Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Order/Kharadron Overlords

Grand Alliance Order Kharadron Overlords

Top hat, robotic monocle, curled mustache guns, and steam technology; the true essence of steampunk.

Lore Tactics General Tactics

Get ready to play some Dwarf Fortress in the sky! The Kharadron Overlords is one of the first truly new factions introduced to Age of Sigmar since the Stormcast Eternals, and are also one of the most radically different from other AoS armies in play style, with a big focus on vehicles, guns, and tech.

Why Play Kharadron Overlords?

PROS:

• Because you want to bring mad science and a lot of guns to the Age of Sigmar swords and sorcery fight.

• Because you want to laugh maniacally while you bomb melee armies to oblivion with an air navy, while the passengers fill the survivors with lead.

• Because you've waited over 20 years for Squats, and you're gonna take what you can get.

• Because you enjoyed the Iron Man films, but thought they'd be better if Tony Stark was a 4-foot-tall sky-pirate.

• Because you love your Imperial Guard, and want to play essentially the same thing in the Age of Sigmar.

• Because (and this is the important one) they are steampunk power-armored sky pirate dwarfs.

• Because you like to play AOS on hard mode.

• You Love to be the Strongest Shooting Faction.

• Good News!! KO is next in line for a battle tome update, alongside the release of a new hero (Endrin Master with Dirigible suit) and the Aether Wars box set.

• You like playing with Transports in Fantasy games, and they have gunports.

CONS:

• The average steam-dorf absolutely SUCKS in melee. For some reason, using knives and gun butts against daemons or giants in magic suits of armour isn't quite cutting the mustard.

• Even with some of the best mobility options in AoS, you'll always be in danger against fast units or faster-than-average factions like Nighthaunt, Beastclaw Raiders, some of the Legion of Nagash units, etc.

• Even if you have the best shoota, other armies' ranged weapons can be really dangerous, especially if they have artillery with heavy rend. You'll see that battleship going down hard in no time.

• No wizards for you, although you do have a lot of spell unbinding options, and with the introduction of the Sacrosanct Chambers, Stormcast allies can fill this hole.

• The ability to fly around doesn't actually really help you that much.

Allegiance Abilities

Battle Traits

An army that has KHARADRON OVERLORDS allegiance can use the following rule:

STICK TO THE CODE: When you choose a Kharadron Overlords army that isn't a Sky Port (more on that in a bit) Can choose an Artycle, Amendment, and Footnote from the tables below, Alternatively you can roll a dice for each table.

Artycle:

1. Honour is Everything: You can re-roll hit rolls of 1 for attacks made by friendly Kharadron Overlord Heroes that target a Hero or a Monster.
2. Master of the Skies: You can re-roll hit rolls of 1 for attacks made by friendly Skyvessels that target a unit that can fly.
3. Settle The Grudges: After armies are set up but before the first battle round begins, pick 1 enemy unit. You can re-roll hit rolls of 1 for attacks made by friendly Kharadron Overlord Heroes that target that unit.

Amendment:

1. Always Take What You Are Owed: Pick up to D3 different Kharadron Overlord units in your army. Each of those units starts the battle with 1 share of Aether-Gold in addition to any they normally receive.
2. Prosecute Wars With All Haste: On your first turn, friendly Kharadron Overlord units can run and still shoot later in their turn.
3. Trust To Your Guns: Add 1 to the Bravery characteristic of friendly Kharadron Overlord units while they are more than 3" away from enemy units.

Footnote:

1. There's No Reward Without Risk: Once per battle, you can re-roll a charge roll for a friendly Kharadron Overlords unit.
2. There's No Trading With Some People: Once per battle, a friendly Kharadron Overlords that has run and/or retreated in the same turn can still shoot and/or charge.
3. Without Our Ships We Are Naught: Once per battle, you can heal up to D3 wounds allocated to a friendly Skyvessel

AETHER-GOLD: Each Kharadron Overlords Hero, Skyvessel and Kharadron Overlords unit with 10 or more models starts a battle with 1 share of Aether-Gold. Once per phase, you can say that 1 unit from your army that has any shares of Aether-Gold will spend 1 of them. If you do so, substract 1 from that units Bravery characteristic for the rest of the battle, but you can pick a Triumph it is eligible to use and immediatly apply its effect.

Command Traits

A KHARADRON OVERLORDS General in a KHARADRON OVERLORDS allegiance and has chosen to take the KHARADRON OVERLORDS abilities can choose one of the following command traits:

1. Doughty Champion: When your general suffers a mortal wound, roll a dice. On a roll of +5, the wound is ignored. A nice ability to have, but there are better choices here.
2. Fleetmaster: Once both armies are set up, but before the first round begins, redeploy a friendly Skyvessel. It's like being a mini Deceiver
3. Grudgebearer: One of your general's melee weapons gets an extra attack. Well, all our Heroes only have one melee profile each, that being said, the only ones who benefit from this trait is the Admiral or the Endrinmaster.
4. Stickler for the Code: You get to roll an additional footnote, you cannot have the same footnote twice, re-roll duplicates. If your general dies before you can use the footnote, then the footnote is lost. A free footnote is always a bonus, especially if you can get your hands on a Grand Armada Battalion. This is also the only other way to get "These Are Just Guidelines" if you're using a port city that isn't Barak-Mhornar. considering your roll is good.
5. Prospector: After both armies have set up pick a terrain feature. As long as your general is alive, your units do not have to take battleshock tests. A pretty solid choice given the armies low bravery, Pick an objective and you should be able to hold ground.
6. Rising Star: units within 7" of your general can use the general's bravery instead of their own when making battleshock tests. Best used on the Admiral

Lords of the Sky: Arkanaut Admiral Only

1. Wealthy: Gain 2 Aethergold instead of 1.
2. Tough as Old Boots: +2 wounds
3. Grudgebearer: pick a hero before the first round, General deals double damage against them.
4. Cunning Fleetmaster: one Skyvessel can make a normal move, or a non-ironclad can Fly High before the first round.
5. War Wound: roll a dice each hero phase, 1s: -1 to his hit rolls until next hero phase, else gain a CP.
6. A Scholar and an Arkanaut: your army can take 2 footnotes instead of one.

Senior Endrineers: Endrinmaster Only

1. Wealthy: Same as above
2. Tough as Old Boots: Same as above
3. Grudgebearer: Same as above
4. Grandmaster: General heal Skyvessels an extra +1W.
5. Great Tinker: Endrinmaster powerful Gaze of Grugni pistol now has 3 attacks.
6. Endrinprofessor:

Reader of the Guiding Winds: Aetheric Navigator Only

1. Wealthy: Same as above
2. Tough as Old Boots: Same as above
3. Stormcaller: you can reroll Aetherstorms, to garintiy a enemy flyer get slowed.
4. Ride the Wind: A Skyvessel that gaisoned general gain +3" Move.
5. Skeptic: +1 dispel/unbinding.
6. Divinator:

Alchemical Innovators: Aether Khemist Only

1. Wealthy: Same as above
2. Tough as Old Boots: Same as above
3. Grudgebearer: Same as above
4. A Nose for Gold: Each hero phase, Aether Khemist gains Aethergold on 3+.
5. Genius in the Making:
6. Collector:

Artefacts of Power

One HERO in your army (+1 per battalion) can take a relic from the following tables:

• Aethermatic Weapons:

1. Hammer of Aethermatic Might:If you wound on a 6 or more with your melee weapon, you cause double damage.
2. Sledgeshock Hammer: Improve melee weapons wound characteristic by 1. Add 1 to wound rolls for a melee weapon.
3. Aethershock Bludgeon:Improve a melee weapons rend characteristic by 1.
4. Gattlesson's Endless Repeater: +2 attacks to a range weapon
5. Aethershock Earbuster: Pick a ranged weapon. If any units models are slain by this weapon, they must take an immediate battleshock test in addition to the test in the battleshock phase. Two Battleshock tests in a row is pretty scary, better put this on the Aetherkhemist.
6. Staff of Occular Optimisation: +1 to hit in the shooting phase

• Treasures of the Sky-ports:

1. Masterwrought Armour: Re-roll saves of 1
2. Balebreath Mask: In the combat phase, pick an enemy unit within 3" and roll a dice, on a +4 that unit suffers a mortal wound.
3. Autotinkerer: In the hero phase, you can attempt to repair a Skyvessel within 3" or one you are embarked on. on a +4 you heal one wound.
4. Aethersight Loupe:If they can already attempt to unbind a spell , they can attempt to unbind one extra spell
5. Gimlet Lens: Enemy units can never benefit from modifiers to their save or save rolls (like being in cover) from this Heroes attacks. Because Screw your cover.
6. Aethercharged Rune: Once per battle, you can change the result of a single hit, wound, damage, or save roll for this HERO to the result of your choice. Because screw your odds.

Perks of Rank: Arkanaut Admiral only

1. Masterwrought Armour:
2. Hammer of Aetheric Might:
3. Gattlesson's Endless Repeater:
4. Rune of Mark:
5. Flask of Vintage Amberwhiskey:
6. Procmaster Mask-Hailer:

Great Endrinworks

One Skyvessel (+1 per Battalion) in your army can be equipped with the following endrinwork:

1. The Last Word: Pick a ranged weapon. If an enemy finishes a charge within 1/2" of this vessel, you can fire this weapon as if it was the shooting phase.
2. Incredible Self-healing Hull: Roll a dice in the hero phase, the ship repairs a wound on a +4.
3. Malefic Skymines: An enemy unit that can fly that ends its charge move within 1" of this ship suffers D3 mortal wounds in addition to any other ability that affects charging units.
4. Ebullient Buoyancy Aid: Your ships penalty for being overburdened is halved, rounding down. Gunhaulers must re-roll this result.
5. Prudency Chutes: If your ship is destroyed, you may re-roll any 1s when determining if the passengers survive when they bail out. Gunhaulers must re-roll this result
6. Magnificent Omniscope: Your ship can move an extra D6" instead of D3" when it uses its Aetheric Navigation ability. Gunhaulers must re-roll this result.

The City-Ports

Alternatively, a player with the KHARADRON OVERLORDS Allegiance can instead choose to represent one of the Six Major Sky-Ports. Each one has their own fixed interpretation of the code, however, the player is given access to:

• A unique ability

• A unique command trait and artifact (now mandatory)

• The <Sky-Port> keyword

• some Ports unlock additional battleline units

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Barak-Nar:

Uses the following Code: Respect Your Commanders; Trust Aethermatics, not Superstition; Trough Knowledge Power

• Ability: Scholars and Commanders: At the start of the battle, roll a dice for each friendly Barak-Nar Hero on the battlefield. For each 4+ you receive an additional command point.

• Command Trait: Champion of Progress: Do not take battleshock for friendly Barak-Nar units, while their wholly within 12" of this general.

• Artefact of Power: Aethercharged Rune: Once per battle you can change either 1 hit roll for an attack made by the bearer or 1 save roll for an attack that targets the bearer to the roll of your choice.

Barak-Nar unlocks Thunderers as battleline.

Barak-Zilfin:

Uses the following code: Master Of The Skies; Don't Argue With The Wind; There's Always a Breeze if you look for it

• Ability: Magnificent Skyvessels: You can choose 1 extra Skyvessel in your army to have a great endrinwork.

• Command Trait: Master Commander: (Arkanaut Admiral only) Each time you spend a command point to use a command ability on this general's warscroll, roll a dice. On a 5+, you receive 1 extra command point.

• Artefact of Power: Staff of ocular optimisation: Pick 1 of the bearer's missile weapons. Add 1 to hit rolls for attacks made by that weapon.

Barak-Zilfin unlocks Arkanaut Frigats as battleline.

Barak-Zon:

Uses the following code: Honour is Everything, Leave No Duardin Behind

• Unique Footnote: Show them your Steel: Once per battle, in the hero phase, one of your units that is embarked in a vessel can immediately disembark and attempt to charge as if it was the charge phase (it can still attempt a second charge during the regular charge phase if the first one failed)

You may choose an additional footnote, other than "These Are Just Guidelines".

As well as the following:

• Ability: Deeds, Not Words: You can re-roll wound rolls of 1 in the combat phase for your units if they charged in the same turn. gotta make sure that alpha strike hurts!

• Artefact Of Power: Aethersped Hammer: The user can always be chosen to pile in and attack first in the combat phase no matter what. If an enemy unit has a similar ability, then the normal turn order is used.

• A Barak-Zon Iron Sky Squadron can include a unit of Skywardens for each Frigate in the Battalion.

Barak-Urbaz:

Uses the following code: Seek New Prospects, Always Take What You Are Owed

• Unique Footnote: Where There's War, There's Gold: Once per battle, in the hero phase, one of your units within 3" of an enemy can pile in and attack as if it were the combat phase, or shoot as if it were the shooting phase.

You may choose an additional footnote, other than "These Are Just Guidelines"

As well as the following:

• Ability: Khemists Supreme: Your Aether-Khemists can choose two units for it's Aetheric Augmentation Ability, rather than just one. Because you need more reasons to take this guy.

• Artefact of Power: Breath of Morgrim (Ironclad only): Immediately after you move the Ironclad that has this (and did not choose to run), pick an enemy unit within 6" and roll a dice for each model in that unit. If you at least roll one 6, that unit will suffer D3 mortal wounds.

• A Barak-Urbaz Iron Sky Command Battalion can include any number of Aether-Khemists. which is good because you want a boatload of them.

Barak-Mhornar:

Uses the following Code: Seek New Prospects, Prosecute Wars With All Haste

• Unique Footnote: Who Strikes First, Strikes Hardest:Once per battle, in your hero phase, one of your units can attempt to charge as if it was your charge phase, or pile in and attack as if it was your attack phase.

you may choose an additional footnote, which CAN be "These Are Just Guidelines".

As well as access to the following:

• Ability: Fearsome Raiders: Enemy units that take a battleshock within 3” of a Barak-Mhornar unit at 1 to the roll. Awesome.

• Command Trait: Opportunistic Privateers: In your shooting can pick an enemy unit as your target. All units within 3” of the general who fire at that target reroll misses. Amazing.

• A Barak-Mhornar Grundstok Escort Wing can include one additional Gunhauler. Meh

(the best for gunlines, and probably one of the best solely for its command trait.)

Barak-Thryng:

Uses the following Code: Settle The Grudges, Trust To Your Guns

• Unique Footnote: Honour The Gods, Just In Case: Once per battle, in any phase, you can re-roll one of your dice rolls

You may choose an additional footnote, other than "These are just Guidelines"

As well as access to the following:

• Ability: Log of Grudges: You can pick D3 enemy units for the "Settle The Grudges" artycle instead of one.

• Artefact of Power: Grudgehammer: The bearer can re-roll all failed hit and wound rolls in the combat phase if that target has a grudge on it.

• A Barak-Thryng Grundstock Escort Wing can include an additional Frigate.

Warscrolls

The common keywords for these warscrolls are: ORDER, DUARDIN, and KHARADRON OVERLORDS

Leaders

• Brokk Grungsson: (SKYFARER, MARINE 240pts) 240 points of angry, overpowered dwarfen pain. Eight wounds, a 3+ save, three guns, and with a flying movement value of 12" he's much faster than your other heroes who can only footslog 4". He can hit hard in melee - four attacks at -2 rend d3 damage, inflicting 3 MW on a 6 to-hit instead. His command ability lets all your nearby BarakNar dudes reroll charges. Interesting to note is that while he's the Lord-Magnate of Barak-Nar, Feel free to run him in whichever Skyport you like.

• Arkanaut Admiral: (SKYFARER, MARINE 140pts) His melee weapon has good hit and wound rolls (with rerolls of 1 against heroes or monsters), and good rend, but only two attacks at 2 damage... so while his attacks are quite reliable, his maximum damage output isn't great. While he has a ridiculous four Command Abilities, only one of them can be used on foot, letting one Skyfarers unit re-roll a charge. The rest require him to hide in a Skyvessel to boost it (letting it run and shoot, re-rolling 1s to hit with the ship's guns, or letting the ship and anyone inside it re-roll 1s to hit in combat). Also useful is that he lets all friendly units within 12" ignore Battleshock, and those within 3" can also be used as Look Out Sir fodder on a 5+.

• Aetheric Navigator: (SKYFARER, MARINE 100pts) He has the ability to cut the movement of one enemy flying unit within 36" into half, there is also a 1 in 6 chance they suffer D3 mortal wounds. He Could be handy to mess with enemies like Nighthaunt. The Navigator is also a source of spell and endless spell unbinding without the use of a relic or Code amendment, and he allows Skyvessels to re-roll run or charge rolls. He also has access to a pretty good selection of artefacts, all of which make him much more useful than he was in the previous book.

• Aether Khemist: (SKYFARER, MARINE 90pts) The main reason you take this guy letting a Skyfarers unit reroll wound rolls of 1. The khemist has a defensive ability too - in melee, enemy models within 3 inches of him suffer -1 to hit with any attacks. He'd rather not be in melee though. Lastly, his shooting weapon is 3d6 attacks on average hit and wound, and -2 rend, a brutal anti-infantry weapon, and just all-around nasty to approach. Stick him in a Skyvessel with some Thunderers and laugh at your opponent's tears. Or treat him to the Aethershock Earbuster relic for some serious horde killing potential.

• Endrinmaster with Endrinharness: (SKYFARER, MARINE 100pts) A foot engineer that Can heal a Skyvessel for D3 wounds every hero phase, a nice addition to any Ironclad. Besides that he's a decent combat character with a respectable hammer that can deal 3 MWs if he rolls a 6+ to hit and d3 Damage at -1 Rend otherwise. His command ability also lets a unit of Endrinriggers re-roll their chances to heal. Between his hammer and gaze of grungni, an Endrinmaster can put out up to 12 wounds with -1 rend a turn, not bad for 100 points.

• Endrinmaster with Dirigible Suit: (SKYFARER 220pts) Now you have a stuntie on a man-sized hot air balloon. This gives the guy a straight upgrade, heal now heals a Straight 3 wounds and as two new weapons (a rapid-fire weapons suite and a stronger Aethercannon), as well as a, saw that's got a better rend than the hammer, but lacks the chance for MWs. What he gets instead is the ability to hitch a ride with any Skyvessel when they Fly High, making him way more mobile and thus more useful as a direct support HQ.

• Bjorgen Thundrik: (SKYFARER, MARINE 140pts) The Shadespire Warband but is legal for use in AoS too. You get Bjorgen and his unit of four Profiteers. Bjorgen is almost exactly the same as a regular Khemist (he has one extra attack with his melee, but he's still not good in melee) but he is a named character, so he can't be given an artefact or command trait.
  • His Profiteers are a unit of four: you get a motley crew of one Thunderer with aethershot rifle, one Skywarden with skypike, and two Arkanaut Company dudes one of whom has a volleygun. Some of their weapon stats do vary slightly from those other units though (more attacks on some of them, inferior wound rolls on the skypike) Given that a standard Aether-Khemist is 90pts, you're basically paying 50pts for this unit of four mismatched dudes. By all means, do that if you want. What you can do instead, however, is buy the kit (which costs the same money as a single Aether-Khemist) and then use Bjorgen as a standard Aether-Khemist for a bit of variety, especially if you want to include two khemists in your list.

Battleline

• Arkanaut Company: (SKYFARER, MARINE Min:10 Max:40 90pts) Primarily battleline option. They're fairly cheap, rather bad in combat and don't have great Bravery, but you're still going to need three units of them in a standard 2000pts game if you don't take a Skyport and they do better-holding objectives while also able to attack while in the boats. They do reroll battleshock and +1 to hit if wholly within 9" of an objective (and not in a garrison). Their pistols are okay, although short-ranged, and you can also include one of each following heavy weapon per ten dwarfs - can get a Skypike (2"/2/4+/4+/-1/D3d), Light Skyhook (18"/1/4+/4+/-2/D3d), and Aethermatic Volleygun (12"/6/5+/4+/-1/D1). The Skypike can add a bit of punch in melee, but that still isn't where your Arkanauts really want to be, but helps to fend off when a skyship or objective gets assaulted. The Skyhooks has a good range for sitting on backfield objectives. The Aethermatic Volleygun has less range but does average more damage than the Skyhook.

• Grundstok Thunderers: (Conditional battleline: BARAK-NAR Army,SKYFARER, MARINE Min:5 Max:20 120pts) Holy fuck, these got a nerf. Formerly a powerful gunline infantry that could fill up on either long-range or close-range options, now they are limited to one of each special weapon per five soldiers, meaning the days of being able to take ten mortars or ten cannons are long gone. Combined with a range nerf on the mortars, the Thunderers now rely on the synergy between the special weapons to do their damage at a 12" range unit still puts out a respectable weight of fire, and if everything clicks they can shred pretty much anything that doesn't have a 3+ base save. Their defenses are lacking, with only a 4+ armor save and 2 wounds apiece, but honestly, it doesn't matter because they're not supposed to be in combat, but if they do the gain +1 attack if they risk sticking it out and having a Fumigators will help them survive.
  • They are good candidates to have min unit armed with only Aethershot Rifle backfield or placed in skyships with mixed weapons to give them more firepower, as its will get them within 9" (but unit bonuses won't work when garrisoned).

• Skywardens: (Conditional battleline: General is Endrinmaster with Dirigible Suit, SKYFARER, Min:3 Max:12 100pts) DUARDIN warriors with a balloon strapped to their backs. Are armed with Vulcaniser Pistol (better Arkanaut pistols with rending) and skypikes (2"/2/4+/3+/-1/D3d). Skypike's 2" range lets you fight in two ranks, so you can bunch up and present a narrower frontage to the enemy, maybe taking fewer attacks back from them. they can also be armed for shooting with 1 in 3 can get a Volley gun and 1 in 3 can get a Grapnel Launcher or Skyhook (all hits hard and either, have extra rend and could deal MW, prevents enemies from fleeing. or +1 to charge rolls). Also, skywardens also inflict MW when they retreat or charge by flyers. Most importantly like other Balloon DUARDIN, they can redeploy with a ship when it Flys High to get into charge range first turn. They may not be survivable with 2W, 4+Sv, but are shocked assaulters especially if they pop an Aethergold and they can inflict a lot of damage then the d3s are rolled.
  • Skywardens are melee specialists, so loading them with ranged weapons may not be the most effective use of units with 2 attacks though they do inflict MW when they disengage and charged to make them unappealing.
  • take a unit of 6+, with Grapnel Launcher and Skyhook, charging and holding in melee is easier.

• Endrinriggers: (Conditional battleline: General is Endrinmaster with Dirigible Suit, SKYFARER, Min:3 Max:12 100pts) They ensure that your boats stay up and don't like interruptions. each Endrinrigger 12" 3 shot pistol, and Aethermatic Saws which are 1 attack but has better to-hit, wound, and -2 rend, making it easier to land those attacks. Endrinriggers do prefer range and take the same 1 in 3 option as Skywardens. you may want to range things out and stay with the boat with a Rapid-fire Rivet Gun, Drill Launcher and Aethermatic Volley Gun. So broadly speaking, you have two good ways to run this unit: either kit them out for melee, keep the saws and maybe add a grapnel launcher or two, or tool them up for shooting by giving one-third of them drill cannons, another third of them volleyguns. This will give you a very mobile unit with 24" range guns. Finally, as their main role, Endrinriggers has a chance for each model to repair a wound on a skyvessels if they're within 1".

• Grundstok Gunhauler: (Conditional battleline: BARAK-URBAZ Army, WAR MACHINE, SKYVESSEL, 150pts) A supporting corvette for your airfleet, has a good damage output and movement value and neither are affected by wounds taken, which is good because this thing can negate damage on any other non-Gunhauler Skyvessel within 3" on a roll of 6 (subsequently drawing the fire). It can be armed with either a Skycannon (a rapid fire or big accurate shot option) or a Drill cannon (18"/1/3+/3+/-3/D3d, and on a 5+ to hit will inflict 3 MW), both are equally good choices so just pick whichever you think your army needs most. Like all other SKYVESSEL, they have MW bombs thrown at an enemy that tries to tie it down, able to retreat from anything without fly and still shoot, and they can Fly High, redeploying anywhere 9" away from enemies.

Behemoths

• Arkanaut Frigate: (Conditional battleline: BARAK-ZILFIN Army,WAR MACHINE, SKYVESSEL, 250pts) The bulk of any Skyfleet, a basic transport, and gunboat. It can carry up to 15 Duardin, but going over 10 halves its movement, heal one wound each hero phase, and reroll run rolls. Armed with hull-mounted Aethershot Carbines (12"/4/3+/3+/-1/2D). And it can take a heavy weapon on its forecastle, you can choose between a Heavy Skycannon (have a hoard killing and monster-slaying option), and Heavy Skyhook (same as Heavy Skycannon's monster-slaying shell but also add +2 to charges, so your passengers can drive closer and hit them with their swords and then pull back to rapid-fire them). With Sky High, it can relocate 9" from any enemy models and because Garrisoned units can shoot, you can lest several contingents of Grundstok Thunderers devastate first turn with their 12+" weapons. Getting into close combat isn't as much of a death sentence as it has been before. It has six 4+/4+/-/1 attacks and it can generate D3 mortal wounds every close combat phase (so twice per round). Sure, its not a close combat monster but this and the attacks from the crew inside should be enough to survive until your own movement phase, where you can just disengage and start blasting them!

• Arkanaut Ironclad: (WAR MACHINE, SKYVESSEL, 510pts) A flying Baneblade. This ship has everything: guns, armor, health, troop capacity, this ship makes the Adeptus Mechanicus shit themselves in envy. Carries up to 25 infantry in its hull, with 16+ models slowing it. Of all the clown cars the Kharadron have, this one is the slowest (only a 10-inch move, but it's unchanged by damage), but also the toughest and hardest hitting armed with Torpedoes, Carbines and one of three choices of hull-mounted turret: either the Great Sky Cannon, as above, the Great Skyhook, as above, and the Aethermatic Volley Cannon, essentially a minigun Cannon, with 4D6 shots hitting on 3s, wounding the same, and rend -1, a fantastic dakka option. The great skycannon also has its use. Unlike its smaller cousin on the frigate, the one on the Ironclad always hits for 6 damage. 30" range and -2 rend means you can threaten those squishy backfield wizards. GW finally realized that something called "Ironclad" shouldn't die to a stiff breeze and gave it a 3+ save.

Battalions

Grand Armada

1 Arkanaut Admiral, 1 Iron Sky Command, 1 Iron Sky Squadron, and 1 Grunstok Escort Wing. 100 points. This huge formation within formations (Decurion again GW?) this will run you 4040.

"On A War Footing", In your first hero phase all SKYVESSELS can move as if in the movement phase. The ships can act normally for the remainder of your turn.

"Consitutional Experts", Keep your Admiral and another Hero from the formation on the battlefield to use your footnotes once per battle round rather then battle. Does not allow you to use These are just Guidelines though.

Grundstok Escort Wing

3 units of Grundstock Gunhaulers, 1 Arkanaut Frigate, 1-3 units of Gundstock Thunderers, & 1-3 units of Skywardens. 130 points. 940 Minimum.

"Focus Fire", at the start of your shooting phase choose an enemy, add 1 to hit rolls when shooting but all of that unit must attack that enemy. Fuck those guys in particular.

• Actually, the battalion just says "Add 1 to hit rolls for any units from this battalion if all of that unit's attacks are directed against that enemy unit." No mention of this having to be shooting. So open fire with +1 to hit, then if there's anything left charge in with your Skywardens and enjoy the same bonus with your Skypikes! This would go a long way towards making them a worthwhile pick over Endrinriggers.

Iron Sky Command

1 Arkanaut Ironclad, 3 heroes in any combination (Aether-Khemist, Aetheric Navigator, and Endrinmaster), 1 Arkanaut Company, and 1-3 units of Endrinriggers. Minimum points is 980.

For all this you get 2 abilities. "Lord of the Skies", friendly units within 12" of the Ironclad from the battatlion -1 to battleshock.

"Trusted Bodyguard", while a Hero is within 3" of the Arkanaut Company on a 5+ the company takes the wound or mortal wound instead of the Hero.

Iron Sky Squadron

2-10 Arkanaut Frigates & 2-10 Arkanaut Companies. 130 points. 720 points minimum.

For all this you get 2 abilities."Bold Privateers", when an Arkanaut Company disembarks from a Frigate they can reroll run and charge moves that turn. "Opening Salvo", in the first battle round add 1 to attacks for missile weapons of Frigates.

Tactics

General Tactics

• Take a Khemist. Always. +1 shots to a unit of Thunderers*? Yes please. (*Note: The Khemist only buffs the attacks characteristics of ONE weapon TYPE in a unit. This is better suited for a unit all wielding the same weapon.) (The Khemist buff ability has been changed in the new 2020 battletome.)
• Thunderers have been heavily, heavily nerfed, but are still a playable unit, thanks to how cheap they are. Now you can only put one of each weapon in a squad for every five soldiers, so you'll be putting out a small amount of a variety of gunshots, instead of one overwhelming blast of mortars or cannons. Still, the added synergies between the special weapons make them at least somewhat attractive if everything goes well, and if you Khemist-buff the rifles they still can put out a respectable punch at 18 inches. They're best placed in a frigate or ironclad, and marched up the board, taking part in the Age of Sigmar version of the Fish of Fury.
• Your Endrinriggers could very quickly become a very scary first wave unit. Attach them to a Frigate that you plan to send into the midfield anyway and deploy it as far forward as you dare. Now you can move 10", deploy the Endrinriggers 3" and move with them another 12". Now they can shoot with their pistols/Drillcannon and charge with their saws - both of which are very capable weapons. Add a Khemist for even more tears. now your skyvessels can disembark duardins ONLY in the hero phase, so at best you will earn 3" for the range of the disembark.
• Learn to love your clown cars. You can stuff a surprising number of duardin in each vessel. Stuff 15 thunderers in an ironclad will give you at will deep striking and a wall of dakka to anything within range. Garrisoned units don't count toward holding objectives, but you can still land all over the board, open up the clown car, have the shooty soldiers pile out with the skyvessel between them and their enemies, and freely shoot through your own vessel because it's flying, while being nice and safe from charges, who will have to go through the tough skyvessel first, essentially a less shitty and unbalanced version of the Fish of Fury. (note: units cannot disembark after a ship has flown high unless otherwise stated by a faction ability or artifact; so counting those models toward an objective would be delayed a turn)

Barak Nar Tactics

• All heroes may unbind spells, which they do with a +1. Once per game, all heroes may unbind an additional spell. Goodbye spell-casting; if I don't have any wizards, my opponent isn't gonna have any either!
• May also bring additional navigators, which is of dubious usefulness.
• Plenty of abilities that enhance your Battleshock tests, too. This makes Barak-Nar one of the better Skyports for never failing battleshock tests. You're still probably better off blasting your opponent into quivering jelly before they even get a chance to force Battleshock tests on you.
• Best models for Barak Nar: Heroes of any type (They get to freely try to dispell, and they gain leadership-enhancing auras), and big blobs of Arkanaut Company.

Barak Zilfin Tactics

• Aetherspheric Endrins lets you essentially Deep Strike an Ironclad. Fill it with Thunderers, a Khemist, some Arkanauts to be their meatshields and probably some Endrinriggers because this thing is going to be target priority number 1.
• There's Always A Breeze If You Look For It then gives you the ability to move another Skyvessel up the field incredibly quickly to support your Deep Striking Skyvessel (Bringing a Gunhauler 24" up to support your badass Ironclad seems like a good plan all around). Alternatively, you can use this to get your important ship way the fuck out of danger, or into a better tactical position. Never underestimate the power of rocketing your Frigate across the board to somewhere your opponent thought they were safe. Models can also Disembark after TAABIYLFI normally, making it great for quick tactical jumps from which your Endrinriggers can hop out and fuck some shit up.
• Zilfin is the thinking man's Barak. None of Zilfin's powers directly increase your army's survivability, only their mobility, making Zilfin incredibly fast, to the point that most people won't expect it.
• Best models for Barak Zilfin: Any Skyship. All your powers revolve around them.

Barak Zon Tactics

• Show Them Your Steel: Once per battle, in your hero phase, one embarked SKYFARER can immediately disembark and attempt to charge as if it were the charge phase. Not sure why this rule even exists, really - why not just move first and then charge in the charge phase?
• Barak Zon's abilities all revolve around aggression. Their heroes get to reroll 1s when targeting Heroes or Monsters, you reroll 1s to wound after a charge, and you can take a magic item that gives you Always Strikes First.
• Best models for Barak Zon: Endrinriggers, Arkanaut Company with Skypikes, Arkanaut Admirals, and Endrinmasters.

Barak Urbaz Tactics

• Using Khemists Supreme, This lets your Khemists double up on their buffing, making them very useful in a gunline. Sit him next to 20 Arkanauts with 6 Skyhooks on one side, and 10 Grundstok Thunderers with Aethershot Rifles on the other. Buff them both, and let the monster-killing shots fly while anything at 18' range or less gets shredded with 32 rifle shots. If you like Gunlines, this is the Barak for you, as even in the biggest armies you'll probably need no more than 1 or 2 Khemists to buff your best weapons. Sadly, you can't buff the same weapon twice, or two weapons in the same unit, but if you enjoy MSU or even just a handful of medium-sized units this makes the hero much more efficient at what they do.
• Your Barak-specific footnote Where there's war, there's gold can also be pretty useful, as it allows you to shoot a unit in the hero phase, meaning you could buff the unit twice with khemists, shoot using the footnote, use the "There's no trading with some people" footnote to get an extra D3 mortal wounds on something, then shoot in your shooting phase for a pretty decent alpha strike.
• Best models for Barak Urbaz: Aether Khemists, Thunderers, Ironclads, and Endrinriggers.

Barak Mhornar Tactics

• Make sure you're getting the most out of Opportunistic Privateers. In your shooting phase you select one enemy unit and any of your units who target that unit and are within 3" of your general can re-roll misses. This ability is amazing. It makes weapons that seem underwhelming such as Volley guns much more viable. For example, your Arkanaut Company targets a hero or Monster giving them +1 to hit (now on 4+) then re-rolling those misses with the command trait and suddenly your 18 shot -1 rend 1 damage are going to do some serious damage. This translates well to other units, of course, Skyships normally have weak to-hit rolls, but rerolling misses makes them more reliable, and Thunderers get much more reliable if you take the full weapon array or even just Rifles.
• Our Artycle Seek New Prospects allows you to re-roll battleshock tests while in your opponent's territory. This ability is very dependent on what you are facing. Against other ranged armies, this may be useful as you move up or if you need to secure an objective on the other side of the board. Most of the time, however, it will not be very useful. Luckily we are the only Barak with access to These are Just Guidelines allowing you to swap your Artycle in the hero phase. Some people are saying you must roll for it while others say you may pick so its a bit up in the air at the moment. Either way, it gives you the opportunity to potentially get something more useful.
• Prosecute at all haste allows your units to run and shoot in the first turn. Add in an Iron Sky Squadron battalion for +1 to the attacks of all missile weapons on the frigates. You now have 2 frigates with the firepower of 4 for a turn. Add in the command ability from your general and you have some reliable and dangerous shooting for a turn.
• Best models for Barak Mhornar: Aether Khemists further your Alpha Strike and Target Deletion style very well, letting you enhance your unit's weapons with both an extra attack and rerolling failures to hit against your target. Thunderers, Skyships, and Endrinriggers all get a ton out of this.

Barak Thryng Tactics

• Settle Your Grudges lets you pick an enemy unit after everything's been set up, and for the rest of the game, you reroll 1s to hit and wound against it! Hey look, we have a Grudge to settle with Nagash/Archaon/Alarielle/Celestant Prime/Morathi/That forty man blob of Tzaangors. Great for helping troubleshoot that one thing you know will be really obnoxious, but obviously makes you a little less flexible, and if the enemy knows you're going to bully that one target, they can simply hide it all game and deny you your power (whoever wrote that said it like it's a bad thing)
• Your bravery goes up by 1 if there's no one within 3' of you. This is alright against heavy shooting armies or anyone trying to Leadership-Bomb you, but it's going to be very situational, as Kharadron are most likely to need their leadership to be good in melee.
• Oh wait, you thought you could only pick ONE target for Settle Your Grudges? Log of Grudges lets you pick d3 instead. Sometimes you'll roll a 1 or 2, but you'll have a good chance at higher because...
• Honour The Gods, Just In Case: ... This little gem. This lets you re-roll a single die, once per game. Usually not a big deal, but you could use it to reroll your d3 on Settle Your Grudges, hopefully giving you 2 or 3 units affected by your Grudges. If you roll a 3 (Or aren't feeling particularly lucky and decide to keep a 2) you can keep it for a one-time-use clutch roll. Very handy in a pinch, even if it's relatively low-impact.
• Lastly, you get the unique Artefact: Grudgehammer. This lets the hero it's equipped to reroll all failed hit and wound rolls against a Grudge'd target. Pretty nice on an Admiral or an Endrinmaster, but probably a little weak on anyone else.
• Best models for Barak Thryng: Barak Thryng doesn't really specialize in any one thing, and is a decent all-arounder who's power isn't necessarily enhancing certain units. Play what you like with this one.

Allied Armies

• Cities of Sigmar: Tempest Eye allows Kharadron units to be part of their army, Other than that they provide numbers, Durable infantry and magic.
• Stormcast Eternals: same as above but with more elite units
• Fyreslayers:
• Idoneth Deepkin:
• Sylvaneth:
• Daughters of Khaine:

Mercenary Companies

• Blacksmoke Battery:
• Greyfyrd: lorewise Barak Thryng actually has Fyreslayer allies
• Grugg Brothers:
• Gutstuffers:
• Nimyard’s Rough-Riders:
• Order of the Blood-Drenched Rose:
• Rampagers:
• Skroug’s Menagerie:
• Sons of the Lichemaster:
• Tenebrous Court:

Building an Army

Unfortunately, Kharadron Overlords seem to be a more expensive army to start if you really want to get your foot in the door. All Kharadron lists consist of multiple Skyvessels and of course the infantry they carry - which is a large number of kits for what can be a fairly small army, but it can be broken down into manageable chunks easily enough.

There are two sets that let you buy multiple units at a discount: the Start Collecting Kharadron Overlords, and the Battleforce Kharadron Overlords Sky-Fleet. Despite the name, the Start Collecting Box isn't a good place to start collecting, as it lacks either of the two most important units in the army, the Arkanaut Company and Arkanaut Frigate, both of which are included in the Battleforce. That isn't to say that the Start Collecting box is worthless, but it's better served as an add-on to an already existing collection. Sadly, Battleforces are always limited-time offers.

If you aren't specifically aiming for a Battalion that requires certain models, a nice and cheap starter army would consist of one of the Leaders (This author highly recommends the Admiral or the Khemist, as they require less experience and knowledge of how Kharadron work to play effectively), a box of Arkanaut Company, and a Frigate. This will be approximately 500 points, and will give you a good feel for how Kharadron play. For twenty-five bucks extra, you can get the Battleforce, which adds Skywardens/Endrinriggers and a Grundstok Gunhauler.

The Arkanaut Company are the only battleline unit for the Kharadron Overlords with a minimum size of 10, which is 1 box. So depending on the size of the game you intend to play, you'll need 2 to 3 boxes minimum (1000pt-2000pt) for matched play standards.

If you're paralyzed by choice from the faction, sit down and decide what Barak (Or Baraks, if you're feeling like swapping between them) you're most interested in playing. Obviously Barak-Zilfin wants lots of ships to take advantage of their traits, so a Frigate and a Gunhauler's probably a good place to start. If you're looking at Barak Urbaz's potential, two boxes of Thunderers and an Aether-Khemist are probably what you're looking for. Once you've got a few models under your belt, we the authors here at the glorious and perfect Tactics Page recommend a Lord Ordinator. He's just too good for the points, and works exceptionally well in most-to-all Kharadron Lists.

How to expand from there is really down to your army direction and budget. There is no real wrong way to collect them.

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