Way back in January, we posted the Warlocks or Warcasters we were working on, and the lists we were running. Here, I have the Skorne and Retribution lists I'm currently working on, how I'm planning to use them, and what, if anything, I'd like to change up about them.
Skorne Lists
For Skorne, I'm mostly working with 50pt lists, because that's the standard tournament size. I also have a few lists at 35pts that I like, but I won't be mentioning them here. One thing I don't own yet that I'd really like to try is the Mammoth. I have a few places I'd like to try it to see if it has a place over 2 other heavies. I have no experience yet, but I'm looking forward to giving it a try. Anyway, on to the lists. These are the ones I'm currently pretty happy with at 50pts.
Lord Tyrant Hexeris (+6) - Tier 1 Kingdom of Shadows
*Bronzeback Titan (10)
*Titan Cannoneer (9)
*Titan Gladiator (8)
*Archidon (7)
*Cyclops Savage (5)
*Aptimus Marketh (3)
10 Praetorian Swordsmen (6)
*Officer and Standard Bearer (2)
4 Paingiver Beast Handlers (2)
Agonizer (2)
Extoller Soulward (2)
Tier 1: Hexeris can start with his upkeep spells in play.
This is my current pHexeris list. Like all my lists, I try to make it relatively well balanced. The basic plan is to get spells into the enemy early on with the Archidon as the Soul Slave target. The Swordsmen are around to jam and clear out infantry. The Savage helps Hexeris out with efficiency in the early game, and jams or holds objectives in the late game. The Titans are what let the list cope with heavy armor, and ask the biggest question in terms of options. I went with the Cannoneer to give Hexeris a late game beatstick and transfer sink who can contribute with the gun, but I wouldn't be opposed to swapping her out.
Lord Arbiter Hexeris (+6) - Tier 4 Practical Magic
*Bronzeback Titan (10)
*Titan Sentry (Bonded) (9)
*Titan Gladiator (8)
*Basilisk Krea (4)
10 Praetorian Swordsmen (6)
*Officer and Standard (2)
6 Paingiver Beast Handlers (3)
Hakaar the Destroyer (4)
Ancestral Guardian (3)
Ancestral Guardian (3)
Ancestral Guardian (-)
Extoller Soulward (2)
Agonizer (2)
Tier 1: Warbeasts in Hexeris' Battlegroup can use their Animi for free on Turn 1.
Tier 2: Add one non-Character Ancestral Guardian solo at no cost and ignoring FA.
Tier 3: Gain +2" to Deployment Zone
Tier 4: Hexeris' bonded beast gains Advance Deploy.
This is a pretty basic Tier 4 eHexy list. I've tried it a few times, and it works well. My current game plan with it is to advance in a double brick with the 3 Titans on one side and the 3 AG's and Hakaar behind the Swordsmen on the other. The Swordsmen clear out infantry well, and set up the AG brick nicely by dying and providing souls. The Titans are the offensive powerhouse, especially the Sentry, who is the list's forward anchor. I'm considering fudging some points around, and subbing some Venator Rievers in for the Swordsmen. They'll still be in front of the AG's, but instead of jamming, they'll screen and shoot. The AG's will be right behind them instead of 4" back, to defend them from being engaged in depth with Defensive Strikes and retaliation.
Master Tormentor Morghoul (+7)
*Tiberion (11)
*Bronzeback Titan (10)
*Titan Gladiator (8)
*Archidon (7)
*Cyclops Brute (5)
*Cyclops Shaman (5)
*Basilisk Krea (4)
6 Paingiver Beast Handlers (3)
Agonizer (2)
Mortitheurge Willbreaker (2)
I need a little more practice with this list. I like the idea of a huge beast brick, and the Titans should have no real trouble crushing any level of armor. My one game with it so far went badly, since I chose it for a spread out scenario and it didn't spread out well at all. I'm considering swapping the Mortitheurge and Archidon for a Sentry to get a bigger brick going, and I'm considering swapping Tiberion for Molik Karn to have a faster beast selection, and a better hit-and-run game.
Archdomina Makeda (+5)
*Bronzeback Titan (10)
*Titan Cannoneer (9)
*Titan Gladiator (8)
*Aptimus Marketh (3)
6 Cataphract Cetrati (11)
10 Praetorian Swordsmen (6)
*Officer and Standard (2)
Tyrant Commander and Standard (3)
4 Paingiver Beast Handlers (2)
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew (1)
I'm not 100% happy with this list, mostly because the Bellows Crew doesn't seem like the right place to put that last point. I'm looking at Tiberion instead of the Bronzeback, thinking about a second Bronzeback instead of the Cannoneer. I do like having the gun, but a Bronzeback typically does a lot more damage, and it would be nice to double up on the Counter-Charge threat, and double up on one of the scarier assassination vectors I can pull, which is a BB benefiting from both Carnage and Savagery which swaps Rush out for Train Wreck once it gets to its target. With that change, I'd use my infantry to jam up the table, then walk past them with both Bronzebacks for cleanup or assassination.
Makeda and the Exalted Court (+2)
*Molik Karn (11)
*Bronzeback Titan (10)
*Titan Sentry (9)
*Titan Gladiator (8)
10 Praetorian Swordsmen (6)
Tyrant Commander and Standard (3)
4 Paingiver Beast Handlers (2)
Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew (1)
Agonizer (2)
I'm still trying to figure Makeda 3 out. She's very fun to play, and I certainly think she's got competitive potential, but I still haven't quite found a list that I'm happy with. This is a more bricky, and heavier, version of the list I used in a tournament recently. I like the Sentry as a front-line beast. It takes a beating very well, and will be an important first step in the list's strategy. What I'm looking for the list to do is trade pieces and try to go for zone domination. With the 4 heavies, I have 5 things in the army which can potentially one-round heavies and colossals, and the main question this list asks is: Can the opponent afford to trade big hitters with me against a 'caster as tough to put down as Makeda 3? Some will, some won't. I'm also intrigued by the idea of Slaughterhousers taking advantage of... Sunhammer?! My gut says it'll be a waste, but at least one person on the Forums has had success, and Slaughterhousers are a much, much scarier unit offensively than max Swordsmen without the UA. I really want Makeda 3 to bring the same tournament-level threat as other Skorne 'locks, because she's so much fun, but I have yet to settle on a list I think she'll be great with.
Supreme Aptimus Zaal (+5) - Tier 3 Immortal Host
*Kovass (-)
*Titan Cannoneer (9)
*Cyclops Shaman (5)
*Cyclops Raider (5)
*Aptimus Marketh (3)
10 Praetorian Swordsmen (6)
*Officer and Standard Bearer (2)
10 Immortals (8)
Hakaar the Destroyer (4)
Ancestral Guardian (3)
Ancestral Guardian (3)
Ancestral Guardian (3)
Extoller Soulward (2)
Extoller Soulward (2)
Tier 1: Increase FA by 1 for Ancestral Guardians and Extoller Soulwards for each unit in the list.
Tier 2: Ancestral Guardian solos gain Advance Deploy.
Tier 3: Extoller Solos start the game with 3 Soul Tokens.
This is my current Zaal list, and I'm really liking it so far. It has a lot of hitting power and a strong table presence with the Ancestral Guardians. I'm shakiest on the Cannoneer, which brings some fire support and a melee endgame, but still eats up a lot of points. I may end up replacing it with a Krea and Brute or Krea and Savage. I'm also thinking about bringing Zaal out of Tier, which opens up Beast Handlers and Molik Karn, and lets the infantry take a Tyrant Commander for access to pathfinder.
I've also got Xerxis and Mordikaar, although I haven't been working on them at all. I'll probably have them more settled when the next State of the Lists season rolls around.
Retribution Lists
I've got a 35pt list I'm pretty happy with for each of the 4 Warcaster I currently own. When I stretch to 50pts, I just sort of throw all my models on the table, and swap out my Caster, so I'll only be talking about 35pt lists right now.
Kaelyssa, Night's Whisper (+7)
*Phoenix (10)
*Banshee (10)
*Sylys Wyshnalyrr, the Seeker (2)
10 Houseguard Halberdiers (7)
*Officer and Standard Bearer (2)
10 Mage Hunter Strike Force (8)
*Strike Force Commander (2)
Arcanist (1)
This one is a pretty basic concept for Kaelyssa. I play attrition until I can set up the enemy 'caster for a ranged assassination by Kaelyssa and the Banshee. I exert board control with spells channeled through the Phoenix, and I have a strong melee presence between the Phoenix, Banshee, and Halberdiers. I'm quite happy with this list overall, and it certainly has everything I want at 35pts.
Adeptis Rahn (+6)
*Phoenix (10)
*Chimera (6)
*Sylys Wyshnalyrr, the Seeker (2)
10 Dawnguard Invictors (10)
*Officer and Standard Bearer (2)
10 Houseguard Halberdiers (7)
*Officer and Standard Bearer (2)
Arcanist (1)
Arcanist (1)
I'm running Rahn mostly as a melee Warcaster, although the Invictors bring a very decent ranged presence. In terms of strategy, I want the Chimera to be my 1st wave arc-node, so Rahn can cause trouble early with Force Hammer and Chain Blast. The Phoenix will support the infantry advance. I'll probably keep it just behind the Halberdiers, but just ahead of the Invictors to make the most of everyone's ranged weapons and Flank. I really wish that Sylys were a Magister solos, and in general it would be nice to get some more Force Bolt into the list, but I think what I have now is pretty solid.
Lord Arcanist Ossyan (+6)
*Banshee (10)
10 Dawnguard Invictors (10)
*Officer and Standard Bearer (2)
10 Mage Hunter Strike Force (8)
*Strike Force Commander (2)
10 Houseguard Halberdiers (7)
*Officer and Standard Bearer (2)
This is a really basic Ossyan gunline with some decent melee thrown in to round things out. The Mage Hunters and Invictors project a lot of hate, and can crush heavies on the Feat turn. The Halbs are a fast melee screen with Quicken to buff their defense against enemy ranged attacks, and the ability to do a lot of damage in melee. The Banshee is there to set up hard targets for my other shooting to take down, though it and the Invictors are pretty good at melee too. Stormfall Archers would give the list more tools against high-Def, but I'd lose some of the durability and utility of the Invictors.
Garryth, Blade of the Retribution (+5)
*Phoenix (10)
*Banshee (10)
*Sylys Wyshnalyrr, the Seeker (2)
10 Houseguard Halberdiers (7)
*Officer and Standard Bearer (2)
Lady Aiyanna and Master Holt (4)
Eiryss, Angel of the Retribution (3)
Arcanist (1)
Arcanist (1)
I'm not so sure about this list, and it's pretty much pure theory at this point, but the theory comes out pretty good. Once again, the Halberdiers are an early jamming unit. The Phoenix moves up to support them as an Arc node for Death Sentence and Gallows. The Banshee knocks things down for extra disruption and accuracy. The main models to take advantage of this are Aiyanna and Holt and Garryth himself, who hang out just behind the front lines to clean things up with Hand Cannon fire and/or give hard targets a Kiss of Lylyss right on their smoocher (their smoocher is their Arm stat).
That's it for the state of the lists, pGrexy edition. If anyone has advice on any of these, let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading!
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