Great news for all those who feel that gnawing hunger to dominate the Realms – Battletome: Skaven is available for pre-order on Saturday.
Alongside rules and background for two tyrannical new leaders, you’ll also find two brand new Armies of Renown. These are the personal armies of two of the biggest figures in Skavendom: Vizzik Skour and Grey Seer Thanquol. Then there are two Regiments of Renown, which other Chaos armies can petition as allies.
Entrepreneurial Skaven like the Warlock Galvaneer Grisk Volt-Klaw have made a killing offering their labour (and powerful weapons batteries) to the highest bidders, exploiting the gap in the market for Chaos armies that usually eschew ranged wargear.
Volt-Klaw’s Engine Coven ups the amperage with a Warlock Galvaneer, a unit of three Warpvolt Scourgers, and a Ratling Warpblaster at a discounted points cost. As a consummate businessrat, Grisk is a practised self-promoter and can be heard yelling Behold My Genius! as his subordinates reduce enemy units to ashes from an impressive distance.
The warlike reputation of Krittok Foulblade has spread far and wide amongst the forces of Chaos. Krittok’s Clawpack is a bodyguard force comprising his most loyal Stormvermin (at the time of writing) and a destructive pair of Doom-Flayers.
His Fickle Motives are always betrayed by the Clawpack’s performance in battle – when victory is assured they fight with exceptional vigour, but should a loss be in sight, they will shy away from conflict as they plan a swift exit.
As the prophet of the Great Horned Rat, Vizzik Skour has managed to amass a mighty personal army: the Great-Grand Gnawhorde. As an Army of Renown, it has separate stipulations on which units may be included, with custom Battle Traits and Enhancements.
Led by Vizzik himself, the Gnawhorde are all Disciples of Vizzik, zealots who would gladly throw their lives away for their malodorous meister, boosting Skour’s ward to Ward (4+) at the cost of their own lives.
His followers are afflicted by the Warpshatter Throes, which manifest as three Once Per Turn (Army) abilities, such as increased mobility in battle, or improved range for units with munitions.
The second Army of Renown sets Thanquol and Boneripper at the head of a carnival of monstrosities, and we’ll investigate the mad geniuses of the Clans Moulder tomorrow…