building a protectorate of menoth army

These aren't meant to be hard and fast rules, or lists of "auto-includes" (a concept I dislike), but rather a guide to building effective lists while collecting varied units and options. Selecting options from the Basic section of the guide should get you a simple 500-750 army, while the more specialized lists (infantry armies, warjack armies, thematic armies) include elements from the basic list and give suggestions for using other options available to the faction.

by Felix Flauta / malfred

Basic

The Protectorate of Menoth is an attrition based, denial army. The following elements could be used as the core of any list or army that you choose to build.

If you buy the battlebox, you will start with the following models:

Warcasters

The basic Protectorate of Menoth warcaster has abilities that punish your opponent for trying to do certain things or prevent them from trying to do those thigns altogether (my take on denial). Select one of the following warcasters to get a taste of what the faction is capable of.

• Kreoss, the Denier

Kreoss comes with the boxed set, so if you bought that then you don't have to make a decision on whether or not to buy him. He's not meant to be a front-line warcaster, so use his decent CTRL area to get his anti-warcaster spells in range (Lamentation and Anti-magic pulse). Even though Lamentation affects only warcasters, anti-magic pulse affects all spells, friendly or enemy. Also, his defensive magic favors both troops (Protection of Menoth) and Warjacks (Ward). However, the biggest reason to use Kreoss is his feat. Menoth's Wrath helps with both ranged attacks and melee attacks, and can be used offensively (to kill an opposing warcaster) or defensively (to keep the enemy off your back).

High Exemplar Kreoss painted by Wayfarer

• Severius, the Old Man

Severius has the second highest FOC stat in the Protectorate army with 8, and has the longest range of any Protectorate warcaster through the use of arc nodes. His spell Eye of Menoth gives every model in his CTRL area a +1 to hit and +1 to damage bonus, so he is frequently seen with a mixture of arc nodes and troops. Warjacks supported by choir stand to gain +3 to hit and +3 to damage under Eye of Menoth. His feat, Divine Might, should make warcaster assassination easier and can completely shut down warcasters who rely on spells to power their armies (Darius). Spell Ward on his staff means that you never have to worry about a direct spell assassination against Severius. Be sure to keep him back, however, as the old man can be very squishy.

• Feora, the Fiery Beatstick

Feora is one of the strongest hand-to-hand warcasters the Protectorate has with a SPD 6 and two swords that hit at P+S 13 and the high ARM 17 (the other warcasters in this basic section have lower ARM stats and melee abilities). She has a feat that sets every enemy model in her CTRL area on fire, which is particularly useful against swarm armies such as Cryx and (ironically) Protectorate of Menoth. She'll probably upkeep Ignite on a unit of warriors throughout the game until she's ready to move in for the kill. Once she has cleared out the infantry, Feora's spell Engine of Destruction boosts her SPD, STR, and MAT for one round, which should be enough to finish off an enemy commander (she can charge 11", has two initial attacks at P+S 17, and 4 extra FOC for additional attacks).

Heavy Warjacks

Warjacks aren't your front line fighters. They are too much a concentration of power to be used as such. Think of them instead as Capital Ships that can deal high amounts of damage to single targets and keep them safe behind lines of infantry until you need them. The warjacks listed here are good generalist melee warjacks that give you access to a full range of power attacks.

Select one of the following:

• Crusader

The Crusader comes with the boxed set, and its low cost gives you some room in your army list to include other things. Its single Open Fist should give you opportunities to try out Arm Locks and Single Handed Throws, while its big fat mace should crush any warcaster or warjack that gets in its way. Its limitations are its Critical Effect and low SPD. It moves like a Khadoran warjack (the Protectorate has very few movement abilities for warjacks) and anything it lights on Fire is either too well armored to be affected by Fire, or its dead from the force of many blows to the face.

Crusader painted by keezus

• Castigator

The Castigator is faster than the Crusader, and gives you access to Two-handed throws. What do you throw? Pretty much anything that you need out of the way that would be too much trouble to try to break. It has lower POW attacks (that's why you throw things) but it trades in damage for the ability to clear out infantry in a circle around it with Combustion.

Light Warjacks

The Protectorate of Menoth shines in its light warjack selection and utility. They provide many useful abilities to any army, and the following three are pretty much ubiquitous.

Select two of the following:

• Devout

The Devout can make a warcaster immune to spells, block an incoming disruption bolt from Eiryss, and reduce the effectiveness of a charge with a well-timed Defensive Strike. Its an expensive way to bodyguard a warcaster, so I tend to prefer units of troops or Gorman for support warcasters (the Harbinger and Severius) and Devouts for warcasters that move closer to the front (Feora and eKreoss).

• Revenger

Our main arc node has an ARM stat that rivals heavy warjacks due to its Repulsor shield. On top of that, its shield can protect it from multiple attacks due to its one inch push. Offensively, the Revenger can surprise opponents with its stacking bonuses on the charge: MAT 9 (+2 from Choir, +2 from powerful charge) and P+S 15 with 2" Reach and SPD 5.

• Redeemer

You should field a Redeemer just for the sake of firing highly inaccurate rockets. The advantage of Redeemers over Deliverers (the infantry version) is that they have no change to self-explode and they benefit from both Choir chants that increase rocket strength and accuracy and the ability to boost damage rolls with the application of Focus. With 3 Focus and a Choir, a Redeemer fires POW 14 rockets: three rockets with one boosted roll or two rockets with a boosted roll for each.

Units

Select two of the following:

• Holy Zealots with Monolith Bearer

This low cost option gives you access to a fearless unit (with the monolith bearer) that gets stronger as the inexpensive models die. Then when they get close enough, they can dish out enough pain to destroy high armored targets and warcasters with their holy hand grenades. No one can really ignore this unit, especially if it has the Monolith Bearer in it. It's also not enough for your opponent to engage them in melee, as the canny Protectorate player will suck up the free strikes to make the unit stronger and thus survive the rest of the free strikes. Playing this unit you will learn the intricacies of deviating ranged weapons, the value of keeping unit leaders safe, and the hatred of your opponents.

• Idrian Skirmishers with Chieftain and Guide

Idrians are the only unit on the basic list with advanced deploy as they give you a good range of options. They are a little weird if you're used to regular units by now. While they have both guns and swords, they're more useful in melee combat, which is why their Intercept order is so good; Intercept gives you the ability to wait until the enemy gets too close and then your Idrians activate on your opponents' turn to tie up models in hand-to-hand combat.

• Knights Exemplar

Our basic knights are slower than anything else on this standard infantry list, but their low cost and evolving STR, ARM and Weaponmaster damage rolls make up for that. As Exemplars die in the unit, other members in the unit gain STR and ARM. Ideally, you want to have maybe 3 dead before your unit leader commands them to charge into something suitably shelled so that they can be put to good use cracking that shell. Be prepared for your opponents to try to get off high volume attacks that are instantaneous and bypass the ARM buff surviving members of the unit obtain.

Knights Exemplar painted by Gabe

• Temple Flameguard with Unit Attachment and Standard Bearer

I once asked how I was expected to keep my Temple Flameguard alive. People responded, "Alive? They just have to keep things stuck." With the Unit Attachment, this becomes even more true as they become Fearless. The benefit of Shield Wall and Set Defense (+2 DEF vs. Charge attacks) means that Temple Flameguard can stand up to certain things just long enough for your heavy hitters to arrive. (You did field heavy hitters, right?) Combined Melee Attack also gives them some decent reliability in killing certain models. Just remember that if they charge something, you're foregoing on using their Shield Wall, so you have to make that decision to play them as either offensive or defensive (just make sure the opponent doesn't make that decision for you).

The Only Auto-Include

I try not to believe in "auto-includes." The term bothers me because on some level, the idea of really good units restricts your ability to come up with different types of lists and prevents you from playing a style of game you might enjoy more than "the flavor of the month." The key to keeping things fresh is to be open to new ideas.

That being said, if you field any kind of warjack, you have to consider the following unit choice as nearly mandatory unless you're fielding a single Devout or something like that.

• Choir

In the opening stages of the game, Choir give your force two kinds of denial: anti-magic and anti-shooting against warjacks. A single choir can place this effect as far as 8" from its unit leader. They can even place the effect before the warjacks move and the warjacks can then advance outside of the 8" target range (this is unofficially known as a "pulse" effect since it targets models in range and the effect sticks to the model even if it moves beyond range) Later, the choir's offensive ability should make your warjacks truly formidable in whatever combat role you've chosen for them. +2 to hit and +2 to damage means it applies to both melee and ranged attacks. It's not unusual for armies that emphasize warjacks to include two choir units. You can leapfrog a unit into a forward position while another choir chants on advancing warjacks, you can keep separate zones so that the enemy can't eliminate their effectiveness in game, and you can use two choir units so that they can place separate effects on separate warjacks (remember each warjack can only benefit from one effect on your turn).

Solos

Select two of the following:

• Dartan Vilmon

The High Paladin can take pressure off your other models by becoming Invincible. Your opponent won't dare leave him alive or unopposed.

• Exemplar Seneschal

Seneschals get angry when Protectorate models die and so become stronger and tougher. They can even shrug off death! Also, they have an ability that allows them to reliably knock heavy warjacks around the table.

An Exemplar Seneschal painted by Thanatos73

• Paladin of the Wall

Do not put this model out in the open unsupported. It will die. In order to use its defensive buff, it has to stand still. Paladins are often easily shot and killed before they can be in any position to use Stone and Mortar. However, a surviving paladin is a scary thing, and one can deal out a lot of damage for a 19 point model.

• Rhupert Carvolo (mercenary)

Given the emphasis on infantry in a Protectorate list, he's almost a shoe-in. His songs enhance infantry uses, but their limitation is that he can't use the same song twice. Because our army has few Pathfinders and movement enhancing effects for our infantry, Rhupert brings the song March to the table which gives a unit both.

Sample 500 point lists

Using the examples above, I've created the following lists:

List 1	List 2	List 3
Army Points: 499/500 Victory Points: 20 High Exemplar Kreoss Crusader Redeemer Revenger Choir of Menoth (5) Holy Zealots (8) and Monolith Bearer Knights Exemplar Rupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord	Army Points: 498/500 Victory Points: 20 Grand Scrutator Severius Castigator Revenger Knight Exemplar Seneschal Choir of Menoth (6) Holy Zealots (8) and Monolith Bearer Temple Flameguard (8) and Temple Flameguard Officer and Standard Bearer Rupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord	Army Points: 497/500 Victory Points: 18 Feora, Priestess of the Flame Castigator Devout High Paladin Dartan Vilmon Paladin of the Order of the Wall Choir of Menoth (6) Idrian Skirmishers (7) Temple Flameguard (10)

Expanding

As you expand, consider including any of the following to increase your army totals up to 750

• Avatar

If your focus resources are stretched thin, The Avatar can allow you to field another heavy warjack as it generates its own focus. It also hits really really hard.

• Deliverers

If you're having trouble dealing with swarms of low ARM infantry, the inaccurate fire of Skyhammers might be for you.

• Eiryss

Eiryss can handle problem warcasters and solos with highly accurate fire that disrupts focus. She's also a weaponmaster and wields two melee weapons.

• Flameguard Cleansers

They can spray things! Usually people field them as anti-infantry, run them forward and then shoot them themselves to blow up their fuel tanks and cause mass explody. However, they are extremely susceptible to aoes.

• Infantry unit

Another infantry unit could be what you need. If you need advance deploy, consider skirmishers. Need a Shield Wall to hide something behind? Get the Temple Flameguard.

• Light Warjack

A third light warjack might not see their way into every game, but you will at least the option of using them.

• Light Warjack, duplicate

Severius can use two Revengers (not quite as efficient as bonejacks for Cryx), Kreoss can use two Redeemers, and Feora could probably use two Devouts to protect her inexorable advance.

• Solos

If you have Dartan, consider more Paladins (maximum 2 for 500 and 750 pt. games). If you want more warjack control, pick up Seneschals.

• Wracks

These are expensive (dollar to point value wise), but they are great filler for any list, provide a small measure of board control through its Dread and explosive nature, and enhance the spell casting abilities of your warcaster by providing extra focus when necessary.

Infantry Armies

My intention with this guide is to have players try out things at various stages, and so players who built a standard level army above have a starting point for moving on to more specialized lists such as the Infantry army warcasters.

Warcaster specific expansions

• High Reclaimer

The High Reclaimer benefits from easy access to souls (duplicate infantry units), explosive Flameguard Cleansers (for souls and offensive capabilities), and commander models (High Paladin Dartan Vilmon or Seneschals). His control area is tiny, so advanced deployment souls are difficult to come by, which limits the usefulness of fielding things like Daughters with him. Also, powerful and dangerous infantry like Knights or Cleansers are useful for his feat in placing them in striking distance of enemy commanders. Eiryss, Kell Bailoch and Master Holt add ranged accuracy for the purpose of killing your own Cleansers for powerful explosions. Devouts can make a Soulstormed and Ash Clouded High Reclaimer difficult to get to at best.

• Testament of Menoth

Due to his feat, Essence of Dust, The Testament likes fast melee models. Rhupert Carvolo can help your units move on the feat turn, and mounted knights, the Exemplar Vengers, can be truly frightening striking from across the table. The Testament is more able to fit a heavy warjack such as the Avatar (free focus) or the Guardian (Command banners and arc node)

• Harbinger

She has very little to offer to warjacks spellwise as her spells are mostly intended to help infantry models, but she can fuel warjacks with focus. The 10 FOC stat can be deceptive, however, which is obvious when you realize that she has no upkeep spells and her spells cost 3-4 FOC in order to use. Her main spell is Martyrdom, which she uses to keep dangerous models alive, particularly High Paladin Dartan Vilmon. While in Cornerstone with a paladin, Martyrdom doesn't leave them knocked down, and so enemies have to put more resources into dealing with High Paladin Dartan Vilmon than most Protectorate models. The inclusion of Doc Killingsworth helps to remove the penalties for using Martyrdom due to his healing abilities.

Expanding the Infantry Armies

• Avatar
• Covenant of Menoth
• Doc Killingsworth
• Exemplar Seneschal
• Exemplar Vengers
• Flameguard Cleansers and Kell Bailoch/Eiryss the Mage Hunter
• Gravus
• Guardian heavy warjack
• High Paladin Dartan Vilmon
• Infantry Unit (duplicates from the basic list)
• Lady Aiyana and Master Holt
• Paladin of the Wall
• Rhupert Carvolo

Warjack Armies

Protectorate of Menoth armies favor the light warjacks over the heavy variety due to their mix of useful abilities. They provide good defensive support as well as offensive punches that will surprise the enemy. A few heavies are listed under the warcaster descriptions.

Warcasters

• Amon Ad-Raza

Amon is a finesse warcaster due to his low focus stat and abilities that rely on warjacks and mobility. His Synergy spell emphasizes the melee capabilities of his warjacks, and so Revengers, Dervishes, and Devouts should be considered. More lights help more than fewer heavies due to his feat stacking bonuses, and warjacks with multiple attacks benefit most from Synergy. So the heavy to consider most of all is probably the Castigator. His army can benefit from Duplicate choir units as well as Reclaimers and Vassals. Wracks can boost his focus throughout a game, but his small CTRL area will limit his ability to place them on the field.

• Epic Feora

Her spell Escort immediately grants her warjacks +2 movement, which means even slow-footed Crusaders and Guardians can keep up with a Temple Flameguard army. It also encourages epic Feora to play near to a warjack as it enhances her ARM to do so. Her warjack bond enables her bonded warjack to light things on fire with their attacks, which encourages use of Redeemers for multiple rockets that set things on fire or Vanquishers for a closer ranged larger 4" template that sets things on fire.

• Reznik

I have yet to read up on Reznik and rate his warjack performance.

Expanding the Warjack Army

• Avatar
• Choir, Duplicate
• Dervish
• Light Warjack, Duplicate
• Reckoner
• Redeemer
• Reclaimer
• Vanquisher
• Vassal
• Wracks

Sample Warjack Army Lists

Starting with a collection that uses the basic list, I've added elements from the Warjack list to build the following sample armies.

List 1	List 2	List 3
Army Points: 498/500 Victory Points: 21 High Allegiant Amon Ad-Raza Castigator Dervish Devout Revenger Reclaimer Wrack Wrack Choir of Menoth (6) Choir of Menoth (6) Holy Zealots (6)	Army Points: 748/750 Victory Points: 28 Feora, Protector of the Flame Castigator Devout Redeemer Revenger Reclaimer Vassal of Menoth Wrack Choir of Menoth (6) Choir of Menoth (4) Daughters of the Flame Holy Zealots (10) Monolith Bearer Temple Flameguard (10) Temple Flameguard Officer and Standard Bearer	Reznik

Thematic Armies

Both a Knights list and a Temple Flameguard list can make for terrific attrition/denial armies.

Warcasters

• Knights Theme, eKreoss

The Grand Exemplar Kreoss is a second wave fighter who follows the advance of fierce exemplar Knights. Foot Knights under his command are considered elite, and so both shoot (Knights Exemplar Errant) and fight (Knights Exemplar and Errant) better. The Covenant of Menoth can turn his feat turn into a deliciously melee turn of ridiculous stacking effects. His Knights automatically hit, they get an additional attack, and under the effects of the third passage models within 8" gain additional attack (that automatically hits). Gravus benefits from the death of knights, and dying Protectorate models heal damage on Kreoss (very important for the turn following reading the Third Passage of the Covenant). Also on his feat turn, a trampling warjack can prevent many freestrikes.

• Flameguard Theme, eFeora

Flameguard units gain 2" of movement on their first activation, which allows Feora to push Cleansers and Daughters further up the field than they probably want to go. An emphasis on Flameguard means that you'll need more ways of dealing with high ARM targets, so a Guardian that doubles as a heavy warjack and arc node that moves at 6" due to Feora's Escort spell might do well. You might even consider fielding a Repenter to light your own Greater Destinied Zealots on fire for a run of focus on her feat turn.

Expanding

• Arc node
• Covenant of Menoth
• Daughters of the Flame
• Gravus
• Knights Exemplar Errant unit
• Knights Exemplar Unit, Duplicate
• Reclaimer
• Repenter
• Rhupert Carvolo
• Temple Flameguard, Duplicate
• Temple Flameguard Cleansers
• Vanquisher

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#----[[[[[===Sample Thematic Army Lists===

Knights List	Flameguard List
Army Points: 748/750 Victory Points: 24 Grand Exemplar Kreoss Avatar of Menoth Covenant of Menoth High Exemplar Gravus Knight Exemplar Seneschal Wrack Wrack Choir of Menoth (6) Exemplar Vengers (5) Exemplars Errant (8) Knights Exemplar Knights Exemplar	Army Points: 749/750 Victory Points: 27 Feora, Protector of the Flame Guardian Redeemer Wrack Wrack Wrack Choir of Menoth (5) Choir of Menoth (4) Daughters of the Flame Flameguard Cleansers (6) Temple Flameguard (10) Temple Flameguard Officer and Standard Bearer Temple Flameguard (10) Anastasia di Bray Gorman Di Wulfe, Rogue Alchemist Kell Bailoch Rupert Carvolo, Piper of Ord

Unmentionables

• Sunburst Deliverers

People tend to stick this in lists for fun and not much else. They look nice and all, but missing with the weapon is tragic and nothing it can hit is going to try to come into range. So probably it functions as a denial system against warjacks, but that's about it.

A note on Spam

I don't believe that spam type armies are fun to play, collect or paint unless you're trying for a certain theme (as opposed to just buying the most effective unit as many times as you can). Therefore, my guide presents duplicate unit purchases from the perspective of specializing a list rather than suggesting that one try to base a beginner's list on duplicate units.

Categories: Protectorate of Menoth Tactica