much happier time holding a town than a bunch of tanks. Here are a few of the many variants, found in the tournament scene and casual table:

====Mechanized Infantry====
Kings of the tournament scene, mechanized infantry are THE premium choice for players seeking cost efficiency, holding power or firepower in some cases. Over 90% of all infantry in the game arrives in a motorized tin can of some sort, meaning that these lists have an overabundance of machinegun fire. Some lists might use infantry fighting vehicles such as the [[BMP]] or [[Marder Zug|Marder]], but most are characterized by hordes of cheap infantry in the cheapest transports. Mechanized lists are incredibly split in specialization depending on your faction of choice as well.

In tournaments, the French and British are defined by the sheer amount of Milans they can bring to the field. They may lack in firefighting capability, but their ability to destroy armoured lists are second to none. They can be used in urban operations as well, but excel in open fields where their Milans can chew through tank after tank.

The Soviet, Iranian and Polish lists are the Communist equivalent of the Milan horde; trading the latest in wargear for the latest in childbearing technology. While these troops lack in weapon systems that can engage armour from a distance, they are characterized by sheer numbers coupled with 3+ morale stats allowing them to keep pushing forward when other armies would fall back.

On the other end of the spectrum are the spam lists of Czechs and Iraqis. Characterized by their horrendous morale, and basic weaponry, these lists have little to no offensive capability. [[Imperial Guard|However, their low pointage allows you to bring waves of men to the field that will HOLD the line like no other.]] In an urban setting, these troops can turn all buildings on your side of the field into deathtraps for enemy armour.

Somewhere in the middle are Soviet [[BTR-60|BTR]]/ [[BMP]] and Dutch [[YPR-765]] lists. Typically, these lists would feature armoured elements and focus more on punching through the weak points of the enemy's line with the superior firepower of infantry fighting vehicles complementing a couple of tanks. A jack of all trades list, these forces are capable of defending and can counterattack on a dime when required.

Universally feared by all players and the cheapest unit in any force, the mechanized infantry are the benchmark of every other unit: a platoon only needs to kill 1-3 tanks to make its points back. For tournament players, prepare to build lists that counter infantry. For casual players, expect to see some form of them in every single game.

====Armoured====
The poster boys of the game, Armoured forces rely on the overwhelming superiority of tanks to crush virtually any opposition in its path. These units represent the fastest, heaviest units in the army that are not only capable of taking ground, but holding it. Strong in standard games and deadly in larger tables, Armoured forces would be unmatched if not for their Achilles heel: overpriced units.

Tank units often cost dozens of points for a single platoon, leaving them as niche choices for the average player. In a tournament setting where every point counts and every wasted unit may cost you the game, tanks are treated as specialized units in different lists. Some may use armour as [[Chieftain|firebases]]; [[M1 Abrams|maneuver elements in a hammer and anvil force]], or solely as snipers [[Leopard 2|to destroy armour]]. Regardless of their tournament viability, here are the traditional makeups of armoured lists.

With unparalleled mobility and firepower, armoured lists excel on the attack. This greatly favors offensive nations such as the West Germans or the Soviet Union who can conduct ‘blitzkrieg’ tactics on the tabletop scale: rather than exploiting strategic weaknesses, these lists employ a mix of tank killers like the [[T-64]] and the [[Leopard 2]] to compliment the firepower of support tanks: outdated models that may not beat the latest metal boxes, but could chew through any other vehicle like a masochist on a sanding belt.

Protection against missiles comes in the form of artillery. Other lists may occasionally get away without running artillery, but is not optional in the current meta. Used to protect your tanks from Milan spam or the tank killers of the enemy force, smoke is probably the most important task of the artillery in an armoured list, neutralizing Milans for you to get within their firing range, forcing Chieftains to move or even dividing the force to reduce the amount of return fire.

The strongest armoured lists are anachronisms; with no nation having a single tank that does the job of both a tank killer and support. Hence, they are generally defined as lists that run a substantial amount of armour (two platoons or so) with singular platoons of infantry, artillery, reconnaisance, etc. For a competitive player choosing the path of an iron grave, consider using allies for access to ROF 2 brutal tanks to compliment your AT22 tank killers. If you are a Soviet player, rejoice! Your tanks all-in-one and are countered by any form of missile, tank cannon or bomber. Have fun!

====Cavalry====
Distinct from the armoured and mechanized archetypes, cavalry forces employ fast, mobile vehicles to outmaneuver the enemy while avoiding head-on engagements with the heaviest elements of the enemy list like tanks or infantry. While WILL be employing their own infantry and tank forces, cavalry forces are defined by their reliance on autocannon-armed vehicles to destroy soft-skinned vehicles like APCs, anti-air and artillery.

Generally used for reconnaissance in a combined arms list rather than serving as the frontline troops who fight and die on your behalf, the British are known for having some of the best cavalry units with the Scorpion and Scimitar coming in low, cheap and with both variants having the firepower to take on anything but battle tanks. Hampered by their mediocre moving ROF, their main purpose is to deny spearhead movement to your opponent while threatening their soft skinned vehicles, providing an extremely dangerous (but easily answered) threat that hamper much more expensive units such as infantry and tanks from doing their job on the frontline.

The only true Cavalry lists seen in tournaments are US Marine LAV lists, employing hordes of moving ROF 3 LAVs to outmaneuver, threaten, and destroy soft-skinned vehicles. However, it must be noted that cavalry forces still rely on infantry and armour to actually win the game: your cavalry are force multipliers to neutralize the support elements of your opponent, not the ones who will carry the day on their own.

====Air Assault====
Rarely seen in the tournament scene aside from Soviet VDV lists, Airborne lists employ helicopter infantry and their superior mobility to win battles. Almost universally worthless in a 6x4 game where the marginal infantry buff and loss of fighting transports can be crippling, air assault forces have a niche of larger team games spanning several maps. Whether used to grab vulnerable objectives or serve as firemen where the line is weakest, air assault troops have greatly different roles among the nations that can field them: the USA, Soviet Union and British.

The American air assault list is the archetypical airborne force: lightly equipped, highly trained and absolutely deadly in firefights, these units are barely worth their weight against armour but are almost unparalleled in a firefight. Combining Soviet morale with American firepower, heliborne infantry may not be able to kill a tank to save their life but are best suited to urban warfare or any other setting where dug-in infantry must die.

While the US Huey technically has its M60s, consider them one time use guns that cannot be considered fire support unlike an M113.

Soviet VDV lists are THE most accurate depiction of a proper air assault operation: deploying highly trained, versatile troops in highly dangerous environments while supported with helicopter gunships. The most ‘competitive’ of the three nations, VDV troops are equipped not only to win infantry fights, but also carry the heavy weapons that make infantry what they are: unmovable rocks that take a disproportionate amount of firepower to move, while having the tools to destroy armour that strays too close. While your infantry are few, your transports are terror on rotors: enter the Hind.

A flying tank unmatched by the West until the development of the Apache, the Hind is one of the only gunships with transport capacity. While nerfed by its lack of stationary ROF and 3+ to hit, Hinds have a weapon for any target. See a Merkava? The Hind can kill it. Unprotected artillery? The hind can kill it. Infantry hordes in the open? The hind can fuck them all at the same time.

By playing the VDV, you are committing to a list that combines air assault and air cavalry through the investment of points into gunships. Add on some Frogfoots and the VDV becomes a tournament worthy list that preys on any meta without sufficient anti-air. Not to mention, your blue berets are more than a match for the average foot soldier from the capitalist west...

The British air assault list are a competitive unit that sees fringe play, albeit as a fever dream that would make the Sergeant York wet. Worthless on their own and pathetic in a firefight, the Gordon highlanders see their niche as a Milan horde that happen to ride in helicopters.

====Air Cavalry/Leafblower====
Air Cavalry lists, unlike their real-life equivilants, are forces that spam airpower to win battles. Combining strike aircraft with helicopter gunships, these lists aim to destroy air-defence units before destroying the enemy force piece by piece. While most nations have access to bombers and ATGM helicopters, only the USA, Soviets and French have access to true leafblower lists; given their access to gunships like the [[MI-24 Hind]], [[Cobra|Cobra]], and [[Gazelle Helicopter|Gazelle]].

Prospective commanders should note that these are all-in lists with over 40 points being funnelled into airborne units and are easily countered by tournament metas. Essentially, you are praying that your opponent does not aim to counter your lists; given that Air Cavalry aims to outrace a platoon of dedicated air killers like [[SA-8 Gecko|SA-8 Geckos]] or [[Tracked Rapier|Rapier]]. Uncounterable for the casual player who does not plan ahead, and easily beaten by tournament players who do their homework. They may fufil your ride of the valkyrie fantasies, but will lead to games which end faster than your opponent's patience.

Not recommended if you wish to stay friends with your opponents. Acceptable (but weak) if you want to win games.

====Combined Arms====
Like most tabletop games, Team Yankee favours players who can mix and match each of the previous components; diluting the strength of each troop type and compensating with the power of diversity (yay!). As implied by the previous articles, building a spam list of infantry or tanks might be acceptable in a multiplayer game but will lead to your quick and laughable defeat in a competitive 1v1 game. Without artillery, your infantry and tanks can’t attack without taking a million casualties. Without cavalry, your tanks risk being flanked and blown up. Without infantry, your tanks and cavalry will not take objectives.

The overwhelming majority of competitive lists feature an infantry or armoured company with support elements to cover all angles. While an infantry list might see itself playing the defensive under ideal circumstances, the counterblow from a tank platoon coming from reserves can decisively swing games in your favour. Similarly, armoured lists require smoke to cover the advance of your tanks or mounted infantry. Experienced players may dabble in ‘all-in’ lists, but you, prospective general, will find the best results when your lists have no clear weakness.

Want to muddy the mixture? Consider taking combat troops as allies with your ‘chosen’ nation providing nothing more than combat (and moral) support.

Mandatory:
2-6 Combat Troops (2 platoons of tanks or infantry, 1 platoon of infantry/tanks)
1-2 Artillery (for smoke and pinning)
1-4 Recon (for spearheading and/or denying spearheads)
1-2 Air Defence (Multirole air defence acceptable below 26 points, dedicated air defence required above 30 points)

Optional:
1-2 Air support (used as suicide units)
1-1 Armoured ATGM carriers (overlaps with combat troops)

==The Forces of WW3==
With the new Ally rules, take the following with a pinch of salt. Using the combat units of an ally faction as the bulk of your force while keeping your 'actual' faction for its support choices is a totally legal (if cheesy) option. The scores are strictly in relation to one another; and does not account for terrain, list building and other stuff.

The Breakdown Scores:
5: Auto-include for competitive lists.
4: Good for the purpose, if overshadowed by other factions.
3: Not terrible, but needs a good reason to be included.
2: Not recommended due to inefficiency.
1: Overshadowed by other options in the same force organisation.
-: Role filled by Allied units within the force organisation. Minor nations only.

===NATO===
{{topquote|The Parties to this Treaty reaffirm [...] [t]hey are determined to safeguard the freedom, common heritage and civilisation of their peoples, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. They seek to promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area. They are resolved to unite their efforts for collective defence and for the preservation of peace and security. They therefore agree to this North Atlantic Treaty|The North Atlantic Treaty}}

The free world takes their freedom seriously, and armies operate very differently from one another. Entries for similar units (M113 mortars) will have different roles when used in another nation, while most countries have their own unique units which may similar versions but nothing completely identical. NATO is generally more beginner friendly, but varies between nations when it comes to cost and budgeting.

====United States of America====
{{topquote|I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.|General Jack D. Ripper}}

<u>Difficulty</u>: 1/5 (excellent for beginners!)

They may not have shown up on time for the last two world wars, but they sure have brought some firepower into this one. The principal founder of NATO and its strongest military power, the United States moved immediately to bring its full strategic might to bear against the seemingly-endless masses charging west from behind the Iron Curtain.

Three of the U.S.A.'s armed forces feature in this game, primarily their Army; the United States Army is one of the most technologically advanced forces on the Battlefield. An all-volunteer force, the average US Soldier is backed up by some of the most advanced weapon systems rumbling into war with them (including the first ever METUL BOX). Particularly the principal tank of the US forces in Europe, the M1 Abrams is arguably the most influential main battle tank of the 80s, influencing almost every other tank design in the Western world.

''Stripes'' covers most frontline combat units in the US Armed Forces, from an Amphibious Assault Unit to an Airborne Infantry Company. Their units may not be the best in the world, but you have so many options in your list that you should have a counter for anything your opponent brings up. This versatility makes them the only faction to rival the Soviets, matching their cost efficiency with incredibly flexible listbuilding.

For players concerned with historical accuracy, remember to toss out the Yorks, RDF/LTs and the Hueys (except for Marine Airborne)!

Defining Units: [[M1 Abrams]], [[M163 VADS]]

;Strengths
*Most versatile faction in the game, with options to fill almost all roles.
*Ideal for Armored and combined arms playstyles, with the flexibility to attack or defend.
*Decently easy to learn, and is rather straightforward.
*Ability to upgrade entire force to carry AT23 TOW2s
*Capitalism

;Weaknesses
*Second most expensive faction in-game.
*Poor cost efficiency compared to other NATO equivalents.
*The TOW tax quickly adds up.
*Capitalism.
*Can't point out the enemy on a map.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: Solid and cost-efficient. 4/5
Transports: The best 'free' transports in the game. 3/5
Tanks: All the flavors of M1s. 4/5
Anti-Tank: No longer cost efficient, but packing serious heat. 4/5
Recon: Decent Army options, Good Marine options. 3/5
Artillery: Decent, if expensive mortars. 3/5
Aircraft: Best helicopters, mediocre aircraft. 4/5
Anti-Air: Expensive but essential. 3/5

{{US Forces in Team Yankee}}

====Great Britain====
{{topquote|Why do you suppose we went into it?"<br>"To strengthen the brotherhood of free western nations."<br>"Oh really, we went in to screw the French by splitting them off from the Germans.|Yes, Minister}}

<u>Difficulty</u>: 2/5 (Good for beginners and vets!)

Steadfast, courageous, and absolutely devoted to their time-honoured traditions of tea, crumpets, and silly hats, the British Armed Forces became a founding member of NATO after World War II, in which they earned great fame for their many triumphs over impossible odds. Two major commands, British Army of the Rhine and Royal Air Force Germany, were dedicated to stand guard against the threat of Soviet invasion and have dutifully done so for 40 years. The British military is well-known for its discipline, professionalism, and for actually showing up on time for world wars (not like those louts across the pond).

Thanks to a little disagreement on the far side of the Atlantic in 1982 (not to mention the decades long troubles in Northern Ireland), the British military is one of only a few in NATO with combat veterans in its ranks going into the fight. They may not have the numbers or superpower status that they did in the glory days of the Empire, but as Argentina could tell you, they can still fight with the best of them. When the Warsaw Pact barged westward and brought war to Europe for the third time in a century, the British forces in West Germany stubbornly refused to give ground, forcing their enemy to bypass them rather than sacrifice the entire invasion's timetable. The rules for these tea-chugging bastards are found in “Iron Maiden” and updated rules can be found in "WW3: British".

The Brits lack the cutting-edge advanced technology of the other NATO forces (Advanced Stabilisers, Thermal Imaging except on the Challenger) but compensate with sheer firepower and ridiculously well-armoured tanks. Thanks to their Assault 3+ Infantry and abundance of units which benefit from staying still and taking potshots like the Chieftain and Milan, the British excel on the defence; sipping tea and destroying anything which strolls into their fields of fire. Should the enemy fix bayonets, you have assault 3+ on most infantry and vehicles, a lynchpin that makes the entrenched British rifleman one of the most resilient units in the game.

Also there is one other slight thing to mention with regard to the British during this time period: they are Troubled, the good Friday agreement which ended (or at least paused) The Troubles would not be signed for another 13 years (1998). What does that mean for team Yankee? well likely nothing but in real life you could bet your ass the Soviets would love to pour gasoline on that little fire to try and distract the Brits, so if we ever get a partisan list or something, maybe keep an eye open for that.

Defining Units: [[Chieftain]], [[Milan Section (Mechanized)|Milan Section]]

;Strengths
*One of the strongest factions on the defensive.
*Best infantry in the game with plentiful ATGMs on human (and armored) platforms.
*Ideal for defensive or infantry players.
*Has the almost invincible, if overcosted, Challenger.

;Weaknesses
*Lacks units that can effectively fight while on the move.
*Seriously struggles to damage heavy MBTs.
*Vulnerable to smoke and rushes; units rely on staying still to deliver the most firepower.
*Commonly seen as the seal clubber's favorite due to superior infantry stats and milan spam, which makes new players ragequit.
*Everything, absolutely ''everything'' stops for tea at four o'clock.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: Excellent defence and long ranged AT, poor offensive abilities. 4/5
Transports: Average APCs and IFVs alike. 3/5
Tanks: Expensive, armoured monsters with deadly firepower but incapable of mobile warfare. 4/5
Anti-Tank: Excellent options for dealing with previous generation tanks, struggles against 20+ armour. 3/5
Recon: Dangerous but squishy. 3/5
Artillery: Good mid-low caliber pieces. 4/5
Aircraft: Best bomber, overcosted helicopters. 3/5
Anti-Air: Excellent Rapier, ludicrously good Marksman, mediocre Spartan Blowpipe. 4/5

{{British Forces in Team Yankee}}

====West Germany====
{{topquote|Well that certainly doesn't apply to the Germans..."<br>"No no, they went in to cleanse themselves of genocide and apply for readmission to the human race.|Yes, Minister}}

<u>Difficulty</u>: 4/5 (Challenging listbuilding.)

Following the complete destruction of Nazi Germany in 1945, about half of the country was occupied by the British, French and Americans, who merged their three occupation zones to form the Federal Republic of Germany. From its capital in Bonn, West Germany's leaders have focused their efforts on redeeming (West) German standing in the world through a restored representative democracy, a careful and conservative foreign and defense policy, and some truly outstanding cars, wurst and beer. And thanks to their longstanding membership in the NATO alliance, (half of) Germany gets to be the ''good guys'' this time!

West Germany was the first featured expansion in "Team Yankee," centering around the Bundeswehr's Heer, one of two current successors to the legendary German Army of the past. With their homeland invaded for a second time by their enemy from two previous world wars, the West Germans are intensely motivated and have all the tenacity, discipline and professionalism of their fathers and grandfathers. Their former countrymen, the East Germans, are among the leading forces of the Warsaw Pact, making the war especially personal as both German armies do their utmost to see that their cause triumphs. The West Germans are literally battling in their own streets, homes and fields, while the East Germans are leaping at their chance to forge a unified, socialist Germany. The Rules for the West Germans can be found in "West German", which replaced Leopard and Panzertruppen.

The West Germans have continued the famous German tradition of quality over quantity and then some: their units rank among the very best (and most expensive) in the entire game. The perfect example is the Leopard 2, a monument to armoured superiority that costs eleven points per tank, as opposed to a mere four per tank for the East Germans' T-72M. One exception is the Leopard 1; your budget tank at 3 points. In addition to Thermal Imaging, they field devastating units like the Gepard Flakpanzer and the Panavia Tornado fighter-bomber, which can make their points back over several times in the hands of an effective commander. A well-balanced army capable of different playstyles, but ultimately held back by its inability to sustain losses. Expect to be outnumbered 2-1 against NATO, or 3-1 or even 4-1 against PACT forces.

Defining Units: [[Leopard 2]], [[Marder II Zug]]

;Strengths
*Strongest armoured units in the game.
*Soviet-equivalent morale.
*Ideal for aggressive or challenge-seeking players.
*Hard-hitting units that can punish your opponent's mistakes very harshly.

;Weaknesses
*Small units with some of the game's most expensive models.
*Poorly suited to attrition tactics.
*Ex-Nazis.
*Forgot their cold-weather gear AGAIN.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: Effective, but few and expensive. 2/5
Transports: Strongest transport in the game, but no built-in missile. 4/5
Tanks: Overcosted Leopard 2s, decent Leopard 1s. 2/5
Anti-Tank: ATGMs expensive and few. Role filled by Leopard 2s. 1/5
Recon: Cheap and dangerous. 3/5
Artillery: Solid NATO artillery. 4/5
Aircraft: Good bomber, overcosted helicopters. 2/5
Anti-Air: Versatile, competitive options. 4/5

{{West German Forces in Team Yankee}}

====France====
{{Topquote|Going to war without France is like going hunting without an accordion.|Jed Babben}}

<u>Difficulty</u>: 3/5 (Beginner unfriendly, many glass cannons.)

The gall of those cultureless, crass Americans! We hate all of them! Our king bankrupted us to save them in their "Revolutionary War," and now they make memes of us on the internet!

Despite the many dank memes and jokes about French military incompetence on the internet today, France has a long, long history of kicking ass with one of the largest and most powerful armed forces in human history. It may seem funny to mock them now, but nobody was laughing as Napoleon stomped one opponent after another into the dust, and millions of French soldiers held the line against the Kaiser's armies in the Great War, whereas the Americans couldn't be bothered to show up until 1917. France also <s>let the Germans take everything</s> was one of the major Allied powers in World War II, and French soldiers repeatedly making last stands against the Germans bought badly-needed time for the British evacuations at Dunkirk, saving not only <s>those stupid English</s> their British allies from getting overrun by the Nazis, but maybe also the world.

As explained in "Free Nations," France sort-of left NATO under Charles de Gaulle, a... very complicated man whose egomania could well have one-upped Douglas MacArthur if they hadn't been kept on totally separate sides of the planet. To summarize, de Gaulle fought nails and teeth (and all the rest too) to keep ''his'' France independent: politically, economically and militarily. This lead to France having its own military industry and designs and also lead to it leaving-but-not-really-leaving NATO and expelling all non-French military forces stationed on French soil. Secret agreements were made, however, and France retained the right to declare its re-integration into the NATO military alliance if it saw fit to do so; i.e. in case of WW3/something grave enough that would threaten France directly. The reasons for de Gaulle's stubbornness are multiple but the two main ones were that he wanted no part in what he fully expected to be "League of Nations II: Incompetence Boogaloo" or being pressured into sending his soldiers into conflicts where France had neither cause to nor interest in participating. Early in the events of "Team Yankee", seeing that a major war in Europe was on the horizon for the third time in a single century, France officially rejoined NATO in full. The Communist hordes will not find us such easy prey <s>as the Germans did</s> as they may expect, ''mon ami''.

As of 1985, France is one of the few NATO nations with genuine combat experience after World War II, alongside the United Kingdom and the United States, and it has the third-largest number of atomic weapons in the world - a distant third behind USA and the USSR, mind you, but third-largest nonetheless. The French ORBAT is unlike any of the major military powers, with their early Cold War history covering the first and second Indochinese (Vietnam) wars and their different mission needs. The post-WWII/Indochine French army has a doctrine that can be summarized in one sentence: "Engage the enemy on your own terms; never his!". Lacking a tank capable of trading blows with any modern platform and near-universal <s>cowardice in the ranks</s> 5+ morale among French personnel, a French commander must rely on maneuver and a terrifying abundance of gun platforms with Brutal to cripple an enemy's force before taking significant damage. In fact, among the NATO nations, the French were the only ones to eventually adopt autoloaders for their main battle tanks (starting only with the Leclerc, though), but they also tend to come from the 'speed is armour' school of tank design, which made them a bit glassy both in and out of the game. While similar to the Canadians in their lists naturally countering BMP and infantry spam, they lack the moosemen's balls and require a different playstyle to excel. They do have Milan spam if that's your thing though (you powergaming ''bâtard'').

Defining Units: [[AMX-10 RC]], [[Gazelle Helicopter|Gazelle 20mm]]

;Strengths
*Strong firepower on even the lightest units
*Milan AT spam on par with the Brits.
*Ideal for aggressive or experienced players.

;Weaknesses
*Tissue-thin armour made from stale baguettes.
*<s>Cowards</s> Unreliable (seriously, do NOT expect Morale 5+ troops to stay in the fight.)
*Smell like bad cheese.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: Good firepower but unreliable morale. 3/5
Transports: You get what you pay for: very solid. 4/5
Tanks: Incapable of tanking damage for the army. 3/5
Anti-Tank: Milan spam just got stronger. 5/5
Recon: Deadliest 'recon' units in the game. 5/5
Artillery: Lacking in utility arty. 2/5
Aircraft: Fragile but VERY deadly when played well. 4/5
Anti-Air: Respectable, but expensive. 3/5

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">
A Quick Note About the Morale Thing
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
Almost universally in Team Yankee, the French have ''shit'' morale, and this is a little weird at first glance. After all, the "ha ha, France = surrender monkeys" meme is about as nuanced and accurate as a company of Soviet motor rifles - especially by 1985. The French army has more actual recent combat experience than nearly any other playable nation, and previous morale crises have only improved the ''Armée de Terre'''s ability to deal with such issues. So, what gives?

Turns out, much like a few other terms for various Battlefront franchises, "Morale" is a slight misnomer. To be precise, the poor roll value that the French have isn't to represent that they are somehow more cowardly (the parallel 3+ Courage roll indicates as much), but rather to integrate French doctrine into the game, since most nation-specific special rules have been removed in order to streamline the rules. You see, in older FoW versions there used to be a dozen different special rules indicating unique attributes that would modify the two base values for specific traits. Courage, Rally, Assault and Counterattack are all new, and were created so as to whittle down the truly obscene rules clutter that was starting to really drag down games of FoW.

But that still doesn't answer the question ''"Why are my goddamn frogs running away so much?"''. The answer is simple: <s>the chemicals in the water turned them gay</s> they're being ordered to retreat: the French just don't stick around for a slugging match they fully know they simply can't win! If the French learned anything from the various wars of the 20th century, it's that they have to be able to give ground for time and that they absolutely do not have the ability to engage in attritional slogs and trade casualties for the same. As they quickly realized going solo meant they would never be able to field armor in the same volumes the Soviets could, the French army doctrine evolved into a very mobile and elastic thing that put their entire emphasis on high mobility with lighter motorized units, creating a 1985 doctrine of maneuver warfare with lightly armoured units. [[skub|The more callous say they just mixed Guderian's ''blitzkrieg'' with Model's ''schild und schwert'']], however nobody can deny they are very efficient at what they do best: hit hard, fast and overwhelmingly where the enemy doesn't expect it then redeploy before they can strike back.

This is well-represented in-game by the French having good skill but poor morale scores. This is also why the Czechoslovaks, despite being far less motivated than the French in every respect, have a better Morale rating despite literally having worse morale. Such a broad and encompassing term as Morale isn't restricted to the one stat that shares its name, and is technically the collective sum of all the stats on the left half of the base section since it was broken into those three in the first place.
</div>
</div>
{{French Forces in Team Yankee}}

====Canada====
{{topquote|I know a lot of you are going through separation anxiety... but there's nothing I can do about getting a Tim Hortons in Kabul.|Col. Al Howard (FYI, they did eventually get a Tim Hortons in a trailer)}}

<u>Difficulty</u>: 3/5 (Limited unit variety, technical playstyle.)

[[Imperial Guard|Cadians!]] Wait. Not quite. Though, they too have an amazing, cost-effective and plentiful tank option. As for their place in Team Yankee, the Canadians took one look at the current infantry spam meta, and they decided that they hated it. Where the US brought their meanest guns and the West Germans brought their biggest machines, the ''4th CMBG'' appears to have brought the devices specifically for turning BMPs and their contents into communist confetti.

While you're fairly limited in what you can take, the options Canada does have can be both versatile and extraordinary. Between a nearly-universal +3 skill roll and an abundance of options for laying down smoke, you can acquire the firing positions you require while denying the enemy any of their own. Agility is essential to Canadian lists, using evasion rather than armour in a naturally offensive force. In essence, the Canucks seem at their best in vehicles and on the move, shadowing the enemy line until it has been withered beneath a barrage of precise and overwhelming fire.

The Canadians apologize for borrowing American and German units, such as aircraft and heavy tank platoons.

<s>Defining Units</s> ''Standard List in BMP/T-55 Meta'': [[ADATS]] and as many [[Leopard 1#Canada|Leopard C1's]] as you can take

;Strengths
*Units tend to be agile, multi-purpose or hard-hitting. Sometimes, all three.
*Ideal for offensive and maneuver-minded players.
*Actually pretty good at fighting.

;Weaknesses
*Glass cannons whose vehicles can cost a pretty pound of points.
*The Americans don't like you for some reason.
*Apologize every time they shoot at anybody.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: Jack-of-all-trades, master of none. 3/5
Transports: It's cheap, it's free! 3/5
Tanks: Best generation-two tanks, and you can take a LOT of them. 4/5
Anti-Tank: Enough TOW platforms to do damage, plus the spillover from AA. 3/5
Recon: Sneaky, but not much else. 2/5
Artillery: Some mortars, some howitzers. Nothing special. 3/5
Aircraft: Grounded by lack of parts. -/5
Anti-Air: Your primary AA platform also cracks open heavy tanks... for a price. 4/5

{{Canadian Forces in Team Yankee}}

====The Netherlands====
''"Lucas, get out of the lingerie!"''

<u>Difficulty</u>: 2/5 (Versatile units with some drawbacks. Beginner viable.)

The Netherlands! A country so friendly and fun to visit that when World War III finally kicked off in August 1985, the Warsaw Pact drove a spear right through West Germany and brought the party to them. High on weed and hookah, the Dutch wade blindly into battle with a combination of dated equipment from the early 60s and the cutting edge of modern weaponry.

Clearly influenced by the Wehrmacht of yesteryear, the Royal Netherlands Army boasts one of the toughest mechanized lists around. With the holy trifecta of Leopard 2s, IFVs and Carl Gustavs, Dutch lists have few weaknesses, with numbers and the ability to deal with armour from just about any range and IFV hordes.

They are less advanced than their alcoholic West German brothers (infrared), but are considerably cheaper.

The Dutch share many similarities with the Americans and the West Germans, playing as a middle ground between the two. Much of their equipment is West German in origin, from the terribly pricy Leopard 2 (with a 1 point discount, no less) to the terrifyingly effective Pantserluchtdoel PRTL, or "Dutch Gepard". Your units have training similar to the Americans rather than the underequipped West Germans.

The strength of the Dutch lies in their mechanized forces. While their tanks are mediocre compared to other NATO nations, they are unique in their ability to pump out infantry fighting vehicles while carrying full-sized platoons with some very scary firepower, unlike their French and German counterparts. The West Germans have also granted support units to your Dutch band of (definitely straight) brothers.

Defining Units: [[Leopard 2]], [[YPR-765]]

;Strengths
*Able to spam IFVs with infantry to boot.
*Ideal for mechanized players or jacks of all trades.

;Weaknesses
*Long ranged anti-tank capability only from Leopard 2s.
*Jack-of-all-trades faction without any overpowered units.
*Drug peddlers.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: decent, but made deadly by virtue of their transports. 4/5
Transports: It's cheap, and also the best NATO IFV. 4/5
Tanks: Not great, but you don't have any other AT options. 3/5
Anti-Tank: Expensive, fragile and mediocre. 2/5
Recon: Does the job, but nothing more. 3/5
Artillery: Below-average, but still passable. 3/5
Aircraft: Our pilots are still in rehab. -/5
Anti-Air: Weaker than the West Germans, but still very strong. 4/5

{{Dutch Forces in Team Yankee}}

====ANZAC====
''"Oi! Mate! Get off the fekkin' gun and stab the bloody cunt!"''

<u>Difficulty</u>: 4/5 (Beginner unfriendly. Vet recommended.)

Legendary for their daring, elan and professionalism, the armed forces of Australia have a long record of making somebody ''very'' sorry that they picked a fight with the Empire. Or with Australia. Or that there was a fight going on, and the Australians heard about it and showed up. Where Canada runs in circles around the enemy and France runs away from the enemy, the Aussies and Kiwis run ''at'' the enemy. By all accounts they really shouldn't be present, they aren't even officially part of NATO (due to that whole "North Atlantic" thing), yet here they are in 1980's Germany. Down-under magic? Down-under magic. The Queen calling for aid? Or maybe has something to do with the complicated system of alliances in the pacific that were thrown around very early on in the cold war. The Aussies and Kiwis both had actually signed a treaty referred to as the ANZUS with the US in the 50's guaranteeing defensive cooperation if any hostilities were launched against them or a number of allied states, hence their military presence in Vietnam and now, in Germany. (Though historically ANZUS was falling apart at the time due to New Zealand's Nuclear-Free stance putting it at odds with the United States).

Your PACT players are going to be wondering: "Wait, aren't ''we'' supposed to be ones who're invading?". This will occur just as several packs of foul-mouthed Bogans roll around the corner, firing on the move and charging into melee from their tanks to show the Gopniks how it’s really done. Keep in mind, this is during an era whereby that shit should '''not''' fly. But looking at their stats, that's specifically what they're here to do. Skilled, courageous, all while packing lots of tools designed for staring the dirty communist in the eyes as you kill him. Your infantry may not be amazing, but your scorpions and leopards can literally roll over the communists with assault 3+. The Australians may not actually be in NATO at all, but having decided to show up anyway, they're polite, they're efficient, and they have a plan to kill everyone they meet.

The ANZACS have British support units such as the Tracked Rapier and Harrier, thanks to their plea deal with the crown.

Defining Units: [[CVRT#Kiwi Variant|Scorpion]], [[AT Land Rover]]

;Strengths
*'Tank' units are nearly unmatched in close quarters, and set to win damn near ''every'' melee they enter.
*Ideal for you melee junkies out there.

;Weaknesses
*Suffers from yet another serious lack of organic support.
*Units are few as is, but a lack of variety can seriously limit flexibility.
*Can't handle cold.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: Average NATO infantry, but essential in any list. 3/5
Transports: It's free I guess.... 3/5
Tanks: Your tanks can shred light armor on the move while running infantry over. 4/5
Anti-Tank: Good against light armor, terrible against high-end tanks. 3/5
Recon: Kiwis go ''hard''. 2/5
Artillery: Mortars only, but the Brits can help you out! 2/5
Aircraft: They haven't discovered aviation yet. -/5
Anti-Air: It's bad. It's REALLY bad. 1/5

{{ANZAC Forces in Team Yankee}}

===Warsaw Pact===
{{topquote|The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.

'''''Working Men of All Countries, Unite!''
'''|Karl Marx, The Communist Manifesto}}

Unlike NATO, standardization was enforced in the Warsaw Pact at most levels of the military. From the caliber of firearms to the strategies used by commanders, each country only made the slightest of adjustments. Expect little variation in equipment compared to NATO. Tactics do vary of course, but always rely on numerical superiority to win the day. Most Pact nations have inferior equipment to the Soviet Union which was historically accurate: Soviet Union entries can generally be used for your own faction. The playstyles vary more on your army list than individual factions: an infantry list is going to play very similarly, whether there are Russians or Poles in their ranks. For budget players without care for bling and army decals, consider leaving all units in the standard Russian green and they can be Russians, Czechs or Russians disguised as <s>Ukrainians</s> Poles.

====Soviet Union====
-''What should a Soviet soldier do if he finds himself in an immediate vicinity of a nuclear explosion?''

-''Stretch out his arms and hold his assault rifle in such a way that no molten metal get on state-issued boots.''

- Soviet army joke

<u>Difficulty</u>: 3.5/5 (Tough to learn, easier to master.)

Massive, heavily armed, and with a record of Nazi-stomping in World War II that makes the whole Western front pale in comparison, the Soviet Armed Forces were a force to be reckoned with through the entire Cold War. Far outnumbering their adversaries and their own voluntold allies, the Soviet military possessed enough tanks, artillery, aircraft, automatic rifles and machine guns to make all of NATO's vaunted quality-over-quantity ideas count for absolutely nothing in a real war. Rules for the Soviet Hordes can be found in the Team Yankee Rulebook, “Red Thunder”, and, most recently, the "Soviet" book.

In addition to the mechanized forces of the Red Army, Red Thunder gives you the rules for running an Air Assault Battalion from the VDV. They have a totally different list from other PACT factions and were the best infantry that the PACT can buy.

With the release of the new book, the Soviets gained access to the T-80 Shock Company formation. This elite formation is closer to a NATO force than other WarPac formations. Platoons of 2-3 tanks hit on 4+ with 3+ skill break the traditional horde structure and come with a hefty points cost to boot. They can also take a platoon of 2-3 recon BMP-3s with the same stats AND a company of BMP-3 mechanised infantry (with the option to downgrade to shock BMP-2s). Expensive as hell with the usual low ROF of Soviet armour, expect to be heavily outnumbered.

As a Soviet player, you are the proud owner of the most advanced army among REDFOR, rivalled only by the US (in games without allies, that is). Point for point, few armies can equal your ability to bring reliable firepower. Near universal 3+ Remount and Morale ensures that your glorious Communists will (probably) never falter against the Capitalist pigs. While their 3+ to hit ensures that they suffer losses at a far greater rate, the USSR has viable units in almost every archetype. Whether it's a tank battalion, an air assault list, artillery spam or half of a motor rifle brigade, the USSR is cost-effective enough to make most archetypes work. An ideal army for the experienced or the powergamer, although you must be prepared to counter your low skill ratings.

Defining Units: [[Motor Rifle Company]], [[2S1 Carnation|2S1 Gvozdika]]

;Strengths
*Cheap, cost-effective units for all roles but tanks. Excellent morale.
*Ideal for veterans to Flames Of War, horde and powergamers.
*Communism.

;Weaknesses
*Reliant on effective combined arms tactics.
*Units will lose 1-on-1 confrontations against most NATO counterparts.
*Communism.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: Cheap and insanely cost-efficient. 5/5
Transports: Meta defined by BMP parking lots. 5/5
Tanks: Cheap but mediocre. 3/5
Anti-Tank: Cheap, but tiny unit sizes. 2/5
Recon: Acceptable, but not amazing. 3/5
Artillery: Unreliable, weakest PACT artillery. 2/5
Aircraft: Good; only competitor to the US. 4/5
Anti-Air: Cheap but deadly. 5/5

{{Soviet Forces in Team Yankee}}

====East Germany====
''"For the protection of the workers' and the peasants' power" ''
-Motto of the Volksarmee

<u>Difficulty</u>: 4.5/5 (Weak units and weak list. Vets only.)

After getting stomped into oblivion by the Soviets during World War II, half of Germany has been rebuilt in the Soviet image. Founded in the mid-1950s, the armed forces of the German Democratic Republic, known as the Nationalvolksarmee (National People's Army), [[Mordian Iron Guard|combine Prussian heritage, iconic German military discipline, and Soviet mass-unit doctrine]] to forge one of the most formidable enemies NATO will ever face on the battlefield. Even though they must make do with downgraded Soviet export equipment, they fight with a tenacity that rivals that of their forefathers. NATO military officers have consistently rated the NVA as the best force in the Warsaw Pact based on its discipline, thoroughness of training, and the leadership ability of its commissioned officers. Following Soviet tradition, the Volksarmee lends the names of various Communist heroes to regimental-sized units and above, such as Panzerregiment 23 "Julian Marchlewski", one of the three armored regiments of the 9th Panzer Division. Rules for the East Germans are found in “Volksarmee.”

As the Volksarmee you stare enviously at USSR-Sempai and employ 30-year-old tanks with such reckless ambition that an Imperial Guardsman would question your value for human life. Your soldiers are as zealous as your Soviet counterparts and have more skill than <s>the illiterate peasants in the Red Army</s> your honored Soviet allies. The downside you might ask? You are using whatever even the ''Soviet Union'' thinks is too unsafe for their soldiers, using all the hand me downs with gusto. The majority of the Volksarmee gets the T-55AM2, which is great at exploding, and the first-rate armored regiments get the T-72M, which is also great at exploding but shoots better. You may be (mostly) bringing tanks from the mid-50s, but you can bring 30 of them for a little less than the cost of 2 West German tanks. Hell, even if you fight against the Soviets, you will outnumber them more than 2 to 1 (Even with both of you bringing T-72s). If you want the discount of non-Soviet PACT nations without the lopsided characteristics of the Poles or the Czechs, the National People's Army stands ready to invade capitalist-occupied West Germany at your order.

Defining Units: [[Motor_Rifle_Company#Mot-Schützen Kompanie|Motorschützen]], [[T55AM2]]

;Strengths
*Second cheapest units in the game, with rather decent stat lines.
*Ideal for horde players with too much money, or tactical geniuses.
*Sweet spot between the elite Poles and the conscript Czechs.

;Weaknesses
*Units outmatched by most NATO equivalents; West Germany has much, ''much'' better Panzers.
*Players must rely on superior planning to win games due to the VAST technological gap.
*Communist Prussians (almost as bad as [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kGtIJxAH3A Commie-nazis]).

The Breakdown
Infantry: Soviet numbers with low-end NATO stats. 3/5
Transports: Like the Soviets, but slightly worse. 3/5
Tanks: Useless in head-on engagements, good as flanking units. 3/5
Anti-Tank: Tanks do it better than these pieces of crap. 1/5
Recon: On par with Soviet Recce (AKA pretty bad). 3/5
Artillery: NATO skill and Soviet arty? Pretty good! 4/5
Aircraft: Decent air force. 3/5
Anti-Air: Cheap but lacks high-end anti-air missiles. 3/5

{{East German Forces in Team Yankee}}

====Poland====
''"When the Red Army makes a mess, why do we always have to clean it up?"''

<u>Difficulty</u>: 4.25/5 (Mix of decent units but nothing to write home about, with a cost that suggests more. Vets only.)

Coming from a background of militarism, Poland has had a fairly shitty history in the 20th century. They've been stuck in wars since the Great War (despite not being a nation), and Poland has become a plaything for the powers of Europe. Poland was the first country the Nazis occupied (as opposed to annexing), and thanks to the Soviets "liberating" them 40 years ago, by 1985 the original Polish government has been waiting to return home for nearly half a century. Yay. There's some division on that, however, as the Polish People's Army was first organized in 1943 and fought well on the Eastern Front against the Germans before establishing themselves as Poland's official armed forces for the next 40-plus years. Florian Siwicki, the Minister of Defence under the Polish People's Republic in 1985, first joined up in 1942 and has thus shot at (West) Germans before.

The Polish People's Republic has one of the largest and strongest armies in Eastern Europe short of the Soviets (complete with their own 6th Airborne Division and a specialized amphibious landing division), and possesses its own arms industry, manufacturing more cheap tanks and guns than anybody except the USSR. Their foreign customers include the East Germans (a lot of those commie Panzers are, ironically, from a Polish factory) and those fun guys in North Korea. They've kept the old Polish national anthem, and, bizarrely for a Soviet bloc state, the Polish People's Army provided chaplains to its troops throughout its existence. The Polish People's Army is large, well-armed, and well-trained; going into World War III, they can dish out and take plenty as the Warsaw Pact and NATO have a frank exchange of ideas over the fate of Europe and the world.

In Team Yankee, the Poles are troops with 4+ skill, 3+ courage and 3+ rally, giving them the determination of Soviets with the skill of the NVA. Second only to the Afgantsy VDV veterans, the Poles are some of the best-trained forces of the Warsaw Pact. Despite costing almost as much as the Soviets, they have even less equipment than the East Germans with the same downgrades by PACT forces, except for a handful of special units to even the balance. Boasting the best trained motorized infantry of the PACT armies, Polish battlegroups rely on the superiority of their infantry to win the day, while vehicles serve in support roles.

Defining Units: [[Motor_Rifle_Company|Zmotory Kompania]], [[T-72M]], [[T-72B]]

;Strengths
*Reliable units unlikely to get pinned or bailed.
*Best PACT infantry at firefighting and attacking.
*Ideal for players who want a horde of morale-resistant units.

;Weaknesses
*Poor anti-tank capability.
*2nd tier equipment with near-Soviet costs.
*Will carjack your vehicle wrecks.

Infantry: The best PACT infantry in firefights, at a cost... 3/5
Transports: Like the Soviets, but slightly worse. Few BMP-2s. 3/5
Tanks: Good at flanking, bad at tanking/killing tanks. 3/5
Anti-Tank: Your tanks do the job better than these things. 1/5
Recon: Cheap but bad. 3/5
Artillery: It kills, it's reliable! 4/5
Aircraft: Passable. 3/5
Anti-Air: Pretty solid, actually. 4/5

{{Polish Forces in Team Yankee}}

====Czechoslovakia====
''"To be honest, I'd rather fight for NATO. <small>please don't kill us</small>"''

<u>Difficulty</u>: 5/5 (For hardened vets only.)

Ah, yes, Czechoslovakia, the Reluctant Conscript of the Warsaw Pact. Lied to and annexed by the Nazis, then brutally occupied for years, then "liberated" and forced to join the Soviet Union in the Warsaw Pact. What fun! A year ago, someone wrote (rather accurately) that the NVA were the enthusiastic conscripts taking the equipment that the Soviets were afraid of using. Now, imagine these same conscripts, but terrified of death and shivering in their boots. As of October 20, the German goblin hordes have been dethroned by the Czechs! Second-line, underequipped, cowering Slavs being shoved into battle by the Soviets and marching in hordes that would make the Chinese blush (seriously, you'll outnumber the damn East Germans in most scenarios.)

The Czechs take the hordes concept to the next level, with their armies outnumbering the other PACT armies. As the least willing participants of the conflict, virtually all their stats are 5+ apart from 4+ skill and 4+ morale. They might have the least trustworthy men in the game, but their discounts allow you to bring enough 125mm cannons and RPGs that a pinned/bailed unit won't save your opponent from the wall of firepower you can produce. The Czechs favour two playstyles: an aggressive list with enough T-72Ms to ignore losses or a defensive list that literally buries your side of the table with men.

Defining Units: [[T-72M]], [[Dana SpGH]]

;Strengths
*Units are 20-33% cheaper than Soviet counterparts.
*4+ skill for aggressive tank pushes and artillery spammers.
*Ideal for horde players and rich blokes.

;Weaknesses
*Least reliable units in the game, vulnerable to pinning and morale shock. They ''really'' don't want to be there.
*Units without support are almost guaranteed to lose any engagements.
*Constantly hungover.

Infantry: You get a horde...but they won't listen to your orders. 2/5
Transports: Like the Poles, with untrained crews. 2/5
Tanks: THE cheapest tank hordes in the game. Good for alpha strikes. 4/5
Anti-Tank: No missiles that can reliably beat heavy tanks, but your T-72s fill the gap. 1/5
Recon: Cheap but bad. 3/5
Artillery: Cheaper, but just as deadly! 4/5
Aircraft: Passable. 3/5
Anti-Air: Cheaper and scarier. 4/5

{{Czech Forces in Team Yankee}}

===Middle Eastern Powers===
{{topquote|The whole melodrama of the Middle East would be improved if amnesia were as common here as it is in melodramatic plots.|P. J. O'Rourke}}
What's that, the folks in Europe are shooting each other again? The War To End All Wars ended up getting another sequel?! Time for a renewed surge of violence in the Middle East!

Apart from Turkey, which did join NATO, nobody anywhere near the Middle East (except maybe the various Soviet "Stans" depending on where exactly your draw the middle east's borders) ever actually joined NATO or the Warsaw Pact. Both of those coalitions made overtures to the various nations in that region, partly because they knew the other was going to, and partly because some of those Middle Eastern countries are absolutely loaded with oil. Iran, Iraq, and Israel are the three major players as World War III in Europe inevitably spreads into the Middle East, and the one thing they agree on is they all hate each other with pretty much equal intensity.

In 1985, Iran is a theocratic Islamic republic that was westernizing until a few years ago when they decided to tell America to get rekd. Their neighbor is Iraq, a one party authoritarian dictatorship enjoying the benefits of America's new "Fuck Iran" policy. The two have been at war since 1980, and to pour gas on the fire they follow different branches of Islam.

Meanwhile on the coast, Israel is at war with... well pretty much everyone. The Yom Kippur War broke out in 1973, pitting Israel against Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Jordan, Iraq, Libya, Kuwait, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan, Pakistan, Lebanon, and [[What|Cuba because why the fuck not]]. Officially most of these countries are still technically at war with Israel in 1985, although the fighting is mostly confined to Lebanon.

When WWIII winds its way into the desert, it finds two wars in full swing and a mess of complex backroom deals for arms and oil. The easiest case to understand is Israel, falling firmly in NATO's camp, but with a mixed bag of whatever they can get their hands on.

The Soviets best friend in the region is Iran, although this loyalty is only skin deep. The Ayatollah is no communist, he simply hates the decadent, heretical westerners. Right up until 1978 the Iranians had been getting the best hardware the west was willing to sell them. America wanted to make Iran a big fortress of freedom keeping the Soviets away from all the oil, but the revolution threw those plans out the window.

Iraq for their part had never really been anyone's friend. The Ba'athist party came to power in 1967 basically because the army was really mad at Israel. The Soviets were willing to sell them weapons but not the best stuff. But after Iran flipped off America, the CIA and the Saudis got really interested in propping up Iraq as an angry puppet against Iran.

Which brings us to the most notable non-participants in WWIII, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The Saudis in 1985 are disgustingly rich, chummy with NATO but not vocal about it, and very vocal about hating Israel but talk is cheap. Meanwhile, Egypt in the 80's is under the leadership of a reformer who is less interested in war and more interested in using the Suez as an economic engine to rebuild Egypt (of course, even if Egypt were to not take sides in WW3, the Suez is just too strategically important to ignore...).

In summary, the Middle East of the 80's is a mess of ambiguous allegiances colored by both extremely old and very new animosities. But in practical gameplay terms what it means is the opportunity to wield PACT hordes with the support of the latest western airbrrrrrrt (Iraq), or field older NATO tanks at Soviet discount prices (Iran), or shred <strike>goyim</strike> BMP and Milan spam with equal efficiently (Israel).

====Israel====
{{topquote|Let me tell you something that we Israelis have against Moses: He took us 40 years through the desert in order to bring us to the one spot in the Middle East that has no oil.|Golda Meir}}

<u>Difficulty</u>: 3/5 (Effective against other Oil War armies, struggles against v2 armies)

Forged by near-constant war since State of Israel declared its independence in 1948 (instantly starting a war as its enraged Muslim neighbors all attacked), the Israel Defence Forces stand as one of most effective armies in 20th-century history. They are an army of Jews, sworn to act as the sword and shield of the long-dreamt-of Jewish homeland, and they are both well-trained, battle-hardened, and fiercely motivated. The IDF have lived with a "backs to the wall" mentality since the beginning; they know that losing once in the wrong time and wrong place could well mean losing Israel. But they also know that they're safer being feared; eighteen years before Team Yankee, Israel fought the Six Day War against all its neighbors and won, virtually obliterating the Egyptian and Jordanian air forces while taking the Sinai, and six years later held their gains in the Yom Kippur War.

Driven by constant pressure and the endless threat of danger and defeat, the IDF has been extremely innovative and adaptable with their equipment right from the start. They deliberately use literally ''anything'' they can get their hands on, with an array of weaponry ranging from World War II-vintage Sten SMG's, Soviet-made Shilkas captured from their not-so-friendly Muslim neighbors, purchased American tanks and a handful of home-grown items. While the WW2 tech has been passed to the reservists by now, Team Yankee's IDF options largely ignore this ramshackle history beyond a few looted wagons, which is a shame because M50 "Super Shermans" would be fun to use. You could, if you really wanted, use "Flames of War" and "Fate of a Nation" units to put together an IDF reservist force, but that would require extra work. The IDF in any format are well-trained and well-motivated. No matter what they're driving, flying or shooting, they are skilled and brave, making them a formidable enemy to anyone who goes up against them.

Israeli battlegroups have one of the deadliest anti-infantry arsenals with napalm bombers, tanks with Brutal and ROF 2 on the move, and infantry that could outfight the Americans' legendary 82nd Airborne. Anti-armour is a clear weakness, you only have a handful of units able to punch through previous generation tanks and nothing capable of hurting the latest tanks from the front. IDF units have nearly identical stats to the West Germans: 3+ stats across the board, except for 4+ assault and courage.

The Israelis may take allied NATO formations in their battlegroups.

Defining Units:
[[Merkava]], [[Pereh]]

;Strengths
*Deadliest anti-infantry weapons currently in the game.
*Infantry platoons which can beat tanks, and excel at firefights.
*Ideal for combined arms players with some experience.
*The closest thing IRL has to Cadians.

;Weaknesses
*Extremely few units which can penetrate 3rd generation tanks.
*Mediocre anti-air arsenal.
*Literally everyone else expects you to stab them in the back at some point.
*Terrified of shellfish.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: Good at firefighting with strong stats but not much else. 3/5
Transports: The metal box of the free world...again. 3/5
Tanks: Great fire support, terrible tank killer. 3/5
Anti-Tank: Seriously lacks tools to deal with heavy tanks. 2/5
Recon: Mediocre, but cheap. 3/5
Artillery: 3+ skill, and you have an artillery piece for every mission. 4/5
Aircraft: Slightly weaker anti-armour, excellent anti-infantry. 4/5
Anti-Air: Solid SPAAGs, but suffers against NATO aircraft. 3/5

{{Israeli Forces in Team Yankee}}

====Iraq/Syria====
''Why are we on the same side as Israel?...and why are those Abrams giving me Déjà vu?"''

<u>Difficulty</u>: 4/5 (The challenge of a WARPAC list, made easier with NATO allies)

Universally feared in the Middle East as the strongest conventional military force in numbers and technology, the Iraqi Armed Forces boast a mix of Western and Soviet equipment and the largest military in the region. Despite being bested by the Israelis during the Six-Days War, the 80s Iraqis were a very respectable force in the context of a head-on conventional war. By 1990, they were the 4th largest army in the world with over 900,000 troops in the military with one of the largest tank fleets in the Middle East, though take that statement with a grain of salt about their effectiveness since by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_War 1991 they had the second largest army in Iraq]. That being said, this all took place well after 1985, when back in 1979, despite Iraq being in the Soviet sphere of influence, the US gave some material support to Iraq during the Iraq-Iran war. You can make an argument for Iraq being on either NATO's or PACT's side in this conflict.

Iraqi lists are 'constructed' at the Division level, meaning that you have access to support units that would usually be found at the company level in other armies. While you do have a few French units, your combat troops have Soviet equipment and can be expected to perform like poorly trained PACT troops. Iraqis have 4+ stats across the board, except for 5+ assault and 5+ skill. They also operate at the company level like other PACT armies.

Uniquely for a faction with as much soviet gear as they do, Iraqis may take NATO allied formations in their battlegroups, if you've ever fantasized about a functional Iraqi-US coalition force. In game terms, this lets you have cheap conscript horde working alongside the best of the West. If you want a tarpit of conscripts protecting objectives while your Leopard 2s or Merkavas tear things up, this is the faction for you. You also have the USAF providing air cover with Warthogs and Harriers.

The Syrians are an official modification to the Iraqi list, losing the AMX AuF1, VCR/TH, AMX Roland, AMX-10P, US air support and all NATO allies. In exchange, they get access to the SU-25 and PACT allied formations.

Defining Units: [[T-62M]], [[Motor Rifle Company]]

;Strengths
*Large unit sizes with a point cost between East Germans and Czechs.
*Access to NATO tools like the AMX-AuF1 and the Gazelle HOT.
*Ideal for WARPAC commanders dabbling in NATO equipment and allies.

;Weaknesses
*Almost all support units at the divisional level.
*[[Planetary Defense Force|Units have the morale of WARPAC troops and the training of Russian conscripts.]]
*Addicted to nerve agents.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: Tanned Pact troops with Ruskie training videos. 3/5
Transports: Many mediocre options for versatility. 3/5
Tanks: Inferior to Pact tanks, in training and tech. 2/5
Anti-Tank: Very fragile, but you can beat 3rd-gen tanks. 3/5
Recon: Cheap scout that can't kill anything. 2/5
Artillery: High-tech, average cost, low skill. 2/5
Aircraft: Nothing overpowered, but you have a solution for every problem. 4/5
Anti-Air: Plenty of options for the perfect AA net! 5/5

{{Iraqi Forces in Team Yankee}}

====Iran====
{{topquote|Throw away your prayer chain and buy yourself a gun. For prayer chains keep you in stillness while guns silence the enemies of Islam.|Ayatollah Khamenei}}

<u>Difficulty</u>: 4/5 (Excels in the hands of veterans, unfriendly to beginners.)

Formerly an American ally of convenience, and already at war with Iraq before World War III started in August 1985, the Islamic Republic of Iran has wound up as a de-facto ally of the atheistic Warsaw Pact. The underdogs of the Middle East, the Iranian military lack the generations of combat experience of the Israelis or the raw numbers of the Iraqis but compensate through sheer fanaticism. By the Iran-Iraq War, the Iranian military was only able to repel invading Iraqi forces thanks to foreign equipment and local militias slowing the initial Iraq advance.

Iranian armies featured iconic Soviet platforms but typically used Western vehicles - without the latest upgrades, of course. It’s strange to see Iran side with the Soviet Union in this scenario, if only because they were one of the major backers of the Mujahideen in the Soviet-Afghan War. But politics can make for strange bedfellows indeed, and this fiercely religious state's alliance with the explicitly atheist USSR and its client states in Eastern Europe is far from the only unusual partnership of the 20th century.

The Iranians play with NATO vehicles using PACT doctrine (holdovers from the last regime, when the Americans propped up Iran as a buffer state against the Soviet Union), operating M113s and Chieftains as the backbone of their force. The Americans and British are obviously no longer supplying spare parts, but the Iranians manage somehow, running their bizarre mishmash of NATO and WarPac machines and weapons, some of which are still in service today. Statwise, the Iranians are more fanatical than Soviets with 3+ across the board, but with 5+ assault and skill. Your illiterate hajis won't understand orders but are guaranteed to outlast nearly any foe on the battlefield in a contest of attrition.

Iranian armies operate at the platoon level much like NATO's forces except for the Basij, and may take allied formations from the Warsaw Pact despite the communist hatred of all things religious. If you like NATO tanks, painting desert camo and <s>unironically saying Allahu Akbar </s> getting placed on FBI watchlists, boy do I have the army for you.

Defining Units:
[[Chieftain]], [[Basij Infantry Company]]

;Strengths
*Insanely cheap platoons that let you bring several companies easily.
*High morale means units can practically disregard pinning/bails/losses.
*Beige.
*Literal jihadists.

;Weaknesses
*Extremely squishy armour formations capped at 3 tank platoons.
*Atrocious anti-armour capability.
*I hope you like painting beige.
*Literal jihadists.

The Breakdown:
Infantry: Good balance between infantry spam and mediocre infantry. 4/5
Transports: Average transports with quite a bit of choice. 3/5
Tanks: Soviet tanks and outdated Chieftains. 2/5
Anti-Tank: Your strongest AT platoons can't penetrate an M1IP. 1/5
Recon: Passable: not bad, but not great. 3/5
Artillery: A calibre for every target and every list. 4/5
Aircraft: Passable anti-tank, lacks a bomber. 3/5
Anti-Air: Nearly identical to PACT anti-air. 4/5

{{Iranian Forces in Team Yankee}}

===Unofficial Rules - Alternative Nations and Special Forces===

Unlike the Swedish, who will undoubtedly get their own rules in years to come, you can follow the link below to play as one of the following nations: Spain (which actually joined NATO in 1982), Greece (joined NATO in 1952), Ireland, Yugoslavia, Albania, Denmark, Belgium, Romania, Switzerland, Finland, Italy, Austria, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, Hungary, Bulgaria, Portugal, Mexico, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malta, and Cuba.

You can also find unofficial rules for US Army Rangers, British Royal Marines, ANZAC SAS, Polish Spec Forces, Canadian Airborne, Iranian Spec Forces, East German Paratroops, Czech Airborne, French Foreign Legion, Soviet Naval Infantry, Iraqi and Syrian Republic Guard, Israeli Commandos and West German and Dutch Marines. You can even play now as Terrorists/ Guerrillas!

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344587741_TEAM_YANKEE_UNOFFICIAL_RULES_COMPENDIUM_-_NATIONAL_AND_SPECIAL_FORCES_RULES

===The Neutral Powers===

(Only mentioned at the BF open so far, but don’t let that get your hopes down)

====Sweden====
Maintaining a policy of armed neutrality (leave us alone, we have guns) since 1814, Sweden never joined NATO despite its neighbors Denmark and Norway being among the first to sign up. The idea being that if ww3 ended up in an atomic fireball, Sweden be at the bottom of the target list and have a better then average chance of making it through, Finland had the same tactic BTW and went so far as to make literally every building a bunker to live through it.. However, it is extremely likely that in the event of a war, the Swedes would have broken their long-standing neutrality to support their Scandinavian comrades against the Communist threat to their way of coffee breaks every 2 hours.

This actually happens in Sir John Hackett's novel ''The Third World War: The Untold Story'', which Harold Coyle's ''Team Yankee'' is set within- the Swedes don't take kindly to the Soviet Air Force repeatedly invading their airspace to bomb Norway, and Sweden becomes a de facto NATO ally when they attack the Soviet bombers and the Soviets retaliate. So far that hasn't been made canon in Team Yankee: The Tabletop Game, but Battlefront Miniatures could change that at any time.

The Swedish military of 1985 was armed with some of the most distinctive weapons of the Cold War thanks to their homegrown defence industry. Designs, like the Stridsvagn 103 (or 'S' tank) and the Saab 35 'Draken' and 37 'Viggen' were strange even for the time. The Draken was of the first aircraft to successfully implement a delta-wing configuration and Viggen the canard delta layout; the design used in modern interceptor aircraft like the Rafale and the Typhoon fighter jets.

As with other Scandinavian armies, their forces were rather small. This meant that their funding per soldier was almost equal to other Western European nations, giving them a small force of well-trained and equipped troops that constantly stink of pickled herring.

Defining Units:
[[Strv 103]]

;Strengths
*Free shipping for orders above $50.
*Excellent cars and fishes.

;Weaknesses
*Has [[Munchkin|min-maxed tanks]]
*Screwdriver sold separately.

The Breakdown:

{{Swedish Forces in Team Yankee}}

==FAQ/General Bulletin==
*There are three kinds of teams: Tank Teams, Infantry Teams, and Aircraft Teams
**Tank Teams include every type of ground based vehicle, not just literal tanks. It is further broken down into Armoured, Unarmoured, and Transport types
**Infantry Teams include all units made up of men fighting on foot
**Aircraft Teams are comprised of Strike Aircraft and Helicopters

*For most units moving will lead to worse shooting (or not being able to shoot at all)
*Tactical Speed allows you to shoot after moving
*Dash speed prohibits shooting and the maximum distance depends on the unit and the terrain
*Tank Teams must roll higher than their Cross value when moving into or through terrain or immediately end their movement
*Movement can be enhanced using various orders based on Skill or Motivation
*Friendly Tank and Infantry Teams can move through each other
*Tank Teams can never move through other Tank Teams (except wrecks)

*Units are hit based on their own Is Hit On value and not the shooting team's skill
**A unit's Is Hit On value is modified by Concealment, Smoke, and other factors
**Remaining in place and not shooting will make your units Gone To Ground
**Units that are Gone to Ground and also Concealed are even harder to hit
*Infantry, aircraft, and soft skinned vehicles that are hit must make a saving throw or be destroyed
**If the infantry unit is in Bullet Proof Cover the shooting team must also pass a Fire Power test
**Armored vehicles take the armor value (AV) on the card, add a d6, and compare it to the shooting weapon's anti-tank (AT) value
***If the total is less than the shooting weapon's AT then the target fails their Armour Save (if the weapon's AT exceeding your AV by 6 or more you will automatically fail)
***If the total is the same as the shooting weapon's AT then the target also fails but the shot does limited damage
***Failing an Armour Save does not mean automatic destruction. If the shooting unit then fails a Firepower roll the target stays alive (but is possibly Bailed Out)
***The hull and turret are considered separately. Roll a d6 if both are exposed. On a 4+ the turret (if there is one) is hit instead of the hull
****This only matters if the shooting unit is flanking the target (behind a line drawn across the front of the hull or turret)
*Long Range shooting carries a penalty to hit and AT (but this is often negated by rules for Laser Range Finders or Guided Missile technology)

*You will find the rules on the back of cards, but just in case you're simply browsing, here are what they all mean
**Brutal: Forces infantry units to reroll saves against this weapon
**Laser Rangefinder: Negates penalty of shooting at longer range
**Advanced Stabilizer: Increases the units maximum Tactical Speed
**Stabilizer: Increases the units maximum Tactical Speed, but adds a penalty to shooting when moving beyond the standard Tactical Speed
**Dedicated AA: Allows you to use full ROF against air units instead of just one die
**HEAT: Negates Firepower penalty for Long Range
**Guided: Negates hit penalty for Long Range
**Thermal Imaging: Allows unit to ignore smoke, friendly or foe

==Books==
<gallery>
File:Team-Yankee-cover.jpg|Da Big Rulebook
File:Iron Maiden Cover.jpg|Iron Maiden
File:Leopard Cover.jpg|Leopard
File:Panzertruppen Cover.jpg|Panzertruppen: sort of an addendum to Leopard
File:Volksarmee Cover.jpg|Volksarmee
File:FW909.jpg|Red Thunder
File:Stripes cover.jpg|Stripes
File:Freenationscover.jpg|Free Nations
File:Czech book.jpg|Czechoslovak Peoples Army
File:Polish book.jpg|Polish Peoples Army
File:Oilwar.jpg|Oil War
File:WWIII-BRITISH-cover.jpg|British Book II
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:McPizza_King.jpg|Ramirez! Defend the <s>Burgertown</s> McPizza King!
File:Lynx & Btr-60s.jpg|''Gott im Himmel'' there's hundreds of them!
File:Marinecorps AAVP7.jpg|ONE TWO THREE FOUR, I LOVE THE MARINE CORPS!
File:CheiftainvsT64.jpg|Take that you dastardly Russians!
File:Afgantsy Choppers.jpg|Like a swarm of angry hornets.
File:Cheiftain on the road.jpg|Yes, the might of Great Britain has arrived.
File:New Bradley Mini.jpg|
File:Desert Bradley.jpg|

</gallery>

==External Links==
[http://www.team-yankee.com/ The Official Team Yankee website]

[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrwatpGKP655UI1CjcmKQrcY5uiO_HHB7/ A somewhat outdated starter guide]

[[Category:Wargames]]
[[Category:Battlefont Miniatures]]
[[Category:Team Yankee]]
[[Category:Flames Of War]]

Siege Weapon

2022-09-22T08:16:54Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* Chemical Weapons */

Let's say you're a medieval lord with 5,000 knights, men-at-arms and peasant levies you've decided to attack and conquer a lesser lord who has 1,000 fighting men of similar abilities. If you line your guys up and fight out in the open, you'll crush him. But the coward/sensible leader does not do this and instead holds up in his [[castle]], which has high walls and heavy gates to keep people out, a large supply of rocks to drop on the heads of people trying to climb said walls, safe vantage points to shoot at attackers before they get to the walls and graineries, larders, wine cellers an cisterns which can keep his troops fed for months. You have several options available to you. You can try to storm the castle while your guys are shot and get rocks and burning sand dropped on them. You can try to starve them out, which is going to take months, suffer casualties from raids and camp sickness, lower morale as people are away from the friends and family and incur massive opportunity costs as the peasant levies could be farming, or you could employ '''Siege Weapons'''.

Note that while most siege weapons were used offensively against fortifications, some could be used defensively, whether against infantry formations or to destroy enemy siege weapons.

== Types of Siege Weapons ==
==Historic==
===Battering Ram===
One of the oldest and simplest siege weapons, the Battering Ram is, at its most basic, a log that men use to try and break down a door or section of wall. Over time people got ideas like swinging it from ropes to make it easier to smash into enemy fortifications, an iron cap on the log to help it smash through tougher materials, and strong roofs to keep the men inside from being crushed by falling rocks, scalded with boiling oil or shot by arrows. Notably under Roman law, any defenders who failed to surrender after the first ram touched their wall were basically fair game. You could throw in the towel before then, but afterwards if the Romans won they would kill you, enslave your wife and loot everything you owned.

===Ballista===
One day a Greek man looked down at his [[crossbow]] and thought "what if I made it bigger?". They came with two designs: a ridiculously large ''Oxybeles'' (which was essentially a larger version of the gastraphetes crossbow with wooden prods), later known as a ''scorpion'' (which was commonly used as anti-siege-weapon weapon mounted on fortifications) and an "even bigger mounted crossbow" called the ''ballista'' (which used coiled rope for torsion rather than wooden prods). Adding a windlass turned chain and a hopper magazine resulted in the ''Polybolos.'' Contrary to popular belief ballista is not an oversized crossbow - as the tensions, stresses, and material resistances scale differently and cause huge wooden bows to break and huge metal bows to deform from straining under such pressure. Thus Greeks devised a system that uses twisted ropes in which bow arms are fixed to store energy to the point it can hurl spear-sized bolts with enough power to break gates and warship hulls. In Roman times, the ballista was said to be terrifyingly effective in terms of both accuracy (to the point of picking off individual soldiers) and power (with tales of it piercing armored warriors and leaving them impaled to a tree).

* '''Polybolos''': roughly meaning “multi-bolt thrower” in Greek and also known as a "repeating ballista," the Polybolos more often resembles a big crossbow than a ballista since the arms are fixed to the "stock" and don't twist around to fire it; though some versions do use arms wedged into tense bundles of twisted ropes like regular ballista. The repeating ballista was fired by turning a wheel connected to a chain drive forward to cock it, then turning it the other way to load it again from a hopper on top of the stock and fire it. Turning the wheel at the back of the crossbow counterclockwise pushed a sliding plank called the mensa (like that from the Gastrophetes/Oxyboles) forward. Once driven forward sufficiently, the latch claws at the back of the plank are pushed up by a lug under the plank and hold the drawstring in place. Then, turning the wheel clockwise drew the drawstring back as the plank slides backwards. At the same time, the motion of the plank drives a screw threaded pole (in contact with the plank by a block with a sliding nut) to rotate and load a bolt (via a built-in notch on the rod) onto the body of the plank from the hopper on top. Pulling the wheel back to the very end will bump the latch on another lug that triggers the latch into releasing the drawstring and firing the bolt.

* '''Springald''': Also known as the "skein-bow," it was the transitional successor to the Ballista before the arrival of cannons, the Springald began replacing it in the 11-12th century. While it used coiled rope and torsional power to fire bolts, rocks, and even containers of Greek Fire, it physically differed visually by looking like a cubical scaffold with the arms swinging inward rather than outwards like the ballista.

Serving as highly accurate artillery (multiple stories exist of single soldiers getting sniped by bolts), Ballista was used by both the Greeks and Romans and later through Medieval times, for a long time coexisting with early gunpowder artillery until development of cannon technology made it obsolete. Not only were cannon barrels relatively simple to cast and maintain, but they were not as finicky or vulnerable to humidity or weather compared to wood and rope.

===Catapult===
Using weights and levers, ancient and medieval people found they could throw rocks, balls of metal or whatever else they had handy into walls to knock them down. If they had dead bodies handy, they could fling them ''over'' the walls of an enemy city and wait for them to get sick and die, as the Mongols did (as a way of saying FU or to 'return prisoners'. Germ theory wouldn't exist for quite some time). Alternatively, a pot of incendiary liquid or something soaked in oil being lit on fire and then thrown over the wall to start fires worked nicely, as did explosives.
* '''Mangonel''': One of the more basic types of catapult and probably what you think of when you imagine one. What actually constitutes a 'mangonel' is a little unclear, as there is not set historical definition for the type of weapon the name describes. They had an impressive range, able to hit targets over 1000 feet away.
* '''Onager''': A siege weapon commonly used by the Roman Legions, employing the torsional tension of twisted rope and the whip-lash effect of a sling to hurl very large projectiles. Onagers were mainly designed for attacking fortifications from within the confines of other fortifications (as in Roman-style siegecraft), and thus were quite short-ranged. Confusingly, some onagers are mangonels, but not all mangonels are onagers.
* '''Trebuchet''': The big daddy of catapults, it was the biggest, most destructive and longest ranged catapults in history. This was the go-to weapon for sieges until gunpowder became practical. Unlike most catapults, which used torsion to power their throwing arm, trebuchets instead used a weight and gravity to do the trick.
**'''Floating Arm Trebuchet''': A normal trebuchets when fired has a weight on short end of the throwing arm and a rock attached to a sling on the long arm, both ends swing in Arcs as its fired and the weight and throwing arm both curve. The Floating Arm Trebuchet on the other hand is very different. Unlike a normal trebuchet, the floating arm has the throwing arm attached to wheels that roll freely in a channel. The weight is lifted up, straight up (unlike a traditional trebuchet where the weight is moved along an arc), which pushes the throwing arm back on the channel. When fired the weight drops straight down, the arm rolls forward and the throwing arm is whipped forward as its weight makes it rotate on the axis very quickly. If you're thinking "''Gee that sound complicated for medieval engineering''", then you're not wrong. The Floating Arm Trebuchet is a modern design used mostly as an engineering student project. It may not even be that practical a design on its own merits since '''Yankee Siege II''', A traditional Trebuchet design was the record holder in the 2013 "Pumpkin chunking contest" beating out multiple floating arm designs (although that may be because increasing the range requires a greater drop distance, which then risks damaging the track from the impact of the arm).
* '''Grenade Catapults''': In the first world war (yes we are talking about a catapult designed used in the Great-freaking-war) soldiers had a problem. Namely they did not have any accurate way to deliver explosives. Artillery hit hard but were better at shelling the snot out of an enemy position then hitting one strong point, meanwhile hand grenades had accuracy but only about as much range as you could throw them. To solve this problem the answer was the use of slings and rifle grenades for short (but past throwing range) distances and the invention of small infantry mortars able to lob explosive accurately at a medium range. These however took time to design, test, produce, train with and deploy, and soldiers on both sides needed a solution NOW. The German solution was a weapon called the ''wurfmaschine'', literally called the 'throwing (wurf), machine (Maschine), it was a spring powered catapult that could hurl grenades about 200 m (220 yd) away. In response the British invented the Leach trench catapult (Which was more slingshot then catapult but they called it a catapult so it's going on this page darn it!) which was about as good at throwing grenades. The French took an oversized crossbow, named it Sauterelle (grasshopper) and used that. While phased out as soon as newer weapons arrived (specifically, mortars that could actually be carried by hand into a trench rather than the big honkers seen in previous eras), the various WW1 grenade catapults are a quirky addition in the history of siege weapons.

===Siege Ladder===
Sometimes the best answer to a large wall is to simply go over it. The siege ladder was invented with this in mind, allowing men to climb over the walls. Do note that unlike in media they were only good for shorter walls, which is why you sometimes read about small groups of a few dozen holding a castle against thousands.

*'''Sambuca''': Like a siege ladder, only built for D-Day. They let roman soldiers on ships charge up onto the walls of enemy citys.

===Siege Tower===
If a Siege Ladder didn't work, the solution was to make it bigger and with protection. Siege Towers allowed men to climb up without having to worry about anyone attacking them from the sides or simply knocking the ladder over. There were also platforms on top to allow archers to fire at the defenders.

===Sappers===
A good way to weaken enemy walls was to dig under them, weakening the foundation and making them more prone to fracturing and collapsing. What sappers would usually do is once they were certain that they were directly underneath the enemy’s walls, they’d stash a whole lot of flammable materials and douse it with pig fat (not live pigs, they’re significantly less flammable and more prone to running away) then set everything on fire to collapse the supports and cause a cave-in. It was a dangerous job, but it was effective, so long as the enemy didn’t catch on and start counter-mining. Would-be attackers would oftentimes be literally smoked-out and suffocate if they were discovered. Cave-ins were also rightly feared.

As modern cities typically have tunnel systems running through them (e.g. for subways, access to water pipes, smuggling), sapping and mining still see some use in urban warfare situations where a heavily fortified building needs to be brought down but anti-aircraft defenses prevent the use of bombers to do so. Moreover, sapping was used extensively by both sides on the western front in WW1, where a team would dig a tunnel until they were underneath the enemy's trenches, and then dig out a cave which was then filled with explosives. The explosions from these dug-out mines were some of the largest non-nuclear explosions mankind ever produced, with some of largest being noticeable as far away as London and Cologne. As a result, extensive countermeasures existed too; you could listen to the walls with a stethoscope or place a bucket of water on the floor of a trench, whose surface would ripple from the microvibrations of the enemy digging underneath. If someone noticed the enemy, a counter-tunnel would be dug underneath and filled with a smaller amount of explosives to bury the enemy in their tunnels. Some of these explosives-filled mines were both never cleared of explosives nor detonated when originally intended, and so remain dangerous to this day; in 1956, one of these mines detonated after it was struck by lightning, and the resulting explosion produced a crater that was 40 meters wide and 20 meters deep (thankfully, the only victims were some cows that belonged to a french farmer).

===Petards===
Before people worked out how to make [[cannon]]s that were better at killing the enemy than whoever was using them, they would sometimes use Petards. Their job was to run up to enemy walls with barrels of gun powder or other primitive bombs, light the fuse and run like hell, letting the explosion take down the wall. More sophisticated petards were pretty much kettles stuffed with gunpowder with some boards fitted around the rim that would be nailed to wooden gates, directing the explosive force so less gunpowder would so more work. Either way most of the time this ended up killing the sapper as well, hence the phrase "hoisted by his own petard".

===Hwacha===
A Korean gunpowder weapon used defensively against large armies. Take a bunch of long arrows, attach small rockets to each arrow, load each of them in a tube, stack the tubes tightly in an open frame, and fire all of them at once out of a portable box container on a fixed cart. A single launcher could fire as many as 200 arrows. Such overwhelming firepower made attackers think twice about charging defensive positions. While reloading them was a time consuming nightmare, they served as a good psychological deterrent and volley weapon from defensive positions.

===Named Historic siege engines===

'''Warwolf''': Thought to be the largest Trebuchet ever built, it took 30 wagons to transport it, putting at between 300–400 feet tall and it took over 50 people over three months to build it. Used in the Siege of Stirling castle by king Edward the scotts were so scared of the thing they tried to surrender, but the king was like "nope" and he wanted to see his weapon at work. Records show it threw over 300 pound stone balls and leveled a section of the castle's wall.

'''Helepolis''': not to be confused with "''Heliopolis''", or Suncity, the Helepolis was a greek seige engine who's name means "Taker of Cities". Actually it was a type of siege engine, but it was more then just a siege tower. It was tank! It was built like a siege tower only with multiple catapults at each level of the tower, it could roll up to a castle wall, firing all the while, while solider manning dart throws on top could clear the walls for soldiers in side to jump out of the moveable tower.

==Modern==
Seige Weapons are still useful into modern times. However they are used a bit differently than their middle age counterparts.

===Howitzer===
Originating in the 17th century after descending from early [[Cannon|cannons]]. The Howitzer is still the go to indirect fire weapon for infantry in the 21st, and will continue to be so until [[Gauss#Railgun|Railguns]] become smaller and more portable.

===Portable Explosives===
Comes in all shapes and sizes. A few of the more noteworthy types:
*'''TNT''': TriNitroToluene. Also known as dynamite. More powerful than gunpowder, more stable than nitroglycerin. Dynamite comes in sticks and and is ignited using an electrical charge from a plunger device. Just a few well-placed sticks can blast rocks with ease.
*'''Plastic Explosives''': Explosives made from a flexible material, such as C4. Can be molded into any shape and stuck on any surface with a bit of duck tape. Stick the primer in, then remotely detonate when you’re a safe distance away.
*'''Thermite''': this compound produces a jet of molten iron when ignited, rather than exploding outright. Great for cutting through thick surfaces, or destroying gun barrels/sensitive equipment.
*'''Detcord''': A type of plastic explosive that’s optimized for dynamic entry. Comes in a rope shape for easy bundling and placement; stick it on a wall in an outline of the hole you want to make, or sandwich a rolled up bundle between two bags of water to create a powerful door-knocking explosive.
*'''Shape Charge''': explosives placed around an inverted metal cone. When ignited, the cone collapses into a jet of molten metal, concentrating the explosive power into a fine point to punch through armor. Commonly used in anti-tank rounds, though portable versions exist.
*'''IED''': Short for '''I'''mprovised '''E'''xplosive '''D'''evice. Term coined by the US military during the invastion of Iraq in the 2000s, that covers basically anything that goes ''boom'' and isn't covered by traditional military lingo or adheres to any standardized model of bomb or land mine. As the name tells, these are mostly improvised explosives made from a bewildering range of materials, from pipe bombs that are made by filling a solid steel pipe with some C4 or dynamite to more volatile and/or unreliable things like artillery shells equipped with a fuse or just a solid tube filled with ammonuiumnitrate (found in many fertilizers).
*'''Land Mines''': Landmines are essentially small explosive containers that are buried and set off by someone or something stepping on them. Mines are primarily used to prevent an enemy setting foot in areas you don't want them to or force your enemy to march into a direction of your choosing. The major hassle of Land Mines is that they are buried en masse and remain actively dangerous until they are either set off or defused - often long after a conflict has ended. This has lead to a movement toward banning anti-personnel mines. While many countries have signed on to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (or the Ottawa Treaty), many countries, including Russia, China, and the United States have not. While not a signatory, the US has said that they will abide by the terms of the treaty, except for on the Korean Peninsula (since the Korean DMZ is chock full of the things).

In addition, landmines come in all shapes and sizes. Some will bounce into the air after being tripped, some are made from surprising materials like wood and glass, and the explosive yield can vary widely. Britain was considering nuclear mines during the 1950s, in order to deal with any Soviet invasion of Germany. Interesting fact: In order to prevent the mine's electronics from freezing during the winter, the mines were to be equipped with live chickens which would theoretically provide enough heat to keep the electronics working.

===Bangalore torpedo===
These were explosives in a tube used mainly to clear obstacles such as mines, barbed wire, and barricades. They came in handy if you couldn't otherwise dismantle said obstacles properly, such as if you were storming an enemy position under fire and needed to create a clear path very quickly.

===Sling===
Thanks to the creation of explosive payloads, one of humanity's oldest weapons still sees occasional use as an indirect fire weapon. [[Sling]]s first returned to use during the Great War when hand grenades did, and saw use during the interwar and into the Spanish Civil War and into the World War II concurrent Winter War where the Finns used sling fired projectiles to kill ''tanks''. Grenade launchers have largely replaced them in industrialized forces, but they continue to see use among those not as well armed.

===Chemical Weapons===
The UN/Geneva Protocol specifies a Chemical Weapon as a chemical compound, purposefully created to directly harm or incapacitate humans or indirectly, via poisoning crops, livestock and drinking water. While mentions of Chemical Weapons conjure up pictures from the Great War, not all of them take the form of gas to choke your enemy to death. All of them produce results that are horrible to look at and even worse to be at the recieving end of. The most noteable distinction from Biological Weapons is that of intent, Chemical Weapons are solely created for the single purpose of being weaponized in some way or form. Bioweapons, in contrast, are living organisms that have no inherent intent to harm humans, even though there are some edge cases where there is some overlap between the two. Ricin as a prominent example is an incredibly deadly chemical poison produced by the castor oil plant like many other plants do produce different chemical compunds to protect themselves against herbivores or fungus, making it both a Chemical and Biological Weapon at the same time. The plant itself is not a weapon, the poison being synthesized by its seeds however is. The point being: You cannot obscure the intent of use for a chemical weapon while Biological Weapons in many cases offer plausible deniability, many states in the world house pathogens that could kill millions for the sole purpose of researching vaccines and medication against them. As of the time of writing this section, chemical weapons have been outlawed and nations that still have stocks of them had them mostly destroyed. Presumably. Here are just a few examples for what form Chemical Weapons can take:
*'''Tear Gas''': Yes. This counts. While not 'lethal' it still directly causes harm and incapacitates so Geneva Protocol counts it as a chemical weapon. So I can hear your next obvious question: why the fuck is it legal to use it on civilians even if there rioting if it's a warcrime? Well. . .there is no good answer to that. One reason is that we culturally all consider Tear Gas different to other chemicals so we deem it acceptable and the reason military don't get it if you did drop a tear gas canister on an infantry formation they just report 'been gassed!' and the other side might assume that the gentlemen agreement to not use chemical weapons is off and just start reacting the Somme on you before they can ID the exact agent being used.
*'''Poison Gas''': All of the big powers in World War 1 experimented with poison gas during the course of the war. Its first iteration were simple canisters of Chlorine that were opened when the wind blew towards the enemy, creating a noxious yellow cloud that would suffocate unprotected soldiers when the Gas reacted with their Lung Tissue, later transitioning to even deadlier comnbinations of gas to increase their effectiveness (like the infamous German "Buntschießen", where tear gas, not lethal on its own, would force enemy Soldiers to take their gas masks off would be combined with Phosgen and Chlorine). Needless to say, the injuries suffered from such an attack were mounstrous and a Gas Attack was one of the most feared events amoung the Soldiers on the Ground. So feared in fact, that not even Hitler (who experienced a gas attack as a Runner in Belgium) seriously considered their use, even when it became obvious that the Nazi War Effort was really going to shit (At least against Soldiers, Zyklon B also falls into the category of Chemical Weapons). Poison Gas as a weapon of war also has considerable downsides that made them obsolete even during World War 1; Gas masks improved to the point that a gas attack without sophisticated sequences of different chemicals became difficult to pull off, as well as the fact that you have to carefully time your assault if you want to avoid your troops stepping into a giant death cloud, turning the area you just bombarded into a huge dead zone. In theory, it might be useful to force a surrender of troops that might be hiding in a Bunker, but the use of Poison Gas is universally detested to such a degree that the political cost would outweigh the benefit in any case.
*'''Defoliants''': Herbicides sprayed via plane that destroy an enemies crops and cause trees to wither and drop their leaves, making undetected movement through dense foliage such a jungle difficult. Agent Orange was the most infamous compound of these kinds of weapons, with the US using them during their campaigns in Vietnam. While not deadly in itself, the Barrels that contained the stuff were contaminated with other chemicals because the US Military wanted to cut corners and didn't take potential sideeffects of exposure to Agent Orange into account, which in turn turned out to be extremely carcinogenic, but also corrupted the DNA of people exposed to it to such a degree that any children born from them would be deformed and debilitated for the rest of their lifes.
*'''Poison Agents''': From the dawn of ages, humans experimented with poisons to make weapons deadlier, from the entrails of tropical frogs to simply rubbing swords and arrowheads in excrement. What we think of when we hear the words Poison Agent today are highly sophisicated substances that are ludicrously deadly. The Soviets in particular dedicated an entire branch of their military research solely to the creation of some of the deadliest poisons ever known to man, mainly for use in political assasinations of Dissidents or hostile politicians abroad. The Russians continue this proud tradition with compunds like Novichok, used for example in the attempted assassination of Sergej Skripal in the UK in 2018.
*'''Psychotropic Agents''': Hallucinogenics or other compounds that in some way or form interact or change human behaviour in a way that is uncharacteristic for the person exposed to it. The US military experimented with such weapons during the 50s and 60s, which is where LSD first got into widespread distribution. Their existence as a weapon of war is heavily disputed; while there is definitive evidence that aformentioned experiments exist and there was some interest in it from the military side of things, there is only mostly anecdotal evidence that there was ever a compound mass-manufactured for combat purposed or used in combat. The US Army supposedly used some LSD to test its effectiveness on Vietcong camps in the 70s, but there is very little evidence to support this ever taking place and given the Agent Orange spraying at the same time it's possible the two got mixed up, spawning the rumor.

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{{Vehicle Warfare}}
[[Category:History]]

Siege Weapon

2022-09-22T08:15:26Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* Chemical Weapons */

Let's say you're a medieval lord with 5,000 knights, men-at-arms and peasant levies you've decided to attack and conquer a lesser lord who has 1,000 fighting men of similar abilities. If you line your guys up and fight out in the open, you'll crush him. But the coward/sensible leader does not do this and instead holds up in his [[castle]], which has high walls and heavy gates to keep people out, a large supply of rocks to drop on the heads of people trying to climb said walls, safe vantage points to shoot at attackers before they get to the walls and graineries, larders, wine cellers an cisterns which can keep his troops fed for months. You have several options available to you. You can try to storm the castle while your guys are shot and get rocks and burning sand dropped on them. You can try to starve them out, which is going to take months, suffer casualties from raids and camp sickness, lower morale as people are away from the friends and family and incur massive opportunity costs as the peasant levies could be farming, or you could employ '''Siege Weapons'''.

Note that while most siege weapons were used offensively against fortifications, some could be used defensively, whether against infantry formations or to destroy enemy siege weapons.

== Types of Siege Weapons ==
==Historic==
===Battering Ram===
One of the oldest and simplest siege weapons, the Battering Ram is, at its most basic, a log that men use to try and break down a door or section of wall. Over time people got ideas like swinging it from ropes to make it easier to smash into enemy fortifications, an iron cap on the log to help it smash through tougher materials, and strong roofs to keep the men inside from being crushed by falling rocks, scalded with boiling oil or shot by arrows. Notably under Roman law, any defenders who failed to surrender after the first ram touched their wall were basically fair game. You could throw in the towel before then, but afterwards if the Romans won they would kill you, enslave your wife and loot everything you owned.

===Ballista===
One day a Greek man looked down at his [[crossbow]] and thought "what if I made it bigger?". They came with two designs: a ridiculously large ''Oxybeles'' (which was essentially a larger version of the gastraphetes crossbow with wooden prods), later known as a ''scorpion'' (which was commonly used as anti-siege-weapon weapon mounted on fortifications) and an "even bigger mounted crossbow" called the ''ballista'' (which used coiled rope for torsion rather than wooden prods). Adding a windlass turned chain and a hopper magazine resulted in the ''Polybolos.'' Contrary to popular belief ballista is not an oversized crossbow - as the tensions, stresses, and material resistances scale differently and cause huge wooden bows to break and huge metal bows to deform from straining under such pressure. Thus Greeks devised a system that uses twisted ropes in which bow arms are fixed to store energy to the point it can hurl spear-sized bolts with enough power to break gates and warship hulls. In Roman times, the ballista was said to be terrifyingly effective in terms of both accuracy (to the point of picking off individual soldiers) and power (with tales of it piercing armored warriors and leaving them impaled to a tree).

* '''Polybolos''': roughly meaning “multi-bolt thrower” in Greek and also known as a "repeating ballista," the Polybolos more often resembles a big crossbow than a ballista since the arms are fixed to the "stock" and don't twist around to fire it; though some versions do use arms wedged into tense bundles of twisted ropes like regular ballista. The repeating ballista was fired by turning a wheel connected to a chain drive forward to cock it, then turning it the other way to load it again from a hopper on top of the stock and fire it. Turning the wheel at the back of the crossbow counterclockwise pushed a sliding plank called the mensa (like that from the Gastrophetes/Oxyboles) forward. Once driven forward sufficiently, the latch claws at the back of the plank are pushed up by a lug under the plank and hold the drawstring in place. Then, turning the wheel clockwise drew the drawstring back as the plank slides backwards. At the same time, the motion of the plank drives a screw threaded pole (in contact with the plank by a block with a sliding nut) to rotate and load a bolt (via a built-in notch on the rod) onto the body of the plank from the hopper on top. Pulling the wheel back to the very end will bump the latch on another lug that triggers the latch into releasing the drawstring and firing the bolt.

* '''Springald''': Also known as the "skein-bow," it was the transitional successor to the Ballista before the arrival of cannons, the Springald began replacing it in the 11-12th century. While it used coiled rope and torsional power to fire bolts, rocks, and even containers of Greek Fire, it physically differed visually by looking like a cubical scaffold with the arms swinging inward rather than outwards like the ballista.

Serving as highly accurate artillery (multiple stories exist of single soldiers getting sniped by bolts), Ballista was used by both the Greeks and Romans and later through Medieval times, for a long time coexisting with early gunpowder artillery until development of cannon technology made it obsolete. Not only were cannon barrels relatively simple to cast and maintain, but they were not as finicky or vulnerable to humidity or weather compared to wood and rope.

===Catapult===
Using weights and levers, ancient and medieval people found they could throw rocks, balls of metal or whatever else they had handy into walls to knock them down. If they had dead bodies handy, they could fling them ''over'' the walls of an enemy city and wait for them to get sick and die, as the Mongols did (as a way of saying FU or to 'return prisoners'. Germ theory wouldn't exist for quite some time). Alternatively, a pot of incendiary liquid or something soaked in oil being lit on fire and then thrown over the wall to start fires worked nicely, as did explosives.
* '''Mangonel''': One of the more basic types of catapult and probably what you think of when you imagine one. What actually constitutes a 'mangonel' is a little unclear, as there is not set historical definition for the type of weapon the name describes. They had an impressive range, able to hit targets over 1000 feet away.
* '''Onager''': A siege weapon commonly used by the Roman Legions, employing the torsional tension of twisted rope and the whip-lash effect of a sling to hurl very large projectiles. Onagers were mainly designed for attacking fortifications from within the confines of other fortifications (as in Roman-style siegecraft), and thus were quite short-ranged. Confusingly, some onagers are mangonels, but not all mangonels are onagers.
* '''Trebuchet''': The big daddy of catapults, it was the biggest, most destructive and longest ranged catapults in history. This was the go-to weapon for sieges until gunpowder became practical. Unlike most catapults, which used torsion to power their throwing arm, trebuchets instead used a weight and gravity to do the trick.
**'''Floating Arm Trebuchet''': A normal trebuchets when fired has a weight on short end of the throwing arm and a rock attached to a sling on the long arm, both ends swing in Arcs as its fired and the weight and throwing arm both curve. The Floating Arm Trebuchet on the other hand is very different. Unlike a normal trebuchet, the floating arm has the throwing arm attached to wheels that roll freely in a channel. The weight is lifted up, straight up (unlike a traditional trebuchet where the weight is moved along an arc), which pushes the throwing arm back on the channel. When fired the weight drops straight down, the arm rolls forward and the throwing arm is whipped forward as its weight makes it rotate on the axis very quickly. If you're thinking "''Gee that sound complicated for medieval engineering''", then you're not wrong. The Floating Arm Trebuchet is a modern design used mostly as an engineering student project. It may not even be that practical a design on its own merits since '''Yankee Siege II''', A traditional Trebuchet design was the record holder in the 2013 "Pumpkin chunking contest" beating out multiple floating arm designs (although that may be because increasing the range requires a greater drop distance, which then risks damaging the track from the impact of the arm).
* '''Grenade Catapults''': In the first world war (yes we are talking about a catapult designed used in the Great-freaking-war) soldiers had a problem. Namely they did not have any accurate way to deliver explosives. Artillery hit hard but were better at shelling the snot out of an enemy position then hitting one strong point, meanwhile hand grenades had accuracy but only about as much range as you could throw them. To solve this problem the answer was the use of slings and rifle grenades for short (but past throwing range) distances and the invention of small infantry mortars able to lob explosive accurately at a medium range. These however took time to design, test, produce, train with and deploy, and soldiers on both sides needed a solution NOW. The German solution was a weapon called the ''wurfmaschine'', literally called the 'throwing (wurf), machine (Maschine), it was a spring powered catapult that could hurl grenades about 200 m (220 yd) away. In response the British invented the Leach trench catapult (Which was more slingshot then catapult but they called it a catapult so it's going on this page darn it!) which was about as good at throwing grenades. The French took an oversized crossbow, named it Sauterelle (grasshopper) and used that. While phased out as soon as newer weapons arrived (specifically, mortars that could actually be carried by hand into a trench rather than the big honkers seen in previous eras), the various WW1 grenade catapults are a quirky addition in the history of siege weapons.

===Siege Ladder===
Sometimes the best answer to a large wall is to simply go over it. The siege ladder was invented with this in mind, allowing men to climb over the walls. Do note that unlike in media they were only good for shorter walls, which is why you sometimes read about small groups of a few dozen holding a castle against thousands.

*'''Sambuca''': Like a siege ladder, only built for D-Day. They let roman soldiers on ships charge up onto the walls of enemy citys.

===Siege Tower===
If a Siege Ladder didn't work, the solution was to make it bigger and with protection. Siege Towers allowed men to climb up without having to worry about anyone attacking them from the sides or simply knocking the ladder over. There were also platforms on top to allow archers to fire at the defenders.

===Sappers===
A good way to weaken enemy walls was to dig under them, weakening the foundation and making them more prone to fracturing and collapsing. What sappers would usually do is once they were certain that they were directly underneath the enemy’s walls, they’d stash a whole lot of flammable materials and douse it with pig fat (not live pigs, they’re significantly less flammable and more prone to running away) then set everything on fire to collapse the supports and cause a cave-in. It was a dangerous job, but it was effective, so long as the enemy didn’t catch on and start counter-mining. Would-be attackers would oftentimes be literally smoked-out and suffocate if they were discovered. Cave-ins were also rightly feared.

As modern cities typically have tunnel systems running through them (e.g. for subways, access to water pipes, smuggling), sapping and mining still see some use in urban warfare situations where a heavily fortified building needs to be brought down but anti-aircraft defenses prevent the use of bombers to do so. Moreover, sapping was used extensively by both sides on the western front in WW1, where a team would dig a tunnel until they were underneath the enemy's trenches, and then dig out a cave which was then filled with explosives. The explosions from these dug-out mines were some of the largest non-nuclear explosions mankind ever produced, with some of largest being noticeable as far away as London and Cologne. As a result, extensive countermeasures existed too; you could listen to the walls with a stethoscope or place a bucket of water on the floor of a trench, whose surface would ripple from the microvibrations of the enemy digging underneath. If someone noticed the enemy, a counter-tunnel would be dug underneath and filled with a smaller amount of explosives to bury the enemy in their tunnels. Some of these explosives-filled mines were both never cleared of explosives nor detonated when originally intended, and so remain dangerous to this day; in 1956, one of these mines detonated after it was struck by lightning, and the resulting explosion produced a crater that was 40 meters wide and 20 meters deep (thankfully, the only victims were some cows that belonged to a french farmer).

===Petards===
Before people worked out how to make [[cannon]]s that were better at killing the enemy than whoever was using them, they would sometimes use Petards. Their job was to run up to enemy walls with barrels of gun powder or other primitive bombs, light the fuse and run like hell, letting the explosion take down the wall. More sophisticated petards were pretty much kettles stuffed with gunpowder with some boards fitted around the rim that would be nailed to wooden gates, directing the explosive force so less gunpowder would so more work. Either way most of the time this ended up killing the sapper as well, hence the phrase "hoisted by his own petard".

===Hwacha===
A Korean gunpowder weapon used defensively against large armies. Take a bunch of long arrows, attach small rockets to each arrow, load each of them in a tube, stack the tubes tightly in an open frame, and fire all of them at once out of a portable box container on a fixed cart. A single launcher could fire as many as 200 arrows. Such overwhelming firepower made attackers think twice about charging defensive positions. While reloading them was a time consuming nightmare, they served as a good psychological deterrent and volley weapon from defensive positions.

===Named Historic siege engines===

'''Warwolf''': Thought to be the largest Trebuchet ever built, it took 30 wagons to transport it, putting at between 300–400 feet tall and it took over 50 people over three months to build it. Used in the Siege of Stirling castle by king Edward the scotts were so scared of the thing they tried to surrender, but the king was like "nope" and he wanted to see his weapon at work. Records show it threw over 300 pound stone balls and leveled a section of the castle's wall.

'''Helepolis''': not to be confused with "''Heliopolis''", or Suncity, the Helepolis was a greek seige engine who's name means "Taker of Cities". Actually it was a type of siege engine, but it was more then just a siege tower. It was tank! It was built like a siege tower only with multiple catapults at each level of the tower, it could roll up to a castle wall, firing all the while, while solider manning dart throws on top could clear the walls for soldiers in side to jump out of the moveable tower.

==Modern==
Seige Weapons are still useful into modern times. However they are used a bit differently than their middle age counterparts.

===Howitzer===
Originating in the 17th century after descending from early [[Cannon|cannons]]. The Howitzer is still the go to indirect fire weapon for infantry in the 21st, and will continue to be so until [[Gauss#Railgun|Railguns]] become smaller and more portable.

===Portable Explosives===
Comes in all shapes and sizes. A few of the more noteworthy types:
*'''TNT''': TriNitroToluene. Also known as dynamite. More powerful than gunpowder, more stable than nitroglycerin. Dynamite comes in sticks and and is ignited using an electrical charge from a plunger device. Just a few well-placed sticks can blast rocks with ease.
*'''Plastic Explosives''': Explosives made from a flexible material, such as C4. Can be molded into any shape and stuck on any surface with a bit of duck tape. Stick the primer in, then remotely detonate when you’re a safe distance away.
*'''Thermite''': this compound produces a jet of molten iron when ignited, rather than exploding outright. Great for cutting through thick surfaces, or destroying gun barrels/sensitive equipment.
*'''Detcord''': A type of plastic explosive that’s optimized for dynamic entry. Comes in a rope shape for easy bundling and placement; stick it on a wall in an outline of the hole you want to make, or sandwich a rolled up bundle between two bags of water to create a powerful door-knocking explosive.
*'''Shape Charge''': explosives placed around an inverted metal cone. When ignited, the cone collapses into a jet of molten metal, concentrating the explosive power into a fine point to punch through armor. Commonly used in anti-tank rounds, though portable versions exist.
*'''IED''': Short for '''I'''mprovised '''E'''xplosive '''D'''evice. Term coined by the US military during the invastion of Iraq in the 2000s, that covers basically anything that goes ''boom'' and isn't covered by traditional military lingo or adheres to any standardized model of bomb or land mine. As the name tells, these are mostly improvised explosives made from a bewildering range of materials, from pipe bombs that are made by filling a solid steel pipe with some C4 or dynamite to more volatile and/or unreliable things like artillery shells equipped with a fuse or just a solid tube filled with ammonuiumnitrate (found in many fertilizers).
*'''Land Mines''': Landmines are essentially small explosive containers that are buried and set off by someone or something stepping on them. Mines are primarily used to prevent an enemy setting foot in areas you don't want them to or force your enemy to march into a direction of your choosing. The major hassle of Land Mines is that they are buried en masse and remain actively dangerous until they are either set off or defused - often long after a conflict has ended. This has lead to a movement toward banning anti-personnel mines. While many countries have signed on to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (or the Ottawa Treaty), many countries, including Russia, China, and the United States have not. While not a signatory, the US has said that they will abide by the terms of the treaty, except for on the Korean Peninsula (since the Korean DMZ is chock full of the things).

In addition, landmines come in all shapes and sizes. Some will bounce into the air after being tripped, some are made from surprising materials like wood and glass, and the explosive yield can vary widely. Britain was considering nuclear mines during the 1950s, in order to deal with any Soviet invasion of Germany. Interesting fact: In order to prevent the mine's electronics from freezing during the winter, the mines were to be equipped with live chickens which would theoretically provide enough heat to keep the electronics working.

===Bangalore torpedo===
These were explosives in a tube used mainly to clear obstacles such as mines, barbed wire, and barricades. They came in handy if you couldn't otherwise dismantle said obstacles properly, such as if you were storming an enemy position under fire and needed to create a clear path very quickly.

===Sling===
Thanks to the creation of explosive payloads, one of humanity's oldest weapons still sees occasional use as an indirect fire weapon. [[Sling]]s first returned to use during the Great War when hand grenades did, and saw use during the interwar and into the Spanish Civil War and into the World War II concurrent Winter War where the Finns used sling fired projectiles to kill ''tanks''. Grenade launchers have largely replaced them in industrialized forces, but they continue to see use among those not as well armed.

===Chemical Weapons===
The UN/Geneva Protocol specifies a Chemical Weapon as a chemical compound, purposefully created to directly harm or incapacitate humans or indirectly, via poisoning crops, livestock and drinking water. While mentions of Chemical Weapons conjure up pictures from the Great War, not all of them take the form of gas to choke your enemy to death. All of them produce results that are horrible to look at and even worse to be at the recieving end of. The most noteable distinction from Biological Weapons is that of intent, Chemical Weapons are solely created for the single purpose of being weaponized in some way or form. Bioweapons, in contrast, are living organisms that have no inherent intent to harm humans, even though there are some edge cases where there is some overlap between the two. Ricin as a prominent example is an incredibly deadly chemical poison produced by the castor oil plant like many other plants do produce different chemical compunds to protect themselves against herbivores or fungus, making it both a Chemical and Biological Weapon at the same time. The plant itself is not a weapon, the poison being synthesized by its seeds however is. The point being: You cannot obscure the intent of use for a chemical weapon while Biological Weapons in many cases offer plausible deniability, many states in the world house pathogens that could kill millions for the sole purpose of researching vaccines and medication against them. As of the time of writing this section, chemical weapons have been outlawed and nations that still have stocks of them had them mostly destroyed. Presumably. Here are just a few examples for what form Chemical Weapons can take:
*'''Tear Gas''': Yes. This counts. While not 'lethal' it still directly causes harm and incapacitates so Geneva Protocol counts it as a chemical weapon. So I can hear your next obvious question: why the fuck is it legal to use it on civilians even if there rioting if it's a warcrime? Well. . .there is no good answer to that. One reason is that we culturally all consider Tear Gas different to other chemicals so we deem it acceptable and the reason military don't get it if you did drop a tear gas canister on an infantry formation they just report 'been gassed!' and the other side might assume that the gentlemen agreement to not use chemical weapons is off and just start reacting the Somme on you before they can ID the exact agent being used.
*'''Poison Gas''': All of the big powers in World War 1 experimented with poison gas during the course of the war. Its first iteration were simple canisters of Chlorine that were opened when the wind blew towards the enemy, creating a noxious yellow cloud that would suffocate unprotected soldiers when the Gas reacted with their Lung Tissue, later transitioning to even deadlier comnbinations of gas to increase their effectiveness (like the infamous German "Buntschießen", where tear gas, not lethal on its own, would force enemy Soldiers to take their gas masks off would be combined with Phosgen and Chlorine). Needless to say, the injuries suffered from such an attack were mounstrous and a Gas Attack was one of the most feared events amoung the Soldiers on the Ground. So feared in fact, that not even Hitler (who experienced a gas attack as a Runner in Belgium) seriously considered their use, even when it became obvious that the Nazi War Effort was really going to shit (At least against Soldiers, Zyklon B also falls into the category of Chemical Weapons). Poison Gas as a weapon of war also has considerable downsides that made them obsolete even during World War 1; Gas masks improved to the point that a gas attack without sophisticated sequences of different chemicals became difficult to pull off, as well as the fact that you have to carefully time your assault if you want to avoid your troops stepping into a giant death cloud, turning the area you just bombarded into a huge dead zone. In theory, it might be useful to force a surrender of troops that might be hiding in a Bunker, but the use of Poison Gas is universally detested to such a degree that the political cost would outweigh the benefit in any case.
*'''Defoliants''': Herbicides sprayed via plane that destroy an enemies crops and cause trees to wither and drop their leaves, making undetected movement through dense foliage such a jungle difficult. Agent Orange was the most infamous compound of these kinds of weapons, with the US using them during their campaigns in Vietnam. While not deadly in itself, the Barrels that contained the stuff were contaminated with other chemicals because the US Military wanted to cut corners and didn't take potential sideeffects of exposure to Agent Orange into account, which in turn turned out to be extremely carcinogenic, but also corrupted the DNA of people exposed to it to such a degree that any children born from them would be deformed and debilitated for the rest of their lifes.
*'''Poison Agents''': From the dawn of ages, humans experimented with poisons to make weapons deadlier, from the entrails of tropical frogs to simply rubbing swords and arrowheads in excrement. What we think of when we hear the words Poison Agent today are highly sophisicated substances that are ludicrously deadly. The Soviets in particular dedicated an entire branch of their military research solely to the creation of some of the deadliest poisons ever known to man, mainly for use in political assasinations of Dissidents or hostile politicians abroad. The Russians continue this proud tradition with compunds like Novichok, used for example in the attempted assassination of Sergej Skripal in the UK in 2018.
*'''Psychotropic Agents''': Hallucinogenics or other compounds that in some way or form interact or change human behaviour in a way that is uncharacteristic for the person exposed to it. The US military experimented with such weapons during the 50s and 60s, which is where LSD first got into widespread distribution. Their existence as a weapon of war is heavily disputed; while there is definitive evidence that aformentioned experiments exist and there was some interest in it from the military side of things, there is only mostly anecdotal evidence that there was ever a compound mass-manufactured for combat purposed or used in combat. The US Army supposedly used some LSD to test its effectiveness on Vietcong camps in the 70s, but there is very little evidence to support this ever taking place.

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[[Category:History]]

Siege Weapon

2022-09-22T08:14:59Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* Chemical Weapons */

Let's say you're a medieval lord with 5,000 knights, men-at-arms and peasant levies you've decided to attack and conquer a lesser lord who has 1,000 fighting men of similar abilities. If you line your guys up and fight out in the open, you'll crush him. But the coward/sensible leader does not do this and instead holds up in his [[castle]], which has high walls and heavy gates to keep people out, a large supply of rocks to drop on the heads of people trying to climb said walls, safe vantage points to shoot at attackers before they get to the walls and graineries, larders, wine cellers an cisterns which can keep his troops fed for months. You have several options available to you. You can try to storm the castle while your guys are shot and get rocks and burning sand dropped on them. You can try to starve them out, which is going to take months, suffer casualties from raids and camp sickness, lower morale as people are away from the friends and family and incur massive opportunity costs as the peasant levies could be farming, or you could employ '''Siege Weapons'''.

Note that while most siege weapons were used offensively against fortifications, some could be used defensively, whether against infantry formations or to destroy enemy siege weapons.

== Types of Siege Weapons ==
==Historic==
===Battering Ram===
One of the oldest and simplest siege weapons, the Battering Ram is, at its most basic, a log that men use to try and break down a door or section of wall. Over time people got ideas like swinging it from ropes to make it easier to smash into enemy fortifications, an iron cap on the log to help it smash through tougher materials, and strong roofs to keep the men inside from being crushed by falling rocks, scalded with boiling oil or shot by arrows. Notably under Roman law, any defenders who failed to surrender after the first ram touched their wall were basically fair game. You could throw in the towel before then, but afterwards if the Romans won they would kill you, enslave your wife and loot everything you owned.

===Ballista===
One day a Greek man looked down at his [[crossbow]] and thought "what if I made it bigger?". They came with two designs: a ridiculously large ''Oxybeles'' (which was essentially a larger version of the gastraphetes crossbow with wooden prods), later known as a ''scorpion'' (which was commonly used as anti-siege-weapon weapon mounted on fortifications) and an "even bigger mounted crossbow" called the ''ballista'' (which used coiled rope for torsion rather than wooden prods). Adding a windlass turned chain and a hopper magazine resulted in the ''Polybolos.'' Contrary to popular belief ballista is not an oversized crossbow - as the tensions, stresses, and material resistances scale differently and cause huge wooden bows to break and huge metal bows to deform from straining under such pressure. Thus Greeks devised a system that uses twisted ropes in which bow arms are fixed to store energy to the point it can hurl spear-sized bolts with enough power to break gates and warship hulls. In Roman times, the ballista was said to be terrifyingly effective in terms of both accuracy (to the point of picking off individual soldiers) and power (with tales of it piercing armored warriors and leaving them impaled to a tree).

* '''Polybolos''': roughly meaning “multi-bolt thrower” in Greek and also known as a "repeating ballista," the Polybolos more often resembles a big crossbow than a ballista since the arms are fixed to the "stock" and don't twist around to fire it; though some versions do use arms wedged into tense bundles of twisted ropes like regular ballista. The repeating ballista was fired by turning a wheel connected to a chain drive forward to cock it, then turning it the other way to load it again from a hopper on top of the stock and fire it. Turning the wheel at the back of the crossbow counterclockwise pushed a sliding plank called the mensa (like that from the Gastrophetes/Oxyboles) forward. Once driven forward sufficiently, the latch claws at the back of the plank are pushed up by a lug under the plank and hold the drawstring in place. Then, turning the wheel clockwise drew the drawstring back as the plank slides backwards. At the same time, the motion of the plank drives a screw threaded pole (in contact with the plank by a block with a sliding nut) to rotate and load a bolt (via a built-in notch on the rod) onto the body of the plank from the hopper on top. Pulling the wheel back to the very end will bump the latch on another lug that triggers the latch into releasing the drawstring and firing the bolt.

* '''Springald''': Also known as the "skein-bow," it was the transitional successor to the Ballista before the arrival of cannons, the Springald began replacing it in the 11-12th century. While it used coiled rope and torsional power to fire bolts, rocks, and even containers of Greek Fire, it physically differed visually by looking like a cubical scaffold with the arms swinging inward rather than outwards like the ballista.

Serving as highly accurate artillery (multiple stories exist of single soldiers getting sniped by bolts), Ballista was used by both the Greeks and Romans and later through Medieval times, for a long time coexisting with early gunpowder artillery until development of cannon technology made it obsolete. Not only were cannon barrels relatively simple to cast and maintain, but they were not as finicky or vulnerable to humidity or weather compared to wood and rope.

===Catapult===
Using weights and levers, ancient and medieval people found they could throw rocks, balls of metal or whatever else they had handy into walls to knock them down. If they had dead bodies handy, they could fling them ''over'' the walls of an enemy city and wait for them to get sick and die, as the Mongols did (as a way of saying FU or to 'return prisoners'. Germ theory wouldn't exist for quite some time). Alternatively, a pot of incendiary liquid or something soaked in oil being lit on fire and then thrown over the wall to start fires worked nicely, as did explosives.
* '''Mangonel''': One of the more basic types of catapult and probably what you think of when you imagine one. What actually constitutes a 'mangonel' is a little unclear, as there is not set historical definition for the type of weapon the name describes. They had an impressive range, able to hit targets over 1000 feet away.
* '''Onager''': A siege weapon commonly used by the Roman Legions, employing the torsional tension of twisted rope and the whip-lash effect of a sling to hurl very large projectiles. Onagers were mainly designed for attacking fortifications from within the confines of other fortifications (as in Roman-style siegecraft), and thus were quite short-ranged. Confusingly, some onagers are mangonels, but not all mangonels are onagers.
* '''Trebuchet''': The big daddy of catapults, it was the biggest, most destructive and longest ranged catapults in history. This was the go-to weapon for sieges until gunpowder became practical. Unlike most catapults, which used torsion to power their throwing arm, trebuchets instead used a weight and gravity to do the trick.
**'''Floating Arm Trebuchet''': A normal trebuchets when fired has a weight on short end of the throwing arm and a rock attached to a sling on the long arm, both ends swing in Arcs as its fired and the weight and throwing arm both curve. The Floating Arm Trebuchet on the other hand is very different. Unlike a normal trebuchet, the floating arm has the throwing arm attached to wheels that roll freely in a channel. The weight is lifted up, straight up (unlike a traditional trebuchet where the weight is moved along an arc), which pushes the throwing arm back on the channel. When fired the weight drops straight down, the arm rolls forward and the throwing arm is whipped forward as its weight makes it rotate on the axis very quickly. If you're thinking "''Gee that sound complicated for medieval engineering''", then you're not wrong. The Floating Arm Trebuchet is a modern design used mostly as an engineering student project. It may not even be that practical a design on its own merits since '''Yankee Siege II''', A traditional Trebuchet design was the record holder in the 2013 "Pumpkin chunking contest" beating out multiple floating arm designs (although that may be because increasing the range requires a greater drop distance, which then risks damaging the track from the impact of the arm).
* '''Grenade Catapults''': In the first world war (yes we are talking about a catapult designed used in the Great-freaking-war) soldiers had a problem. Namely they did not have any accurate way to deliver explosives. Artillery hit hard but were better at shelling the snot out of an enemy position then hitting one strong point, meanwhile hand grenades had accuracy but only about as much range as you could throw them. To solve this problem the answer was the use of slings and rifle grenades for short (but past throwing range) distances and the invention of small infantry mortars able to lob explosive accurately at a medium range. These however took time to design, test, produce, train with and deploy, and soldiers on both sides needed a solution NOW. The German solution was a weapon called the ''wurfmaschine'', literally called the 'throwing (wurf), machine (Maschine), it was a spring powered catapult that could hurl grenades about 200 m (220 yd) away. In response the British invented the Leach trench catapult (Which was more slingshot then catapult but they called it a catapult so it's going on this page darn it!) which was about as good at throwing grenades. The French took an oversized crossbow, named it Sauterelle (grasshopper) and used that. While phased out as soon as newer weapons arrived (specifically, mortars that could actually be carried by hand into a trench rather than the big honkers seen in previous eras), the various WW1 grenade catapults are a quirky addition in the history of siege weapons.

===Siege Ladder===
Sometimes the best answer to a large wall is to simply go over it. The siege ladder was invented with this in mind, allowing men to climb over the walls. Do note that unlike in media they were only good for shorter walls, which is why you sometimes read about small groups of a few dozen holding a castle against thousands.

*'''Sambuca''': Like a siege ladder, only built for D-Day. They let roman soldiers on ships charge up onto the walls of enemy citys.

===Siege Tower===
If a Siege Ladder didn't work, the solution was to make it bigger and with protection. Siege Towers allowed men to climb up without having to worry about anyone attacking them from the sides or simply knocking the ladder over. There were also platforms on top to allow archers to fire at the defenders.

===Sappers===
A good way to weaken enemy walls was to dig under them, weakening the foundation and making them more prone to fracturing and collapsing. What sappers would usually do is once they were certain that they were directly underneath the enemy’s walls, they’d stash a whole lot of flammable materials and douse it with pig fat (not live pigs, they’re significantly less flammable and more prone to running away) then set everything on fire to collapse the supports and cause a cave-in. It was a dangerous job, but it was effective, so long as the enemy didn’t catch on and start counter-mining. Would-be attackers would oftentimes be literally smoked-out and suffocate if they were discovered. Cave-ins were also rightly feared.

As modern cities typically have tunnel systems running through them (e.g. for subways, access to water pipes, smuggling), sapping and mining still see some use in urban warfare situations where a heavily fortified building needs to be brought down but anti-aircraft defenses prevent the use of bombers to do so. Moreover, sapping was used extensively by both sides on the western front in WW1, where a team would dig a tunnel until they were underneath the enemy's trenches, and then dig out a cave which was then filled with explosives. The explosions from these dug-out mines were some of the largest non-nuclear explosions mankind ever produced, with some of largest being noticeable as far away as London and Cologne. As a result, extensive countermeasures existed too; you could listen to the walls with a stethoscope or place a bucket of water on the floor of a trench, whose surface would ripple from the microvibrations of the enemy digging underneath. If someone noticed the enemy, a counter-tunnel would be dug underneath and filled with a smaller amount of explosives to bury the enemy in their tunnels. Some of these explosives-filled mines were both never cleared of explosives nor detonated when originally intended, and so remain dangerous to this day; in 1956, one of these mines detonated after it was struck by lightning, and the resulting explosion produced a crater that was 40 meters wide and 20 meters deep (thankfully, the only victims were some cows that belonged to a french farmer).

===Petards===
Before people worked out how to make [[cannon]]s that were better at killing the enemy than whoever was using them, they would sometimes use Petards. Their job was to run up to enemy walls with barrels of gun powder or other primitive bombs, light the fuse and run like hell, letting the explosion take down the wall. More sophisticated petards were pretty much kettles stuffed with gunpowder with some boards fitted around the rim that would be nailed to wooden gates, directing the explosive force so less gunpowder would so more work. Either way most of the time this ended up killing the sapper as well, hence the phrase "hoisted by his own petard".

===Hwacha===
A Korean gunpowder weapon used defensively against large armies. Take a bunch of long arrows, attach small rockets to each arrow, load each of them in a tube, stack the tubes tightly in an open frame, and fire all of them at once out of a portable box container on a fixed cart. A single launcher could fire as many as 200 arrows. Such overwhelming firepower made attackers think twice about charging defensive positions. While reloading them was a time consuming nightmare, they served as a good psychological deterrent and volley weapon from defensive positions.

===Named Historic siege engines===

'''Warwolf''': Thought to be the largest Trebuchet ever built, it took 30 wagons to transport it, putting at between 300–400 feet tall and it took over 50 people over three months to build it. Used in the Siege of Stirling castle by king Edward the scotts were so scared of the thing they tried to surrender, but the king was like "nope" and he wanted to see his weapon at work. Records show it threw over 300 pound stone balls and leveled a section of the castle's wall.

'''Helepolis''': not to be confused with "''Heliopolis''", or Suncity, the Helepolis was a greek seige engine who's name means "Taker of Cities". Actually it was a type of siege engine, but it was more then just a siege tower. It was tank! It was built like a siege tower only with multiple catapults at each level of the tower, it could roll up to a castle wall, firing all the while, while solider manning dart throws on top could clear the walls for soldiers in side to jump out of the moveable tower.

==Modern==
Seige Weapons are still useful into modern times. However they are used a bit differently than their middle age counterparts.

===Howitzer===
Originating in the 17th century after descending from early [[Cannon|cannons]]. The Howitzer is still the go to indirect fire weapon for infantry in the 21st, and will continue to be so until [[Gauss#Railgun|Railguns]] become smaller and more portable.

===Portable Explosives===
Comes in all shapes and sizes. A few of the more noteworthy types:
*'''TNT''': TriNitroToluene. Also known as dynamite. More powerful than gunpowder, more stable than nitroglycerin. Dynamite comes in sticks and and is ignited using an electrical charge from a plunger device. Just a few well-placed sticks can blast rocks with ease.
*'''Plastic Explosives''': Explosives made from a flexible material, such as C4. Can be molded into any shape and stuck on any surface with a bit of duck tape. Stick the primer in, then remotely detonate when you’re a safe distance away.
*'''Thermite''': this compound produces a jet of molten iron when ignited, rather than exploding outright. Great for cutting through thick surfaces, or destroying gun barrels/sensitive equipment.
*'''Detcord''': A type of plastic explosive that’s optimized for dynamic entry. Comes in a rope shape for easy bundling and placement; stick it on a wall in an outline of the hole you want to make, or sandwich a rolled up bundle between two bags of water to create a powerful door-knocking explosive.
*'''Shape Charge''': explosives placed around an inverted metal cone. When ignited, the cone collapses into a jet of molten metal, concentrating the explosive power into a fine point to punch through armor. Commonly used in anti-tank rounds, though portable versions exist.
*'''IED''': Short for '''I'''mprovised '''E'''xplosive '''D'''evice. Term coined by the US military during the invastion of Iraq in the 2000s, that covers basically anything that goes ''boom'' and isn't covered by traditional military lingo or adheres to any standardized model of bomb or land mine. As the name tells, these are mostly improvised explosives made from a bewildering range of materials, from pipe bombs that are made by filling a solid steel pipe with some C4 or dynamite to more volatile and/or unreliable things like artillery shells equipped with a fuse or just a solid tube filled with ammonuiumnitrate (found in many fertilizers).
*'''Land Mines''': Landmines are essentially small explosive containers that are buried and set off by someone or something stepping on them. Mines are primarily used to prevent an enemy setting foot in areas you don't want them to or force your enemy to march into a direction of your choosing. The major hassle of Land Mines is that they are buried en masse and remain actively dangerous until they are either set off or defused - often long after a conflict has ended. This has lead to a movement toward banning anti-personnel mines. While many countries have signed on to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (or the Ottawa Treaty), many countries, including Russia, China, and the United States have not. While not a signatory, the US has said that they will abide by the terms of the treaty, except for on the Korean Peninsula (since the Korean DMZ is chock full of the things).

In addition, landmines come in all shapes and sizes. Some will bounce into the air after being tripped, some are made from surprising materials like wood and glass, and the explosive yield can vary widely. Britain was considering nuclear mines during the 1950s, in order to deal with any Soviet invasion of Germany. Interesting fact: In order to prevent the mine's electronics from freezing during the winter, the mines were to be equipped with live chickens which would theoretically provide enough heat to keep the electronics working.

===Bangalore torpedo===
These were explosives in a tube used mainly to clear obstacles such as mines, barbed wire, and barricades. They came in handy if you couldn't otherwise dismantle said obstacles properly, such as if you were storming an enemy position under fire and needed to create a clear path very quickly.

===Sling===
Thanks to the creation of explosive payloads, one of humanity's oldest weapons still sees occasional use as an indirect fire weapon. [[Sling]]s first returned to use during the Great War when hand grenades did, and saw use during the interwar and into the Spanish Civil War and into the World War II concurrent Winter War where the Finns used sling fired projectiles to kill ''tanks''. Grenade launchers have largely replaced them in industrialized forces, but they continue to see use among those not as well armed.

===Chemical Weapons===
The UN/Geneva Protocol specifies a Chemical Weapon as a chemical compound, purposefully created to directly harm or incapacitate humans or indirectly, via poisoning crops, livestock and drinking water. While mentions of Chemical Weapons conjure up pictures from the Great War, not all of them take the form of gas to choke your enemy to death. All of them produce results that are horrible to look at and even worse to be at the recieving end of. The most noteable distinction from Biological Weapons is that of intent, Chemical Weapons are solely created for the single purpose of being weaponized in some way or form. Bioweapons, in contrast, are living organisms that have no inherent intent to harm humans, even though there are some edge cases where there is some overlap between the two. Ricin as a prominent example is an incredibly deadly chemical poison produced by the castor oil plant like many other plants do produce different chemical compunds to protect themselves against herbivores or fungus, making it both a Chemical and Biological Weapon at the same time. The plant itself is not a weapon, the poison being synthesized by its seeds however is. The point being: You cannot obscure the intent of use for a chemical weapon while Biological Weapons in many cases offer plausible deniability, many states in the world house pathogens that could kill millions for the sole purpose of researching vaccines and medication against them. As of the time of writing this section, chemical weapons have been outlawed and nations that still have stocks of them had them mostly destroyed. Presumably. Here are just a few examples for what form Chemical Weapons can take:
*'''Tear Gas''': Yes. This count. While not 'lethal' it still directly causes harm and incapacitates so Geneva Protocol counts it as a chemical weapon. So I can hear your next the obvious question is: why the fuck is it legal to use it on civilians even if there rioting if it's a warcrime? Well. . .there is no good answer to that. One reason is that we culturally all consider Tear Gas different to other chemicals so we deem it acceptable and the reason military don't get it if you did drop a tear gas canister on an infantry formation they just report 'been gassed!' and the other side might assume that the gentlemen agreement to not use chemical weapons is off and just start reacting the Somme on you before they can ID the exact agent being used.
*'''Poison Gas''': All of the big powers in World War 1 experimented with poison gas during the course of the war. Its first iteration were simple canisters of Chlorine that were opened when the wind blew towards the enemy, creating a noxious yellow cloud that would suffocate unprotected soldiers when the Gas reacted with their Lung Tissue, later transitioning to even deadlier comnbinations of gas to increase their effectiveness (like the infamous German "Buntschießen", where tear gas, not lethal on its own, would force enemy Soldiers to take their gas masks off would be combined with Phosgen and Chlorine). Needless to say, the injuries suffered from such an attack were mounstrous and a Gas Attack was one of the most feared events amoung the Soldiers on the Ground. So feared in fact, that not even Hitler (who experienced a gas attack as a Runner in Belgium) seriously considered their use, even when it became obvious that the Nazi War Effort was really going to shit (At least against Soldiers, Zyklon B also falls into the category of Chemical Weapons). Poison Gas as a weapon of war also has considerable downsides that made them obsolete even during World War 1; Gas masks improved to the point that a gas attack without sophisticated sequences of different chemicals became difficult to pull off, as well as the fact that you have to carefully time your assault if you want to avoid your troops stepping into a giant death cloud, turning the area you just bombarded into a huge dead zone. In theory, it might be useful to force a surrender of troops that might be hiding in a Bunker, but the use of Poison Gas is universally detested to such a degree that the political cost would outweigh the benefit in any case.
*'''Defoliants''': Herbicides sprayed via plane that destroy an enemies crops and cause trees to wither and drop their leaves, making undetected movement through dense foliage such a jungle difficult. Agent Orange was the most infamous compound of these kinds of weapons, with the US using them during their campaigns in Vietnam. While not deadly in itself, the Barrels that contained the stuff were contaminated with other chemicals because the US Military wanted to cut corners and didn't take potential sideeffects of exposure to Agent Orange into account, which in turn turned out to be extremely carcinogenic, but also corrupted the DNA of people exposed to it to such a degree that any children born from them would be deformed and debilitated for the rest of their lifes.
*'''Poison Agents''': From the dawn of ages, humans experimented with poisons to make weapons deadlier, from the entrails of tropical frogs to simply rubbing swords and arrowheads in excrement. What we think of when we hear the words Poison Agent today are highly sophisicated substances that are ludicrously deadly. The Soviets in particular dedicated an entire branch of their military research solely to the creation of some of the deadliest poisons ever known to man, mainly for use in political assasinations of Dissidents or hostile politicians abroad. The Russians continue this proud tradition with compunds like Novichok, used for example in the attempted assassination of Sergej Skripal in the UK in 2018.
*'''Psychotropic Agents''': Hallucinogenics or other compounds that in some way or form interact or change human behaviour in a way that is uncharacteristic for the person exposed to it. The US military experimented with such weapons during the 50s and 60s, which is where LSD first got into widespread distribution. Their existence as a weapon of war is heavily disputed; while there is definitive evidence that aformentioned experiments exist and there was some interest in it from the military side of things, there is only mostly anecdotal evidence that there was ever a compound mass-manufactured for combat purposed or used in combat. The US Army supposedly used some LSD to test its effectiveness on Vietcong camps in the 70s, but there is very little evidence to support this ever taking place.

{{stub}}
{{Vehicle Warfare}}
[[Category:History]]

Japan

2022-09-21T21:13:15Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* Japanese History */

[[image:Japan-2107x1406.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Beneath the mountain. Cherry trees are blossoming forth.
My soul is at peace.]]
{{topquote|Japan is not a place which can be controlled by foreigners, for the Japanese are neither so weak nor so stupid a race as to permit this, and the King of Spain neither had nor ever could have any power or jurisdiction here.| Alessandro Valignano}}
'''Nihon''' or '''Nippon''' (日本, literally meaning sun origin, hence the common nickname "Land of the Rising Sun), known to foreigners as Wa, Yamatai, Jipon, Riben, Zipangu (plus a thousand spelling variants of that) and (most commonly nowadays) '''Japan''' is a country. It is a series of several thousand islands, the exact number of which depends both on the definition of "island" (minimum size) and if you ask them, or either the Russians or the Chinese. Despite the many islands, most of the population is centered on four main ones (Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku). It is nominally an [[Empire]], but of the past thousand years an Emperor has held power beyond figurehead for less then 80 of them. [[Samurai]], [[Ninja]], [[Oni]], [[Tengu]], and [[Kitsune]] originate here. The most common religions (and those most likely to have analogs in a fantasy setting) are Shinto, various types of Buddhism and a Christian minority. Unlike many countries, the two major religions aren't entirely mutually exclusive, though no one would outright list their religion as "multiple". It is often said that the Japanese are born Shinto, marry Christian, and die Buddhist. Native systems include ''[[Maid RPG]]'', ''[[Record of Lodoss War]]'', ''[[Queen's Blade]]'', and ''[[Zettai Reido]]'' as well as the CCGs ''[[Pokémon]]'', ''[[Yu-Gi-Oh]]'' and ''[[Fire Emblem|Fire Emblem Cipher]]''. The most popular game within the country however is, of all things, [[Call of Cthulhu]]. The manga [[Quick Start!!]] is also worth a mention.

Though in the west, Nippon is more often thought of as the native name of Japan, in reality the term Nihon is more commonly used. Nippon is generally seen as a more nationalistic term, for example when Japanese are cheering on their national sports teams, they would say "Nippon banzai". Additionally, the native name of the highly nationalistic Empire of Japan was Dai Nippon Teikoku (大日本帝国), The Great Japanese Empire.

== Japanese History ==

Japan's history geographically spans several million years and thousands nationally/culturally, but most fiction (even native stuff) and /tg/ only care about the following periods starting at the fairly late 1467. (with occasional rare forays into the Heian period).

*'''Paleolithic Period''' (pre 13000 BC) - time when first ''Homo sapiens'' entered Japan on watercraft. Due to bad fossilization conditions not much is known (less than in other places to be precise), but remnants of some tools are present here.

*'''Jōmon Period''' (縄文時代) (13000 - 1000 BC) - Primitive hunter-gatherer societies on the archipelago abandon nomadism and start first promising developments, which are mostly characterised by a pretty impressive pottery that would make Ancient Greek jealous.

*'''Yayoi Period''' (弥生時代) (1000 BC - 250) - This period is marked by the first wave of Sino-Korean influence on Japan. Migrants from these countries with bronze and iron weapons gradually absorbed Jōmon and introduced many technologies, such as weaving, silk production and glassmaking. Japan went through the neolithic period, [[Bronze Age]] and Iron Age in a quick succession during this period. This is also the moment when Japan is first mentioned in Chinese sources as a semi-legendary land. Centralisation and unification of dozen petty Yayoi kingdoms in one country probably started here.

*'''Kofun Period''' (古墳時代) (250 - 538) - period of gradual (certain this time) unification of Japan under one semi-divine Emperor. Several royal dynasties (such as Izumo and current Yamato) competed for power, absorbed their rivals and allies by promising them a place in the government and also used Chinese and Korean help. Named after Kofun (古墳, ancient graves), large keyhole-shaped burial mounds which were built during this time.

*'''Asuka Period''' (飛鳥時代) (538 - 710) - Sometimes thrown together with the Kofun Period into Yamato Period (大和時代).Buddhism is introduced here. Besides that, now fully united Japan goes under the Taika Reforms, a series of reforms to strengthen the power of Emperors and weaken the power of local clans inspired by China's system. Japan also participates in the wars on the Korean peninsula as allies of one side but get beaten and driven out. It was during this period Japan also started using the term Nihon (日本) to refer to themselves, instead of the old Chinese name Wa (倭), which roughly translates as dwarf or submissive, hence why Japan understandably did not much like it. Japan also gradually started to resemble Japan that would be recognizable today.

*'''Nara Period''' (奈良時代) (710 - 794) - Here, shit got really baaad. Japan suffered a series of wildfires, famines, droughts, even several epidemics. Emperor's power was weakened by that and Yamato themselves were almost overthrown, and although it didn't happen, Fujiwara clan managed to turn the monarchs into their puppets. At least first truly Japanese books were created in that period.

*'''Heian Period''' (平安時代)(794 - 1185) - During this period, a distinctly Japanese culture started developing from the earlier Chinese Tang-influenced one. It is considered as somewhat of a high-point of Japan as culture and the imperial court were at their peak, though the shape of things to come could already be seen as the real power rested in the hands of the Fujiwara clan. The samurai (侍) also emerged during this time. Its end ushered the familiar fare of clans jockeying for the position of the shogun and thus true power in Japan.

*'''Kamakura Period''' (鎌倉時代) (1185 - 1333) - here, completely powerless Emperors truly became a puppet of military leaders called shogun. Japan went from a mighty centralised Empire inspired by China to a complete feudal mess much closer to Europe of that time. Emperor Go-Toba tried to restore the power in 1221, but was defeated, and for years any attempts at the restoration of absolute monarchy ceased. Also, [[Mongols]] tried to invade Japan here.

*'''Kenmu Restoration''' (建武の新政) (1333-1336) Started when an Emperor attempted to restore power and ruled for 3 years. Before angering the Samurai and ending up as a figurehead again. The last time the emperor would hold any real power over all of Japan until the 19th century.

*'''Muromachi Period''' (室町時代) (1336-1573) - Noted for being ruled under the Ashikaga shoguns and seeing a rise in the religious sect of Zen Buddhism, as well as political and educational reforms. Ashikaga was easily the weakest of the three shogunates as despite technically being in power for over 200 years, they held practical control of all of Japan for slightly over 50 years of it.

*'''Nanbokuchō Period''' (南北朝時代) (1336-1392) - Translating as the Northern and Southern Courts Period, during which Japan had two imperial courts, each claiming to be the one true court. While the Ashikaga Shogunate set-up a figurehead court in Kyoto, the emperor in charge of the Kenmu Restoration did not give up that easily, setting up a new imperial court in southern Japan in the city of Hoshino. In terms of warfare, preference for fighting on foot over horseback starts to gain prominence during this time. The period is notable as the time when large weapons such as the Odachi, the Japanese greatsword, and Kanabo, the Japanese warclub, were popular. The [[katana]] was also introduced during this time, as the older tachi proved less effective when fighting on foot instead of horseback. The period would end with the southern court merging into the northern court. Despite this, 20th century Japan would eventually recognize the southern court as the legitimate court of the country during this time, thanks to it's possession of the imperial regalia. Ironic, considering that todays imperial court is descended from the nourthern court.

*'''Sengoku Period''' (戦国時代) (~1467 - 1600) - Arguably the most well-known part of Japanese history. A succession crisis over who will become the next shogun, the man who really held power in Japan. Eventually devolves into everyone wanting the pie for himself. A notable aspect of this period was the rise of the ashigaru (足軽, footlight), peasant footsoldiers who would do most of the fighting during this period, while before fighting was primarily done by the warrior class, the samurai. While this era lasted for almost 250 years, most only care about the last 40 (1560 onward) or so (known as the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (安土桃山時代)), when defacto unifier Oda Nobunaga began his rise to power and enough Europeans visited to document the happenings as a neutral enough third party. Everything before this is regarded as a bunch of stalemates for the most part. Gun spam was popular at the last part of this era, leading to the country having more guns per capita than anywhere else in the world at the time and the development of tactics that would last up till the introduction of the metallic cartridge. Near the end of the conflict one of the largest powers led an invasion of the Korean peninsula (again) which ended in a stalemate and withdrawal (since these forces had more important things to do back home). Both sides are still butthurt about it to this day, especially thanks to the a repeat during World War II.

*'''Edo Period''' (江戸時代) (1600-1868) - After the reunification of the land a long period of peace ensued. A few decades into this however a brief Christian rebellion led to the expulsion of foreigners and began the sakoku ("closed state") dictate where minimal outside trade occurred. However, there was still some progress during the seclusion - agricultural tech got advanced and the population markedly increased, Japanese intellectuals like Motoori Norinaga began pondering what it meant to be truly Japanese (apparently it was haiku) and the trade with the Dutch at Nagasaki slowly introduced western learning and science to Japan. This seclusion would last till July 8th 1853 when an American fleet led by Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Edo to forcibly re-open trade. This set off a widespread division and panic in the government on what to do. The period is where most of the myths concerning the [[samurai]] come from, as not having any wars to fight allowed the samurai to go really deep into thinking what being a warrior is all about.

*'''Meiji Period''' (明治時代) (1868-1912) - In 1868-1869 the boy who would become known as Emperor Meiji took advantage of this panic to seize power back from the shogunate in a relatively short and bloodless war. Under his rule the country would refuse to bend over and become a colony like many non-industrialised nations at the time had. It quickly modernized, abolished the caste system, replacing the samurai with a conscript army, and became a world power onto itself. The era is generally seen as a time when the western influences were at odds with Japanese traditions, many of which were perceived as backwards only to be glorified again a few decades later. In 1894-95 Japan would crush China in the Sino-Japanese war and establish itself as the dominant power in Asia. 1904-1905 they would crush Russia in a totally unexpected victory, something that ''really'' got them noticed, as for the first time, an Asian power won against an European great power. During this time, Japan adopted the system of one era per Emperor, where they would divide this and future periods of their history by the reigning emperors. As a result, this era ended with Meiji's death in 1912.

:*'''Battle of Tsushima''' (対馬沖海戦) (27-28 May 1905) - Deserves a special callout as one of the most decisive moments in Japanese national history as well as naval history. In an utterly one sided rout, the IJN sunk 143k tons of Russian ships, including 6 battleships, for the loss of 3 torpedo boats. It was the last time in history where a fleet was forced to strike their colors and surrender at sea. Though it's hard to ascribe this to Japanese brilliance alone when the Russians they were facing were the same Russian who thought they encountered Japanese torpedo boats. . .[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogger_Bank_incident off the coast of England.] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Mdi_Fh9_Ag&t=1s and it all went down hill from there. . . .]

*'''Taishō Period''' (大正時代) (1912-1926) - The rule of his son till 1926. Largely seen as a period of stability following the rapid change of the Meiji era. This period is also seen as a time when Japan was experimenting with democracy, seeing the rise of a number of political parties that would eventually be pushed to near-irrelevance once the army junta took sufficient hold on power. The country's entry into World War I is the main thing of note here. During the war the Japanese navy dominated the pacific. This showed the victory in the Russo-Japanese war wasn't a fluke which scared the shit out of the rest of the world. Also, Einstein visited Japan in 1922 during his world tour and liked it (especially the [[weeaboo|women]]).

*'''Shōwa Period''' (昭和時代) (1926-1989) - The rule of ''his'' son. Best known for the country's role in World War II. The politics became increasingly influenced by the military and the "evil customs" of the past (aka. Shinto, Samurai and Bushido) returned in a forceful but arguably corrupted manner. While this era would last up till the Emperor's death in 1989 (as per the one era per emperor system), the country was radically different before and after it's defeat in 1945. Before it's defeat, Japan was one of the most militaristic countries in the world, with a propaganda machine that made it's soldiers fanatical to the extreme. The shogun and the samurai were long gone but the emperor was again largely a figurehead, with real power in the hands of the military. Despite this, state propaganda made the emperor seem like a godlike being which proved essential in country's eventual surrender as the Emperor himself admitted defeat (or rather, as he put it, "the war has not necessarily gone in Japan's favor"). After the war, the American occupiers allowed the emperor to stay in power, though again as a figurehead, thinking it would be easier to keep the population under control that way. They would write a new constitution for Japan, with particular emphasis on article 9, which has Japan denounce war as it's sovereign right. Thanks to the US needing a bulkhead against communist China and the industriousness of the people, Japan recovered quickly and sprang up to be the second most powerful economy on the planet before crony capitalism and financial speculation brought it all down in the 90s.

**As an unfortunately necessary side-note, this period also stenched up the history of Japan that haunts it with historical baggage and unresolved issues right until the present day. Long story short the Japanese managed to combine a racial inferiority complex coupled with a near-constant need to "catch-up" to the West with a fanatical militarist ideology (State Shinto + "Neo-bushido") AND a belief that they are the only valid paragons of asiatic civilization since China was conquered by the "barbarian" Manchus (who were originally not Sinic but Tungusic and thus not "true" Chinese) piled on top of all the stuff before. The result was a rather batshit Imperial Japan that went around Asia committing crimes that put them as bona fide runner-ups to Nazis as the most fucked up fascistic regime. Japan today has done away with most of the bullshit of the 20th century but there are still sore spots like treatment of minorities and all but open denial of various war crimes (japanese apologies boil down to "we are sorry that we did ''things'' 50-60 years ago and we will leave it at that, sayonara"). Like in Europe, everything from the 1930s to 1940s is SKUB SUPRA MAXIMUS so feel free to educate yourself on it but don't go into detail here, please.

*'''Post-War Heisei and Reiwa periods''' (平成時代, 令和時代) (1989-20XX) - Beyond this Japan is just another first-world country for /tg/ purposes. The two most acute issues Japan is facing are the demographic decline (over 1/4 of the population is 65 or older) and the threat of rising China, although as of the 2020s there seem to be some signs of a intra-country political shakeup with the consequences remaining to be seen. Article 9 also proved to be somewhat of a mistake for the US in the long run, as Japan would turn from one of US's greatest enemies to one of their greatest allies. Very little non-native fiction has modern Japan as it's primary setting, though it is a stock foreign destination. Japan is however a relatively high priority country for games set in the "real world but..." to explain the differences from reality of. The exception is the [[Cyberpunk]] genre, where Japan dominates the world culturally and financially since at the time of the genre's origins it was believed that Japan would achieve ''economic'' conquest of the world in the future and despite the Lost Decade and other economic setbacks it remains as a tradition of the genre.

== Japanese Culture ==
Japan has, over the span of almost 2000 years, developed an unique blend of Chinese, Korean and (most recently) Western culture, mixed with their own stuff on top of THAT. There is no single defining characteristic that can describe it, but important elements are - honor, dedication to what one does, family/clan, industriousness and hierarchy. Some of these, such as emphasis on honor and family have been somewhat eroded by modern times, but others like loyalty to one's family/clan/corporation and deference to authority/hierarchy still endure.

One particularity of the Japanese culture is how its language was adapted to the social hierarchy. Japanese language has "politeness levels" - different ways of pronunciation and speaking reserved for those both above and below you on the social ladder. Though in itself complex, the levels can be roughly divided into 3 categories - how you'd speak to your junior/trainee/younger sibling, your equal/coworker/brother&sister and your superiors/bosses/parents&grandparents. At its core it's not that dissimilar form how you'd speak in English in a western setting (you wouldn't address your boss like you would your friend and vice-versa).

Another cultural note is that the Emperor is still ''highly'' revered in Japan culture. In the same way that Americans hate desecration of their flag, the people of Japan do not tolerate disrespect of the Emperor. Case in point: The mayor of Nagasaki was nearly assassinated in 1990 for criticizing the Emperor.

Starting from about the 70s, a major cultural trope that developed in Japan is the Kawaisa (可愛さ) or "the culture of cute". It's the reason why you see so much cutesy stuff in public broadcasts, flyers, iconography and in general culture. The phenomenon is not without it's detractors within Japan however as it drew flak for supposedly "infantilising" the population, suppressing assertiveness and/or enforcing same-think. Still, for better or worse one can expect tons of cute shit from every direction when visiting the major metropolises of Japan.

== Japanese Religion, Gods and Mythology ==
''see also: [[Mythology#Japanese_Mythology|Mythology]]''

Japanese people have always had a tendency to assimilate stuff from other cultures, most notably China and Korea. Their religion reflect this as they can be said to have "2+1" traditional religions - Shintoism, Buddhism and Christianity. Shintoism is the oldest and effectively the true native religion, being a blend of animism (meaning that all objects & creatures have a spiritual essence and worship is tied to specific places where said spirits reside) and nature/ancestor worship. Buddhism was introduced in 6th century from Korea and tended to blend with Shinto. Christianity is the youngest of the three, having been introduced by St. Francis Xavier in 16th century, it flourished for a time but a combination of distrust, European intrigues and peasant rebellions had the authorities ban it until the late 19th century.

Here are some of the more known terms and critters from the mythology and beliefs of the Japanese:

*'''Yokai''' - General term for fantastical creatures, spirits and demons that roamed Japan in elden times, maybe. Are distinguished by several characteristics such as true form (human, animal, plant), source of mutation/change (spiritual, mundane, natural, reincarnation) and external appearance (human, animal, plant, object, natural phenomenon etc.). As a fun side-note according to some folk beliefs the Yokai really dislike electricity so their absence or hiding is sometimes attributed to the rise of technology in the modern world.

*'''Tengu''' - Martial beings resembling winged humanoids that were initially thought to take the forms of birds of prey or monkeys and can be traditionally depicted with human, monkey and avian characteristics. Sarutahiko Ōkami is considered to be the original model of Konoha-Tengu (a supernatural creature with a red face and long nose), which is today widely considered the Tengu's defining characteristic in popular imagination.

*'''Kitsune''' - One of the most famous and recognised Yokai, often depicted as foxes or monstergirls with fox tails (anywhere between one tail and nine). They possess supernatural magical abilities that increase as they get older and wiser which is indicated by their tail number increasing until they become low-level demigods. They are also closely associated with the kami Inari as her messengers.

*'''Tanuki/Bake-danuki''' - Known as Japanese Racoon Dog to weebstern barbarians, they are real animals but also appear as mischievous spirits who often troll people just to make them look like fools. They use a wide array of disguises to achieve this and are sometimes described as even willier than the Kitsune. Oh and they also have xboxhuge testicles which they may sling over their shoulders and/or use as drums...yeah.

[[image:Suuhi_Nekomata.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Mind the claws and lvl5 necromancy.]]

*'''Oni''' - This big red lug could be described as Japan's ogres or trolls. Taking the appearance of a huge humanoid with bovine horns and red skin often wielding a Kanabo. They were initially seen similarly to the aforementioned ogres and trolls as brutish and evil giants but over time morphed into "noble demon" protectors. One of the most well known stories is a surprisingly wholesome tale of a Red Oni who wanted to befriend humans and [[This Guy|Blue Oni]] who pretended to attack a human settlement so that Red could be seen as "saving" it and thus be accepted among humans.

*'''Nekomata''' - The OG furry/nekomimi catgirls of Japan. Described as shape-shifting cats who were kept for too long and have sprouted twin tails and gaind many supernatural abilities. Alas, this monster girl was on the asshole side of the spectrum and was associated with death and necromancy, but as any neckbeard worth their salt knows that's just a tsundere waiting to open up and be loved. Beware of the claws however.

There are also a handful of particular gods of note which have shrines in their honor. The four below constitute the bulk of the shinto shrines in Japan, each having at least ten thousand existent shrines.

*'''Amaterasu''' - The Sun Goddess of Japan and mythical origin of the Imperial line. Shinmei shrines are dedicated to Amaterasu.

*'''Hachiman''' - Embodied in Emperor Ōjin, Hachiman is a Budda-like figure and of great importance to the Samurai. Hachiman's domain is over enterprises of skill, particularly war, archery, and fishing, and the guardian of the Imperial house.

*'''Inari''' - Indelibly associated with foxes and the red torii gates of Inari shrines. Inari is the patron of agriculture, fertility, and prosperity in general. Understandably, there are more shrines devoted to Inari than any other single kami, over thirty thousand.

*'''Tenjin''' - The kami of Sugawara no Michizane, one of Japan's most famous ancient poets. Tenjin is the patron of scholars, and shrines in his honor are ubiquitous (and very busy) near colleges.

== Japanese Magic ==
Japanese have their own traditional form of magic and it can be grouped in two broad categories.

The first one is ''Kotodama'' or "soul of language" and it is basically using the true-name type of magic to the extreme. Using specific sounds, it was believed that one could influence objects, environment, body and the soul itself. This is something they inherited from exposure to Buddhism and is common across the far east; if you've seen ''Kung Fu Hustle'' or ''[[Dune]]'' (''"Some thoughts have a certain sound. That being equivalent to a form..."'') you have the basic idea.

The second comes in the form of Japanese witches. Unlike western ones which were said to derive their powers form the Devil, the Japanese breed gained their prowess form forming pacts with fox familiars. Once a fox was bribed (oftentimes promised a steady supply of food and shelter) it would confer to their witch/wizard many powers, usually related to trickery and subterfuge. A fox could turn invisible and used for spying, create illusions to trick their enemies and most feared of all - posses another human being and make them do their bidding. While lone foxes being aided were often benevolent, if one was employed by a human, they were almost always used for nefarious purposes.

== Self Defense Force ==
After World War II, Japan was hated and feared by the Allied Powers, and unlike West Germany it was not seen as a critical barrier to Soviet invasion. As such Japan was forced to adopt a constitution that prohibited an army, navy or air force and renounced the right to belligerency. As the Cold War heated up, NATO realized Japan ''was'' critical to preventing Communist dominance of the Pacific. Accordingly Japan was able to [[Rules Lawyer|exploit a loophole]] and create a "self defense force" that was an army in all but name. Said Self-Defense Force, as the name implies, has full authority to deal with domestic threats like terrorists and pirates threatening Japanese shipping, but any sort of offensive or overseas actions are more rigidly controlled and require the cooperation of the United States, per the bilateral security treaty.

While not the latest tech, the JSDF's equipment is absolutely modern and contains plenty of armored vehicles. Their main rifle is the Type 89, a pretty straightforward AR-18 variant that uses STANAG (M16) magazines. Unlike the British AR-18 variant, the Type 89 actually works since 1: They had the original AR-18 specs (Howa was previously subcontractor for manufacturing the AR-18) instead of a crude copy by people who never used a firearm before 2: It wasn't built by workers who knew they were going to be fired immediately afterwards. Improvements like free-floating and optics mounting are considered, but budgetary concerns prevent adoption. In December 2019 it was announced such an upgrade would finally be adopted after winning a trial, but if that will actually occur is unknown.

By the numbers, the Maritime Self Defense Force is at worst a match for the Russian Federation's Pacific Fleet, though would be heavily outnumbered if the Arctic fleet or Baltic fleet reinforced them (reinforcements from the Black Fleet however are unlikely). While it technically has no aircraft carriers, the JMSDF has four "helicopter destroyers" (two Izumo-class, and two slightly older, shorter Hyuga-class) that were quite clearly designed with a conversion or variant that carries fixed wing aircraft in mind. The obviously intended conversion of the Izumo-class into proper aircraft carriers was announced in December of 2018 and caused more than a bit of butt-hurt in Korea. The rest of Japan's surface fleet consists mostly of destroyers in a variety of classes, most of which are derivatives of the USN's ''Arleigh Burke'' class, complete with the AEGIS system.

By the same post-war Constitution, Japan is expressly forbidden from having nuclear weapons, and their history with them makes the vast majority of the population OK with that. They do however have a large nuclear power industry (Or rather they did, before the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster made them think twice) and a space program, so there's no doubt they could easily make some and ICBMs to go with it if they wanted to, but they don't waste money on that when America already has got them covered.

==Why living in Japan sucks==
Despite what [[Weeaboo]]s would have you believe, living in Japan is not anime and cute waifus. Not only do they still treat minorities like shit (though [[/pol/|some people]] may find that desirable), but their police force is also worse than any Western nation you can name and are utterly corrupt. A 99%+ conviction rate is impossible without at least a quarter of that being false testimonies. In Japan everything is expensive and just about everyone is underpaid, as this is what happens when you fetishize a business culture and without a bunch of crappy books written as fetish fuel by some Russian whore.

Like Meat? Love Taco Bell or hamburgers? Too bad, it costs way too much. Want to buy mecha models, figures or BluRay discs from your favorite anime? [[Rage|That too, is overpriced]]. Remember when we said that people are underpaid? Well, your favorite mango and animu artists are as well and are [[wikipedia:karoshi|working themselves to death]], for what barely counts as minimum wage. The idiots over 50 in the Diet and elsewhere then wonder why their birthrate is falling. The obvious answer is that if young people don't have money to own a home, they're not going to give a flying shit about making babies. Hell, the people who ''do'' want to start families oftentimes find that they can't do the nasty because they're still living with their parents and the walls are paper-thin (sometimes [[wikipedia:shoji|literally]]), so there's a whole industry of "love hotels" just so couples can actually find a place to do it.

Like guns? Too bad. Private gun ownership is almost non-existent. Even guns for hunting and competitive target shooting require purchase permits and those are on a may-issue basis. Ammo purchase and use must be logged and the police can drop by to audit your gun locker and ammo logbook. Self defense is not a valid reason for issue and your chances of owning a service caliber handgun are zero. The police all (except for SWAT and really senior detectives) use the New Nambu M60, a 5-shot S&W clone that wouldn't look out of place on ''The Andy Griffith Show'', and they carry them around with rubber safeties wedged under the trigger. Silver lining: they let you have realistic model guns without the retarded orange barrel tip, because while corrupt the police can actually tell the difference between a real gun and a fake just by virtue of you being allowed to own it, unlike a certain "land of the free".

They were never 'de-imperialised' the same way the Germans were 'denazified' following the WWII, which goes some way to explain why the Chinese and both Koreas still hold grudges from the Second World War (despite the South Koreans and Japan sharing a <s>sugar daddy</s> powerful ally in the form of the United States), in a way that the Germany and Israel do not. If you have an older family member over the age of 50, they may still hold a grudge about this as well. Oddly enough, Taiwan does not care that as much since it would rather focus its hate against the mainland communists and many have good memories of the island's modernization under Japan.

On top of all that is the fact that you are one of two nations that tend to get a front-row seat to the nuclear saber-rattling between the North Koreans and the Americans. Indeed, due to World War Two grudges, those sabers are often rattled at you. Additionally having so many U.S. bases means that if something ever does start between the U.S. and China, you are going to have a front row seat to that "World War Three push here to start button" even if you'd rather not. (It doesn't help that China holds grudges like a dwarf and while they may not want to attack their third largest trading partner, they won't shed any tears if they have to regardless of whether or not the U.S. maintains a presence on your islands.)

Lastly, with the incompetence of the (right wing) Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, the economy has been in a recession for over <strike>twenty</strike> '''thirty''' years ''(srs, wtf JPN)''. At this point the entire millennial generation of Japan has accepted the reality that they are simply screwed and that things won't get better, and that doomer mentality slowly seeps into every Japanese person born since the 90's as they get into their 20's. It's really not clear what Japan's economy needs to turn itself around, but without some changes it IS pretty clear that a lot of their young people don't and won't have stable jobs and having kids is becoming a luxury of the rich.

You don't have to live in Japan just because you love the country/culture, but if you absolutely must, be prepared for a lot of grueling language study (the Japanese have three alphabets and roughly three "politeness levels" that you must learn to properly nativise). Also, you better have an income of about 4-5k $ per month if you hope to live in one of the bigger cities and at least 7-8k$ if you plan on having a family. One often tried way to get in is by becoming an English teacher but for that you need college-level education and special training, because if there is one thing even detractors of Japan must admit it is that they are DEAD serious about the quality of their education.

Overall: Japan has issues, not insurmountable ones nor one totally unique to it, but they are perhaps more exacerbated then most other developed nations and certainly not helped by the geopolitics of the region. So, either prepare for a lot of sweat and blood or find yourself a japanese waifu at home and continue where the Portuguese left off ''wink''.

==Japan Analogs in Fantasy==
* [[Nippon]] of [[Warhammer Fantasy]]
* The [[Tau Empire]] of [[Warhammer 40000]]
* Kozakura and Wa of [[Kara-Tur]]
* Jinin, The Forest of Spirits and Minkai of [[Golarion]]. Less direct analogs in the setting include Shokuro, Shenmen, and Chu Ye.
* [[Kamigawa]] of [[Magic the Gathering]]
* [[Rokugan]] from [[Legend of the Five Rings]], though while culturally Japanese it takes great influence from many other Asian cultures.

[[Category: History]]

Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Chaos/Hedonites of Slaanesh

2022-09-21T08:41:04Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* Mortal */

{{Age of Sigmar Faction|Faction=Hedonites of Slaanesh|Logo=Slaanesh Old.jpg|Alliance=Chaos|Lore=Hedonites of Slaanesh|Icon=Slaanesh mark.png|Motto=we have such sights to show you ..}}
Slaanesh rises again...

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Why Play Hedonites of Slaanesh?==
===Pros===
*Hands down one of the fastest armies in the game and with the right maneuvering and synergies first-turn charges really shouldn't be that difficult in a lot of instances. Not that you should do that, really.
*Slaanesh has one of, if not the best, summoning in the game. Don't be afraid to spend your Depravity Points - they will be ramping up really fast.
*Lots of ways to debuff their enemies.
*Slaanesh Daemon, and especially Greater Daemon Heroes are a great way of dealing with big units due to the Locus of Diversion stopping any pile-in moves, destroying any combat efficiency your opponent might have planned for.
*The army is incredible at disposing of enemy Heroes through their incredible Endless Spells and Synessa's utility.
*Khorne is not the only god that punishes wizards.
*SIGVALD HAS RETURNED!!!

===Cons===
*The army is expensive to purchase. An unique range with all new mortals only being used in Age of Sigmar means you will pay a premium to play.
*Your army's squishy for a Chaos army. You can debuff your foes, but you'll have to to survive the inevitable retribution.
*As per GHB2021, our stuff is very expensive points-wise. Early game would feel like playing with a handicap, until you manage to ramp up Depravity Points to offset this disadvantage.
*Combining two points above, you are very succeptible to Alpha strikes, strong magic and shooting. If your units get wiped too fast, you won't be able to get points for summoning, and your "early" handicap will turn into a permenent one.
*Your depravity point system pushes you to deal damage to multiple unit in one turn, discouraging focusing firing targets
*You will struggle against high-save Units, especially Heroes, due to the new "All-Out-Defence" Command Ability and/or Mystic Shield Spell completely ignoring the majority of our units' Rend.
*Currently the army strives through careful positioning and planning. One mistake will cause you the game before you manage to capitalize on your summoning. Starting with a huge early disadvantage and the moral effort you have to make is enough to make victories feel bleak and unfulfilling. Try to follow Hedonists' example and seek pleasure through pain.

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Rulebooks==
{{AOSRulebooks|tome=Hedonites of Slaanesh 2021|points = [https://www.warhammer-community.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/kXdIDJ7KLLX6C20i.pdf Hedonites of Slaanesh Errata]}}

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Allegiance Abilities==

'''Legions of Chaos:''' The errata saw GW cribbing notes from the Cities of Sigmar, now you (and the other god-aligned armies) can take two {{AOSKeyword|Slaves of Darkness}} units out of every four so long as you give them the mark of {{AOSKeyword|Slaanesh}} and one of every four units can be from {{AOSKeyword|Beasts of Chaos}}, granting them the keyword as well. In addition '''coalition units''' do not count towards the number of battleline in your army, but do count towards everything else (behemoth, leader, artillery, etc). Also cannot be army general. Predictably, Wizards and units bearing the marks of other gods are not allowed.

'''Coalition units''' do not count towards the number of Battleline units in your army. However, they do count towards the maximum number of Leader, Behemoth and Artillery units in your army. Coalition units cannot be generals. In addition, Coalition units are ignored when determining if the units in your army are from a single faction.

Designer’s Note: '''Coalition units''' are not allied units, so the limitations that apply to allied units do not apply to them. This means that coalition units can be given one of your army’s enhancements, as long as they have the correct keywords or are of the correct unit type needed to receive it.

*Congratulations, your army selection has effectively doubled between all the StD stuff that's now much easier to access and the beastmen. The addition of Chaos Knights and Warriors is especially helpful in offsetting your otherwise troublesome issues with poor defenses.

===<span style="color:#471F5F;">Feast of Depravities</span>===
You can summon units of SLAANESH DAEMONS to the battlefield if you collect enough depravity points. At the end of the battle shock phase, you receive 1 depravity point for each unit on the battlefield that had a wound or mortal wound that was not negated allocated to it in that turn, or has fewer models than it had at the start of the turn. Depending on which host you belong to, you can generate more through other means.

Note that when you spend these at the end of the movement phase, you retain any excess depravity points. e.g., If you have 13 and you summon an Infernal Enrapturess for 7, you will have 6 left over.

'''Summoning cost are:'''

1 Keeper of secrets '''12'''

30 Daemonettes '''12'''

3 Seeker chariots '''10'''

20 Daemonettes '''10'''

1 Contorted Epitome '''9'''

1 Bladebringer, Herald on Exalted chariot '''9'''

3 Fiends '''8'''

1 Bladebringer, herald on hellflayer '''8'''

1 Exalted Charoit '''7'''

1 infernal enrapturess '''7'''

1 Bladebringer, Herald on Seeker chariot '''7'''

1 Hellflayer '''7'''

1 Viceleader '''6'''

1 Seeker Chariot '''6'''

5 Seekers '''6'''

10 Daemonettes '''6'''

===Hosts of Slaanesh===
You '''MUST''' select your HEDONITES army to be to be '''INVADERS''', '''PRETENDERS''' or '''GODSEEKERS'''. Which host you belong to will affect your battalions, command traits, artefacts, etc.

Basically, Hedonites are 3 armies that share units.

===Locus of Diversion===
At the end of the charge phase (either player's turn), each '''HEDONITES DAEMON HERO''' in your army may select an enemy unit within 1" and roll a dice. On a 4+, the enemy unit you targeted cannot make a pile in move when they are chosen to fight. Add 1 to the roll if your Hero is a '''GREATER DAEMON''', so your Keepers are making this happen on a 3+.

===Euphoric Killers===
Exploding 6s, Slaanesh edition. Unmodified melee hits of 6 for HEDONITES do 2 attacks instead of 1, and if you have 20+ models in the unit, the 6s make 3 attacks instead.

===<span style="color:#471F5F;">Spell Lores</span>===

<tabs>
<tab name="Lore of Slaanesh">
For the '''SLAANESH DAEMON WIZARDS'''.

#'''Lash of Slaanesh'''. Casting Value 5. Pick a point within 12" of the caster that is visible to them. Draw a straight line 1mm wide from the closest part of the caster's base. Roll a die for each enemy model passed by this line. On a 4+, they take a mortal wound. A sure way to generate depravity points, if not particularly strong. Slaanesh units are unaffected.
#'''Pavane of Slaanesh'''. Casting Value 7. Pick an enemy hero within 6" that is visible to the caster. Roll a number of dice equal to the enemy hero's movement characteristic. For every 5+, they take a mortal wound. Punish those fast units! Remember to use it on enemy heroes that are fast, especially if their speed is further buffed. A '''FEC''' Blisterskin Infernal Courtier with ''Deranged Transformation'' has a move characteristic of 20, which means it takes 6.67 damage from this spell. Not very strong in general, though. Does 1-2 mortal wounds on most targets.
#'''Hysterical Frenzy'''. Casting Value 7. Pick an enemy unit wholly within 18" that is visible to the caster, and roll 1 die for each model in that unit. For each 6, the unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. Wreck those grots, but not a spell that usually generates depravity points.
#'''Soulslice Shard.''' Casting Value 5. Pick an enemy unit within 18" that is visible to the caster, Roll 2d6. If the roll is higher than the enemy unit's bravery characteristic, it takes mortal wounds equal to the difference. Keeper of Secrets' signature spell, but worse (Actually not quite, KoS spell will do D3 mortal wounds if you beat their bravery, not the difference. And yeah, you don't hit multiple units with this spell, but you have three times the range of Cacophonic Choir). Use after Phantasmagoria for greatest effectiveness.
#'''Phantasmagoria.''' Casting Value 7. Pick an enemy unit within 18" that is visible to the caster. Roll 6d6, for each 5+, the enemy's bravery is reduced by 1 to a minimum of 1. Use before Soulslice Shard and Cacophonic Choir for best effect.
#'''Born of Damnation.''' Casting Value 4. Pick a friendly '''HEDONITES HERO''' within 6" of the caster. You can heal D3 wound allocated to that hero. A heal to increase the depravity points a hero generates by a small amount. Best cast on a Keeper of Secrets.
</tab>
<tab name="Forbidden Sorceries of Slaanesh">
For the '''SLAANESH GREATER DAEMONS'''.

#'''Path of the dark prince.''' Casting Value 7. The caster can fly until your next hero phase.
#'''Progeny of Damnation.''' Casting Value 5. Heal 1 friendly '''DAEMON HEDONITES HERO''' within 6" of the caster that is visible to them for D3. If you roll 10+, you heal D6 instead. ''Born of Damnation'' but better.
#'''Slothful Stupor.''' Casting Value 7. Pick an enemy hero within 12" that is visible. Until your next hero phase, the hero cannot use command abilities, cannot run, and cannot charge. Amazing. Simply amazing. Use it on slow heroes or on heroes that have an important command ability like the Harbinger of Decay and watch your opponent rage.
</tab>
<tab name="Lore of Pain and Pleasure">
For the '''MORTAL SLAANESH WIZARDS'''.

#'''Battle Rapture.''' Casting Value 5. Pick 1 friendly '''MORTAL SLAANESH''' unit wholly within 18" that is visible. That unit does not take battleshock tests until after your next hero phase. If the cast was 10+, you get to pick 3 units instead. Not the spell you're going to pick most of the time.
#'''Judgement of Excess.''' Casting Value 5. Pick 1 enemy unit within 12" of the caster and visible. The unit suffers 1 mortal wound per 5 models in the unit. If less than 5 models are in the chosen unit they take 1 instead.
#'''Dark Delusions.''' Casting Value 4. Pick an enemy unit wholly within 18" that is visible to the caster and roll 2d6. If the roll is EQUAL TO or GREATER THAN the target's bravery, attacks targeting them get +1 to hit. Use in conjunction with Phantasmagoria to increase your chances. Not as good as the spell on all the HERALDs but will stack with them.
</tab>
<tab name="Endless Spells">
Hedonites of Slaanesh only
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_WheelsOfExcruciation.pdf Wheels of Excruciation] (CV 6+, 100pts)''': Predatory Spell with 12" flying movement. Set up within 6" of the caster and immediately make a move with it. Roll 6 dice for each unit it flies over. For each roll that is lower than the unit's save, they take a mortal wound. In a way, this can act like a magical lawnmower, ripping through clanrats and grots with contemptuous ease. Other Slaaneshi units don't suffer this, likely because they get off on this shit.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_MesmerisingMirror.pdf Mesmerising Mirror] (CV 6+, 80pts)''': A focus pount set up within 18" of the caster. Non-Slaanesh Units that start a move, retreat, or run move within 12" of the spell suffer D3 mortal wounds unless they end closer to the mirror than when they started.
**Also, at the end of the move phase, roll 6 dice for each non-Slaanesh hero within 6", rolling separately. For each 6, the hero takes n-squared mortal wounds. Even though this part of it can do 36 mortal wounds to an enemy hero, the odds of that are 1 in 46656. Don't bank on it. Does 1.83 mortal wounds on average and has a 33.5% chance of doing nothing, with a 60.3% chance of doing 1-4 Mortal Wounds and a 5.35% chance of doing 9 mortal wounds. You will note that it has about a 6% chance of killing a footslogging hero and less than a 1% chance of killing a 10+ wounds hero.
**This is either an okay Endless Spell or an incredible one depending on careful thought on positioning and synergies. Ofc can be wonderful at playing mind games with your opponent or stacking with other abilities, such as Shalaxi's Challenge or effects that reduce movement, helping combo MWs.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_DreadfulVisage.pdf Dreadful Visage] (CV 7+, 90pts)''' Predatory Spell with 8" flying movement. Set up within 12" of the caster and immediately make a move with it. After it moves, pick the closest unit and roll 6 dice. For each 4+, they take a mortal wound.
**Also, this model gives -1 bravery to units within 12" unless they are '''SLAANESH''', in which case they get +1 bravery.

*Slaves to Darkness and Beasts of Chaos Endless Spells can no longer be taken in Hedonists army.

</tab>
</tabs>

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Invaders==
The infantry choice. Those who aren’t too perturbed by the Dark Prince’s vanishing act and fight in massive hordes.

===Battle Traits===

'''Figureheads of the Dark Prince''': You have up to 3 generals instead of 1. Only 1 gets a command trait, but all 3 are generals for the purposes of command abilities. Unfortunately, they can't use their trait OR command abilities while within 12" of either of the other generals. This lets you spread out your army, or get mileage out of Syll'Esske's command ability without losing access to a command trait. You also get a command point whenever a general is slain for the first time. You can, therefore, get 3 command points out of this max, even if one of your generals dies and comes back.

'''Escalating Havoc''': At the end of the battle shock phase you gain 1 depravity point if 1 of your generals are wholly within enemy territory or D3 if all your generals are wholly within enemy territory.

'''Invaders Hedonite Host'''

A Hedonites Host belonging to the '''INVADERS''' must contain 2-4 Epicurean Reveler battalions and 0-2 Seeker Cavalcade battalions instead of 1-3.

===Command Traits===
*'''1. Best of the Best''' - You can reroll wound rolls for this general while they're within 6" of another hero.
Great on a Keeper of Secrets or an Exalted Seeker Chariot, meh on a Lord of Pain.
*'''2. Glory Hog''' - At the end of the combat phase, if any enemy units were destroyed in that combat phase and your general is on the field, you get a command point.
Can be awesome. Great for hunting a support hero or small objective holding unit, but means to fully reap the benefits you won't be sending your Hero into combat vs other huge targets due to the need to fully wipe them out.
*'''3. Hurler of Obscenities''' - At the start of the Combat phase, pick 1 enemy hero within 6" of the general. Until the end of the combat phase, add 1 to hit rolls made by that enemy hero that target this general, but that hero gets -1 to save.
Effectivly gives you +1 rend, but you BETTER kill them or else they will smack back with vengeance.
*'''4. Territorial''' - Re roll hit rolls with your generals melee weapon if they are wholly within your territory.
EASY. You play a very fast army, so getting there should be no issue. Take the fight to them, and win.
*'''5. Skintaker''' - At the end of the combat phase, heals D3 wounds if the general killed any enemy models..
A+! Keeps your beatsticks alive longer, heal wounds, means more DP overall. If your general isn't killing stuff, then you are a sad panda.
*'''6. Delusions of Infallibility''' - General gets 2 extra wounds.
Nothing exiting but solid overall, likely better on cheaper heroes in smaller points games.

===Magical Artefacts===
*'''1. Rod of Misrule''' - At the start of the hero phase, roll a D6. On a 1, your opponent gets a command point. On a 2-5 you get a command point, and on a 6 you get D3 command points.
Low risk, likely high reward in an army that really can be starved for CP.
*'''2. Rapier of Ecstatic Conquest''' - Pick a melee weapon. If a wound roll by this weapon is an unmodified 6, you deal a mortal wound in addition to any normal damage.
Toss this on an Exalted Chariot or Contorted Epitome who have loads of attacks to maximize your chances.
*'''3. Whip of Subversion''' - At the end of the combat phase, pick an enemy hero within 6" of the bearer. Pick 1 melee weapon that the enemy hero has and another enemy unit within 1" of that hero. The other unit suffers mortal wounds equal to the Attacks characteristic of the weapon you picked.
Sneaky! Great in mirror matches or for proving your opponent's heroes are really big meanies.
*'''4. Icon of Infinite Excess''' - Once per battle, at the start of the combat phase, the bearer can use this artifact. If they do so, all friendly hedonite units that were wholly within 12" when this artifact was used get +1 to hit with melee weapons until the end of the phase.
Ooooh, aaaah. Use this to boost the force then when its used sacrifice it to your Fane.
*'''5. Fallacious Gift''' - After setup but before the battle, pick an enemy hero and one of their weapons. At the end of each battle round, if that hero used that weapon, they take a mortal wound.
Meh, uninspiring and likely won't do that many mortals overall.
*'''6. The Beguiling Gem''' - At the start of the combat phase, pick an enemy hero within 3" and roll 3D6. If the roll is greater than the enemy's bravery characteristic, they get -1 attacks with all their melee weapons to a minimum of 0 until the end of the phase.
Can really be useful vs big baddies, but even with 3d6 is hard to utilize against opposing daemons or undead units.

===[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]The Lurid Haze===

*'''Battle Trait: Blowing Mists''' - Before the start of the game, you may remove D3 units and then have them come in from the table edge at the end of your first movement phase.
*'''Command Trait: Feverish Anticipation''' Reroll run rolls wholly within 12" of your General.
*'''Command Ability: Intoxicating Pall:''' During combat pick a unit wholly within 12", add +1 to that unit saves.
*'''Magical Artefact:''' +1 to wounds.
When you want to be near your opponent, fast. Rolling a 1 off your D3 means it's likely better to send your single unit to the backfield to seize their objectives. Your units are fast and can already pull off a T1 charge if lucky. Should you get that 3 on that D3 you can really put the pressure on your foe early.

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Pretenders==
The hero choice, of the uber-buffed centerpiece General variety. The most megalomaniacal of Slaanesh’s followers who think they can take the mantle of fourth Chaos God.

===Battle Traits===
'''Heir to the Throne'''

If the general is a hero, they have 2 command traits instead of 1. No duplicates. Also, all units can reroll hit rolls of 1 with melee weapons if they have 10 or more models.

'''Warlord Supreme'''

At the end of the battle shock phase, generate 1 depravity points if your general is within 3" of any enemy units. If your general is within 3" of 2 or more enemy units, receive D3 instead of 1.

'''Pretenders Hedonite Host'''

A Supreme Sybarites Batallion in a '''PRETENDERS HOST''' must have only 1 '''CHAOS SLAANESH HERO''' instead of 3-6.
* Not that you will ever be using the super-battalion, but this change nerfs the Supreme Sybarites battalion rule as you need to roll a 1 to trigger its effect.

===Command Traits===
*'''1. Strength of Godhood.''' Once per combat phase, in step 4 of the attack sequence, you can add 1 to the damage inflicted by one attack made by this general.
Hard pass.
*'''2. Monarch of Lies.''' At the start of the combat phase, pick one enemy hero within 3". That hero gets -1 to hit rolls for the rest of the phase.
Good when hero sniping, but if you are striking first your are better to be aggressive here.
*'''3. Craving Stare.''' If an enemy unit fails a battle shock test within 6" add D3 to the amount that flee.
We have some Moral shenanigans stuff, so can be good.
*'''4. Strongest Alone.''' If there are no friendly models within 6", you can reroll hit rolls made by this general.
Decent but not inspiring.
*'''5. Hunter of God Beasts.''' Add 1 to the damage characteristic of all attacks by this hero that target a '''MONSTER'''.
Now this can be HUGE. An Exalted Seeker Chariot can now take down a Stonehorn.
*'''6. Inspirer.''' Friendly '''PRETENDERS HOSTS''' units wholly within 9" can re roll battleshock tests.
Hard to pull off with units due to the size.of the aura.

===Magical Artefacts===
*'''1. Crown of Dark Secrets.''' At the start of the first battle round, pick one enemy hero. You can reroll attacks made by the bearer that that target that hero. You can also reroll unbinding rolls made by the bearer for spells cast by that hero.
*'''2. Pendant of Slaanesh.''' At the start of your hero phase, you heal D3 wounds allocated to the bearer. Longevity for heroes and more potential depravity to be generated.
*'''3. Sliverslash.''' Pick one melee weapon, add 1 to the Attacks characteristic of that weapon. Always go for the biggest weapon profile.
*'''4. Scepter of Domination.''' At the start of the hero phase, if the bearer is within 12" of any enemy heroes and your opponent has any Command Points, roll 1d6. On a 4+, you steal a command point from them. (They lose one, you gain one.)
*'''5. Breathtaker.''' You can reroll Locus of Diversion rolls for the bearer.
*'''6. Mask of Spiteful Beauty.''' At the start of your hero phase, pick an enemy unit within 6". That unit gets -2 bravery until the start of your next hero phase.

===[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]The Faultless Blades===

*'''Battle Trait: Send Me Your Best:''' When your units charge, add +1 to hit Heros in melee.
*'''Command Ability: Armor of Arrogance:''' Pick a unit wholly within 12". They ignore the first 2 wounds allocated to them in that phase.
*'''Command Trait: Contest of Cruelty''' Friendly units wholly within 12" can pile +3.
*'''Magical Artefact: Contemptuous Brand:''' Pick a melee weapon and add +1 to wound when fighting a Hero.

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Godseekers==
The “need for speed” choice. Wings of cavalry and master hunters who search for signs of their master and ways to free him.

===Battle Traits===

'''Thundering Cavalcade'''

All units get +1 to charge rolls.

'''Maniacal Hunters'''

At the end of your charge phase, you get D3 depravity points of your general charged this turn. Add 1 to the roll if any other friendly units made a charge in the same turn.

'''Godseekers Hedonite Host'''

A Hedonites Host belonging to the '''GODSEEKERS''' must contain 0-2 Epicurean Reveler battalions and 2-4 Seeker Cavalcade battalions instead of 1-3.

===Command Traits===

*'''1. Hunter Supreme.''' Reroll hit and wound rolls of 1, with melee weapons, made by the general if they charged this turn.
Exalted Chariots will love you. Save up that CP for a re-roll charge. Very strong on a fast moving character.
*'''2. Sweeping Slash.''' After this general makes a charge move, each enemy unit within 1" take D3 mortal wounds on a 2+ each.
Could be super useful but why are you charging multiple units?
*'''3. Into the Fray.''' The first hit roll in battle made by this general is a 6.
Okay... neat I guess.
It's a good way to guarantee a Keeper's claw scoring two auto hits thanks to Euphoric Killers, but little help elsewhere. <del>*Second Opinion* This allows a Keeper of Secrets to guarantee 5 mortal wounds per combat phase at top bracket, in addition to another 5 potential damage from the exploding hit, allowing your keeper to reliably kill most baseline heros with a single attack.</del> It only works once per battle, not per phase or even turn. If you for some reason absolutely need those two guaranteed Claw hits on your Keeper Turn 1 - take it. Otherwise - there are much better traits out there.
*'''4. Trail-sniffer.''' If this general is wholly within enemy territory, roll a die. On a 3+, this general's melee weapons get +1 attack until your next hero phase.
Could be quite promising and you do want to be in combat after all. The 3+ is the difficulty, as it could not see any use the whole game.
*'''5. Symphoniac.''' At the start of the combat phase, roll a die for each enemy unit within 3". On a 3+, they suffer a mortal wound.
Okay...neat I guess.
Helpful to generate depravity with big base generals, but you have ways to do this elsewhere.
*'''6. Speed-chaser.''' The general can retreat and charge.
Wheeeee! Somehow survived a fight you can't win but know you can charge into a combat nearby and win? Pretty top-tier pick.
This is how you generate a lot of DP in this Host.

===Magical Artefacts===

*'''1. Cameo of the Dark Prince.''' Once per battle, at the start of your hero phase, you can activate this artifact to gain 1 command point.
A free CP and then sacrifice the useless artifact to the Fane? OK!
*'''2. Girdle of the Realm-racer.''' Decrease the bearer's wound characteristic by 1, but the bearer can fly.
I too aspire to be thin and fly. Interesting to toss on an Exalted Chariot to overcome terrain with ease.
*'''3. Threnedy Voicebox.''' At the start of the combat phase, pick an enemy hero within 3". Subtract 1 from the Attacks characteristic of their melee weapons to a minimum of 1 for the rest of that phase.
Very situational. Feels sorta lacking overall.
*'''4. Lash of Despair.''' At the start of your shooting phase, roll for each enemy unit within 6". On a 4+, deal a mortal wound.
Boring and only 1 means a poor choice. But can be an easy way to bomb for DP. Take the next artefact for a similar result.
*'''5. Enrapturing Circlet.''' Enemy units within 3" cannot retreat. At the start of your hero phase, roll a die for each enemy unit within 3". On a 3+ they suffer a mortal wound.
Making foes unable to retreat is great, the free mortal wound potential is just icing. Put on heroes with larges bases to maximize the aura. And the crowd goes wild!
*'''6. Bindings of Slaanesh.''' At the start of the combat phase, pick 1 enemy hero within 3" and roll 2D6. If the roll is greater than the enemy's movement characteristic, they get -1 to hit until the end of the phase. If the roll is greater than their wounds characteristic, they take D3 mortal wounds.
If you find that sweet middle ground, you get both effects. Both aspects are great, and a solid item where you will never be disappointed with either effect.

===[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]The Scarlet Cavalcade===

'''Battle Trait - Excessive Swiftness:'''
At start of charge phase, pick 2 10+ units within 6" of each other, Roll 1 charge roll for both.

'''Command Trait - Enboniment of Haste:'''
Reroll Battleshock Wholly within 12".

'''Command Ability - Vicious Spurs:'''
At start of combat, each unmodified 6 to save deal MW to the attacker.

'''Magical Artefact - Helm of the Last Rider:'''

The first SCARLET CAVALCADE GODSEEKERS HOST HERO to receive an artefact of power must be given the Helm of the Last Rider.
Add 1 to the Bravery characteristic of friendly SCARLET CAVALCADE GODSEEKERS HOST units while they are wholly within 12" of the bearer.

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Syll'Esskan Host==

''Found in White Dwarf, October 2019 Issue''. Note that this host has NO command traits and NO artefacts, meaning you’re intended to take Syll’Esske as your general.
The symmetrical choice. Obviously intended for more narrative games, though can still be useful as a nice middle ground between Slaves to Darkness and Hedonites.

===Battle Traits===

'''Common Purpose'''

At the start of the battle, if you have the an equal number of '''MORTAL''' and '''DAEMON''' units, you gain D3 command points. If you have more than 12 units, you get D6 instead.

Syll'Esske counts as both 1 '''MORTAL''' unit and 1 '''DAEMON''' unit for this rule.

'''Deadly Symbiosis'''

(*Update 23/03/2021 Errata*) Add 1 to the number of depravity points you receive in the battleshock phase if a friendly Syll’Esske is on the battlefield and is within 6" of at least 1 other friendly Syll’Esskan Host Daemon unit and at least 1 friendly Syll’Esskan Host Mortal unit.

'''Syll'Esskan Host'''

A Syll'Esskan Host can only include the following Batalions: Vengeful Alliance, Epicurean Revellers, Seeker Cavalcade, Devout Supplicants, Vengeful Throng and Daemonsteel Contingent.

'''Expect an FAQ pretty soon on this. With the changes to how Depravity work, this would ramp up DP radically fast otherwise. *Updated Deadly Symbiosis as per 23/03/2021 Errata*'''

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Warscrolls==

===Heroes===
====Named====
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_ShalaxiHelbane.pdf Shalaxi Helbane]:''' (Behemoth 405pts) Your fancy new hero magnet and killer. Cheaper than a run of the mill Keeper of Secrets since they lack a command ability, but their unique spell grants themselves rerolls to hits and saves against heroes, which makes their already great 3+ save against heroes even better. Arm them with the whip to take down those pesky '''MONSTERS'''. With how few Attacks this KoS has, ONLY throw at opposing characters, not as useful as last edition.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_Syll_esske.pdf Syll'Esske]:''' (210pts.) A Herald riding a Daemon Prince (though not that way, at least not on the battlefield). An interesting beatstick & buff combo. You want them bunched up with mortal and daemon troops, as the duo can give reroll hits of 1 when an equal number of Mortal and Daemon units are wholly within 18", their command ability prevents battleshock tests and their unique spell shuts down the enemy hero command abilities. They also improve their to hit and to wound when someone rolls a 1 to hit them, but they'll die in a straight fight so place them carefully. Either shoulder to shoulder with frontline troops or screen them to still get their 2" attacks in. Considering the points bump everything got & we have more mortal options, these two are way more useable now.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_TheMasque.pdf The Masque]:''' (135pts.) Named Herald beatstick. Trades spellcasting for the ability to choose to heal D3 or get +D3 attacks in your hero phase. The Masque is deceptively tanky, with a 4+ FNP. Best used against slow enemies to maximize the benefit from their '''Endless Dance''' ability, which grants an extra 3" of piling in, rerolls to hit against targets <s>slower than</s> with a Move of 10" or less and rerolls to hit and wound against targets <s>slower than</s> with a Move of 5" or less. Cheapest source for Locus of Diversion.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_Sigvald.pdf Sigvald the Magnificent]:''' (265pts) Back with a new, literally hornier model as a <s>daemon prince</s> entity beyond mortality but lacks the Daemon Prince keyword. Your amazing hunter. With a +3 to charge, and attacks equal to either 5 or the unmodified charge distance, he smacks hard, especially as his saber's D3 wounds can't be negated. Don't toss him at stuff where you can expect prolonged combats or vs stuff like Stonehorns, he has a 4+ FNP but with only 6W wounds a bad role can make the pretty boi go down fast. Proc the Keepers ability to make him strike again means he can fight twice before your enemy can.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_Glutos_Orscollion.pdf Glutos Orscollion, Lord of Gluttony]:''' (475pts) Because Slaanesh is not one to be outdone with setpiece models, now he has a massive mutant-drawn palanquin ridden by a fat fuck of a sorcerer (with an exclusive spell being a debuff that halves an enemy unit's movement) and his servants. This is to remind us that, despite how much we meme about Slaany being the God/dess of sex, drugs and rock and roll <s>and fail miserably doing so</s>, he/she/it is the Deity of *EXCESS* as a whole. 18W and he loses attack profiles from his bodyguards as he gets injured. He is meant to be a support character that doesn't mind getting close, but can get bogged down fast.
**Gluttos is someone that absolutely needs to survive to maximize his utility. As the game progresses, he gains various new tricks such as making fellow Hedonites ignore battleshock, casting more spells, and boosting his casting. If you're going to field him, you're going to have to make sure your army can protect him. You have healing spells, he should always pack one just in case or have a support wizard nearby. Also keep in mind his Gorge on Excess command ability he can cast on himself. So never forget it if the opportunity presents itself to use. As it can really help keeping the big guy around.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/4_BR_Kragnos_Warscroll_Dexcessa_ENG_2021.pdf Dexcessa, the Talon of Slaanesh]:''' (280pts) The martial champion of the two newborns. Its rules are specially made to get it stuck into the thick of it as fast as possible, being able to charge after running or retreating and possessing a good speed. Once it gets there, however...hoo boy, the ability to add extra attacks for every battle round after the first for the REST OF THE ENTIRE GAME means that attention will be drawn to it. While it lacks an invuln or FNP, enemies do suffer a -1 to hit.
**While it's main role is to kill up close, it still has some commanding influence as the get of the Dark Prince. It has an aura that neutralizes all battleshock checks for your daemons and lets you issue a command each turn for free.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/5_BR_Kragnos_Warscroll_Synessa_ENG_2021.pdf Synessa, the Voice of Slaanesh]:''' (260pts) The mage of the newborns. While lacking in combat prowess, it has a ranged attack that pretty much guarantees mortal wounds if the enemy doesn't roll a nat 6 on their save. This alone can prove to be pretty deadly to high-save models like stormcasts or just a nuisance for the average mob.
**Synessa's real shining point is in the support it provides to the army. While it won't nullify battleshock like the other twin, it knows every spell in the Hedonite battletome and can issue commands wherever it wishes (though commands that target multiple units will only allow one unit to be free of range restrictions). This free reign in range is also applied to Pavane of Slaanesh as well as its unique spell, which can help soften up an enemy hero to further focus firings.

====Daemons====

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_KeeperOfSecrets.pdf Keeper of Secrets]:''' (Behemoth 420pts)On the nose point value aside, they are absolutely amazing. You can choose between the Ritual Knife, Sinistrous Hand, Living Whip, or the Aegis. The Hand is probably your best bet. Has a watered down Feeding Frenzy for a command ability that gives an OTHER unit a second activation; you can't target yourself anymore), meaning it needs to chaperone something else to get the most use out of it. Can also tempt an enemy hero, doing D3 mortal wounds if they decline. If they accept, the enemy hero gets +1 to hit rolls until the next combat phase, at which point you roll. The tempted hero instantly dies on a 4+. It doesn't matter if it's Archaon, the Celestant Prime, Nagash, or Vorgaroth, and Skalok. They drop dead. (do keep in mind you are giving them a +1 to hit for the whole next turn in exchange for them not taking some damage and maybe dying next turn. Be cautious about giving your opponent a buff to take the lead).

*'''[https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-soulfeaster-keeper-of-secrets-2019.pdf Soulfeaster, Keeper of Secrets]:''' (Behemoth 385pts) An interesting prospect now, because the regular Keeper now costs like a truck and its command ability is no longer as powerful as it was. Its ability can generate depravity from enemy HEROES & cause mortal wounds, meaning it generates D3+1 if the tendrils work. Make it a Godseeker general, it generates D3 from a charge (+1 if another friendly charges). If you focus on DP generating in general, you could get 12DP in your first turn, enough to summon another Keeper your next turn. Madness... but with how expensive our choices are - perfectly viable.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_TheContortedEpitome.pdf The Contorted Epitome]:''' (255pts) Your support piece and magic specialist. 2 re-roll casting attempts & 2 unbinds. Ignores mortal wounds on a 2+ and at the start of the combat phase, you can roll 1 dice for each enemy unit within 3" of this model. On a 4+, this model cannot be picked as the target of attacks made by that unit in that phase until this model makes any attacks in that phase. Now wants to be near combat as it has some of the few 2D in the book. Its 5+ regular save & 7 wounds means it's still paper thin, so should always be escorted by regular troops. Pairs well with the Enrpaturess & Fiends to shutdown enemy magic.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_InfernalEnrapturess.pdf Infernal Enrapturess]:''' (140pts) Your support and a minor artillery piece. Use's her harp to shoot from afar. The kicker: Re-roll successful casting rolls for enemy Wizards that are within 24" of any friendly models with this ability! Additionally, if the re-rolled casting roll is a double, that Wizard suffers D3 mortal wounds after the effects of the spell (if any) have been resolved. To top it all office, this model can attempt to dispel 1 endless spell and when doing so add 1 to the dispelling roll. However against any non-magic focused army, it's basically useless compared to just taking Blissbarb archers for shooting or a Viceleader herald for the magic.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_Viceleader.pdf Viceleader (Herald Of Slaanesh]:''' (140pts) Herald on foot. Has a 5+ FNP and can run and charge. Its spell on a 5 grants a reroll of 1 to hit for attacks against one enemy unit, basically useful for everything in your army. Much better than they first appear, especially if used as a "squad". If you don't want to buy the Finecast trash, instead use a model from the Chariot kit. Cheapest source for Locus of Diversion.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_BladebringerOnSeekerChariot.pdf Bladebringer on Seeker Chariot]:''' (190pts) Herald on a small chariot. On a 2+, does D3 mortal wounds when charging, and can retreat and charge to land those other mortal wounds. Decent but the Exalted offers up much more.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/AoS_Bladebringer_Hellflayer_ENG.pdf Bladebringer on Hellflayer]:''' (215pts) Herald on a Hellflayer. At the start of the combat phase, roll a dice for each enemy unit within 1" of this model and on a 4+, that enemy unit suffers D3 mortal wounds. In addition, for each 4+, add 1 to the Attacks characteristic of this model’s melee weapons until the end of that phase. Has more attacks then the basic chariot, so is a solid blender.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_BladebringerOnExaltedChariot.pdf Bladebringer on Exalted Chariot]:''' (265pts) Herald on a big chariot, so big it overflows off the base. Basically the Seeker Chariot + Hellflayer + Herald, but can't retreat and charge, unlike the Seeker Chariot version; which you can change via playing Godseekers. It's more like the Hellflayer than the Seeker, where you want your hero's mount to deal as much damage as possible. This thing just blends any lightly armoured unit with its crazy number of attacks. 10W, 23A and no degrading profile makes this a really good choice.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Deamon_Prince_eng.pdf Daemon Prince]:''' (210pts.) Fast and decently killy. His CA grants him a 12 inch aura that gives +1 to hit rolls and attacks to friendly Slaves to Darkness units as long as a single friendly model is slain within range by enemy melee.

====Mortal====
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_LordOfPain.pdf Lord of Pain]''': (155 pts) Slaanesh's first on foot mortal hero. A decent beatstick with 5 wounds, 4+ save, and a weapon that does 5 attacks 3/3/-1/2 and negates wounds on a 5+ and gives them back as mortals if they were dealt in the combat phase. His command ability of re-rolling melee hits is only usable on himself or other mortals. Issue is he is slow, so can't keep up with the likes of Hellstriders or Slickblade Seekers, so at best you pair him with Twinsouls (who have a way to re-roll hits already) or Painbringers. He is a key to a few Battalions, but a little overcosted.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_ShardspeakerOfSlaanesh.pdf Shardspeaker of Slaanesh]''': (150pts) Our new mortal wizard, only 1 cast/1 dispell, but a true force enabler that for some (awesome) reason gains an additional combat profile should their spell go off and gets a 3+ save. Their 'Twisted Mirror' ability only has a 9" range, but gives +1 to wound against an enemy unit and can be used after advancing. Rita Repulsa's spell 'Reflection Eternal' will help protect your squishy units by making one enemy unit have -1 to wound for their attacks in the following combat phase. Sadly the mortal spells we have access to aren't the best, but Arcane Bolt/Mystic Shield are always great overall. If running StD units, a Sorcerer Lord will have more utility.

====Slaves to Darkness====
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Lord_eng.pdf Chaos Lord]''': (110pts.) Slow for Slaanesh but killy, with a decent command ability to boot. Don't send him alone against characters more expensive than he is, or he will die. The increased rend and attacks values will mean he's good at killing line infantry and when to send alongside another unit he won't auto-bounce against characters as he used to, in addition, a CA that gives mortal STD another round of attack.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Lord_on_Demonic_Mount_eng.pdf Lord on Daemonic Mount]''': (170pts.) Your budget (for a Slaves to Darkness character) mounted Lord. With the new update, cursed Warhammer now has the potential of mortal wounds on 6s to hit, with the added bonus of healing d3 wounds for killing whelps with your big mallet. Also great for other Slaves to Darkness units as his command ability only affects the mounted options but provides a re-roll to their charge and +1 to hit. He also can take Items from both Mortal and Deamon list. Pro-tip, spring for the Karkadrak if you EVER have the points.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Lord_on_Karkadrak_eng.pdf Chaos Lord on Karkadrak]:''' (230pts.) The new mounted lord has arrived, and he rode in style as a full plastic kit. How does this character scream build around? Movement 9", 9 wounds and the always welcomed 3+ save, this lord on battle lizard loves keeping up with his fellow cavalry and bring nothing short of utter destruction. Without any adages, this character boasts no less than 13(!) attacks across 4 profiles, has mortal wound potential both on the charge and with his sword, and can heal with his attacks with his big axe. Sporting classic mortal wound protection that Slaves to Darkness units are spoiled with, and the same command ability as his horse-riding brethren, he is an excellent pick for a Slaves focused army. Pair him with some Chaos Knights or Chariots and reap all the skulls you can.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Lord_on_Manticore_eng.pdf Chaos Lord on Manticore]''': (Monster, Behemoth, 280 pts.) The Lord on Manticore can have a choice between Flail and Sword, with the Sword being better in most circumstances and a choice between Runeshield, Daggerfist, and Lance. The Lance might be awesome, but since everyone and their grandma will be gunning for your Manticore, the 5+ save against Mortal Wounds might be the best choice. The Manticore is no slouch itself in addition to rerolling Hit against Monsters for its Claws and Jaws attacks. His Command Ability allows a unit of Chaos Warriors wholly within 18" to reroll charge and Battleshock rolls.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Exalted_Hero_of_Chaos_eng.pdf Exalted Hero of Chaos]''': (90pts.) Largely unchanged from pre-tome, with an increase of 10 points. D6 attacks make this unit a variance engine (either amazing or garbage, down to luck) even though he activates twice in melee.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Sorcerer_Lord_eng.pdf Chaos Sorcerer Lord]''': (110pts.) The support wizards Dropped in points and buffed in power. His Oracular Vision ability and Daemonic Power spell have gone from rerolling 1's to flat rerolls for units. This factor, combined with some pretty tasty endless spells and reduced points costs makes for an appealing option for a backfield objective holder who can cast spells to buff combat units and cause damage with endless spells. Potential for several to be taken for mass-buffs as they are cheap enough to pseudo-spam. Keep in mind that all his powers target Slaves to Darkness units, so only useful with them.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Sorcerer_Lord_on_Manticore_eng.pdf Chaos Sorcerer Lord on Manticore]''': (Monster, Behemoth, 260 pts.) Classic Wizard riding a big monster. They are still ok fighters and caster while being cheaper than the Chaos Lord variant. Wind of Chaos will clean up groups. Better overall synergistically in a more StD driven army. He can take on Monsters though, preferably if they've taken some damage before he sweeps them up.

====Beasts Of Chaos====
must be included in a Depraved Drove battalion

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-beastlord-en.pdf Beastlord]:''' (90pts) out melee's Viceleaders in pure melee but can't keep up with his compatriates (GW expected you to always but them in BoC Ambush and let the rest of the army-run and charge). are good and cheap heroes that can improve the rest of beastmen combat if they kill something.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos-warscroll-great-bray-shaman-en.pdf Great Bray Shaman]:''' (100pts) your Beastman speed booster to outpace Deamonetts and BEASTS OF CHAOS endless spell caster. They know Devolve for dragging enemies closer to you and away from objectives and support auras. The go-to choice if you are rolling with the Depraved Drove roster and want to make your already amazing Bestigors even better, you will never go wrong if you pick him.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-doombull-en.pdf Doombull]:''' (100pts) the leader bullgor, being a big bag of depravity holding a heavy axe.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos-warscroll-dragon-ogor-shaggoth-en.pdf Dragon Ogor Shaggoth]:''' (170pts) allocate you want for a Slannesh hero, lots of attacks that can explode into more, some speed, lot of wounds that can become Depravity points, and the most useful is the ability to heal when ties for going first is rolled and having a healing spell.

===Battleline===

====Daemon====
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_Daemonettes.pdf Daemonettes]:''' (Battleline Min:10 Max:30 140pts) One of the best battlelines in the game, with the ability to run and charge, a 5+ save, a Hornblower that forces enemies to reroll battleshock, an Icon Bearer that regenerates models on a battleshock roll of 1, and a Banner Bearer that lets you reroll charges. At 14 points per model, able to cover 6+2d6", and the only '''HEDONITES''' unit that can realistically maintain the triple exploding 6s, they used to be the cornerstone of most Slaanesh armies. Now they are a bit too expensive for what they do, and better off summoned at a great price of 12 DPs for 30 models.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_SeekerChariots.pdf Seeker Chariots]:''' (Only battleline with '''GODSEEKERS''' allegiance, Min:1 Max:3 130pts). Does damage on the charge, and can retreat and charge. You'll have bigger Chariots, so your probably only take them in a '''GODSEEKERS''' armies for battleline, but they are hard-hitting and fast battline. Damage output is less than 10 Daemonettes, but faster and 10pts cheaper.

====Mortal====
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_BlissbarbArchers.pdf Blissbarb Archers]''': (Min 11-Max 33, 170 points) Pew Pew Pew! These mortals move fast and can run and shoot, meaning with their 18" bows they have a pretty good threat radius. The are taken in units of 11, 10 archers and a homonculi that makes them wound easier. With how Depravity works now, go MSU and split fire to dink many units to quickly accumulate DP. This unit is squishy, and expensive, so if a threat approaches them there is a good chance they should put the lotion on their skin or else it gets the hose again. Likely our new go to Battleline unit and one of the main units other chaos armies will probably take as Allies since if there is one thing Chaos tends to be limited at doing: it's shooting.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_HellstridersWithHellScourges.pdf Hellstriders with Hellscourges]:''' (Slaanesh Battleline, Min:5 Max:15 135pts) Come in 5s, and every 5 can have a Hornblower that forces battleshock rerolls for enemies, a Banner Bearer that lets you reroll charges, and an Icon Bearer that gives +2 bravery (though the box only has enough pieces to build either banner or icon). With a 4+ save, 14" movement and 2 wounds, these are best used to harass enemy backlines and jam their artillery (or equivalent) units. Having 2 attacks & 3" range (no rend) with the Hooked Tendrils ability reducing enemy melee To Hit on your charge, they're the 'anvil' of the two variations. They can make solid Obj grabbers you don't need to babysit, but are even better at restraining MONSTER types.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_Hellstriders.pdf Hellstriders with Claw Spears]:''' (Slaanesh Battleline, Min:5 Max:15 135pts now) See above. They trade the whips for the claw spears 1 attack with -1 rend & do 2 damage on the charge (as of Shadow & Pain boxset). The 'hammer' variation, they want to charge & take down whatever they hit first time, though 1 attack with the spears with 1" range means they're meant for min squad sizes. Do NOT toss at elite units, they are meant to sweep up damaged/minor threats.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_MyrmideshPainbringers.pdf Myrmidesh Painbringers]:''' (Battleline with Lord of Pain as a general. Min5 Max 15 145 points) Premiering in the new battletome, the Painbringers are your armored bruisers, each given a fancy sword and shield. Damage output is somewhat limited with only 2A with some mortal wound potential and rend, though solid to hit and wound stats, and built-in +1 to Saves, so they don't have to use All-Out-Defence against no-rend attacks. Meaning that their true role may be in the realm of being the anvil rather than hammer. This is something slaanesh armies generally don't have a lot of, as most of your forces skimp out on armour. And with enough damage buffs they just might be able to outlast many opponents. Overall, sadly despite the models being gorgeous they are very overcosted.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_SymbareshTwinsouls.pdf Symbaresh Twinsouls]:''' (Battleline with Lord of Pain as a general. Min 5 Max 15 165 points) For whatever reason, the legions of Slaanesh tend to make particular use of [[Daemonhost]]s to make stronger warriors bound to daemonettes. This grants them some sharp claws as well as two different modes that can be set off each turn, either a 5+ FNP or re-roll hits which can help ofset them hitting on 4s. 2D but no rend makes them fit a strange role, seeming to be intended to slice down low armour hordes which is quite abundant these days. A little expensive for being so squishy but their abilities do afford them some versatility. Though since you can't use both abilities at the same time you really need to plan ahead on how you're going to use them. Could have potential but too expensive to be a point-and-click unit. You need to plan to use their proper ability.

====Beasts Of Chaos====

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/Downloads//ENG_AoS_BeastsOfChaos_Gors.pdf Gors]:''' (min:10, Max:30, 70/200pts) may not be as killy or brave as daemons but are just as fast (especially with a Bray-shaman), cheaper and the shield option makes them more durable. Compared to the slaangors, they're far more fragile

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-ungors-en.pdf Ungors]:''' (min:10, Max:40, 60/200pts) beastmen Marauders. like all beastmen, they can easily keep pace with the daemon, make cheap Cannon fodder while filing out battlelines

===Other Units===
====Daemon====
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_Fiends.pdf Fiends]''': (min:3 200pts) Probably our most complicated unit. They disrupt enemy spellcasters within 12", and enemies targeting them in melee have -1 to hit, and if they have at least 4 models, -1 to wound as well. They're best used to hit higher wound models, as the Barbed Stinger does more damage if the target has more wounds. <del>Put near our fat new Hero and -2 to hit makes them great bodyguards that can monster snipe.</del> Doesn't really work anymore, due to the "-1/+1 total modifier" rule.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_Seekers.pdf Seekers]''': (min:5 140pts) The fastest unit in the army! They have 14" of movement, can run and charge, and run for 2D6, giving them a threat bubble of 14+4D6 inches, averaging 28". Every 5 models will have a Banner Bearer for re-rolled charges, a Hornblower to force enemies to re-roll battleshock tests, and an Icon Bearer which lets you regenerate D3 models and prevent models from fleeing on a battleshock roll of 1. They have +1 attack ability if they killed a model in the previous combat phase, though seekers surviving a round of combat isn't a given. A different take on seekers is that thanks to their fast movement and relatively cheap points cost, they can make a good screen and "hammer," at least in a "OMG that's coming quickly closer" effect. It may not work against every opponent, but even a unit of ten can look imposing considering that Slaanesh is not known for its imposing models. Respectably killy, not very resilient, they deal with enemy backline and archers quite well and can support your flanks almost instantly from the other side of the table.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_Hellflayer.pdf Hellflayer]''': (155pts) Blender, Slaanesh edition. A respectable 14 attacks, 12" of movement and a 4+ save with 7 wounds means that these aren't too bad... but at the start of the combat phase, they can damage each enemy unit within 1" on a 4+ for each unit, and you add an attack to all melee weapons for each 4+. Stick them at the junction of 2-3 units and watch them go to town.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/AoS_Exalted_Chariot_ENG.pdf Exalted Chariot]''': (200pts) The unholy union of a Hellflayer and a Seeker Chariot. They basically are the two units merged, but move slower at 10" and lose the ability to retreat and charge. The sheer number of attacks they can dish out does give them good killing power, & the MWs on the charge allow them to take down elite squads well. Biggest downsize is the base size which allows them to be swarmed easily. Taking/summoning the Hero version is preferred.

====Mortal====

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_SlaangorFiendbloods.pdf Slaangor Fiendbloods]:''' (min:3 130 points) So, remember how that new Underworlds kit had that one sick Slaangor? Well now you can take a unit of 3. They are worse statwise to things like Bullgors and Dragon Ogors but will benefit from your MORTAL HEDONITE buffs, so they could be some potential for stacking abilities (any improvements to their to hit stats can make them reasonably killy). The general consensus is they definitely lag behind other options in the book (and lack any way to become battleline); so are literal trash outside their great kit. They are supposed to be an all-or-nothing unit, with their abilities to gain more attacks on the charge and potentially deal mortal wounds at the end of a turn after combat. Send them into the enemy and do maximum damage before they get run over. Their few redeeming qualities are their reasonably fast base movement and high number of -1 rend attacks, thus more chance for exploding 6's. Which can be good for racing up the board and getting early depravity points. But you could argue your cavalry could just do that. Overpriced for what they are but you can get some use out of them; even if you dropped from 140 to 100pts they are still garbage: ignore.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_SlickbladeSeekers.pdf Slickblade Seekers]''': ( Min:5 230 points). When you want to mop up a unit and deal some serious mortal wound output. 4W each and FAST. Send them at semi-elite units or to support another character. Even though these majestic knights are 4 wounds each, a 5+ save doesn't let them survive for long, even though you get 20 wounds for 200 points. However with <del> the Seeker Cavalcade battalion and</del> the Faultless Blades command trait you can crank their pile in up to 6". Send them into whatever unit you want to slaughter, touch tips with only one Slickblade, let them hit you for a little bit, then pile in all of your knights and hopefully kill them before they kill you. One of the best units in our book by far, yet, as many other things - extremely overpriced.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/Eng_BlissbarbSeekers.pdf Blissbarb Seekers]''': (Min:5 220 points). Our new incredibly fast unit that is great at pinging foes for DP early on. Point for point, our new best unit in the book. Surprisingly tanky with 4W, 3 shots apiece too w/ rend 1. For only a smidge more pts than our Blissbard counterparts on foot, you get lots more utility overall. Take a unit of 5 and split fire, you should get 1 DP from a mortal wound and hopefully another wound sneaks through for a 2nd. If stuck in combat, run them away so you can continue to ping away; unless stuck vs something dinky where you can just bow them to the face.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/The_Dread_Pageant_en.pdf The Dread Pageant]''': (4 unique, 130 points). Our Direchasm unit that is actually playable in real games! Vasillac is a pretty tanky and efficient combat hero; similar to a minor Lord of Pain. Our Slaangor Slakeslash is the sexy beast we wish our new Slaanagor actually were, and a basic blissbarb + chick with a spear. All units on an unmodified hit roll of a 6 do a mortal in addition to their other damage.

====Slaves to Darkness====
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Warriors_eng.pdf Chaos Warriors]''': (Battleline Min5, Max:30 90pts.) Slower but hardier than daemonettes and boosting pretty good weapons versatility. Makes for excellent backfield objective holders and when paired with greatweapons make pretty good frontal assault troops. Unfortunately, STD units no longer get access to euphoric killers and other abilities only effecting HEDONITE now. Additionally they no longer count as battleline given the new coalition rules. So they still have use but you can’t use the same combos as before. They won't be as swift as any of your other choices, but that's not their role. In a big enough blob of these guys will be pretty difficult to take down and on the charge will be pretty devastating.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Marauders_eng.pdf Chaos Marauders]''': (Battleline Min20, Max:40 150pts.) A cheap mass infantry with a minimum charge range of 8", for the models' number game when you wanna blobs other than Daemonettes. Decent hitting power and cheap enough that you probably won't care if they get wiped out. Unfortunately, STD units no longer get access to euphoric killers and other abilities only effecting HEDONITE now. In addition to also losing their previous battleline status. Perfect in a Scarlet Cavalcade army as they should be the choice for the single charge battle trait to guarantee your other units get in the fight.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Marauder_Horsemen_eng.pdf Marauder Horsemen]:''' ( Min5, Max:30 110pts.) Marauder on horses, Ideally with javelins to maximize the number of attacks. You can also go Flails so more Horsemen can get in there attacks when you rush them in hoards to boost their chance of exploding attacks with their rending weapon. We have vastly better cavalry (Hellstiders, and even even even better Slickblade Seekers) so pass unless running a true StD army now that they went up from 90pts.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Knights_eng.pdf Chaos Knights]:''' (Min5, Max:20, 180pts.) Your heavier cavalry. If you want slower seekers that actually kill something, they've got it covered. The lances mixed with 6s exploding makes an interesting hammer unit when paired with the right synergy, like a Chaos Lord on mount or a Warshrine.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Chosen_eng.pdf Chaos Chosen]:''' (Min5, Max:20, 140pts.) Warriors with +1 Ld and armed with Great Weapons, which is basically a Protector's Halberd without the cool special rules. What's so special about Chosen, then? If they kill at least one model in combat, all other Slaves to Darkness reroll To Wound until the end of the phase. This is pretty devastating and nowhere does it say that multiple Chosen squads can't affect each other with this. So an excellent way to look at Chosen is as a potential buffing unit with high damage potential. Don't compare them to Paladins as they really don't like that. Get them into the thick of things and start killing to buff everyone up.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Chariots_eng.pdf Chaos Chariots]:''' (Min1, Max:3 120pts.) Pretty fast, since they always add D6" to their Move even without Running but outclass by the Daemons. Has one more wound but Slower than a Seeker Chariot with and less useful attacks even when charging. Pass.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Gorebeast_Chariots_eng.pdf Gorebeast Chariots]:''' (150pts) Another even bulker Mortal Chariot. Does better if charged from a longer distance. The regular chariot is slightly cheaper and faster, and even then those are not really used...

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-chaos-spawn-en.pdf Chaos Spawn]:''' [[Chaos Spawn | That Which Must Not Be Named]]. Not actually terrible anymore, though far from reliable. A Move of 2D6" makes for potentially fast movement. Similarly, 2D6 attacks per Spawn is potentially strong, but even better is the special rule these attacks come with: If you roll a Double, instead of Hitting and Wounding on 4+, you Hit and Wound on 3+. Just think about it, 12 attacks apiece with good Hit and Wound rolls... Also, five Wounds with a 5+ save to make for pretty hardy models.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Varanguard_eng.pdf Varanguard]''': (Min:3, Max:12, 300pts) Super Warriors lent out by Archaon. They are giant chaos knights with 5 wounds 3+ armour and ignore magic on a 5+, able to Fight twice once per game and get +1 to hit if you have Archaon. Each model can be armour with an Ensorcelled Weapon for consistency, Fellspear to overcome bigger Armour saves, or Daemonforged Blade can more inflict Damage and MW with good RNG.

====Beasts Of Chaos====

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-bestigors-en.pdf Bestigors]:''' (Min:10 Max:30 120/300pts.) Elite Gors in heavy armour and more anti hoard killy. Absolutely great in Slaanesh. Some even argue they're more efficient than Daemonettes.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/Downloads//ENG_AoS_BeastsOfChaos_Bullgors.pdf Bullgors]:''' (Min:3 Max:12 140pts.) Get the same Bloodgreed rule as the Doombull, а weapon choice of great axes (2x 4+/3+/-2/3) or axe(s)(3x 4+/3+/-1/2) with the option of an additional axe to reroll hit rolls of 1, or bull shields which add +1 to the save rolls against attacks from melee weapons. These options are in addition to horn attacks made by each bullgor (2x 4+/4+/-/1). But the really interesting trait is their Drummer and Banner Bearer abilities: namely, they give +1 respectively to charge rolls and Bravery for each enemy unit within 12" from them. If you want to go full Warherd, take one unit of each and see which ones perform best, but if you take only one unit of them and a Doombull, you're going to want great axes.
**In a Hedonites list these are a fantastic unit for raking in depravity points. cheapish four wound infantry that dishes out high damage back. Tossup between these guys or dragon ogors as the ogors can take more punishment, but it's hard to argue with the bull's ability to give it.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-dragon-ogors-en.pdf Dragon Ogors]:''' (Min:3, Max:12 130pts.) Five Wounds with a 4+ save, okay Bravery and scary weapons. Each has what is basically a Chaos Knight's horse bolted to it and in addition fights with a big weapon. You get either Ancient Weapons which are three Double-Hammer Liberators in one, Glaives which exchange 2 attacks with 1 more inch of range and a Rend of -1, or Crushers which only have 3 attacks, but with 2 damage each. Re-roll hit rolls of 1 if wholly within 12" of a Shaggoth.
**Glaives have an interesting use in that you can hide your dragon ogors behind your 25mm/32mm based guys (just in case may want 2 ranks of 25mm bases to have maximum distance). Enemies with 1" weapons won't be able to touch your DO, while the glaives let your DO wack enemies (though you do lose your claw attacks).

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/Downloads//ENG_AoS_BeastsOfChaos_Ungor_Raiders.pdf Ungor Raiders]:''' (Min:10 Max:40 80pts.) Same as Ungors, but with bows instead of shields and a basic scouting rule. Don't think their bows are good, by the way, but the mass of shots really helps. Don't underestimate 30-40 strong ungor raider units. They can output a surprising amount of dakka (for Beasts anyways, they're not crossbow freeguild!). in a melee-centric and focused faction that can quickly get into melee, missiles will be taken out of you horde budget, can damage distant enemies while holding objectives. You can take 20 for the price of 11 Blissbarbs, but why?

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-centigors-en.pdf Centigors]:''' (Min:5 Max:20 80pts.) Our discount seekers, not as good outside melee saves but you can take more of them. In a Hedonites army now that they won't get exploding attacks, why?

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-tuskgor-chariot-en.pdf Tuskgor Chariots]:''' (Min:1 Max:4 60/200pts.) The cheapest of chariots, only coming the closest to having the same effectiveness as a seeker chariot the turn it charges a ten man+ hoard of order guys. Taking 4 to the face HURTS.

===Behemoths===

====Slaves to Darkness====
*'''[https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/PDF/fw_warscrolls/aos-monstrous-arcanum.pdf#page=7 Chaos War Mammoth]:''' (Monster, Behemoth, 320pts) This monster has 22 wounds! Although it's only packing a 4+ save. All of his attacks cause at least D3 wounds, making it an exceptional monster-killer when at full strength. Its real strength lies in supporting a Marauder charge, however - as well as imposing -2 to any Battleshock tests to any unfortunate unit that gets charged, the Mammoth can also help Marauder or Marauder Horsemen get in a little extra movement and increase their damage output in combat. Wounding and even killing this thing just makes it cause more damage. If you're playing with a big Chaos horde then there's no finer feeling than running this guy into the enemy's biggest and toughest-looking infantry blob, although expect a few dirty looks for doing so. Keep in mind that he doesn't like magic missiles or war machine fire, however.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Soul_Grinder_eng.pdf Soul Grinder]:''' (Daemon, Behemoth, 210pts) Ever wanted a beast that can throw ranged shots AND be great in melee? This daemon might be for you. Same price as a Daemon Prince but with less special abilities. It makes up for it by giving you a boatload of attacks for very good damage. Two ranged attack profiles, one at 20" and six at 16", the 20" does flat 3 damage the rest do 1 damage. CC has six attacks for 1 damage each, 1 attack -2 Rend for D6 damage, and either: two attacks -2 Rend flat 3 damage, OR 4 attacks -1 Rend D3 damage. Big, ugly, and killy, he fills the hammer role. The biggest downside for it is the mostly 4+ to hit. And since it is a Daemon, it can't benefit from CSL Demonic Power spell or the Warshrine. But at 16 wounds and a 4+ save, you can probably find a spot in the army.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Warshrine_eng.pdf Chaos Warshrine]:''' (TOTEM, PRIEST, Behemoth, 170pts) Yes, the Warshrine does not count as a War Machine. If you play with caps on Heroes, Monsters and War Machines, this is a huge advantage. What it does is pretty cool, too. First, it has an Aura that grants Mortal Slaves to Darkness units (almost everything Chaos that isn't a Beastmen or a Daemon) an additional 6+ save after their normal save. Can also pray for buffs to Mortal Slaves to Darkness units. Its Slannesh Prayer grants battleshock immunity and re-roll to charges and undivided lets a unit reroll hit and wound rolls. Also of note is the fact that this thing can easily hold its own in combat with a monster-like profile and a bunch of strong attacks. Awful Rend, yes, but they plow through low armour tarpits like nobody's business.

*'''[https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/fw_site/fw_pdfs/aos_warscrolls/Downloads-AoS/aos-warscroll-gigantic-chaos-spawn.pdf Gigantic Chaos Spawn]:''' A strong but unreliable monster burdened with random movement, random attacks, and regeneration. He can put out a fair amount of damage with a mix of its tongues and maws, and has 12 wounds and has a good chance to regenerate and possibly gain more wounds each turn. It's worth remembering that he can be given any Chaos God as a keyword.

====Beasts Of Chaos====

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-cygor-en.pdf Cygor]:''' (140pts) Can unbind two spells in each Hero Phase: If he manages to do it, he deals a mortal wound to the caster healing a wound for himself. He can also reroll hit rolls when attacking wizards, which he really really needs, having Hit rolls of 4+ across the board. Two of them can add some okay shooting, but the fact that the damage table influences his range makes him unreliable at best.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos-warscroll-ghorgon-en.pdf Ghorgon]:''' (160pts.) Same Blood Frenzy as Doombull and Bullgors, but deals d3 mortal wounds on an unmodified 6. Also, he can slay a specific model within 1" after he makes all his attack if he rolls a dice equal or greater than its wounds characteristic, do remember that it's a model so you can chomp on any leader or musician you can get your grubby hands on. This thing is your sledgehammer, with insanely strong attacks, but very slow for a monster. If you manage the charge and a Doombull is nearby, this thing can rip apart whole units, otherwise, it will stop cannonballs with its face for two turns and then die.

===Scenery===
'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/AoS_Fane_Of_Slaanesh_ENG.pdf Fane of Slaanesh]''' - Your free terrain piece. Unlike other terrain pieces, this does not need to be placed along an edge but must be placed at least 3" away from other terrain or objectives. You can set up summoned units wholly within 12" and more than 9" from enemy units of the fane instead of a hedonite hero. Also, at the start of your hero phase, you can choose 1 '''CHAOS SLAANESH HERO''' within 6" of this to sacrifice something. If they sacrifice health, they can take a mortal wound and roll, and on a 2+ they can add 1 to hit rolls for all attacks until your next hero phase. If they sacrifice an artifact (which requires that they have one), it's destroyed, but on a 2+ they can add 1 to hit rolls for the rest of the battle. Note that one-use artifacts that you've already activated CAN be sacrificed to the Fane.

If you took a hero with the Pendant of Slaanesh artifact you can sacrifice health of the hero at the start of your hero phase, thus gaining 1 Depravity point, then immediately restore the lost wound and basically get a DP and hit rerolls for free!

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Battalions (Legacy: AoS 2nd edition)==
Due to how Battalions are now universal, expect see the whole lot of this on the trash bin outside of narrative games. Bonus rules, traits and doodads are going to be likely added to the faction rules as default.
===Hedonite Host===

'''''1 Supreme Sybarites Battalion, 1-3 Epicurean Revellers Battalions, 1-3 Seeker Cavalcades Battalions.''''' (120 points; Min: 1230; Max: 10410)

*+1 Bravery to everyone in the Battalion. If the army has the '''CHAOS SLAANESH''' Allegiance, you get D3 depravity points at the start of your hero phase.

===Supreme Sybarites===

'''''3-6 CHAOS SLAANESH HEROES''''' (150 points; Min: 270; Max 2310)

*At the start of your hero phase, roll a dice, if the result is less than or equal to the number of heroes from this battalion that are on the battlefield, you receive 1 command point.

===Epicurian Revelers===

'''''2-6 units of Daemonettes, 0-4 Hellflayers, Exalted Chariots or Units of Fiends in any combination''''' (180 points; Min: 400; Max: 3540)

*If the unmodified wound roll for an attack made with a melee weapon by a daemonette from this battalion is 6, that attack inflicts 1 mortal wound on the target, and the attack sequence ends (do not make a save roll).

===Seeker Cavalcade===

'''''2-6 units of Seekers, blissbarb seekers, slickblade seekers or Hellstriders in any combination, 0-4 units of Seeker Chariots''''' (140 points; Min: 350; Max: 4470)

*Models from this battalion are eligible to pile in and attack while 6" away from enemy units and can move an extra 3" when piling in.

===Depraved Drove===
'''''1-4 combination of Beastlord, Dragon Ogor Shaggoth, Doombull, Great Bray Shaman; 3-6 combination of Centigors, Gors, Tuskgor Chariots, Ungors, Ungor raiders; 0-6 combination of Bestigors, Bullgors, Dragon Ogors; 0-2 combination of Cygors or Ghorgons.''''' (150 p, Min: 270.pt. Max: -.pt.) From the Beasts of Chaos Battletome
*Give all units in this Battalion the '''SLAANESH''' Keyword and Re-roll failed charge roll if the unit is within 12" of an enemy hero with an Artefact and re-rolls To-Hit if the target has an Artefact.
This Battalion gives you Gors (more massive Daemonettes) and large monsters.
Note that this does not give them the '''HEDONITES''' Keyword, so they cannot benefit from Euphoric Killers, the Keeper of Secrets' command ability. However, they do benefit from the Hosts and can take those trait and artefacts.

===Depraved carnival===

'''''3 Lords of Pain or Shardspeakers in any combination, 3 units of Blissbarb Archers.''''' (160 points, Min 930 Max 1890 points)

*Once per turn, in your hero phase, 1 unit of blissbarb archers can shoot.

Only take if running a unit of 33 archers. The real question is, why would you ever take 3 LoPs? Pretty expensive tax for an already expensive battalion.

===Nobles of Excess===

'''''3-6 units of Myrmidesh Painbringers or Symbaresh Twinsouls in any combination.''''' (140 points, Min 450 Max 4080)

*Re-roll wound rolls for melee weapon attacks made by units in this battalion if they made a charge move that turn.

Just why? You are better spending the battalion points on adding 5 more bodies. While you want to be in combat, only triggering on a charge is the real issue.

===Exalted Speed-Knights===

'''''2-3 Blissbarb Seekers, 2-3 Slickblade Seekers, 2-3 Seekers.''''' (120 points, Min 1060 Max 4820)

*After set up but before the first battle round D6 units from this battalion can move 6".

This could either be our BEST or WORST battalion. The fact you must take 6-9 units and the Blissbarb and Slickblade are now one of our best units, makes this a very cost effective choice. The daemonic Seekers are pretty niche, but even faster then their mortal counterparts. I wish it was each unit, instead of the d6 you pick out of a potential 9. Your units are already fast, so you can easily get a T1 charge off with this.

===The Choir of Torments===

'''''1 Infernal Enrapturess, 1 unit of Daemonettes, 1 unit of Fiends, 1 unit of Seekers''''' (120 points; Min: 700; Max: 1670)

*Add 1 to Attacks of melee weapons while wholly within 12" of the Infernal Enrapturess from this battalion. From Wrath & Rapture.
Make it 30 Daemonettes, 6-9 Fiends, and 5 Seekers, and just keep the Enrapturess screened with the Fiends. Generally worth the price of admission if you want to include Fiends and an Enrapturess in your army (and why wouldn't you?).

===The Exquisite Pursuit===
'''''1 Contorted Epitome, 1 unit of Fiends, 1 unit of Seekers'''''

*During the shooting phase, you can target an enemy unit within 3" of the epitome or a unit within 12" of the epitome ''and'' over 3" of any other units here. Roll a d6 for each model in this unit - for each 6, you deal either 1 mortal wound (for models with a wounds characteristic of 1) or d3 mortal wounds (for any beefier models). This pretty much requires your pets and riders to surround and interfere with things to keep the epitome occupied, and unfortunately the range will limit how much you can accomplish.

==Syll'Esske Battalions (Legacy: AoS 2nd edition)==

'''The Following are found in October 2019 White Dwarf and can ONLY be used by a Syll'Esskan Host'''
===The Vengeful Alliance===
'''1 Syll'Esske, the Vengeful Allegiance, 0-5 Chaos Slaanesh Heroes, 1-2 Devout Supplicants and Vengeful Throng battalions in any combination, 1-2 Seeker Cavalcade battalions, 0-2 Epicurean Revellers battalions, 0-2 Daemonsteel Contingents battalions''' (100 pts)
*As long as Syll'Esske is on the battlefield: all MORTALS in the battalion have bravery 10, and you get 1 extra CP during each of your hero phases.

===Devout Supplicants===
'''1 Mortal Slaanesh Hero, 2-6 Chaos Chosen, Chaos Warriors or Chaos Marauders units in any combination, 0-2 Chaos Spawn units, 1-2 Chaos Warshrine units. Each unit in this battalion must have the SLAANESH keyword.''' (160 pts)
*When you use the Favour of the Ruinous Powers ability for a Warshrine in the battalion, the prayer activates on a 2+ instead of a 3+.

===Vengeful Throng===
'''1 Mortal Slaanesh Hero with a Mount or can Fly, 2-6 combination of Chaos Knights or Chaos Marauder Horsemen, and 0-4 combination of Chaos Chariots or Chaos Gorebeast Chariots. Each unit in this battalion must have the SLAANESH keyword.''' (140 pts)
*Once per battle, each unit from this battalion can attempt a Charge from 18" away and roll 3D6 to determine the success. After a successful charge, any enemy unit within an inch of the charging unit takes D3 mortal wounds on a 5+.

===Daemonsteel Contingent ===
'''1-3 Soul Grinder units. Each unit in this battalion must have the SLAANESH keyword.''' (110 pts)
*All Soul Grinders in the unit get +1 to hit and +1 to save.

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Army Building==

Pick up 2 Start Collecting boxes and a bunch of packs of Daemonettes (or split a Wrath and Rapture set if you can find one), and maybe get yourself a few Heralds, a Contorted Epitome, and a Keeper of Secrets (or two, if you can afford them). Sadly not SC Slaanesh mortals yet.

Daemonettes are pretty choppy, but likely best summoned. Blissbarb archers are pretty effective shooters and at holding objectives, along with building up early game Depravity. Beasts of Chaos units are not great in combat but great at sneaking on to ojectives.

You will run some form of cavalry in this army. Its a fact, get over it. Good news, mortals or daemons are great. The new Blissbard Seekers are great harassers and objective claimers while their CC buddies are pretty good at taking down semi-elite units with ease (ex. Stormcast). StD Knights are strangely not as killy as our Seekers despite a better save.

Our characters aren't as choppy as many StD units, hard hitting as Khorne, resilient as Nurgle units, or whatever Tzeentch is, but we are fast and can easily take down their cost in opposing points. Nobody will want to be on the opposing end of a Keeper of Secrets or pretty boy Siggy, but we also don't have the best saves so don't be reckless.

Slaanesh is all about toying with your foes. Death by a thousand paper cuts, or maybe poison-tipped dildos. Make your foes come to you, you won't win a brute strength matchup so countercharges or retreating to Objectives and then summoning units is how you will whittle away at your foes.

Our Endless spells are decent, and a solid strategy is toss 1 into your own unit for easy DP. We don't have many casters that can do 2 spells, so will be out-magicked. The good thing is we have a few spells that can heal our units so the Endless Spell strategy is a nice gimmick.

==[[File:Slaanesh mark.png|30px]]Allied Armies==

*'''Beasts of Chaos''':
*'''Maggotkin of Nurgle''':
*'''Slaves to Darkness''':
*'''Disciples of Tzeentch''':
*'''One-Eyed Grunnok''': A Warstomper Mega-Gargant available to all Chaos factions. Recruit a your own monstrous centerpiece at the cost of your entire allied points allowance. As a bonus ability, you can re-rolls jump attacks of 1, and enemies get -1 to hit on previous jump attacks of 6. He’s a best used right in the heat of combat where he can throw enemies at each other, disrupt enemy formations, and just be a [[Distraction Carnifex|giant distraction]].

Units with the '''KHORNE''' keyword, including Slaves to Darkness units with the mark of Khorne, cannot be taken as allies. You can take them, however, if they are '''Archaon, The Everchosen''' or his '''Varanguard''' (this has been legal so far with every other Chaos God, please notify if this, somehow, is not legal with Slaanesh). Unfortunately you cannot add '''Archaon''' and '''Khorne Varanguard''' as allies, but why would you '''EVER''' do that and waste ally points when you can just add '''Archaon''' and '''Slaanesh Varanguard''' to your main army which by RAW is perfectly legal as they would have the '''Slaanesh''' keyword.

{{Age_of_Sigmar_Tactics}}

Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Chaos/Slaves to Darkness

2022-09-21T08:30:23Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* Host of the Everchosen */

{{Age of Sigmar Faction|Faction=Slaves to Darkness|Logo=Archaon Book.jpg|Alliance=Chaos|Motto=}}

The old Warriors of Chaos enter the Mortal Realms as the re-done Slaves to Darkness. The Slaves to Darkness fight for any of the Chaos Gods or the gods as a pantheon, and can be built in a variety of ways with plenty opportunity for synergy between heroes and units.

==Why Play Slaves to Darkness?==
===Pros===
* Reuses Warriors of Chaos models from WFB, making them a quasi-old-school faction (or at least a money-saver). And the new models themselves aren’t too shabby either.
* Pals with most other Chaos factions, providing an absurdly stupid wide range of allies, allegiances, and playstyles (practically, only skavens are out of the equation).
* You have lots of options for battleline units. Even by accident you will end up having battlelines.
* If you have war bands from Warcry, you can include them in your army lists.
* Your faction's poster boy killed a world, so his credentials are beyond reproach.
* The faction provides a lot of ways to play
* Playing Nurgle Slaves with Daemon Princes: great fun to watch enemies kill themselves - the more they attack you, the more they die! (who says Nagash's [[Ossiarch Bonereapers|burning boney boys]] should have all the fun there?)
* Your faction acronym is "[[Nurgle|S]][[Slaanesh|T]][[/d/|D]]"
* Access to reroll hit & wound roll. When reroll ability is getting a lot of nerf in AOS 3.0, STD gets reroll both hit & wound in one ability, with multiple source to offer it

===Cons===
* Your faction acronym is "[[Nurgle|S]][[Slaanesh|T]][[/d/|D]]"
* Traits and abilities are now specifically for Slaves to Darkness, which isn't a con for this army, but hurts value in other Chaos armies.
* Hardly any shooting phase worth mentioning

==Rulebooks==
{{AOSRulebooks|tome=Slaves to Darkness|FW=1|additional=Broken Realms: Morathi ; Soul Wars: Wrath of The Everchosen|points=[https://www.warhammer-community.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/VEIiskgJH8dCpqVF.pdf Slaves to Darkness] ''Errata'}}

==Allegiance Abilities==

===Battle Traits===
If your army has a {{AOSKeyword|SLAVES TO DARKNESS}} allegiance and chose to take the {{AOSKeyword|SLAVES TO DARKNESS}} allegiance abilities, it has the following rules:

'''Damned Legions''': You '''must''' belong to one of these. If a model already has a keyword from one, they cannot gain another, it can still be included in your army but it can't benefit from the allegiance ability of that legion. Legions are: Ravagers, Cabalists, Despoilers, or the Host of the Everchosen.

'''Aura of Chaos Power''': {{AOSKeyword|SLAVES TO DARKNESS HEROES}} can grant an ability to friendly {{AOSKeyword|SLAVES TO DARKNESS}} units which have the same Mark of Chaos as them. The units in receipt of the ability must be wholly within x" of the HERO when they use the ability. A unit that is wholly within x" of more than one friendly {{AOSKeyword|SLAVES TO DARKNESS HERO}} can only use the Aura of Chaos Power from one of them. If a model has more than one mark of Chaos, '''you can only choose one and it lasts for the duration of the battle'''. Sorry Archaon.

The abilities are:

*'''''Khorne''''': Re-roll hit rolls of 1 for attacks made with melee weapons by a unit granted this ability wholly within 12". If the aura-holder is the general, you get +1 to wound as well.
*'''''Slaanesh''''': Unmodified hit rolls of 6 explode into 2 attacks for a unit granted this ability wholly within 12". If the aura-holder is the general, you can reroll run and charge rolls as well.
*'''''Nurgle''''': Unmodified wound rolls of 6 get +1 damage for a unit granted this ability wholly within 12". If the aura-holder is the general, you get -1 to be hit by missile weapons as well.
*'''''Tzeentch''''': Re-roll save rolls of 1 for a unit granted this ability wholly within 12". If the aura-holder is the general, 5+ optional roll to ignore spell effects.
*'''''Undivided''''': Don't take battleshock for units granted this ability wholly within 12". If the aura-holder is the general, you get 6+ FNP.

Basically a variant to the Warshrine's '''Favour of the Ruinous Powers''', without the need to pray. Solid enough already.

'''Eye of the Gods''': If a '''SLAVES TO DARKNESS HERO''' with the '''EYE OF THE GODS''' keyword makes an attack in a combat phase that slays one or more enemy '''HEROES''' or '''MONSTERS''', at the end of the combat phase, make a roll on the table below after the HERO’S attacks have been completed. Duplicates are treated like a 7 - nothing happens.

{|class="wikitable col1cen col2cen center" style="width:300px"
|-
||'''2D6'''
||'''Reward'''
|-
||'''2'''
||'''Spawndom''': You can add a Chaos Spawn to your army. If you do, set up a Chaos Spawn model within 1" of the '''HERO''', and then remove the hero. If you do not add a Chaos Spawn to your army, the hero suffers D3 mortal wounds instead.
|-
||'''3'''
||'''Slaughterer's Strength''': Pick a melee weapon for this '''HERO'''. Improve its rend by 1.
|-
||'''4'''
||'''Murderous Mutation''': Pick a melee weapon for this '''HERO'''. Add 1 to its attacks.
|-
||'''5'''
||'''Iron Flesh''': Add 1 to the '''HERO'''’s save rolls for the rest of the battle.
|-
||'''6'''
||'''Flames of Chaos''': The '''HERO''' can choose to ignore a spell or endless spell on a 4+.
|-
||'''7'''
||'''Snubbed by the Gods''': Your hero burps. Nothing else happens.
|-
||'''8'''
||'''Unholy Resilience''': The '''HERO''' gets a 5+ FNP.
|-
||'''9-10'''
||'''Daemonic Legions''': Add a unit to your army. Unit added depends on your '''HERO'''’s mark. 10 Bloodletters for Khorne, 10 Pink Horrors for Tzeentch, 10 Daemonettes for Slaanesh, 10 Plaguebearers for Nurgle, or 6 Furies for Undivided. Must arrive wholly within 12" of the hero and more than 9" from any enemy, so if you're in the thick of it this may sadly end up being Snubbed by the Gods by another name.
|-
||'''11-12'''
||'''Dark Apotheosis''': You can add a Daemon Prince to your army. If you do, set up a Daemon Prince model within 1" of the '''HERO''', and then remove the hero, but the DP gains their command traits, artefacts and will be the general if the removed hero was. If the '''HERO''' was a wizard, the Daemon Prince is a wizard with the same casting/unbinding ability. If you do not add a Daemon Prince to your army, you can heal D3 wounds instead.
|-
|}

Thanks to Tome celectial from Wihite Dwarf 468 (Sep 2021) Slaves to Darkness got two new battle traits to better incorporate Warcry cultist (and other cultists) in your Army!

'''Cultists of the Dark Gods''': let’s you add a Mark of Chaos to units who previously did not get them, namely the Ogroid Myrmidon, Darkoath Warqueen, Darkoath Chieftain and most importantly the Warcry Cultist units.

'''Cultists of the Dark Gods''' Cultists who take a Mark of Chaos gain Battleline status if they match the General’s mark.

===Lore of the Damned===
1. '''Binding Damnation''': CV7. Visible target within 12" fights last until your next hero phase.
* Terrific effect, but fairly high casting value, so still a bit of a gamble.

2. '''Spite-tongue Curse''': CV3. Visible target within 12" takes 3 mortal wounds. If this is unsuccessful or is unnbound, the caster takes 3 mortal wounds.
* Very powerful if your opponent is out of unbinding attempts or doesn't have any in the first place. Probably too risky in any other situation.

3. '''Whispers of Chaos''': CV7. Roll 1d6 for each model in a visible target unit within 12". For each 6, target unit takes 1 MW. If any models were slain, the target unit cannot move until your next hero phase.
* Powerful. Lets you deal damage to blobs, and if the target unit has six or more models, you also have a fairly reliable way to keep them from moving.

4. '''Mask of Darkness''': CV7. Pick a visible MORTAL SLAVES TO DARKNESS unit wholly within 12". That unit teleports anywhere outside of 9" of enemy models and can't move in the subsequent movement phase.
* A game changer. It has alpha strike potential, especially with Marauders and their terrific charge rules, but it can also be used creatively if the opportunity presents itself.

5. '''Call to Glory''': CV5. Pick a visible SLAVES TO DARKNESS HERO unit wholly within 12". They can reroll hit and wound rolls when attacking a HERO or MONSTER until your next hero phase.
* Literally ''Daemonic Power'' but drastically worse. Only affects a Hero and is conditional. Skip.

6. '''Ruinous Vigour''': CV6. Pick a visible SLAVES TO DARKNESS MONSTER unit wholly within 12". They act as though they haven't taken wounds for the purposes of the wounds table.
* Now that our Manticores aren't just vehicles for their riders and can actually do damage, this is fairly nice, but the casting value is far too high for the effect.

===Endless Spells===
Slaves to Darkness only

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Eightfold_Doom-Sigil_eng.pdf Eightfold Doom-Sigil]:''' (40pts) CV 5. This spell will only have use when things die around it, so you'd best make sure you make at least one model go down so you can power them up. Now a bonus attack won't sound too scary for your Chaos Lord, but throw it on a band of marauders and they won't be laughing anymore.
**And it's just plain "friendly models slain" within its range, and Cabalists' ability kills d3 friendly models allowing essentially free uses of this endless spell

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Darkfire_Daemonrift_eng.pdf Darkfire Daemonrift]:''' (80pts) CV 6. This is a purely predatory spell, dealing d3 MWs to anything it goes through. It's damage potential also powered up by other Wizards and Endless spells, which is pretty trollish for, say, Tzeentch or the Sacrosanct Chamber and all their wizards.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Reamscourge_Rapture_eng.pdf Realmscourge Rapture]:''' (60pts) CV 7. This Predatory spell is like the Pendulum in that it can only move in straight lines (but in this case can also only go forward, making it even more reliable). Anything that this goes through (or near) suffers not only d3 MWs, but their movement will also be halved, which can positively cripple a unit just in time for your vikings to flatten them.

Slaanesh only
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/AoS_Wheel_Of_Excruciation_ENG.pdf Wheels of Excruciation].''' Predatory Spell with 12" flying movement. Casting Value 5. Set up within 6" of the caster and immediately make a move with it. Roll 6 dice for each unit passed. For each roll that is lower than the unit's save, they take a mortal wound.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/AoS_Mesmerising_Mirror_ENG.pdf Mesmerising Mirror].'''Predatory Spell with 6" flying movement. Casting Value 6. Set up within 18" of the caster. ''Does not affect '''CHAOS SLAANESH'''''. Units that start a move within 12" of the model suffer D3 mortal wounds unless they end closer to the mirror than when they started.
**Also, after the model moves or is set up, roll 6 dice for each hero within 6", rolling separately. For each 6, the hero takes n-squared mortal wounds. Even though this part of it can do 36 mortal wounds to an enemy hero, the odds of that are 1 in 46656. Don't bank on it. Does 1.83 mortal wounds on average and has a 33.5% chance of doing nothing, with a 60.3% chance of doing 1-4 Mortal Wounds and a 5.35% chance of doing 9 mortal wounds. You will note that it has about a 6% chance of killing a footslogging hero and less than a 1% chance of killing a 10+ wounds hero.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/AoS_Dreadful_Visage_ENG.pdf Dreadful Visage].''' Predatory Spell with 8" flying movement. Casting Value 7. Set up within 12" of the caster and immediately make a move with it. After it moves, pick the closest unit and roll 6 dice. For each 4+, they take a mortal wound. Also, this model gives -1 bravery to units within 12" unless they are '''CHAOS SLAANESH''', in which case they get +1 bravery.

Tzeentch only
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos-warscroll-Burning-Sigil-of-Tzeentch-en.pdf Burning Sigil of Tzeentch]:''' (40pts) Summons a floating 12" bubble of RANDOM, with a mix of results helpful and harmful to a single unit. (d3 MWs that risks a Chaos Spawn if someone dies, halved movement, d6" movement after running, +1 attacks, or -1 to hit) The issue is that this sigil cannot move on its own, meaning that you really need to find a good place to set it up and then pray some more that Tzeentch blesses your rolls for the right results.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos-warscroll-Tome-of-Eyes-en.pdf Tome of Eyes]:''' (40pts) Summons a magical book that becomes part of the caster's unit. Alongside letting the caster reroll any casting tests, it lets results of snake eyes or double 6s count as auto-casting with immunity to dispels (though the caster also takes d3 MWs in the process) and grants a special spell that deals mortal wounds and robs the target of 1 point of Bravery for each casualty you deal. What better way to stick it to those filthy rats than to smite them with your evil spellbook and then see them fail battleshock for once?

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos-warscroll-Daemonic-Simulacrum-en.pdf Daemonic Simulacrum]:''' (50pts) This predatory spell has a...thematic move speed of 9", and each turn it has 9 chances to deal MWs to the closest unit within 6" on a 5+ (4+ if they're wizards). While the range is nice for a spell that would otherwise be considered underwhelming, it also leaves you very open to the chance of it all being for naught on a bad roll. Potential to backfire horribly if your opponent gets to move it so be wary of positioning or have a Lord of Change eat it.

==Damned Legions==
===Ravagers===
''All Mortals All Day. More Generals, more Marauders, more Cultists.''

;Trait - Glory for the Taking: If your general is '''not''' a Daemon Prince, up to 5 Ravagers Heroes get a command trait. No duplicates, and only 1 on each. At the start of your hero phase, you can pick 1 non-Daemon Prince hero that has a command trait to be your general, and they remain your general until your next hero phase.
;Command Ability - Rally the Tribes: At the end of your movement phase, the model that is currently your general can summon 1 unit of 10 Chaos Marauders, 1 unit of 5 Marauder Horsemen, or 1 Cultist unit of up to 10 models wholly within 6" of the battlefield edge and more than 9" away from enemy units. A model cannot be chosen more than once per battle to rally. Go and get yourself the Cultist Warbands and get ready to crowd the table edge in bodies. A unit of 10 Iron Golems makes a surprisingly tough to shift flanking force, especially since if they manage to charge after being set up they will still get their re-rolled saves for that turn.

====Command Traits====
#'''Bolstered by Hate''': +2 wounds.
#'''Unquestioned Resolve''' Once per turn, you can use one of the basic 3 command abilities without a command point if the target is a CULTISTS unit within 12" of the general.
#'''Favoured by the Pantheon''': When rolling on the Eye of the Gods table, you can add or subtract 2 from the result.
#'''Eternal Vendetta''': Reroll wound rolls. If you're attacking ORDER units, you can reroll hit rolls.
#'''Flames of Spite''': Unmodified wound rolls of 6 do a mortal wound in addition to normal damage.
#'''Master of Deception''': -1 to be hit by melee weapons that target the general.

====Artefacts====
#'''Hellfire Sword''': Once per battle in the shooting phase, pick a visible enemy unit within 8". Target takes D3 mortal wounds. Pass; a wizard already has better ways to deal Mortal Wounds and a combat character should have their combat capability boosted.
#'''Blasphemous Cuirass''': 5+ Negate MW.
#'''Helm of the Oppressor''': 6" -1 bravery aura.
#'''Cloak of the Relentless Conquerer''': Reroll charge rolls.
#'''Mark of the High-Favoured''': Aura of Chaos increases to 18" when affecting RAVAGERS units.
#'''Desecrated Gauntlets''': -2 to casting rolls for enemy wizards within 3", also +1 to wound rolls on a target with the WIZARD or PRIEST keyword. Good on a wizard hunting character.

===Cabalists===
''Magic! Rituals! Killing your friends to power up!''

;Lore - Crippling Pain: All CABALISTS wizards know this in addition to any other spells. CV7. Target visible enemy unit within 18" suffers D3 mortal wounds. In addition, target unit has its movement characteristic reduced by a value equal to the mortal wounds suffered by this spell.
;Trait - Binding Rituals: At the start of your hero phase, 1 CABALISTS WIZARD can perform a ritual.

====Rituals====
#'''Ritual of Sorcerous Might''': Pick a friendly CABALISTS unit within 3" of the caster. On a 3+, the friendly unit loses D3 models. For each model that was slain, all your CABALISTS WIZARDS get +1 to casting rolls until the end of the phase.
#'''Ritual of Corruption''': Pick a friendly CABALISTS unit within 3" of the caster. On a 3+, the friendly unit loses D3 models. Then you pick a predatory endless spell within 12" of the wizard performing the ritual. You can move it 3" for each model that was slain.

====Command Traits====
'''WIZARDS''' only
#'''Bolstered by Hate''': +2 wounds.
#'''Lord of Terror''': 6" -1 bravery aura.
#'''Favoured by the Pantheon''': When rolling on the Eye of the Gods table, you can add or subtract 2 from the result.
#'''Mighty Ritualist''': Ritual of Sorcerous Might succeeds on a 2+ instead of a 3+.
#'''Blasphemous Influence''': Ritual of Corruption succeeds on a 2+ instead of a 3+.
#'''All for One''': Once per battle, when your general successfully performs a ritual, for each model slain, he heals 1 wound.

====Artefacts====
#'''Soul Feeder''': Pick a melee weapon. Unmodified wound rolls of 6 heal the bearer by 1.
#'''Black Athame''': Once per battle, the bearer can automatically succeed on a ritual, no roll required.
#'''Infernal Puppet''': Once per battle in your hero phase, pick a visible enemy wizard within 24". In your opponent's next hero phase, each time that wizard tries to cast, they take D3 mortal wounds before they roll to cast. If they are slain by the mortal wounds, the spell they were attempting to cast automatically fails.
#'''Spelleater Pendant''': Bearer gains the WIZARD keyword. They can attempt to unbind 1 spell. If already a wizard, they can unbind an extra spell.
#'''Scroll of Dark Unravelling''': Once per battle, you can automatically unbind a spell without rolling.
#'''Spell Familiar''': Know an extra lore spell.

===Despoilers===
''Daemon Princes Ho! Best run with monsters to make use of the abilities, and lots of Daemon Princes (or one daemon prince who becomes a buff vector and cannot be allowed to die).''

;Trait - Sacrilegious Might: Your general's Aura of Chaos increases from 12" to 18". In addition, if your general is a '''Daemon Prince''', they get a 5+ FNP.
;Trait - Blessed by the Unholy: In your hero phase, roll for each of your Daemon Princes and monsters. On a 4+, they heal D3 wounds. Mutalith Vortex Beasts heal only 1 wound.
;Trait - Twisted Dominion: When your Daemon Princes finish a move within 6" of a terrain feature, you can give it the Pitch-black and Nightmare Chasm rules until your next hero phase. Despoilers Daemon Princes and Despoilers Monsters are unaffected by these.

'''Pitch-black''': If a straight line between two models passes over more than 1" of this terrain, they are not visible to each other.

'''Nightmare Chasm''': At the start of each hero phase, on a 6+, each unit within 1" of this suffers D3 mortal wounds (wounds rolled separately for each unit).

====Command Traits====
'''DAEMON PRINCE''' only

# '''Bolstered by Hate''': +2 wounds.
# '''Lord of Terror''': 6" -1 bravery aura. Couples nicely with a Khornate prince.
# '''Lightning Reflexes''': -1 to be hit by missile weapons.
# '''Radiance of Dark Glory''': In your hero phase, pick a friendly Despoilers unit wholly within 18". On a 3+, heal that unit D3 wounds.
# '''Distorting Miasma''': Your general can use Twisted Dominion within 9" instead of 6".
# '''Paragon of Ruin''': After set-up but before the first battle round begins, D3 Despoilers units can move up to 5".

====Artefacts====
# '''Crown of Hellish Adoration''': Look Out Sir also applies a -1 to wound rolls for this model (but note this will affect anyone who holds it, even if they are a '''MONSTER''' as the ability is not restricted in the same way as Look Out Sir).
# '''Helm of Many Eyes''': Bearer and their mount fight at the start of the combat phase if they charged.
# '''Armour of Tormented Souls''': Attacks targeting this hero have their rend reduced by 1.
# '''Diabolic Mantle''': If the bearer starts the first battle round on the battlefield, get D3 command points.
# '''Doombringer Blade''': After set-up but before the first battle round begins, pick an enemy hero or monster. Friendly Despoilers units can re-roll hit and wound rolls when targeting that model.
# '''Realmwarper's Twist-rune''': Friendly Despoilers units wholly within 12" are unaffected by the Pitch-black and Nightmare Chasm rules

===Host of the Everchosen===
''ALL HAIL ARCHAON, EVERCHOSEN AND SUPREME BEING. NO COMMAND TRAITS FOR YOU. NO ARTEFACTS FOR YOU. ONLY ARCHAON.''

'''Trait - Exalted Grand Marshall of the Apocalypse:''' If Archaon is your general and on the battlefield, his Aura of Chaos is 18".

'''Trait - Fearless in His Presence:''' If Archaon is your general and on the battlefield, friendly units are immune to battleshock.

'''Trait - The Will of the Everchosen:''' If Archaon is your general and on the battlefield, in your hero phase you can pick 1 enemy unit on the battlefield. You can reroll hit and wound rolls of 1 for melee weapons by Host of the Everchosen units targeting that unit until your next hero phase.

'''Command Ability - Dark Prophecy:''' If Archaon is your general and on the battlefield, you can use this at the start of your hero phase. Roll a die and keep it hidden from your opponent. You must reveal it at the start of the next battle round before determining who goes first. On a 1-3, your opponent must take the first turn. On a 4-6, you must take the first turn. So you knew in advance who gets priority next round and your opponent didn't.

====The Eight Circles of the Varanguard====
Pick one. All Varanguard units share this.

# At the start of the first battle round, before determining who gets first turn, you can redeploy Varanguard with this.
# -1 to bravery for enemy units within 6". In addition, if enemy units within 6" fail a battleshock test, D3 extra models flee.
# -1 to hit rolls for missile attacks targeting these Varanguard.
# In your hero phase, pick 1 terrain feature within 3" of any unit of your Varanguard. Each enemy unit within 3" of it takes D3 mortal wounds, rolled separately for each enemy unit.
# Reroll hit and wound rolls for attacks targeting a HERO or MONSTER.
# +1 damage on the turn that you charge.
# At the end of the combat phase, if your Varanguard destroyed an enemy '''unit''', that Varanguard unit heals D3 wounds.
# Your Varanguard can fly.

'''Tactics:''' Ok this Legion is heavily pointing you to at combination of Varanguard and Archaon, but even one just one unit of Varanguard and Archaon take up over half your budget in a 2,000 point battle, and if you try to get more Varanguard get get more mileage out of the Circles your lack points for. . . well anything else. If you want to use this host you therefore are probably better off leaving either the Varanguard or Archaon and home, and you can leave Archaon at home there is no rule you have to take him, you just lack traits compared to other legions with the Eight Circles and battle line Varanguard can mitigate.

===The Knights of the Empty Throne===

''When the Everchosen is away, his knights will play.''

'''Trait - Fists of the Everchosen:''' Without Archaon in the army, {{AOSKeyword|Empty Throne Varanguard}} units gain the {{AOSKeyword|Hero}} Keyword but don't gain LOS and can only take “Knights of the Empty Throne” Command Traits and Artefacts (does not restrict other heroes from taking Realm artifacts).

'''Command Ability - Unmatched Conquerors:''' At end of charge phase, pick an enemy within 12" of an {{AOSKeyword|Empty Throne Hero}}} unit and controls an objective. Roll for each model, each 3+ reduce their holding power by one. Will let Varenguard steal objectives.

'''Command Ability- Failure is Not an Option:''' Once per phase, when an {{AOSKeyword|Empty Throne Varenguard}} unit is slain, you may add a new 3 man Varanguard to board edge on a 5+.
*This can be potentially very powerful, but with the low chance of success, don’t count on it to succeed.

====Command Traits====
#'''Annihilating Charge:''' {{AOSKeyword|Knights of the Empty Throne}} units reroll charge rolls wholly within 12".
#'''Inescapable Doom:''' Enemy within 3" can't retreat.
#'''Wall of Cursed Iron:''' +1 to shield rolls (Ignore Spells Effects on 4+).

====Artefact====
#'''Flask of Daemonblood:''' At the start of your hero phase, heal d3 wounds on a on a 4+.
#'''Grasping Plate:''' Pile in from 6" away, gain an additional 3" inches to piling in
#'''Corrupted Nullstone:''' May Auto-unbind one spell.

===Idolators===
''Pray your gods every day! Who needs artifacts when you have faith?''

'''Trait - Blessed of Chaos:''' {{AOSKeyword|Idolators Priests}} activate their prayers on a 2+ roll instead of the usual 3+ and are also leaders.

'''Trait - Panoply of Ruin:''' {{AOSKeyword|Idolators Cultists}} units are Battleline and when they charge the lowest dice becomes a 6 (or any dice if you roll a double).

'''Trait - Idolator Lords:''' A single Chariot in your army (either Chaos or Gorebeast, can't be picked from a 2-3 models unit) can become a Idolator Lord. It gets the {{AOSKeyword|Hero}}, {{AOSKeyword|Priest}}, {{AOSKeyword|Eye of the Gods}} and {{AOSKeyword|Idolator Lord}} keywords and counts as an Exalted Charioteer. The Idolator Lord knows the Idolator Prayer matching its mark of Chaos and all the {{AOSKeyword|Idolators Cultists}} units take the same mark it haves.

'''Trait - Destroy the False Idols:''' {{AOSKeyword|Idolators}} units get +1 to wound rolls against enemy {{AOSKeyword|Priests}}.

'''Command ability - Desecrate:''' Activates in Hero phase. Pick a {{AOSKeyword|Idolators}} unit that is within 12" from an Idolator Lord and within 3" from a terrain feature that is part of the enemy army and roll a dice. If the result is higher than the number of enemy models within 3" from the terrain, it's desecrated and loses all its abilities for the remainder of the battle.

====Prayers====
#'''Blessings of Khorne''': Pick a {{AOSKeyword|Khorne Idolators}} unit wholly within 12". On a 3+, the unit can reroll hit rolls until next hero phase.
#'''Blessings of Tzeentch''': Pick a {{AOSKeyword|Tzeentch Idolators}} unit wholly within 12". On a 3+, the unit can reroll save rolls until next hero phase.
#'''Blessings of Nurgle''': Pick a {{AOSKeyword|Nurgle Idolators}} unit wholly within 12". On a 3+, the unit can reroll wound rolls until next hero phase.
#'''Blessings of Slaanesh''': Pick a {{AOSKeyword|Slaanesh Idolators}} unit wholly within 12". On a 3+, the unit can reroll charge rolls until next hero phase.
#'''Blessings of Chaos Undivided''': Pick a {{AOSKeyword|Undivided Idolators}} model within 12". On a 3+, the model heals D3 wounds.

====Command Traits====
{{AOSKeyword|Priest}} only.
#'''Bolstered by Hate''': +2 wounds.
#'''Lord of Terror''': -1 Bravery to enemy units within 6" from the general.
#'''Favoured by the Pantheon''': Can do +2 or -2 to Eye of the Gods rolls.
#'''Fiery Orator''': Can chant 2 prayers per turn.
#'''Bane of False Idols''': Can use the Desecrate command ability once per hero phase without spending command points.
#'''Smite the Unbeliever''': +2 attacks to each of the general's melee weapons.

===Legion of the First Prince===
''Bow to Be'lakor! First of the Daemon Princes and favored of the Four!''

'''Trait - First-Damned Prince:''' Be'lakor can re-roll to hit while he's within 18" of a friendly pack of lesser daemons. Any time he's wounded by something, he can pick a pack of lesser daemons to throw in his way on a 4+ so they can instead eat up the wound. This even works on mortal wounds, so you can waste spells just by making bunkers.

'''Trait - The Cursed Skies:''' If Be'lakor is your general and is on the field, all lesser daemon units can roll to restore their ranks at the end of the Battleshock Phase. On a 3+, the Bloodletters, Plaguebearers, and Daemons regain d3 models, but Horrors only regain 1 model because of the whole split-up issue.

'''Trait - Infernal Realmwalkers:''' All {{AOSKeyword|Legion of the First Prince}} units have a 6+ FNP.

'''Trait - Unyielding Legions:''' At the end of the movement phase, one {{AOSKeyword|Legion of the First Prince Hero}} can summon daemons. If you roll 3d6 and score a 10+, you can summon one pack of lesser daemons as determined by their keywords (10 Bloodletters, Plaguebearers, Daemonettes or 5 Horrors). Of course, big B can summon any pack of lesser daemons or summon a pack of 6 Furies since they're also undivided. If you roll any doubles, your hero eats a MW, but triples heal d3 wounds.

'''Spell Lore - The Master's Command:''' All {{AOSKeyword|Legion of the First Prince Wizards}} gain this spell. Casts on a 7. When cast, you can pick a friendly {{AOSKeyword|Legion of the First Prince}} unit within 12" - Whenever any models in this unit are slain in melee, they can fight before they are removed from play.

====Command Traits====
#'''Primordial Commander:''' The general adds +1 to their rolls when using the Unyielding Legions ability.
#'''Ruinous Aura:''' Any {{AOSKeyword|Legion of the First Prince}} units within 8" of the general now trigger Infernal Realmwalkers on a 5+.
#'''Infernal Charge:''' All {{AOSKeyword|Legion of the First Prince}} units within 12" of the general can re-roll to charge.

====Artefacts====
#'''Fourfold Blade:''' One of the bearer's weapons deals d3 mortal wounds whenever they roll a 5+ to hit.
#'''Armour of the Pact:''' The bearer re-rolls any saves made while from melee attacks.
#'''Saintskin Banner:''' Enemies within 9" of the bearer take -1 to their Bravery.

==Warscrolls==

===Heroes===
====Named====
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/BR_Belakor_Warscroll_Belakor_eng.pdf Be'lakor, the Dark Master]:''' (Daemon, UNDIVIDED, 240pts.) Having somehow escaped Alarielle's ruby from The End Times, the Dark Master is back and trolling with the best of them. Has Ghostly immunity to save modifiers and heals from failed enemy Battleshocks. His best ability is The Dark Master: During deployment, pick 1 enemy unit, then reveal which unit you picked to your opponent at the start of one of their hero phases. Every time that unit wants to move, shoot, cast a spell or attack in combat, they have to roll a dice and can only do so on a 5+. This ability is straight-busted but only works for 1 turn - unless the enemy gets a double turn.
**With the new model and role as the title character for the next Broken Realms book, expect this boss to gain a power boost proportional to the scale-up to his size. His Dark Master ability now triggers on a 3+. He gains some supporting attacks with his claw and tail, the claw standing out with an absurd -3 Rend and insane 1+ to wound that degrades.
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Archaon_eng.pdf Archaon The Everchosen]''': (DAEMON, KHORNE, TZEENTCH, NURGLE, SLAANESH, HEDONITE, UNDIVIDED, MONSTER, 800pts.) Still the same stone wall and beatstick that he's always been, just with more streamlined rules, some things are better others are worse. The heads no longer work all at once, but one of the three abilities can be used once each hero phase; the Khorne head heals D3 wounds, the Tzeentch head can stop one endless spell within 18" and the Nurgle head has a breath weapon that does D3 Mortal Wounds on a 3+. Archaon is as tanky as ever, but can also rebound Mortal Wounds on a 6+ (note this doesn't specify combat, so it affects wizards and shooting units too). He also provides a free command point for each hero phase when he's on the table. Also, gimps certain armies, as the Eye of Sheerian means any hit rolls of 6 that target him must be re-rolled.
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Theddra_Skull-Scryer_eng.pdf Theddra Skull-Scryer]''': (Mortal Wizard, 70pts)
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Godsworn_Hunt_eng.pdf Godsworn Hunt]''': (Mortal, 60pts)

*'''Slambo:''' Now worse and cheaper than an Exalted Champion. His only real value is to be a cheap mark aura, or to swap as the general in a Ravagers legion so you can "summon the tribes".

====Generic====
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Lord_eng.pdf Chaos Lord]''': (110pts.) Cheaper and more killy, with a decent command ability to boot. This has come at the cost of the amazing 2d6 damage ability and is no longer able to ascend to Daemonhood automatically on killing the enemy general (let's face it though, how often did that happen?). Don't send him alone against characters more expensive than he is, or he will die. The increased rend and attacks values will mean he's good at killing line infantry and when to send alongside another unit he won't auto-bounce against characters like he used to. Side modelling note, the option to take a flail can be achieved by taking the Chaos Chosen off of a Chaos Chariot and basing him and using his as a Chaos Lord, jury is still out on whether this is official or not.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Lord_on_Demonic_Mount_eng.pdf Chaos Lord on Daemonic Mount]''': (155pts.) Your budget (for a Slaves to Darkness character) mounted Lord. With the new update, cursed Warhammer now has the potential of 2 mortal wounds on 6s to hit, with the added bonus of healing d3 wounds for killing whelps with your big mallet. Also great for other Slaves to Darkness units as his command ability only affects the mounted options but provides a re-roll to their charge and +1 to hit.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Lord_on_Karkadrak_eng.pdf Chaos Lord on Karkadrak]:''' (230pts.) The new mounted lord has arrived, and he rode in style as a fully plastic kit. How does this character scream build around? Movement 9", 9 wounds and the always welcomed 3+ save, this lord on battle lizard loves keeping up with his fellow cavalry and bring nothing short of utter destruction. Without any adages, this character boasts no less than 13(!) attacks across 4 profiles, has mortal wound potential both on the charge and with his sword, and can heal with his attacks with his big axe. Sporting classic mortal wound protection that Slaves to Darkness units are spoiled with, and the same command ability as his horse-riding brethren, he is an excellent pick for a Slaves focused army. Pair him with some Chaos Knights or Chariots and reap all the skulls you can.
**Currently the toughest variant with his 3+ Save, taking a Khorne Lord on Croc with Eternal Vendetta and a Chamon Runeblade or Ulgu's Dimensional Blade on his Hexed Battle-Axe means his already somewhat juiciest weapon will be hitting 5 attacks on 3+/2+ full rerollables '''with -3 Rend''', effectively eliminating most saves in the game, even reducing the pesky Lumineth and Ossiarch 3+ Saves to 6+, securing the 10 wounds your Lord can deal with the axe alone against almost anything. However the main aim of running this is to make sure you get to heal him every turn as long as you make his big meaty beatstick touch a model with around 8 wounds or less. Pair him with a Chaos Sorcerer to reroll saves and you have a relatively murderous Lord that simply remains too angry to die. Just remember that this build hates the number 2; 2s to Hit, 2s on the Save, Attacks against it with Rend -2≤, you get the point.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Lord_on_Manticore_eng.pdf Chaos Lord on Manticore]''': (Monster, Behemoth, 280 pts.) The Lord on Manticore can have a choice between Flail and Sword, with the Sword being always better and a choice between Runeshield, Daggerfist, and Lance. The Lance might be awesome, but since everyone and their grandma will be gunning for your Manticore, the 5+ save against Mortal Wounds might be the best choice. The Manticore is no slouch itself in addition to rerolling Hit against Monsters for its Claws and Jaws attacks. His Command Ability allows a unit of Chaos Warriors wholly within 18" to reroll charge and Battleshock rolls.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Deamon_Prince_eng.pdf Daemon Prince]''': (210pts.) He’s gone through a reworking since his last outing. He no longer has the ability to taken Unmarked and the buff for killing heroes, but now he gains a unique command ability for each of the gods. Khorne Princes create an 18 inch aura around them that half run and charge rolls for enemy units. Tzeentch Princes add +1 to a friendly wizard’s casting roll. Nurgle Princes make a friendly unit within 12 inches cause d3 mortal wounds each time an enemy unit rolls at least one 6 to hit them (so if they get to attack twice they may cause a further D3 MW - errata'd from the absurd 'D3 mortal wounds for each 6 rolled'). And Slaanesh Princes have a 12 inch aura that gives +1 to hit rolls and attacks to friendly units if a MODEL (from that unit, so depends on getting hit first) is slain by enemy melee. All in all, the daemon prince now has a more clear role as General for any god-centric army.
**''Wall of Blood:'' A Khorne Daemon Prince sitting behind a unit of Chaos Warriors with Runeshields makes an excellent defense against charge happy factions like the Ogor Mawtribes.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Exalted_Hero_of_Chaos_eng.pdf Exalted Hero of Chaos]''': (90pts.) Largely unchanged from pre-tome, with an increase of 10 points. D6 attacks make this unit a variance engine (either amazing or garbage, down to luck) even though he activates twice in melee when charged. Their real value is cheaply emitting a God's aura rather than reliable killing, but the next cheapest is the Chaos Lords only 20 points more, who has more (and better) guaranteed attacks and the command ability to make a unit fight twice. Though the Lord doesn't get a 5+ save from mortal wounds, so the champ is still a guy to consider.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Sorcerer_Lord_eng.pdf Chaos Sorcerer Lord]''': (110pts.) The support wizards Dropped in points and buffed in power. His Oracular Vision ability and Daemonic Power spell have gone from rerolling 1's to flat rerolls for units. This factor, combined with some pretty tasty endless spells and reduced points costs theoretically makes for an appealing option for a backfield objective holder who can cast spells to buff combat units and cause damage with endless spells. Further made dangerous under Cabalists Legion and with Mark of Tzeentch. Potential for several to be taken for mass-buffs as they are cheap enough to pseudo-spam. Needs casting buffs (such as sacrificing models) and can only cast one spell, but draw from a wide range of spells under cabalists

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Sorcerer_Lord_on_Manticore_eng.pdf Chaos Sorcerer Lord on Manticore]''': (Monster, Behemoth, 260 pts.) Classic Wizard riding a big monster. They are still ok fighters and caster while being cheaper than the Chaos Lord variant. Wind of Chaos will clean up groups.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos-warscroll-Gaunt-Summoner-of-Tzeentch-2019-en.pdf Gaunt Summoner]:''' your master Wizard, with 2 casts/unbind, his own crowd slaying spell, and can give up one casting to summon a Min size daemon unit. He cost more than two Chaos Sorcerer, so make use of his flying disk and summoning powers.
**uses for summons: Bloodletters can inflict MWs, Daemonettes are still the best shredders and fast movers, Plaguebearers are walls, Horrors provide shooting and annoying way to be survivable, while Furies can grab objectives.
**Amazing for cabalist armies as their rituals give bonuses for models slain. What unit is just an unfair amount of models that gaunt can summon? Horrors? Wrong! Because Horrors can't be sacrificed as they're not a Cabalists unit!
**However, a Gaunt Summoner can summon 6 Furies, which DO become a Cabalists unit and can be sacrificed, and with 3rd edition rules, you can use the Rally command to try and get a few back so your battery lasts at least another turn

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Gaunt_Summoner_eng.pdf Gaunt Summoner on Disc of Tzeentch]''': (260pts.) give a summoner +1 wounds, 16" Flying movement and a +2 for melee save if normal ground fighter catches him.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Darkoath_Chieftain_2019_eng.pdf Darkoath Chieftain]''': (90pts.) Further improved to be a Barbarian blender. He doesn't get to choose a Mark of Chaos so he can't spread any god benefits, but he does get 7 attacks on the charge, deals one MW to surrounding units after he kills something, and gets a CA that lets Marauders and Cultists around him fight even when killed.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Darkoath_Warqueen_eng.pdf Darkoath Warqueen]''': (90pts.) If the Chieftain is a sweeper, Warqueens are duelists. She has a consistent 6 attacks, a 6++ FNP (that bounces a mortal wound, even at range), she fights before others, and deals more damage against Heroes and Monsters. Her CA adds 3" to nearby Marauders and Cultists charge rolls, pushing them to an altogether 11" charge minimum (7" charge roll, +1" Drummer, +3" Warqueen's CA).

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Ogroid_Myrmidon_eng.pdf Ogroid Myrmidon]:''' (140pts.) The new beatstick hero option with a Gladiatorial Spear, Great Horns, and a shield. The spear may be thrown up to 18" and does D3 wounds but where this model excels is in melee as it can deal out a surprising amount of damage for a single model. The Ogroid Myrmidon has 6 attacks with the spear and 1 with its horns as well as being pretty tanky with a 4+ save, 8 wounds and Bravery 8. But the fun does not end there as Arcane Fury allows 6's to hit to count as 2 hits and Berserk Rage allows him to re-roll hit and wound rolls if it suffered a wound or mortal wound earlier in the phase, which can be decent if your opponent gets turn priority and manages to score a wound or two. Its command ability is called Pit Marshall and unfortunately can only be used on a Cultist unit wholly within 12" granting them immunity to Battleshock, which is good if you want a big unit of cultists to stick around. And with this, his role is made much more clear, your go-to leader option for cultist heavy armies. You could take him as just another hero, but his points cost might come back to bite you, especially as he doesn't get a mark of chaos either.

===Units===
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Warriors_eng.pdf Chaos Warriors]''': (Battleline Min10, Max:30 200pts.) The Chaos rival to Liberators. they are a flexible and durable holding unit with 2wounds, 4+Sv, and hover at 8 Bravery, rerolls all saves when at 10+, and shields that ignore MW on 5+ that could be traded for paired weapons that reroll all hits, halberds for worse attacks but enough range to allow two ranks to fight or Greatweapons with Rend. FAQ confirms the weapon options are the same for the whole unit. They can be tailored with marks and spells to fulfill a specific role, particularly good at being the anvil in big blocks of 20+ and holding the line, whilst cheaper marauders grab objectives, and bigger units act as a hammer.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Chosen_eng.pdf Chaos Chosen]''': (Min5, Max:20, 140pts.) Kind of underwhelming for supposedly elite infantry. Their attacks lack much punch when compared to the elite troops of, say, Stormcast, but hey, they are cheaper and faster. They cause mortal wounds on 6 to hit in addition to the regular attack. Their ability has slaves units rerolling wounds wholly within 12" if they kill something, but if you're not already getting that buff from a spell, command ability or mark, are you even StD'ing right? (then again those resources could of be used reallocate to other places). All that said, a unit of 10 will annihilate pretty much anything, especially when supported by an allied Bloodsecrator and a Khorne general, just be careful to make them charge first, otherwise they fold like paper against a serious opponent between their 2 wounds and lack of ward save.
**Actually, as Slaves to Darkness is a keyword, you can use this re-roll ability if you have any Slaves units in armies loyal just to one of the gods - a tough anvil of chaos warriors in a Hedonites of Slaanesh army could make good use of this ability, for example.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Marauders_eng.pdf Chaos Marauders]''': (Battleline Min20, Max:40 160pts.) Our favorite Vikings are back and bringing the pain to bear! They did not get a model update, which they sorely need in comparison to the new models being released. I for one will be using Warcry models and kitbashing them to represent Marauders. But down to brass tacks, they boast an average stat line that is bolstered by numbers. 10 or more and your get +1 to hit, 20 or more you get +1 to Rend. But the most important ability boost they got is their charge ability. They can change the lower die on a charge roll to a 6 automatically. Add in a drummer and you'll be making a minimum 8" charge every time. Combine this with the Ravagers Legion and you'll have a unit of 10 Marauders entering any battlefield edge, more than 9" away from enemies, only needing to roll a 2 on one of the two dice to make that charge. Enemy Warmachines beware!

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Marauder_Horsemen_eng.pdf Chaos Marauder Horsemen]''': (Battleline in StD Min5, Max:30 110pts.) Placing Barbarians on horses will be your speedy objective Grabbers. They do get a +1 to hit when 10+ strong. You get the option for Axe and Shield (they can get dangerous when combo with a gods melee buffs), Flails (letting a 20+ horde all fight with Melee Rend), but the default you should think of is Javelin and Shield as you get a Melee weapon and a Shooting weapon with -1 rend, made more flexible with the Horsemen's ability to Retreat/Shoot/and charge.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Knights_eng.pdf Chaos Knights]''': (Battleline in StD Min5, Max:20, 160pts.) take a Chaos Warrior, put him on a horse, gaining a 10" move, +1 more wound and a -1 Bravery aura. Weapon output is a bit better than pre-tome, Swords gained -1 rend, effectively making them Chosen on horses without extra mortal wounds on 6 to hit. Lances get -2 rend (as opposed to -1 pre-tome) and 2 damage on the charge. The addition of the war-flail may add a handful of extra attacks, but statistically isn't worth it. Doom Knight gets extra attack instead of +1 to hit (presumably for quicker dice). Got better overall, but unfortunately, they gone up by 20 points.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Chariots_eng.pdf Chaos Chariot]''': (Battleline in StD Min1, Max:3 120pts.) Our favorite Shock and Awe Chariot got the Ogor Charge rule, big win. And while they seem to want to be taken in units of 2 to maximize the number of exalted upgrades you can take, an argument can be made to take a unit of 2-3. A Chaos Lord on Karkadrak (or demonic mount) with an Undivided Mark will give them an immunity to Battleshock (while wholly within 12") and the Chaos Lord's command ability will affect more than 1 chariot. This will maximize the hurt dealt when they charge. The Chariot's innate ability to run and charge once per game will only maximize this benefit and possibly ensure a turn 1 charge. A 12" move, plus a run, plus a re-rollable charge will catch many an unwary opponent off-guard. Although, units of one could lead to a HUGE increase in mortal wounds from their charge damage as you roll once for the unit rather than once per model.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Gorebeast_Chariots_eng.pdf Gorebeast Chariot]''': (150pts) a lot slower then a normal Chariot but inflicts Mortal wounds to clumped up enemies and they replace the horse with a big monster that will deal more damage especially if you get an unmodified charge roll of 8+. They are the better candidates to get that Khorne or Slaanesh buffs. Like the normal chariot, their mortal wounds on the charge rule triggers for the unit rather than per model.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Varanguard_eng.pdf Varanguard]''': (Battleline in Hosts of the Everchosen Min:3, Max:12, 280pts) Super Warriors lent out by Archaon. They are giant chaos knights with 5 wounds 3+ armour and ignore magic on a 5+, able to Fight twice once per game and get +1 to hit if you have Archaon. Each model can be armed with an Ensorcelled Weapon for consistency, Fellspear for better charge damage, or Daemonforged Blade can more inflict Damage and MW with good RNG.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Furies_eng.pdf Furies]''': (Min:6, Max:30, 100pts) Returning to their undivided roots, They are speedy winged imps, they may have sharp claws and two wounds, but they will die quickly. They perfected and fused the Skink and clanrat tactic of slingshotting off Enemies. They could make a Fly move of possibly 12"+2d6"+12" to grab an objective. Their frailty means they will die if not fighting archers and sacrificing another unit swing first could put you at a disadvantage during the Combat phase.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Raptoryx_eng.pdf Raptoryx]''': (Min:6, Max:30, 90pts) Replacing the role of Warhound. They are armourless chickens that have 3/3+/3+/-/1 attacks on the charge, landing more attacks than unbuffed horsemen in exchange for survivability. They run suicidally into enemy lines to destroy their chaff walls.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos_Fomoroid_Crusher_eng.pdf Fomoroid Crusher]:''' (Monster, 100pts) a big brute, having an ogor charge, throw stones, and inflict MW to other units that think they can hide in a terrain.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls/aos_Mindstealer_Sphiranx_eng.pdf Mindstealer Sphiranx]:''' (Monster, 100pts) a big psychic cat, able to support offensives with 12" of -2 bravery and make an enemy fight last. When paired with Knights and Marauders, you can impose -4 Bravery.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Slaves_to_Darkness_Chaos_Spawn_eng.pdf Chaos Spawn]:''' (Min:1 Max:6 50pts.) [[Chaos Spawn | That Which Must Not Be Named]]. Not actually terrible anymore, though far from reliable. A Move of 2D6" makes for potentially fast movement. Similarly, 2D6 attacks per Spawn is potentially strong, but even better is the special rule these attacks come with: If you roll a Double, instead of Hitting and Wounding on 4+, you Hit and Wound on 3+. Just think about it, 12 attacks apiece with good Hit and Wound rolls... Also, five Wounds with a 5+ save to make for pretty hardy models.

====Behemoth====

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Chaos_Warshrine_eng.pdf Chaos Warshrine]''': (Totem, Priest, Behemoth, 170pts) First, it has an Aura that grants {{AOSKeyword|Mortal}} {{AOSKeyword|Slaves to Darkness}} an additional 6+ save after their normal save. It has a very sharp decline for a monster profile (i.e. 18"-12"-9"-6"-3"). Once per hero phase on a 3+ you get a prayer that buffs one Mortal STD unit within 18". There is one buff for Undivided and every God. And if the unit you are buffing has the corresponding God keyword, you get a extra buff. The Undivided buff is the best by default, granting rerolls of To Hit and To Wound and reroll charges if Undivided. The favor of Khorne rerolls charges, and if Khorne, you get to reroll hits. Slaanesh rerolls charges, and if Slaanesh, immune to battleshock. Nurgle is reroll wounds, and if Nurgle +1 to saves. Tzeentch is reroll saves, and if Tzeentch, ignore magic on 4+. The fact you can give prayer buffs from one god to another god's marked unit is diabolical. All of that sounds great but keep in mind it is only on ONE unit you get to buff. Overall, this is great frontline support unit. Did I mention it has 10 attacks(starting profile)at 2 damage each? And it gets a Mark of Chaos?

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Soul_Grinder_eng.pdf Soul Grinder]:'''(Daemon, Behemoth, 210pts) Ever wanted a beast that can throw ranged shots AND be great in melee? This daemon might be for you. Same price as a Daemon Prince but with less special abilities. It makes up for it by giving you a boatload of attacks for very good damage. Two ranged attack profiles, one at 20" and six at 16", the 20" does flat 3 damage the rest do 1 damage. CC has six attacks for 1 damage each, 1 attack -2 Rend for D6 damage, and either: two attacks -2 Rend flat 3 damage, OR 4 attacks -1 Rend D3 damage. Big, ugly, and killy, he fills the hammer role. The biggest downside for it is the mostly 4+ to hit. And since it is a Daemon, it can't benefit from CSL Demonic Power spell or the Warshrine. But at 16 wounds and a 4+ save, you can probably find a spot in the army.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Slaughterbrute_eng.pdf Slaughterbrute]:''' (Monster, Behemoth, 170pts) They bind to one {{AOSKeyword|Slaves to Darkness HERO}}. Clocking in at just under the cost of two Khorgoraths, the Slaughterbrute can dish out almost exactly the same amount of wounds as them in melee combat. The Brute's weakness is its 4+ save and 12 wounds, but its degenerating profile is actually very forgiving. It stays fast and killy until you shave off a good 8 wounds! Just be aware your big boy in red is not a shock trooper and will need an escort to the enemy lines. However, the Slaughterbrute is truly a Bloodsecrator's best friend. The Slaughterbrute is at its most dangerous inside the Bloodsecrator area of effect.
** Too bad he lacks very good rend. Seriously he doesn't have access to Rend -2 despite his huge size and his JAWS are rend-less!

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Mutalith_Vortec_Beast_eng.pdf Mutalith Vortex Beast]:''' (Monster, Behemoth, 170pts) A regenerating monster with many attacks. other monsters hit harder but it provides a random debuff to one enemy each of your hero phases. They may permanently lower Bravery or Slow, inflict MWs or make a Chaos spawn if it kills with an MW.

*'''[https://www.forgeworld.co.uk/resources/PDF/fw_warscrolls/aos-monstrous-arcanum.pdf#page=7 Chaos War Mammoth]:''' (Forgeworld) (Monster, Behemoth, 320pts) ('''NOTE: Model is OOP.''') This monster has 22 wounds! It has a 4+ save. All of his attacks cause at least D3 wounds, making it an exceptional monster-killer when at full strength as well as imposing -2 to any Battleshock tests to any unfortunate unit that gets charged. Wounding and even killing this thing just makes it cause more damage. If you're playing with a big Chaos horde then there's no finer feeling than running this guy into the enemy's biggest and toughest-looking infantry blob, although expect a few dirty looks for doing so. Keep in mind that he doesn't like magic missiles or war machine fire, however. Yet combine this with a mark of Khorne, a hero with a 18“ Khorne Aura (Ravagers Command Trait) or a Chaos Lord to make it fight twice and it will kill one or two entire hordes of whatever you charged. It is a real game changer but seldom used since it‘s become hard to get your hands on the Model.

====Cultists====
The original warbands from [[Warcry]]. Generally, they all play as Marauders with special gimmicks and now can take marks of chaos. They now have more synergy with the Hero units, making them arguably more viable than the stock. If playing the Ravagers, each unit is part of your toolbox. If you’re making an army geared to a certain Realm, definitely considering bringing one of these guys from that respective Realm.

*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Iron_Golems_eng.pdf Iron Golems]''': (Min:8 Max:32 70pts) Chamon Cultists. Cheap and heavy armour make them good cheap objective holders. They have 4+ armor save and can add additional +1 to it if they weren't move or been set up in the same turn, 8 bravery, and a 3W guy per 8 models to pawn wounds, let them hold on for a while longer than their contemporaries.
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Splintered_Fang_eng.pdf Splintered Fang]''': (Min:10 Max:40 70pts) Snake men from Ghyran who deal MW on an unmodified hit roll of 6+ and have a resurrecting snake to pawn wounds. They don't live long but can bypass some tough armour saves with a reroll and luck.
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_The_Unmade_eng.pdf The Unmade]''': (Min:9 Max:36 70pts) Shyish Cultists. They're made to break units through fear and locking them from escaping via auras. However, their weapons are only about average, with one guy per 9 getting a weapon that can wound better and has -1 Rend. Rather than letting them make the kills, have them back up another team and use their auras to force unfavorable battles.
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Corvus_Cabal_eng.pdf Corvus Cabal]''': (Min:9 Max:36 70pts) Ulgu Cultists. Flexible with both shooty and choppy. They're also very agile with an 8" movement on foot and effectively act like they're flying (for terrain only though). One out of 9 guys also lets the entire squad re-roll charge distances, which is really good for such nimble folks.
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Cypher_Lords_eng.pdf Cypher Lords]''': (Min:8 Max:32 70pts) Hysh Cultists. Another unit with both shooty and choppy. One guy out of 8 let them chuck smoke bombs to impact the enemy's chances of hitting them, while the other lets them add +1 to charge rolls. Neither makes them stand out offensively, but those bombs can definitely help protect a unit fighting someone capable of flattening them. Or to just ruin hordes.
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Untamed_Beasts_eng.pdf Untamed Beasts]''': (Min:9 Max:36 70pts) Ghur Cultists. Like the Iron Golems, these savages can let one guy out of 9 become a saber-tooth tiger and be 2W, while another gets to throw harpoons with -1 Rend & D2. While being mostly melee isn't helpful in an army full of melee, these guys have two tools for mobility: A free move before the game starts, and the ability to move and then charge in the same turn. That makes the Beasts better for alpha-striking.
*'''[https://www.games-workshop.com/resources/PDF/AoS_Warscrolls//aos_Spire_Tyrants_eng.pdf Spire Tyrants]:''' (Min:9 Max:36 70pts) Cultists from the Varanspire. They are a pure damage Cult. The Pit Champion and Bestigor Destroyer both get +2 attacks, the Headclaimer gets +1 damage and the whole unit gets +1 to hit if they charged the same turn.
*'''Darkoath Savagers:''' (Min: 10 100pts) The old-school Chaos Marauders from yore (and the Red Harvest boxset), bringing the old Conan-esque aesthetic, dealing a mortal wound on a 6+ to hit. One model of the lot can get +1 to attacks and damage with their weapons as well as letting them issue commands to their own squad. Another two become Proven and get to deal 2 damage with their swords. Another gives you the God-speaker, giving you a CP on a 6+, which is a minor convenience for giving the unit orders. In addition, taking an objective gives you the a major 5++ Ward, which can help if they last long enough. While these guys are in this section since they are from Warcry it worth noting that they don't have a {{AOSKeyword|Cultist}} keyword (intentional according to devs), which prevent them from recieving a mark of chaos and be a subject of many other related rules.
*'''Tarantulos Brood:''' (Min: 13 110 pts) The other team for the Red Harvest boxset, a band of freaky spider-men. Your troops have a bit of reach on their otherwise ordinary weapons and have the ability to use ranged weapons with a surprising 2+ to wound but lack any Rending. The strongpoint of your army is your leader, as he not only provides you with the ability to command his group but he also lets you re-spawn the spider swarms, your disposable hangers-on made to die instead of your more valuable troops. These guys are potentially great for Cabalists since they can generate limitless amount of models for sacrifices. They are also as fast as Corvus Cabal with move 8' and treat terrain as if they are flying unit.

==Battalions==
Due to how Battalions are now universal, expect see the whole lot of this on the trash bin outside of narrative games. Bonus rules, traits and doodads are going to be likely added to the faction rules as default.
===Chaos Horde===
'''(140pts, Min: 3670pts, Max: 64,780pts)''' ''1 Godsworn Champions of Ruin + 4-8 battalions of any combination from the rest.''

Once per turn, you can use 1 command ability for any unit from this battalion for free, and units from this battalion get +2" movement for the first battle round.

===Godsworn Champions of Ruin===
'''(180pts, Min: 630pts, Max: 6220pts)''' ''1 '''HERO''' selected from Chaos Lord (any kind), Sorcerer Lord (either kind), Exalted Hero of Chaos, Ogroid Myrmidon, Daemon Prince, Darkoath Warqueen, and Darkoath Chieftain; 4-8 units selected from Chosen, Knights, Warriors, Marauders, and Marauder Horsemen.''

The '''HERO''' of the battalion can fight in the hero phase if within 3" of an enemy unit.

===Godswrath Warband===
'''(180pts, Min: 930pts, Max: 6820pts)''' ''1 '''HERO''' selected from Chaos Lord (any kind in the battletome) and Sorcerer Lord (either kind); 4-8 units selected from Chosen, Knights, Warriors, Marauders, and Marauder Horsemen; 1+ Chaos Warshrine.''

Choose one of the battalion's Warshrines and roll a D6 for each visible enemy unit within 24". If the roll for an enemy unit is a 6, it takes D3 mortal wounds.

===Ruinbringer Warband===
'''(140pts, Min: 760pts, Max: 6150pts)''' ''1 '''HERO''' selected from Chaos Lord on Daemonic Mount or Chaos Lord on Karkadrak; 4-8 units selected from Knights, Chariots, Gorebeast Chariots, and Marauder Horsemen.''

Each time a unit from this battalion completes a charge, choose one enemy unit within 1". On a 2+, the enemy unit takes D3 mortal wounds.

===Overlords of Chaos===
'''(120pts, Min: 1020pts, Max: 7320pts)''' ''3-6 Host of the Everchosen Varanguard.''

Each unit gets to replace their Circle with another, allowing you to have a mix of Circles within an army.

===Gresh's Iron Reapers===
'''(140pts, Min: 560pts, Max: 1190pts)''' ''1 {{AOSKeyword|Undivided}} Idolator Lord equipped with Chaos Greatblade and Lashing Whip and 2 units of {{AOSKeyword|Undivided}} Gorebeast Chariots.''

The Idolator Lord becomes a unique named character called Rokar Gresh. His Chaos Greatblade haves 4 attacks and deals D3 wounds, which become mortal wounds if you roll an unaltered 6 to hit. If Rokar Gresh is the general it takes his own command trait, '''Profane Oratory''', which gives +1 to hit rolls to an allied {{AOSKeyword|Slaves to Darkness}} unit within 18" in each battle phase.

'''<big>The following Battalions can ''also'' be used in their respective god allegiance.</big>'''

===Bloodmarked Warband===
'''(Khorne Warband. 120pts, Min 990pts, Max 10520pts)''' ''1 Mortal STD Khorne '''HERO''', 8 Mortal STD Khorne units.''

If a '''HERO''' from this battalion slays any models during the combat phase, you can pick a unit from this battalion wholly within 12" of said '''HERO'''. That unit gains +1 attack until your next hero phase. A unit cannot benefit from this more than once per battle round.

===Fatesworn Warband===
'''(Tzeentch Warband. 180pts, Min 1080pts, Max 11780pts)''' ''1 Mortal STD Tzeentch '''HERO''', 9 Mortal STD Tzeentch units.''

At the start of your hero phase, one unit from the battalion can become able to cast 1 spell and dispel 1 endless spell. It also knows the Stolen Sting spell: CV7, target a visible enemy unit within 18". Target's melee weapons have their rend worsened by 1.

===Plaguetouched Warband===
'''(Nurgle Warband. 180pts, Min 900pts, Max 9380pts)''' ''1 Mortal STD Nurgle '''HERO''', 7 Mortal STD Nurgle units.''

Unmodified wound rolls of 6 on attacks targeting units from this battalion result in the attacker taking 1 mortal wound. Also, in your hero phase, pick an enemy target within 1" of any unit in the battalion. On a 3+, that enemy unit takes D3 mortal wounds.

===Pleasurebound Warband===
'''(Slaanesh Warband. 160pts, Min 790pts, Max 8160pts)''' ''1 Mortal STD Slaanesh '''HERO''', 6 Mortal STD Slaanesh units.''

If a model from this battalion dies during the combat phase, units from this battalion can pile in an extra 6" until your next hero phase.

==Allied Armies==
*'''Beasts of Chaos''':
*'''Blades of Khorne''': Khorne flavored versions of stuff Slaves already have. Notable units are the Bloodsecrator and Wrathmongers since the +1 attack buff will apply to your Khorne marked units.
*'''Maggotkin of Nurgle''': For your Mortal Nurgle units you want the Harbinger and his 7" bubble of 5+ against everything to point his rotten finger at your foes.
*'''Hedonites of Slaanesh''':
*'''Disciples of Tzeentch''': New Kairos is a very powerful triple caster that knows the warscroll spells of friendly wizards within 18" but will take your entire allies allotment. Curseling is a janky double caster that can reroll unbinding attempts and cast the spells he unbinds. The Fatemaster has a new command ability that allows all Tzeentch units wholly within 9" to reroll hit rolls, this includes shooting attacks snd since he rides a disc he can keep up with your faster units. Flamers and exalted flamers can make for some solid cheap shooting units, which STD have the anvils to support. In the new book exalted flamers have rend 1 and give nearby normal flamers +1 to hit, while normal flamers get more shots with no rend.
*'''One-Eyed Grunnok''': A Warstomper Mega-Gargant available to all Chaos factions. Recruit a your own monstrous centerpiece at the cost of your entire allied points allowance. He’s a best used right in the heat of combat where he can throw enemies at each other and disrupt enemy formations. Re-rolls jump attacks of 1, plus enemies get -1 to hits on previous jump attacks of 6.

{{Age_of_Sigmar_Tactics}}

Goblin

2022-09-18T08:42:32Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* Tolkien Goblins */

[[File:Path Gob Rat.PNG|thumb|right|300px|Brushy brushy.]]

{{Topquote|I want to have goblins about me, for I am courageous. The courage which scareth away ghosts, createth for itself goblins--it wanteth to laugh.|Friedrich Nietzsche, ''Thus Spoke Zarathustra''}}

'''Goblins''' are mythological creatures of unclear origin and contradicting descriptions, but are generally agreed to be small humanoids with a mischievous nature, possibly belonging to the fey family (along with creatures such as redcaps, brownies, leprechauns, kobolds, etc).

The origin of the word "Goblin" can be traced back to the British "Gobelinus", which was the name of a demon that once caused trouble in Normandy. It has been theorized the term began with [[Kobold]], which was a German Fey spirit whose origins can be traced to one of a variety of earlier myths based in Paganism from various other cultures. Kobolds also gave their name to cobalt, due to the fact that new advances of mining in Germany during the Middle Ages allowed access to large amounts of that ore, but the mining was very dangerous, they had no idea how to smelt the metal, and it turned out to be toxic to touch, so as a result the numerous mine collapses as well as the "theft of the ore, with only poison and ash left behind" were blamed on Kobolds cursing the new metal. Either way, Goblin myths often involve mischief, mining, and chemistry.

In modern fantasy, the term "Goblin" has been very much defined by the Tolkienian conception of the word - as in a species of stunted humanoids in service to evil ("Orc" was another name for said species, with Tolkien claiming the etymology of ''that'' word as being an old English term for demon). Goblin appearance has been further shaped by both video- and boardgames, as well as various artists. They are universally smaller than humans, although the exact size varies, and often have large pointy ears (larger, wider/triangular, and more animalistic than elf ears) and either long, crooked, and pointed noses (For DnD goblins, a large or otherwise impressive nose is a sign of virility and attractiveness in a male) or orc-esque noseless features.

The basic goblin stereotype is that of a savage warrior and raider that attacks villages and ambushes unwary travelers; being one-dimensionally evil, they can be (and often are) killed without remorse in large numbers (unless you read Eberron, G:LTTE, or Terry Pratchett's Snuff). They act and move in small groups (as they don't pose a large threat by themselves but are wary enough of human reprisals to avoid mass hordes that will bestir an army to mobilize and wipe them all out), and are commonly the first true monster encounter for a young adventurer (most don't count animal culling even if said animals are unnaturally enhanced, such as the [[Giant Rat]]). Goblins tend to live in caves, swamps, or other "badlands", and gang up with orcs and similar races, with whom they are sometimes described as belonging to the same family or species. Their intelligence is usually fairly low, although among dumber and larger brutes they will be the clever ones doing the "skilled" work while the bigger ones shout orders.

A lesser but definitely competing Goblin stereotype is that they are an unusually technologically advanced and ludicrously smart/cunning race on par with if not better than [[Dwarves]], such as by creating fantasy machine guns or an entire robot army in Warcraft or Dungeon Siege, though usually with the handicap of being very blasé about construction- or even user-safety, as well as being consummate merchants; Tinker Goblins will gleefully sell or contract out to a wannabe evil conquerer, but almost never become one themselves. If you couldn’t tell from the examples given, this was really more of video game trope for a long time; goblins in tabletop were sometimes described as oddly industrious, but until recent years it never extended beyond a joke gimmick or the occasional war machine pulled right out of their green asses just to give the PCs/Good Races a hard time in a campaign/lore battle.

Because of the comedy potential, players have always liked being goblins, and they were one of the three most-popular races requested for an add-on to 5e as of a (no longer) recent survey.

[[Goblinoid]]s include a vast array of species in D&D, ranging from obscurities like the stone-skinned [[Norker]]s and the "they heal when you hit them, die if you heal them" [[Nilbog]]s to mainstays like the more organized [[Hobgoblin]]s and the big, scary, pseudo-[[orcs]] called [[Bugbear]]s.

=In /tg/ Media=
In the [[Iron Kingdoms]] and [[Magic: The Gathering]] (sometimes), goblins have a penchant for technology and love to tinker with machinery (especially steampunk contraptions and the like), somewhat propagating the "mad scientist" archetype.

In [[Kings of War]] goblins are still a source of evil comic relief. They're often suggested to have been created by the [[Celestians (Kings of War)|Celestian]] Garkhan the Black after he finished creating the orcs with "whatever was left," although where exactly they came from is a mystery. They're still engineers as in many settings, but they tend to be very short-term thinking and don't like to test things before they use them.

In [[Eberron]], goblins are quite a bit different than their usual portrayal, described in the d&d section below

In [[Pathfinder]], they're stupid little freaks with all manner of strange quirks (good singing voices, fear horses and writing, like fire and pickles), sort of a cross between Gremlins and a baby-eating Stitch. They are also very funny and (somewhat) lovable, and even have their own comic series. Surprisingly, despite being described as naturally inclined towards a mixture of [[Chaotic Stupid]] (easily distractable to the point of stopping combat ''mid-swing'' to chase a frog or pick their nose) and [[Stupid Evil]] (love of torturing anything smaller than them) behaviors, they have no mental penalties. Pathfinder also has a goblin variant called the Monkey Goblin, which is even ''stupider'' than regular goblins, but much stronger and more agile, using a rat-like prehensile tail to aid it in a life in the trees.

In [[Malifaux]], they're noseless hillbillies with very few womanfolk called Gremlins complete with straw hats, jug bands, blunderbusses, and lots of pigs. Also come in an Asian variant.

=Tolkien Goblins=
[[File:Tolkien Goblins.JPG|thumb|The most accepted origin of Goblins in the Middle Earth setting.]]

{{Topquote|Now goblins are cruel, wicked, and bad-hearted. They make no beautiful things, but they make many clever ones.|J.R.R. Tolkien, ''The Hobbit''}}

Tolkien was not consistent on the relationship between goblins and orcs. Initially he said that "Goblin" was merely the halfling word for Orc, though that was swiftly contradicted. The main narrative text of <i>The Hobbit</i> contains few explicit mentions of orcs at all; it is remarked early on that the name of the sword "Orcrist" translates, in the ancient tongue of Gondolin, to "goblin cleaver", and later Gandalf rebuffs Bilbo's suggestion that the Company walk ''around'' Mirkwood instead of through it by informing him that there is a necromancer's lair to the south and to the north the Grey Mountains are "bristling with hobgoblins and orcs of large and viscous breed". LotR proper and later notes made further statements insinuating that goblins were a specific subtype of orc. Even later notes started to treat goblins and orcs like completely separate creatures, so take your pick, but the most "developed" canon leans significantly towards the "goblins are a runty orc subspecies" reading. Generally, since The Hobbit is the central foundation to his stories and it makes a point of explaining that Orcs are just larger types of Goblins, along with Lord Of The Rings having most Orcs as being not much bigger than Hobbits, Goblins are seen as around Hobbit-sized or even a bit smaller.

Goblins/Orcs have a multiplicity of origin stories from Tolkien and he never really settled on one definitively, although the most prominent one posits that they are the twisted forms of Elves tortured and beat into submission by Morgoth and Sauron. Other origins include: an Asian group of Elves stolen from their people and bred as slaves by Morgoth & Sauron, just being animals uplifted by M&S, fallen Maiar, men who were corrupted rather than Elves (or a mix of the two, with post-corruption interbreeding with humans as yet another possibility), or even just slimy rocks transformed by Morgoth's magic into living beings. Regardless of how they came about, once created they swiftly became the backbone of Sauron's armies (his other monstrous creations mostly not surviving the dwindling of magic over the passing Ages) that are heavily industrialized and produce only ugly things that cause sickness (perhaps a metaphor for wartime industry). On the subject of canon; Christopher Tolkien ultimately decided on them being Elves who were among the first group to awaken but believed Morgoth's whispers that the Valar were beings of evil and fled from them into the woods when the Valar first met the Elves to be later captured by or lured into Morgoth's power, so that's the go-to answer for the Tolkien scholars.

The notion of an entirely evil race conflicted big time with Tolkien's Catholic beliefs, so there are hints that not all Goblins and Orcs were evil, as a few passages indicate no race was wholly united for or against Morgoth; there are independent groups of Goblins in The Hobbit, and a few lines given indicate that Orcs will go to great lengths to avenge their fallen leaders, while in his notes he considered them a race capable of free-choice and thus not the "[[Always Chaotic Evil]]" inborn bloc that many later works paint them to be.

Although Tolkien did try to avoid overtly assigning any real life peoples to his fantasy races, the Goblins are very blatantly Asians with fangs and Tolkein once described them as "Mongol-types". If you want to be ''really'' charitable you could argue that alternatively, in dialect and mannerisms, [[Ork|orcs and goblins are exaggerated Cockney thugs]] or louts from urban South West England, in direct contrast to the very genteel Midland Farm Country hobbits, bumping the caricatures down a notch or two from "out-and-out racist" to "exceedingly classist and provincialist".

Orcs and Goblins are repeatedly stated by the narration to be fantastic inventors and engineers, with one of Tolkien's notes alleging that they have access to rudimentary blackpowder weaponry, but this isn’t really shown. Sure, Uruk-Hai are anachronistic in their munition armor and drilling exercises, but that's entirely thanks to being bred, trained, and outfitted by Saruman. I guess the shantytown metropolis inside the Misty Mountains is a rather impressive feat of construction, but that's really it for stuff they are seen to have actually built themselves.

=Warhammer=

{{Topquote|Gork and Mork made da Goblinz for us to kick, kill, and eat. Dey iz nothing. Dey iz less than nothing. Even dere magic iz weak an' pointless. Only use Dey got in a fight iz catchin' Humie arrows. Wiv der 'eads.|Sheglak, Orc Great Shaman}}

In early [[Warhammer Fantasy Battle]], Goblins were merely a shorter variety of Orcs, which were green-skinned evil humanoids who sometimes bred with humans. In fact, Warhammer Fantasy was the very first depiction of Goblins and Orcs as green-skinned, something that has since become a staple of the races in pop culture. This is mostly because they came from model ranges that GW had lost the rights to sell (e.g. Tolkien or D&D) and thus needed to quickly rebrand them as something with a veneer of uniqueness to finish selling their existing inventory. The specific choice of new complexion may have been inspired by [[Marvel Comics|The Incredible Hulk]], for like Orks he is also hugely muscled, mindlessly destructive, and originally ''grey''-skinned.

With the creation of [[Warhammer 40,000]], the Goblins became [[Grots]], also called Gretchin, who like the [[Orks]] were actually a type of fungus ape. Between their legs is only two bulging spore-sacs which burst upon death and grow into new Grots/Orks in the ground. After 40k had massive success, this was ported back into Warhammer Fantasy and Goblins, along with the Orcs, became fungus men. [[Skub|Some oldschool Warhammer fans have rejected this, and the term "Orcgina" can make many on /tg/ go into flashbacks about the arguments inspired between the oldfags and newfags on the subject.]]

In both settings, Goblins/Grots are smaller greenskins who are extremely vicious but also extremely cowardly and refuse to attack something unless they outnumber it ten to one (preferably much more). Against nonthreatening foes however they enjoy torturing them, and POWs are subjected to horribly slow deaths to the chittering amusement of the tiny greenskins.

In Warhammer Fantasy, Goblins are independent of Orcs, with most living in their own separate tribes. A few even have their own gods, like the [[Forest Goblins]] who worship the [[Spider-god]]. Despite this, many Goblins also join groups with Orcs, a decision that invariably ends with either the Goblins ganging-up to bully the Orcs into doing their manual labor, or them ''getting'' bullied by sufficiently numerous and united Orcs into doing said labor.

While only the [[Black Orc]]s are capable of actually producing new goods or learning technical skills among the larger greenskins, Goblins produce many things, from chariots to giant flying ships. Of especial note is the Night Goblins; master chemists whose biology is bizarre and alien in its fungal nature even to other greenskins. Red Goblins existed in the early model ranges, as well as Bugbears and Kobolds, but they vanished as the old model ranges were replaced.

Apart from all this, the main distinction between Goblins and 40k Grots is that Goblins aren't all weak, subservient slaves - Goblins individually ''are'' pretty weedy, but they do try to deck themselves out in armor and whatnot and can even take over Orc tribes, if a cunning or vicious enough Boss arrives. Most often this will be a Shaman (for his tricks and ability to scheme) or a Night Goblin Warboss (for being fucking insane), but even a normal (AKA Plains) Goblin Warboss can be a significant threat.

In 40k, Grots have almost no freedom and are only found alongside their bigger kin. They're not the strongest, quickest, meanest, or anything-est compared to the Orks, except for being better shots and more kunnin', to the point of generally being brighter (though that's not saying much). In most cases they are at best assistants, at worst slaves and moving targets. The only exception is the [[Gretchin Revolutionary Committee]], although that...ended badly. They fare a little better in Mek-controlled settlements where their technological know-how and small size are more in-demand. They may even be allowed to make their own tanks - small and scrappy, but dangerous at least.

In both Warhammers, all greenskins speak in a British Cockney accent, with heavy Chav mixed in for variation. Goblins were renamed to Grots in [[Age of Sigmar]].

<gallery>
Image:Bad Moon Goblins.png|Warhammer Fantasy Goblins of today.
Image:Goblin Airship.JPG|Warboss Beater Pan(ic)!
Image:Gretchinmob.jpg|Grots.
</gallery>

{{Template:Playable Factions in Warhammer: Age of Sigmar}}

=D&D Goblins=
[[File:Goblin DMG 5e.jpg|right|300px]]

{{Topquote|Goblins are what you default to when you have no idea what the party should be fighting, because they're just so splattered all over the realm that everyone just accepts that they can show up anywhere.|JoCat, ''A Crap Guide to D&D - Goblins''}}

[[Dungeons & Dragons]] did not do anything particularly innovative with goblins. Instead, they are fairly close(ish) to their Tolkien roots - or, rather, to the simplified version of Tolkien's goblins; small, hateful, savage creatures that infest the unwanted corners of the world, constantly squabbling amongst themselves for power and occasionally spilling out to raid and terrorize the neighboring civilized lands when their numbers build up enough. Whilst Tolkien's goblins were actually quite inventive and adept at building things, since they were a combination of the two peoples that Tolkien most disliked (the Central soldiers he'd fought in WW1, and the industrialists he believed were destroying the countryside), D&D's goblins lack that trait due to [[Medieval Stasis]] - they're not as primitive as [[lizardfolk]], but are still the quintessential depiction of them as "just tribal scavengers", in contrast to goblins in some other media being "the chaotic and/or evil tinker race".

In fact, when you scratch the surface, D&D goblins may tap into the same "evil mook" basis as Tolkien's goblins, but actually are deliberately taken in different ways. Whilst originally D&D [[orc]]s & goblins are implied to have often worked together, and even interbred, by the time of [[Planescape]] the two were actually bitter enemies - the two races share the same "heaven" of [[Acheron]], where they constantly war in an attempt to drive the other race to extinction. This even persisted into 3rd edition, when the orcs' changed racial alignment of Chaotic Evil meant they shouldn't have been going to Acheron in the first place. This stands in stark contrast both to Tolkien (who initially said that "orc" and "goblin" were words in two different languages for the same race) and to other popular settings, such as [[Warhammer Fantasy]] & [[Warcraft]], where goblins tend to be a strong racial ally to orcs. Some sourcebooks, usually setting dependent, present a more nuanced portrayal of them and give them a deeper culture than that, but for the most part, D&D goblins are your standard generic cannon fodder evil mooks.

However, just like the [[orc]]s, goblins have a ''long'' history of being a potential PC race in [[Dungeons & Dragons]] - they've been playable in literally every single edition, with multiple incarnations in 3rd edition. The usual idea is to play them up as "spunky little troublemakers" - either a scrappier analogue for the [[halfling]] or a less kitschy counterpart to the [[gnome]] (or even a more high-functioning version of the [[Kender]], without the stigma). And, for what it's worth, goblin PCs are actually generally quite liked. In fact, goblins were one of the player races most requested for a formal update into 5th edition PC races. Given the second season of [[Critical Role]] features a goblin PC as a main character, in the form of Nott (a self-loathing female who wants to become a [[halfling]]), and the fact that [[Pathfinder]] goblins have such an fandom that Pathfinder 2e promotes them to a corebook race, many are expecting an eventual 6e to feature playable goblins in the PHB, just like how 4e added the [[tiefling]] and the [[dragonborn]].

The biggest exception to goblins being generic evil baddies in d&d is the Eberron
setting, where they're given a nuanced portrayal, with a deep and sophisticated culture. In [[Eberron]], "goblin" is used to refer to bugbears, hobgoblins, and goblins. They are the descendants of the once mighty continent spanning Empire of Dhakaan that collapsed because of an invasion by the [[Daelkyr]], masters of the plane of madness. The invasion was eventually beaten back by an alliance between the empire and the orc tribes called the Gatekeepers (badass men-in-black style druids who protect the world from lovecraftian horrors), but the empire fell afterwards. They're not the banal savages that you can kill guilt free in many other settings.

In the current day they are split up into three broad cultural groups (and a few splinter groups) - the smallest of the big three are The Heirs of Dhakaan, or Dar Dhakaani, which are the badass super disciplined remnants of the empire who preserved their way of life after the empire collapsed by hiding underground or in secluded mountains (thus quarantining themselves from the Plague of Silence) and would like to bring goblins back to their previous heights, especially now that they know the rest of goblinoid population is no longer contagious. The various goblin races are all equal under the Dhakaani and share a eusocial bond like ants. They specialize in different tasks - the hobgoblins are administrators and soldiers (females are usually bards), goblins are workers, scouts and spies, and the bugbears are shock troopers and heavy laborers - but if you're better at a job outside your cultural role, the empire doesn't waste talent and puts you in that job. On the darker side, Dhakaani are ''very'' xenophobic and see no place for non-goblinoids in their society (for good reason, as they could not share their eusocial bonds), at best exiling them from places they conquer, and at worst killing them all. The latter is disturbingly common, since Dar Dhakaani like to keep their existence secret to surface-dwellers and are usually quite good at it.

Then you have the Ghaal'Dar, who made up the bulk of the descendants of the collapsed empire and had to deal with the fallout. Their culture degenerated into petty barbarian tribes with a might-makes-right mentality, their eusocial bond destroyed by the daelkyr Plague of Silence. They are usually ruled by hobgoblins due to their superior ability to organize vs the other two subspecies. However, during the conflict known as The Last War they united and stole a chunk of land from the human kingdoms that they named Darguun. It's their "new goblin Homeland" and they're starting to rebuild their culture from there, but nobody thinks it will last. It's ruled by an alliance of clans with the leader, Lhesh Haruuc maintaining a delicate balance of power between them to maintain stability. He's tried to institute the rule of law and has been mostly successful, but a few clans (mostly in desolate areas where they can get away with it) only pay lip service. The country has been a success so far and their culture is slowly clawing it's way out of the dumps, but many are worried that when Haruuc dies it will all fall apart, so he is desperately looking for a competent successor. There's also an extra layer of Dar Dhakaani sending their spies, agents and entire squads of elite operatives masquerading as "Ghaal'Dar from remote holds" or even assassinating Darguun leaders and replacing them with Dar Dhakaani doubles to manipulate Darguun into becoming a seed from which Dhakaani empire could be rebuilt and indoctrinating Darguun goblins into old Dhakaani beliefs instead of tribal traditions they picked up after empire's collapse. It wouldn't be out of character for Dar Dhakaani to kidnap entire villages of Ghaal'Dar goblins to experiment on them in hope to reverse Plague of Silence effects.

The last major cultural group are the city goblins. They're the descendents of Ghaal'Dar goblinoids who weren't killed or fled when the humans conquered the continent, and were enslaved for a few thousand years. They're mostly lower g goblins, and were released from slavery about a thousand years before the current time. They're considered tax paying citizens and have all the rights (on paper) of human or [[Demihuman]] citizens of the countries they live in. However, they tend to be poor and live as second class citizens in many places due to racism and lack of opportunities, as well as objective reasons like short lifespan, meaning less time to get education for high-paying jobs compared to humans, and [[Warforged]] flooding the low-paying job market after the war and incidentally lowering wages for everyone else. The majority of them are loyal to their country of birth and consider themselves regular citizens, and they often dislike the Ghaal'Dar for commiting war crimes during the Last War and giving goblins a bad name. Most of the ones who were sympathetic to Ghaal'Dar moved to Darguun.

Goblins (like 99% of races in this setting) are not naturally evil in Eberron; they have the same range of alignments as every other sentient race. For cultural reasons they do tend towards being Lawful Neutral, but only slightly.

As a somewhat curious aside, D&D goblins are yellow (mostly) compared to the more usual goblin color of green. This trait survived even after the popularization of green Goblins in most other fantasy settings, most prominently the aforementioned Warhammer Fantasy and Warcraft. A few settings sometimes portray them as shades of grey, or the previously mentioned colors with a grey tint. They're even portrayed as red or deep orange in some artwork.

The D&D goblin has a ''huge'' family tree, to the point they even coined their own racial name; "[[goblinoid]]". The two most prominent goblin-kin are the [[bugbear]]s - large, hairy, brutish goblins that, arguably, are D&D's attempt to maintain the orcy archetype without making orcs & goblins officially related - and the [[hobgoblin]]s, who are literally Tolkien's Uruk-Hai.

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Goblin ODD1.png|Original D&D
Goblin MM 1e.jpg|1e
Markessa goblins A2.png
Goblin Monster card.jpg|AD&D Monster Card
goblin MCV1.jpg|2e
Goblin MM 2e.png
goblin First Quest.jpg
Goblin slaver First Quest.jpg|They call him Baby-Face
Goblin A0-A4.png
Goblin 3e.jpg|3e
Goblin 4e.jpg|4e. The only edition with GREEN goblins!
Goblin 5e.jpg|5e
TWBTW Jingle Jangle.png|Post-Tasha's they are looking pretty [[gnome]]y
TWBTW chucklehead.png
Goblin B1.png|Pathfinder
goblin ARG 1.png
goblin ARG 2.png
Goblin SF.png|Starfinder
</gallery>

==PC Stats==
===BECMI===
Goblin PCs first appeared, alongside many other "classic humanoids", as PCs in the Known World Gazetteer #10: The Orcs of Thar. Under the Basic system, they had the following crunch:

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the statblock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::Goblin Ability Modifiers: -3 Strength, +1 Dexterity, +1 Constitution
::Note: Like all Humanoids from "The Orcs of Thar", a Goblin has racial ability score caps of 18 in all scores bar [[Intelligence]] and [[Wisdom]], which are capped at 16.
::Note: Like all Humanoids from "The Orcs of Thar", a Goblin determines its [[Charisma]] score for interacting with [[human]]s and [[demihuman]]s by dividing its Charisma score by 3 (rounding down) and subtracting the result from 9.
::Goblin Natural Armor Class: 8
::Can become a [[Shaman]] (8th level) and a [[Wokani]] (6th level)

{| class=wikitable
!Goblin's's level || XP Required || Goblin's hit dice
|-
|0||0||d8-1
|-
|1||800||2d8-2
|-
|2||1,600||3d8-3
|-
|3||3,200||-
|-
|4||6,400||4d8-4
|-
|5||13,000||5d8-5
|-
|6||26,000||6d8-5
|-
|7||55,000||-
|-
|8||110,000||7d8-5
|-
|9||220,000||+2 Hit Points
|-
|Subsequent||160,000||+2 Hit Points
|}
</div></div>

===AD&D===
Goblins went on to appear in [[The Complete Book of|The Complete Book of Humanoids]]:
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the statblock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::Ability Score Modifiers: -1 Strength, -1 Charisma
::Ability Score Range: Strength 4/15, Dexterity 4/17, Constitution 5/16, Intelligence 3/18, Wisdom 3/18, Charisma 3/12
::Class Restrictions: [[Fighter]] 10, [[Cleric]] 9, Shaman 7, Witch Doctor 7, [[Thief]] 12
::Infravision 60 feet
::Can detect new or unusual constructions in an underground area with a 25% chance of success (1-2 on a d8).
::Goblin shamans have access to the Spheres of Divination, Reversed Healing, Protection and Reversed Sun.
::-1 Penalty to their attack rolls when in bright sunshine
::Monstrous Traits: Appearance (-2 to to reaction rolls), Bestial Habits (-2 to reaction rolls)
::Weapon Proficiencies: Axe, Military Pick, Morning Star Sling, Short Sword, Spear
::Nonweapon Proficiencies: Alertness, Animal Handling, Animal Training (Worg), Begging, Chanting, Close-Quarter Fighting, Fast-Talking, Fortune Telling, Hiding, Hunting, Information Gathering, Looting, Mining, Religion, Riding (Worg), Set Snares
</div></div>

===3e Stats===
In 3rd edition, goblins appeared as an NPC race in the [[Monster Manual]] and were made fully playable in [[Forgotten Realms: Races of Faerun]]. They were reprinted without change in a few books after that.

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the statblock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::-2 Strenth, +2 Dexterity, -2 Charisma
::Small
::Humanoid ([[Goblinoid]])
::Base speed 30 feet
::Darkvision 60 feet
::+4 racial bonus on Move Silently and Ride checks
::[[Favored Class]]: [[Rogue]]
</div></div>

===4e Stats===
Like in 3e, the goblin appeared as a PC class in the [[Monster Manual]] for 4th edition. However, like all such races in 4e, its statblok there was...serviceable, but underwhelming. However, one of the last sourcebooks of that edition to be published, "The Dungeon Survival Handbook", brought them back as an official race, and boy were they beefy!

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the statblock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::+2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom OR +2 Charisma
::Small
::Speed 6 squares
::Low-light vision
::+2 Bluff, +2 Stealth
::Goblin Reflexes: +1 to Reflex defense.
::Racial Power - Goblin Tactics: At will, as an immediate reaction to being missed by an enemy melee attack, you can shift 1 square.
</div></div>

The biggest boost that the DSHb gave, besides the flexible mental ability score boost, was a selection of racial feats and racial utility powers, both of which really strengthened the goblin's mechanics and thematics.

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the list of goblin racial traits
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
''Goblin Racial Feats:''
* Ankle Biter: +1 feat bonus per tier to damage rolls vs. creatures larger than you, +1d6 damage on critical hits against creatures larger than you.
* Desperate Goblin Tactics: When bloodied, Goblin Tactics lets you shift 3 squares.
* Goblin Feint: When you use Goblin Tactics, you gain Combat Advantage against the triggering enemy until the end of your next turn.
* Shadowcreeper: Requires [[Assassin]] class. When you use Goblin Tactics, you shift 2 squares and gain Partial Concealment until the end of your next turn.
* Sneaky Stabber: Requires [[Rogue]] class. When you deal Sneak Attack damage to an adjacent foe, reroll any damage rolls of 1 until you get a result higher than 1.
* Wrist Biter: When you use Goblin Tactics, the triggering enemy takes 1d4 damage per your character's tier before you shift.

''Goblin Racial Utility Powers:''
* Fast Filch: At-will. When adjacent to a creature granting combat advantage, as a minor action, you can make a Thievery check to pick its pocket or perform sleight of hand. Level 2.
* Leg Up: Encounter. When adjacent to a creature, as a move action, you can jump your speed horizontally or up to 10 feet vertically. Level 2.
* Little Green Lie: Encounter. If you fail a Bluff, Diplomacy or Intimidate check, you can re-roll the check as a free action. If it was a Diplomacy or Intimidate check, you can use your Bluff modifier instead. Level 2.
* Living Shield: Encounter. If you are hit by an enemy melee or ranged attack whilst adjacent to an ally, as an immediate interrupt, you can shift 1 square and transfer the hit to that ally. Level 6.
* Unwitting Guardian: Encounter. When adjacent to a Medium or larger creature, as a move action, you can can shift 1 square to enter the target's space, occupying it until the end of your next turn and being hidden from all creatures except the target. Level 6.
* Down and Through: Encounter. As a move action, choose a Medium or larger enemy adjacent to you and shift up to 5 squares to a different square adjacent to that creature; you can move through its space during this shift. Level 10.
</div></div>

===5e Stats===
Finally, goblins appeared as a PC race in 5th edition's Volo's Guide to Monsters. Like their fellow [[goblinoid]]s, the [[kobold]], the [[orc]] and the [[Yuan-ti]], they were officially described as "unbalanced", which has earned a lot of fan flak, as this is literally an open invitation for more close-minded DMs to refuse goblin PCs - goblin fans are still hoping that WotC will eventually put out a splatbook with a "more official" and/or balanced version of goblin PC stats. Ironically, they were better off than the poor kobold.

Hopes of a reboot were shattered when the Guildmaster's Guide to [[Ravnica]] came out in November 2018; whilst earlier [[Plane Shift]] articles had presented an alternative goblin statblock, the GGR simply reprinted the Volo's Guide stats below.

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the statblock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::+2 Dexterity, +1 Constitution
::Small
::Speed 30 feet
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Fury of the Small: Once per short or long rest, when you inflict damage with an attack or spell on a creature larger than you, inflict bonus damage equal to your level as you attack from below, probably punching the enemy in the balls.
::Nimble Escape: You can take the Disengage or Hide action as a bonus action on each of your turns.
</div></div>

Surprisingly enough, after a second reprint in Eberron: Rising, the children’s “activity book” Adventure with Muk gave an alternative playable writeup, specifically for the Dankwood Goblins featured. All this does though is raise +1 Wis instead of +1 Con, and replaces Fury of the Small for the Forest Gnome’s Speak with Small Beasts, letting them communicate simple ideas to Small beasts and smaller. Which is nice for the utility, I guess.

As mentioned above, [[Plane Shift]] featured alternative goblin stats first - two separate versions, in fact. Whether they are better than the official versions is a matter of debate, though...

;[[Zendikar]]
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the statblock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::+2 Constitution
::Small
::Speed 25 feet
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Grit: You have Resistance to Fire and Psychic damage, your Unarmored AC is 11 + Dexterity modifier.
::Tribal Affinity: Choose either the Grotag Tribe (you have Proficiency in Animal Handling), the Lavastep Tribe (you have Advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made in rocky or subterranean environments) or the Tuktuk Tribe (you have Proficiency with Thieves Tools).
</div></div>

;[[Ixalan]]
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the statblock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::+2 Dexterity
::Small
::Speed 25 feet, Climb 25 feet
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Climber: You have a Climb speed of 25 feet if you are not encumbered or wearing either medium armor or heavy armor.
</div></div>

====3rd Party Settings====
;[[World of Farland]]
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the statblock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::Ability Score Increase: +2 Dexterity
::Size: Small
::Speed: 30 feet
::Darkvision 60 feet
::Goblin Proficiencies: You are proficient with the Scimitar, Shortbow, and Light Armor.
::Nimble Escape: This is basically the same as the trait of the same name from 5e canon, except this version can only be used once per short rest.
::Subrace: Choose the Urban Goblin or Subterranean Goblin.
</div></div>

''Urban Goblin''
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the statblock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Constitution
::Urban Stealth: You have Proficiency in Stealth and apply twice your Proficiency bonus, rounded down, when making Stealth checks in Urban environments.
::Tenacious: After failing a saving throw, a skill check, or an ability check, you gain Advantage the next time that you make a save or check using that same ability score. This trait lasts until used or 24 hours have passed.
</div></div>

''Subterranean Goblin''
<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the statblock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::Ability Score Increase: +1 Wisdom
::Dungeon Stealth: You have Proficiency in Stealth and apply twice your Proficiency bonus, rounded down, when making Stealth checks in subterranean environments.
::Pious: You have Proficiency in the Religion skill.
::Improved Darkvision: Your Darkvision increases to 120 feet.
</div></div>

===Pathfinder===
Of course the [[Pathfinder]] ruleset included Goblins, and tweaked them up a bit from their third edition version by giving them more dexterity. By Paizo's own reckoning, this puts their overall Race Points (RP) on a par with the other PC races, so should be a viable option for players, even if it is a bit uninspired.

Pathfinder did considerably more to support Goblins as a usable race, for both players and DMs. An entire splatbook was dedicated to their place in Golarion, while they were also included in the Advanced Race Guide and had additional options in the Monster Codex, allowing for a respectable variety in race trait customisations, giving them things like bite attacks, perceptions boosts, weapon familiarity, among others; the ability to create a medium-sized goblin who is not a [[Hobgoblin]] (their secret is morbid obesity); a bunch of racial feats; and a handful of dedicated class archetypes, including [[Alchemist]]s with [[Awesome|flying mount companions]].

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%"> Click "Expand" to see the stablock.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
::-2 Strength, +4 Dexterity, -2 Charisma
::Small
::Humanoid ([[Goblinoid]])
::Base speed 30 feet
::Darkvision 60 feet
::+4 racial bonus on Ride and Stealth checks
</div></div>

=[[Half-Goblin]]s=
Given the strong connections between goblins and [[orc]]s in some settings, particularly in [[Dungeons & Dragons]]' older editions, and the existence of [[half-orc]]s, one may ask if there's ever been any love give to half-goblins? Well, ironically, not really; though [[Advanced Dungeons & Dragons]] claimed that [[goblinoid]]s interbred with each other and with orcs all the time, that fluff was lost after the change to 3rd edition, which wanted to try and make the two races distinct. As for goblin/human crossbreeding? Forget about it; they barely gave half-orcs any love, so you can imagine they'd be less than interested in half-goblins.

Except... there was one setting where [[goblinoid]]s took the place of orcs. In the [[Dragonlance]] setting, orcs don't exist, being replaced by goblins and [[draconian]]s, and so the half-goblin appeared there in 3.5's Races of Ansalon sourcebook. Surprisingly, they're known for both being very self-confident and assured (in fact, their Charisma penalty is described as stemming from coming across as ''too'' confident, making them seem overbearing or aggressive), in contrast to the propensity for wangsting endemic to half-orcs and half-elves in other settings, very brave (in contrast to the traditional goblin cowardice) and with a drive to be peacemakers and diplomats, rather like half-elves. Essentially, rather than bitching about being rejected by both worlds (human and goblin) or about the lack of a "true" half-goblin culture, half-goblins are near-universally driven to try and force the world to shape up and make a culture for them, by bringing goblins and humans to work together in peace. Which is actually kind of badass, and certainly a change from the norms for half-breeds. In essence, they're said to combine human ambition and drive with goblin ferocity and mob mentality.

Half-goblins are described as looking more or less like human-sized goblins; half-bugbears might be particularly hairy, and half-"common" goblins shorter than average, but still within the human stature. Although this stature can lead to them being mistaken for [[hobgoblin]]s, they apparently lack quite as many fangs and have more human-like eyes, which makes the difference obvious enough at a closer look.

=[[Magic: The Gathering]]=
{{Topquote|Goblins are eager to follow orders, especially when those orders involve stealing, hurting, annoying, eating, destroying or swearing.|''Krenko's Command'' flavour text}}

It should be no surprise that Goblins appear in Magic. Showing up in the very first set, Goblins have risen to be one of the most popular tribes in the game, and boy do they get a ton of support. They are known as the "characteristic" species of red, which means that they show up in pretty much every plane as the default red-aligned race. In fact, the number of planes in which goblins do not appear on can be counted on one hand. In general, when goblins show up, they are shown to be chaotic and unruly. They almost always have green or red skin, and travel in large groups, though this isn't always the case. On [[Ixalan]], they look more like monkeys with white fur and black skin, and tend to be individualistic. They love fire and scrapping together machines and weapons that should by no stretch of the means work, but they do. More often than not, these inventions require the sacrifice of another goblin to get it working properly.

As a tribe, goblins often have small bodies and weak frames. When they show up with high power, it's usually at the cost of toughness. They are cheap to get out onto the battlefield, cheap to search up, and attack fast. They are perfect for aggressive red strategies, and they often come with ways to dump out even more goblins out onto the field. This usually comes in the form of goblin creature tokens, but some of the most powerful goblins let you dump them straight from your hand! If you don't wipe the board, or take out the few key goblins holding the deck together, you can expect the battlefield to be swarming with the little guys, and you'll be losing fast.

Goblins aren’t always evil in MtG settings. Usually they’re more of a footnote that don’t even appear in any actual stories, and on cards they’re often portrayed as more destructive than outright evil; picture an entire race whose approach to warfare is indistinguishable from an audition for Jackass. There are occasional appearances of Goblins in less chaotic contexts such as Boros Recruit, which depicts a Goblin footman. Mirrodin offers the biggest example of a heroic Goblin, with the forest Elf main character of the first block having a companion named Slobad who was an elderly Goblin machinist.

=[[Warcraft]]=

{{Topquote|Every great goblin invention was born from necessity, bubble gum, or an accident.|Goblin adage}}

Goblins are a staple race in the Warcraft franchise. They have green skin, are very short, have long and strong fingers, long noses, large pointy ears, and sharp teeth.

In Warcraft 2, when the game expanded to more than just Humans, Orcs, Ogres, and Demons, Goblins were first mentioned. They were small mechanically-inclinded lunatics who invented great devices and were god-tier chemists. They offered their services to the Horde since it gave them more opportunities to wreak havoc and the races that would come to be those of the Alliance had ignored them for their entire history.
The Goblins mainly performed recon and VIP transport for the Horde via their Zeppelins, demolitions in the form of suicide Sapper squads, the invention of airtight missile-launching capsules that were tied to the backs of giant turtles to use as submarines, and finally experimenting on their Forest Troll allies to transform them into giant Berserkers. In secret they also helped the resident Sauron, an insane evil dragon named Deathwing, in his various endeavors. Goblins were described as insane, sadistic, and greedy for gold.

In Warcraft 3, Goblins became a neutral group. It was revealed only a small portion of the Goblin race actually worked with the Horde, while the others have always provided their services to anyone with gold to spend and after the fall of the first Horde they have enforced that their own race remain entirely neutral to all factions. They did little of importance other than provide transportation for the various power players in this time.
When the second Horde was building their capital of Durotar, a small number of Goblins lead by world famous Gazlowe provided them with fair deals (which is itself a big deal for their race) for Goblin services including demolition.

In vanilla World of Warcraft, Goblin lore expanded even further; a small number of Goblins were seen in the Alliance, some among the Horde, while it was revealed almost the entirety of their race dwell on an island called Kezan which has a massive underground city called the Undermine. The Cartels run Kezan, the most powerful of which is the Steamwheedle Cartel which performs the basic services offered in Warcraft 3. They maintain a few cities around the world including Ratchet (Gazlowe's city nearby Durotar), Booty Bay (a port which services anyone who reaches it, mainly pirates although they are just as much at threat from pirate attack), Gadgetzan (a desert city of scum and villainy, plus a small gladiatorial arena), and Everlook (a town high in the mountains of Kalimdor near by ancient magical Elf ruins).

Goblins have a racial rivalry with the other mechanically minded race, [[Gnomes]], although hostility varies from giant robot wars to having a giant racetrack where they see which race can build the best vehicles to next-door neighbors who collaborate with each other on inventions and take any opportunity to try and make the other admit their philosophy is better. In general, the Goblin philosophy is "Chemicals, 50% chance of exploding is acceptable, build it fast, what we’re really here to make is big bucks people!" while the Gnomish philosophy is "Magic and radiation, 10% chance of turning anything from your hair a different color to your entire self into a chicken is acceptable, take your time and spend decades if need be, do it all for the love of knowledge and invention".

In Cataclysm, Goblins recieved a MAJOR update as they became a player race. One of the cartels which was one of the weaker ones (having their section of Kezan entirely on the surface, mainly producing pop culture, cars, sports, and edibles) joined the Horde after Deathwing set their portion of Kezan on fire (since in the middle of a not-football game a ball was kicked and hit him). Their trade prince sold the entire Cartel into slavery after charging them all their possessions for supposedly safe passage off the island, and the ships were caught in a naval battle between the Horde and Alliance. After conquering the island, they then joined the Horde which was in the middle of becoming a fascist genocidal dictatorship again thanks to shit leaders (also, their trade prince got to keep his job despite the mess he caused). They quickly upgraded the Horde from catapults to giant robots and from bow and arrow to machineguns, then created their own new capital by completely renovating a huge chunk of the continent into the symbol of the Horde complete with a Mount Rushmore of their racial leader.
During the Kezan levels it was also revealed that Goblins have become multicultural, taking on things previously alien to them like worship of the light and shamanism (although the former is seen as a combination of medic and television evangelism, while the latter is perceived as cutting deals with nature). Kezan is very modern and has television, pop stars, sunglasses, champagne, fancy cars, neon lights, not-Chinese food, electricity and lightbulbs, and many other conveniences not seen elsewhere in the rest of the Renaissance setting outside the homeland of the Gnomes.

Goblin origins were also explained. In ancient times, Goblins were a semi-intelligent race of monkeys which were enslaved by Island Trolls and forced to mine a substance called Kajamite. Kajamite has a side-effect of causing a huge boost to intelligence (although not coherent thought) in anyone who imbibes it, and one day the Troll slavemasters entered the mines to whip their tiny laborers and were disintegrated with laser beams. Since then, the Goblins have mined Kajamite and used it as an ingredient in ingestibles of all kinds (including "Kaja-cola") although their supply was beginning to run out, and there was fear they may regress back to being mere monkeys without it. Like most Cataclysm plots, this was never brought up again, although there were hints that with the Kaja-cola that was left everywhere they go, that monkeys drinking it have started becoming intelligent as well.

Goblins in Warcraft 2 had extremely squeaky, high-pitched voices and tended to babble or shriek. In Warcraft 3 the shrillness of the voice was lessened, and they became more calm and coherent. The Goblins in World of Warcraft still have a voice that is higher-pitched than a human, although only slightly more for males while gaining something of an American Brooklyn accent. The non-Bilgewater Goblins still speak in their Brooklyn accent or a general American accent, whereas the Bilgewater Goblins speak like they're from New Jersey both in accent and expression.

<gallery>
Image:GoblinZeppelin.png|A Goblin Zeppelin pilot in Warcraft 2.
Image:GoblinSappers 2.jpg|Goblin Sappers in Warcraft 2.
Image:Goblin Sappers.jpg|Warcraft 3 Goblin Sappers.
Image:Goblin Tinker WX.png|Warcraft 3 Goblin Tinker.
Image:WoW Goblin Fem.jpg|World of Warcraft female Goblin player characters.
Image:Warcraft Goblin Player Male.jpg|World of Warcraft male Goblin player characters.
Image:GOBLINS AND GNOMES.jpg|Goblin/Gnome rivalry.
Image:Kezan.png|The Bilgewater portion of Kezan.
Image:Goblin Easter.png|Goblins are into holidays in a big way, either as a business conspiracy or over-enthusiasm.
Image:Goblin femSapper.jpg
</gallery>

=[[Goblin Slayer]]=

{{Topquote|Before the demons destroy the world, the goblins will destroy the villages. The world being in danger isn't an excuse to let the goblins live.|The slayer himself}}

[[Skarsnik|The said goblin in this manga while being a weak, tiny and barbaric humanoid is capable of many unorthodox tactics and teamwork that they could outplay and murder low level adventurers numerous times, whom the said adventurers underestimate the cunning goblins]]. They are barbaric primitives so they have to loot tools. However, they are capable of some degree of intelligence, like using signs like totems to create distractions as well as cover their weapons with urine and poisonous herbs to not only prevent adventurers from healing themselves, but also mark them with scents for goblins have an acute sense of smell. While they use mercenaries and pets such as wolves and orcs to further boost their effectiveness, the biggest contributors of their horde are their red shirt goblin goons, who are weak, small, but expendable and effective while attacking in groups. The horde is often led by a goblin mage that is capable of casting spells like fireball.

Oh, and this being Japan, they're sadists native to the moon who have only one gender and use females of other races to reproduce; given their brutal nature, it's done via rape. What the hell else would you read this shit for?

=Troll 2 Goblins=
The notorious movie Troll 2 infamously [[Irony|features no actual trolls]]<ref>Nor any connection to its purported prequel, ''Troll'' from 1986, which is a fascinatingly bad movie in itself. Troll 1 features a surprisingly strong cast and a pair of protagonists both named "[[Harry Potter]]" (Sr. and Jr.), among a great deal of other weirdness unrelated to its "sequels". Further, there have been ''two'' movies released as "Troll 3", neither of which has a [[troll]], nor much connection to either Troll 1 or 2 or each other (one purported Troll 3 features a "hobgoblin" and the other features killer trees). And then there was a semi-official sequel to Troll 2 called "Goblin 2" (Troll 2 being originally filmed under the title "Goblins") that actually featured a [[troll]] (and no actual goblins). But enough about other filmmakers' [[Pun|Trolling]] of audiences.</ref>. It instead features goblins (thus, its presence in this article), who live in the town of Nilbog ("Its Goblin backwards!"), and who, for the purposes of this movie, are vegetarian monsters who turn their human victims into plants via various potions and other concoctions. (The writer/director was an Italian with ''issues'', okay?)

That being said, the Troll 2 goblins are worth mentioning just because "vegetarian monsters who convert their prey into plants" is a fairly good line for "just how weird you can go with goblins", and also a good adventure seed that could be used for a minor [[World of Darkness]] mystery baddie.

=Monstergirl Depictions=
{{Monstergirls}}
[[Image:Goblin_Bar_Wench.png|thumb|200px|"Hey sugar, what'll you be having? Tonight's special is already served to your table."]]

{{Topquote|You can [...] design them so unexpectedly attractive that it'll make people question if they discovered a new fetish, or if it was there all along and this was just its awakening.|JoCat, ''A Crap Guide to D&D - Goblins''}}

Traditionally, the idea of goblins being [[monstergirls]] was something of a niche, at best; most thought of them as just hideous, stupid, filthy little monsters - who would want to put their dicks in that?

Ironically, it was [[Warcraft]] that probably first sowed the seeds of female goblins being fuggable; whilst the attractiveness of female goblins in that game is contentious, people must admit that they were better-looking than the tumor-riddled, snaggle-toothed, scarred abominations that made up the canon depictions of most goblins prior to that. They were certainly attractive enough to start scoring [[Rule 34]] artwork, and this became a revelation to fa/tg/uys: that goblin-girls did ''not'' have to be fugly!

From there, goblin-girls became an underground sensation, slowly developing and evolving in the steamier underbelly of /tg/ and on /d/ (or at least its "western counterpart" /aco/) until they have become as mainstream in the /tg/ fandom as any monstergirl has a chance of being. When brought up, expect the occasional joking argument on whether it should be standard for female goblins to be referred to as "goblettes".

Because goblins vary so widely in their depictions, it shouldn't be surprising that goblin-girls likewise have been a particularly fertile ground for interpretations. There are five "mainstream" depictions of the goblin-as-monstergirl you will probably encounter on /tg/, and many different sub-forms and cross-pollinations. All depend on which of the various "goblin aspects" a creator deigns to focus on; tinker skills, short-sighted hedonism, mischievousness, propensity towards rapaciousness, and/or fertility:

* The "Pervy Tinker" archetype directly traces its roots back to Warcraft's Rule 34'd goblins: this envisions goblins as a "techy" race with a strong lewd streak, leading to them focusing their mad science skills on coming up with newer and more deviant ways of getting off. Depending on the fundamental tech level of the setting and the creator's own tastes, this can range from aphrodisiac gas grenades and crystal-powered sybians, to [[golem]]s built as living sex engines, bimbofying/transforming [[magitek]] rayguns, and vat-grown tentacle monster pets. Rule 34 interpretations of World of Warcraft lore can be counted as this, as well as rare goblins in Corruption of Champions that are mentally stable enough to keep their panties on while in a lab.
* The "Shameless Slut" archetype likewise has its roots in Warcraft goblins, vis-a-vis their canonical obsession with money, but is perhaps one of the more widely known "generic" archetypes as well. These goblins are hedonists who take a great deal of pride in their libido and their love of pleasure, integrating with the other races and usually gravitating towards roles based on "entertaining"; from barmaids to outright prostitutes. In fact, they are often depicted as actively enjoying whoring themselves out, as it ensures a steady stream of partners and profit, whilst sating their perverse and degrading sexual desires. These goblin-girls are often size-queens, specifically choosing partners based on the stature of their masculine organs. The adult comic artist Incase is fond on this archetype, and might as well have codified it with his drawings.
* The "Mischief Maker" archetype is the most innocent of the archetypes; portraying goblins as just playful, fun-loving hedonists whose greatest aims in life are pranking, partying, and making love, not necessarily in that order. This archetype is the closest to a pornified parallel of the old "civil goblins are just green-painted Halflings/Gnomes" canard, as the latter two in porn tend to also be found in whimsical depictions of normalized-sex communes. These goblins are still generally less sentimental with their "free love" compared to them, but are significantly less transactional than the Shameless variety, and derive plenty of pleasure out of teasing their paramours.
* The "Savage Slut" archetype is perhaps the oldest of the archetypes, as it owes its origins to the original interchangeability of goblin and [[orc]]. These goblins are basically sexy "savages"; wild and primal little monstergirls who live a primitive lifestyle centered on hunting, playing, and of course capturing & having sex with men. Essentially, this depicts goblins as [[shortstack]] or [[loli|"a loophole for masturbating to underage children"]] orcs. Kenkou Cross' Monster Girl Encyclopedia is squarely focused on this aspect.
* The "Breederphile" archetype is, in comparison, probably the youngest of these archetypes. These goblins are defined by their racial pregnancy fetishism, and by having bodies almost literally built to breed. Being impregnated is intensely orgasmic, pregnancy either fills them with bliss, makes them incredibly horny, or both, birth is a series of some of the most intense orgasms of their lives, and social standing revolves around how many daughters they have to boss around. {{BLAM|+++...SCANNING...+++}} {{BLAM|+++Congratulations Neophyte, you have just weathered the single worst psychic assault a slaaneshi daemon is capable of unleashing; you may now be promoted into the ranks of the [[Grey Knights]].+++}} This archetype does make some sense if you think about it: after all, as a 'cannon fodder' species for PCs, where do all the Goblins come from? Corruption of Champions might as well have pioneered this archetype.
* The "Ghetto Goblin", while not part of the "five aspects" breakdown, has a decent-sized backlog of smut and is unique enough to be worth an honorable mention. This variant of goblin-girl portrayal is native to [[Urban Fantasy]] settings. Mostly played as a watered-down mix of the "Shameless Slut" and "Breederphile" archetypes (the "water" in this case being some occasionally-awkward racial coding), Ghetto Goblins tend to be used as an attempt at a less-overtly-offensive repackaging of old "hot-blooded Latina" or "Ghetto Black Girl" racial stereotypes in that they are: sexually open, tend toward foul language and fiery tempers when angry and lewd vocalizing or body-language when aroused or teasing others, frequently dressed provocatively, and very often have a pronounced species/raceplay kink. While breeding for the Ghetto Goblin isn't usually as erotic as it is for the Breederphile, the social status of the Ghettoblin is often measured by how many offspring they have, how often they have sex, and how early they first had sex. They arouse easily, to the point that human men in their stories often need to talk Ghetto Goblins out of outright molesting them openly in public, not helped by the often-added detail of humans and goblins being very sensitive to each other's pheromones. As you can imagine, this is mostly a niche community depiction. More precisely, it was codified and achieved popularity on [[/aco/]] based almost entirely on the output of one prolific writefag.

Whilst these archetypes are certainly well known and defined, there are also two setting-specific depictions of goblin monstergirls that have achieved enough recognition to be recognizable by name; the MGE Goblin and the CoC Goblin.

The [[Monster Girl Encyclopedia]] depiction of the goblin is essentially a mashup of the Mischief Maker and the Savage Slut archetypes. These primitive mamono live in tribal clusters, entertaining themselves by playing pranks on each other or the races around them, hunting game, and conducting banditry for fun, profit, and boyfriends. In appearance, they resemble pointy-eared human [[loli]]s with horns and superhuman strength, allowing them to fight with weapons that only a strong human man would normally have a chance of lifting. Simple-minded and carefree, they have no intention of giving up the lifestyle they so enjoy.

The CoC Goblin takes its name from Corruption of Champions, a [[/d/|hentai]] fantasy text adventure game that was popular on /tg/ for a while, before the fact that [[furries]] are much more willing to put money where their mouth is when it comes to getting fetishistic shit done led to the inevitable flooding of the game with [[beastfolk]] waifus and encounters and /tg/ promptly banished it. Still, before it went under, it had a significant impact on the goblin-girl arena: CoC may not have created the idea of the Breederphile archetype, but it certainly brought it to the attention of what passes for /tg/ mainstream. CoC's goblins are Breederphiles who became a pregnancy-obsessed all-female race due to succubus-corruption in their water supply. Once a brilliant race of alchemists and inventors, they have since devolved into a Savage Slut culture, living in crude tribes based on a massively curvy matriarch, her husband(s), and as many daughters as she can make who are willing to stick around - whilst goblins are fiercely competitive with each other, there is also safety in numbers, keeping them from being eaten by [[hellhound]]s or raped/beaten to death by [[minotaur]]s. Such clans are often notably inbred, for their corruption means they have little sense of objection to incest, with only the matriarch's jealous possessiveness in regards to her husband keeping her daughters at bay. They're also examples of the Pervy Tinker archetype, using what remains of their former knack for invention to create sex toys and perverse alchemical concoctions for use in subduing husbands and molding them to their liking.

One memorable goblin monstergirl is Zanik from [[RuneScape]]. Zanik is a badass female goblin adventurer who is the star of one of the game's major story arcs, wherein she helps the player save her tribe of technologically advanced goblins from a KKK-like cult of racist humans and then from an evil god of war who wants to take back control of her tribe. Fans of the game were so mad when the developers killed her off unfairly (and also gave her a graphical update that made her extra-ugly) that they later brought her back with a cuter redesign (though now fans complain that her new look is ''too'' cute).

Incidentally, one of the first modern references to a sexy Goblin monster girl may be, of all things, a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NwPJo4ysXI Frank Zappa song].

<gallery>
Image:Cute_Goblin_Adventurer.jpg
Image:Goblin_Dancer.jpg
Image:Goblin_Adventurer_1.png
Image:Goblin_Monk_1.jpg
Image:Goblin_Shamaness_1.jpg
Image:Goblin_Shamaness_2.jpg
File:MGE Goblin.jpg|When Lolis go after predators.
File:ZanikFanRedesign.jpeg|Zanik's graphical overhaul was so bad one dude decided to [[Get shit done|salvage it himself]].
</gallery>

=Gallery=
<gallery>
Image:Sneaky Goblin.gif
Image:Goblin Knight.JPG|A more "player character" variety.
Image:GreenGoblin3.jpg|Most goblins tend to [[Alchemist|throw pumpkin bombs]] and use flying crafts to annoy [[/co/|superheroes]].
</gallery>

=See also=
* [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition races]]
* [[Unified Setting/Goblins]] Yet another take on a classic concept.
* [[Goblin Slayer]], a man with a serious beef against goblins.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqx4ywmqYUw The most common reaction to Goblins]
* [[Goblinoid]], for the extended goblin family.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLLHu8qtxjg Rare footage of a Goblin ritual. Purpose unknown.]

{{D&D1e-Races}}
{{D&D2e-Races}}
{{D&D4e-Races}}
{{D&D5e-Races}}
{{Pathfinder-Races}}
{{Starfinder-Races}}
[[Category:Kings of War]][[Category:Monsters]]
[[Category: Goblin]]

Tarrasque

2022-09-17T08:55:21Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* (3.5) How to Become The Tarrasque */

[[Image:Tarrasque.jpg|400px|right]]
The '''Tarrasque''' is basically Florida Man Godzilla. It's a pure fucking engine of destruction. Dreaded by adventurers for its high HP value and its obscenely high regeneration ability, only surpassed by Zargon the Returner in the [[Elder Evils]] book, it is known to rampage across nations eating everything. It cannot fully be killed through normal means; therefore, anyone lucky enough to reduce a Tarrasque to negative 30 HP will then have to use a [[wish]] or a miracle spell to completely destroy it, with only a 50% chance of success. If unsuccessful it will wake up again x years later and fuck more shit up. Also, no matter how big your army is (assuming your adventuring party had enough cash to recruit mercenaries), the Tarrasque's fast metabolism will allow him to produce such powerful flatulence that all your troops will die by suffocation in just one turn.

He only wakes up for 1-4 days every 2-12 months, but every now and then he stays up for several weeks before napping for several years for some reason that's never explained. Yeah, he's a heavy sleeper. Must be all the binge drinking.

Named after a famous [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarasque dragon myth] from the south of France, which originally featured Saint Martha (a chick from the Bible, [[What| because it totally makes sense that someone like that would be in France of all places]]) taming the beast with her prayers and piety, only for the people to freak out and kill it anyway once it came quietly, because man is the real monster, etc. You are welcome to try that on this version of the beast. We'll wait. With popcorn well in hand. Incidentally, this is almost certainly the origin of the shell on its back and the fierce, leonine look of its head.

As 3.Xe went on, more and more monsters were introduced to constantly one up the Tarrasque who already had to compete with Great Wyrm Dragons. In the monster manual II, we at first got the Leviathan and the Phoenix, neither of which had an comparable hit point count (though the phoenix has some fuckawesome spell like abilities, and goes boom with the force of a disintegration spell when killed, after which it promptly COMES THE FUCK BACK TO LIFE!) and Linnorms, who are massively over CRd. Nothing really similar to the Tarrasque was introduced in the other three monster manuals save for Dalmosh, who the Tarrasque would eat for breakfast, and then there was this giant prismatic...hamster...thing. But then a (lot of) challenger(s) approached when the [[Epic Level Handbook]], and the very first monsters that were undoubtedly bigger and stronger than the Tarrasque appeared in the form of Abominations, Colossi, Prismatic and Force Dragons, Devastation Vermin, and other such shit (like the bullshit permanent HP loss inducing wights.) Then came the books of Vile Darkness and Exalted Deeds which gave us the outsider lords, then came Deities & Demigods, and the fiend folio which gave us thunder worms, after which wizards didn't make much more uber-high CR shit. The Tarrasque got a break when the Fiendish Codex 1 nerfed the fuck out of the demon lords, though the Fiendish Codex 2 kept the Lords of the Nine where they were. Then came the [[Elder Evils]] book (a fuckawesome splatbook) and now the Tarrasque was literally swimming in competitors.

But salvation came when Dragon Magazine and the WotC website offered advanced and templated Tarrasque statistics, allowing the Tarrasque to reclaim his rightful spot as the strongest creature in all of D&D. That's right, you Atropals and your other abomination pals can fuck off, the big T is number 1!!!111ONEONEONE
[http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/5789941/ According to some, however, the Tarrasque is actually a pretty swell guy.] Well almost. The same Dragon Magazine issue that had the advanced Tarrasque statistics also introduced Time Dragons, Epic Dragons that dwarf even the Force and Prismatic dragons.

''[[Spelljammer]]'', as usual, had its own unique spin on the Tarrasque. Turns out, in their native environment, Tarrasques are peaceful lithovores that wouldn't harm a fly. It's just that the nitrogen-rich atmosphere of most habitable planets simultaneously super-charges their regeneration and collects in several glands in the brain, resulting in their typical murderous insanity.

Traditionally, the Tarrasque's biggest weakness was its lack of any ability to counter flying opponents. Surprisingly, both [[Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition|4e]] and [[Pathfinder]] took steps to fix this, though they did it in different ways. 4e gave the bugger an "Earthbinder Aura" that covers a fuckhuge area -- 40 squares, bigger than any other effect in the game and wider than any other attack can reach -- in a magical effect that cripples Flight speed to 1 square a round and forces a max altitude of 20 feet... which, as the book sardonically notes, is well within the Tarrasque's reach. Pathfinder instead just gave ol' Tarry the ability to make about 6 ranged attacks a turn and the power to make fuckhuge leaps. Both games explicitly made the Tarrasque unkillable, so even Wish doesn't kill it now; when its health drops to 0 it just burrows deep underground to hibernate. Though 4e does note that Earthbinder Aura might mean that Big T is somehow tied to the earth, and as such it might (maybe) be possible to kill it if one were to find a way to "coax it off this world," whatever that means. (Shoot the Tarrasque into space. You know you want to.)

5th edition further boosts its threat level by giving it the ability to auto-pass three failed saves a day, magic resistance, the ability to reflect ranged spells back at the idiot who casted them, and the ability to make five attacks in a single turn. And that's ''before'' it gets its Legendary Actions! However, it once again lacks any long-range attacks, no longer regenerates, and while it does have decent anti-magical defenses, you no longer need a Wish spell to kill it, leading to a derogatory saying among fans of the old nigh-indestructible Tarrasque that "the new Tarrasque is basically just a big dinosaur". Granted, nothing stops you defying RAW and upscaling an older variant, but...

== How to Kill A Tarrasque ==
What are its weaknesses? Well... it has a stat block. Unlike, say, The [[Lady of Pain]] the Tarrasque is designed to be tough but not totally unstoppable, un-killable or omnipotent. And if something can be killed in a game, it can be Cheesed.

The following are mental exercises, not meant for actual gameplay. In a real game, a halfway-decent Dungeon Master would come up with a creative solution, and hopefully a player wouldn't really optimize a character solely for the sake of killing a unique creature that might never appear in the campaign.

So stop bitching about how "this would never happen in a real game."

Although all this could mean jack shit if your Dungeon Master decides to strengthen the Tarrasque.

===(3.5) How to Kill A Tarrasque in 20 Easy Levels===
First, the feats for each level (''and source book if it's not the PH''):
*Human extra feat: Power Attack
*Fighter 1: Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus: Greatsword
*Fighter 2: Improved Bull Rush
*Fighter 3: Mage Slayer
*Fighter 4: Weapon Specialization: Greatsword
*Fighter 6: Leap Attack (''Complete Adventurer''), Shock Trooper (''Complete Warrior'')
*Fighter 8: Blind-Fight
*Fighter 9: Pierce Magical Concealment (''Complete Arcane'')
*Fighter 10: Melee Weapon Mastery: Slashing (''Player's Handbook II'')
*Fighter 12: Greater Weapon Focus: Greatsword, Pierce Magical Protection (''Complete Arcane'')
*Fighter 14: Greater Weapon Specialization: Greatsword
*Fighter 15: Martial Study: Tiger Claw: Claw at the Moon (''Tome of Battle'')
*Fighter 16: Martial Study: Tiger Claw: Sudden Leap (''Tome of Battle'')
*Fighter 18: Martial Study: Tiger Claw: Pouncing Charge (''Tome of Battle''), Weapon Supremacy: Greatsword (''Player's Handbook II'')
*Fighter 20: Improved Initiative

Key Equipment:
*+5 Speed, Valorous (''Unapproachable East''), Adamantine Greatsword: 166,050 gp, provides an extra attack at your highest attack bonus when making a full attack, and deals double damage on all charge attacks.
*+1 Soulfire ([[Book of Exalted Deeds]]), Heavy Fortification, Mithril Armor: 100,000 gp + the cost of the mithril armor, provides immunity to critical hits, death effects, and negative energy effects
*Manual of Gainful Exercise +5: 137,500 gp, provides a +5 inherent bonus to Strength
*Belt of Giant Strength +6: 36,000 gp, provides a +6 enhancement bonus to Strength
*Ring of Freedom of Movement: 40,000 gp, provides immunity to grappling and movement impedances
*Ring of Mental Protection (''Player's Handbook II''): 110,000 gp, provides immunity to mind-affecting effects
*Mask of True Seeing (''Unapproachable East''): 75,000 gp, provides continuous True Sight
*Dose of Rhul (''Lords of Darkness''): 50gp +4 alchemical bonus to Strength and Constitution and a -2 penalty to AC for 1 minute

Strength:
* 18 base from point-buy
*+5 from level ups
*+5 inherent bonus from Manual of Gainful Exercise
*+6 enhancement bonus from Belt of Giant Strength
*+4 alchemical bonus from Dose of Rhul
Total Strength: 38, with a Strength modifier of +14

Attack bonus with +5 greatsword when charging:
* 20 Base
*+14 Strength bonus
*+1 Weapon Focus
*+1 Greater Weapon Focus
*+2 Melee Weapon Mastery
*+5 enhancement bonus from magic weapon
*+2 charging
Total attack bonus when charging: +45

Damage with +5 greatsword:
*2d6 base damage
*+21 Strength bonus and a half
*+2 Weapon Specialization
*+2 Greater Weapon Specialization
*+2 Melee Weapon Mastery
*+5 enhancement bonus from magic weapon
Total damage: 2d6+32

So, you're a Human Fighter 20, standing 60 feet away from the death machine that is the Tarrasque. This is the moment of ultimate truth. If you lose initiative, you're supremely and irrevocably fucked like a bunny on fire in a bucket of gasoline with poo for a brain, since although you can survive a charge of the Tarrasque, you probably won't be able to survive the AoOs from repositioning you. If you win initiative though, with the help of some initiative-boosting items I forgot to list down then it's game time.

You spend a full-round action using your Pouncing Charge maneuver, which lets you charge and make a full attack at the end of it, while getting the +2 bonus to attack rolls on all your attacks. As part of your charge, you make a Jump check (easy enough with your ranks and Strength bonus) to activate Leap Attack, as you Power Attack for your full Base Attack Bonus, transforming the attack penalty into an AC penalty using Shock Trooper. So, you're making a full attack at +60 damage on each hit, at the cost of -20 AC and then another -2 AC from charging and another -2AC from the dose of Rhul. Now, at this point, the damage on each of your attacks would normally be 2d6+92 (average 99) from your Leap Attacking shenanigans. However, your Valorous weapon makes you deal double damage on any and all charge attacks, shooting it up to a ludicrous 4d6+198 (average 198). This isn't including critical hits, but they're a pain to calculate in 3.5 anyway.

So then, as you charge past the Tarrasque's threatened squares, it takes an AoO against you, using its bite. It damages you some, but it won't be able to score a crit thanks to your Heavy Fortification armour, and your Ring of Freedom of movement prevents a grapple and a swallow. You then make five attacks, at +45/+45/+40/+35/+30. The Tarrasque has "only" 35 AC. The first three only miss on a natural one, giving them a 95% hit chance. For the fourth one, you activate your +5 bonus from Weapon Supremacy, shooting it up to +40, and thus giving that one a 95% hit chance as well. The fifth and final attack is where you take 10, also using Weapon Supremacy, to make it automatically hit. So then, four attacks at a 95% hit chance, and one attack automatically hitting. 0.95 * 4 + 1 = 4.8.

4.8 * average 198 damage on each hit = average 950.4 damage in total. The Tarrasque has damage reduction 15/epic, however, subtracting a total of (15*4.8) = 72 damage from (nearly) five hits, but that's still an amazing 878.4 damage inflicted on the Tarrasque's hit point total of 858 anyway. At this point, the Tarrasque should be down to -209 or -210 hit points, meaning it will be back in action in 6 rounds, and that's why I hope you've got a means to cast Wish right then and there.

===(3.5) How to (unsuccessfully) Kill A Tarrasque in 18 Easy Levels===
Key Requirements:
*Cleric/Master of Shrouds with the [[JoJo's Bizarre Adventure|Time domain]].
*Greater Rod of Maximize spell or the Maximize Spell feat and DMM or Illumian race with the Naenhoon sigil word.

Method:
*Start your turn within close range and cast Maximized Time Stop giving you 5 turns to prep.
*For five turns use the Master of Shrouds ability to summon shadows, 4 each time for a total of 20. (For this to work we only need 15 shadows assuming they all hit, but best to be on the safe side.)
*Master of Shrouds gives +2 damage to all summons, Shadows deal 1d6 str damage on touch turning it into 1d6+2 str damage.
*All shadows ready action to touch Big T inappropriately when time stop ends.
*Assuming one rolls a 1 and misses the shadows ''would'' deal a minimum of 19*3(min str damage) = 57 str damage, no save, no SR... if the tarrasque wasn't immune to ability damage.
*Even if it wasn't immune to ability damage, although Big T has a str score of 45 (only 15 would actually have to hit) and the shadow ability specifies that when a living creature has its str reduced to 0 it dies, it could be argued that the tarrasque's immunity to death effects would also apply here. Of course, it'd still take 868 nonlethal damage and stay at 0 Str for as long as the shadows keep fondling it and another day on top.

===(3.5) How to Kill A Tarrasque in 17 Easy Levels (or 1, if you are wealthy)===
Start off as a Cleric or Wizard. Add whatever full spellcaster PrC's you want/qualify for. Reach 17th level.

Key Equipment:
*Holy Symbol (Cleric) or Spellbook (Wizard). If you're a Wizard, you'll need to have learned the Gate spell.
*Some method of flying for around 10 rounds or so (yes, you can use a spell if you have a suitable one). Or just be able to run quickly.

Method:

Stand (or fly) far enough away from the Tarrasque so that it can't attack you.
Cast Gate, to Call an Angel (Solar). You should be able to get one with at least 34 HD.
Have the Solar attack the Tarrasque with Slaying arrows. Be ready to hit the Tarrasque with ongoing damage once it goes down, but stay out of melee range of it.
Use the Solar's Wish (Spell Like ability) to kill it. If that fails, have the Solar cast Miracle (one of its standard spells).

Note: Anyone with 8,400 gp (including a wealthy 1st level Commoner) can also accomplish this by using a Good aligned Candle of Invocation.

===(3.5) How to Defeat The Tarrasque in 3 Easy Levels===
[[Image:Kill_tarrasque.jpg|300px|thumb|right|The illustrated guide.]]
*No particular feats required.
*No particular items required.
*Be a wizard of level 3.
*[[meme|Put on your robe and wizard hat]].
*Cast Command Undead on an allip (it's a CR 3 monster, if you can't find any just learn to cast Summon Undead.)
*Cast Silent Image in front of the Tarrasque or Invisibility on yourself.
*Have the allip attack it. Every hit will take off 3 wisdom on average with no saving throw, and the Tarrasque has an abysmal touch AC, with no way to hit incorporeal targets.
*Once at 0 wisdom, it'll be unconscious until its ability score is restored. Cast Unseen Servant and order it to shovel dirt into the nasal passages and sinuses of the disabled Tarrasque so it can't breathe.
*Per the MM, regeneration does not restore HP lost from suffocation, so it will be stuck at negative hit points, at least until some fool unpacks the dirt from its sinuses.
*Congratulations! For defeating the Tarrasque, you're now a level 4 wizard, with 1 XP away from level 5. Make some wealth by opening a Bar and Grill on its back.
*For added hilarity, take the Precocious Apprentice feat and with some mildly lucky rolls do this at level 1.

Note: alternatively, bring many allips to the fight since Command Undead lasts for days/level. The Tarrasque's natural weapons are treated as magic, which according to the Rules Compendium <strike>gives them a 50% chance to ignore to incorporeality. In that case the Tarrasque can take down 1 or 2 allips per round</strike> lets them bypass DR/magic, nothing more.

===(any edition) How to defeat The Tarrasque in 1 Easy Level===
[[Pazuzu]], [[Pun-Pun|Pazuzu, Pazuzu]]... ''gets knocked out by thrown DMG.''

===(3.5) How to ''Become'' The Tarrasque===
In 3.5 D&D, start as a Psion, focused on Telepathy. Take True Mind Switch.

Method:
* Fly near Tarrasque so it can't attack you.
* Cast True Mind Switch until you run out of XP, or the Tarrasque fails its save.
* If you run out of XP, leave, earn more, then come back later.
* If it fails the save, congratulations. You now possess the body of the Tarrasque, with all its invincibility, as well as the abilities of a 17th-level telepath. The rest of the multiverse is officially fucked.

This trick doesn't work in AD&D because the AD&D Tarrasque is explicitly immune to all psionics, but AD&D psionics are shit anyways. This trick probably won't work in Pathfinder either, as the PF Tarrasque is immune to "mind-affecting effects."

===(3.5) How to make the Tarrasque an Astral plane problem===
# Find a volunteer. Optional: get hair to make scrying easier to find them later.
# Distract the Tarrasque for one or two rounds
# Have the Volunteer put a portable hole in a bag of holding within 10 feet of the Tarrasque, the Tarrasque size means if he flanks the monster the distraction force will probably be outside the Portable hold bag of holding astral tear.
# being scattered randomly across the plane the odds of being near the tarrasque are minimal so you have time to find powerful magics to get the volunteer back.

===(4E) How to Defeat The Tarrasque in 6 Easy Levels===
*Be a 6th Level Wizard with a starting Intelligence of 20.
*Grab the Implement Focus feat.
*Buy a riding horse for 75g.
*[[meme|Put on your robe and wizard hat]].
*Obtain a +2 Staff of Missile Mastery.
*Cast Magic Missile on the Tarrasque while 20 squares away. With your staff and a reasonably high starting Intelligence, your Magic Missile will do more damage than the Tarrasque can resist, and hits automatically.
*Ride away from the Tarrasque until you're far enough that it can't close the distance with you in one of its turn. If you have the Wizard's Fury daily power, you can cast Magic Missile as a minor action, allowing you to use both your standard and move actions in order to maintain a distance of 20 squares.
*Repeat the last two steps a thousand more times. This will take roughly two hours.
*Congratulations! For defeating the Tarrasque, you are now level 18.
*For added hilarity, have some friends roll Warlords or other basic attack factories with their own horses, and switch off leading the Tarrasque while receiving extra basic attacks which can be used to fire more Magic Missiles.
*Beware the Tarrasque's burrow and action points - without action points it can't try to get a lucky shot on you or your horses. While burrowing, it cannot be seen but it can still be attacked, and your attacks are automatic hits - your magic missile simply veers into the tunnel it created and pops it in the ass. The rules never state that burrowing removes line of sight, only that the creature cannot be seen, which is different (for example, you can still attack an invisible enemy or an enemy you cannot see due to blindness.)

===(PF) How to imprison the Tarrasque in an inescapable prison===
*Create a [[Demiplane]] and make it permanent
*Make a permanent magic portal to it
*KO the Tarrasque and planeshift to that plane with it
*Cast Imprisonment on it or at least keep it underwater to stop it from waking up.
*Cast Greater Create Demiplane to make this plane have the dead magic trait, blocking all planar travel except the portal.
*Leave the plane and destroy the portal, ideally on both sides (Remote detonation of explosives, even as simple as throwing a lit torch through the portal, sending Constructs to do it or making the portal on a separate, non-permanent, demiplane are the easiest way to accomplish this.). If you really want to be sure, you never make any portal in the first place then get off by killing yourself to pop up in a Clone on the prime material or have a construct use a magic item to bring the KOed Tarrasque to dead end plane.

This still requires you defeat it the old fashioned way though. Fortunately it's no longer the most powerful monster: That would be Great Cthulhu, who, while not a god, may as well be one. Bestiary 6 had a fetish for unkillable monsters above CR 20 and now we have giant [[Qlippoth]] lady-mushrooms with a reach of over a mile Giving birth to Quippoths from blisters.

===(PF) How to Defeat The Tarrasque===
By tricking it into thinking you turned it into something harmless and mortal, like a squirrel. See, its regeneration is ''technically'' just another ability in its stat block. It even follows all the normal rules for special abilities, like specifically being extraordinary, so it still works in antimagic fields. So since Baleful Polymorph removes all extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities, that would include its regeneration, which would render it mortal. There's just one little catch. Baleful Polymorph only does that on the ''second'' save, and since the Tarrasque is immune to polymorph effects, it never even reaches that point.

Enter Baleful Shadow Transmutation. This spell does functionally the same thing as Baleful Polymorph, but puts the save in the opposite order. It doesn't matter if you're immune to polymorph effects, because the spell just starts off by tricking you into ''thinking'' you were polymorphed, causing you to lose all those abilities... like the Tarrasque's regeneration. Sure, you still need to overcome SR 36 and +12 Will, but that's comparatively easy.

* [[Android]]s and anyone with access to the Nanite Bloodline (which can be obtained via [[Sorcerer]], a bloodline granting archetype, the Eldritch Heritage feats, or variant multiclassing) have an ability called Nanite Surge that lets them, once per day, add their character level +3 to any roll, including spell resistance checks. This makes bypassing SR36 automatic at level 16+, and doable even earlier with more anti-SR effort. There's other ways around it, but ultimately spell resistance isn't a problem if you build for it.
* Boost the DC as high as you can. Ways to do this include
** By level 20, it's easy enough to have a solid 34 in your casting stat (18 base +5 levels +6 headband +5 tome = 34). This makes the base DC 22+spell level (typically 6 for BST).
** Heighten Spell lets it be a level 9 spell, increasing the DC by 3
** Spell Focus and Greater Spell Focus collectively increase the DC by +2

Now you just need the Tarrasque to fail a DC 33 Will save, and with a +12 bonus, that isn't looking too likely. It would need a natural 20 to pass. Conversely, you have at least a +20 to Will (+3 headband, +12 base, +5 resistance), so that DC 27 save against its frightful presence isn't looking too difficult.

Congratulations. You now have 24 hours to kill the Tarrasque, before it realizes you didn't actually turn it mortal.

===(5E) How to Kill the Tarrasque in 1 Easy Level===

*Be an [[Aarakocra]] or winged tiefling cleric, sorcerer, or wizard. Cleric is the optimal choice here, as Sacred Flame is better than Acid Splash and aarakocra get a Wis boost.
*Choose as one of your cantrips either Acid Splash or Sacred Flame (as both require a Dexterity saving throw, and the tarrasque has a +0 Dex save and advantage, it'll fail about 36.1% of the time).
*Fly 85 feet above the tarrasque
*Repeatedly cast your chosen cantrip at it, flying down 25 feet to be in range and then flying 25 feet back up (both cantrips have a range of 60 feet).
*Spend 1 hour blasting away.
*???
*<strike>Win</strike>. <strike>Die, because it's trivial for the Tarrasque to cover 85ft, even vertically, and kill the caster. The thing is already 50 feet tall, it has a 20ft reach on it's tail, and +10 to all Str skills, that's more than enough to hit a target 85ft away by jumping at it</strike>. Read better. <strike>Win. 85 feet above them, not 85 feet above the ground</strike> <strike>Die again because the Tarrasque can just hold it's action so when you dive down into range it will then jump and get you for sure.</strike> <strike>Win because you can't ready movement (which jumping is) AND an attack. It's one or the other, so the Tarrasque can't reach you. </strike> Lose because the Tarrasque readies an improvised weapon attack with a boulder it ripped out of the ground or something, which RAW does 4d4 damage and a lot more if the DM is logical, and has a max range of 60 feet.

===(5E) How to Kill the Tarrasque at any level in one or two rounds.===
*Conscript 1,500 Wood Elf Commoners, arm them with longbows
*Conscript 1,500 Clerics of the forge.
*Have the clerics use their "''Blessing of the Forge''" feature to enchant the longbows so they are all +1 magic items and then give those longbows to the elves.
*[[Dakka|Start shooting]]
*If the Tarrasque is still alive, then move 35 feet after loosing the arrows.
*Win

<div class="toccolours mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="100%">
And now the math behind that statement.
<div class="mw-collapsible-content">
In 5e a crit will always hit, and always do damage:25 Ac or not. So if 20 commoners shoot at the Tarrasque, mathematically 1 of them '''will''' hit and '''will''' do double damage due to the crit. The issue being that if you have 400 commoners shooting only about 20 of them will hit so you need a number of commoners high enough that even if 1/20 of them hit you will still do notable damage.

The Tarrasque has 676 hit points, While the average result of a D8 is 4.5. So you need 150 average damage rolls from a weapon that does D8 damage to kill the Tarrasque, but that's a base damage hit, not a crit. The average crit is double that at 9 damage, meaning you actually need 75 crits to do 676 damage to a Tarrasque. However the Tarrasque's "Frightful Presence", means any creature within 120 feet of it will likely be frightened and have disadvantage on the attacks. So our commoners now need to get a 20 twice on two different dice, a 0.002% chance.

To get 75 crits we first need 20 times that, for 1,500. Which all things considered is not an absurd number, there were far more longbow men at the Battle of Agincourt for example if we look to history and those were trained soldiers. But with disadvantage 1,500 commoners shooting at the Tarrasque means only about [[Fail|three]] will hit. To spare you the rest of the math to get 75 crits with disadvantage requires '''750,000 men'''. In One place. All shooting at One target. That's more people then were on fucking D-day. While the total number is better then that since about 20% of the time even a commoner will pass the Frightful Presence roll that is still beyond possible.

But "Frightful Presence" has a range of only 120 feet. If a range weapon was used that had more then 120 feet of range then we only need 75 crits, bringing us back to the reasonable 1,500 number. The longbow is the only candidate in D&D and as mentioned there is historical precedent in reality for that many trained archers being at one location so a even a strict DM would find it hard to object to this plan, and commoners are suppose to obey their lord when a muster is called so basically any well off noble or half decent or even bad king could pull this kind of draft off (assuming the nation is so poor it can't muster 1,500 trained soldiers), again lot of historical examples of this happening in countless political systems. In 5e when you make an NPC a race it gains that races traits, including in this case the wood elf weapon proficiency with longbows. So a wood elf commoner would know how to use the longbow. The cost to arm 1,500 elves is the sticking point with this plan: it would take 75,000 gold. But one could also make a strong argument for them already having them for hunting and home defense at least depending on the culture.

So with the army raised you approach the tarrasque to 130 feet, (we get closer then the longbow's max 150 range to allow the whole army to start shooting but it still means our ranks need to be less then 20 feet deep if we want the back ranks to be able to fire). If we get all 1,500 arrows in the air then we could get all 75 crits we need in the first volley, dropping the tarrasque in one round, but that required number of crits is of course on average and there are only ''"Lies, damned lies, and statistics"'' to quote a phrase. So there is a decent chance the Tarrasque is still alive. So now the whole army uses it's movement to take 35 feet (+5 due to being a wood elf) move back.

The Tarrasque now has three options: First it could with it's 40 speed step forward, but this puts it more then 120 feet away so it can not use Frightful Presence to impose disadvantage (130+35=165-40=125). or it can dash to get 80 feet closer so that next turn it can be in range no matter what the army does, but Frightful Presence is an action and dash is also an action, so either way it can not use Frightful Presence, and it's going to be point blank to an army of 1,500 longbow men, and unless the rolls are truly terrible they are going to do another 75~ish crits, to it next turn, mathematically doing twice the average damage of it's hit point maximize. It's third option is to run away like a little bitch, but supplying 1,500 men in the field is not impossible as proven countless times in history so one can easily give chase and repeat until it's over a border and it's no longer your problem.

If you were feeling fancy one could pad those numbers with a second reserve force of 1,000 troops behind the first line so that if the Tarrasque did to grip with the first line, (after taking 3,000 arrows to the face and about 150 crits), the second line could fire into the large target that is the Tarrasque as it's chews through the first line finishing the job as it would be badly bloodied from taking that many crits.

So why the clerics? Because the Tarrasque has total immunity to all non-magical physical damage, including fall damage, and total immunity to fire and poison, so you need a magic weapon or magical ammo to scratch it. So why clerics instead of magical ammo? It depends really on the setting. The 5e DMG says this about magic items: ''"If your campaign allows for trade in magic items,"'' Meaning in some settings buying magical ammunition may not be possible. Conversely if your dwarves for example are as forge happy as standard dwarves then across the whole of a dwarf kingdom you could easily scout up a thousand and a half of them, (but at that point your reaching across a border so example your GM to make just that step a quest and a half to even get there support). Conversely if that's not the case you'll have to look else where to get the magical support to cut through the Tarrasque hide.

One final note is remember that the DM can bend the rules. Yes, strictly speaking the Tarrasque can only be able to turn five peasants a turn into a red mist if it get's that close, but if you think your DM is actually going to roleplay this encounter that way you have another thing coming (and that thing being a cup of commoner smoothy).
</div>
</div>

Of course this all goes a far beyond D&D as an RPG and starts becoming a war game but it's not impossible at all for players to pull off, nor had D&D not dabbled in doing just that. With Roleplay any player with a noble title, something a seasoned adventurer could acquire, and can be acquired at level 1 with the noble background call up, or at least have the connections to speak to somebody who could call up, the requisite levy of troops. This is also the option on this page least likely to have your DM strangle you for attempting. Indeed, attempting to execute on this option will turn your entire game for a dozen or more sessions into '''form the next Great Alliance of Man, Elves, and Dwaves''', which is a campaign hook onto it self. The only draw back is time. When the Tarrasque start's rampaging it's too late, but if you have window of time where you know it's coming, you can prepare a welcoming for it.

However be forewarned if you think to try this against any other version of the Tarrasque: you will be found wanting. The 5e incarnation is the weakest of the Tarrasque's lacking damage reduction and it's signature hyper regeneration. Compared to the 3.5 version, a damage reduction of 15 does not just mean 'you do 15 less damage' it means 'you need to do 16 damage to hurt it at all,' and in our commoner army scenario the most they can do is 16 damage (reduced to 1), and only on a max damage crit, and 3.5 had less generous crit rules to begin with. Without Damage reduction the Tarrasque, or any big beast, can be killed by a thousand bug bites. But with Damage Reduction it means that only Heroes (or siege engines) can hurt, and kill, the Tarrasque.

===(5E) How to Kill the Tarrasque in at least 21 rounds.===
*Enlist the aid of someone who has a clay golem servant. If no such individual can be found, get your hands on a manual of clay golems and 65,000 gp as soon as you have two 5th-level spell slots and make one yourself.
*Sic the golem on the Tarrasque, with it's immunitys the Tarrasque can't do any damage the you just have to hope it's not smart enough to just yeet the golem over the horizon or run away.
*Wait at least a couple minutes (about 21 rounds) for the golem to whittle the Tarrasque down.

===(5E) How to troll the Tarrasque.===
The tarrasque has a Dex mod of 0 and does not have immunity to being prone. The grease spell can make it fall over like it stepped on the world's biggest banana peel.

== tl;dr ==
WHAT'S THAT YOU SAY? YOU CAN FLY? YOU THINK YOU'RE SAFE NOW? THE TARRASQUE HAS ONE THING TO SAY!

'''BRING IT.'''

[[Image:Balloon Tarrasque.png]]

== See Also ==
* [[Emperasque]]
* [[Tarrasque with Wizard Levels]]
* [http://dota2.gamepedia.com/Heart_of_Tarrasque In vidya games too!]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Tarrasque_Sam_Wood.jpg|3e concept sketch
Tarrasque_1st_Edition.gif|A long time ago, in a MM2 far away...
Tarrasque 4e.jpg|oh how the mighty have fallen... due to Earthbinding Aura!
Tarrasque MCV2.jpg
Tarrasque MM 2e.png|DiTerlizzi's take on the Tarrasque.
Tarasque 4e.jpg|4e
Tarrasque 5e.jpg|5e
Tarrasque DMG 5e.jpg
Tarrasque B1 PF.png|PF
Tarrasque ISG.png|PF
Pit of Gormuz.jpg|PF
Tarrasque_Adventurers.jpg|"[[Meme|Gentlemen]]."
Tarrasque_copy_anonib.jpg|DR 15/epic won't protect you from [[Rule 34]]
Tarrasque_nyaaan.jpg|...or [[Rule 63]]<br/>nyaa~n!
Chibitarrasque.JPG|Nyoro~n
Tarrasque_we_cant_stop_here.jpg|OH SHIT WE'RE FUCKED.
EMPRAHASQUE_PROTECTS.jpg|OH SHIT, WE'RE '''SERIOUSLY''' FUCKED.
Torrasque_-_StarCraft_and_StarCraft_II_Wiki.png|Now (i.e. since 1998) [[Starcraft]] has their own version.
MTG Tarrasque.jpeg|Magic the Gathering
</gallery>

[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons]][[Category:Dungeons & Dragons Monsters]][[Category:Monsters]][[Category:Pathfinder]][[Category:Gamebreaking]]

Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Ogre Kingdoms

2022-09-17T08:22:50Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* Cons */

This is the general tactics page on how to play [[Ogre Kingdoms]] in [[Total War: WARHAMMER]].

==Why Play Ogre Kingdoms?==
*You like doomstacking with monsters anyway so why not play a faction that is 95% monsters?
*You love the satisfaction of seeing a unit's health drop heavily from the impact of a massive charge.
*Because you are the one person on the planet who has asked themselves "What if you mix Mongols with Flintstones?"
*Because you love meat. In fact, you are likely eating a pork chop wrapped in bacon as you read this.
*Your enemies will scream and run, [[Meme|but you think that's part of the fun]].
*You relate to their body image a little too much.

===Pros===
*'''THICC''': The vast majority of your troops are composed of monsters and large units. If you only play this game to build up large monster stacks to take over the world with, this is the race for you.
*'''High Charge''': You are one of the most devastating armies off the charge. A lot of armies are going to evaporate once you make contact.
*'''Quality''': Stat wise, Ogres are one of the scariest armies in terms of pure stats. Few other factions will be able to compare to you pound for pound.
*'''Armor? What's that?''': Almost everything you have pierces armour. No amount of armour is going to protect your enemies from a 4-meter tall hulk of flesh that swings a hammer the size of a small building.
*'''Monsters''': Monsters, monsters and more monsters, you are the primo monster faction with only 2 infantry units that aren’t monsters. One way or another you will have little trouble winning the monster mash.
*'''Decent Ranged''': For a monster focused faction you are solid at shooting. You got two forms of artillery, a monster with a bolt thrower, Leadbelchers and even Gnoblar Trappers can be useful. Ok, the Wood Elves will probably beat you in a ranged fight but you can put out some serious damage from far away.
*'''Mobility''': For a faction filled with morbidly obese dumbfucks who wouldn't look out of place on R/Incel, you are quick on your feet. Your artillery can move as fast as heavy cav and you do have a variety of cavalry to speak off. Even your basic ogre bulls have good cardio with 54 speed. You actually stand a decent chance at outmaneuvering your opponent aside from a [[Slaanesh|few]] [[Wood Elves (Warhammer Fantasy)|extreme]] [[Beastmen|cases]].

===Cons===
*'''Lack of Numbers''': Your units have a super low model count. Even a single casualty in a unit of anything other than Gnoblars will hurt a lot more than what other factions will suffer.
*'''Anti Large/Charge Defense''': Given how reliant you are on size and charge, factions that have plentiful anti large and charge defence might be a massive pain in your giant, 2-ton ass (grins in Dwarf.) Ogre charge does help with Charge Defense somewhat, though you will still be losing a good chunk of your damage.
*'''No staying power''': With a heavy reliance on charges and fear you will not be winning a sustained fight. If your enemy can outlast your ammo or your charges you will find your inflexible roster will fail you.
*'''<s>Feet</s> Guts Firmly on the Ground''': You've got no air power. Nadda. And your shooting is somewhat limited. The Lore of <s>Manticore Summoning</s> Beasts helps out a bit, but armies with dedicated air power will be a problem.
*'''Armor? What's that?''': I mean, to be fair it's probably hard for them to find armour in their size, but it does mean armour values for Ogres seem to be on the low side. Combine this with their massive hitboxes and archers can have a field day fighting them.
*'''Footlords only''': None of your generic or legendary lords get mounts, though they do have above average movement speed. Your lords can rip up and eat most other lords for lunch, but you're going to have trouble catching them.
**'''Lack of Mounts in General''': Honestly, the only Lord or Hero with a mount is the Hunter with a Stonehorn. Granted, you have an army of massive, muscled up monsters who will eat most other lords and heroes for breakfast, but they're going to have to get there on foot.
*'''DLC?''': On launch, the Ogres missed out on Bruisers, Yhetees and Thundertusks. It remains to be seen if these will be added as FLC units later or will be added as DLC.

==Universal Traits==
*'''Ogre Charge''': If an ogre unit charges a braced unit with charge defence, they will only lose half of their charge bonus. This is very important for a faction that is so reliant on getting the charge for their damage it's nice that they have a way to not get completely cockblocked because the enemy is just standing still. That said most opponents, even the AI usually don't just sit there and let you charge them and even if they do you're probably better of circumnavigating their frontline and going for their skirmishers in the rear. So while not the most practical trait in the game it's still nice for the Ogres to have.

*'''Captives''': During a battle the Ogres slowly fill a meter for each unit they kill that is broken or shattered. As the meter fills special army abilities are unlocked, including Dismember (an AoE slow and charge debuff), Massacre (AoE buff for AP damage and gives affected units Terror), and Butcher (basically Regrowth from the Lore of Life). This will be a very useful army mechanic against chaff-filled armies like Skaven or Beastmen, but will be hard to use against armies with a lot of unbreakable units (like daemons or undead) or a lot of low-model counts (like other ogres).

*'''Mercenaries''': Ogre Camps allow other factions to purchase Ogre Mercenaries if they are nearby. They're limited to regular Ogre Bulls and also have limits on how many they can have in their army at a time.

==Lords==

===Legendary Lords===
*'''[[Greasus Goldtooth]]''': Overtyrant of all ogres, in his beautiful and shockingly obese glory. Greasus inflicts a leadership debuff on enemy units due to how stinking rich he is and a damage resistance aura based on how impressive his shiny crown is. He may or may not be slower due to being pushed by gnoblars instead of being carried by them, but either way he's big as hell and might want to be careful about ranged units.
*'''[[Skrag the Slaughterer]]''': Skrag is a legendary caster lord, using Lore of the Great Maw. Skrag is still an ogre (and has big swords instead of arms), so he is capable of holding is own in melee unless against anti-large or duelists. On top of that, Skrag has the ability to summon Gorgers during battle, and his cooking pot can make any gorgers in his army stronger the more kills he gets. Which he can rack up very quickly by using the AOE spells from the lore of the great maw.

===Generic Lords===
*'''Tyrant''': Standard melee lord, well armored and does decent armor piercing. His really nice benefit is the "Snacks" ability which lets him heal while in melee.

*'''Slaughtermaster''': Generic caster lord, supporting the ogres through the power of either the Lore of the Great Maw or Lore of Beasts. As an added bonus gets the "Extra Ingredients" ability, which is the ogre version of Arcane Conduit, increasing your Winds of Magic while you're in melee.

===Legendary Heroes===

===Generic Heroes===
*'''Butcher''': A hero version of the Slaughtermaster, in case you want a melee lord but still want magic. Like their lord counterpart, Butchers come with Lore of the Great Maw or Lore of Beasts. Also gets the "Extra Ingredients" ability.

*'''Firebelly''': A caster hero, cooking the army's next meal during the battle with the Lore of Fire. Also has a number of bound abilities, including an explosion for getting out of melee, breath attacks, and a damage reflection buff. Generally a good fighter in melee and a reliable source of magic damage, but with zero armor however he can be quite squishy.

*'''Hunter''': A hybrid character with throwing spears, provides buffs to Sabretusks (SP only) and the only character on launch able to use a mount, a massive Stonehorn. His ranged attacks are anti-large on or off the Stonehorn, so he's effective at both sniping and demolishing infantry with his mount. If you play multiplayer, bringing one or two of these guys on a Stonehorn is an auto include. If you bring a Stonehorn as a mount you get [[Creed|stalk]], a missile resist, a ward save, and AP Anti Large missiles. Oh, and did we mention this is all while only being 100 gold more expensive than a standard Stonehorn?

==Units==

===Infantry===
*'''Gnoblar Fighters''': Your chaff unit. Surprisingly tanky compared to what you might expect, having the same statline as Goblins. However that lack of shield really hurts them in the long run. Use them as even more fragile goblins to absorb charges, tarpit units for a small while, and to plug gaps whilst your chungus boys get into position. They're expendable so none of your other troops really care what happens to them.

*'''Gnoblar Trappers''': Gnoblars, but they have stalk, vanguard deployment, and a ranged attack. Also come with the ability to slow down enemies in an area around them, making them surprisingly good support skirmishers. Still Expendable. Very useful for sneaky caps in Domination Mode.

===Monstrous Infantry===
*'''Ogre Bulls''': Your "standard" infantry, they come in the usual monstrous infantry size and a tremendous charge bonus to batter the enemy with. They will cause fear and come with siege-attacker to help get past those city walls so you don't have to wait out in a siege. Come in three varieties: a cheaper, single mace version, dual weapons for anti-infantry and an ironfist for bonus melee defence and missile block. None of the variants have very good armor piercing, however.

*'''Ironguts''': Your thiccest bois. Comes with armour-piercing melee and are also one of the only armoured units in your entire roster. Expect them to be able to throw down with the best elite units the other factions have to offer. Notably lack an ironfist variant, meaning that they can only rely on that extra armor to survive missiles.

*'''Maneaters''': The well-travelled mercenaries of your army, they are far more flexible than your standard unit of ogres. They come in a pistol, ironfist and a great weapon variant. The pistol for helping them pepper the enemy before the battle itself is joined, the ironfist for extra survivability and the great weapon for increased charge and a bonus vs large. They also come with Immune to Psych so don't expect to see these guys running away any time soon. Note that Maneaters are basically superior to Ironguts in all stats ''except'' for armour, and are priced accordingly.
**'''Powder Guts''': A pistol variant that is pretty much the normal pistols with better range, accuracy and damage. They do get an ability that gives them buff when they're losing, but overall they're just the normal pistol unit but better.

*'''Leadbelchers''': Hybrid missile/melee unit with good range + armour-piercing damage + fire on the move. These guys are one of the best units available, their cannon salvos deal enormous damage. They can do okay in melee but don't leave them in it for too long. Consider keeping some Gnoblar Trappers or Gorgers nearby to screen for them.

===Beasts & Monsters===
*'''Sabretusks''': Similar to high elf war lions, except they have more models, more melee attack, more weapon strength, and run as fast as chaos warhounds with 95(!) speed; great for hunting ranged weapons or chasing down routing units when your monstrous cavalry have better things to trample. Try to keep them away from hard targets, zero armour-piercing damage and rampage means they won't survive if they tangle with an enemy that can properly fight back. A hunter hero can make them incredibly scary in single-player by giving them frenzy, stalk, and vanguard deployment, but they don't get those bonuses in MP.
**Pretty good when following in the wake of a Stonehorn. Smaller war beasts don't normally fare very well when the enemy is braced, but formations are nothing to the Stonehorn.
**Their rampage can also be an asset. Warhounds are generally very fragile and can be routed easily. Sabertusks however are very stick and if they rampage then it'll be even harder for the enemy to get rid of them. Just make sure they get on the right targets.
*'''Gorgers''': Come in groups of eight, unbreakable, stalk, frenzy, and vanguard deployment. Use them as you would Mournguls, sneaky flankers to rip apart tasty and tender backlines. As of launch, these guys are broken as fuck since they can beat Bloodcrushers and Celestial Dragon Guard in a head on fight despite costing less and being sneaky backline skirmishers instead of frontline bruisers. Enjoy it while it lasts before CA slaps them with the nerf bat. Extra dangerous if you bring Skrag due to his unique item's ability to buff Gorgers.
*'''Slavegiant''': Your normal giant unit, except this time cajoled and beaten into battle by the very people who destroyed their race rather than bribed with booze. Sometimes the Ogres are the absolute worst. Ironically enough though, this is the only giant in the game that can actually regain health thanks to the Trollguts spell, making it a lot more tanky if you bring a gut magic caster.
*'''Stonehorn''': Give the Norscan War Mammoth more armor, missile resistance, have it ridden to battle by a hungry Shrek rather than an angry viking, and you've got the Stonehorn. As expected outclasses the Giant in every way and has some of the best armor in your roster. Like an unholy merging of the Mammoth and the Khemrian Warsphinx its bounding animations let it run straight through infantry formations to deliver absolute hell.
**By the Maw, Stonehorns are so ridiculously good you can expect them to be nerfed by the next balance patch. Stonehorns have practically zero weaknesses besides getting locked in combat with an anti-large monster/monstrous infantry. Its attack animations make it practically immune to being tarpitted by anti-large infantry, it has high armour and missile resistance to cover the usual weakness of monsters vs ranged, and its monstrous charge bonus will flatten any frontline it rams into, letting it get straight into the ranged units cowering behind the enemy shieldwall. It's a little on the slow side compared to the newer monsters of other factions, but it's fast enough to completely scramble the enemy's frontline before the rest of your chungus boys arrive. Stonehorns are your best monster, use them well and often.
**See those Cathayans huddled around their cannons, providing "Harmony"? Sure would be a shame if someone ran them over and wrecked their shit.

===Monstrous Cavalry===
*'''Mournfang Cavalry''': One of the most powerful cavalry units from the tabletop game and their Total War counterparts don't disappoint. Their statline is scary, they have about the same mass as a Carnosaur, and their lack of armour actually works in their favour too, since the things enemies would normally roll out to counter monstrous cavalry usually have lower base damage, making them even beefier than they already appear on paper. They don't have Ogre Charge for some reason, but their speed and heavy mass will usually make up for it. Comes with standard, ironfist, and great weapon variants. The only cavalry that can beat Mournfang Cavalry with great weapons are Crushers with Great Weapons.

*'''Crushers''': Rhinox cavalry. I know. We’re surprised they’ve shown up in the base game too. Essentially acting as an even better version of Mournfangs, they come in two variants, ironfists and great weapons. Also, just like on tabletop, they are expensive at 1800-1900 points in multiplayer. Does basically everything the Mournfangs do but better. Will be pound for pound the best heavy cav in the game when Immortal Empires comes out, especially if we get a RoR variant. Not a single other cavalry unit in the entire game comes even close to being able to take on crushers with great weapons. War Bear riders are a pretty distant second and everyone else gets absolutely dumpstered by Crushers.
**'''The Sky-Striders''': Meet the strongest cavalry unit in the game to-date, courtesy of stolen Sky-Titan weapons. These guys hit harder than their great weapon cousins, have missile resistance, and frostbite. The enemy ranged won't be able to focus them down as fast and any enemy cavalry they encounter will take massive damage on the charge and be unable to escape. A must-take against cavalry-heavy factions like Bretonnia and still pretty useful against monster heavy factions as well.

===Artillery===
*'''Gnoblar Scraplauncher''': A single entity catapult, with surprising speed and charge stats. They shoot a spread of three projectiles which explode in a fairly wide radius of shrapnel on impact. The downside is they have very poor AP. When they run out of ammo use them as a back-up chariot. Otherwise they're best to bring against factions with a lot of unarmored chaff.
*'''Ironblaster''': Mobile cannon pulled by a rhinox and firing spreadshot cannonballs that sunder armor. In other words, it's an artillery piece with none of the weaknesses. This is one of the best units on the roster as it can snipe out large monsters while running over infantry that gets its hands on it. If left alone this thing will demolish armies. Cavalry will be its biggest weakness, as they're fast enough to catch up and tear it down. Also since it only has one model it may lose in shootouts with other dedicated cannon units.
*'''Stonehorn Harpoon Launcher''': All the benefits of a regular Stonehorn but with a ranged attack to boot, though with a price increase to match. A big armoured monster with a fire on the move ballista that can outrange Vampire Coast Deck Gunners. Capable of throwing down with an Ancient Stegadon in melee, though you'll much rather throw it at infantry.

==Multiplayer Strategies==
You are THE monster faction of the trilogy. You have a grand total of 2 normal infantry units, neither of which is going to carry the day for you, and a bunch of big fat boys in all manners of flavours. You are going to be a scary force on the charge and have some of the scariest units in the entire game. Mournfangs make elite cav from other factions cry and they're your lowest tier cavalry unit. Of course, your reliance on monsters comes with an obvious weakness as you will struggle against... well, pretty much anyone who can bring a decent amount of Anti-Large to the field. You may also struggle since your army tends to be predictable, and I imagine veterans will learn how to counter you fast. Still, if you want to grab a monster horde to feast on your enemies this is the race for you. Here's how to win glory for The Maw:

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Beastmen| Beastmen]]''':

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Bretonnia| Bretonnia]]''': Bretonnian cavalry being essentially immune to your greatest strength is going to hurt badly. knights of the realm will break through 90% of your roster and will be able to outspeed all of your roster 'even sabertusks'. prepare for pain

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Daemons of Chaos| Daemons of Chaos]]''': An extremely good matchup for your ogres, other than khorne warriors with halberds 'who can be knocked over anyway' the low-mass hordes of chaos will be mulched. Do bring a leadbelcher or two in case the daemons break out the greater daemons

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Warriors of Chaos| Warriors of Chaos]]''': Your plentiful AP will be enough to crack open the evil refrigerators a WoC player will call a frontline. Mournfangs and Crushers with Great Weapons will destroy Chaos Knights as well. Dragon Ogres will be a definite concern, and should be dealt with using Leadbelchers and Ironblasters.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Dark Elves| Dark Elves]]''': Scourgerunners. Scourgerunners, Scourgerunners, Scourgerunners. If they were a standout unit in the Dark Elf roster before, they are a rockstar in this matchup, and victory will come down to in a large part how you deal with them. They'll outrun your cav, stay out of range of your missiles and can dodge your artillery if they're micro'd well enough. Sabretusks seem like a good way to get them off your back with their insane speed, but can they reach the chariots without being shot half to hell? Other than that, Dark Elves can bring a pretty good amount of anti-large to the field with their infantry, but they have a hard time building wide because their army is pretty expensive. While they're not exactly a slow faction, you should generally have the mobility advantage, since their cavalry just won't be able to stack up to yours. Make sure you're using it to get those charges in, especially against elite units like Black Guard. Some artillery could be a good idea in case they bring a Kharibdyss. You're fast enough to maul any unprotected missile infantry, and your own missiles should be a good way to shoot any lords/heroes they bring full of holes.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Dwarfs| Dwarfs]]''': If you can reach the Dwarfs you're going to do a lot of damage; they've always had trouble fending off lots of large entities at once. However, that "if" is nothing to sneeze at. You will be eating cannonballs from the beginning of the match. Be sure to bring ironfist variants on most of your Ogre troops to get ''some'' survivability against dwarf ranged play. Bring Leadbelchers and Ironblasters as well; dwarfs often have trouble against the artillery of other armies, and while they'll probably focus down your ranged units before you do theirs at least if they're doing that they're not shooting your advancing ogres. If by some miracle your Ironblasters survive they can still serve as chariots, something else dwarf players hate. Gorgers might be a worthwhile investment for stealthily getting into the back lines. Watch out for Trollhammer torpedoes!

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Empire| Empire]]''': If you didn't like the Empire before then you'll definitely hate them now. With Markus Wulfheart, Huntsmen, artillery aplenty, and skirmish cavalry running circles around you, fighting the Empire is going to suck. However, With what we know about ogres so far some good advice would be bringing Gnoblar Trappers to ambush, ensnare, and destroy skirmish cav. You can also get good mileage out of sabretusks, they're speedy enough to catch outriders and mean enough to eat artillery crews along with their weaksauce empire infantry bodyguards. The Empire's frontline for the most part will crumple the moment you get in melee, but watch out for halberdiers and try to soften them with your leadbelchers and artillery. Bring Maneaters with great weapons to handle their Demigryphs with halberds, and shut down their artillery as soon as you can because great cannons, steam tanks, and luminarks will blast your ogres and monsters to pieces. As for enemy lords, the primary threat is Markus Wulfheart. He's squishy, but the trouble is catching him before he kills your lord, heroes, your monsters, and your ogre infantry. Try to tie him down with your gnoblar trappers and speedy units, then close in on the bastard and use his bow as a spick to roast him on.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Grand Cathay| Grand Cathay]]''': Guts out boys! Cathay is going to bring halberds and plenty of ranged against you. Your best bet is to plow a Gutbus of Ogre Bulls and right through their front line and into the chewy center. For all of Cathay's strong defensive tactics a mass of ogres and other monsters can overwhelm them. Bring some Sabertusks or Gorgers as well though, because you will want to shut down their long ranged firepower, especially Grand Cannons and Crane Gunners, so your ogres don't get too shot up on the approach. Consider bringing an Ironblaster or two keep them preoccupied with an artillery duel. Leadbelchers will be helpful for gunning down the dragons and Stonehorn will really maximize your bunkerbusting ability, but at this point you're going to have to make some tradeoffs as ogres don't come cheap.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Greenskins| Greenskins]]''': Arachnarok spiders will be your bane here if your opponent brings them otherwise this matchup could go either way as both your armies will end up in a slugging match.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/High Elves| High Elves]]''': Helves basic tier 0 spearmen and archers will shred through anything you can bring. In campaign either go for autoresolves or bring 3 armies against their 1. In multiplayer just give up.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Khorne|Khorne]]''': Khorne Warriors and calvary will be squished before your counterparts. Better yet most won't gain their Hellblade bonuses unless you've brought Gnoblars. Bloodthirsters could be a problem due to their anti-large power, and they could fly over your lard-line for any juicy artillery beasts you've been keeping.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Kislev|Kislev]]''': An extremely painful matchup. kislev has missile units out of the ass and your low-armor ogres will have a poor time against them. kislev's other 'premier' unit are anti-large war bears that can't be knocked over. prepare for death

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Lizardmen| Lizardmen]]''': Though Saurus won't seem too daunting a proposition, Skink Skirmishers and Chameleon Skinks are going to be a literal pain in the ass due to their speed and your relative lack of armor. The abundance of poison weaponry generally sucks and Lizardmen aren't exactly hurting for Anti-Large in the form of Saurus Spears, Temple Guard, Salamander Hunting Packs and Carnosaurs. Lastly, their Terradon Riders will be a rather annoying nuisance due to your very limited anti-air options. The good news is that your cavalry will generally bowl right through theirs and with proper positioning, you'll likely be able to shoulder check your way through most defensive lines. Leadbelchers can make short work of Saurus and Kroxigors in general if you can get flanking shots onto them. Just make sure you have some Sabretusks and Mournfang Cavalry screen any Skinks or Cav trying to tie them down.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Norsca| Norsca]]''': This will probably be a tough match-up considering Norsca's anti-large. Consider bringing artillery to destroy them from afar before you charge in.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Nurgle| Nurgle]]''': Nurgle hates enemies he can't tarpit and is bad against large numbers of monsters, powerful ranged weapons, and fire damage. Given that you can bring all of these to the table if you can't win this match-up you should probably turn off the computer and go play hop-skotch or something.

*'''Ogre Kingdoms''':

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Skaven| Skaven]]''': Weapons teams and enough chaff to hold even your THICC mass off. you're fucked

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Slaanesh| Slaanesh]]''': You can't flank ogres enough said

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Tomb Kings| Tomb Kings]]''': Skelly infantry won't last long against you, especially if you bring a Firebelly for lore of fire. What you really got to watch out for are their constructs, especially dedicated anti-large ones like Sepulchral Stalkers and Necrosphinxes. Load up with anti-large and try not to cluster your units too closely together. Your army is highly highly dependent on getting the charge and you don't want your entire strategy to get ruined by a single Net of Amyntok.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Tzeentch| Tzeentch]]''': Bring sabretusks and gorgers, if you're not able to chase down tzeench he's going to abuse his barriers and whittle you down.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Vampire Coast| Vampire Coast]]''': While you are vulnerable to missiles, the coast is also going to struggle like hell to keep you at range given how incredibly fast you are and how easily you can shove them around with your charges. Prometheans are really their only means of stopping you from getting where you want to go and Crushers or Mournfangs with great weapons should annihilate the crabs in short order.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Vampire Counts| Vampire Counts]]''': A very tough matchup. bring firebellies and gnoblar scraplaunchers because as ogres you have a lot of difficulty dealing with swarms of infantry and the vampire counts WILL bring a truckload of anti-large skeleton spears and ethereal units. Do your best to protect the firebelly as you flame storm the counts.

*'''[[Total War Warhammer/Tactics/Wood Elves| Wood Elves]]''': Forests give a 80% penalty to large units speed and melee attack, and any good welf is going to sit in that fucking treeline and mulch you to death with his no-collision arrows. your best bet is to bring stonehorns and leadbelchers and get into a quasi-artillery duel to force him out into the open.

==Campaign Strategies==

[[Category:Total Warhammer]] {{Total War Warhammer Tactics}}

Asdrubael Vect

2022-09-09T18:16:23Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1: /* Dawn of War Soulstorm */

[[File:Bild22.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Asdrubael Vect in all his bitch-getting glory.]]

[[Image:Blackholeinabox.jpg#file.png|thumb|right|And you thought Eldrad was a prick. [[Awesome|(This is canon, by the way.)]]]]

'''Asdrubael Vect''' is one of the biggest [[troll|trolls]] (save for [[Tzeentch]], [[Creed]], and [[Trazyn]]) to ever walk the [[Warhammer 40,000|40k]] universe. He is also a [[Dark Eldar|sick]] [[Honsou|fuck]].

Vect is the [[Archon_(Warhammer_40,000)|Supreme Lord]] of the [[Kabal of the Black Heart]], making him the de facto Presidente por Vida of the Drukhari and the Pimp Master General of [[Commorragh]]. He spends most of his time plotting how to troll people. Basically, he does it for the [[lulz]].

He's also one really old son of a bitch. Apparently older than a [[Slaanesh|FUCKING GOD]]! He gives [[Eldrad]] penis envy. That would likely put him as the oldest named character in franchise other than Big-E himself, and obviously the Necrons.

He also was a close combat monster on the tabletop, being one of the few characters who could reliably go toe to toe with [[Abaddon|Abaddon the Despoiler]] and win, something he shared with [[Mephiston]] and the [[Swarmlord]]. Entire armies suffered critical existence failure the moment he got within reach. I mean Jesus Fucking Christ. This was prior to his removal though, and he has not had actual statistics for a while now.

Despite being someone who would, conceivably, have done a lot in over ten-thousand years, fluff itself is rather sparse concerning Vect, except to mention him killing other Archons.

== Being one of the oldest pricks in history, predating even Eldrad ==
Asdrubael Vect is bigger than a [[Eldrad|dick]], he's a prick. He is constantly bringing things to an unprecedented level of dickishness allowing himself to steeple his fingers and cackle "[[Just As Planned]]!" while, [[Tankred|simultaneously having his cock sucked by his twin blonde lesbian sex slaves]]. Yeah, he's just that much of a boss.

In fact the only reason he managed to last this long is because no one has ever been able to out-prick him, at least until [[Yvraine]] threw his rulership into question and escaped all his attempts at retribution. And, considering Commorragh is a place where rape is considered as exciting a pastime as eating a ham sandwich, that's fucking saying SOMETHING. There have been numerous occasions where the various Archons of other Kabals have tried to assassinate him in order to gain lordship over all of Commorragh. So far Vect has managed to trump each of them in the most dickish ways possible. Just a small example: he planned for the invasion of Commorragh by three [[Space Marine]] chapters in order to [[Just_as_planned|kill off all of the remaining old Eldar Empire nobility]] in Commorragh, ensuring he would be unopposed and unbeatable in the Dark City. Vect also disposed of one of his rivals, Archon Qu, by getting Qu's daughter to betray him. Archon Qu was then flayed and his essence trapped in the flayed skin. Vect probably brings Qu's daughter down there so she can suck Vect off in front of her father and he can't do anything but watch. What a prick!

He is unnerved by [[Phoenix Lords]] though, or perhaps a better term would be envious. When [[Jain Zar]] met him to organize the release of a disgraced Archon, it became painfully clear to the first of the Howling Banshees that Asdrubael in his own way envied what he saw as the genuine immortality of the Phoenix Lords.

== Theme Song ==

Who lives in a city, inside the webway?

As-dru-bael Vect!

Who slaughters and tortures millions each day?

As-dru-bael Vect!

If bloodshed and mayhem be something ye wish

As-dru-bael Vect!

Then come to Commorragh and you'll be his bitch!

As-dru-bael Vect!

As-dru-bael Vect!

As-dru-bael Vect!

As-druuuuu-bael Veeeect!

''Horrifying laughter and screams''

==List of Asdrubael's greatest achievements==
*Captured a strike cruiser of the [[Salamanders]] in order to bait the Imperium into attacking Commorragh, and made sure to set things up so the fight'd drag out and lure his direct obstacles; the houses of the aristocracy, into fighting amongst themselves to claim this prize. The Imperial Navy and Salamanders strike force, including two more cruisers and a Battle Barge, that barged in afterwards, took the captured ship back and killed the nobles before retreating from the Dark Eldar's retaliation, ensuring Vect ruled unopposed, whilst also demonstrating how incredibly powerful Space Marines are. "[[Just As Planned]]!".
*Crashed a Space Hulk full of daemons into a fortress of the only Archon who came to really threaten him, turning his entire realm into a daemon-infested hellhole.
*Seduced a space marine Primarch (probably Space Wolves) into giving up strategically important secrets. No really, the word 'seduced' is explicitly used.
*Tricked a Dark Eldar Lord of a webway realm who refused his rule into opening a gift from him with a BLACK HOLE in it. Surprise!
*To elaborate on the daughter example above: this is how Vect defeated Archon Qu, Lord of the Iron Thorn. Vect's Kabal didn't have the military might to guarantee victory (at the time maybe), so he got Qu's daughter to betray her father and deliver the realm into Vect's hands. [[Just As Planned|What Qu didn't know was that his daughter had become one of Vect's courtesans long before]].
*He also contributed part of his Kabal to the Eldar's joint effort from Iyanden and Biel-Tan to stop Hive Fleet Leviathan from annexing a part of Hive Fleet Kraken in the Valedor supplement. This happened because the Tyranids had somehow managed to enter the Webway and [[Troll|to taunt the Eldar of Iyanden about their necromancy]].
*Had his giant floating ziggurat show up in the middle of a Wych Cult arena game to fire at the stands and kill one of the spectators who had betrayed him, incidentally killing all the captured Imperial Guardsmen who the Wyches were supposed to fight forcing the show to be cancelled.
*When a whole bunch of Kabals rebelled against him, he faked his own death in the battle to see which of his forces would retreat to his headquarters and which would join the rebel army. Upon doing so, he unleashed the power of one of Commorragh's captive suns to completely annihilate the entire rebel army alongside every innocent bystander who lived in that part of the city (being Commorragh, innocent is used in the loosest sense of the word except maybe some of the Dark Eldar's captives).

==Dawn of War Soulstorm==
Believe or not, Vect is one of those important figures in 40k that made an appearance in video games like Abaddon. However, no one seems to care because he was overshadowed by other [[Indrick Boreale|hilariously]] [[Firaeveus Carron|bad]] [[Commander Or'es'Ka|things]] about this game, even his own idiot apprentice [[Archon Tahril|Tahril]] made more appearance than he did. The only screentime the big V gets is from taking his Dais out for a spin as the Dark Eldar Relic unit of glass cannon doom.

He is also encountered in the Dark Eldar Stronghold, where he ran away on his pimp ride full of hoes like a little bitch, swore to rape Tahril for his failure but got his ride shot down by your troops (Vect most likely didn't die, however. According to Tahril after seeing Vect crash, "If he had died, I should have taken his place."). Overall, the presentation for Vect in this game is rather disappointing, for the fact he never really made any awesome quote or any smart dickery like [[Sindri]] other than just chilling on his pimpmobile like a couch potato.

Granted this is all from before 5th edition's revamp, before that Vect had no traits or backstory other than the leader of the Dark Eldar and before the Dark Eldar even had any good candidates for a relic unit so he was probably picked for lack of better options.

== Dark Times Ahead? ==
Due to Games Workshop not giving Vect a new model (and ignoring his old one); as of the 7th edition Dark Eldar codex [[FAIL|Asdrubael Vect is no longer a playable character]]! Think of the implications; that'd be like cutting Marneus Calgar from the Ultramarines (not that Games Workshop would ever do that), removing the Phoenix Lords from Craftworld Eldar or taking [[Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka|Ghazghkull]] out of Ork armybooks. For now, he exists only in the fluff (which is thankfully unchanged). On a completely unrelated note, suck our balls GW.

During the ''Gathering Storm'' campaign in which a [[Yvraine|Herald of Ynnead]] is born, Vect isn't happy about this in the slightest, mostly because this triggers Khaine's gate to shatter and daemons to invade Commorragh. In the initial battle, Vect runs away like a bitch, pretty much in plain view of every important person in the city. Later on, he sends Urien Rakarth and the Haemonculi to hunt down Yvraine, but they flee in terror after it is discovered that the Yncarne can perma-kill them. Vect then sends his Kabal after her, but Yvraine has Harlequins help her keep one step ahead of Vect. He insinuates to his court and servants that the Dysjunction was [[just as planned]], but everyone knows that's BS (though Vect is still feared enough that no one calls him out on his obvious lie). By the end of the story Vect has failed to contain the threat, many of the Dark Eldar (including Lelith Hesperax) leave to go join the Ynnari, his entire court is pissed at him, and several Archons are talking about leading an overthrow, with the loudest being Lady Malys. Insult to injury, it is the Mandrakes, under [[Kheradruakh]], that finally manage to drive off the invading daemons with help from the Haemonculi, completely upstaging Vect. Needless to say, he is extremely upset about all his plans going up in flames because of a meddling [[Ynnead|god]].

== The Living Muse ==

Things reached their peak when the unthinkable happened; Vect was murdered. He, in an uncharacteristic move, had sent his Incubi bodyguards away to keep order. During this time Mandrakes, at the behest of an unknown employer, swarmed his inner sanctum and killed him. Some rumors said it was the Cursed Blade who ordered it - the Wych Cult had a reputation for treachery. Others said it was Lady Malys (Lady Malys had her Kabal keep their distance from Vect and his forces despite her calling for his overthrow, the lore is ambiguous as to whether she had a hand in it). At the same moment every failsafe against death the Haemonculi had for Vect was destroyed. All the Archons across Commorragh were stunned. Some were dismayed, others worried in paranoia that if Vect himself could die how safe were they? All were apprehensive of the future of Commorragh and planned their next move. The Harlequins of the Veiled Path held a funeral for Vect at the Cursed Blade's arena, and Urien Rakarth promised to openly show his newest creations. Many Archons and Kabals attended, either to gloat over Vect's death, out of "loyalty" or to see Urien Rakarth's performance...

BUT WAIT! At the height of Urien Rakarth's performance, the Harlequins released hallucinogenic gas. They turned on all the Archons who attended, slaughtering them with the help of the Cult of the Cursed Blade and Rakarth's creations. The blood and suffering radiated, and Asdrubael Vect returned to life, rejuvenated by the suffering in the arena. Vect's first move was to have every Archon that attended the funeral resurrected. The "loyal" ones were brought back as they were, while the disloyal ones were turned into Grotesques under Vect's control, or something like that.

Asdrubael Vect declared himself to be a living [[Dark Muses|Dark Muse]]. (Dark Muses were historical eldar of note, usually having performed a certain feat or mastering a specific skill to propel themselves to legendary status; somewhere between a renowned philosopher ala Confucius and the Dark Eldar equivalent of a Catholic Saint.) Some speculated Asdrubael would become a Dark Muse upon his final death, but none suspected he'd come back and declare himself to be a Living Muse, and for some reason [[derp|everyone seems to be taking this claim seriously.]] He moved quickly and re-solidified his hold on Commorragh, he knew that Lelith had gone with the Ynnari, but he claimed that it was part of his plan and said he'd allow it for now. Strangely, though he took actions against everyone who was disloyal (except Lady Malys who kept a prudent distance between Vect and herself since before he died), he took no action against the Mandrakes that killed him; this suggests either that it was [[Just as Planned]] on his part, or that even Vect fears the Mandrakes. It's also possible that he tried to make himself as a dark counterpart to Yvraine, an anti-Ynnead. Whatever the case, Vect is back in control of Commorragh and making plans, and first on his list is to destroy Yvraine. By which we mean engage in hardcore ballbusting sex with her. Too bad Big Bobby G tapped dat ass first and her bodyguard the Visarch wants the sloppy seconds, leaving Vect with the turgid thirds at best.

tl;dr Vect came back from the dead, and now everyone he hates better watch their backs.

== The Torturer's Tale ==
[https://www.thedarkcity.net/t2926-the-torturer-s-tale| If you needed proof of just what an utter prick Vect is....]



{{Template:Dark Eldar-Characters}}

Carnivorous Plant

2022-09-09T16:29:24Z

2601:1C0:5C01:EAA0:0:0:0:C2F1:

Carnivorous plants are plants that derive at least some of their nutrients from trapping and killing animals or microbes, rather than through photosynthesis. Fiction is rife with examples of man-eating plants, especcially RPGs, given how easily they fit into the role of [[Gotcha Monster]].

IRL: carnivorous plants live in nutrient and mineral poor environment, mostly bogs, and make up the difference with insects they catch. As such adding a few carnivorous plant monsters would be a good fit to any swamp environment

==Dungeons & Dragons==
*'''Assassin Vine''' or '''Choke Creeper''': A predatory vine-like plant that drapes itself across tree branches, and attempts to strangle any animal that gets within range.
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Assassin vine 3e.png
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Assassin vine skeleton.png
Assassin vine hangman.png
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*'''Bloodroot''': Roots that stick out of the sides of underground passageways. When something passes by them, they grab it, inject it with a blood-thinning poison, and suck out all its liquids.
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Bloodroot DoD2.jpg
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*'''Bohun Tree''': The fruits of this tree resemble giant grapes, but if bruised or damaged in any way, they release a soporific vapor that has a 10% chance of paralyzing your lungs and killing you. The tree will deliberately burst its own fruit if attacked. It is also covered in thorns that can be fired off of it as projectiles. It can also send its roots up through the ground to grab you. Appeared in Dragon #89.
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Bohun tree.png
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*'''Boneleaf''': An aberration that resembles a plant. It is intelligent and can use illusions to lure prey. All boneleaves in an area are actually parts of a single organism so what one learns, all boneleaves nearby also learn.
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Boneleaf HoH.png
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*'''Crawling Ivy''': Prehensile ivy that has tiny pores all over its leaves that it uses to suck out your blood.
<gallery>
Crawling ivy DoD2.jpg
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*'''[[Vampire Rose]]''' or '''Bloodrose''': White roses that turn red after soaking up a creature's blood. They remain motionless until an animal wanders into the center of their patch, then tear it open with their thorny tendrils.
<gallery>
Bloodrose DoD2.jpg
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;'''Yellow Musk Creeper''': A pretty creeping vine with beautiful yellow flowers. It lures victims in with its sweet scent, and then plants seeds in their heads, which consume the host's brain and then hijack the body as a [[zombie]] they pilot to find a new place to grow.
<gallery>
Yellow musk creeper 1.jpg
Yellow musk zombie 1.png
Yellow musk creeper 3e.jpg
Yellow Musk Creeper 5e.jpg
Yellow musk creeper PF.png
</gallery>