Order of the Ashen Dawn - Unit Guide (english)

Order of the Ashen Dawn
The monster ponies with the pyramid heads, humanity's last bastion against the darkness and the strongest unit in the army book

Overview and gameplay

The unit is the equivalent of monsters from other factions, and with 240 points (255 with the standard), that seems about right. Their stats are outstanding: Movement 7, Clash 4, 6 Attacks, 6 Wounds, R5, and Armor 4. They cannot shoot, and their divine protection is limited to blessed instead of evasion. This makes them extremely resilient against close combat attacks without cleave. This resilience is further emphasized by Fearless, and if one wants to kill this unit, spells, ranged attacks, or units with cleave 2-3 are preferred. Against cavalry, the option of Move Charge is often chosen because without charging, hardly any damage is inflicted. This holds true for the shock cavalry of OD or our Crimson Tower. However, with the Ashen Dawn, the tables can quickly turn when 6 attacks with cleave 1 and Clash 4 are returned per stand. Inspire then gives an 85% hit rate. But this is still better than being charged by these monsters. In short, they offer everything one needs and do everything better than the alternatives in the army book.

Despite 80 points for the additional stands, five stands are often played. Personally, I would always prefer to buy a second unit rather than enlarge an existing one. Especially with the Sealed Temple as a Mainstay, this is very suitable. However, there is nothing stopping you from simply playing two large blocks. But even a regiment is often more than sufficient, and five Ashen Dawn can easily intercept and then overcome a 7-strong Hoplite block with a hero and a spear in two or three rounds. On the other hand, one should beware of strong shooting from the Dweghom, Nords, and Spire, as they can also shoot / cast away a regiment. Also, cleave 3 regiments pose a serious threat, although they often lack the attacks to safely take out five stands. So, be a little careful when throwing them into battle, as they are darn expensive and not invincible. Just really difficult to kill. Whether one still needs a standard with so much stability is a matter of taste, as I find 15 points already quite a lot for the regiment.

Another thing to note is that the models are twice the size of Man at Arms or Household Knights. Matching the power of these models, but sometimes not matching the rest of the army.

Veterans
No officers, no veterans

Relentless Drills
As cavalry, they do not benefit from Relentless Drills

Conclusion: The best of the best, sir.