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Age of Sigmar - Paladins

Each Paladin has the same base stats as well as special weapons, these being 4'' move with 3 wounds, a 4+ save along side Bravery of 7. They all hit on 3+ and wound on 3+. The special weapon is the Starsoul Mace, which grants D3 mortal wounds to a unit 1'' away no need to hit. You can carry 2 Starsoul Maces per 5 Paladins BUT unlike the Liberators and Judicators, your Prime will not get extra attacks with it, although he could still carry it.

Lets go through each of the new sub-class of paladins.

Decimators - RULES

These chaps use the Thunderaxe, 2" reach with the # of attacks being every enemy model within 2"'! Also gives a +2 to battleshock tests within 6".

Protectors - RULES

The Protects are armed with the awesome looking Stormstrike Glaive. This gets a massive 3" reach, 3 attacks at rend -1. They have two special rules, the first being that if you rolls a 6 and the target is a MONSTER you get D6 damage instead of 1. The second rule gives -1 to hit when attacked with shooting attacks as well as anything that is shooting through them.

Retributors - RULES

We already know about these chaps, 2 attacks with their Lightning Hammers which hit at -1 and deal 2 damage. If a 6 is rolled TO HIT, you get 2 mortal wounds instead.

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So what do we think? Seems to be we have the horde killer, Decimator, the Monster killer, Protector and the all rounter, the Retributor. It is nice to see that we can take some special weapons but 2 in 5 seems like a lot, as the pictures only have a single mace in each squad. Would you ALWAYS take 2 maces? That's 2D3 mortal wounds and you dont even need to hit or wound!

What is everyones favorite? What is the "best"? I still think Retributors are going to deal the most damage unless your decimators managed to charge into a group of 30 very closes stacked troops. The Protectors D6 against monsters is great, but your Liberators get a bonus against big multi-wound creatures. I think I need to have a test and proxy some to see how their secondary rules affect the game.

Looking at the kits as well, should be possible to maybe magnetise the heads of the weapons so we can choose what we like because at £35 a box, or £7 a model, I would rather not by more than 2 boxes... Especially considering for £35 on the bay you can get an entire StormCast starter set.

Retributors are my favourite so far too. Protectors would probably be next. I find the damage stat to be one of the best in the game, so it's hard not to go with the 2 damage Retributors.

No starsoul mace in the starter set unfortunately. I'm debating if I want a second starter. Great deal for the models but limited options.

Indeed, the 2 damage, on a 6 its mortal is massive. If you add in the D3 Starsoul Maces, you're looking at wiping out units in combat on a good roll.

Yeah, it is unfortunate, in the same problem with the Liberators and their special weapon the GrandHammer (Basically the same profile as the Retributors Hammer).

What I plan to do is use 2 of my starter set retributers as Liberators with GrandHamers. The get a box of Paladins and make it as a Squad of 6 with 2 maces. Possibly then get another starter set, get my Liberator Squads to 10 with 2 Grand Hammers and add an extra Retributor to my 6 (now 7) man Paladin Squad. Thing is then that if I can get 3 more Retributors, I can add 2 more Starsoul Maces

I want it to all still fit as the ThunderStrike Brotherhood as I really don't want to be foot slogging. Would be nice to be able to go BAM and straight into combat the next turn.

While Protectors do give up 25% damage output to the Retributor (not counting specials), the 3" range and the Storm-shield ability are pretty compelling. Depends what you need them to do I guess.

I'm going 3 axes and 2 mace.
2D3 mortal wounds, and then ~2 attacks vs every enemy within 2".

It's a nice balanced unit. If my opponent runs lots of guys, I take casualties on Maces. If my opponent is running smaller elite units, I take the hits on the Axes.

I may convert a unit to Protectors, the -1 to hit seems decent; but I'm not sold on screening with a Move 4" unit.

Protectors vs opponents with monsters.

Decimates vs the guy fielding 40 man blocks

Retributors seem great if the opponent is charachter/ elite infantry or cavalry heavy.

I proxied some decimators Agaisnt a Skaven army yesterday ? And good god I was getting like 7 attacks each !!

Let's say you are insane enough to put a decent sized unit (say 10+) within a gorgoth's roar of a 5-man Decimator squad loaded out with Thunderaxes (inc. Prime). If each Decimator gets 6 attacks, average rolling by your opponent will make you roll about 16 saves.

The good news is that as you die, their effectiveness against you diminishes. Their Grim Harvesters ability is well earned methinks.

Might be a problem with the Starsoul maces; WD & AoS app list the Starsoul Mace as 1 in 5 for each Paladin type, but the rules off the web store list 2 in 5; guess we'll know next week!

My first box are Decimators for sure. I'm normally up against buckets of 1w infantry that so far have been like red wine on a prom dress to shift for Liberators.
However, the local arms race continues as I'll still need the Retributors to deal with the Ogors that my mate has just bought specifically to deal with Decimators...

The protectors are class.

As for the starsoul mace it is 1 in every 5 on the app but 2 in every 5 on the website. GW need to clarify it quick

I'm going to guess it's supposed to be 1 in 5. There appears to be only one per box and it would be very frustrating having to buy 4 boxes to get 2 units with your max allowance of special weapons, and then you'd be left with 2 units without any special weapons. All the pictures show 1 in 5 as well, and it goes along with the general trend.

I like the idea of using the starter set Retributors as Liberator Primes with Grandhammers though.

burningstuff wrote:
I'm going to guess it's supposed to be 1 in 5. There appears to be only one per box and it would be very frustrating having to buy 4 boxes to get 2 units with your max allowance of special weapons, and then you'd be left with 2 units without any special weapons. All the pictures show 1 in 5 as well, and it goes along with the general trend.

I like the idea of using the starter set Retributors as Liberator Primes with Grandhammers though.

I wish I could do that - but there'd forever be a voice at the back of my head screaming WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! THE HELMETS AND RELIQUARIES AND ARMOUR ARE ALL WRONG!

RoperPG wrote:

burningstuff wrote:
I'm going to guess it's supposed to be 1 in 5. There appears to be only one per box and it would be very frustrating having to buy 4 boxes to get 2 units with your max allowance of special weapons, and then you'd be left with 2 units without any special weapons. All the pictures show 1 in 5 as well, and it goes along with the general trend.

I like the idea of using the starter set Retributors as Liberator Primes with Grandhammers though.

I wish I could do that - but there'd forever be a voice at the back of my head screaming WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! THE HELMETS AND RELIQUARIES AND ARMOUR ARE ALL WRONG!

I unfortunately tend to agree. And then you've got the problem of the champion-looking guys with the special shields and hair not supposed to be your champions anymore. Real first-world problems.

burningstuff wrote:
I'm going to guess it's supposed to be 1 in 5. There appears to be only one per box and it would be very frustrating having to buy 4 boxes to get 2 units with your max allowance of special weapons, and then you'd be left with 2 units without any special weapons. All the pictures show 1 in 5 as well, and it goes along with the general trend.

I like the idea of using the starter set Retributors as Liberator Primes with Grandhammers though.

It wouldn't be the first time GW has done that. See: Every space marine kit ever. Especially heinous are the Grey Knights terminators. Each one can take a hammer, but only one comes per kit...

How hard is it to clip off the hammer head and attach a mace?
Seems like a very easy conversion.

burningstuff wrote:I unfortunately tend to agree. And then you've got the problem of the champion-looking guys with the special shields and hair not supposed to be your champions anymore. Real first-world problems.

And now ... I agree :( ... Not sure how to mod my current Liberator Squads now then! Since the Grand Hammer is two handed.. so can't just add a longer haft to the current hammers and paint the hammer head differently. Any ideas?!

Motograter wrote:The protectors are class.

As for the starsoul mace it is 1 in every 5 on the app but 2 in every 5 on the website. GW need to clarify it quick

I think it is 1 in every 5 as well, 2 does seem rather powerful. Can I ask as well if the app states that the Primes in the judicator and liberator squads can carry the special weapon? That seems like a typo as well, since here the prime CANNOT take the special weapon and gain the same benefits as the Liberators and their special weapon (i.e. get an extra attack with it..paladin primes only get an extra attack with their default weapon.

HawaiiMatt wrote:How hard is it to clip off the hammer head and attach a mace?
Seems like a very easy conversion.

Shouldn't be to hard, but I do think that it is a typo for 2 special weapons.

I think they can take the special weapon, to be honest I've not paid it much attention. I should have a look before I start cutting them up lol

It is definitely 1 for every 5 models you have and you never want to put it on the leader because the rules are simply "pick a unit in melee range and deal 1d3 mortal wounds". You don't get any # of attacks, swing to hit, or anything like that so you don't need the bonuses.

As far as what I will be using... I'll have 1 squad of each of the new guys for the new formation requirements. They both have very specific purposes and you just need to employ them correctly and you will be rewarded. Being able to set them up infront of their best targets within 5" will be too strong. I will also run 1 unit of 5 or 2 units of 3 of the normal retributors because their hammer is still the best damage output you have.

I think that any unit that can only kill 1/10th of the enemies is a poor unit. Guess I'll stick to the Protectors and Retributors, then!

I'd stick to the all-rounders, the Retributors.
Two units of three should be decent in a list with 75 wounds.

 wuestenfux wrote:
I'd stick to the all-rounders, the Retributors.
Two units of three should be decent in a list with 75 wounds.

Miss out on those insta D3 mortal wound Starsoul maces then though, which sound amazing. Also, if you have 1 group of 6 Retributors, with a single mace, you can still ThunderStrike Brotherhood teleport them into the battlefield as opposed to foot slogging.

gradyhawks wrote:

 wuestenfux wrote:
I'd stick to the all-rounders, the Retributors.
Two units of three should be decent in a list with 75 wounds.

Miss out on those insta D3 mortal wound Starsoul maces then though, which sound amazing. Also, if you have 1 group of 6 Retributors, with a single mace, you can still ThunderStrike Brotherhood teleport them into the battlefield as opposed to foot slogging.

A single guy averages .66 mortal wounds and 1.34 rend 1 wounds. The special guy averages 2 mortal.
Against opponents without decent armor, the regular joe is as good as the mace guy.

That's why I like the axes. The axes shift the normal wounds to your favor when you need them, and still let you pack the 2D3 mortal wounds.

Well, yesterday, I assembled five Paladins.
After rereading the rules, I went for Protectors mainly because they (or a unit behind) are harder to hit.

Take a Lord Celestant on foot as general. His ability doubles the Retributors' chance of inflicting mortal wounds.
Effectively the Starsoul maces in Retributors units are only worth taking if you don't have the Celestant, and even then only against opponents with a 4+ save or better. Hammers the rest of the time.

After the initial 'holy crap, automatic mortal wounds!' excitement, it turns out that on balance the only unit that *definitely* benefits from Starsoul maces are Decimators, and that's only as a backup in case they find themselves up against big stuff.

Retribution with a foot celestant the are awesome.

I find having the mace in the other units is great for shifting the buffed models in cover (2+ saves are evil, especially with reroll)

The Box contains 2 Starsoul maces and the warscroll rules listed in the instructions(in the box) state that each type of Paladin unit can have 2 SS Maces per 5 models in the unit.

I got an extra set today, i dont fully understand the decimators special rule tho, them again im a newb

Dreadnok89 wrote:
I got an extra set today, i dont fully understand the decimators special rule tho, them again im a newb

Which rule? They all seem pretty straightforward.

Cleaving Blow - Normally a weapon would have an attacks characteristic. Thunderaxes are a little different. For each model, add up the number of opponents within 2". That's how many Thunderaxe attacks you make with that model. If my Decimator is surrounded by 5 enemies, I get to make 5 attacks.

Grim Harvesters - During the Battleshock Phase, any unit that lost at least one model has to make a Battleshock roll. To do so, they roll a D6 and add the number of models they lost during the entire player turn. If they go over their Bravery, they lose another model for each point they go over. Any enemy unit making such a roll within 6" of a Decimator adds an extra 2.
Example #1...
Decimators attack a unit of Night Goblins and kill 3. At the end of the turn, the Night Goblin player rolls a D6 and gets a 2. Adding 3 and 2 gives a 5. The Night Goblin's Bravery is 4, so they'd normally lose 1 model. HOWEVER, the Decimators are within 6", so the Night Goblin player adds another 2. Adding the 5 plus another 2 gives 7. The Night Goblin's Bravery is 4, so with a result of 7 they instead lose 2 models.
This tends to be much better for higher wound count models.
Example #2...
Decimators attacks a unit of Ogres and kill 1. At the end of the turn, the Ogre player rolls a D6 and gets a 5. Adding 1 and 5 gives 6. The Ogre's Bravery is 6, so they'd normally lose no additional models. HOWEVER, the Decimators are within 6", so the Ogre player adds another 2. Adding the 6 plus another 2 gives 8. The Ogre's Bravery is 6, so with a result of 8 they lose 2 more models. Ogres have 4 wounds each, so you've effectively killed another 8 wounds worth of models. This is awesome, because Ogres are normally hard to kill.

Starsoul Mace - This one is pretty straightforward. Instead of the normal attack method (to hit, to wound, saves, etc), you simply pick a unit within 1" of the attacking model and deal D3 mortal wounds to it. It's guaranteed damage!

Hope this helps!!!

It does alot and it is straight forward!!! The thunderaxe sounds badass. I was thinking of using the retributors but decimators rules are pretty cool

Dreadnok89 wrote:
It does alot and it is straight forward!!! The thunderaxe sounds badass. I was thinking of using the retributors but decimators rules are pretty cool

Situational really - Retributors (especially with a Celestant on foot) are great against multi-wound infantry and anything bigger, but they prefer taking on smaller units because they aren't really anything special defensively. A castellant buffing their save makes things a bit better.
Decimators have the capacity to be unbelievably gross, but can be countered by clever positioning or simply running ogres, trolls or monsters at them.

Both are great, but they're terrible at the stuff they're not great at.