While many of the forces fighting in the war-torn Charadon sector are fairly normal* – the Adepta Sororitas are mostly still setting fire to everything, for example – others are notable for the less orthodox approach they take to war. Now you can adopt their unique tactics with two codex supplements – one for the Drukhari Wych Cult of Strife and the other for forge world Metalica – and the never-before-seen Armies of Renown system for Imperial Knights, Death Guard, and Adeptus Mechanicus armies.
By choosing to build an Army of Renown, you’ll unlock powerful additional rules for your units in return for a few limitations on what you can bring to the table. We’ve picked a couple of our favourites from the feature-stuffed War Zone Charadon Act 1 to show you what kind of things you can expect from this new system.
Army of Renown: Terminus Est Assault Force
Typhus, Nurgle’s chosen herald and master of the warship Terminus Est, could hardly be described as a man of subtle means. While, like any Death Guard commander, he is quite happy to employ formations of Plagueburst Crawlers and Helbrutes in their signature inexorable advance, by far his favourite method of confronting the enemy is with a devastating hammer blow from massed squads of infantry.
In particular, Typhus is quite fond of throwing legions of Poxwalkers and other plague-ridden horrors into a brutal headlong charge while his hand-picked squads of bubonic Astartes teleport into key positions and strike crucial enemy targets. If you like the sound of entire companies of Plague Marines launching a Terminator-style assault, this is the army for you.
Not only do they get a whole heap of new Relics to choose from and their own Fester discipline of psychic powers, but also a selection of exclusive Stratagems to make use of. There’s far too many to show them all here, but surely a few can’t do any harm.
That’s right, if you’ve ever wondered why your Plague Marines would baulk at shooting through a few measly Poxwalkers, now you have your answer: they were just low on Command points before.
Teleporting behind enemy lines can carry the risk of being charged by all manner of fearsome opponents, so the Terminus Est’s Sorcerers know just how to stop them in their tracks – perfect for frustrating anyone who thinks they can run rings around Typhus’ determined advance.
Have you ever wanted to see a man crush a Titan in his hands? With this gift of Grandfather Nurgle, your Chaos Lord can wound a Warlord Titan on a 3+. If that isn’t a show of the Chaos Gods’ overwhelming power, we don’t know what is.
Army of Renown: Mechanicus Defence Cohort
What do you do when a storm of plague sweeps across your sector and neutralises the armies meant to protect you? Abandon the weak and feeble flesh, that’s what.
By tweaking their more mechanical creations to better hold the line at any cost, the defence cohorts of Forge World Metalica are able to shrug off damage that would fell a lesser automaton and more accurately lay down a storm of fire against the shambling hordes charging their lines. It’s so effective, in fact, that the idea can be picked up by any Forge World you might wish to choose.
While they might not have a new psychic discipline of their own,** the Mechanicus Defence Cohort also gains new Stratagems and a powerful Relic to better push back the heretic hordes. By pre-preparing their defensive positions, the Tech-Priests are capable of bringing greater levels of durability to their forces than ever before.
As befits the sensibilities of the Mechanicus Defence Cohort, their units prepare extensively for the opening salvos of a battle when the enemy first comes into range. This Stratagem is perfect for maximising your first-turn shooting, or for catching any weak-willed cowards who spend their time hiding among your foe’s back lines.
While you’re setting up your pre-planned artillery strikes, make sure to also bolt a few spare plates here and there to any good cover you can find – with the thick plating and sturdy construction of the Kataphron at your command, a few solid walls will render your troops nigh-on invulnerable to enemy fire.
Any Tech-Priest worth their salt has tinkered with one or two pieces of hazardous technology to create wildly destructive weapons, but few still can match the awe-inspiring power of their most ancient Relics. Strap on this masterpiece of volkite technology and you’ll have the Omnissiah’s enemies fleeing for the hills in no time.
Which factions would you like to see get their own Armies of Renown? Let us know on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and be sure to pre-order War Zone Charadon Act 1: The Book of Rust when it arrives on Saturday the 20th of March alongside the Drukhari’s new codex and many more new releases.
* “Normal” being a very subjective term here.
** And rightly so – sorcery is the work of weak fleshy minds.