Soulblight Gravelords Tactics: Legion of Night

In this video TheJTJ and Chris C, talk about the Soulblight Gravelords Battletome. We go over an in depth analysis of the Legion of Night. This is part 4 in the full tactical breakdown of the SBGL army.

 

 

 

 

 

Notes from the Video

Cursed Bloodlines Tactics overview

Legion of Night

 

Battle Traits

• The Bait
  • The old rule was better in my mind. However, this works better for an aggressive build. Use graves and Ageless cunning to get to your opponent’s side turn one.
  • +2 first turn for Wight kings
• Ageless Cunning
  • Great way to keep your opponent honest, and threaten back like objectives with slow units. It will make the enemy have to screen more of the board.
  • Will be interesting to see int 3^rd if the board shrinks, will this help or hurt the rule.
  • Between this and gravesites you can really push your army around the board.
• Grade
  • A-
• Tactics
  • Slip you forces Hammer and anvil style. Outflank fast units to the Hammer or just keep a few cheap units of bats or wolves in reserve to come in turn 3 and take points.
  • I think the biggest thing players will have to learn with this Legion is when, were and what units to keep in reserve. You can make this ability the primary focus of your list building or just a tertiary ability.
• Comments
  • Vargheists are battleline

Command Traits

• Above Suspicion
  • Great for alpha strikes. Getting your Heroes where they need to be. Put it on a VLOZD, drop him on a flank. He will have a 2+ save turn one. If you go first but fail the charge he will still have a strong chance to live through your opponent’s phase.
  • B+
• Swift Form
  • Plus 2 to run and charge. When you outflank you have to be 9 way, this will drop the charge roll to 7. This with the pinions spell is a great combination.
  • B+
• Unbending Will
  • No battleshock test for your big blocks of Zombies and Skeletons is super important in this army.
  • This is a great command Trait for a general that want to stay surrounded by all big blocks. Not necessarily one that want to be flying around board by themselves. Could be interesting on a Bloodseeker Palanquin of Coven Throne
  • A
• Merciless Hunter
  • 2+ to wound on Vampire Lords and Wight kings is a nice buff.
  • B+
• Unholy Impetus
  • Great buff trait, once again something that may be good on a Palanquin of Throne. The only downside is the Hero cannot benefit from the ability; it ends at the end of the phase. Would get the most value buffing a unit of Zombies or Blood knights. You just have to what the Wholly within range.
  • A-
• Terrifying Visage
  • Great way to make a tank General. -1 to wound is a bitt harder to overcome than -1 to hit, because there are less ways to reroll that in the game. However -1 to hit in general profiles less wound rolls. So its probably a wash.
  • A
• Tactics
  • If you are building a solo combat hero, look at Above suspicion, Swift form, Merciless Hunter, and Terrifying Visage. If you want to make a back-line hero go with Unending will.
  • Chris
    • Several decent choices primarily for a General that wants to get stuck in fighting. However Unbending will is a solid choice if you plan on using hordes of units.

 

Artefacts of Power

• Vial of Pure Blood
  • One use. Not the worst one use in the book. But it at least last to your next hero phase. If you go first pop it and then if you get doubled you will get 3 combats out of it….if you hero is still alive.
  • B-
• Shard of Night
  • I want to like this. However most missile weapons in the game have no rend and the strong shooting has more that -1 or does mortals. It would be good against Tzeentch flamers and several Cities of Sigmar units.
  • Not total trash , and could be used on a back line hero. However probably better to look elsewhere.
  • B
• Gem of Exsanguination
  • Trash – once per battle, and then random roll. Only guaranteed 1MW on enemy within 6”
  • F
• Chiropteran Cloak
  • Probably one of the most interesting Artefacts in the book.
  • B
• Morbhegs Claw
  • Solid Artefact for a casting army. Many different units can take advantage of this. Think about Nagash or Mannfred with +2 to cast, from your Necro Carving the Sigil. With the low casting of most spells in the book your success chance will be high.
  • I think it is very viable in a static army, less so in a mobile force.
  • A-
• Curseblade
  • Max MW output is 5 minimums is 0. Nice it battlefield wide, but you need both your hero and theirs to be on the board. Very strange seeing how this whole Legion wants your units to start off the board in outflank and deep strike.
  • F
• JTJ
  • All in all the Artefacts in the legion are subpar, funny seeing how Mannfred spent a good portion of the AOS novels running around looking for Artefacts.
  • On a back line Hero I would take the Claw, on the front line fighters it would be Vial of Pure Blood or Shard of Night.
• Chris
  • Morbheg’s Claw is a fantastic artefact, will help get spells off for all casters wholly within 12” of the bearer.
  • Other artefacts are lackluster, Chiropteran Cloak could be decent on a VLoZD that will likely be a primary target of your opponent.

 

 

CT AoP Combinations

• For frontline fighter like VLOZD I would look at Terrifying Visage and Vial of Pure Blood.
• For a back line hero like Necro or Palanquin, look at unbending will and Morbhegs Claw.
• Comments

List Ideas

• JTJ Comments
  • Trying to take advantage legion traits and ability
    • Coven Throne
      • General
      • Undending will
      • Morbhegs claw
      • Spirit Gale
    • Necromancer
      • Decrepify
    • Necromancer
    • Overwhelming dread
    • Deathstench Drove
      • Corpse cart – Load stone
      • Dire Wolves x10
      • Dire Wolves X10
      • Zombies x40
      • Zombies x40
    • Vargheist x3
  • Big blocks of Zombies buffed and alive. The casters will be plus 3 to cast. Varghest and Wolves and outflank.

 

• Chris List Ideas (Alpha Strike / Swarm)
  • Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon – General
    • Command Traits:
      • Above Suspicion (deep strike General)
    • Swift Form (+2 charge, easier Alpha Strike)
  • Necromancer
    • Artefact
      • Morbheg’s Claw (+2 to cast)
    • Units
      • Vargheist x3 (1 – 2 units)
        • Set up in deep strike
      • Grave Guard x20 (1 unit)
        • Set up in the graves
      • Dire Wolves x10 (1-2 units)
        • Set up in your deployment zone
      • Endless Spell
        • Chronomantic Cogs
      • Use gravesites, outflank and deep strike to minimize targets that can be hit by opponent Turn 1 and maximize the ability to Alpha Strike opponent.

 

Thanks for Watching/Reading, Y’all be good.