The Empire is getting back together again! The Empire, Elves and Dwarfs are now A MASSIVE clusterfuck of units under the same standard. Not only that, but in the last shelf cleaning, TONS of models, even plastic ones, got squatted.
Low to average to hit rolls but Lots of ways to add +1 to hit.
Many ways to generate CP.
the synergies of the sub-factions can be united. Ever wonder what happens if you take the range power of free peoples, surviving skills of dwarfs and the monsters of the dark elves? Now it's your chance to find it out!
One of the best ways to make a mixed Order List without needing allies. With additional synergies with Kharadron Overlords, Sylvaneth, and Stormcast Eternals, you can take some as part of your city.
Cons
Comes at the cost of mass squatting, particularly of old High Elves.
A lot of remaining factions lost a their units, like the Devoted losing Warrior-Priests, Witch Hunters, and the War-Altar.
Locked into City allegiance and their associated realms of Aqshy or Ghyran. Must "Counts As" if your units aren't up to code and tough luck if you wanted Realm artifacts from elsewhere.
A lot of units can feel like repeats on paper compared to their previous iteration (lots of abilities are now +1 to hits, and some ability were reappropriated by the cities), only set apart by their synergy with other models.
Darklings can't gain size bonus when near bigger units
Dispossessed lost anti-magic banners and Relentless, as well as any long-range gunlines beyond the Irondrakes
Wanderers can't Retreat and shoot or use the board edge for movement, Also they lost their Iconic glade archers.
Rulebooks
Allegiance Abilities
Universal Allegiance Abilities
Strongholds of Order: You must choose a city. You have 7 choices. Go wild. You get all the universal allegiance abilities, plus all abilities from the chosen city.
Amplified Sorceries: If you cast an Endless Spell , it's always the empowered version, regardless of what realm you're playing in.
Warriors of the Realms: If you're using Malign Sorcery rules, your army must be from the realm your city hails from.
Honoured Retinue: If your general has a wound characteristic of 6 or less, you can pick a retinue (any unit of 5-20 models). If your general is within 3" of the retinue, each time your general takes a wound, on a 4+ the retinue takes it instead.
The General's Adjutant: If your general has a wound characteristic of 6 or less, you can pick a friendly hero to be their adjutant. The adjutant must have a wound characteristic of 6 or less. If your general is within 3" of the adjutant at the start of your hero phase, roll a die. On a 4+, you get a CP.
Stormkeeps: 1 in 4 units in your army can be Stormcast . They gain the City keyword in place of their normal Stormhost keyword.
Equipment:
almost every unit has a Standard Bearer and a Musician for every 10 models.
Standard Bearer: gains +1 bravery if the unit has one.
Musician: Add 1 to charge rolls and also often run rolls if the unit has a Musician.
City Allegiance: Hammerhal (Aqshy or Ghyran)
The flagship twin city with named Stormcast Characters.
Battle Traits
City of Two Realms
Hammerhal armies must be from Aqshy or Ghyran.
Banners Held High
At the start of your hero phase, roll for each unit that contains at least one banner or standard-bearer. For each 6, you get a CP.
Master of Hammerhal
If Aventis Firestrike is your general, you get an extra CP at the start of your first hero phase.
The Pride of Hammerhal
While wholly within your territory, your units ignore battleshock.
Command Ability: Righteous Purpose: You can only use this at the end of the combat phase on a friendly HAMMERHAL unit that is wholly within enemy territory, wholly within 12" of a friendly HAMMERHAL HERO and within 3" of an enemy unit. It gets to pile in and attack again.
Command Traits
Academiate Prodigy: Add 1 to attack characteristic of melee weapons. Also start the game with an extra command point.
Blood of the twelve: Reroll wound rolls of 1 for melee attacks made by friendly units wholly within 12" of the general.
Aggressive General: Add 1 to hit for melee attacks made by friendly units wholly within 12" of the general if this general made a charge move in the same turn.
Since it doesn't say round, it's only your player turn: YOU are aggressive.
Artefacts Of Power
Armor of Malice: Add 1 to save rolls of the bearer.
Saint's Blade: Pick 1 melee weapon of the bearer, improve its rend by 1. While the bearer is within 6" of an objective marker, add 1 to damage inflicted by the weapon.
Those high-number-of-attacks but low rend or damage 1 attacks on your characters? They've just become really good on your mobile griffon general or dragon-riding dark elf. It makes me want to take 5 attack sword or 4 attacks lance instead of 3 attacks great weapon in order to double down on the damage potential.
Twin Stones: This artefact depends on which place your Hammerhall comes from (see Warriors of the Realm, above).
If it comes from Aqshy, Add 1 to hit for melee attacks made by friendly units wholly within 12" of the bearer.
If it comes from Ghyran, roll a d6 for every unit wholly within 12" of the bearer, on a 4+ you can heal d3 wounds that were previously allocated to that unit.
Spell Lore
Wings of Fire: Thermal Rider cloak was not enough for you? Have some wings of fire: cast on a 6, if successful pick 1 friendly unit that is visible to the caster, add 1 to run and charge rolls and that unit can fly until the start of your next hero phase.
Cinder Cloud: Cast on a 7, until the start of your next hero phase, subtract 1 from attacks that target friendly units wholly within 9 of the caster. Combine with a Mystifying Miasma battlemage to give targeted penalties to compound the debuff.
Twin Tailed Comet: Cast on a 7, pick one enemy unit within 18" of the caster that is visible, they take d3 mortal wounds (or if they had 10 or more models, they take d6 mortal wounds instead).
City Allegiance: Anvilgard (Aqshy)
The Tortuga of the Mortal Realms.
Battle Traits
Anvilgard armies must be from Aqshy.
Illicit Dealings: Choose one of the following:
Black Market Bounty: 1 extra ANVILGARD Artefact of Power
Dabblings in Sorcery: 1 additional ANVILGARD Dragon/Kharibdyss/War Hydra can have a Drakeblood Curse
Hidden Agenda: D3 extra command points
Command Ability: Make an Example of the Weak: At the start of your Battleshock Phase, pick 1 friendly ANVILGARD unit wholly within 12" of an ANVILGARD hero. One model is slain, but ANVILGARD units wholly within 18" of the targeted unit ignore Battleshock.
Drakeblood Curses: One Dragon/Kharibdyss/War Hydra, plus one per Battalion, can have a Drakeblood Curse. No model may have more than one curse, and no curse may be taken more than once.
Acidic Blood: Roll a dice each time the unit is allocated a wound that wasn't negated. On a 4+, the damaging unit takes 1 mortal wound.
Jutting Bones: After the model makes a charge, pick an enemy unit within 1". On a 2+, target takes D3 mortal wounds.
Felgaze: 12" -2 bravery bubble.
Command Traits
Your General chooses one of:
Blackfang Crimelord: Pick 2 Illicit Dealings instead of 1.
Slayer of Monsters: +1 to hit and wound rolls if you target a MONSTER.
Secretive Warlock: If the general is a wizard, they know all the spells in the Anvilgard lore. If not, they know one.
Artefacts Of Power
One hero, plus one hero per battalion, chooses one of:
Drakescale Cloak: 5+ FNP
Venomfang Blade: Pick 1 weapon. If the wound roll of the attack is an unmodified 6, it deals D3 mortal wounds in addition to any normal damage.
Asphyxia Censer: At the end of the combat phase, each enemy unit within 3" of the bearer on a 4+ takes D3 mortal wounds.
Spell Lore
Each wizard knows one of the following spells:
Sap Strength: CV6. Pick a visible enemy unit within 18". They get -1 to hit until the start of your next hero phase.
Shadow Daggers: CV7. If cast, pick a visible enemy unit within 9". They take D6 mortal wounds.
Vitrioc Spray: CV8. If cast, pick a visible enemy unit within 6". Until the start of your next hero phase, they have a save characteristic of "-". Use your sorceress's sacrificial dagger to make sure it goes through!
City Allegiance: Tempest's Eye (Aqshy)
Mountain trading port that touches the sky.
Battle Traits
Atop Titanspear Mountain: Tempest's Eye armies must be from Aqshy.
Alert and Forewarned: Add 3 to movement and 1 to saves for Tempest Eye units until the end of the 1st battle round.
Outrunners of the Realms: Add 1 to run rolls.
Standing Contracts: 1 in 4 units can be Kharadron Overlords . They gain the Cities of Sigmar and Tempest's Eye keywords.
Command Ability: Rapid Redeploy: In the shooting phase, pick a Tempest's Eye unit within 12" of hero. That unit can shoot even if it ran in the same turn.
Command Traits
Aether Guard Captain: Add 1 to charge rolls for friendly Tempest's Eye units that are wholly within 12" of the general.
Hawk Eyed: Add 1 to wound rolls for missile attacks made by friendly Tempest's Eye units wholly within 12" of the general.
Swift as the Wind: Can run and charge. Hero and mount fight at the start of the combat phase.
Artefacts Of Power
Patrician's Helm: Do not take battleshock for friendly Tempest's Eye units wholly within 12" of the bearer.
Seerstone Amulet: If bearer is on the battlefield at the start of your hero phase roll a dice, on a 4+ get an extra CP.
Zephyrite Banner: Reroll charge rolls for friendly Tempest's Eye units that are wholly within 12" of the bearer.
Spell Lore
Aura of Glory: Cast on a 7, add 1 to the attack characteristic of melee weapons for friendly Tempest's Eye units that are wholly within 12" of the caster. Damn! Stack this on your aether-chestmisted Baloon dudes to triple their melee output!
Strike Eagles: Cast on a 7, pick one enemy unit within 30" of the caster (and visible). Roll 6 dice, for every 4+ they take a mortal wound. Awesome range!
Celestial Visions: Cast on a 7, get a CP.
City Allegiance: Hallowheart (Aqshy)
The city of magic. If you want to always cast a spell and have your opponent watch as they can't unbind them, here's your place.
Battle Traits
Eldritch Attunement: If a unit is affected by a spell or endless spell, you can choose to roll a die. On a 5+, ignore the spell's effects.
Mage of the Whitefire Council: Your wizards can cast an extra spell. They select TWO spells from the spell list instead of 1.
Command Ability: Arcane Channeling: Start of the hero phase. Pick 1 friendly hero wizard and roll a die. 1) that unit suffers that many mortal wounds. 2) for each mortal wound dealt (not suffered), your wizards wholly within 12" get that roll's result as a bonus to cast until the start of your next hero phase. Remember, in order to be able to measure to the model, it must not be dead! Works better on units with lots of wounds, such as celestial hurricanums and luminarks of hysh.
Command Traits
Veteran of the Blazing Crusade: Do not take battleshock tests for friendly units wholly within 18" of the general.
Warden of the Flame: Start of your hero phase, on a 4+ you get an extra CP. If you were going to use your CPs for battleshock immunity, why not use the previous command trait instead?
Famed Spell Hunter: If your general is a wizard, add 3 to attempts to dispell endless spells. Otherwise, they can dispell endless spells.
Artefacts Of Power
Prism: Subtract 1 from missile attacks that target the bearer.
Pauldrons of Living Flame: End of the combat phase, roll a die for each enemy unit within 3" of the bearer, on a 4+ they take d3 mortal wounds.
Whitefire Tome: If bearer is a wizard, they know all the spells from the Lore instead of 2. Otherwise, they know one spell and can cast it.
Spell Lore
The masters of magic get 6 spells instead of the usual 3!
Roaming Wildfire: Cast on a 6, pick enemy unit within 18" and visible, it suffers d3 mortal wounds. Roll a d6 for each enemy unit within 6", on a 4+ those units also take d3 mortal wounds.
Sear Wounds: Cast on a 6, pick a friendly unit within 18" of the caster that is visible. Heal d6 wounds allocated to that unit.
Elemental Cyclone: Cast on a 6, pick one enemy unit within 12" that is visible and roll a die per model unit that is within 12" of the caster, on a 4+ they take a mortal wound.
Warding Brand: Cast on a 6, target a friendly unit wholly within 18" and visible. Until start of next hero phase, roll a dice each time a wound was dealt by a melee weapon and was not negated. On a 4+ the attacking unit suffers a mortal wound.
Crystal Aegis: Cast on a 5, until the start of your next hero phase, add 1 to the rolls for Eldritch Attunement trait for friendly units wholly within 12" of the caster. You can now ignore spells and endless spells on a 4+!
Ignite Weapons: Cast on a 6, pick a friendly unit wholly within 18" of the caster that is visible to them. Add 1 to wound rolls made by that unit until the start of your next hero phase.
City Allegiance: The Living City (Ghyran)
The Symbol of the alliance between Sigmar and Alarielle
Battle Traits
Living Wargroves: 1 in 4 units can include Sylvaneth units while adding the following keywords: Cities of Sigmar and Living City.
Hunters of the Hidden Paths
Go away beastmen, we stole your shtick! Instead of setting up a Living City unit on the battlefield, you can say that it is set up in the hidden paths. You can set up a unit in reserve for each living city unit you have on the battlefield (therefore this excludes potential allied units from the count). At the end of the movement phase, you can set them up wholly within 6" of the battlefield edge more than 9" from any enemy units. Make sure to deploy them at that latest on turn 3, because at the start of turn 4 any units that are still in the hidden paths are destroyed.
Attuned to Nature
In your hero phase, heal 1 wound allocated to every living city unit.
Command Ability: Strike and Melt Away: end of shooting phase, pick one friendly Living City unit that shot that phase, is more than 9" from enemy units and wholly within 18" of a friendly Living City hero. That unit can move, it cannot run.
This is INSANE for units that want to go into combat and combos perfectly with the Hidden Paths: you can deep strike your unit 9" away (say, into cover), shoot stuff with your shadow warriors getting the bonus to cover, then move them 6" (because you also deep struck a support hero nearby in order to use command abilities). Your charge now became a 3" charge. With other types of units, you can position them however you need, and then fade off in the distance: this is good for shooty and melee stuff like corsairs with crossbows and sisters of the watch, but for highly mobile shooting units it is extremely potent: try it with units such as dark riders, outriders, luminarks of hysh line of mortal wounds, drycha, artillery pieces, and scourge runner chariots. (This guy clearly misses imagination because he missed that this can work with FREAKING STEAM TANKS AND EVEN THE FUCKING SPIRITS OF DURTHU!)
Command Traits
Iron Oak Artisan: Add 1 to saves and on to-wound rolls for this general.
Farstrider: Can run and charge. Friendly units are not affected by the Deadly Scenery rule if they are wholly within 12".
Druid of the Ever Spring Circle : If your general is a wizard, they know all of the spells of the Lore of Leaves. If they are not a wizard they know one spell and can cast it.
Artefacts Of Power
Spear of the Hunt: Pick one melee weapon of the bearer, improve its rend by 1. Bearer and their mount fights at the start of the combat phase if they made a charge this turn.
Deepmire Cloak: If the bearer has a wounds characteristic of 6 or less, they cannot be chosen as the target of a missile attack if they are in cover. If they have 7 or more wounds, they inflict -1 to missile weapons that target the bearer if they are in cover.
Wardroth Horn: Once per battle in your hero phase you can sound the horn: add 1 to attacks of friendly Living City Sylvaneth units until the start of your next hero phase.
Spell Lore
Life Surge: Cast on a 6, pick 1 friendly model within 18" of the caster. You can heal d6 wounds that were allocated to the model.
Cage of Thorns: Cast on a 7, pick 1 enemy unit that's within 18" of the caster and that is visible, halve the move characteristic of that unit until the start of your next hero phase. Also, until the start of your next hero phase, the first time that unit moves it takes d6 mortal wounds.
Iron Oak Skin: Cast on a 6, pick 1 friendly wholly within 18" of the caster and visible, subtract 1 from wound rolls that target that unit until the start of your next hero phase.
City Allegiance: Greywater Fastness (Ghyran)
The polluted, industrial gunpowder city in the Realm of Life.
Battle Traits
Amidst the Ghoul Mere: Greywater Fastness is from Ghyran.
Runelord: In your hero phase, ONE Greywater Fastness Runelord can chant the following prayer
Rune of Unfaltering Aim: On a 2+, select a friendly Greywater Fastness Ironweld Arsenal war machine within 3", until the start of your next hero phase it gets +1 to hit with its missile weapon attacks.
Home of the Great Ironweld Guilds: Friendly Greywater Fastness Ironweld Arsenal missile attacks have their maximum range increased by 3". In a pitched battle you can include an additional artillery unit.
Command Ability:Salvo Fire: Use this in your shooting phase. Pick 1 friendly Greywater Fastness Freeguild Handgunners or Irondrakes unit wholly within 12" of a hero. Add 1 to hit rolls for missile attacks made by that unit until the end of the phase. Doesn't stack.
Command Traits
Seat on the Council: If this general is on the battlefield, roll a die in your hero phase. On a 4+ you gain a CP.
Drillmaster: Reroll hit rolls of 1 for friendly missile weapon attacks made by units wholly within 12" of this general as long as the general is more than 3" away from any enemy units.
Ghoul Mere Ranger: Friendly units wholly within 12" of the general can run and still shoot later in the same turn.
Artefacts Of Power
Steam Piston Plate Mail: Add 1 to save rolls for the bearer. If the bearer does not have a mount, add 1 to its move.
Runic Munitions: Pick 1 of the bearer's missile weapons, add 1 to its damage characteristic.
Magnificient Macroscope: Start the game with 1 extra CP, and add 1 to hit for missile attacks made by the bearer.
Spell Lore
Descending Ash Cloud: Cast on a 6, pick an enemy unit within 18" that is visible to the caster, subtract 1 from hit rolls made by that unit until the start of your next hero phase.
Eroding Blast: Cast on a 6, pick a terrain feature wholly within 18" and visible to the caster. Roll a die for every model within 1" of the feature. On a 5+ they suffer a mortal wound. In addition until your next hero phase that terrain gains the Deadly Scenery Rule.
Choking Fumes: Cast on a 6, pick 1 enemy unit within 15" that is visible to them, roll a die for every model that is within 15". For each 5+ that unit suffers a mortal wound. Combine with balewind vortex to get a bit more range.
City Allegiance: The Phoenicium (Ghyran)
The Phoenix city resurrected from amber
Battle Traits
From Ghyran,
Vengeful Revenants: Read as "this army is for MSU and chaff users".
Add 1 to hit and wound rolls for attacks made with melee weapons if any friendly Phoenician units have been destroyed in the same phase.
Blood of the Phoenix: Both types of phoenixes get an extra wound.
Command Ability: Living Idol: Use at the start of the combat phase. Pick a friendly Phoenicium unit. Until the end of that combat phase, if a model is slain while within 12" of the hero, the model can fight before it's removed from play.
This is more guaranteed to happen if you set it up than the Skaven's death frenzy spells, which can fail to be cast or be dispelled. If building Phoenician lists, I would try to build around this ability.
Command Traits
Seeker of Vengeance: Add 1 to the attack characteristic of the general's melee weapons if a friendly model has been slain this phase, add 3 instead of 5 or more models were slain. Use this on a tanky hero, because you're waiting until your opponent kills a model somewhere before hitting with your hero. I recommend a frost phoenix.
One with fire and ice: If your general is a wizard, they know all spells from the Lore of the Phoenixes. Otherwise, they can cast one spell from that lore.
Aura of Senerity: Do not take battleshock tests for friendly units wholly within 12" inches of the general. With the amount of stuff you are trying to get killed just to proc your bonuses, maybe this is a good idea, maybe it's a bad one?
Artefacts Of Power
Amber Armor: If the attack that targets the bearer has a rend characteristic better than -1, change it to "-".
Phoenix Pinion: Bearer can fly as well as run and charge.
Pyre Ashes: If you roll a natural 6 when saving for the bearer, you can heal 1 wound allocated to the bearer. Troll the shit out of your opponents with this item on a fucking frost phoenix.
Spell Lore
Amber Tide: Cast on a 6, pick enemy unit within 18" and visible. Until the start of your next hero phase, halve their movement. Not as good as living city bramble/thorn cage, which inflicts mortal wounds if they move!
Phoenix Cries: Cast on a 5, until the start of your next hero phase, subtract 1 from the bravery characteristic of enemy units while they are within 18" of the caster.
Golden Mist: This is the one you're taking. Cast on a 6, heal d3 wounds to each friendly Phoenician unit within 12" and visible. Because you're not resilient enough. Combo this with emerald lifeswarm to troll the fuck out of your opponents some more!
Classic raggedy zealots led by... umm, anyone you want.
Conditional Battleline: HUMAN general
General choice: Battlemage, Battlemage on Griffon, Celestial Hurricanum with Celestial Battlemage, Luminark of Hysh with White Battlemage, Freeguild Guard, Freeguild Handgunners, Steam Tank with Commander
That cheap unit that likes dieing. a Fighting unit with no save but gains more attacks as models die and deal mortal wounds for each model that flees. Get a really dangerous ability to having +1 to hit and wound rolls if they charge. Also they keep the devoted of sigmar keyword, so you CAN ally warrior priest to power them and intentionally kill them with endless spells for more attacks. Definitely better not to mess with those guys.
Freeguild
What remains of the Empire list. It turns out that thousands of years later, in a totally different place in time and space, men and women still dress in exactly the same silly feathered hats and pantaloons. The Freeguild are the various people that fled to Azyr in the Age of Chaos and the original inhabitants of Azyr who are now recolonizing the realms.
These guys are as good as ever. They lost the possibility of having shields with every other weapons and the militia equipment, gaining instead generally better equipment and ability. Halberds are quite terrifying now, with a 3+ for wound and -1 rend. Better save with shield and swords and a really nasty ability with the spear. Always take in large crowd and take the best weapon for the occasion.
your long-range shooting. Basically for having them at their best you have to don't move them and have 10+ models, as they gain +1 attack with their Crossbow.
Trade range for rending on their shots and Quantity for consistency. These guys get a nice nerfed, going from "terrifyingly op" to "nice normal shooter". Basically for having them at their best you have to don't move them and have 10+ models, as they gain +1 to with their guns, but their low range makes them not that dangerous and almost vulnerable to fast units. Now it's only their the ability to shoot at charging units, use it wisely. The units' MARKSMAN can take a Repeater Handgun for more shot or Long Rifle which is a 30" D2 gun that ignores Look Out, Sir! for picking out week support herios.
Conditional Battleline: FREEGUILD general
General choice: Freeguild General or Freeguild General on Griffon
One of the best Anti magic Heros in the game, worth taking even if you don't have other DUARDIN. They can unbind magic and have a +2 when they make the roll. they also support Have a DISPOSSESSED Prayer that either gives a DISPOSSESSED wholly within 12" a Feel no pain on a six or give their weapons -1 more rend.
The old grumblers are back... And they are even more unsatisfied! They support other Duarden with their complaints. Unfortunately, shields aren't that overpower now, and you can't get shields and big weapons anymore. Better weapons or better defense are up to you, but their ability to being incredibly annoying is even more powerful. You can decide to give 1 plus bravery to dispossessed units (quite useless), make dispossessed units (wholly within 12") re-roll wounds rolls of 1 and with the last one you can even try to DISPEL ONE ENDLESS SPELL IN THE HERO PHASE! That's right, even mindless spells can't stand the continuous grumbling of this guys. Good to mix in one with other dispossessed units for their support.
Helstorm Rocket Battery: (130pts) get a devastating nerf (someone would call it "make units more balanced" and they are probably right but still...). The damage of the missiles now is d3 instead of d6. For the rest they are better then before, with the ability to re-roll hits rolls of one with a engineer close. Get 4 of them with the battalion, a lord ordinator and see your adversary get desperate because you are killing everything he has from 30" of distance.
Helblaster Volley Gun: (120pts) let's make this straight. This artillery is practically useless compared to the rocket batteries. Basically, you can decide to roll 1, 2 or 3d6 for the attacks made by this weapon, but when you roll 2 dices or more and you get a double, the machine would jam, don't shoot and get one mortal wound. Yeah, that's right. This means that you would NEVER have more attacks then 15 (6+5+4) and many other results are blocked! Compared this piece of junk to the helstorm (only 10 points more care) and you can easily understand what is the right choice to do.
Dedicated Flying bombers. it's confuseingly worded that you can Pick an enemy unit that this unit passes over, for each gyrobomber that flew over that enemy, deal D3 mortal wounds on a 2+ roll. with runiting and not diying, you can make about 3 bombing runs befor the end of the game.
Smaller, faster Gyrobomber with a better gun. They can only drop one bomb per game but are better at shooting. You have a pick of a normal Brimstone Gun or the short range Steam Gun which can clear blocks.
Aelf
Darkling Covens
Aelven sorceresses (and occasional sorcerer) that didn't agree with the rules of the Eldritch Council and went to do their own thing. They have enthralled whole armies of mostly aelven followers which they use to push their coven's agendas.
Your Coven leaders and non-collage wizard. They do a lot of things. for a magic side like Sacrificing another Darkling(Ideally the cheaper ones) to gain +2 to cast and know a damage spell that also lowers the enemy's hits by 1. When Pared with other casting buffs, they can reliably cast High-level spells and not be wared that your opponent unbinds your linchpins. They also Comand ability that let one Darkling Run, Shoot, And/or charge, letting the footsloggers cover more ground.
Sorceress + Dragon + another weapon + different spell + another command ability. Not a true fighter like Dreadlords, but can clear skaven with Noxious Breath and Bladewind. Also, have a decent CA Inspire Hatred which rerolls wounds of 1 for a Darkling Coven unit. Also a decent target for Command Underlings with their 14" move.
Rank and file Aelfs with Spears. Taken int units of 10+ they gain +1 to hit which pairs well with their 2" reach. they Also gain -1 rend if they roll a unmodified 6 to hit. In a Vacum, Dreadspears are better than Freeguild Spear, as their bonuses come from size rather than standing still.
the Swordsmen version of Dreadspears, Shorter reach but inflict 2 hits on an unmodified 6 to hit instead of rending, Better in smaller sizes while Dealing with Hoards.
Elite Swordsmen, 2 attacks hitting and wounding on 3+, with Unmodifed wounds of 6 dealing a mortal wound and the attack sequence ends (do not make a wound or save roll).
Phoenix Temple
A warrior order that worships the Ur-Phoenix. Their warriors appear to have sworn oaths of silence and are inducted into the order after almost dying through ice and fire before being revived by a phoenix of the temple.
The shadow of the Order Draconis, they're merciless but still proud. They had whole dragon units, but because there are few left they (re-)created the War Hydras and Drakespawn with the help of the Darkling Covens to fill the gap. They have a thing going with the Covens and help each other from time to time.
the Dinisor chariot. not as impressive at fighting as Knights but when they finish a charge, they will often deal d3 mortal to one unit within 1", Ideally picking on monsters and those melees that are too close to the bouble wrap.
AoS' Night Lords. They usually stalk the shadows of the cities of Order watching for who be in cahoots with Chaos or Nagash and gruesomely murder them and put their bodies (or what's left of them) on public display as a warning. But they're good guys.
Assassin are Assassins, place them in reserve, and then they jump out of any Cities unit with 1 wound and 5 models. A strong fighter with 6 attacks and deals d3 mortal wounds of they roll a 6 to wound.
Alf Fast Scurmash calvary, 14" Movement, with Repeater crossbows and spears. enemies subtract -1 bravery when 12" of a Rider. Makes the decent objective grabbers and provide supporting damage to your damage dealers like Gryffins to scare off more enemy models
Steath archers and ok fighters, they can Deepstrike. Put them near the enemy's terrain and shoot up their wizards and Warmachines.
Scourge Privateers
Apparently now monster hunters. They go around capturing fantastical beasts and selling them (either whole to be tamed and trained or in bits and pieces) to different organizations for some coin.
one of the Cheapest heroes in-game. They are ok fighters but thier true Power is their Command Ability At Them, You Curs!, which gives a Scourge Privateers unit +1 attacks on all their melee weapon (and Privateers have a lot of weapons).
Hoards of pirates, resistant to arrows, more accurate when taken in hoards. They can be taken with a crossbow or a secondary weapon but you want the weapon if you have a Fleetmaster too double their attacks to four. Crossbows may get uses when in smaller numbers when a Fleetmaster is not around.
More Elite Spearmen than DARKLING COVEN Dread Spears costing 40 more points, having 7 Bravory, two attacks, and gain +1 to hit and Sv rolls if they don't move.
A Wizard conclave riding Stags. They have attacks and Javlines but you take them As relatively cheap mobile wizards that cast spells at point-blank. As long as they have at least two models they can cast Arcane Bolt, Mystic Shield, and a spell that grants a Wanderer unit cover and reflects 6s to saves during melee as mortal wounds, but more importantly is getting a pick from their City's lore and Endless Spells. Anviguard's Vitrioc Spray is a short-range spell that removes the target's saves.
What's left of the Wood elf Archers, Getting 1+ attacks when they don't move, can fire overwatch when charge, and deal Additional Mortal wounds on Unmodified 6s to wound. you have cheaper Sources of Arrows, but the Mortal wounds could get past some high armour units.
In the first battle round, during your shooting phase, friendly WAR MACHINES can shoot twice if they're within 6" of a friendly battalion hero and not within 3" of an enemy unit.
Why would you not take this? Your Cogsmith is always gonna be planted next to his war machines so this is perfect.
Heal 1 wound to each PHOENICIUM unit wholly within 12" ANY unit within this battalion.
Tactics
Endless Spells
List building
With so many unit options, the first steps are to decide what to use as a battleline (you may pick your general based on your battlelines or your battlelines on the general you want).
After that, its comes down to picking what you want. Their is not a restriction on thematics, their is nothing stopping you from taking only one unit from each faction. don't let a Grudge from the world that was stopping you from Fealding a Line of Duardin with Aelf Calvary.
when picking, pay attention to differences as many units do the same thing but with additional nitches.
Ideally, you should try to use some faction synergy, like taking heroes to boost your units' performance.
Transport Tactics
many footsloggers units are strong fighters but need methods to reliably reach their prey.
The Living City Hidden Paths: lest Half your army arrive on board
Endlessspells: you need to pay points but they can cover a lot of ground Especially since they are automatically empowered.
Allied Armies
CoS has a large selection of ally options - everything Order except Seraphon. Some factions can be taken as non-allied - instead, they gain the city keyword but not the host keyword, and up to 1 in every 4 units in the army can be taken.
units, gaining your faction keywords, and not subject to ally restrictions.
Stormcast Eternals: Taken as non-allied in any CoS army. They act as big elite units with multiple wounds. Provide strong shooting, Skull smashing, and strong cavalry.
Daughters of Khaine:
Fyreslayers:
Idoneth Deepkin:
Kharadron Overlords: Taken as non-allied in Tempest's Eye. Gives Flying Dwarfs, more guns, and Airships.
Sylvaneth: Taken as non-allied in Living City. Cannot be taken in Greywater Fastness
Mercenary Companies
Blacksmoke Battery: No. Just no.
Greyfyrd:
Grugg Brothers: cheap but highly offensive monsters. A generally good combination with free guilds centered armies.
Gutstuffers:
Nimyard’s Rough-Riders:
Order of the Blood-Drenched Rose:
Rampagers:
Skroug’s Menagerie: Fluff wise these beasts work perfectly as monsters caught/sold by the Scourge Privateers.
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