With their rippling muscles, luscious locks, and the rage of centuries spurned by Sigmar, the Darkoath tribes are making their move in Dawnbringers: Book VI – Hounds of Chaos. In a bid to cast out the encroaching Sigmarite settlers, the Darkoath tribes are performing vile rituals and spiking geomantic leylines across the Mortal Realms, turning the very lands themselves against the invaders.
Corrupting sorcery alone is not enough to turn away these settlers, however, and the Darkoath are prepared to fight for their right to roam these lands – what did you think those big old lats were for? Friendly handshakes?
The men and women of the Darkoath take the vows they make to their patrons very seriously because they know that their gods do not watch idly, and will reward them for fulfilling oaths.
Each Darkoath unit – apart from the gruesome Wilderfiend – has an oath on its warscroll. Complete the terms of this dark contract and the unit will receive a boon for the rest of the game. The Oath of the Marauder requires a unit of Darkoath Marauders to make a successful charge roll of 7+ – and in turn it grants their weapons -1 Rend for the rest of the battle.
If the Darkoath Chieftain on Warsteed is the first into the fray in your combat phase, he will improve the wound rolls of all MORTAL DARKOATH units wholly within 12” of him until the end of battle, allowing for some muscular synergy.
These bargains with the Ruinous Powers cut both ways, and those Chieftains and elders who fail to fulfil their sworn pledges are twisted into Wilderfiends, hulking abominations just beyond the light of the Darkoath camps, demanding a steady stream of sacrifices.
In battle, Wilderfiends Feed on Flesh, gaining one sacrifice point for each model (two for each DARKOATH) that dies within 12". They can then use these to trigger a series of powerful abilities – hurling Warping Balefire at an enemy, conjuring a befuddling Mind Shroud that prevents enemy units from issuing or receiving commands, and more.
No tribe can ever truly be free of the Wilderfiends who act as their guardians and persecutors. Even if they are slain by an enemy, every time a DARKOATH HERO dies there’s a chance that the Ruinous Powers will take note of the failed oath and dish out a transformative punishment…
The rules for the Darkoath will be available in several places. The Darkoath Army Box, which is available for pre-order this weekend, contains Battletome Supplement: Darkoath. The rules are also printed inside the upcoming final book of the Dawnbringers series, Hounds of Chaos, alongside rules for Brand’s Oathbound and the Tribes of the Snow Peaks Army of Renown.
If neither of those is in your future, we fear you’re about to fail your sworn oath to the Dark Gods of Chaos – but you will be able to download the rules for free from Warhammer Community shortly before madness takes you.
