Wolves behind the wall
As I had said in my previous post, I am writing about the Stronghold Assault. Stronghold Assault is a new book that GW published on December, with new rules and Fortifications. Fortifications are for all armies, so our Wolves get them too, but more importantly you have to know your enemy to defeat them. Let us begin with the new rules for Buildings. Buildings can now reach AV 15 and also get the SR Mighty Bulwark (-1 to the Building Damage Table). You get the option of acquiring a Fortification Network rather than only one Fortification; e.g. the Imperial Strongpoint is a group of Fortifications (see below in “Fortifications & Fortifications Networks”). In addition, the Buildings now have rules about claiming them. A claimed Fortification gains the SR Sentry Defence System that is its weapon can shoot automatically.
NEW Building Damage Table:
- Breach: -1 to the AV of the Building. Add this result to any other result.
- Tremor: The occupying unit can only snap shoot and if in the next turn abandons the Building it can only disembark 3”, rather than 6”.
- Partial Collapse: The occupying unit suffers additional D6 S6 AP- hits with Ignore cover SR and the emplaced weapons can only snap shoot.
- Structural Collapse: The occupying unit suffers an additional 2D6 S6 AP- hits with Ignore cover SR, one random emplaced weapon is destroyed and the remaining emplaced weapons can only snap shoot.
- Catastrophic Breach: The Building suffers a –D3 AV, one random emplaced weapon is destroyed and the remaining emplaced weapons can only snap shoot.
- Total Collapse: The Building is destroyed along with all its upgrades (see below). The occupying unit suffers an additional 2D6 S6 AP- hits with Ignore cover SR and must immediately disembark. Any unit in the battlements (e.g. roof) suffers an additional D6 S6 AP- hits with Ignore cover SR
- Detonation!: The Building is destroyed along with all its upgrades. The occupying unit suffers an additional 4D6 S6 AP- hits with Ignore cover SR and must immediately disembark. Any unit in the battlements (e.g. roof) suffers an additional 2D6 S6 AP- hits with Ignore cover SR and must move 6”, any model that can’t move 6” is removed as casualties.
Fortification upgrades & Battlefield debris
The 6thed Rulebook has a section named Battlefield Debris. In Stronghold Assault this is split in two sections: the Fortification upgrades and the Battlefield debris. Both have upgrades for the Fortification.
The Battlefield debris has the exact same rules as in the Rulebook (pages 104-105) which are:
· Ammunition Dump
· Barricade and walls
· Defence line
· Gun emplacement
· Imperial Statuary
· Tanglewire
· Tank Traps
· Wreckage and Rubble
The Fortification upgrades are:
· Ammo store (e.g. Ammunition Dump)
· Comms Relay
· Booby Traps (the first unit that embarks the Building suffers 2D6 S4 AP5 hits with Ignore cover SR).
· Escape Hatch (When the first unit embarks the Building the player nominates a point 12” away from the Building that acts as an additional access point).
· Magos Machine Spirit (Building’s automated fire is resolved using BS3).
· Searchligth
· Tanglewire
· Tank Traps
· Barricade
· Void Shield (is a 3 layer shield with AV12, every time the enemy makes a hit against the Building, instead he/she hits the shield and in a penetrating or glancing hit the Void Shield loses one layer. At the end of each player’s turn, roll a D6 for every layer; in 5+ instantly restore one).
Fortifications & Fortifications Networks
The main part of the book is dedicated to the new & old Fortifications. In my opinion the Fortifications can be separated in four categories; viz classic, Wall of Martyrs, new type and attacking.Classic Fortifications, with the added attribute that they can take upgrades. These are:
· Aegis Defence line
· Imperial Bastion
· Skyshield Landing Pad
· Honoured Imperium: Composition 1 Imperial Statue and 2 pieces of Imperial Rubble. All the pieces must be place 12” within each other. All Imperial forces within 2” of the Fortification have Stubborn SR.
· Imperial Strongpoint: Composition 1-3 Imperial Bastions, 1-5 Aegis Defence line, 0-1 Skyshield Landing Pad and 0-1 Honoured Imperium.
Wall of Martyrs:
· Wall of Martyrs Imperial Defence Line: Composition 0-2 Wall of Marty Imperial Defence Line and 0-4 Imperial Defence Line. Any section must be placed in contact with at least one other. Also any unit within the Wall gains the SR Stubborn.
· Wall of Martyrs Imperial Defence Emplacement: Composition 0-3 Wall of Marty Imperial Defence Emplacement and 0-2 Imperial Defence Line. Any section must be placed in contact with at least one other. In addition, all units within the Wall gain the SR Stubborn and any unit, using Heavy type weapons, gets to re-roll failed hit rolls when resolving overwatch.
· Wall of Martyrs Imperial Bunker: Composition 1 Wall of Marty Imperial Bunker(AV 14).
· Wall of Martyrs Firestorm Redoubt: Composition 1 Wall of Marty Firestorm Redoubt (AV14). The Firestorm Redoubt has 2 emplaced weapons to choose from: Battle Cannon, Punisher Gatling Cannon, Icarus Lascannon, Quad-gun and Quad Icarus Lascannon. These weapons cannot be fired manually and must shoot the nearest flying model or if there isn’t one the nearest unit.
· Wall of Martyrs Vengeance Weapon Battery: Composition 1 Wall of Martyrs Vengeance Weapon Battery (AV14). The Vengeance Weapon Battery has one emplaced weapon to choose from: Battle Cannon, Punisher Gatling Cannon or Quad Icarus Lascannon.
· Wall of Martyrs Imperial Defence Network: Composition 1-3 Wall of Martyrs Imperial Bunker, 1-4 Wall of Martyrs Imperial Defence Line, 1-3 Wall of Martyrs Imperial Defence Emplacement, 0-2 Wall of Martyrs Firestorm Redoubt and 0-2 Wall of Martyrs Vengeance Weapon Battery.
New type of Fortification:
· Promethium Relay Pipes: Composition 0-3 long and 0-4 short. Any section must be placed in contact with at least one other. If a model takes cover in the pipes it gains 4+ cover, however every time you roll a 6 in your cover save, immediately roll a further D6. On a roll of 1 the pipe has a leak and you suffer an D6 S4 AP5 hits with Ignore cover SR. Also any flamer type weapon within 2” of the pipes can change the Assault or pistol type to heavy and gain the Torrent SR.
· Void Shield Generator: Composition 1-3 like a Fortification Upgrade Void Shield with the difference that it is a Bulding that has 12” shield layer and all units that are within the range gain protection from the shield.
· Void Relay Network: Composition 1-3 Promethium Relay Pipes, Composition 1-3 Void Shield Generator: Composition and 0-1 Honoured Imperium.
Attacking Fortifications
:
· Fortress Of Redemption
· Macro-Cannon Aquila Strongpoint: Composition 1 main Strongpoint (AV15) and 1 bunker annex (AV15).The Strongpoint also gets Mighty Bulwark (see at the beginning).
· Vortex Missile Aquila Strongpoint: Composition 1 main Strongpoint (AV15) and 1 bunker annex (AV15). The Strongpoint also gets Mighty Bulwark. The Strongpoint has 7 Missiles and can only shoot one per turn. If the Strongpoint suffers a Total Collapse or Detonation! roll a dice for every missile that isn’t fired. On a roll of 1-2 the missile explodes.
I think that the Void shield is the cheesiest Fortification as it can withstand a D-weapon shoot. I believe there are a lot of lists that you can make based on Fortifications, especially on Networks. I also believe that Fortifications won’t change the game as much as Escalation will.
The last part of the book contains suggested missions to play with Fortifications. I hope the post is informative and if anyone likes the new rules, get the book for a more in-depth view. Of course I would like to hear your opinion on this and all my previous posts, as well as suggestions for what you would like me to write about.
Next post “How to win Eldar HK list”!
Until next time remember Prospero and…
VLKA FENRIKA
VLKA FENRIKA