by Nico

The following article assumes an existing working knowledge of the rules in the new FEC Battletome.  If you’re not quite there yet, Calvin reviews the book in some detail here, and we would also recommend Coach’s video on the subject.

The FEC Battletome is a welcome refresh to one of the most interesting army concepts in Age of Sigmar. This post delves into the rules, identifying uncertainties and possible sources of FAQs. Grab your bonepick and mount your Nightshrieker, as there’s a grand feast ahead.

Battle Traits: Pumping up your Noble Deed Points (NDP)

NDP appropriately brings to mind GDP, as five battle traits (Noble Deeds, Feeding Frenzy, Muster Guard, Summon Loyal Subjects, and Rousing Oration) interlock to create an economy (the NDP Economy). This brings together what were previously:

• A battle trait command ability.
• Warscroll abilities on Courtiers.
• Command abilities on Abhorrants.

The streamlining here deserves praise! One long-standing rules question is whether the fact that the controlling player of a target unit allocates wounds to models in that unit, also means that they decide whether to allocate the mount’s attacks or the rider’s attacks first. If they do have this discretion; and there’s more damage to allocate than the target has wounds remaining, then they will allocate the wounds from the mount first, so that the rider cannot earn NDP. This is immersion-breaking. We’ve seen wording elsewhere (Mannfred) that attempts to address a similar issue. 

Topping Up Your Half-Pint

The NDP Economy breaks with tradition, as Summon Loyal Subjects allows you to top-up your half-pint unit all the way to full. This is powerful not only in itself, but also lets you reduce charge rolls by placing the returned models 1” away from the models who were already present at the start of the movement phase. In combination with Rally earlier in the turn, Muster Guard can comfortably gain 4” of threat range. This offsets the material disadvantage of having to outflank wwi 6” of the board edge (Beasts of Chaos get wwi 9”), rather than just outside of 9” from enemy units. Notably, there are fewer edge objectives than last season (fewer objectives hanging off the board).  

The end of movement phase timing is also helpful relative to SBGL’s equivalent hero phase ability, as: 

• It’s after any enemy Redeploy.
• The Courtier can move into the (generous) within 10” range beforehand in the movement phase.

It’s worth remembering that you cannot return models so as to tag an enemy unit (Core Rule 14.2.1). 

It is frustrating that Summon Loyal Subjects calls out Muster Guard and Rally as means for topping up a unit. There’s no reason for this to be a closed list. It’s possible (but not easy) to interpret these purposively as illustrative examples. Why exclude post-nerf Emerald Lifeswarm? More worryingly, Nagash’s Invocation is not included. Excluding these other abilities:

• Breaks immersion.
• Fails to future-proof (surely an Incarnate of Recursion is waiting in the wings).
• Creates a bookkeeping issue, where Invocation can top up the unit to half strength, but then only Muster Guard can top it up further (even though both abilities reside in the same battletome).

In contrast to SBGL, the NDP economy is largely predictable. There’s a random element to some of the means for generating NDP, but once the NDP accrue, there’s no further roll to bring on a unit or add models. This is a real edge compared to the variance in a 3+ roll to return 30 Zombies or 2 Fellbats. 

In contrast to Seraphon’s Cosmic Power Points economy, the NDP Economy has meaningful risk-reward in gaining NDP by fighting with mediocre foot heroes, exposing them to retaliation, as opposed to doing what you would be doing anyway.

Courts of Delusion

Again, massive kudos for making this so flexible and not locked on your army list. This ability has optimal timing, unlike Fyreslayers who have to wait until the start of their first hero phase to strike a Rune.

It’s cute to see a rare instance of Warmaster being a disadvantage, as The Grand Tournament doesn’t apply to Ushoran.

Delusions of Grandeur

As with Cities of Sigmar, erecting new rules atop the existing rules architecture (here Heroic Actions and Rampages) is efficient and reduces ambiguity. Rousing Oration is great for the NDP Economy. It resembles but exceeds the Big Waaagh Heroic Action (which would blow my word count if I included the name). It also rewards MSU (or punishes big heroes).

Scent of Blood is highly narrative, but stacks variance atop variance. Hero phase moves are great, but D6” on a 3+ roll, rather than D3+2” automatically or on a 2+ makes it highly situational. The further requirement that an enemy unit be wounded is frustrating. I would rather it were not available during battleround one (or you simply had to move towards the nearest enemy unit), rather than never getting to use it as an opponent had the temerity to take 1 wound infantry. One upside is that this is a generic “move” rather than a normal move, so you can use it to walk out of combat if you roll high enough.

Command Traits

Master of the Menagerie

This is a welcome measure for trying to make the monster-mash build viable (in contrast to SBGL, where the battle traits, battle tactics, and grand strategy force feed you summonable units). I doubt it’s sufficient, because the monsters still face a systemic AoS issue, which is the supremacy of normal units with a buff stack over single models (the gulf between a Royal Terrorgheist and 3 Varanguard for example, let alone 10 fully buffed Boingrotz). The FEC monsters do at least benefit from Feeding Frenzy and some other modest buffs.

Artefacts

Medal of Madness

This is once per battle round (not per battle) and potentially great, given that you will be slamming Rousing Oration every turn instead of generating CP.

The Flayed Pennant

This is one way to reroll the hero phase charge if the Ghoul King on foot casts his intriguing spell (Forward to Victory being phase-locked to either charge phase).

Lore of Madness

It is great to see that the enhanced effects are on modified dice. This may give Nagash a niche.

Move over NDP, it’s time for nCr formulae to work out how unlikely we are to hit a quad on 8 dice. My maths here is rusty, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Miasmal Shroud is still a bad proposition.*

A key question is whether the second pick (and resulting heal) in Crimson Victuals is a necessary condition for the first pick and suffer D3 mortals. 

Kudos for 2D3 mortals rather than choosing the variance-heavy D6 mortals. FEC could certainly use a zap spell that is two thirds of an Infernal Gateway on a 10+. This will determine the strength of the spell lore.

Prayer Scriptures

Notably, The Summerking’s Favour counts slain models however they die (so Arcane Bolt, shooting attacks, and mount attacks are in scope, but not Endless Spells that the hero summons).

Mount Traits

Being forced to set up in the first turn is limiting (the opponent can be fully screened at this point). Many of these rules have been removed (the old Beasts of Chaos rules), but Death from the Skies still has this wording. The synergy with the Archregent’s Carrion Call is bait.

Sub-Factions

Hollowmourne

Hollowmourne only having a partial effect on Morbheg Knights is sensible, as their retreat and charge synergy elevates them over Crypt Horrors and Flayers.

Blisterskin

The restrictions are highly disappointing given that:

• There are subfactions that make every HERO a WIZARD; and then grant further meaningful benefits (Cabalists).
• Lethis is far more generous than this (especially with Ionus in town).
• It’s Wizard season.
• Diminishing returns from priests are even worse than those from wizards. While Smite is exceptionally good for farming NDP, Heal is inexplicably hard to chant. Extra Wizards get Flaming Weapon, Hoarfrost, and Merciless Blizzard a la carte.
• The NDP economy encourages you to balance your Abhorrants with Courtiers. Trying to replicate Courtier functionality with the Archregent means that you’ll not want him to pray at the cost of two spells (unless Seraphon are waiting to unbind and farm 4 Cosmic Power Points).

Gristlegore

The scars from the Activation Wars run deep. Even with fight twice gone, a high-variance, 4+ save monster striking first in the enemy’s turn is still considered too risky for balance.

Battle Tactics

These are at a similar level to Idoneth Deepkin overall.

• It is curious that Screamed to Death doesn’t apply to a Zombie Dragon.
• It will be fun when you earn 2D3 NDP and get 6 in your first turn from Rousing Oration, the Charnel Throne and a spell/prayer, then select and score Glorious Feast turn one.
• Lance Formation is frustratingly worded as if you charge with three KNIGHTS units, the third one also has to make a modified 7 charge.

Warscrolls

Ushoran

Ushoran is truly a narrative triumph. The rules make the epic model come to life. That said:

• Epicentre of Delusion is less valuable precisely because you already have flexibility and optimal timing in the choice of delusion from Courts of Delusion.
• I strongly doubt whether selecting the same delusion (to try to get +2 to save) makes any difference. This seems like a binary situation, either you have a delusion or you don’t, it doesn’t become any more true by having it twice.
• The nonbo between Feast Day and The Carrion King is counter-intuitive for casual players.
• Shroudcage Fragment. The 1” range for the real effect is grim (the Activation Wars strike again), particularly given the ability also depends on the enemy unit’s bravery. This becomes a memory test or close to a gotcha for your opponent to finish their charge within 1” of Ushoran rather than just within 0.5” of his accompanying Crypto Bros.
• Judging from photographs, it will be hard to keep Ushoran wwi 3” of his Crypto Bros for the +1 to wards.
• Glimpse of Delusion is another memory test and feel-bad moment for your opponent. However, some armies will simply not present any good targets for this spell. Also beware of optional rules that your opponent will graciously decline to use to minimise the damage (Gotrek can reroll hit and wound rolls, not must). This spell is particularly strong into King Brodd’s Stomp where being within 3” is necessary for Brodd’s 5+ Ward.
• You’re paying for a two-caster with no buffs to cast.
• The HOLLOWMOURNE keyword is frustrating.

Abhorrant Ghoul King on Royal Zombie Dragon

Monstrous Hunger is a rare example of a pulse (an ability with an intermediate status or label that it attaches to units within range at the point of casting) like Choking Mist for Kruleboyz.

Grand Justice Gormayne

Great name, great model! 

Dishonourable Conduct in Battle strangely lacks “until the end of the turn” like the other three judgements.

Abhorrant Gorewarden

One issue with garrisoning the Charnel Throne to farm D3 NDP is that leaving a garrison happens at the end of the movement phase (17.2.2), whereas joining a garrison happens instead of making a normal move. This risks you skipping a turn of the Charnel Throne powering up a hero. However, the Winds of Shyish spell allows you to hop out of the garrison in the hero phase (Lumineth style), which is early enough for another hero to hop in.

Royal Decapitator

If a WIZARD casts Mystic Shield on another friendly unit, that spell has a defined duration (until your next hero phase). Killing the WIZARD has no impact on the duration of the spell. Off with their Head! doesn’t formally tag the wounded enemy hero with an “about to die potentially at the hands of a cheap foot hero to conjure up suspense” token, however, the same principle should apply as with Mystic Shield.  The ability has been triggered and should continue to its stated termination, despite the intervening death of the Royal Decapitator. The ability doesn’t require you to measure to the Royal Decapitator at the point of rolling the 5+.

To suggest otherwise is to erase the warscroll rules from the game simply because the model is dead (and risks having the result change if the FEC player had a second Decapitator elsewhere on the battlefield, so that the Off with their Head! Rule is still in the game).

Morbheg Knights

Paraphrasing Shrieking Charge as “Morbheg Knights are immune to Unleash Hell” is sadly inaccurate. The pick one unit within 1” is too short, meaning that a screened unit of Fusiliers can still shoot you in the face. Nevertheless, it’s a glitch on an otherwise compelling unit.

Crypto Bros

The Royal Bodyguard should not stack.

Cadaverous Barricade

Interestingly, you can use this to slow down Murderlusters and The Glottkin in the turn you cast this. Presumably, the intention of Terrain Feature is that an opponent would have to climb up and down the barricade when they move over it (rather than walking through it like a normal endless spell).

An interesting and unfortunate side effect is that Brodd’s Stomp can, therefore, pick it up and bounce it off your head.

Charnel Throne

Ghoulish Landmark means a unit “cannot be affected by any abilities that allow units to ignore battleshock tests.”

• This catches Inspo and the Plague Furnace.
• This doesn’t apply to the Indomitable triumph, which prevents models from fleeing (they still fail the test for Be’Lakor Lord of Torment purposes).
• It’s not clear whether it makes OBR take battleshock tests. The narrative might suggest so (if the FEC are rebelling against Nagash and OBR are his pet army).

Having gotten this far, trusty reader, I’m sure you’ll appreciate that I’ve resisted the urge to write this post in the ponderous legalese of Grand Justice Gormayne. Go forth! The Mortal Realms are yours to feast on!

*I’ve calculated this to be 18.4%, which echoes Nico’s suspicion that it’s a fairly long shot.  For context, hitting a natural 6 clocks in at 16.7%, so it’s only slightly more likely than that…if I’ve got my maths right.  If you’re a probability guru, please feel free to confirm or debunk this in the comments ~Pete

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