Tabletop Spotlight: Fracture of Biel-Tan
Gathering Storm II: Fracture of Biel-Tan is out now and the Eldar will never be the same again!
The Tabletop Spotlight is on Fracture of Biel-Tan, the latest book in the Gathering Storm series. Our friends at Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy brought over a copy and it rocks the Warhammer 40,000 universe just as much (if not more) that the Fall of Cadia!
Now, before we go any further, I want to give you a SPOILER ALERT. I won’t go in to all the specifics, but the book does lay some major ground work for the 40k universe going forward so you should be warned. This book is worth picking up just for that info alone…
Still here? Okay then – lets go:
Let’s just address the elephant in the room and probably the most obvious “spoiler” ever: Biel-Tan doesn’t make it. The book is called “Fracture of Biel-Tan” because the Eldar craftworld Biel-Tan quite literally fractures. However, while this craftworld is doomed, in it’s death throws the “salvation” of the Eldar might have just come in the form of the Yncarne – the Avatar of the Eldar God of the Dead (and possibly of rebirth) Ynnead.
This was one of the more interesting parts of the story and this book contains a LOT of lore for folks to chew through. From the trial of Eldrad, to the back story of Yvraine and the Visarch all the way to the hunt for the Crone Blades – it’s a really great read.
Aside from all the awesome lore in this book, it’s also packed full of rules for two “new” sub-factions: The Forces of the Aeldari and The Forces of Ulthwe. I say “new” because the Ulthwe have been around before but this book has updated rules for creating a Ulthwe Strikeforce using Black Guardians.
The Aeldari are the reborn – they are the Eldar who have joined up and believe that Ynnead is the answer to saving the Eldar race. Powered by death, they a faction that is a combination of Eldar, Dark Eldar, and Harlequin units. Many of the units lose their previous army special rules (such as Battle Focus and Power From Pain) but they gain the new Soulburst ability. This lets them take “out-of-turn” actions when a unit is completely destroyed within 7″ of them. These actions include:
- Moving
- Shooting
- Running
- Charging
And these actions are all treated as if they were taken during their respective phases. A Unit can only Soulburst once per turn, but it’s a really powerful ability!
Overall, I’d have to say that this book is pretty great for both fans of the lore and anyone who’s remotely interested in playing Eldar. The Fracture of Biel-Tan is a game changer and it shakes up the lore in an exciting way. This is only Book II and we’ve seen teasers that Gathering Storm Book III is on the way already. I can’t wait to see what else Games Workshop has in store! It’s out now so go hit up your FLGS and check it out today.
Gathering Storm: Fracture of Biel-Tan $50
Though they long ago learned how to stave off the vile attention of She Who Thirsts – known as Slaanesh in the tongues of men – the Time of Ending yet tightens its grip on the Eldar. No matter the methods they use to escape the notice of the god who haunts them, the Eldar sacrifice much in the process.
Some Eldar refuse to abandon the glorious dream of building their ancient empire anew – or at least burning brightly before the end. Eldrad Ulthran, High Farseer of Craftworld Ulthwé, puts into place a plan to bring forth Ynnead, the slumbering God of the Dead. A daemonic host assaults Biel-Tan, corrupting its infinity circuit. Unlikely alliances are formed in the face of desperation. And the Gathering Storm darkens over the entire galaxy…
The Book
Subscribe to our newsletter!Get Tabletop, RPG & Pop Culture news delivered directly to your inbox.By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Fracture of Biel-Tan is the second book in the Gathering Storm series. A 136-page hardback, it introduces the Triumvirate of Ynnead – The Visarch, Sword of Ynnead, Yvraine, Emissary of Ynnead and The Yncarne, Avatar of Ynnead – and chronicles the desperate battle to determine the future of the Eldar, and the uneasy alliance that will potentially dictate the fate of the galaxy.
Can the young god Ynnead take on Slaanesh? Perhaps…
