Greetings Dash28! Today we have a new series for your reading pleasure — the Army List Spotlight! Every Sunday in September we will pick an army list from competitive events worldwide and get three Dash28 writers’ thoughts on that list. This should be a great chance to see a variety of tournament lists from events and to get some expert (and not so expert in my case!) opinions on those lists.
If you have ever wished there were articles on building Kings of War tournament lists, then this series might be what you have been looking for!
Alex’s Thoughts
What Stands Out about This List? What are the Core Units?
This list makes no effort to hide what it’s trying to do and that is made even more clear by its name. Hit hard, but more importantly, hit fast. Easily the fastest list I have ever seen designed. Poor Gnaeus sticks out like a sore thumb at only Speed 9.
I think the core of the list is the four hammer units, three of which can even deal with terrain. The main gameplan is to point two hammer units at a threat, prevent counters with chaff, rinse, repeat. The rest of the army is designed around this plan.
Army Strengths
This list is the epitome of alpha strike and is nasty for so many reasons. Its faster than other alpha lists and, more importantly, has enough Nimble and Inspiring to also play very wide. While the actual hitting power isn’t extremely high, the army has a good number of chaff pieces as well as just enough ranged threats from the Pheonixes to clear up counter chaff and ensure favorable charges.
Army Weaknesses
The biggest weakness I see is the obvious lack of a Defense value above 4 for most of the army. When it comes to a grind, this list can very quickly fall apart.
What Would You Change?
I think the list suffers from a lack of scoring units. I would trade the Abbess on Panther for an Elohi Regiment — same threat range, same idea, but it can also score or just chaff as needed. I would also have loved to see a third Phoenix, maybe an Ancient. That could have been an easy swap for Gnaeus whose damage output always seems to be a bit lackluster.
Final Thoughts
I think the list poses an important tactical question — how does your army deal with fast-flying threats coming in from all angles?
Jess’s Thoughts
What Stands Out about This List?
Golly that’s a nippy little list. Elohi are a right pain in the arse, even without a whole bunch of chaff and some burny birds backing them up. My immediate temptation when looking at this is to play defensively which essentially hands my opponent the win in any mission involving objective control. Deciding where to start chipping away with ranged attacks is going to be a nightmare.
What are the Core Units?
I feel the Gur Panthers define this list. The Phoenixes can keep each other and the heavy hitters steady with Heal until the moment is right and the chaff can run amok taking objectives last minute, baiting charges, or soaking up ranged attacks. You can’t ignore them but you can’t pursue them without exposing yourself to the nastier stuff. Can’t even move your chaff forward to play dressage because the Elohi heroes have a huge threat range and can make short work of them. Tricksy Panthers.
Army Strengths
Speed and maneuverability are the key strengths of this list. Yet that alone isn’t the whole story. The Healing allows some durability to the Elohi, letting them stay back and get into position despite a bit of ranged damage if needed. Embodying the idea of ‘more speed, less haste.’ There’s also a nasty surprise waiting for any magical types, which isn’t so much a strength as a disruptive presence I guess. I’m still going to mention it here as it highlights how a weakness has been plugged.
Army Weaknesses
Which brings me to weaknesses. It’s quite the house of cards in a way. Once most of the units commit, they will suffer in a grind. In the unfortunate situation that an Elohi horde or Phoenix falls to ranged fire, a huge amount of pressure is taken off the opponent. That said, you won’t be incapacitating this kind of list if you aren’t confident you know how to avoid that fate.
What Would You Change?
So then, what would I change? Honestly, I can’t figure out why Samacris is absent. Sure, Gnaeus benefits from the beast Aura kicked out by the Lancers, but meh, get the Mummy of Burny Birds in the mix people.
Final Thoughts
Would I play this list? Not a chance. It requires far more skill at lining up charges and anticipating one’s opponent than I currently possess. Be warned, fellow casuals, at the siren song of such filth.
Mike’s Thoughts
What Stands Out about This List?
So much speed! Everything goes 9 or 10”. The Phoenixes offer some Healing and a viable ranged threat as long as they flock together. There’s some terrain mitigation and lots of ways to get combo charges into prospective targets. A bunch of units have Nimble that can be used to exploit sneaky flanks that the opponent may think are all covered up. And there’s enough chaff to delay the opponent and get favorable countercharges. It’s a super cool list that requires some finesse to run. I dig it.
What are the Core Units?
I know that the Angels are gonna do some work, and Phoenixes are the hotness, (see what I did there?…) but to me, it’s the Golden Panther formation, without a doubt. The Speed 10, combined with Pathfinder, enables a good player to control the board and allow your heavier hitters to get into position. The Brews of Strength and Sharpness kick the damage output of these units up to around 7 to 8 wounds against Defense 5 targets. Fury and Iron Resolve make them surprisingly sticky if they get stuck in. And the three units of Gur Panthers are great chaff.
Army Strengths
That sweet, sweet Speed 10 is just everywhere, and a good player will either commit early to exploit an opponent’s mistake, smash a unit, and turn a flank, or play cagey and win the game on scenario in the last turn.
Army Weaknesses
A heavy shooting list will give this army, and its Defense 4 units, fits. So 24”, no-piercing shooting will do some work, but hopefully the Phoenixes can mitigate some of that. Of course, if the birds are Healing, they aren’t burning the opponent’s units, so that’s still good for the opponent. And it’s a bad time if the Elohi fail to break their targets on the charge.
What Would You Change?
This list is pretty good as-is, and I’d be super happy to pilot it (mostly because it’s the opposite of what me and my Dwarves are used to). But I have no delusions that I could pick it up and win with it from the outset. I would have to lose a lot of games before I figured it out. That being said, I’d make some changes to make the list more resilient and easier for me to play.
In that vein, the Mounted Abbess is pretty pricey and doesn’t score. I know she can do some work with the Blade of the Beastslayer, but I usually see that loadout as a backfield defender. With the rest of the army charging 20” and half the units with Nimble, I don’t see this as a priority. I would drop the Abbess and the second Ur-Elohi and pick up Samacris and another Phoenix. I mean, why the half measure? This gives a stronger shooting threat, access to more heal, and provides another scoring unit.
