AoS: Riders on the Storm – Stormcast Eternals in 4.0
The Stormcast are gearing up for a new edition, and they’re certainly bringing the thunder (and the lightning) to the battlefields of Age of Sigmar 4.0!
Welcome in, Generals of the Realms! The newest edition of Age of Sigmar is almost upon us, and Games Workshop is preparing us for war. Leading up to the new edition, they’ll be showing off how our favorite factions are going to change. 4.0 has been completely changed from the ground up, so every faction is going to fundamentally change how it plays.
Starting off with the poster boys (and girls) of Aos, the first faction preview is the Stormcast Eternals. Having fought in Sigmar’s war since the dawn of the Realms, the Stormcast are starting to lose a little steam. Those who have served since the First Forging are beginning to lose their minds. These grim warriors become almost feral on the battlefield. It is the duty of the new Ruination Chambers to keep these warriors in check or, in the most extreme cases, give them their final peace. 4.0 changes how these mighty warriors play, yet the rules feel familiar, so the learning curve will be simple.
The Descent of Thunder
One of the things that has always defined the Stormcast is their ability to descend on bolts of holy lightning to take the battle to the foe. 4.0 keeps that iconic rule but amps it up a bit with a few new rules.
As you’re deploying your army at the beginning of the game, you can deploy up to half your army in the Celestial Realm, waiting to drop into the fray. On any of your Movement phases, you can drop one or more of those units onto the field in typical “deep strike” fashion. This gives you huge tactical flexibility, but the hits don’t stop there. Once per battle, when one of your Infantry or Cavalry units is destroyed, you can deep strike a replacement unit. The unit starts at half the strength of the original. However, it could help you finish off a stubborn foe or secure an essential objective.
Bound By Duty
My favorite thing is the return of Battle Formations, a new take on the subfactions we’re used to. This will help you build your army around a central theme and gain extra bonuses. Stormcast have a few familiar Formations, but the new Sentinels of the Bleak Citadel is definitely one to watch.
The Ruination Chambers are ancient and powerful warriors, and they’re hard to take down. This battle trait lets you give one of your units a 5+ Ward save, potentially skirting a wave of Mortal Wounds and keeping them in the fight a bit longer. Considering how hard it is to shift Stormcast in the first place, this will make for a devastating anvil before you deliver the hammer.
There’s a lot more exciting things on the horizon for Age of Sigmar, so keep checking back for more faction spotlights!
