September 2018 Dynamic Update Developer’s Notes: Retribution CID

Below are changes that came out of the Retribution of Scyrah CID. Our thanks to all who participated in this CID cycle!

Cryx

Severa Blacktide

Add the following to end of Chain Attack: Vortex Blast:

“Models boxed by Vortex Blast are removed from play.”

Severa’s Vortex Blast received updated wording because of the corresponding changes to the Deamon.

Retribution

Lord Ghyrrshyld, the Forgiven

Replace feat with Whispers of the Veld.

Feat: Whispers of the Veld

When an enemy model without Immunity: Cold destroys or removes from play one or more friendly models in Ghyrrshyld’s control range with a melee attack, the enemy model becomes stationary for one round after the attack is resolved. Additionally, when a friendly living Faction warrior model is destroyed by an enemy attack or collateral damage from an enemy attack while in Ghyrrshyld’s control range, Ghyrrshyld gains the destroyed model’s soul token. After Ghyrrshyld replenishes his focus during your next Control Phase, replace each soul token on him with 1 focus point, then Whispers of the Veld expires.

Cut Backlash, Frost Field, Hex Blast, and Mage Sight.

Gain Freezing Mist, Dauntless Resolve, Light of Wrath, and Hand of Ice.

Dauntless Resolve 2 6 – – UP No

Target friendly Faction warrior model/unit gains +3 ARM and Tough . Models are not affected while out of formation.

Freezing Mist 2 Ctrl 3 – RND No

Place a 3˝ AOE cloud effect completely within the spellcaster’s control range. While in the AOE, models without Immunity: Cold suffer –2 to their attack rolls. The AOE remains in play for one round.

Hand of Ice 2 8 – – UP Yes

Target model/unit suffers –2 ARM unless it has Immunity: Cold .

Light of Wrath 3 8 4 13 * Yes

Models hit by Light of Wrath lose Stealth and suffer –2 DEF for one turn.

Goreshade 4 received a substantial overhaul. We focused on the themes of light and cold magic when reevaluating Goreshade 4. A mostly new spell list and feat really show the flavor of Goreshade the Forgiven.

Ravyn, The Eternal Light

Warjack points 28.

Gain Sprint:

Sprint - At the end of an activation in which it destroyed or removed from play one or more enemy models with melee attacks, this model can immediately make a full advance, then its activation ends.

Blade gains Weapon Master .

Cut Eliminator and Vortex of Destruction.

Gain Countermeasure and Open Fire:

Countermeasure 2 6 – – UP No

While within 5˝ of target friendly Faction model/unit, enemy models cannot make ranged attacks.

Open Fire 2 Ctrl – – – No

Target warjack in this model’s battlegroup that is in its control range can immediately make one basic melee or ranged attack. A model can be targeted by Open Fire only once per turn.

Ravyn was focused to be a solid personal threat while also supporting her army in the early game. Spells like Countermeasure exemplify her skill against opposing forces and her great tactical prowess. Open Fire combines very nicely with her feat and Snipe while also creating a new option for her to use before committing to the fight herself.

Daemon

Cost 14.

Add the following to end of Vortex Blast:

“Models boxed by Vortex Blast are removed from play.”

The Daemon received a minor cost reduction and some additional utility to carve out a niche for the myrmidon.

Discordia

Change text of Bond to:

Bond [Rahn] - If this model begins the game in Rahn’s battlegroup, it is bonded to him. This model is not considered to be bonded while under your opponent's control. When this model uses its Imprint while it is bonded to Rahn and in his control range, Rahn also gains Kinetic Field for one round.

Change Brain Damage on the Sonic Pulse Cannon to Deafen:

Deafen - A model hit by this weapon suffers –2 DEF and cannot give or receive orders for one round.

Discordia was changed to be a less polarizing model while also giving a stronger bond to Rahn. Its addition in the Forges of War theme force should also incentivize Discordia’s inclusion in lists.

Gorgon

Change Polarity Cannon RNG to SP 8.

Retribution has few spray attacks. Adding SP 8 to the Gorgon gives it an interesting and unique place in the Faction.

Hyperion

Cost 32.

Starburst RNG 12.

Hyperion received a rather significant point drop. While this colossal is not particularly flashy, it makes up for the lack of special rules with solid stats and great offensive output for its point cost.

Hypnos

Cost 17.

Hypnos was already a solid warjack; a minor point decrease will help it leverage its unique rules in more lists.

Imperatus

Cost 20.

MAT 8.

Imperatus’ drop in points combined with MAT 8 will make it a quality combat-heavy myrmidon.

Moros

SPD 7.

Gain Parry .

Blade melee range 1”

Moros received some efficiency updates. Parry combines nicely with Acrobatics and SPD 7 lets him reach slightly farther into enemy lines. Additional melee range is always a nice bump and allows Moros to affect more models.

Phoenix

Cost 17.

MAT 7.

The Pheonix is now the premier non-character melee-heavy myrmidon of the Faction.

Dawnguard Destors

Cut Assault , Gunfighter , and Quick Work.

Gain Dual Attack:

Dual Attack - This model can make melee and ranged attacks in the same activation. When this model makes its initial melee attacks or a power attack, it can also make its initial ranged attacks. This model can make ranged attacks even while in melee.

Lance Cannon POW 14.

Lance gains Close Volley:

Close Volley - When this model directly hits a model with this weapon, this model’s ranged attacks against that model automatically hit for one turn.

A reworking of the Destors’ special rules brought the unit to where we really wanted it to be. A mixed melee and ranged unit, the Destors are now a rather unique unit in the game in how it plays and the roles it can fill.

Dawnguard Invictors

Cost 9/15.

A slight cost reduction will keep Invictors in line with similar options in the game.

Dawnguard Invictor Officer & Standard

Add Tactics: Reposition [3”]:

Tactics: Reposition [3˝] - Models in this unit gain Reposition [3˝]. (At the end of an activation in which it did not run or fail a charge, a model with Reposition [3˝] can advance up to 3˝, then its activation ends.)

Players found Invictors to be a little below the curve. Adding Reposition gives them a bump in power level while also thematically tying in to their rigorous training.

House Shyeel Battle Mages

Cost 8.

FA 4.

Cut Force Barrier.

Add Set Defense:

Set Defense - A model in this model’s front arc suffers –2 on charge, slam power attack, and impact attack rolls against this model.

Power Gauntlets RNG 1.

House Shyeel Battle Mages have undergone a rather large rework and reevaluation of what they were. Now playing a pseudo-combat/pseudo-support role, Battle Mages can leverage Force Bolt as a board-control piece while also playing as a frontline screening unit.

Mage Hunter Infiltrators

Cost 9/15.

Blades gain Combo Strike:

Combo Strike (★Attack) - Make a melee attack. Instead of making a normal damage roll, the POW of the damage roll is equal to this model’s STR plus twice the POW of this weapon.

Infiltrators had their damage output increased substantially with the addition of Combo Strike, making them the hardest-hitting unit in the Shadows of the Retribution theme force.

Mage Hunter Strike Force

Gain Combined Ranged Attack .

Combined ranged attack makes the Strike Force a solid threat to a variety of opposing models while making them potentially very powerful against warjacks.

Mage Hunter Strike Force Commander

Gain Combined Ranged Attack .

Gain Granted: Arcane Ammo:

Granted: Arcane Ammo - While this model is in formation, the ranged weapons of models in this unit gain Damage Type: Magical .

The Strike Force Commander adds a little more utility than it previously did to the unit, further diversifying the range of opposing models this unit can successfully engage.

Stormfall Archers

Add “Houseguard” to sub-header.

A small but relevant change, adding Houseguard to the unit’s type will allow a multitude of special rules to function with this unit.

Dawnguard Destor Thane

Cut Assault , Gunfighter , and Quick Work.

Gain Dual Attack:

Dual Attack - This model can make melee and ranged attacks in the same activation. When this model makes its initial melee attacks or a power attack, it can also make its initial ranged attacks. This model can make ranged attacks even while in melee.

Lance Cannon ROF d3, POW 14.

Lance gains Close Volley:

Close Volley - When this model directly hits a model with this weapon, this model’s ranged attacks against that model automatically hit for one turn.

The Destor Thane received an update very similar to the Destors.

House Shyeel Artificer

Replace the text of Drive: Field Reinforcement with the following:

Drive: Field Reinforcement - When a warjack under this model’s control activates in this model’s command range, remove d3 damage points from the warjack’s force field unless the warjack’s Field Generator system is crippled.

Change the text of Force Wall (★Action) to the following:

Force Wall (★Action) - RNG 6. Target friendly Faction model/unit. If the model/unit is in range, it gains Force Barrier for one round.

Increase Magic Ability to 7.

Add Set Defense:

Set Defense - A model in this model’s front arc suffers –2 on charge, slam power attack, and impact attack rolls against this model.

Power Gauntlets RNG 1.

The Artificer has become a powerful support piece with solid combat potential. Force Wall is a strong ability to apply to units. Increasing the amount of themes the Artificer is available in should help open up options for the Faction.

House Shyeel Magister

CMD 9.

Cut Force Barrier.

Add Set Defense:

Set Defense - A model in this model’s front arc suffers –2 on charge, slam power attack, and impact attack rolls against this model.

Add Veteran Leader [Shyeel trooper]:

Veteran Leader [Shyeel trooper] - While in this model’s command range, Shyeel trooper models gain +1 to attack rolls.

Power Gauntlets RNG 1.

The Magister has been upgraded to a leader-style unit for Shyeel armies with the inclusion of Veteran Leader and has become a staple of the Forges of War theme force.

Theme Forces

Retribution Theme Force: Defenders of Ios:

Defenders of Ios received several updates that open up the theme to a lot of new options. Opening up the units that are affected by the benefits let players explore several new army builds in this theme force.

Army Composition. Cut “Stormfall Archer units” the army composition section.

Change the third benefit to the following:

Retribution solos, House Vyre Electromancer units, and Stormfall Archer units in this army gain Reposition [3˝]. (At the end of an activation it did not run or fail a charge, a model with Reposition [3˝] can advance up to 3˝, then its activation ends.)

Change the fourth benefit to the following:

For every Houseguard unit in the army, one Retribution unit in this army can gain Advance Move. (Before the start of the game but after both players have deployed, a model with Advance Move can make a full advance.)

Retribution Theme Force: Forges of War:

Forges of War underwent a rework of its army composition rules. It is no longer specifically focused on Shyeel myrmidons; it is now focused specifically on Shyeel models in general, allowing for a much larger diversity of builds.

Add “Discordia”, “Solos with the Battlegroup Controller special rule”, “Fane Knight Guardian”, and “Dawnguard Trident battle engines” to the Army Composition section.

Change the second benefit to the following:

For every full 30 points of Shyeel models/units in this army, you can add one Retribution solo or House Shyeel Arcanist unit to the army free of cost. Free models/units do not count toward the total point value of Shyeel models/units in the army when calculating this bonus.

Retribution Theme Force: Legions of Dawn:

Legions of Dawn underwent a substantial rework of its benefits and model inclusion. The addition of many support options and Imperatus increases the variety of opposing armies this list can compete against.

Add “Imperatus”, “Ghost Sniper”, “Fane Knight Guardian”, “House Shyeel Artificer”, “Lys Healer”, and “Soulless Tracer” to the Army Composition section.

Change the second benefit to the following:

For every full 20 points of Dawnguard models/units in this army, you can add one Dawnguard command attachment or small- or medium-based Retribution solo to the army free of cost. Free models do not count toward the total point value of Dawnguard models/units in the army when calculating this bonus.

Change the third benefit to the following:

Retribution warjacks in this army can ignore friendly Dawnguard models when determining LOS. Retribution warjacks in this army can advance through friendly Dawnguard models if they have enough movement to move completely past them.

Change the fourth benefit to the following:

You gain +1 to your starting roll for the game.

Retribution Theme Force: Shadows of the Retribution:

Shadows of the Retribution’s benefits changed to allow a much more thematic and interesting style of army.

Add “Moros”, “Lys Healer”, and “Fane Knight Guardian” to the Army Composition section.

Change the second benefit to the following:

For every full 20 points of Retribution units in this army, you can add one Retribution command attachment or Retribution solo to the army free of cost. Free command attachments do not count toward the total point value of units in the army when calculating this bonus.

Change the fourth benefit to the following:

One unit of Mage Hunter Infiltrators without a command attachment gains Ambush. (You can choose not to deploy a unit with Ambush at the start of the game. If it is not deployed normally, you can put it into play at the end of any of your Control Phases after your first turn. When you do, choose any table edge except the back of your opponent’s deployment zone. Place the unit with Ambush completely within 3˝ of the chosen table edge.)