Stormcast Eternals are Badasses – Here’s Why
I’ve been flipping through the new Stormcast Eternals Battletome and there is a LOT of super cool stuff in there you should know:
Ok, before I get into this – lets get something off my chest. I like Age of Sigmar. I had serious doubts during it’s first year, but the Generals Hanndbook turned it around. The fluff is growing at a very fast pace and slowly but surely the 8 realms are being fleshed out by both the GW Design Studio and Black Library. Now before you get on your high horse, let’s think back about what Warhammer Fantasy’s background looked like when it was 2 years old…
It was a bunch of baloney involving Menfish fighting Balrogs on Ziggurats of Doom. So give Age of Sigmar some slack – it’ll get there.
Onto the Stormcasts
Tearing through the new Battletome has given me a much better appreciation for Stormcasts. GW has given them a lot of depth and a pretty damned large range of minis in two years. Gone are the faceless goldenboys of Sigmar and in their place are hundreds of Stormhosts each with it’s own histories, color schemes, specialties and ways of war (and rules). Exactly what a Stormcast is and how they are made and readied for war is described with just enough detail and style to keep you coming back for more. Here’s the cool things I’ve discovered so far:
Men, Not Automatons
There are real heroes under those helmets. We’ve seen hints in the artwork and now get the minis to match. The Stormcasts are heroes from across time and space summoned to Sigmar’s service and they remember who they were. Stories in the book note the internal struggles of Stormcasts to retain their humanity and the anxiety of the loss of self that too many death-reincarnations can bring.
The Old World Lives
I’d like you to meet your new favorite Stormhost for all you old time WFB players: Anvils of the Heldenhammer. Pick up some bottles of gold and black paint, then dive into their background:
“A sinister Stormhost, the Anvils of the Heldenhammer were reforged as the Broken World spun upon a phase of fell magic. Each of their number hails from ancient times, a warrior of Antiquity taken up to Azyr from the grave-cold history of realms that once fought to the death against Chaos.” Even their special rules note that the Anvils of the Heldenhammer “fight with tactics not seen for an age and more” I can’t think of a better way to honor The Empire, Bretonnia and the rest than an army of these guys. Heck you should stick these guys on square bases just to be extra-cool!
I’m Gonna Hit You So Hard…
In the Hands of the Celestant Prime, Ghal Maraz can strike with a force you won’t believe. There’s hitting something so hard it gets splattered – then there is hitting something THIS hard:
“At the Battle of the Blackstone Summit, the Celestant-Prime stuck the Warlord Torglug the Despised with a blow that slew his plague-riddled body, but sent his soul – or at least the part of it that was still noble winging to Azyr to be reforged. So was Tornus the Redeemed given life. Since that day the Celestant -Prime has freed many others from the yoke of Chaos.” That’s one way to thin the ranks of Chaos.
Break out the Gloss Varnish
There is no need for polishing in the Stormhosts – unless you really want to. Remember the Lord-Castellants magic lantern up there? Get a load of it’s other ability: “All Stormhosts take pride in their appearance, for they represent Sigmar’s divine will made manifest…the light of a Lord Castellant’s lantern can restore pure sigmarite’s lustre, no matter the foulness of the gore that stains it.” I bet he loves to show that off at parties.
Room for Expansion
It’s clear that GW has many more plans for the Stormcast Eternals. Their Stormhost organization charts has some overt mysteries just sitting there. I’ll let you all speculate about what manner of things lay within these four unopened chambers. I’m guessing the Ruination Chamber has some really nasty business inside. Maybe there are some Lady Stormcasts in one of these?
Battletome: Stormcast Eternals $40
This 164-page hardback Battletome is dedicated to the combined forces of the Stormcast Eternals, including the Extremis Chamber. It contains:
– Forces of the Stormcast Eternals – a huge compilation of rules and abilities for all Stormcast Eternals armies, including the new Scions of the Storm Battle Trait, allowing you to deploy in the Celestial Realm and join the battle where they are most needed;
– Plenty of ways to customise your games of Warhammer Age of Sigmar for Open, Narrative and Matched Play;
– Lots of ways to customise your Stormcast armies – new Command Traits, Blessed Weapons, Enchanted Armour, Magical Artefacts, Treasured Standards, Mystic Lights and Prayers of the Stormhosts;
– Steeds of the Celestial Realm – new exceptional traits for heroes riding Dracoths, Stardrakes and Gryph-chargers;
– Warscrolls for the full Stormcast Eternals range, featuring points for every model, and a massive 29 Warscroll battalions – many detailing the Stormhosts who have taken part in the battle for the Mortal Realms so far;
– Path to Glory rules and Warband tables allowing you to put together your own Strike, Extremis or Vanguard Auxiliary Chambers;
– a host of uniform guides, as well as background for every unit, character and monster of the Stormcast Eternals, along with an explanation of the typical Stormhost organisation.
~What do you think of the Stormcast Eternals after 2 years?
