AoS: GW Skaven Preview for New 4.0 Edition
The nefarious ratmen believe their time is nigh. Here’s what the Skaven look like for the upcoming AoS 4.0
First of all, the Skaven have apparently bene making good on that OG promise to have the Great Horned Rat rise to the level of the other Chaos Deities, that got teased a decade back when Age of Sigmar first launched. Who remembers this one:
Fast forward to 2024, and GW says this:
“Surprising everyone, their grand scheme to elevate the Great Horned Rat into the pantheon of Chaos Gods has been a success. The Skaven are now in the ascendent, surging into the eight realms through gnawholes – corrupted portals from Blight City. These treacherous gateways corrupt the land around them, which degenerates into a polluted wasteland that threatens the life of any who enter. Armed with this foothold, combined with maniacal ambition, warpstone-powered weaponry, and the resources of the Great Clans, the Skaven have set their sights on supremacy.”
Skaven Battle Traits
So it looks like the ratmen are on the up and up for AoS 4.0 and GW have redesigned their entire amry to reflect their acendancy. Let’s get started with their faction rules, aka Battle Traits. There are some sneak things in here. Note how Gnawholes appear during the game, giving the Skaven unpredictability, while Always Three Clawsteps Ahead and Too Quick To Hit-Hit, contribute to their speed tabletop maneuverability. It’s going to be a hard army to pin down.
New Minis – Rat Ogors
Now let’s take a loook at the upcoming new Rat-Ogors. The unit itselfisSkavenallthewaydown,with that lovely combo of brutality, and self destructiveness. Their Fleshmeld Menagerie Formation, doubles down on the randomness, adding effectively the old-school Dark Eldar Combat Drugs to the unit.
Classic Skaven Units Return
Next, take a look at a handful of classic Skaven units, reimagined for Aos 4.0. First up, the Gnawhole works very differently now. GW says:
“Beyond acting as nodes for deploying your reserves deep into the battlefield, Gnawholes allow you to replenish The Endless Vermintide that is your swarm, and Tunnels Through Reality allow for even more devious movement shenanigans…
We’ve changed the way Gnawholes play on the battlefield to align them better with the narrative of the Vermindoom, in which the ambitious scheming has paid off and given them easy access to every Mortal Realm. Rather than setting up three Gnawholes at the start of each battle, Gnawholes will be constantly popping out of the ground throughout the course of the battle, thanks to the Splinters of the Vermindoom Battle Trait.”
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Skreech’s Terrifying Monstosity can shut down nearby enemy units, making him a wrench in enem battleplans. Don’t let the Verminking get close!
Both the Wark Lightning Cannon and Grey Seer are classic Skaven staples, subtly tweaked for the new edition. The Cannon’s More More Warp Lightning is a classic “Press Your Luck” game mechanic – perfect for the vibe of the faction.
More Age of Sigmar 4.0 Faction Summaries are headed our way in the weeks ahead. Look sharp, there’ probably a Skaven behind you right now!
