Lock your doors and close the curtains, as the Daughters of Khaine are on the prowl. The deadly prowess of Morathi’s murderous maidens is well known, so it’s no surprise to hear that they’re more than ready to unleash their ultra-violent brand of slaughter in the new edition. But don’t take our word for it – we’ve got a guest playtester to tell us all about their most lethal tactics moving forwards.
Our investigation into the Daughters of Khaine is the latest instalment in our series on how the new edition of Warhammer Age of Sigmar affects every faction. Be sure to catch up with all the previous articles if you missed any, as they’re useful for new and experienced players alike.
Before we get to the nitty gritty of how effective they are in the new edition, let’s take a moment to learn a bit about the faction’s history.
Who Are the Daughters of Khaine?
The aelves known as the Daughters of Khaine can trace their lineage back to the World-That-Was, where they worshipped the Bloody-handed God of old. Following the death of Khaine and the world’s destruction, Slaanesh glutted itself upon their souls, which it coveted above all others.
Countless years later, long after Morathi had freed herself from the belly of her nemesis, she aided the new pantheon of aelven gods – Tyrion, Teclis, and Malerion – in ensnaring Slaanesh and slowly extracting the lost souls of their people. For her part in the deed, Morathi demanded a share of these souls. She drew forth the essence of those aelves who had once worshipped Khaine, installing herself as his High Oracle – his de facto replacement. During the events of the Broken Realms, and at the climax of a plan long in the making, Morathi performed a great sorcerous ritual to achieve the apotheosis she so craved, and in so doing, became the deity Morathi-Khaine.
As you might expect from the God of Murder’s followers, the Daughters of Khaine are among the fiercest warriors in the Mortal Realms. Most numerous of all are the Witch Aelves, who fight in the old way – with knives and cruelly serrated blades. The deadly, serpent-bodied Melusai, who were created by Morathi in her own image, wield bows or elegant glaives in support of their charging sisters, while the winged Khinerai swoop overhead to pick off isolated prey and offer their blood to Khaine.
In order to master the killing power of the Daughters of Khaine in the new edition, we spoke to official playtester and gaming expert Chuck T. Moore. Here he is with his analysis of the faction.
Chuck: The Daughters of Khaine have always had a large toolbox to pull from, and this remains true in the new edition. Morathi-Khaine and the Shadow Queen will dominate the table and devastate enemies, while reinforced units of Witch Aelves or Sisters of Slaughter can easily control large sections of the battlefield. They have reliable magic, a plethora of great prayers, and the ability to play strongly in any phase of the game.
How your army plays will shift slightly based on which subfaction you choose. You might choose Zainthar Kai and find yourself adding units of Melusai and Khinerai as your army’s foundation, whereas the Kraith will have you wanting to bring as many Sisters of Slaughter as you can get your hands on.
I find myself looking at Khelt Nar in particular. Their ability to retreat and charge is very strong, and the new board size only makes it harder for your opponents to escape combat. Plus, having a unit of Khinerai in your back pocket to throw into the fight when needed is never a thing to be upset about.
Biggest Winners
As with every faction, some units have received an especially large boost from the new edition. In this section, Chuck picks his top three choices from the Daughters of Khaine who’ve gained the most power from the updates to the game’s core rules.
Sisters of Slaughter
Chuck: Sisters of Slaughter have always been a popular choice for Daughters of Khaine players. As a Battleline unit with a 6″ pile-in, they’re used to attack units that would normally be out of reach, allowing the murderous aelves to get the first strike in. The 2″ range on their melee weapons really helps out with the new coherency rules, making Sisters of Slaughter a great choice for your reinforced units.
A larger unit also allows you to use Rally to its full effect. With each 6 you roll returning a model to the unit, the Daughters of Khaine now have the ability to regrow their numbers and keep spilling blood for their god.
Avatar of Khaine
Chuck: The Avatar of Khaine is a Totem, letting it issue orders to units within 18″ and making sure that those vital commands can be delivered to even your most far-reaching units. The All-out Attack command ability can give the Avatar of Khaine great consistency, hitting on 2+ with its melee and ranged attacks.
Bloodwrack Medusa
Chuck: Bloodwrack Medusae, either mounted on a shrine or on ‘foot’, are going to be very valuable Heroes in the new edition. Not only can they take advantage of heroic actions, but they can use the Unleash Hell command ability to utilise their Bloodwrack Stare shooting attack. With a 12″ range and no roll to hit required, it handily weakens a charging enemy unit with mortal wounds, making the slaughter all the easier for your other units.
Thanks, Chuck. If you’re looking to start or add to an existing Daughters of Khaine host, grab yourself a Start Collecting! Daughters of Khaine set – it even includes two of Chuck’s top three unit picks for the new edition!