by Seanzor

Battle Tactics

Overwhelmed with Dread: 2/5

When you reveal this battle tactic, pick 1 enemy unit on the battlefield. You complete this tactic if that unit is affected by the Shriek, Stun and Petrify effects of the Wave of Terror battle trait during this turn.

This tactic is way too dice-reliant to ever call at the beginning of a turn thinking it will happen. You may look back on your turn and think what could have been…but watch you roll 7s on all your charges and never get all 3 on the same target.

Turn 1? Likely not worth the stretch, requires many early melee combats which means you’ve put all your eggs in a shit basket.
Overall? Not likely.

Tides of Terror: 3/5

You complete this tactic if at least 2 friendly NIGHTHAUNT units are within 1/2″ of the same enemy unit at the end of this turn.

This one is pretty matchup dependent to make work, but if the opponent has a large model like a Gargant or an Incarnate that can’t really chew up your ethereal units and which you are unlikely (or unable) to kill in a turn, then it might be an easy one to do. Just bank this early and save another easy score for later.

Turn 1? Also not usually worth the stretch, requires an early melee combat which is touchy.
Overall? Situationally doable.

Mass Panic: 3/5

You complete this tactic at the end of this turn if 3 or more enemy units on the battlefield are terrified.

The challenge here is making your turn be worthwhile, while also finding a way to not kill too much that your opponent can just remove all the models within 3″ of your models. Putting the 6″ terrify aura on your general might be the most reliable way to make this work.

Turn 1? Again, likely not worth the stretch, requires an early melee combat or set of combats, too hard to commit.
Overall? Situationally doable.

Death by a Thousand Cuts: 3/5

You complete this tactic if an enemy HERO or MONSTER is destroyed by attacks made by a friendly CHAINRASPS or SPIRIT HOST unit during this turn.

Hoarfrost is your best friend here. A pack of 6 or 9 Spirit Hosts with Rend 2/3 has all the likelihood of getting the job done. That said it’s still going to take dice and stars aligning to make sure that the named units make the kill, and all it’s going to take is one swing of dice in 3 or 4 different rolls to make this a dead tactic.

Turn 1? Can you guess what I’m going to say? Likely not worth the stretch, requires an early melee combat which is touchy and too conditional especially.
Overall? Situationally doable.

One Stop, No Return: 4/5

When you reveal this battle tactic, pick 1 objective marker on the battlefield that your opponent controls. You complete this battle tactic if you control that objective marker at the end of this turn and there is a friendly BLACK COACH within 3″ of that objective.

If you’ve brought a Black Coach in your list, at least 1/5th of the reason is to get this Battle Tactic. Clever usage of some Hero Phase damage can potentially open up space for the Coach to head right in with a teleport or just flex the big movement to get straight into the zone and body up to stand in the circles.

Turn 1? Probably not happening, unless you’ve got some clever tricks.
Overall? Good Stuff.

Ceaseless Nightmares: 2/5

You complete this tactic if 2 or more terrified enemy units fail a battleshock test during this turn.

So what if we take the difficulty of Mass Panic, and add that those units need to have taken enough casualties to get close to failing battleshock tests, and your opponent then actually makes the roll to fail the battleshock test? Not impossible but generally way too dicey to chance a Battle Tactic on this.

Turn 1? Likely not worth the stretch, and even more conditions than the small print on an insurance policy.
Overall? Not likely.

Intimidate the Invaders: 5/5

You complete this battle tactic at the end of your turn if there are more friendly units wholly outside your territory than there are friendly units within your territory.

Nighthaunt is generally trying to move forward in some way, shape or form. Just move on out, and having units in the Underworld helps your ratio for this too. A great late game tactic you can nearly guarantee turn 4/5.

Turn 1? Absolutely possible, but still prefer to save it if you can Surround & Destroy first.
Overall? Excellent.

Reprisal: 3/5

You complete this battle tactic if an enemy unit that destroyed a friendly general earlier in the battle is destroyed in this turn.

This is one of those tactics that revolves entirely around how you play your game and what engagements you can force. Also definitely falls onto the opponent since right now there’s just as much chance the killing blow is done by an endless spell or damage from non-units. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Can play into it definitely.

Turn 1? Bro if this is in your head for turn 1, you’re either insane or a genius.
Overall? Situationally doable.

Endless Expropriation: 2/5

Pick 1 enemy unit that summoned an endless spell that is on the battlefield or that is bonded to an INCARNATE. You complete this battle tactic at the end of your turn if either of the following are true:

That enemy unit has been destroyed.

That INCARNATE is wild.

Massively conditional for so many reasons. Needs an army with an endless spell or an Incarnate. Needs the unit to still be bonded. Needs to have access to be destroyable. Nighthaunt generally doesn’t have enough reach to get to these models early and when they do, there is a better chance to score a less conditional Battle Tactic rather than take the chance on this. It is situational, but with the extra conditions I say “nah brah.”

Turn 1? *Vomit Emoji* but against some armies might be your only chance to score it before the Incarnate is wild… Still no.
Overall? Not likely.

Magical Dominance: 5/5

You complete this battle tactic at the end of your turn if a friendly WIZARD unit successfully cast 1 or more spells and none of the spells cast by any units in your army were unbound.

Nighthaunt have an interesting blend of wizards, but they happen to have access to a little artefact called the Midnight Tome. This means that with a Guardian of Souls you can auto-cast an endless spell and can’t be unbound. Dealer’s choice on what spell you want to fit in your list (Geminids, Maelstrom, Purple Sun, Terminexus, whatevs), but it means that you can just score this battle tactic whenever you want. Turn 1 sure, but later turns as well if you can keep your Guardian of Souls up, which is quite possible with a pile of ethereal bodies around.

Turn 1? Absolutely possible and a very good option, but still prefer to save it if you can Surround & Destroy first.
Overall? Excellent.

Magical Mayhem: 2.5/5

Pick 1 enemy unit on the battlefield. You complete this battle tactic if that unit is destroyed by a spell or the abilities of an endless spell.

Nighthaunt have an interesting blend of wizards as I said before, but they’re generally set into a more support / hybrid role rather than being outright offensive (especially with their spells). Nagash and Reikenor are the only ones getting notable pluses to cast unless you step into ally territory. This Battle Tactic is very situational and will probably come down to something still alive on 1-2 wounds, while banking on some combination of an Arcane Bolt / Maelstrom / Terminexus / Wraithstorm / Blizzard / Purple Sun series of casts. This is hard to feel 100% on, but we have to take risks sometimes.

Turn 1? If you are playing a list to capitalise on these conditions, the Nighthaunt lore gives some options to make this work.
Overall? Dead Average.

Bait and Trap: 4/5

You complete this battle tactic if 2 or more friendly units retreated this turn and 2 or more different friendly units made a charge move this turn.

Bread and butter stuff for Nighthaunt. I think the only thing holding this back is making sure you have living units in melee to start the turn. Not impossible by any stretch it’s just the one condition to be mindful of.

Turn 1? Not happening unless you got SUPER JAMMED top of 1.
Overall? Good Stuff.

Led into the Maelstrom: 4/5

You complete this battle tactic if 1 or more friendly HEROES and 1 or more friendly Battleline units each made a charge move this turn and at least 1 of those units is within 3″ of an enemy unit at the end of the turn.

More bread and butter for Nighthaunt. You already want to be getting charges off, and generally stacking those for debuffs. Comes down to smart piling in and casualty removal, but if this is your tactic for the turn I trust you’re thinking towards the goal.

Turn 1? Not ideal, more of this “1st turn melee” stuff that unless the perfect storm arises, you probably dont want to commit to these conditions.
Overall? Good Stuff.

Surround and Destroy: 5/5

Pick 3 different friendly units on the battlefield. You complete this battle tactic at the end of your turn if each of those units is wholly within 6″ of a different battlefield edge and 2 or more of those units are wholly outside your territory.

Important note before I start: please be mindful you pick the units on the battlefield at the start of the hero phase, which means your units in the Underworld don’t get to count for this. More bread, more butter. But we’ve got Spirit Tether casts, Awlrach teleports, Black Coach teleports, Hexwraiths yeeting across the board, Heroes that can run all around…You can score this, I believe in you.

Turn 1? Absolutely aim to score this asap.
Overall? Excellent.

Grand Strategies

A Soul to Claim: 1/5

After deployment but before the first battle round begins, the enemy unit with the highest Wounds characteristic is marked as ‘the target’. If more than 1 unit has the highest Wounds characteristic, you can choose which of those units will be ‘the target’. When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if the target was destroyed by attacks made by a friendly SUMMONABLE unit.

While not impossible, yeesh this is a lot of conditionals to be basing our gameplan around in a single game, let alone a 5 round tournament. Rubbish.

Fright or Flight: 5/5

When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if there are no enemy units within 6″ of any friendly NIGHTHAUNT units that are contesting an objective.

This is going to be the most clean and clear Grand Strategy to score. Keep what this means in your head all game and make sure that come turn 5 you have your plan whether you get priority or not. About the only thing that can stop this Grand Strat going off is something turning off retreating or all your Nighthaunt models are dead. But you might also need to hold primaries to deny opponent points so you’ll have to screen and redeploy, or find other ways to be crafty. It does take some forethought and effort so it’s not automatic, but that’s the best way to play in most Nighthaunt lists. Excellent.

Feed on Terror: 4/5

When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if 1 or more enemy units on the battlefield are terrified.

This is not impossible by any stretch of the word but it is very dependent on list. Pretty much revolves around a turn 5 priority roll though because it’s easily negated by an opponent retreating from combat with your Nighthaunt sitting there not scaring anyone. But if you can play that into a situation where they have to be in combat with your models to get the primaries and compete for the win, then it’s game on. It’s a bit of the yin to Fright or Flight’s yang and just a touch harder to make work. Good Stuff.

Dismantle the Brave: 1/5

After deployment but before the first battle round begins, the enemy unit with the highest Bravery characteristic is marked as ‘the target’. If more than 1 unit has the highest Bravery characteristic, you can choose which of those units will be ‘the target’. When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if the target has been slain and the model chosen to be your general has not been slain.

Same as A Soul to Claim, way more hard to control conditionals than we want to be basing our gameplan around in a single game, let alone a 5 round tournament. Rubbish.

Control the Nexus: 3/5

When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if 2 or more friendly WIZARD units are wholly within 6″ of the centre of the battlefield.

There’s definitely lists that can do this better than others but having units like Spirit Hosts, Lady Olynder, Nagash, Reikenor, Knight of Shrouds with Arcane Tome and Allies all keep the dream alive. Where it falls apart is that you’d likely be better doing any of the other 4/5 or 5/5 Grand Strats. Situationally doable.

Spellcasting Savant: 4/5

When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if the model picked to be your general is an ANDTORIAN LOCUS and that unit has not been slain.

Rather than trying to play the above, you’ll probably have a better chance going Guardian of Souls, sitting the dude next to 9 Spirit Hosts and hoping for the best outcome. No guarantees but horses for courses. Good Stuff.

Slaughter of Sorcery: 2/5

When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if there are no WIZARD units on the battlefield.

Nighthaunt doesn’t have the reach to lock this in reliably. Some games this might be easy money but I wouldn’t bet 3 points on it. Not likely.

Barren Icescape: 1/5

When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if all enemy units that have artefacts of power are destroyed and there are no enemy units within 6″ of the centre of the battlefield.

Same as A Soul to Claim and Dismantle the Brave: too many hard to control conditionals to be basing our gameplan around, and therefore also rubbish.

Overshadow: 2/5

When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if all enemy Battleline units from your opponent’s starting army are destroyed and there is at least 1 friendly Battleline unit from your starting army on the battlefield.

Nighthaunt really doesn’t have the output or reach to lock this in reliably. You may never chew through all the starting Zombies, Immortis Guard, Insert Difficult-to-remove Battleline here. You might face something easier but would you bet 3 points on it? Not likely.

Magic Made Manifest: 1/5

When the battle ends, you complete this grand strategy if:

• There are 2 or more endless spells on the battlefield that were
  summoned by friendly Wizards; or
• There is a friendly Incarnate on the battlefield that is bonded
  to a friendly unit and there are 1 or more endless spells on the
  battlefield that were summoned by friendly Wizards

Same as Barren Icescape, A Soul to Claim and Dismantle the Brave. Can’t plan for it, too conditional, rubbish.

The Verdict

• Turn 1 EZ Mode.  Book battle tactics are not much help here, it’s going to come down to GHB battle tactics, but with the game Nighthaunt are playing that might not be such a bad thing.
• Grand Strategy.  On the outside it doesn’t look it, but Fight or Flight ends up being a near participation award GHB. Theres a few small windows for it to get disrupted but a seasoned ghost player will either score this or score enough zones to win turn 5 whichever secures the W.
• Zingers.  Fucking yeesh, the book Nighthaunt tactics are not the sauce and I don’t think they’ve really ever been, but the GHB tactics again play very well with the Nighthaunt game plan and make up for the lack of book power.
• Synchronicity.  Nighthaunt want to charge and get into melee. The tactics do play into that side of things. If you can stomach the theme of Nighthaunt which is like craps-yahtzee-pokies, then you can probably take a few chances with some battle tactics. So sure they line up.
• Flavour.  On the previous note I think that most of the book tactics are probably too flavourful and narrative, which leads them to being pretty fucked. Again, GHB tactics coming up big.

Overall Assessment: 3.5/5

Nighthaunt are not struggling for the ability to score Battle Tactics or a Grand Strat in the new GHB. They have at least 3 Guaranteed Scores per game and enough nearly locked in to fill out 2 more turns. Their weakness is going to come in sitting on the primary objectives against massed attacks, especially anything shutting off their wards and doing mortals on top of it. They aren’t down and out at all, but they take a level of finesse and thinking to get through the current meta. Scoring those last two battle tactics and the grand strat will require you setting up favourable melee combats and being tricksy, which Nighthaunt does love to do.

It’s deceptive to look at that 4+ Ethereal and think they can tank damage from the world: you also need to hedge those bets. Think similar to Pat’s Hitting on 4s is a Curse Article in that the world of coinflip Yahtzee armour saves can very quickly start crumbling down when you don’t want it to, or overperform when it doesn’t matter.

For the September update the faction is definitely not screaming for easier Tactics, they just need a few more bodies and with that hopefully brings a bit more output and survivability. Losing GV to fight in two ranks really hurt a lot of Nighthaunt builds, so the most successful routes right now are MSU choice of flavour, and Hexwraiths probably being the strongest of the lot for the mobility that lends to tactical strength and just general fun factor. There’s a lot of unexplored territory in Nighthaunt but there’s not as much push to be choosing them over the other Death factions at this moment in time.

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